Stevie Ray Von Erich

Kayfabe is bigger to me than just knowing that wrestling isn't a legitimate athletic contest. That is certainly part of it, and one of the oldest parts of keeping it, but I think the term applies to more of an epistemology of pro wrestling. Kayfabe, as a concept, represents things about the business that outsiders either don't know, don't need to know, or that-in knowing-get them unnecessarily close to the show. And while I would argue that it also encapsulates pro wrestling's traditions and codes of respect and conduct, I don't think I have to make that claim to still maintain that Kayfabe certainly still exists. In the internet age, Kayfabe just moved. As internet savvy fans, we like to think we know how things work, but we still only understand things on a cursory level. I have no idea how a match is called in the ring. And while I'm pretty sure on my ideas about how this could and should work, it's still a mystery. Even the workers on the board can still admit to not understanding the WWE's brand of Kayfabe, it's interpretations of the pro wrestling business. There are still many mysteries and secrets operating to keep the show exciting and, more importantly, keep us buying tickets. While Meltzer and those like him provide a lot of insight from the access they're granted, they still get things wrong, can get worked, and are inherently getting things second hand. I understand how a car engine works for the most part. But I am not a mechanic. And I am certainly not an engineer. So while I may know the basics, there are levels to knowledge that apply to all sorts of topics. Instead of degrees or titles, pro wrestling has Kayfabe and I would argue it very much still exists on many different levels. It has to; if an audience knew how every aspect of a big touring concert or a Vegas magician's show worked and operated, there would be no business. All of the spectacle would be gone. Mystery is an aspect of spectacle, and Kayfabe works to preserve at least part of the mystery to varying degrees in order to preserve the spectacle and to keep us paying to witness it.

Every time we bring up bodies in this threads shit gets terrible. I guess I should be glad we're not talking about Divas.

Any of those matches with The Shield. I assume Kane was picked for those matches because he was a solid hand and could get the new/younger talent over with the audience.

That damn Jeff Hardy .gif.

Disco Inferno might work here based on where some of the posts are going, but I always thought he was good on his own. I honestly think CM Punk might qualify as all of his really high end stuff is against guys who get that level of work out of, or with, other people, specifically Joe and Cena. But I'm not really sure if fans can even ask this question, though. It's really hard to tell who's responsible for what in a wrestling match, especially since the whole concept is built around cooperation. It's like trying to decide who's pulling more of the load while watching two people on a seesaw; yeah, sometimes it will be obvious who is doing more work, but if things are going smoothly only the people involved could ever really know.

Maybe his WCW run. But really? The RVD and Taz matches in ECW are really good, there's tons of New Era stuff that is good, and he and Vader had arguably the best big man team ever in Japan. I'm just not seeing it. To each their own, but Henry goes beneath Bammer on my list.

Bam Bam Bigelow says hello. He might be one of the most dynamic big men ever, got over to a degree in ever promotion he was ever in, and had phenomenal matches with people from as diverse skillsets as Taz and Bret Hart. I would also argue that young Andre is one of the best ever. There is a match with Hansen where he seems at all times both lovable, ferocious. He also was foundational in creating the big man style to begin with.

What abut Scorpio getting the best out of Sabu? I always like Scorpio/Sabu better than the RVD/Sabu series.

Ultraman 2000. He was in a photo a few pages back and was a gimmick of Damian 666. I just love head to toe gimmicks like that. for instance: and to a slightly lesser extent, are all, at the very least, interesting to look at. American wrestling needs more lucha-inspired gear.

I'm so curious where Big Show would land in Mookieghana's analysis. And it's funny to think about how horrible a Kane and Booker T feud would be given the results. I know they've had a few matches, but I don't think they've ever done a real program as opponents.

He already was. By the end of their run, he and Otunga were a fairly competent team. Which is saying a lot based on where they started. And while I was first a little disappointed that a Bryan/Axel feud looms on the horizon, the matches are going to be very good, And I know this is exactly the opposite of where the angle is headed, but I would love to see what a face Sandow would be like.

Decided to go with a new avatar for the new board. The idea of a caveman robot is hilarious to me. And, just for some perspective, I've been reading the board since I was in middle school. I'm now about to begin work on my PhD. I have no problem telling people how big a part of my life pro wrestling is; they usually laugh a little but then realize it's a nerdy passion of mine and accept it. However, it is much more difficult to tell people how big a part of your life a collection of strangers on the internet you don't know and rarely interact with are. The DVDVR community has been a near-daily constant of mine for a very long time and, when you've moved around as much as I have, that means a lot. I love this place and all its quirks and fads, all of its discussions and combined knowledge. It feels as much like home as any internet site can for me, and I am so glad to have it back. Thank you for all of your hard work and time getting things back up and running. I hope you understand how much your dedication means to the people it serves. I still think Miz is underrated. And I'm glad to be back.