Pete Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 2 hours ago, MORELOCK said: The "WWE ruined _______" narrative is so heavily reinforced here that it's easy to slip what amounts to 100% bullshit under the radar...fucking Sasuke? Really? The "Vince ruined the Sheepherders" narrative drives me nuts. The territories were dying out and they were getting ready to retire because they saw the writing on the wall. Along came Vince, who had this idea to make them lovable babyfaces. They said he was crazy, but it led to them working an easy style that extended their careers by almost a full decade while getting them the best bank of their lives in the process. Also, this. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 10 minutes ago, Pete said: The "Vince ruined the Sheepherders" narrative drives me nuts. The territories were dying out and they were getting ready to retire because they saw the writing on the wall. Along came Vince, who had this idea to make them lovable babyfaces. They said he was crazy, but it led to them working an easy style that extended their careers by almost a full decade while getting them the best bank of their lives in the process. I don't know if the narrative especially recently is about WWF ruining the Sheepherders as much as "are these motherfuckers licking kids?" which doesn't look so good then or now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BP) Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 I don’t care what anyone says, jobbing them out to the Psycho Twins was a step too far. 7 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kang Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 31 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said: I don't know if the narrative especially recently is about WWF ruining the Sheepherders as much as "are these motherfuckers licking kids?" which doesn't look so good then or now. It absolutely is about them getting "ruined." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 11 minutes ago, Pete said: It absolutely is about them getting "ruined." I think that's a overblown anecdotal thing like the Dusty polka dots deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 28 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said: I think that's a overblown anecdotal thing like the Dusty polka dots deal. Of course it's overblown- it's wrestling nerds bloviating about Vince ruining their favorite sport/wrestler/whatevs because he's always been low-hanging fruit for their little raptor arms. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, Pete said: Of course it's overblown- it's wrestling nerds bloviating about Vince ruining their favorite sport/wrestler/whatevs because he's always been low-hanging fruit for their little raptor arms. No, I am saying it's overblown in that a lot of wrestling fans probably believe WWF (and by extension Vince and Bruce Prichard) gets unfairly maligned for throwing gimmicks on certain acts and it not working or being just strange and ridiculous during that hot period. I think it's a case by case basis because there is no way to completely eschew anyone from blame. They had some clear misses. Moreover, Prichard is a certified bullshit artist (see the Red Rooster among other things). However, it gets blown out of proportion because we're held hostage by nostalgia. Anyone can say, "Naw, they didn't ruin them!". They could have made Luke and Butch dress up like third rate, off brand Transformers at that point. WWF was still going to be on fire, and the Bushwhackers would have still been guys who had to be in their mid to late 40s then on a roster with acts significantly younger than them with a brighter future. Still doesn't mean I have to buy into WWF just being this benevolent corporation that finds old guys or other talent and gives them a safe sanctuary to practice their craft. WWF wanted to drive a stake into the heart of JCP and whatever the hell was left of it by 1988 which wasn't much by the time the Sheepherders left. They got a silly gimmick, got paid, and made it work. While I don't put blame on WWF, it wasn't because WWF is just an upstanding business who treats their employees right. It was less of their doing and more on the performers themselves. Edited March 24, 2020 by Elsalvajeloco 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 23 minutes ago, Pete said: Of course it's overblown- it's wrestling nerds bloviating about Vince ruining their favorite sport/wrestler/whatevs because he's always been low-hanging fruit for their little raptor arms. There's a big difference between the Bushwhackers and Dusty: The Bushwhackers were just a wacky gimmick the company happened to come up with (and as you noted it was the best thing that ever happened to them) whereas the Dusty in polka dots thing was Vince getting his jollies humiliating the guy (Remember that Virgil didn't get his name by accident). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 (edited) 3 minutes ago, sabremike said: There's a big difference between the Bushwhackers and Dusty: The Bushwhackers were just a wacky gimmick the company happened to come up with (and as you noted it was the best thing that ever happened to them) whereas the Dusty in polka dots thing was Vince getting his jollies humiliating the guy (Remember that Virgil didn't get his name by accident). No, I am saying people could also say people were overreacting to Dusty being in polka dots. Where the gimmicks originated from has no bearing. People always use the argument, "Well...see Dusty made it work!". Yeah, but that's simplifying it without admitting the gimmick was still stupid. Edited March 24, 2020 by Elsalvajeloco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimbra Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 5 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said: Clean shaven Tajiri is another one that just looks wrong, like Rick Rude without the Tom Selleck 'stache. Young beardless Tajiri was cute as a button. I always dug the blue and white gear, too. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 9 minutes ago, RIPPA said: It's pretty amazing how certain venues that open were able to cluster together some important sports events in a relatively short period of time. Now it's all about getting a Super Bowl, the Final Four, etc. The Tokyo Dome started out with Tyson-Tubbs (which besides it being Tyson in his prime was also Jim Lampley's HBO commentary debut) in 88, the first ever New Japan Dome show the next year, the aforementioned New Japan Dome show that apparently drew a 23.2 on TV, Tyson-Douglas the next night, the Wrestling Summit two months later, the WCW/NJ Supershows which kicked off the January 4th tradition, and the SWS/WWF shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 Eggshells by Chris Charlton is a petty good read and the companion podcast a good listen depending on the guest. Goes through every Tokyo Dome wrestling show and highlights the historical broad strokes as well as the minutiae of each particular event. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Guy Eddie Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 7 hours ago, Elsalvajeloco said: Rick Rude without the stache looks weird, but he looked out of place with it in ECW. He looked like an out of work PE coach during that whole time or a sitcom dad during a very special episode about doing illegal steroids you got from some strange person at the gym. Strangely, I feel like that look worked for ECW. 1 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 5 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said: Strangely, I feel like that look worked for ECW. Rude somehow made a lot shit work. However, it made sense how he dressed post back injury/Lloyd's of London policy in WWF and then WCW. It looked more becoming of him if that makes sense. In ECW, I guess he dressed based on the amount Heyman was paying him. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Guy Eddie Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 (edited) I always got a kick out of him being DX's "insurance policy", playing off the Lloyd's of London policy. Edited March 24, 2020 by Nice Guy Eddie 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 I think its fair to say that Vince "ruined" the Shepherders gimmick but also that it allowed Luke and Butch to extend their careers and save wear and tear on the bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolCB Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 1 hour ago, Nice Guy Eddie said: I always got a kick out of him being DX's "insurance policy", playing off the Lloyd's of London policy. I never even thought of that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 Credit: "The Big Show Show" Netflix Trailer 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 10 hours ago, Pete said: Also, this. When did Liger wear the gear on the bottom left? The rest of these look most familiar, but I can't place that one at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 (edited) 26 minutes ago, Shane said: When did Liger wear the gear on the bottom left? The rest of these look most familiar, but I can't place that one at all... Man I just went on a nice little internet journey to find the answer: https://www.wrestlekingdom.jp/en/liger/history.html Quote Jyushin Thunder Liger (CTU Cats ver.) December 24 2006 Korakuen Hall CTU Cats- Thunder Tama & CTU Cats- Mike AT vs Tiger Mask & Christmas Tiger A festive crowd in Korakuen Hall got a unique treat in 2006 when Liger teamed with CTU teammate Milano Collection AT, donned cat masks, and became the CTU Cats. Liger showed feline agility in the ring for a crowd-pleasing tag match. Sounds riveting. I do like the next costume they display on the slideshow is for a match against La Sombra. Wonder what he is doing right now. Edited March 25, 2020 by Elsalvajeloco 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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