Al

I think the problem with a longer match is that it's the end of a four hour show. You risk burning out the audience.

The Lawler/Meltzer discussion got me thinking. While the crop of great wrestlers is undoubtedly thinner than in the past, there are a few outstanding performers currently. I'd be curious to hear what some of you think. Are they top 100 or so all time? (US/Canada specifically) Mostly I consider this a general opinion thread, but that's the angle I'm looking at. Feel free to add others. John Cena Randy Orton Bryan Danielson (Is he a comparable worker among Dynamite Kid, Johnny Valentine, etc.?) The Big Show Kane Trish Stratus

And here I thought Matt Brock was made up.

Actually, what really strikes me is the idea that Lawler isn't firmly in the top 50, yet Dave can only name 18 wrestlers who are clearly better.

I'd dare make the case that Jerry Lawler was the most over heel ECW ever had.

Junior or senior?

I'm most of the way through the Mildred Burke bio and I have to say its outstanding.

I think the Bushwackers gimmick is the best thing to happen to Miller/Williams. Both were in their early 40s by the time they entered the WWF. It gave them an easier style and a crowd-pleasing gimmick that they could take on the indy circuit for several years yet. Hardcore matches could've gotten them into ECW, but that wasn't exactly a paying gig.

Probably difficult for Heenan and the crew to know exactly what to say (or not to say) considering I believe they were left entirely in the dark as to the identity of the mystery man, or how the angle was to unfold.

Even Akeem is quite fun now that I realize its a Dusty Rhodes satire.

Now that I'm thinking through it more. I'm guessing Yukon Eric did huge business feuding with Killer Kowalski after the ear accident.

The one Unabomb match I watched he was fairly sloppy. I chalk that up to Jacobs being green as he really did blossom into a fine worker.

I'd have to re-watch the match as I haven't seen it in a year or two. But there's significant backstory as the Rougeaus and Bulldogs did NOT get along backstage in the slightest. Dynamite Kid in his book said he flat out refused to job to the Rougeaus. Not long after this match Jacques sucker punched Dynamite in the locker room doing some damage to his face.

I understand in tribute to her father her next bout will involve artificial limbs.

I kinda suspect Bagwell has asbergers or some similar impairment. Jim Ross told a story on one of the roundtables that essentially Bagwell's mother called in sick for him. Add that with all the nonsense including Judy Bagwell in comedy spots and I get the impression that he may not have been entirely comfortable on his own.

Different circumstances but they were both tragic. I don't see why I'd slam him for that statement.

I found myself disappointed in the match selection myself. The Fatal Four Way and other matches of its ilk were mediocre matches whose main intention was to sell the next week's PPV. What's the point of hyping me up to watch Armageddon 2000?

No Hulk Hogan, no Ric Flair, no Mick Foley, no Jeff Hardy and no Kurt Angle on the cover. I wonder what those guys have in common. Oddly no dvd insert either. Just my copy? Josh Matthews on Hogan. "They give me minimum wage to come in here. Don't shoot the messenger."

I've argued with my girlfriend that if I watch the MLB Network 84 hours a week that still gives her the tv half the time. She doesn't get that logic.

Mine tapes two, but the sheer volume of shit my girlfriend watches anymore is appaling.

Picked up the dvd. They asked "the Superstars" to rank the wrestlers and it sounds like they didn't give them much instruction as far as criteria. As I speculated earlier, it makes sense that some would rank Bruno and some wouldn't, but everyone is going to rate Michaels and Undertaker.

No, pretty sure it was the Fabs that the Roadies wouldn't lose the belts to. By the time the Birds were in the picture, the Fabs were gone when the Birds arrived. Plus why would the Roadies agree to drop the belts via super-screwjob to Garvin and Regal, and not the Birds with the same finish? Doesn't make sense. I think wrestlers are sometimes acutely aware of dropping to teams who are possibly historical competitors. Particularly if it happens to be a big show. The Warriors might figure that a loss to the Freebirds isn't coming back. Just speculation.

I recall at least once in a WWE dvd that Road Warrior Animal claimed that Verne Gagne wanted the Warriors to drop the belts to the Freebirds. As Animal claims, the Roadies went into the ring and flat out told the Freebirds they weren't going along with the finish. Possibly to be taken with a grain of salt.

That's not a bad list, though Yukon Eric sticks out like a sore thumb. (Really, how the heck did that happen?) Being a reader of Bill James I can appreciate efforts to subjectify the argument. To me though, there seems to be too much statistical noise in any measure to be of much value. Not to say it isn't a fun list though.

Just playing devil's advocate. What about Bruno Sammartino? He drew for almost 20 years without many good matches to show for it.