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AUGUST WRESTLING DISCUSSION THREAD


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I think the thought process that went into choosing the cover photo would be more interesting to hear about, rather than the actual list.

 

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"Can we get a photo of him making a weird face/pose?  Now, it would be even better if he had something like dust or chalk on his chin!  Perfect! Print it!"

 

 

He looks like Gregory Iron if he stole Bane's venom.

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I think the thought process that went into choosing the cover photo would be more interesting to hear about, rather than the actual list.

 

Posted Image

"Can we get a photo of him making a weird face/pose?  Now, it would be even better if he had something like dust or chalk on his chin!  Perfect! Print it!"

 

 

He looks like Gregory Iron if he stole Bane's venom.

 

This is a photo of Cena after seeing Nikki Bella's implants.

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I think the thought process that went into choosing the cover photo would be more interesting to hear about, rather than the actual list.

 

Posted Image

 

 

The lesson, as always: Never EVER try to still-photo someone doing the Cabbage Patch.

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The biggest difference between WWF in the late 80's/early 90's and today isn't the in-ring work but the presentation. When you only had four or five pay-per-views and an hour of A television each week, it was easier to do long term planning not just for the top wrestlers and angles but for more of the roster. You could pencil in the WrestleMania main event and build from there. It's much harder to do any long term booking because there's twelve PPV's and three hours of A television each week. And the A television in 2013 has matches with much more name value than it did in 1994. In a way, the beginning, middle and end of storytelling that a lot of us grew up on has been replaced by what seems like an endless run-on of stuff.

 

I remember how back in my day (I went there), the night after a pay-per-view was a huge thing, not just because you wanted to find out who won the matches, but also because it often meant that new feuds were going to be developing and it was almost like a TV show's season premiere. This was especially true with WrestleMania. But with three hour Raw's that often feature PPV rematches and that kind of quality match in general, everything kinda runs together. I actually kinda feel bad for the writers because I would imagine that writing a Raw in 2013 is far more emotionally draining than putting together a show even during the Attitude Era. The show now almost seems like a pay-per-view itself (I felt that way even before it switched to three hours) that basically takes the same stuff and recycles it each week with slight modifications rather than a traditional style where one thing leads to the next which leads to the next before the climax.

 

The roster is big but it's not necessarily deep in talent if that makes sense. There's a lot of different faces but few that are really distinguished. Crash TV worked in the late 90's because the roster was incredibly talented both on top and in the midcard. That talent depth isn't what it used to be and really, a presentation closer to Superstars of Wrestling in the late 80's/early 90's or Raw pre-Monday Night Wars would probably be more suited for the current roster than the big match formula that's driven the show since the mid-late 90's. It'll obviously never go back to the old days because I don't think fans would be willing to sit through a show of mostly squash matches (no less three hours of squashes) but also because the revenue WWE makes off TV nowadays is so astronomically higher than it was fifteen years ago that there's no reason to jeopardize the TV money just to maybe have a better show. But let's face it, relying on TV as the main draw instead of using it as the main tool to build to the PPV has not only made pay-per-views less important but I think is really what's screwed up the simpler beginning, middle and end format that was mentioned earlier.

 

All that said, I'm more invested in WWE this year than I've been since the early part of the decade back when I was in high school and had friends I'd see and chat with about the show. I don't necessarily watch every week and my viewing will probably go down a lot once Monday Night Football returns, but I'm starting to accept the current show for what it is and take the good with the bad. And right now, the good is REALLY good.

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A reference to his past gimmick, Mascarita Sagrada II. Do to legal reasons he changed his name, and look after jumping from AAA, to CMLL.

 

Shame he can't wear the Dorada gear anymore. To me that had have been the best wrestling gear I've ever seen.

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The topic from a month ago asking about big men better than Mark Henry made me interested in watching some Andre matches. He is someone I like, but have never seen too much of. What are some worthwhile matches of his checking out? I have seen one or two matches with Killer Khan and the Hansen match.

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Is Dustin wrestling anywhere anymore?

 

 

I can't speak for EXTREMELY recently, but back in March I worked on a show Dustin was on, and I know he had a booking or two I heard about before then and after. 

 

And I can with 100% honesty......he was in great shape and was very friendly with both fans and all of us in the locker room; no ego at all.  After the show was over and the promoters were taking care of money, getting the building cleared, etc, Dustin sat in the back with us (one of the promoters was driving him to his hotel) chatting and laughing and was just completely awesome.  And here was a guy who could have easily phoned it in during his match because the crowd would have popped for him regardless.  But he went out there and busted his ass.  I mentioned that to him in the back.....how he could have gotten by with coasting and how much I respected that he gave the fans a good show.  He replied "Thank you brother......hey, I'm being paid to be here, I'm not phoning it in, man, I'm doing my job."

 

He was an absolute treat to work on a show with and he thanked the promoters for being so professional and treating him well. 

 

This in contrast to a show I did a few years ago that Jeff Jarrett was on, where he legitimately did not speak to, look at, or even come near anyone who wasn't Raven, Al Snow, Road Dogg, his "handler", the booker, or the other people in the match with him.  A 6 man tag match where he barely got in the ring and was paid entirely too much for doing nothing.  

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The topic from a month ago asking about big men better than Mark Henry made me interested in watching some Andre matches. He is someone I like, but have never seen too much of. What are some worthwhile matches of his checking out? I have seen one or two matches with Killer Khan and the Hansen match.

 

There are probably two trains of thought. There's value in seeing young Andre but what's most interesting to me is old, immobile Andre. Watch Demolition vs Colossal Connection from MSG and watch how he makes every little move he does matter and how the wrestlers and the crowd respond to him. Honestly? another good choice is watching the WON Worst match of the year vs Warrior and look at how smartly that match is put together and how Andre does so, so much by doing so, so little. It's depressing and masterful all at once.

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The topic from a month ago asking about big men better than Mark Henry made me interested in watching some Andre matches. He is someone I like, but have never seen too much of. What are some worthwhile matches of his checking out? I have seen one or two matches with Killer Khan and the Hansen match.

 

There's a fun match from 1981 against Hogan in Philadelphia. Sadly my Youtube-Fu is weak and I can't find it.

 

For young Andre, you cannot go wrong with this.

 

http://youtu.be/mOOyxdEHZKU

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I actually watched the match with Strong Kobayashi last night. It bored me a bit with the length and Kobayashi who was a kind of bland. That said, I did enjoy most everything Andre was doing. I really wasn't expecting him to play the kind of character he did, but he did a fine job of it and brought out the most interesting parts of the match.

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Anyone know if there are plans for a new Andre retrospect for WWE in the works?  I seem to recall a mention of one earlier in the year (or the near end of last year).  I think a combo of AWA, Japan, and early WWF stuff would be spectacular, just to get over what a spectacle dude was.  Much of my memories of Andre start around the WM-WMIII area.

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http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/kayfabe-lies-and-alibis-the-road-warriors-shoot-interview/#.UhTOoz8iy2AThe Greatest Tag Team of all time deliver a Hell of an entertaining shoot interview as they riff on Vince McMahon, cover their career peaks and valleys and lots more highlights....it's a RUSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

 

Everyone needs to watch Hawk's match at this link.  His hair (and yes, he has hair) has to be seen to be believed.

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http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/kayfabe-lies-and-alibis-the-road-warriors-shoot-interview/#.UhTOoz8iy2AThe Greatest Tag Team of all time deliver a Hell of an entertaining shoot interview as they riff on Vince McMahon, cover their career peaks and valleys and lots more highlights....it's a RUSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

 

Also, in a bit of sadness, the interviewer (Feinstein, I assume?) gets to be the one who tells them Jumbo Tsuruta died.

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