Niners Fan in CT Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 Martel: "Santana was always a loosher!" 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 9 hours ago, Tarheel Moneghetti said: Eh, I thought Flair came off the babyface in that segment. Which is interesting since Meltzer has been saying for awhile that Ric is more comfortable working heel and would most likely be the heel in the match. How? Flair: Has Lethal help him get into training shape for one last match, but then doesn't include him at all in the announcements/festivities surrounding it. Lethal confronts him, and he basically blows him off and implies that he's going to beat Lethal's ass for speaking up. Tells Jarrett to fuck off and that he hates his pops when Jarrett actually tries to help him up. If he comes off as a babyface, he comes off as an '80s WWF Hogan-style babyface. I thought he came off as a dick in that video. To each their own, I suppose. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 20, 2022 Author Share Posted July 20, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 2 hours ago, thee Reverend Axl Future said: In a way, the best wrestling promotions (booking-wise) did this. Eddie Graham in particular knew what the fans wanted, but knew the best way to give it to them was not how they (think they) wanted it, but the way that would elicit the most emotion (his genius way). Feuds that go on for a long time, with lots os turns, teases, face beatdowns and slow burn are a typical example. Memphis could do this on occasion too, Portland and LA too. Yeah, you want your hero to get revenge ASAP, but those old bookers would wring every last angle/emotion/dollar out of it, and we were all better off for it. Forget booking for your monthly PPV, I want a feud that lasts for years... Also, the challenges of booking weekly towns are a different dynamic than monthly. In a week to week territory, you are seeing the results in a much quicker turn around. We've certainly heard about Memphis abruptly changing plans after a bad Monday night attendance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 6 hours ago, Log said: Didn’t WWE sign that Indian pitcher that had a movie made about him? Edit: Oh, shit! That’s Veer. I had no idea. And the movie is Million Dollar Arm. he has changed his look a little bit over the years 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 I was also shocked when I heard that (since I don't want any current stuff). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 now if there are any future ex-baseball pitchers in wrestling, maybe one of them could be given the task of trying to get the claw over as a finisher "He's squeezing that guy's head like it's a baseball" Hell, just give that finish to a knuckleball pitcher and have the least threatening type of pitcher be the guy whose finisher involves digging fingers into someone's temples Probably easier to get the claw back over than the heart punch since the Heart Punch is a little less believable in a day when everybody is supposed to have cardio and wrestlers aren't dying in the ring of incidental heart attacks after taking the heart pitch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 You just need to crush some apples, Hodge style, to get the Claw over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 18 minutes ago, odessasteps said: You just need to crush some apples, Hodge style, to get the Claw over again. Shit, gimmick an actual baseball to be crushed by a claw and we have Veer's finish that'll make him. He's pretty good so far, and I really like him a lot. And that would work perfectly with his character. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kropotkin's Beard Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 1 hour ago, Cobra Commander said: now if there are any future ex-baseball pitchers in wrestling, maybe one of them could be given the task of trying to get the claw over as a finisher "He's squeezing that guy's head like it's a baseball" Hell, just give that finish to a knuckleball pitcher and have the least threatening type of pitcher be the guy whose finisher involves digging fingers into someone's temples Probably easier to get the claw back over than the heart punch since the Heart Punch is a little less believable in a day when everybody is supposed to have cardio and wrestlers aren't dying in the ring of incidental heart attacks after taking the heart pitch. Lance Archer got the claw over in New Japan, dunno if he still uses it in AEW or not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiztor Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 13 hours ago, odessasteps said: I just asked this on the BTS discord so I’ll throw it out here: I wonder the most successful baseball player turned wrestler was. I mean, the best baseball player to become a wrestler. Did Torborg make the show? Did The Mayor ever wrestle In HWA or just manage? I presume there was someone who made it higher in the system than Randy. I’m sure I’m forgetting someone obvious. are we not counting Macho Man for some reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 (edited) Yes. The original question was "what was highest level of success in baseball by a regular wrestler, not a guest shot or one off?" Macho being a minor league player would likely not be the answer. It seems like the answer might just be Baba, since I guess Dale Torborg didn't reach the majors. Edited July 20, 2022 by odessasteps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Moneghetti Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 8 hours ago, SirSmellingtonofCascadia said: How? Flair: Has Lethal help him get into training shape for one last match, but then doesn't include him at all in the announcements/festivities surrounding it. Lethal confronts him, and he basically blows him off and implies that he's going to beat Lethal's ass for speaking up. Tells Jarrett to fuck off and that he hates his pops when Jarrett actually tries to help him up. If he comes off as a babyface, he comes off as an '80s WWF Hogan-style babyface. I thought he came off as a dick in that video. To each their own, I suppose. Maybe they’re all heels? Lethal got in Flair’s face about being left off the card, then punched the much older guy in the stomach, then pounded on him. Fight gets broken up, then Lethal comes back and whomps Flair while he’s still on the ground. Jarrett gets involved, then gets mad and he ends up attacking Flair while Ric is still selling Lethal’s punches. I thought Lethal came off as the typical jerk heel who gets angry over a minor imaginary slight. Flair acted heelish provoking Jarrett but otherwise it seemed like we were supposed to buy Lethal as the heel. You’re probably right, though. Flair supposedly wants to go out as a heel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiztor Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 2 hours ago, odessasteps said: Yes. The original question was "what was highest level of success in baseball by a regular wrestler, not a guest shot or one off?" Macho being a minor league player would likely not be the answer. It seems like the answer might just be Baba, since I guess Dale Torborg didn't reach the majors. thank you. i read the question backwards (damn early morning brain not working) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 3 hours ago, odessasteps said: Yes. The original question was "what was highest level of success in baseball by a regular wrestler, not a guest shot or one off?" The Answer 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Moneghetti Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, Cobra Commander said: now if there are any future ex-baseball pitchers in wrestling, maybe one of them could be given the task of trying to get the claw over as a finisher "He's squeezing that guy's head like it's a baseball" Hell, just give that finish to a knuckleball pitcher and have the least threatening type of pitcher be the guy whose finisher involves digging fingers into someone's temples Probably easier to get the claw back over than the heart punch since the Heart Punch is a little less believable in a day when everybody is supposed to have cardio and wrestlers aren't dying in the ring of incidental heart attacks after taking the heart pitch. I’ve never been able to take the claw seriously. Back in the 80’s, I saw a standup comedian do a bit about Baron Van Raschke with the punchline being that his move - the Claw - “wouldn’t paralyze a gerbil.”. Lol, he was probably right. Someone needs to steal the Pirahna’s claw move. Piranha was one of the opponents in the Mat Mania arcade game from the 80’s/early 90’s. Piranha had a signature move where he would whip his opponent into the ropes, then catch the guy with a double-hand face claw /vise grip. He would sorta wiggle his hands over the oponent’s face and his opponent would slump to his knees then fall on his back and llay there, cool variation. Edited July 20, 2022 by Tarheel Moneghetti 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porksweats Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 21 minutes ago, Tarheel Moneghetti said: I’ve never been able to take the claw seriously. Back in the 80’s, I saw a standup comedian do a bit about Baron Van Raschke with the punchline being that his move - the Claw - “wouldn’t paralyze a gerbil.”. Lol, he was probably right. Someone needs to steal the Pirahna’s claw move. Piranha was one of the opponents in the Mat Mania arcade game from the 80’s/early 90’s. Piranha had a signature move where he would whip his opponent into the ropes, then catch the guy with a double-hand face claw /vise grip. He would sorta wiggle his hands over the oponent’s face and his opponent would slump to his knees then fall on his bak. And lay there, cool variation. Have you seen Satnam Singh's claw variation? He grabs the opponents head in a claw while they are down and picks them up and slams them back down like dribbling a basketball. It's sick 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 53 minutes ago, Tarheel Moneghetti said: I’ve never been able to take the claw seriously. I was able to make the Claw painful by misapplying it in a backyard wrestling setting. Turns out that pressing your palm on the point of someone’s nose isn’t pleasant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 (edited) Whenever I'd employ the claw as a kid, I'd squeeze the temples with my thumb on one and my middle finger on the other. That shit definitely hurt but it was also easy to counter. Edited July 20, 2022 by Technico Support 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 I think one of the early WWF tapes on Coliseum Home Video had Gorilla Monsoon talking about how Killer Kowalski would use the claw sometimes on the stomach or knee. Always thought that could add another layer of storytelling if someone were to start using it for a finisher today. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 I dunno if anyone has ever given The Claw to their dog (without really applying pressure of course) but they absolutely hate it. A good tactic to use while playing with them, gets them riled up real quick. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 A stomach claw seems a bit harder to pull off credibly with the whole “most everybody is in shape” thing now a claw to the back of a knee is the sort of nerve hold that could eat up 5 minutes in a row in an old WWF match 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 I’m trying to find a write up of Andre vs Mulligan I did where the claw is awesome because it was presented as effective against Andre. but I found this Spoiler vs Ox Baker write up from a match I don’t remember instead. Spoiler There's a special place in my heart for matches like Spoiler vs Ox Baker. At some point along the way, the value of what was good in wrestling shifted. Or maybe it was never even really recognized. Maybe this was never fully appreciated. I have to think it was at some point. Two wrestlers, utilizing a utility of movement (for Spoiler doesn't even go up to the top until late in the match), manipulating a crowd, creating symbolic meaning with as little as necessary and then making that symbolic meaning have dramatic purpose. That's wrestling. That's the absolute pinnacle of wrestling. That's the joy of the heart punch and the claw. That's the importance of the mask. That's what this match does. It creates narrative moments based around symbols. The mask is important enough that Baker would sacrifice his advantage to go after it. To take it off would create a sort of victory for him that would be greater than physically mauling or pinning his opponent. It's worth the risk of eating punishment himself. It means so much to Spoiler that it causes him to retreat, to look weaker against an evenly matched opponent, during the brawl after the time limit expired. Everything has meaning, Ox's beard, Spoiler's height, the claw, Ox's bearhug. The second ring. Everything. This is a match that made something out of nothing. That's the magic of wrestling and we've lost so much of it because we've come to value self-important action over it. Found it: https://forums.prowrestlingonly.com/topic/28674-andre-the-giant/?do=findComment&comment=5726177 it was cool since they built it as dangerous by having him put it on other parts of Andre to raise the anticipation and dread of what would happen if he got it on for real. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 47 minutes ago, Marcel said: I think one of the early WWF tapes on Coliseum Home Video had Gorilla Monsoon talking about how Killer Kowalski would use the claw sometimes on the stomach or knee. Always thought that could add another layer of storytelling if someone were to start using it for a finisher today. Please don't invite more Seinfeld references. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimbra Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 I still think my favorite claw spot is Spoiler putting rosin on his glove so he can apply the claw to Wahoo's bloody-as-hell head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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