JerryvonKramer

Matt D has been banned from ringside at WWF events.

As research for the 1983 booking project, I want to watch a full episode of Championship Wrestling from July 1983. Just to get a sense of how ol Vince Sr was doing things at this late point in his career. This was an interesting time for the WWF. Vince Jr had already started doing some of his power moves and he'd recently made the All American TV show where he'd showcase different promotions from all around featuring talent he was planning to poach (genius). They were also running LA shows already. I will be watching this to see how much is Vince Sr style and how much is Vinnie Mac Attack. This is the July 2nd show, Vince and Pat Patterson open, in lilac suits. Talk about Slaughter and Muraco. Taping is in Allentown. Joe McHugh ring announcing. Dick Woerhle the ref. Not a thing changed since the 70s. 1. Don Muraco vs. SD Jones Non-title bout. Muraco is IC champ. Jones over with Allentown crowd. This is actually quite a big match for TV. Jones was not a pure jobber. Huge "We Want Snuka" chant. He was feuding with Muraco at this time. Jones conducts them like an orchestra. Muraco catches Jones going for a crossbody in midair and hits a tombstone for three. Snuka chants continue. Three minutes this match. Cool finish. 2. Alec Gerrard vs. Ivan Putski Putski is stacked. Gerrard, not so much. Classic jobber look. Over in less than two minutes. 3. Jack Carson vs. Sgt. Slaughter Sarge has military music. Full band march. Wizard with him, he's looking painfully thin here. Jobber Jack Carson has a wet-behind-the-ears look. Cobra clutch, it's over. 4. John Callahan vs. iron Mike Sharpe Naturally Sharpe dominates, but he misses a kneedrop and truly pathetic jobber Callaghan gets in a flurry of wimpy punches. There was a weird angle here where Sharpe was being known as a "wimp". Someone in the crowd has a "Iron Mike Wimp" sign and the crowd start a "WIMP WIMP" chant. Fucking hilarious! Would love to know what the deal was with this wimp angle. Wins with a running forearm to the head. Massive WIMP banner in the crowd. Wtf? Why was he a wimp?! Funniest shit ever. 5. Bob Bradley vs. Big John Studd Bradley has a headband on and a t-shirt. Like a kind of rock guy. Don't fancy his chances here. Studd was feuding with Andre and managed by Blassie. Bradley does the full body convulsion sell for his clubbing blows. Vince mentions that Bradley is a powerlifter. Torture rack for the submission in less than two minutes. Huge amount of very short squashes in this show. Over now to Rogers's Corner! Buddy is with a Tiger Chung Li and Fred Blassie. According to a lassie he was doing a tour of the orient when he came across this man who was a martial arts champeen. Oh and that's it. Jesus Christ, the way Vince Jr transformed the TV presentation is pretty remarkable. 6. Don Kernodle vs. Rocky Johnson So while Slaughter came off the Final Conflict and went back to New York as a big star, Kernodle seemingly was presented like any other jobber. Weird. Like I mean I thought Kernodle would be treated a tiny bit above that. Patterson does mention that Kernodle is experienced and can really go, so maybe he is treated above that? Zero offense so far. Vince calls him a veteran. Johnson works this like he's Appollo Creed. Yeah and Johnson just goes over like Kernodle is a pure jobber. I didn't even know Kernodle had a run in WWF. Isn't a bit weird that he went from selling out Greensboro to this in a few months? 7. Steve King, Pete Sanchez and Frankie Williams vs. Samoans 1, 2 and 3 Wow, look at that jobber line up!! Jobber ALL STARS! Frank Williams is one weird looking guy, always thought so. Ever see that film Maniac? He could have played him. Bizarrely, the jobber trios get some offense in on Afa. Sanchez with a neat move, Williams will some forearms, King cuts cut off but then hits two drop kicks. Wow, the jobber all stars are pretty good. Frank Williams tries to go toe to toe in a slugfest with Samu, oh dear, that can only end one way. Williams gets himself triple teamed. Eats a DDT. Hot shot. Headbutt. Williams took a fucking pounding here. His teammates might have helped a bit more. 8. Chuck Tanner vs. Ivan Koloff Joe McHugh can't make his introductions because Ivan is slamming his chain on the mat, and opts to leave the ring. He's wearing his cool cape too. Koloff kicks the crap out of this jobber. Knee from the top to win. ------ This was the same incredibly staid TV show as it had been for over a decade. Vince Sr's TV never changed. I'm actually now really interested to see how rapid the transition was once Vince Jr took over. I might try to seek out the exact moment he took over. When you consider the shit on TNT I've covered in this thread from less than a year from this point, it's literally amazing what he did.

The WWF would not support Matt D either as President or being allowed into NWA meetings.

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How would Mr. Baba like to come and tag with Andre at the famous Meadlowlands arena on 12/27?

Angelo Poffo, I remember before, had an awesome gimmick where he'd work sometimes as "The Miser". Ha ha ha ha. THE MISER

Another fine board game!

I play board games and I just know that in certain auction games like Medici and Ra that there are benefits to sticking things out and not passing, which some of us may have done as a strategic move. However, since there is no competetive element to this then sure, fine, whatever.

Forgive me about being a little sniffy about guys leaving the draft and then coming in for scraps at the end.

For this deception he will work under a mask and be known as "The Goon". He will also be the lowest guy on the roster and may even do jobs to Steve King, Randy Barber, Pete Doherty, and Jack Carson. He'll have jobbed to fucking Dick Worhle and Joe McHugh by the time I'm through.

We can offer the champion, but whether that will be Bob remains to be seen. He has started to complain about the schedule.

"The Anvil" be alright?

If Flyin' Brian wants to take anyone here who is left: Bill Cody Bill Rathke Billy Spears Bob Dellaserra (aka Johnny Heffernan, Karl Steiner, UFO) Cal Manson Gino Dellaserra Hans Schroede Mike Vachon Mr. Tempest Randy Scott Rick Connors Sonny Myers Steve Estes - isn't this "Super Detroyer"? The Alaskan Tiger Williams

The WWF announces its final picks before withdrawing from the draft. Fred Curry Igor Volkoff Randy Barber Rick Link Tony Russo

We would gladly take both Davey Boy and Neidhart, but the "terms" run from October to December, as per the original post. If Stu Hart is agreed, we can make that official now. Would Neidhart be willing to work heel?

Oh I see you've done that, thanks! Let's see: Bill Cody - apparently "Buffallo" Bill Cody. Mostly an AWA jobber. Experienced but seemingly quite old and I am not sure how much more age my roster can take. Bill Rathke - "Big" Bill Rathke. Texas worker. Quite a bit of size for a jobber. Not sure I want any more fatties. Billy Spears - would be tempted to change his name to "Billy Shears" and have him work a Sgt. Pepper gimmmick. He wore and eye patch and worked mostly Alabama / Gulf Coast, as well as Georgia some. A bit too southern for WWF. Bob Dellaserra (aka Johnny Heffernan, Karl Steiner, UFO) - latter day member of the Fabulous Kangeroos and had recently held the tag titles in WWC. Not a lot of value on his own. But The Kangeroos were known in New York. Cal Manson - looks like he worked a military gimmick as "Major" Cal Manson in Stampede. Other reports say a wildman gimmick Cal "the Animal" Manson. Either way, no room for him. Fred Curry - "Flying" Fred Curry, the son of Bill. About 10 years past his peak and last seen in New York in 1979. Yeah, he could do something. I'll have him. Gino Dellaserra - handle-bar moustached jobber who worked mostly Vancouver area. Too small time even to job in the big time. Hans Schroeder - a bit too old for me, and another fatty. With so many veterans on the roster, I need job guys that can move. Igor Volkoff - former WWF tag team champion as one of the Yukon Lumberjacks, I'll take him. Mike Vachon - I think this is Mad Dog's son. Not really one for me. Mr. Tempest (he can probably head back to Mexico) - yeah see you later Mr. Tempest. Randy Barber - Georgia-based job guy who would go on to work for WWF and WCW later in the decade. Sure, I'll take him. TV experience. Randy Scott - I believe also known as "Randy Webber". Worked Canadian promotions and Detroit some. I'll pass. Rick Connors - very minor league Crockett jobber. Would literally only be used if Steve King ever needs a win for me. I'll pass. Rick Link - aka Man Mountain Link. Why not, he can do something. Probably jobs on the second split crew tours of LA. Sonny Myers - ancient and associated with the St. Louis lot. Not sure he would have much cache in MSG. Steve Estes - isn't this "Super Detroyer"? The Alaskan - nah Tiger Williams - from the little I could find on this guy, it appears he became a scrap iron merchant. Nah. Tony Russo - classic "Italian" jobber. Of course, come in Tony, come in.

What would be useful would be a list of all talent that is left so I can pick who I want.

The loyalties of fellow promoters has been noted. He offers me a jobber Japanese and refuses to send any of his potential stars and you all side with him? I see where this is headed.

The WWF will not take part in Starrcade.

I can send you the dollar, bud, but not the day.

This reached its nadir during HHH vs. Sting, where it really did feel like Hogan was presented as "just another guy from back then".

Okay what do we do with this guy? Kicks so much ass it's unreal. Great character work as a heel on top of that.

Do you have the date of that one? Do I need to see it? I've become a bit of a Brock mark over the past year.

It's not really a criticism of the sets or of you guys. I guess I'm just saying "if I was on that committee, I'd have included them considering what did make it". Maybe once I'm through with this, I'll release "JvK's Cruelly overlooked by Will and co" set. It's more a reflection of the quality of the decade than it is of you guys.

Vince Sr is an honourable man and has noted this disrespect from Inoki. "Andre, when are you going on that tour again? Hmmm." "Brisco, do you still have Giant Baba's number?" "All the things I've done for that Inoki! The strings I pulled for that Ali deal!" "I'm a man of my word!"