The WON HOF THREAD

[odessasteps]

7 hours ago, J.H. said:

Wait... how the hell are the Beauty Paur not in?

They were so impirtant to AJW and were mainstrwam stars in Japan. I figured they would have been in the fiest HOF class. Hell no Beauty Pair or Black Pair and we don't have the Dirty Pair!

James

There are people every year when we ask "why didn't Dave put them in originally in the first year. Plenty of them on this year's ballot: bobby Davis, Morris Segal, Roy Welch. 

[RIPPA]

 

[Matt D]

Happy Blue Panther day to those that celebrate.

[odessasteps]

At least some of my votes got in this year.

according to the public tracker, Steiners lost at least 10 votes from last year, presumably due to Rick’s behavior. 

[Robert S]

Can someone make the case for Ishii over literally anyone else on the Japanese ballot?

[Cobra Commander]

If the Bucks are going heel and since they didn’t get voted into the WON HOF, they should either rename the Meltzer Driver or just say they won’t do it anymore to punish the voters

At least until they forget they said that or the announcer uses the wrong name

Being aggrieved that Omega and Jericho are in but they, the Bucks, aren’t would be exactly the on-screen approach I’d expect. Maybe have Jericho suggest that he and Omega wear “WONHOF members jackets” to rub it in on Sunday even if said jackets don’t exist.

[odessasteps]

I said the other day I wonder if the Bucks would hold it against any active wrestlers didn’t vote for them. 

[Curt McGirt]

Is it a secret ballot?

[RIPPA]

3 hours ago, Robert S said:

Can someone make the case for Ishii over literally anyone else on the Japanese ballot?

This is what Dave wrote

Quote

Tomohiro Ishii is a very unique Hall of Famer, one of the most perhaps in the entire history of the Hall of Fame.

While Ishii main evented shows all over the world, he was never considered one of the top five stars of any promotion he was with. His legacy, which has grown stronger in recent years, was a guy who delivers incredible matches.

Whether it was the Observer, Cagematch or Grappl, Ishii was one of the highest rated wrestlers when it comes to the number of **** matches in history and highest rated overall. In recent years, during G-1, he was often the MVP and G-1 is actually the largest collection of great matches of the year in a condensed period of time.

While many wrestlers did get in primarily on in-ring matches, most also at least got token world championships. Ishii, with all of his plaudits as G-1 MVP, never once reached the finals, never headlined the Tokyo Dome or was in consideration for the IWGP title. Still, just weeks before his 48th birthday, he is still a strong candidate for a top placing in Most Outstanding Wrestler and particularly in the U.K., he’s a sought after outside headliner on big shows.

Of all the people who go in this year, I expect him to be the most debated. Yet, when his case is explained with stats, he’s actually an incredibly strong candidate, but not in the traditional way. 

The Hall of Fame criteria is supposed to be drawing power, having great matches in the ring and positive historical significance. If you are a top drawing card with provable stats, you are getting in. Matches are subjective, but to me, when you are at the top across the board, at the level of Ishii and Shingo Takagi (more on him later), that should be enough to make you a lock in my mind. But Ishii did have to overcome the fact that some would not vote for someone who isn’t a long-time big draw with a top promotion and he barely squeaked in. 

 

[odessasteps]

21 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

Is it a secret ballot?

Yes, unless you choose to make it public. That's why the HOF Tracker is a good snapshot of SOME voters. 

[Cobra Commander]

1 hour ago, RIPPA said:

While Ishii main evented shows all over the world, he was never considered one of the top five stars of any promotion he was with

how does he compare to Harold Baines though

Edited November 17, 2023 by Cobra Commander

[The Comedian]

At least he didn't get in before Ron Santo.

[Cobra Commander]

El Hijo Del Ron Santo was a fine Chicago indy worker though.

[odessasteps]

1 minute ago, The Comedian said:

At least he didn't get in before Ron Santo.

Workshopping an El Santo joke here

[The Comedian]

11 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

Workshopping an El Santo joke here

Cobra Commander beat you to it unfortunately...

That means he must be the cool-ass Marvel comic Cobra Commander who was a disgruntled car salesman that funded Cobra through pyramid schemes, not the lame-ass cartoon Cobra Commander who was a scientist from the techno-organic underworld of Cobra-La. Literally the only thing he had going for him was Chris Latta...

[Happ Hazzard]

Are tag teams of two already inducted wrestlers eligible for the HOF? Eg Stevens & Patterson, Bockwinkel & Stevens, Bruiser & Crusher?

[odessasteps]

I'd think in theory? But, personally, I don't know if I would want to "use up" a vote for people already Inducted.

[odessasteps]

 

[RazorbladeKiss87]

Yeah, I just got done listening to that. He said voters have been contacting him asking about that and he heavily implied he knows which way the vote will go. Compares the situation to Benoit.

[username]

Great, I am looking forward to seeing the Observer Hall of Fame voters' crime rankings. I predict child murder by a good in-ring worker will be considered less bad than sex crimes by a poor one.

(This is half-sarcasm but I don't wanna hear anything from those voters, they had the chance to do the right thing over a decade ago but planted their flag on the "separating the art from the artist" side of the line.)

[odessasteps]

If Dave’s HOF had plaques and they added a line that said “convicted sex criminal” the same as a hypothetical plaque for Buck Humhoffe or Bob Sweetan (not sure if Grizzly was ever actually convicted), that’d be good. Same for “convicted murderer” for Jimmy Snuka and Benoit and probably others I’m forgetting.