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APRIL 2020 WRESTLING DISCUSSION


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I disagree with @Matt D re: downsides to Ross's tendency to go on about sports connections. To me, it always made it seem like these dudes in the ring picked wrestling over those other sports because of the pay and the prestige of being the world champion. All the accolades that Ross would go on about would cement this for me, and further, legitimize not the wrestlers in the ring (they were great amateur and pro athletes, obviously they were legit), but Ross himself, who seemed like a dude who knew everything about these wrestlers and which gave him a certain gravitas as an expert. 

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1 minute ago, Matt D said:

Always a good idea to go on about Rick Steiner's degree in education when he was portraying a buffoon. 

Sure, that's a bad idea, but that's not a sports-related example!

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1 minute ago, Smelly McUgly said:

Sure, that's a bad idea, but that's not a sports-related example!

I mainly am disappointed someone like Heyman didn't respond by going on about Arachnaman's college sports credentials in Web City. 

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1 minute ago, Matt D said:

I mainly am disappointed someone like Heyman didn't respond by going on about Arachnaman's college sports credentials in Web City. 

I think a heel commentator just being like, "Apparently at Ann Arbor, the "special tutoring" the athletes get expands to tests and exams" or "One of my kids has  a teacher who also graduated with an education degree from Michigan. If that's the type of person who can get one of those, I'm pulling my kid out of that classroom right now" would be enough.

But Heyman talking about Arachnaman being a standout in his college's spin class would be excellent, too. 

On another note, I think Jesse Ventura works a bit better in WCW than he did in WWF on color because I think he had a tendency to undermine Monsoon on PBP by rightly pointing out what dicks most of the faces would act like; this happened less in WCW because WCW's top faces weren't consistently acting like  complete bullies and assholes. 

I mean, I love Ventura on commentary no matter what, but I just think his schtick was a better fit in WCW for that reason. 

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22 minutes ago, Matt D said:

Always a good idea to go on about Rick Steiner's degree in education when he was portraying a buffoon. 

There are a number of buffoons in the field of education.

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26 minutes ago, Matt D said:

Always a good idea to go on about Rick Steiner's degree in education when he was portraying a buffoon. 

*Insert Michigan joke here*

Oh dear, @Brian Fowler is outside my apartment with what appears to be a very large axe. This isn't going to end well..

 

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Just now, sabremike said:

*Insert Michigan joke here*

Oh dear, @Brian Fowler is outside my apartment with what appears to be a very large axe. This isn't going to end well..

 

You're lucky I'm social distancing and don't know how toshoot a bow. ?

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26 minutes ago, Smelly McUgly said:

I think a heel commentator just being like, "Apparently at Ann Arbor, the "special tutoring" the athletes get expands to tests and exams" or "One of my kids has  a teacher who also graduated with an education degree from Michigan. If that's the type of person who can get one of those, I'm pulling my kid out of that classroom right now" would be enough.

But Heyman talking about Arachnaman being a standout in his college's spin class would be excellent, too. 

On another note, I think Jesse Ventura works a bit better in WCW than he did in WWF on color because I think he had a tendency to undermine Monsoon on PBP by rightly pointing out what dicks most of the faces would act like; this happened less in WCW because WCW's top faces weren't consistently acting like  complete bullies and assholes. 

I mean, I love Ventura on commentary no matter what, but I just think his schtick was a better fit in WCW for that reason. 

Refer to the aforementioned Mr. Schiavone highlighting Hacksaw Duggan’s college background, and Bobby Heenan’s Ace of a Heel Response, for an excellent illustration of this dynamic in action.

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4 minutes ago, BobbyWhioux said:

Refer to the aforementioned Mr. Schiavone highlighting Hacksaw Duggan’s college background, and Bobby Heenan’s Ace of a Heel Response, for an excellent illustration of this dynamic in action.

This gives me an excuse to post it!

 

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2 hours ago, Phantom Lord said:

I really miss Ventura doing commentary. I know he doesn't watch wrestling these days, but it would be fun hearing him on any number of shows.

Amen to that. I remember a few years back he and McMahon went back into the booth on Raw. It was fantastic...he was seamless and able to call it even though he hadn't done it in 20 years.

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In all seriousness, I think the issue with Ross wasn't NECESSARILY the predominance of real sports, but the fact that he often went on about them instead of actually calling the match, which I guess works for a Van Hammer match (good luck with that, JR), but a lot of WCW matches were really good. The other issue, as mentioned before and highlighted by me breaking down every word said in a match (which is crazy and I wouldn't suggest it EXCEPT for that I don't think it's been done often so people should all tackle one match and do it. Now), he didn't work well with Tony, refusing to engage him and going on about whatever he wanted instead.

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3 hours ago, Raziel said:

My biggest issue with Ross is indeed, his tendency (which he got from Watts), to push OTHER sports as superior to "legitimize" guys.  He made damn sure you knew that Wrestler A PLAYED THE GREATEST SPORT OF GODS AND KINGS GRIDIRON FOOTBALL~!~! and that automatically made him more superior than someone that didn't. 

To me it did the opposite.  Like if he's putting over Stan fucking Hansen's cup of coffee on the Colts' practice squad, what does that say about wrestling?  That it's a great plan B for washouts from the real sports? 

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1 hour ago, The Great ML said:

Amen to that. I remember a few years back he and McMahon went back into the booth on Raw. It was fantastic...he was seamless and able to call it even though he hadn't done it in 20 years.

Plus, we also got Vince strutting down to "Obsession"...

...and Ventura's flubbed dig.

Edited by PetrolCB
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2 hours ago, Smelly McUgly said:

I disagree with @Matt D re: downsides to Ross's tendency to go on about sports connections. To me, it always made it seem like these dudes in the ring picked wrestling over those other sports because of the pay and the prestige of being the world champion. All the accolades that Ross would go on about would cement this for me, and further, legitimize not the wrestlers in the ring (they were great amateur and pro athletes, obviously they were legit), but Ross himself, who seemed like a dude who knew everything about these wrestlers and which gave him a certain gravitas as an expert. 

I think it was a defense mechanism for JR to legitimize whatever was going on in the ring. A way to add credibility to the presentation. JR always brings up his Dad grilling him about being a wrestling fan so I think that was just a defense mechanism he had to give credibility to what we a watching, especially when I guy had an eye rolling gimmick, probably someone he hired on. I remember he would put over Flash Funk/2 Cold Scorpio alot in WWF but he was stuck with a dumb gimmick. I think about how he had to feel about Austin or even Tracy Smothers, you recommend a guy you really believe in, they get signed and get stuck with a gimmick that is impossible to get over and you gotta put it over like you're into it.

 

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Speaking of JR and credibility, I personally hated how it seems like he always had a word for his detractors, or just detractors towards the sport of wrestling who were tuning in for that broadcast. He'd get defensive about these are real athletes taking real damage and they matter and he'd make these points in the middle of a match seemingly out of nowhere. 

He'd randomly bring up strawmen like "well people say these wrestlers know how to fall" or some other example and then he'd counterargue the point like HOW DARE they besmirch the world of professional wrestling?!?! That he'd, if memory serves, bring this up during wild brawls or stunt epics with ladders and stuff, like chill dude! If you're calling a PPV or the 2nd or 3rd hour of live tv and you start bringing this up out of nowhere, just who are you trying to convince? I doubt any detractors or haters are sticking around that long during a live event that he felt the need to address them back when there was no internet and social media.

You're calling a heated contest live on tv/ppv, why in the world do you gotta take a few minutes from calling the action to address these voices in your head? was my question.

That's my personal peeve when it comes to JR at the height of his being in the announce booth. People bring up how grumpy he gets with the modern scene and not going for pins, too many kickouts, etc and sure they're annoying to have him shit on the guys he's supposed to be putting over. But I feel like he's always been an angry man, with his distracted ranting at these invisible voices and nowadays with the overkill that goes into the matches.*

 

*Not saying he's wrong on the modern criticism he brings, some matches do drag on and the finisher kickouts can get overdone. 

But he seems like someone who always has an axe to grind about one thing or another and he takes that live mic and lets it out which, tldr I find annoying and unnecessary during a very heated match. It's one thing bringing this up during the downtime between matches but he'd typically do this right in the middle of the match.

Was he arguing with someone talking to him over the headset? Was he being antagonized by someone in his ear? I'm not sure but that would take me out of a match quicker than Mauros too cool for school references.

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4 hours ago, MavsFan77 said:

I’m glad to see someone else that feels my pain. ? Going into Lids is the worst. I’ve been able to find a hat maybe three times in the last twenty years there.

Add me to that club, too. Sucks.

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On 4/17/2020 at 1:05 PM, Peck said:

With all of the advancements in nutrition, weight-training and overall fitness, I'm disappointed not to see more Tests-of-Strength these days.

YESSSSSSSSSS

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A few years ago, there was a group of dudes in Houston who went to every wrestling card and chanted "Test of strength! Test of strength!" before every single match. If any of you from that group are reading this, fuck you, and I hope your genitals rot and fall off.

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