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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2020 9:02:29 GMT -5
It really is. What a heel he was. I so wanted Sid Justice to get his hands on him in 1991!
I did quite enjoy the redemption angle they did when Jake returned to the WWF in 1996 (he even teamed with Undertaker at a house show!). I wonder, was he ever really pursuing Christianity, or was that all part of the gimmick? At the time, I suspected the truth was in between.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 20, 2020 11:54:15 GMT -5
It really is. What a heel he was. I so wanted Sid Justice to get his hands on him in 1991! I did quite enjoy the redemption angle they did when Jake returned to the WWF in 1996 (he even teamed with Undertaker at a house show!). I wonder, was he ever really pursuing Christianity, or was that all part of the gimmick? At the time, I suspected the truth was in between. Pretty much. he was speaking at religious gatherings; but, the booze and the drugs messed that up. Like many addicts, Jake had his periods when he tried to clean up and fell back. I suspect Jake tried to polish it up to get the job; but, just couldn't sustain it. However, it did lead to the Austin 3:16 promo, which changed history.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2020 11:58:26 GMT -5
It’s amazing to think that Hunter Hearst Helmsley was the original choice for winning KOTR ‘96!
I still think Austin would have made it to the top, just via a different route.
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Post by Batflunkie on Sept 20, 2020 19:22:15 GMT -5
It’s amazing to think that Hunter Hearst Helmsley was the original choice for winning KOTR ‘96! I still think Austin would have made it to the top, just via a different route. If Hunter had won, would DX still have been created? Would he even need Shawn to help him get where he needed to be? It's crazy to think about it
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2020 3:46:47 GMT -5
It’s amazing to think of how different things could have been in so many scenarios, including this one.
What if WrestleMania I had not been a success?
What if WCW was still around today?
What if Austin had stayed with WCW?
What if Shawn Michaels had been able to get a contract release in 1997 (after his summer backstage fight with Bret Hart) and had joined WCW?
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 21, 2020 21:48:17 GMT -5
It’s amazing to think that Hunter Hearst Helmsley was the original choice for winning KOTR ‘96! I still think Austin would have made it to the top, just via a different route. If Hunter had won, would DX still have been created? Would he even need Shawn to help him get where he needed to be? It's crazy to think about it I don't think Hunter would have gotten over as much. He wasn't quite ready for the rub and was elevated with DX, but still took working with the Rock, Austin and Foley for people to see him as a legitimate main eventer. Even then, he was more the guy who worked with the top guys than the top guy who made others. The point in elevating someone to work with the top stars is for those stars to add the final polishing so that they are part of the main event mix, drawing big houses because of those matches and perceptions. Flair probably elevated more stars than anybody in the last 40 years, since that was the job of the NWA World champion and Flair did it beautifully and selflessly (probably too selflessly). The WWF champion was a hero defeating the monsters; always had been. Generally, their opponents were a big deal for the program, then were cycled out. In the old days, they would move on to a new territory, then return later for another go round. In the Vince Jr era, they often ended descending the card until they were tossed aside. it was rare for Hogan to face the same guy, again, after he beat them, which is why the constantly fed him new people It's also why he sucked in WCW, as he wasn't willing to put new stars over and give them the rub. he needed to job cleanly to Sting as the climax of the NWO storyline. he wouldn't, so they had the bogus fast count and restart finish. Even with Goldberg, they didn't do a build up to a PPV and gave away the win on tv and then beat him in less than 3 months and dropped it back to Hogan with the Fingerpoke of Doom, which killed their business completely and buried Goldberg. HHH worked hard, don't get me wrong; but, a lot of career advancement was in his ability to play backstage politics, either as a member of the Kliq or through marrying Stephanie. Had Austin remained healthy, Rock not gone to Hollywood and Foley not destroyed himself, and HHH not married Steph, I don't think he would have been so high on the card, for so long. I think he would have had a good run and transitioned into an agent's role, as he has a good head for the business and studied things. I just don't think he was a top draw, without those guys.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2020 6:02:29 GMT -5
I haven’t checked for a while, but when, oh when, will No Holds Barred: The Match/The Movie be on the WWF Network?
Incidentally, I read that the original plan for WrestleMania VI was Hulk Hogan vs. Zeus. Not everything written in wrestling magazines/newsletters is true. I find it hard to believe. I mean, Hogan and Beefcake took on Macho King and Zeus at SummerSlam 1989. And then again at No Holds Barred: The Match. And Hogan definitively ended the feud with Zeus after three legdrops and a pinfall. I find it hard to believe that after that definitive pinfall, the WWF would then have resurrected the Hogan/Zeus feud for their biggest PPV of the year.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 22, 2020 11:01:37 GMT -5
Taxi; are you out there?
What's up?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2020 22:00:17 GMT -5
I quit watching PRO Wrestling for good
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Post by codystarbuck on Oct 1, 2020 23:32:47 GMT -5
I quit watching PRO Wrestling for good Nice to see you again! Outside of NWA Powerrr, I did over a decade ago. Since Covid, the NWA has been quiet and has troubles behind the scenes (Dave Lagana out after allegations of sexual assault in his past). So, I've only watched some old Continental stuff, on Youtube, and just a few shows of that.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2020 5:15:16 GMT -5
I quit watching PRO Wrestling for good Nice to see you again! Outside of NWA Powerrr, I did over a decade ago. Since Covid, the NWA has been quiet and has troubles behind the scenes (Dave Lagana out after allegations of sexual assault in his past). So, I've only watched some old Continental stuff, on Youtube, and just a few shows of that. I occasionally watch stuff on YouTube and all that. Old Stuff is still great.
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Post by codystarbuck on Oct 28, 2020 11:08:17 GMT -5
Prominent southern wrestler Tracy Smothers has passed away, according to reports. Smothers was Tennessee born-and-bred and was the first person from his high school to go to the state championships, in wrestling. He made his debut, in Memphis, in 1982 and worked the undercard, for a bit, before going to Florida, where he formed a tag-team with Steve Armstrong (son of Bullet Bob Armstrong and Brother of Brad, Scott and Brian Armstrong), as the Wild-Eyed Southern Boys. They played up their southern heritage and wrestled physical matches, with a mixture of traditional wrestling technique, brawling, and martial arts. They wrestled in Pensacola/Alabama as a tag team; then, were brought into World Championship wrestling, where they feuded with the New Freebirds, Michaels Hayes and Jimmy Garvin. They were a popular mid-card team and were eventually turned heel, as the Young Pistols, before leaving the promotion. Smothers went to work for Jim Cornette's Smokey Mountain Wrestling, where he was pushed as the top babyface, both as a local boy and a protector of Southern values. When Smokey Mountain closed, he went back to Memphis (now calling itself the USWA), where he wrestled for them and also the WWF, which was using the USWA as a feeder system for new talent. Smothers wrestled for the WWF during the heavy "gimmick" period (when they had The Goon, wrestling plumber TL Hopper and similar silliness), working as Freddie Joe Floyd. The name was a rib on the Briscos, Jack and Gerry, as their real names were Fred Joe (Jack Brisco) and Floyd (Gerry) Brisco. He was mainly used as enhancement talent, putting other wrestlers over. While the USWA/WWF relationship continued, he worked as part of the Memphis branch of the Nation of Domination, changing his name to Shaquille Ali. He perpetuated the cross-cultural shenanigans in ECW, where he was part of a stable, with Little Guido and Tommy "Wildfire" Rich, as the Full Blooded Italians (FBI)... Rich was "the Don" and the acted like movie Italian stereotypes, dropping mob references and a lot of paisano talk, with the gag being that most of them, apart from Little Guido were not even remotely Italian (the gimmick originated with African-American wrestler JT Smith, who received a concussion and woke up thinking he was Italian and Little Guido was his Sicilian cousin). After ECW, Smothers worked various independents over the years. He had also worked in Japan, for New Japan, in his earlier days, and "garbage" promotions W*ING and IWA Japan, in the early 90s. In recent years, he has battled lymphoma and heart problems.
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Post by Calidore on Oct 28, 2020 14:56:58 GMT -5
IIRC, Smothers was one of wrestling's genuine tough guys, and from what I've read, also one of the genuine nice guys. RIP.
Don't think it ever became an ongoing feud, sadly, but the Southern Boys had a classic match with the Midnight Express at Bash '90.
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Post by codystarbuck on Oct 29, 2020 21:33:43 GMT -5
IIRC, Smothers was one of wrestling's genuine tough guys, and from what I've read, also one of the genuine nice guys. RIP.
Don't think it ever became an ongoing feud, sadly, but the Southern Boys had a classic match with the Midnight Express at Bash '90.
Pretty much the assessment of Corny and others. The real tough guys in wrestling didn't need to prove it, until someone crossed the line or got cute. I loved the Southern Boys tag-team; Smothers and Armstrong could work; but they weren't getting a push. I've seen a few interviews with Tracy and he always reminds me of my relatives and farmers I grew up around: level-headed, easy to get along with, never looking for trouble; but, you start something and they will finish it.
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 1, 2020 16:20:59 GMT -5
Jim Cornette shared his thoughts and memories of Tracy, on his podcast...
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