RodTrongard'sHair

Exactly. I've long felt that if WWE would provide for the initial capital around the country necessary to replicate a quasi-territorial system, where competition within the ranks depended on getting a developmental contract (so there would still be the aura of indy wrestling), they'd have a self-sustaining system. Think just how much OVW itself did. Think what several OVWs could do. Is there any evidence in the current wrestling market that this would even be a viable option. It isn't like there are a bunch of indy promotions that are running on a weekly basis that are slef-sustaining and it wouldn't be worth the investment to go the one or two show a month option. I don't think most fans would support a minor league system over the WWE. They already have FCW which is basically what OVW was. They've tried multiple farm groups in the past and it has never worked anywhere near what you are describing.

I haven't been on this board in awhile and I found this post interesting because I had almost this exact same conversation about a month ago. There is a saying in the business world that if you aren't moving forward then you are dying. Sadly, pro wrestling is slowly dying and it is evident by the amount of sentiment and nostalgia going in the WWE. That isn't to say there is anything wrong with nostalgia in-and-of itself, but as thebrainfollower posted, letting it dominate the future is suicidal. I don't watch Raw every week, but it does seem like that when I do I either always hit the nostalgia nights (anniversaries or the back to the 80's night). I think this is because the WWE simply can't produce stars anymore. Cena is arguably the biggest star right now and C.M. Punk kind of floats on the edge of stardom, but everyone else is stuck in the middle. As others have pointed out, that is why the part-timers have to be brought in for the Wrestlemania main events because if they didn't you wouldn't have much to draw fans in for the show. About 10 years ago, on another message board, I posted that I thought Vince McMahon was turning into Verne Gagne and I was told I was crazy, but as time is passing by I feel stronger that I am correct. The world has passed Vince by and he doesn't know or refuses to change. The domestic wrestling audience continues to hold steady at a fraction of what it once was and rather than moving forward to try to attract new fans they are trying to survive by bringing back the old fans. You can say that Undertaker, Rock, and Brock have become Crusher, Dick the Bruiser, and Baron Von Raschke in that their days have come and gone but they are still being counted on to bring warm butts on to the cold seats.

LeRoy McGuirk Skandor Akbar Dick Murdoch

I would throw Yvon Robert, Jos LeDuc, and Dino Bravo in the mix as well.

He did have a glass eye, I remember watching that angle. I believe Styles also worked in Memphis in the mid-80's as Dr. D and held that AWA Tag straps with Hector Guerrero for about a week, trading them with Lawler & Dundee.

I agree deep pockets and patience are going to be important, but I also think you would need to do a few other things, a couple which might seem counter-intuitive, but might work: A) Sign as few ex-WWE guys as possible. This is a mistake TNA and other promotions have made. You need to create you own image and not come off as WWE-lite. Put an emphasis on home-grown talent or perhaps even try to lure in some UFC/MMA guys who can't go in that sport anymore, but might be able to do pro wrestling at a higher work-rate In booking, do what the WWE isn't doing. If you look back, that is what helped get WCW and ECW moving. C) Aim at becoming a regional success at first, don't do national TV, how many times has that failed, and don't worry about ppv's. Aim to be the next JCP or Mid-South and don't worry about taking on the WWE at first. D) Ditto on ppv's. Build towards major house shows the only way which you are going to see live is by being there. E) Have the competitive streak that Vince and the old territory promoters had. Don't be afraid to take out smaller indys or other promotions to get yourself ahead. This is a tough business and you have to be willing to win. Otherwise you are just another of 789 indys.

Jimmy Valiant from about 1985 on in JCP.

Is that really any different than the Yakuza being involved with Japanese wrestling for years. I'm sure there have been mob ties with wrestling in the U.S. before as well.

How long was he with the WWF? I think he also reffed Marty Jannetty's IC Title win. I don't remember when he left, but I remember on a shoot interview he said he came in with Giant Gonzalez because he had been his handler in WCW and Vince hired him to do the same in the WWF.

Out of interest, was he the one getting squashed or was he squashing? (considering he was main eventing the the Mid-South Coliseum in 86) He was squashing. I think he was only in for one taping and lord only know what happened after that. This was a real problem the AWA had at the time, I don't think they always exactly knew who was going to be there from taping-to-taping themselves, but it made for some interesting TV at times.