Smack2k

Tony and Jesse are very underrated and as soon as you mentioned that Justin I remembered their 93 shows that were really good Jesse was amazing as a psychology guy during that run

Fuck yeah....cant wait to hear this one...those B and C Shows had some great one off matches..

I think I am only one of a few that LOVE Rod Troungard's calls in the AWA.... Just fit it in the 80's....Bockwinkel / Hennig 60 Min Draw (my #1 match of all time) wouldnt be the same without it to me....

My thing with commentary is that, although I MUCH prefer good commentary on matches (and I did like Lowrance Kevin and thought he had his own flare to those matches), the thing with me is there almost has to be SOME commentary.. Even if in Spanish or Japanese, having someone there calling the matches and getting emotional during moments is VITAL for me to watch a match...I have a really hard time watching matches with no commentary, which is why I have a hard time with hand helds or house shows with no commentary, I just cant get into them.. That being said, good commentary makes it way better...but to me as long as the commentary fits what is going on for that show (territory) I am fine with it... In the end, anything is better than nothing... Ross in the 80's and 90's was the peak of PBP for me...he had so many amazing calls Solie great for older matches Russell was really good in anything he did Lowrance fit for some reason in Texas Mercer just to hear him miss call moves all the time Schiavone / Crockett cause its hilarious to watch Tony try to call it seriously while Crockett busts his nut and yells over him ("He's got him, ok, here he goes...Come on Dusty!") Crockett always reminded me of a guy that goes to a convention, goes to a "Call your own match" booth to make a tape to take home... Ventura for color with the rest lagging behind... If I understood Japanese I think those guys would be nesr the top for me as they have so much passion and enthusiam for what they are watching...

Exactly my thoughts...he didnt even get paid for Superclash III, and he got Kerry's blood all over him!! Seems like what I thought....although my thoughts on Lawler sway on him being a face or a hell (great in ring face, I really dont like his heel schtick in the late 80's into the 90's at all, and find it boring), he was a generally a good guy wrestling business wise and wasnt afraid to do things that were best for business...That is a great thing to know, really makes my overall opinion of him go way up compared to so many that would pull stupid shit to "protect their spot"...

Interesting stuff so far....I was gone all weekend so nice to read this,.. What about in wrestling, has he screwed people? Held anyone down? Refused to job to certain folks for reasons? I am not looking for dirt, I just have never heard anything negative with him and behind the scenes dealings within the wrestling business

For Me (In Order of Importance that would excite me) 1. Nick Bockwinkel - Both his early 70's Tag Title / Non Title matches with Ray Stevens as well as his AWA Title matches in the 70's against guys other than Verne..that is the BIGGEST one I'd like as Bock is my favorite ever 2. Complete Memphis Arena match footage from late 80's into the 90's - Full matches like we used to get from earlier 80's and not the clipped up stuff that was shown and shot from ringside 3. AWA 1970's arena footage..after reading Mick Karch's Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling book, that era has me salivating!

I should have said in wrestling.... I know his penchant for young ladies!!

Does anyone know if there are any good to excellent Central States matches that made tape? I have seen that place buried over and over by so many, but never heard of anything good...is it even out there?

OK, I have read SOO many different wrestlers over the years that were assholes / hard to work with / wont put people over / etc.. but I havent heard any about Lawler outside him punching Paul Heyman and breaking his jaw on Paul's way out of Memphis (allegedly).. Is / Was Lawler just a good dude doing what is best for business all the time or was he hard to deal with and not willing to do things for others?

Well stated sir, well stated….I am scared of what he considers an average 5..

Arn gets my vote...his longevity is the tie breaker for it.. In the RING Tully was fuckin AMAZING from 84-88 in Crockett and his singles TV Title / National Titlte / US Title run and feuds were reasons I kept tuning into TBS / Worldwide / etc... But Arn was also really really good during that time (85-88), be it in his tag matches with Ole learning to focus on body parts, then in his singles run with the TV Title in 86, his tag matches vs RNR..His 87 wasnt that memorable, but 88 with Tully certainly was...But after that (post 88), Arn still put on GOOD matches until 1996...he had some ups and downs, but he was still mostly good putting on good and great matches on TV...His 91-92 period is what puts him over Tully.. Also, Arn was good in his Southeast stuff with Jerry Stubbs to as well as an OK job guy in Mid-South as Marte Lunde. ON The MIC To me, this is no contest...as good as Tully was on the mic, and damn was he good, Arn is top 3 or 4 all-time to me, and his interviews were amazing up until the end...the promo he cut before War Games 1996 makes me wish to this day that the Horsemen / NWO feud could have gone on longer just to see his promos... So on this one, Arn gets it...Tully had a better PEAK run (84-86), but Arn wasnt too far behind during that period and excelled way past Tully from 88 forward...and to me, longevity and continuing to be at least a 3* a night guy as someone mentioned Caveat on my vote is that I havent seen much Tully pre Crockett in 84 outside a few matches he had with Gino and against Gino in Southwest....I have a bunch of the video from that period, but havent checked it out yet, so that could swing me...

Name of worker: Hulk Hogan Name of promotion: WWF 1986 - SNME October 1986 Link: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ukjx_hulk-hogan-vs-paul-orndorff-wwf-tit_sport Why I think it was great: Hogan at his best....God damn is he good here...at his largest...and this is a GREAT promo he cuts on Orndorff before their first SNME match in October 1986...his delivery is spot on and you believe it when he says BIG DEAL about Orndorff and there's no way Orndorff can beat him...To me, the best Hogan match promo EVER....

He wrestles with me all the time..he gets body slammed, chokeslammed, power bombed, razor's edged (all on his bed or couch of course) and LOVES it…he takes the FU,,,he even take the Cloverleaf (yeah, I am realizing if Child Services reads this, I am fucked!), but he loves it and of course, NONE of it is done in a manner to hurt him... So he LOVES wrestling with me, but when I mention watching it, he doesn't want to….It's more a case of getting him into the man cave to watch some...

Isnt Silva's ban in Nevada right? Couldnt they easily do it somewhere else?

Name of worker: Randy Savage (IC Champ) Promotion (and year): WWF 1987 (Mania 3) Link to promo: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6keg2_ricky-steamboat-vs-randy-savage-wre_sport - The first thing on the video Why you think it's great: Shocked this hasn't been mentioned yet - NO explanation needed….in all of Savage's excellence, this is his peak interview…short / sweet and man is it amazing…"History Beckons The Macho Man - YEAH!!"

How do you go about introducing your kids to classic wrestling? My 4 year old doesn't watch RAW as he in bed at 9 PM... I really want to start getting him into some classic wrestling, but attempts so far to sit down and watch have been futile…trying to find an "in" or something maybe some other parents have done to get their kids into it.. He watched it with me when he was 1 and 2, but had no idea what he was watching... Now, he just won't sit down when I ask to watch and doesn't want to….trying to find a way to get him into it early in the hopes he keeps his passion going forward and we can enjoy it together, talk about it / etc…. Any ideas?

Name of worker: Road Warriors / Paul Ellering Promotion (and year): AWA - 1985 Link to promo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuKJbamEODc - Go to 5:49 Why you think it's great: ITs the Warriors at their heel best in early 85 after they beat the hell outta Curt Hennig and caused a riot in the building. Hawk is phenominal in his delivery..its one of my top 3 or 4 EVER...You can see how bad they were and that NO ONE could stop them and they knew it...They are AMAZING here..Hawk snapping his neck collar off if awesome to...Ellering's opening lines are great and Animal takes it home...but FUCK is Hawk amazing here.....Just a great promo.

From what I understand you send Dave e-mails, have a podcast/article and get recommended by other voters are the key ingredients. Interesting….I thought maybe there was an approval process with certain people and interviews / applications...

How do the voters in the Observer HOF get picked to be a voter? What is the criteria to be made a voter? Can someone that doesnt know Dave show up with a TON of knowledge and become one? Not saying I am (I am NOT!) but just curious how they get picked...

Parv, I only have one thing to say....THIS IS FABULOUS.....I love the detail and heart you put into it....keep this coming, cause good or bad opinions aside, its a great read...

Keep these up, AMAZING...love every bit of it...and piling up new shit I gotta watch

Freeze up is something I know nothing of...former Radio DJ with a voice as gravelly (if not worse) as yours Johnny!!