JerryvonKramer

He was the Syd Barrett to my Roger Waters.

I was a little disappointed that Kelly no sold the 1988 feud with DiBiase. No one ever puts that over, they didn't even mention it here.

^ Really excellent post from elliott. Two things I'd add are: 1. Backlund matches demonstrate him "giving" even more than PR or AWA material. 2. He gives plenty in AJPW, especially when helping to "make" a guy. Kawada match from 93 would by the go-to example. He still went over but the fact he almost had to kill himself to beat Kawada puts Kawada over huge too. Things like that are only possible because of the logical consistency of what elliott described above.

For what it is worth, I did not notice this tendency at all in their matches vs. Harley Race in 1982.

Lol at Wesley Crusher as heel babyface. Everyone hated him, ha ha.

Holy shit. One of the greatest things in wrestling history!

Did Mr. Perfect ever have a match with Kurt Angle?

I Quit maybe? Magnum vs Tullly, Flair vs. Funk, Foley vs. Orton, and Bret vs. Austin if you count that as I Quit.

If you watch him in that bout he's still perfectly serviceable. Just seems weird that someone like a Brutus Beefcake or Barry Daraow would have another decade in them, whereas Taylor was completely put out to pasture. You could say he did the smart thing in transitioning to the office, but I'm not sure if there was a guy more fucked over by heat with bookers in his career. Rooster gimmick was apparently a rib. There's the story about Dusty catching him doing an impersonation on the plane, and jobbing him out. I wonder what the deal was with Watts in 92. I think this was it for him, and he went back to WWF?

I may have to watch the bout again, but I actually watched it TWICE for the show, because the first time I had to take a call and it took me out of it. So I watched the whole thing again. But on first impressions, I thought it was easily the worst match we've reviewed for this show, and by some distance. I was quite aware of the context going in too, which is why I was surprised by how conventional the match was. That is not to say that I thought it was bad, just entirely unremarkable. I feel like I've seen Worldwide or Saturday Night matches from the early 90s much more notable than this. But just my take. I'm totally fine not being with the crowd on this one.

I want to be done with this, because it no longer has anything to do with El Dandy or wrestling. To Loss's point: I don't really believe that the people who attack me have much to do with my podcasts -- as in, listeners are generally pre-disposed to look at me favourably (for obvious reasons), especially if I was their route into the board. I have not looked at it closely, but I'd wager that the people who have been most personal and vitrolic are likely to be those who a. aren't listeners and b. who do not actually "know" me. As in, that Magnum could think my post to Superstar Sleaze on DiBiase's stock falling was me treating him badly demonstrates how he doesn't quite understand the context of how well Marty and I know each other. And where I come from, friends don't pull punches in arguments. We aren't delicate flowers, we will go for it. And sometimes in the heat of it you drop the "oh sir, I respect your opinion but I beg to differ" aspect. And even then, the tone on this board is way way more respectful than 98% of the rest of the internet, espeically on message boards. Anyway, this is mainly for donsem. JvK = Parv, soup23 = chad, soup = Pete, goodhelment = Will, Loss = Charles, Ricky Jackson = Kelly, jdw = John, El-P = Jerome, Superstar Sleaze = Marty, Bigelow34 = Justin, Grimmas = Steven, puropotsy = Dave. Since Loss has mentioned this, I think I'll try to stick to board names over shoot names from now on, but bookmark that if you ever feel lost.

I have some pointers here, at least ones I've always held to myself. These aren't directed at anyone in particular, just things I'd recommend to anyone looking to make a podcast more successful. 1. USP. What is your unique selling point? When I started WTBBP, for example, I knew that the WWF PPVs chronologically had been done already -- by Scott and Justin on the Place to Be podcast -- but WCW PPVs had not been done. And that is still the only podcast on the net to start at Starrcade 83 and move forward. So there has to be a novel hook in and of itself around the show concept -- just "talking about wrestling" won't cut it, because well, Meltzer, Austin and so on are right there. Need to have something to make someone tune in, in the first place. In wrestling, modern WWE is going to be the most saturated area, and so to carve out a unique niche might be difficult. 2. Focus. So you've got them to actually listen through the USP, but then you have to actually get them to keep listening. I think a lot of people on homebrew shows spend too much time shooting the shit at the top -- I try to get down to business no later than 3 minutes in. Most people don't tune in to hear guys shooting the shit, they want actual content. So stick to the topic and stay focused on that topic. People have downloaded primiarily because of that USP, not because they want to hear your political views, how funny you are, or anything else. 3. Get the stuff over, not yourself over. Again, content is king, and that is the focus, your personality will come through naturally via discussion of that, but it is never the selling point of the show. Remember hardcore fans turned off Jim Cornette podcasts in their droves because he didn't understand this and point 2, and he's Jim Cornette. None of us are Jim Cornette. 4. Maintain good production values / audio quality. If you record in an actual radio studio, this won't be an issue, but as annoying as technical complaints are for podcast producers, if you can't spend the time trying to ensure the audio quality is as good as possible, then you can't expect people to spend their time listening. 5. Be consistent, keep going and don't obsess over listening numbers. The drive for doing a show should not be to grab listeners, it should first and foremost be because you enjoy doing it. If there is something worth listening to, it will find its audience. I have honestly maintained that I don't care at all how many people do and don't listen. Shows will find their natural audience. The one listener who actually cares about what you are discussing is probably worth more than 10 complete randoms. WTBBP has more than twice the listenership of All Japan Excite Series, for example, I don't care. I am having fun exploring 90s AJPW and those people who listen to that show de facto share that interest. Titans of Wrestling discusses an era and promotion that 90%+ of fans, hardcore or otherwise, do not give a shit about. It has still found an audience. But it's just plugging away. ------------- I think advice out there tends to focus on marketing, visibility, social media and so on -- none of these things have ever been a core focus for PWO-PTBN Podcast Network, I mean there's a bit, but the core focus is on content and quality. I maintain that there's no point concentrating on marketing if the core product isn't worth listening to. Anyway, just my two cents. People have different philosphies, but that's mine. "Success" is also relative. I'd rather have 10 dedicated listeners to 100 I never hear from. You aren't ever going to draw numbers like a Steve Austin.

It must have been a different Jerry Von Kramer that patronised and ridiculed that poster for having the temerity to suggest that Dibiase's stock was falling in the GWE poll? The way you patronised him when telling him to watch the Duggan vs Dibiase match? I know 'Parv' is always right, 'Parv' knows best and 'Parv' is clearly so smarter than everyone else on this board, but you are in a bubble if you think there is nothing wrong with the way you speak to people, especially if they don't agree with 'Parv'. The poster you are talking about is Marty. Superstar Sleaze. A guy who sends me Facebook messages. A guy who was excited to do the first part of my Flair podcast mini-series with me. A guy who has a show on a feed I started. Marty, please tell me, did my response to you saying DiBiase's stock was falling make you feel worthless? Did I make you feel like shit? Did I hurt your feelings? Did you feel like I was treating you badly? Or are some people blind to the fact that lots of us here are friends who aren't scared of disagreement and who can roll with the punches?

For my money the greatest studio bout of all time.

Just seen this. Terrible news.

Life's too short bud. I don't like drama. Wrestling is the name on the marquee.

I had a sneaking suspicion about French New Wave, but it's impossible to like everything no matter how hard you try. I can understand wanting to see and hear everything to get a full picture of what's out there, but most people are instantly dismissive of stuff they're not into and don't butt heads with it as much as you are. To your sprouts analogy, you're choking on your Brussels. I liked Matt's analogy above about limbwork being like adding sauce to a dish that's unpalatable, but if you ever look for another way in, I would suggest strong character work ala Cota and not work driven lucha. I think the next stop might be Satanico, OJ.

Let's get back to wrestling shall we.

I didn't exactly flesh it out, but I still think there could be some legs in a generational feud with Watts, Ole and a stooge or two (Greg? Arn?) moaning about the kids of today having no respect for tradition. Them vs. a Sting-led Dudes-with-Attitudes-type faction with Bagwell as a member. If done right, it could have been good. Especially if Watts / Ole cranked up the old-school authority. Imagine Watts having Bagwell flogged with a belt. I think it could be made to work.

I am surprised that this is close in the voting. For me: 1. Magnum - Tully: contender for GOAT match period 2. Sheik - Slaughter: contender for GOAT WWF/E match 3. DiBiase - Duggan: one of the best payoffs to a feud ever They are all five star matches for me, but if there was such a thing as 6 stars, Magnum-Tully would get it because it is in the "transcendent" category.

Well honestly, you've pissed me off. If anything I treat the opinions of others with almost too much respect which is why I'm still banging my head against this brick wall called Lucha. Because there are many people's views here I hold in high esteem to the point where I really want to be on board. I'm sorry, I will not sit here and be told that I treat people like shit, when that is patently not the case. You've crossed a line.

I think that's entirely untrue and a narrative that takes place mainly in your own head. I don't think anyone can say I haven't explained my thinking or that I completely dismiss anyone else out of hand. The most extreme case is probably GOTNW, whose reviews of Flair matches were so far from my own that I said I probably wouldn't take what he had to say seriously. The other most extreme case is you, who said that you think clouds, as in actual clouds in the sky, are art. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but not all opinions are equal. I'd expect people don't take my views on Lucha to hold any great sway either. But treating people like they are worthless is a huge and pretty unfair charge. I have done fifty fucking shows with Johnny Sorrow who is a guy who loves modern WWE and appears to hate analysis. I have put Matt D, a guy who has some very strange takes, over big time and even encouraged him to have a column where he provides his takes on whatever show we are reviewing on WWE. Do not give me this total crap about me treating other people badly or like they are scum. I resent it because it is simply not true. Hell, I've even put you over Bill, so please, give me a break.

I'll also say this, for every person you think is driven off by the depth and fierceness of some of the debate we have, how many people have found the site through the podcasts that I've put out there? Well? Have a trawl through the newcomers thread. Yes , there's only so many shots I'm willing to take.

We even had this discussion in 1993.