thee Reverend Axl Future

Big E - perfect choice, as you stated. SS - I don't watch me no Titan, but I was even thinking one of the Usos (the not DUI one, hopefully) would work if they started in on it now - heel up RR some more and bring in Sika and/or Afa to say that Reigns is letting them down - but this kid sounds great. Anything that would get Jacob F a good payday and more exposure is fuggin' aces in RAF's book.

AAAH Sanctioned Non-Rassling Content (SNRC) alert! That Charlatans song may be one of my favorite songs by a Brit not sung by Mark E Smith, Billy Childish, Cornwell/Burnell or a Buzzcock.

Two-2-II of my favorite workers, Mr. Jesse The Body Ventura a guilty pleasure nevertheless and Golden Boy Adrian Adonis thee worker's worker, together striding like colossi across the dismal arctic rings of the AWA. I love this team however this passion pales in comparison to my adoration of thee mighty North South Connection, AA's next tag team with Dick Murdoch. Now, to be 100% truthful, and you know that yerluvinRev is always honest even when he lies, both the AWA and the WWWF (my home base fed at this time) were both quite crappy ringwork-wise during this here time period. Maybe because it's what I mostly grew up watching, but the match structure of the WWWF was more to my liking. The AWA had more actually wrestling and brawling featured regularly, as compared to NY's punchin' & kickin' heels, but there was something... lacking in the AWA for me. Maybe this match can illustrate this. This is a fine bout, nay, a festive one, a tag team clinic - two evenly matched teams but the champs are unable to outfox, out muscle or out-cheat the babyface challengers (don't listen to the drunk commentary, JV & AA are both younger than either of the High Flyers that's what a heel life will do for ya look at me). Anyway, my point is that the heel champs fight from underneath almost this whole match - there is no extended period of heat on Brunzell or Gagne, and that is (still to this day) a bit odd to me. Other AWA matches were like that, where they didn't want to let the heels dominate, very few superman comebacks or white hot tags. My observation, your take might differ. ANYWAY, those High Flyers were the Rock & Roll Express that the Flyover States deserved, they were made for the Heartland, strictly whitebread. In my wise old eyes I can certainly appreciate the work of each man, no flys on them by any means and that Greg had a tough row to hoe what with his dad and looking all like a Kroger produce manager. Hey, we have "Scrap Iron" George Gadaski as our ref, a stalwart classic in any book. Mr. Adonis has high trunks and tall socks, like a real man should. Ventura's hair always fascinated me, and he did save Matilda at WMIII, never forget. Those ropes sure are loose (Oh, George!) but that just means to me that we are gonna be treated to the stellar ring twist bump spot from Thee Adorable One. A lot is made of the over the top DQ rule, such sticklers here. We get a few archetypal rassling holds like an Indian Deathlock, Octopus, Inverted Backbreaker and Stepover Toehold, I like that. The action does build until the ref can't take no mo' and calls it a draw. This is a match that I would show students of the game, either as a period piece for young historians of the territories, or rookies learning their craft. In fact a useful excercise is to duplicate a tag match like this one, to learn what the modern style is based on. The East West Connection soon dropped the belts and I have read that they were going to the WWF as a package but Jesse soon became unable to wrestle. However I recall it differently, that The Body came in as a single and Adonis went to Southwest and New Japan (where he started teaming with Murdoch on occasion). Cagematch seems to verify my memory somewhat. Thank for this match, thee EWC rules OK!

@GordlowOK, as usual I overthought this, and was going for some '88 era NWA but why are so many videos just video game recreations? I got sad and frustrated, another aspect of thee Modern World that I do not comprehend. I tried for a deep cut of Brazo de Plata and got sucked into that lucha vortex (gee, he lost a lot of hair matches) and then I was getting crazy with some Tim Tall Tree (the Twisted Tonto) cratedigger trainspotter shite. Anyway, I went back to basics with this choice: Clubbering, meaty men, juice, chairs - what's not to love? I saw some live shows from this era, and pretty much all I remember are these two, Nick Bockwinkel, Mr. Electicity Steven Regal, neutered Road Warriors and really hating Buck Zumhofe (ahead of my time) and babyface Sgt. Slaughter. Brody gets some disrespect on this here BBS, but this match is the definition of giving the people what they want. He was a spectacle, an event, chaos in apres ski boots, and he surely could stink up the joint when he didn't care but when he turned it on he was much more than the sum of his parts. Blackwell was one of the best working big men, or even the best in the time juuust before this, but man could he still go. Good commentary, fun promo, hothothot crowd -- I hope you dig this.

@Gordlowthat match looks fantastic - I will delve into it tomorrow. I got distracted on a magnet fishing adventure today so I did not get to post my parameters. I like territory stuff, and super solid opening matches, and veteran workers showing off their mat and crowd control, and crazy insane finishes & gimmicks & entrances & promo videos & interviews that should crumble beneath thee weight of their own absurdity but do not THEY RULE, and Mick Foley and Eddie Guerrero discovering that there is no limit (but there is, lads), and the way Vader and Muta move. and the precision of MDVachon's piledriver and his brother's back rakes, and Lou Albano doing anything, and CWF and ECW and Georgia and Southwest... My one criteria: it must be a match you love, one where if some negative naysaying nerd challenged you on it, you would stand proud and defend this match for any reasons at all, maybe you and Grandma watched it together back when or it featiures your two favorite workers of that era or you just saw it and it's all shinynew and thrilling - you gets it. I'll be back...

I can see Mr. McMahon with tissue box slippers, watching IceStationZebra Wrestle Mania 1 over and over again. How many wills will there be? Some indy wrestler should claim he gave VKM a ride while he was hitch-hiking and they find a will in the WWE History Warehouse. I am available to write the fake autobiography, if anyone is interested.

I rarely read something that makes me so happy/excited and scared/frustrated at the same time as this. The mind boggles...

Lay it on me. I feel creative. I have no shame (obviously) and several gaps in my watching habits.

Didn't that happen to a couple of RMJr's opponents at that time?

Gee, they spelled "FBI" wrong on that Tracy Smothers doll.

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...

If someone would transcribe that Tom Shaft promo, they could be a DVDVR Hero. And his robe?!?! Mercy...

I assume that the "people" in the above pullquote is execs in WWE, because I for one would love to see anybody, however they are dressed, who has some authority looking at that toxic culture and holding it up for more outrage and condemnation and punishment from a unknowing(?) general public. I thought Pat Patterson was not involved in the ringboy scandal, but was humiliatingly asked to step away because of his sexuality, thereby involving him in the minds of the public in it anyway.

It's thee Battle of thee K&H Spat Boots! So good. Great camerawork, and these two geniuses knew just how and when to set up for the hard cam. Good ref work by BH, and the "Mr. 1#derful" trunks are a fave of mine. There's a fun topic - Favorite Ring (not entrance) Gear.

Quite possibly my very favorite rasslin' angle of all eternity.

Holy Rulebreakers!

I do not think identity politics is a bad thing at all. I just do not want to debate it on a message board. Identity politics is a positive thing, and deserves proper discussion. I can listen to JC and go to sleep at night. I am not here to defend each and every one of his actions - in fact, I don't, but I can sometimes see where he is coming from, even when he is straight up wrong. He is a big boy too, and can accept responsibility for his fuck-ups and prejudices. I find it odd that here that folks are hesitent to use his name, but Benoit matches can be touted, and people can make jokes on Buck Zumhofe and Bob Sweetan. I don't think pro wrestling is performance art either and many wrestling may want a man to host a wrestling show (I dunno about that, but people are stoopid) but JC's childish personal attacks are wrong. The Saudi Shows were the last straw for me with the WWE, and I haven't given them a dime or any eyeball time since. If other people can support them with their viewship and money, it does not affect me. There are bigger battles than that. In my life, I deal with, support, defend, love and debate with "marginalized communities" and the members therein. Life is hard, and we all have to work together, and try to understand each others deficiencies. NO, that does not refer to Cornette - that understanding is for how each of us deals with the shit just to get through the day. Is there anyone without some shit on them? I do appreciate when others can help me clean up some of that on me.

I love this kinda stuff. Now, did the intern set to this task count a three man Dx triple-chop "suck it" as 9 Crotch Gestures or just one? How many of those Middle Fingers were from Steve Austin? Does a double bird count as two? What was the baseline Obscene Phrase? If the number 69 came up randomly in a percentage stat would that count? Someone ring up Dr. Gantz for the raw (!) data.

I did not. Are you saying that it (workers sleeping with underage fans) did not happen? That statement does not necesarily mean that he is dismissing it or defending it. When I listen to David Bowie or Iggy Pop or Robert Plant -ad infinitum- I do so to listen to music, not to condone their admitted congress with underage groupies. There is a line. Art Barr, Ted Nugent, Joey Ryan -- all creep me out and should be righteously shunned. There is context, and I would listen to a discussion of this, but not when I want to listen to wrestling talk. I am sure that everyone has there "untouchable" lists, and that is fine, but there are also folks condemning fans for not abandoning pro wrestling fandom forever for the crimes of some. I can appreciate some peoples reaction to JC for the above and other stuff, but that is not my reaction, and I don't think everyone has the the responses at all. I do not want to start a conversation about identity politics and such on here, not because I do not think it's important but I don't think that a Wrestling Bulletin Board is a good spot for that (or really any place on the internet). I do not wish to judge or condemn anybody.

I find it hard to fathom that folks are nervous to mention Jim Cornette's "podcast" (I listen to the topics on YouTubes) when I am certain that he has many listeners here. I mean, I pass on almost all of his reviews of modern stuff he does but there is lots of great historical stuff in there. A couple recent longer pieces, one on his tape collection (mentioned above) and another on the territories were great. His takes on psychology and gimmicks are solid, and the road stories from all the places he has worked are classic. No, I do not agree with all his opinions, and the humor is often puerile, but I am a big boy. The hard shell of old age calcifies around me, pt. 268 - I have never listened to talk radio and rarely listen to podcasts, but I now listen to my "stories" (the JC stuff) in the kitchen as I cook dinner for my unappreciative family, and get huffy when they come in and disturb me. "I grow old ... I grow old ... I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled." - by another old codger with whom I do not agree fully but who also made some Great Art

Mid-Avignon?

The hip kids that go to wrestling these days have a different fantasy of "what the wrestling is". In the past, it may have been, say, that these guys in the match really hate each other (so-called marks). Later, it may have been ""they are all conniving carnys with backstage drama" (your alleged smart mark era). Now the "in the know" hardcore fans believe that there is a golden mutual admiration circle of warrior respect going on that they get to peek at via handshakes, hugs and social media. All are true in some respect, but all these are also projections of hero worship, idolic identification and the desire to belong to a group via secret knowledge. Whatever sells tickets, tune in a again in 10 years (or less). Not meant to be a cynical demoralizing blanket statement, just a "the more things change, the more they stay the same observation and/or opinion.

I used this today (90F in Philly).

They really were ideal opponents for each other. The amount of innovation, trust and oneupsmanship was immense. Has anyone every compiled a list of their matches together?