sek69

For real. Team Challenge Series in the Pink Room O' Doom trumps all.

I'd wager that ECW from around the time they got on TNN to the end was pretty terrible. Guys were leaving left and right resulting in pretty much company loyalists and jobbers at the end feuding for titles.

It's shocking that it took like 5 years for someone to get a "American Idol bad audition" type gimmick, but I caught Jillian on SmackDown doing her version of Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" and it just cracked me the hell up. I think part of me was just shocked they gave a female an actual personality trait beyond the generic broad and interchangeable roles the "divas" always get.

I really need to rewatch the Owen Tribute match, because it didn't do anything for me when I saw it live. I think it was either the fact that it was on TV and thus had a commerical break that ruined the flow for me that did it, or the fact that it kind of creeped me out to see Owen being "honored" by his brother and his dad's most famous non-family student wrestling in the arena he died in.

You know, he's pretty much right about Michaels. Not about the "flops and flips" part, but about what type of business guy he is. To me, HBK's it;s hard to overlook his political BS and temper tantrums. The one he had about jobbing to Hogan was completely uncalled for.

You don't think HBK's newfound attitude is at least somewhat inspired by Terry Funk? Being a Texan is a nice coincidence but the last few matches he had on RAW were certainly Terryesque. Now mind you I didn't say he was better than Terry at being the crazy old man brawler, but he's trying. Also, aren't PPV numbers about the same as they've been the last couple of years? They've been getting people to come to more houseshows, which is good for the wrestler's paychecks I'd gather, but it's hardly a sign of a major upswing. I mean, doesn't Dave constantly beat the drum of PPV buyrates = success? Or does that only apply to non WWE promotions?

It's probably helping that the booking has been pretty old school. Cena vs Umaga is the classic hero vs monster that's worked in wrestling since the dawn of time, and DX vs RKO was pretty heated as well up till HHH's leg blowing up again. I think WWE knows this, that's why we're seeing HBK start to morph into the Terry Funk gimmick instead of trying to keep pretending it's 1995. It's roughly a billion times more believable he's a crazy bastard who's going to do whatever it takes avenge his pal rather than a 40 year old teen heartthrob with a receeding hairline.

Holy shit, that makes me want to kick puppies. That quote sums up everything that irritates me about ROH fans.

Cena/HBK would pretty much seal the deal on me buying WM after their interaction on RAW last night. Unfortunately, it seems WWE can't resist making 3 or 4 way matches for PPV main events, especially Wrestlemanias.

Kane, who got over as both a monster heel and a sympathetic face with a mask that allowed no facial expression at all.

I think this discussion begins and ends with William Regal. Also, I've always liked Taker's body language. There may not be anyone else ever in wrestling so perfectly tailored to their gimmick. The spot where someone hits him from behind and he does that look back where he snaps his head like "who the fuck you think you are?" makes me mark out every time.

Also, on the Crockett Cup 88 show, I'm assuming that was Dick Murdoch under a mask attacking Dusty after the bullrope match with JJ? I mean, despite having what looked like one of the Thunderfoots' masks on with a long john shirt, jeans, and suspenders, he was thoughtful enough to wear chaps that had "DM" stamped on them.

Funny how freshening up your character will do that. He's been the do gooder born again Christian since his return except for that program with Hogan, and even that was more of a vintage HBK hissy than actual character development. Even in DX he's still been the naiive guy that HHH has to trick into leaving the room so he can make dirty jokes. Angry brawler HBK who's not Mr. Nice Guy anymore is a refreshing change. He's got a real reason for hatred now, and mofos are going to pay. He's not dressing like it's 1996 anymore and I think that is going to help get him over more than anything else. He was quickly getting to almost Al Bundy "I scored 3 touchdowns in one game" levels of hanging on to the past. I stil hate the nip-up thing, but I just accept that it's just one of those things like Hulking Up that you just have to let slide or you'll go insane.

I kinda dig how Shawn's been doing the Terry Funk: Crazy Old Texan gimmick. It's like watching ECW only HBK has more functional knees. It makes it more believeable that he can beat multiple people by himself when he's going around punting them in the balls like he did to Edge and Orton.

It already seems to be removed by the WWE Revisionist History Machine, but I always thought that line was perfectly in character for a guy who spent his whole career fighting against Hogan.

Or most likely a combo of both. WWE proved with Umaga that once someone pushed as an unstoppable monster loses a match, they lose some of the aura. No one's been able to end an undefeated streak without costing the guy's momentum. See also: Goldberg, Bill.

Or it could be just smarky hipster ROH douches hating on Joe because he's been spending more time in TNA lately. Just saying, it was bound to happen sooner or later that Joe was going to reach "enough people like him so now the first ones to like him have to hate him to maintan their cred" status.

Mike Graham is a tremendous douchebag, as has been stated previously on other boards, but people are totally no-selling the creepy molester uncle vibe he gives off. His little segments completely derail the CWF shows every time. I don't know what made them think "Hey I bet people would love it if we interrupted all the neat classic wrestling to watch some dipshit give himself a verbal beej for 5 minutes". After watching his RAW debut match on the 11/25/96 Monday Night War, I'm convinced there's no way Rocky Miavia would ever survive the initial stages today. Absolutely no hint of the charisma that made him famous, a horrible look/gimmick, and a finisher right from the playbook of an 80s midcarder (a shoulderbreaker? come on...). Something to think about while WWE goes through its annual pre-WM salary purge and dumps 3/4th of the developmental roster. Also, it's kind of jarring to see Sunny and remember there was a time where the top WWF/E female didn't have ridiculously oversized rock hard breast implants. The only bad thing about the Monday Night War series is that it really makes me miss Nitro. Watching Eric join the nWo was an awesome moment to relive. It was great how everyone down to the announcers sold the hell out of that angle. You had Tony snapping from being constantly teased by the Outsiders, Tenay and Heenan sounding like they were becoming physically ill at the sight of Eric switching sides, just great stuff that totally drives home the seriousness of your main storyline. Watching the early lucha stuff is fun too. Juvi and La Parka went out there in front of a crowd that had no idea who they were and were passionate in their not giving a shit, and ended up winning the house over by the end. Speaking of Mexicans, Villano IV wrestled unmasked as "Tony Pena" (oh that wacky WCW), and it occured to me that the Villanos are apparently the Clone Troopers of Mexico. I know they're brothers, but Villano IV looked exactly like Villano III minus the inches-deep forehead scars of course. It's like they have some sort of Villano Factory down there.

That makes me a sad panda...........

The sad thing (assuming Salmon's okay and all) is that this gives all the anti-MMA people something to point to the next time they try to get MMA banned in a state. I mean, we've all seen injuries that required a stretcher in almost every other major sport but MMA could ill afford anything that would make the critics sound even somewhat reasonable.

Some of the interactions between Lou and Vince on TNT and other 80s WWF shows is awkward as hell, like Vince always referring to him as Captain LOUIS Albano in that inflection only Vince can do. Also, Bix if you have that match you have to upload it. My life won't be complete without seeing the Captian go FMW on someone.

Over on DVDVR's "comments that don't warrant their own thread" topic, someone posted this: What's up with this? Was it an angle gone awry? A "cocaine is a hell of a drug" moment? Seems out of character for even heel Captain Lou to go all Abdullah the Butcher on someone. Also, Albano got fired? I just figured he retired for age/heath reasons.

So then there's a good chance that most of the people who voted him worst announcer never heard him call a match? I mean, who watches the web shows?

The awards are just hilarous...... Worst Announcer -Todd Grisham? Is he even an announcer? I only ever see him doing backstage interviews and getting superkicked by HBK. Even if ECW wasn't so dull the show would still be unwatchable due to Tazz doing his "80s Vince McMahon with a Noo Yawk accent" color commentary. Seriously, all he does now is go "WHOAWHOAWHOA" and "NOTFORNOTHIN" about a hundred times a match. Meltz seems really upset a luchador won Wrestler of the Year. I swear every mention of him is how he was lucky to be where he was to get his push and how it won't last, which may be true, but he's getting into JYD territory with the constant subtle burying. Not to keep beating a dead horse, but it's really ridiculous to see UFC guys winning pro wrestling awards like "Feud of the Year". The whole argument seems to come down to "MMA is better because they drew more money" which makes no sense because if that was the most important criteria, boxers would sweep the awards every year. Most Underrated - Shelton Benjamin. Second year in a row. First year, you can argue, this year....even Dave seems to think this is the wrong pick. The Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic was a no-brainer, but looking back I think the "Savio and Invader I do a stabbing angle" was worse because even the WWE didn't go so far as having Benoit leave Chavo beaten in a hotel bathroom. Honestly, a lot of the Best/Worst awards read like typical "WWE SUX, ROH RULZ" message board crap. RAW was the worst show of the year? Really? Even over ECW? I think a lot of people were just filling in the blanks and not really paying attention. Kinda like how I wonder how many people who voted Do Fixer vs Blood Generation as Match of the Year actually watched it (not that I'm saying it didn't deserve to win, it just got the "MOTY" buzz instantly and became one of those things you weren't even allowed to have a different opinon on).

Bonus LOLZ for the story of someone suggesting they add someone to DX to give HBK a partner and maybe make a new star, only for HHH to immediately nix the idea.