AEW - JULY 2023

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

Yeah, Bret shits on everything on his own time. JR is kept around as a voice of authenticity/credibility and proceeded to shit on everything he didn't like in a blurred shoot/kayfabe sense every Wednesday night.

I'd be interested to see how he went as an agent because he hated most of the agents when he was around and saw them as stooges for the office. How many pages of his bio were ripping on Chief Jay Strongbow or George Steele?

I feel like the best agents are those who are middle managers who are able to push down the views and wants of senior management and make them workable/sensible, rather than anyone who has a particularly good vision for finishes, spots, match layout. 

I think Bret would have a really set view of what he wanted to see, a section of the lockerroom that would do whatever he said, and a section of the locker room who don't take advice and see it as seriously anywhere near as Bret ever did. 

I'd be interested to see what he'd pitch creatively though.

[Firebreaker Chip]

As much as there are lots of people in AEW who should (but probably wouldn't) take advice from Bret, he has no filter at this point and would 100% fall out with lots of people and shit on the company while working for them. 

He's been quoted recently as saying the company's gone in a bad direction in-ring and he doesn't watch anymore anyway. This was pre-Collision so unsure if he's been tempted back by seeing a weekly tribute to his work (wonder what he thinks of the Martha-approved Owen stuff?)

[Zakk_Sabbath]

39 minutes ago, Firebreaker Chip said:

He's been quoted recently as saying the company's gone in a bad direction in-ring and he doesn't watch anymore anyway. This was pre-Collision so unsure if he's been tempted back by seeing a weekly tribute to his work (wonder what he thinks of the Martha-approved Owen stuff?

I don't recall hearing anything specifically directed toward the in-ring, but I find that really interesting, because I recently caught a clip from Kevin Nash's podcast where he mentioned that he and Steve Austin also made a pact to stop watching. I do share your feelings/question on Collision, though - Owen tourney aside, it's definitely thus far felt as though there's less comedy dishes on the Collision buffet table. I could easily see that appealing to Bret's generation more than some of the 'out there' stuff that occasionally makes air on Wednesdays.

[Firebreaker Chip]

These were the quotes from Bret from April:

 

"Sadly, it's getting too phony. I really question the direction that the people that are in charge are taking wrestling. AEW has gone in a bad direction with all the violence and gore. I watched an episode, Dr. Martha Hart doing her big press conference, I'm watching AEW and [Jon Moxley] is sticking a fork in somebody's head for five minutes with a close-up. This isn't wrestling. I would recommend turning all that off and not watching because it's not very good. Wrestling is going in bad directions because people don't know what wrestling is or was." (h/t Fightful)"

[Matt D]

We're still on this days later. In my mind, it's absolutely not going to happen but Bret would be one voice of many and would probably be best working with either young people or working in an Arn and Cena sort of way with someone like Punk or MJF or FTR exclusively. You wouldn't have him working with the Elite or the Lucha Bros. I can't imagine he'd be up for the travel schedule so you'd either bring him in now and again for a Canada run or for an ROH taping at Universal or in a virtual way where he's in communication with Punk or FTR. It probably makes more sense to bring him in for seminars/sessions with the young guys a few times a year. 

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

They need closure of the angle from 1992 Superstars where he was going to be Papa Shango's zombie but they put the belt on him instead.

Have him come out and hit the five moves of doom on job guys and looking at his hands till Charles Wright joins the House of Black or something.

[Curt McGirt]

3 hours ago, Firebreaker Chip said:

These were the quotes from Bret from April:

 

"Sadly, it's getting too phony. I really question the direction that the people that are in charge are taking wrestling. AEW has gone in a bad direction with all the violence and gore. I watched an episode, Dr. Martha Hart doing her big press conference, I'm watching AEW and [Jon Moxley] is sticking a fork in somebody's head for five minutes with a close-up. This isn't wrestling. I would recommend turning all that off and not watching because it's not very good. Wrestling is going in bad directions because people don't know what wrestling is or was." (h/t Fightful)"

I guess Bret forgot about his dad giving Abby his start. Or maybe he's still sore about the Bad News/Stomper's kid incident. 

[odessasteps]

The selective memories of people can be annoying sometimes.  I can usually understand the distinction guys make between ringside/foreign objects in the old days vs now (forgive me for saying verisimilitude) but some people lose credibility for ignoring their own pasts just to make a point about the current industry. 

[Go2Sleep]

The only benefit to AEW hiring Bret would be for them to promote the fact that Bret Hart is working for them. I can see why they'd only be interested in an on-screen role. Let's be real, AEW has no trouble putting out great matches, and Bret is not going alter the trajectory of the company at all as an agent. Almost the entire AEW roster are 10+ year vets, Bret isn't gonna be unlocking any secrets that make anyone better to a degree that it leads to a ratings shift, and I mean TV or starz. You can still have reverence for the guy and his legacy while understanding that having him coach your current roster week to week has basically no value.

AEW hiring Bret as an agent would be like the Chiefs hiring Dan Marino as the QB coach.

[Curt McGirt]

A question: why the fuck would Steve Austin make a pledge with Bret not to watch wrestling anymore? He does not at all seem like the guy who'd be a snob that gives that much of a fuck to refuse to watch. 

[Shartnado]

12 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

A question: why the fuck would Steve Austin make a pledge with Bret not to watch wrestling anymore? He does not at all seem like the guy who'd be a snob that gives that much of a fuck to refuse to watch. 

I can't answer the actual question, but if I am ever heard (or seen in a written form) making such a pledge, I need someone to come and punch me straight in the dick to bring me back to my senses. Or my life is in danger and you need to be calling the authorities! Just a heads up!

[Shartnado]

2 hours ago, GuerrillaMonsoon said:

They need closure of the angle from 1992 Superstars where he was going to be Papa Shango's zombie but they put the belt on him instead.

Have him come out and hit the five moves of doom on job guys and looking at his hands till Charles Wright joins the House of Black or something.

Was that the way that was supposed to go? I thought Backlund was going to be the Zombie or under the voodoo curse/spell?

[Dog]

Austin and Nash made a pact with each other to not watch AEW, specifically. Which isn't any less weird, to me. Lot of questions could be asked there. 

[odessasteps]

I finally found something to agree with Nash on, besides IU  basketball. 

[Dog]

12 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

I finally found something to agree with Nash on, besides IU  basketball. 

You've made a PACT to not watch AEW? Why? Like a virginity pact -- you're tempted, but you think it's wrong? What happens if you accidentally watch a clip? Do you have to cut yourself? Go to confession? 

[odessasteps]

I could say self-flaggelation, which often means reading the board.

(Haven't been to confession since I was an altar boy and was smartened up on Catholic Kayfabe)

Edited July 26, 2023 by odessasteps

[Dog]

Am I the only one who really appreciates Nigel's heel commentary? Taz often plays it too straight on Dynamite, and Jericho on Rampage is not ... good ... at it. 

[Technico Support]

5 minutes ago, Dog said:

Am I the only one who really appreciates Nigel's heel commentary? Taz often plays it too straight on Dynamite, and Jericho on Rampage is not ... good ... at it. 

He’s seriously great.  There was a spot in a recent show where he stood up to applaud a heel’s tactics and it was *chef’s kiss*

[Go2Sleep]

I prefer Taz being all over the place, although they should do away with the recent trend of him getting all sad about Hook while never directly saying that's his son.

Nigel's commentary is very WWE-ish. He does sound very polished, much more so than Ian or even Kevin, but I have never and will never understand what purpose an announcer openly pulling for guys along straight face/heel lines actually serves. It comes across like those cable news pundit panels.

[Dog]

Maybe I'm just scarred by Monsoon and Heenan commentating Hogan matches. When Hogan blatantly cheated, and the play-by-play guy openly excused it, Heenan seemed like the only rational man left on Earth. Someone's gotta stick up for the misunderstood among us!

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

4 hours ago, Shartnado said:

Was that the way that was supposed to go? I thought Backlund was going to be the Zombie or under the voodoo curse/spell?

Two separate angles. There was a couple of weeks dedicated to Shango saying Bret lost at SummerSlam because he cursed him and that Bret would soon be his own personal zombie.

Instead Bret beat Flair, I think they had a match on SNME a few weeks later and it was largely forgotten about.

Shango was supposedly due to return in 94 with Backlund but it seems like that may have been a Scott Keith thing given most of the guys involved have either outright debunked it or said it was just an idea thrown up.

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

TK: "So Bret, we want to do a program with MJF and Miro, any suggestions?"

Bret: "MJF should come out and call him a big stupid dummy and then Miro should respond saying he's heard MJF isn't exactly a jam up kind of guy and go from there"

TK: "oh, ok then, I guess we can make that work. We're thinking of putting the belts back on the Bucks, how do see that working out?"

Bret: "I don't like it at all, to tell you the truth I don't think truckers and lumberjacks who come home from a hard day's work want to see these scrawny little guys do the same moves in the same order, every single match, looks fake y'know, but could also hurt someone, and I know I never hurt anyone I stepped in the ring with.."

TK: "Bret, why are you trying to apply a Russian legsweep on me?"

Bret: "Sorry, force of habit."

TK: "what about the Lucha Bros instead?"

Bret: "they could wrestle each other and their twelve other Lucha brothers could be all conflicted about whose side they're on."

TK: "I don't think they've got twelve other brothers"

Bret: "Use some of mine then. You have Hypnosis and Serpentico side with Rey Fenix, you could call them the high flyers of the highest magnitude on the bill, and on the other side Penta sides with the lousy Bruce and Smith Hart."

[Elsalvajeloco]

34 minutes ago, Dog said:

Maybe I'm just scarred by Monsoon and Heenan commentating Hogan matches. When Hogan blatantly cheated, and the play-by-play guy openly excused it, Heenan seemed like the only rational man left on Earth. Someone's gotta stick up for the misunderstood among us!

I think Ventura for both kayfabe and shoot reasons was the guy firmly in that camp. Vince was probably worse than Gorilla. 

I think part of it is Hogan worked a good portion of his non AWA/WWF career as a heel so most of his offense was geared towards doing heel shit. Like he never learned to work in ring as a babyface outside of his comeback.

[HarryArchieGus]

1 hour ago, Dog said:

Am I the only one who really appreciates Nigel's heel commentary? Taz often plays it too straight on Dynamite, and Jericho on Rampage is not ... good ... at it. 

Nigel is fantastic and the best commentator the company has ever employed. He elevates any team he's a part of. Comapre Riccaboni from ROH to Collision. With Caprice in the two man he's prone to quiet voice *I'm showing emotion*. He's also prone to telling ludicrous sounding back stories. I say 'lucrious sounding' as sometimes those stories are legit, but sound a bit like he's educating a grade school class. Somehow Nigel reels him in and we get a whole lot less of that. Caprice is a tonne better with Nigel too. They have great banter. Too bad they couldn't have just made the Saturday night show 'ROH Collision'. I don't agree on Jericho. Sometimes he's not good, but sometimes he very much is good. Sometimes he's even funny. I do agree on Taz playing it too straight. I'd love a bit of that Human Suplex Machine 'tude that we sometimes got in promos with his AEW Team Taz.

Edited July 26, 2023 by HarryArchieGus

[Casey]

As much as I like Ian, and Kevin Kelly (in New Japan, I think he has good chemistry with Chris) - I don’t think they’ve found someone that meshes well with Nigel’s current throwback heel commentator role.

I don’t want to burn the dude out, but I still think Excalibur and Nigel would be a great team since Ex can play off just about anyone pretty damn well. I’d say JR if this was, like, 15 years ago maybe, or if he currently wasn’t the living embodiment of the WrestleFap subreddit most of the time.