thee Reverend Axl Future

I really really can't "like" that Abby pic enough. Genius. Even his swim trunks are cut super-high. This is what your pool looks like milliseconds before contracting HepC. - RAF

Jacklyn Hyde is legit one of my favorite gimmicks. Patti Pep had an awesome entrance song. Poison was a good worker. where's my box set?, RAF

Dammit. Now it works as stated. Disappointment... - stoopid chrome, RAF

In that "Staples" link, every videos loads as WOW Riot vs. Lotus which I secretly wish it remains that way forever for reasons of DVDVR whimsy and obfuscation. "I ain't here to make it any easier for you dang kids, look 'em up on yer own. Why, back in my day, we hadda go get a money order and a stamp and... WHAT'S A MONEY ORDER?!?!?!" and/or kinda like when the Zen sword master insists that everything to be learned is in that one basic cut and after you travel the world and learn everything else, you realize he was right. I hate when that happens. - RAF

In Florida, the Guerreros were great lucha heels in the ring whilst doing near-comedic stereotype interviews. Chavo was in love with the weather girl from the local station who would do the CWF rankings and he would serenade her on mariachi guitar and eat hot peppers to prove his machismo. Mando would translate. I actually came here to post the Fantastics/TTaylor v. Sheepherders/JVictory Barbed Wired 2x4 Cage Match but this came up, speaking to stro from the past to his soul: BLOODY YANK, RAF

This is a tremendous work of scholarship although I vociferously disagree with your opinion of thee Sheepherders. Watch more South Eastern Championship and emerge from your cocoon of childhood fears. I really really like when folks do a primer on rassling basic knowledge without condescension and this is on of the best presented and researched I have seen. Well done. It's is an overused idiom but a million, billion stars. long live The Commonwealth Army, RAF

Bret's hair is unusually dry there - kinda freaky. - RAF

Photobomb cuckold's horns Umaga should be the next meme. y'know: for thee kids, RAF

I honestly love when I have no damned idea what is going on in the Japanese wrestlings. getbackinthering, RAF

A true carny/worker usually always says "business", unless you are talking to a mark or actually referring to the physical act of wrestling. Also, several references to the non-existent "babyface heat" thing on this thread make me seethe. I am turning into the carnyspeak Nazi over here... grrr, RAF

The predictability and ubiquitous nature of modern audience chanting is what annoys me. The crowd used to chant to affect the wrestlers, now they seem to do it just to show cleverness or let you know their opinions. The former action participates in the suspension of disbelief for all, the latter is for me a modern symptom of the interWeb inspired "everybody listen to me" solipsism. Sheeple, please... big words, old man attitude, RAF

From my ephemera filled basement: So many questions are raised by this cover. I will try to answer them for you. - So Carpentier is going to break his arm himself this time? That's hardcore. - Truly, don't all feuds end in death, if you wait long enough? Heavy. - Instead of worrying about these women, you should be focusing on getting your name spelled correctly on magazine covers (G-A-R-E-A). - Did Altimore and Albano's heart skip a beat when they saw this headline? Did they have to make some calls? - I prefer Louche Ranch Dip. - Greg, we have to have a talk about your "brother". - Rock Hunter<Rocky Maivia love the old mags, RAF

I always have loved to see Van Hammer get trounced, and even better, to hear about it (thank you Mr. Regal). - "that's no cowboy, that's Abdullah the Butcher", RAF

The '83-'84 EGilbert/Masked Superstar/BBacklund angle was tremendous. It really got MS over big, not too much for Gilbert. Masked Superstar was a great promo, and had an aura of menace, bloodlust and technique that really impressed me. Very photogenic as well, his foto appeared on many punk and post-punk flyers, singles and albums... - Chingada! RAF

True, but not until May, and then at the Spectrum. Yeesh, that's disrespectful. No MSG defense v. Sheik until the end of '84 at MSG, for the love of Albano. I am strictly in the Ellner/Shocket camp with this. - feh, RAF

I found a stash of old programs and ephemera. Here is Hogan's first MSG title defense. My pals and I were very irate that Iron Sheik never got a true rematch. I mean, to me the definition of joy is how happy Blassie was during IS's post-match interview after winning the title, "Bali bali" indeed. Hogan's tired Hulking Up Routine was much better when Tony Atlas did it. Even the Apter mags were quite snarky about HH's sudden appearance and contendership. Maybe I was influenced by the old barflys at The Blarney Stone, where we'd go to watch MSG Network simulcast when MSG was sold out (I mean, f*ck a Felt Forum, c'mon): lil'12yearold RAF nursing a beer and absorbing knowledge - "Dat Hogan was a bum when Blassie managed him, but he shoulda had his hand raised at Shea in 1980". That being said, I have never heard a pop like Hogan's entrance that night. "Eye of the Tiger" is a shite song, but one of the greatest entrance musics ever. We were determined to remain stoic to show our displeasure with the new champ - really now, Hogan made us appreciate Backlund and we booed Howdy Doody unmercifully to the point of near fisticuffs with the MSG regulars (forgive me, BB, I was young and naive). The noise and reaction bowled us over, and you had to stand just to see over the leaping celebrating crowd. So much for our hopes of a rulebreaker champeen... Other things I can dredge up about that night: Masked Superstar always gave it his all, such a good storyteller in the ring. Dr. D premiered and intimidated the crap out of our pasty Yankee selves. The start of Sgt. Slaughter's face turn began, another heartbreak for me. The IC match ended with Muraco (damn, he was so good) getting his neck spun in the ropes, one of my fave bumps/finishes, Tito was no slouch either and fun to heckle. Ah, memories... call me Borneo Jimmy, RAF WWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - February 20, 1984 (26,092, which included 4,000 at Felt Forum) Televised on the MSG Network and USA Network - featured Gorilla Monsoon & Pat Patterson on commentary; included Vince McMahon conducting a backstage interview with the Iron Sheik and WWF IC Champion Tito Santana prior to their matches: Jose Luis Rivera pinned Charlie Fulton at 7:14 with a small package Iron Mike Sharpe pinned B. Brian Blair at 9:35 by putting his foot on the ropes for leverage (Blair's MSG debut) Afa (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) pinned Tony Garea at 11:37 with a chop to the throat and headbutt The Iron Sheik (w/ Freddie Blassie) defeated Eddie Gilbert via submission with the Camel Clutch at 5:48 Roddy Piper & David Schultz defeated the Invaders at 11:17 when Piper pinned Invader #2 after Schultz hit an elbow drop from the middle turnbuckle behind the referee's back (Schultz' MSG debut) WWF IC Champion Tito Santana defeated Don Muraco via count-out at 17:20 after Muraco had his head trapped in the ring ropes after Santana hit the champion with a flying forearm Andre the Giant pinned the Masked Superstar with a boot to the face and splash at 7:46; after the bout, Andre attempted to unmask Superstar but he was able to escape the ring (Bill Eadie's last MSG appearance for 3 years) (Andre the Giant VHS, Andre the Giant DVD) All American Wrestling - 3/11/84: WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Paul Orndorff via count-out at 12:24 after Hogan threw Orndorff over the top rope to the floor TNT - 7/17/84: Jimmy Snuka pinned Samula at 9:32 with a crossbody off the top (Wrestling's Highest Flyers) Ivan Putski, WWF Tag Team Champions Rocky Johnson, & Tony Atlas defeated Sgt. Slaughter, Mr. Fuji, & Tiger Chung Lee at 6:20 when Putski pinned Fuji with the Polish Hammer after Fuji began yelling at Slaughter; after the bout, Slaughter shook the hands of his opponents and waved an American flag handed to him by someone in the crowd

They're just here to have fun! - RAF

I kay fabe my kid (now age 9) . Let her figure it out like we had to. Didn't hurt anybody - in fact, probably makes it better. I took her to MitB '13 with a group of chums, and she was legit crying when Heyman turned on Punk. She used to get swag from Punk (long story, Chicago connections, namedrop) and was very upset. When everyone watched to see what I would do, I was tempted to reveal the work, Instead I told her not to worry, adversity happens and makes one stronger, and that Punk would get revenge. When we got home we looked at the pics of him getting stapled shut, and she watched the following feud with interest. I told her not to make any sudden moves around Sabu's merch table (because of his savage desert nature) when she wanted a picture with him , and when she did the Sabu pointing up pose with him he cracked up. To be honest, she takes everything I say with a grain of salt. She likes CHIKARA, and sees the cartoonishness of that and can process it fine. Lucha too, she compares all these styles and "gets" it. Frankly, I am more leery of the ugliness (of actions not appearance) of many indy crowds and do not want to expose her to that. Kids are smarter and hipper and stronger than most folks, including parents, give them credit for. - RAF p.s.- I am very anti-Santa. Why should that rotund goy get all the credit?

Del Rio is rich. He's one of the good ones. There is no such thing as a good Mexican to a Murican, at least not a Mexican that is warmer than room temperature. Really? Let's not go there. Please. Zeb's gimmick is steeped in racism and xenophobia. Let's not pretend that it isn't and speak frankly about why his sudden management of AdR does not make any sort of booking sense. A HYPOCRITICAL HEEL?!?!?!?! Oh, my stars and garters... - RAF

Vic (may I call you Vic? Thanks.) I always listen to your opinions but I sense that your repudiation of the defense of Hogan's turning pals comes from a childhood as a... Hulkamaniac. No shame, you were young and impressionable - heck, we all were! However, I feel that you cannot be objective here. I state as a fact that it is ALWAYS justifiable to turn on Hulk Hogan. He is a lowlife. Face the light, son: it will burn you clean. the truth hurts, RAF p.s. - I know you are not a racist like Big Fresh.

I totally agreed with Dory Funk, Jr's actions after Billy Jack insulted him as he did on CWF television, and after all the vet had done to improve the career of that green as grass ingrate. DFJ is a righteous man. - biased, RAF

I used to really dig when the Apter mags would come up with convoluted logics to explain the unrealities of rassling. Another reason to put Apter in EVERY Hall of Fame. - RAF

As well as Drs. Sydney Ziff & Papufnik AND Lanny Toe Basqueemps Albano (inventor of Rock & Roll)... I miss The Guiding Light (the Man not the show), RAF

This year's Best of the Best tournament was very festive, w/ Jonathan Gresham, Buxx Belmar and CJ Parker all doing good heelings, and Mike Bailey doing a classic babyface. - RAF