SteveJRogers

Maybe its that second thing that WON voters expect you to have. Be a second, but also be the guy running the promotion or a major position in the booking hierarchy or an iconic guy at the announcing table, or a well regarded wrestler in your own right. Does seem like there could be a basis there for those who are "just a manager role" in their time in the business.

Managers in the WON HOF: First class of 1996 Freddie Blassie (also a Wrestler) Jim Cornette (also Promoting) Bobby Henenan (also Commentating) Billy Sandow (also Promoting) WOW, the Observer didn't put another Manager in until 2012 and Captain Lou Albano (also in as a Wrestler), and there hasn't been one since! Jimmy Hart does belong on that level.

RAN-DY-SAV-AGE! C-M-PUNK! Any other ones?

A few years ago the Baseball Hall of Fame was in a real pickle as NO ONE was selected by the main voting base for inductions, the Baseball Writers Association of America. They took a further hit because out of the three rotation Vet Committee ballots up for induction consideration was pre-1947, which meant of all three inductees elected from this method, they had to bring people quite removed from being first generation relatives! Also the winner of the broadcaster award had died a few years earlier, and so the only actual inductee/award winner that was able to make the ceremony was the winner of the writers award! While these things happen (long story short, a lot of PED users/suspected of users made up the BBWAA ballot that year), but to make something viable to entice people to show up, they held formal inductions for several classes that didn't have one due to WWII (that's right, pulling from the 1940s) travel restrictions, including two of the greatest hitters of all-time and to this day considered among the top 5 GOAT at their positions. Point being, of course its a show, just because its a committee of one deciding who deserves to be inducted or not based in part with how much marketability their induction will be, doesn't mean it doesn't deserve as much conversation as a HOF with a much bigger voting base but exists entirely on one man's hard drive, and one that I'm not entirely sure the inductees even know they are in (Austin talking Sting's HOF chances with Meltzer, thinking he is talking WWE while Meltzer meant the WON).

Especially considering how wonky and trollish internet groups can be. I can see a ballot slate though as opposed to a mechanism that would allow Chris Benoit to be inducted.

Booing the Rock in the buildup? Seemed Rock generally had the crowd support more often than not from what I remember, only problem was WM was in Texas so what came before wasn't going to matter for the actual show. Was it common knowledge that The Rock was Scorpion King shooting bound after Raw the next night? In hindsight I could see Rock pulling a Batista like quitting promo (both times) on the fans, and still come back a conquering hero in late summer.

Is that really a wrestling taunt though? Most fighting sports, non-predetermined or otherwise, do use belts as trophies.

Baseball players have used WWE title belts, or variations of a theme, as sort of a "game ball" presentation after each game. Yoneis Cespedes, now with the Mets, celebrated his 2013 All-Star Game HR Derby Championship with the then WWE Heavyweight Championship belt.

One of their live feed filler segments is on classic promos, and The Pipe Bomb is among the images in its title card sequence. Punk hasn't been scrubbed by any means.

Russo was there at the beginning? I thought TNA branding for "Total Nonstop Action" was a Jarret thing.

Speaking of Heat, I'd wish they upload all the various pre-Network pre-PPV events that have filmed matches for. As well as various "Colosseum Video" extras from past PPVs.

LOL! Probably a Goodwill Wrestling, they all should be on the PWO-PTBN feed in your podcast aggregator/catcher of choice.

Considering less than a year after its creation two of its members are no longer with the company, to say nothing about barely doing anything after the "kick Barrett out angle." I'd say League of Nations officially sews up the most useless stable ever label! Well, in terms of intent of a main event "Foreign Horsemen" style group with Sheamus seemingly in the Flair role as the guy with the big belt in mind, but with little effectiveness beyond other title feuds.

He did say in one of his books that he wanted to reach the point with the comedic side of his character where people would shake their heads in disbelief that he was ever the "Hardcore Legend." I think he proved that with Mankind's face character/McMahon suck up from about June '98 through December of '99. Yes. Easily the shittiest era of his career. Hard to believe that's the same Mankind from the Uncle Paulie and JR Interview. No wonder Triple H acted like he'd just seen Clark Kent toss away his glasses, rip the shirt and charge up the Heat Vision when Mick changed into Cactus Jack during that promo. Mankind hadn't been the twisted and sadistic SOB in long time.

He did say in one of his books that he wanted to reach the point with the comedic side of his character where people would shake their heads in disbelief that he was ever the "Hardcore Legend." I think he proved that with Mankind's face character/McMahon suck up from about June '98 through December of '99.

3) Being pro-consenting adults can marry regardless of their gender is separate from being someone that thinks nothing of blurting out causal homophobic comments, most likely due to "time and place" that they grew up. Doesn't make it right, but it is possible that is the case with Ross, as opposed to someone that is completely homophobic in every way possible.

1) Liking Limbaugh and Maher simultaneously for their entertainment value is not necessarily a sign of "change" in social issue opinions. 2) For the much of the core audience of Clash 22, I'd imagine it would be more of a babyface opinion to be supportive of Rush Limbaugh than it would be for a heel to be supportive of a conservative social and political issues commentator.

Nice! Like (insert any wibbley wobbly, timey wimey movie or shoe involving time travelers who meet or see their younger selves)! BTW did you resolve the audio channel balance?

Well, that fucking sucks. The 2001 dark match was awesome for what it was.Well, I think we all saw it, some watched it more than once, and there it all was after everyone interested saw it. Getting no more views. Something tells me that the LBOA is gonna have more staying power than a Daniel Bryan dark match. And even if it doesn't, it's out there now. It'll be readily available. Even if weirdos feel the need to dissect it with a skewed, annoying , and downright awful eye. That should be poked out. FWIW, some of the more recent Beyond The Ring entries have been the match anthology ones. Perhaps they will find its way on a Bryan release (I think they were on Bryan's DVDs). Either way, that's something that I wish on demand streaming services would provide. The DVD extras, whether its deleted/bonus scenes, exclusive docs or commentary tracks. It'd be nice if all were part of the package you'd get for the show or movie you are watching.

FYI This latest upload, as well as the Andre-Wepner on DM, has channel volume issues. I can only hear Johnny from the right, and Kelly from the left.

You know you've been a wrestling fan for too long when jokingly you wonder if the song at the end is a hint that Tammy Lynn Sytch will appear in the footage for the next Titans episode

*GLARES* Okay chuckles. The Koloff-Morales Title change, was there actual audio at the taping as Jim Ross does the commentary on the footage for the WWE Title DVD. Come to think of it, how much footage of Bruno-Koloff exists? Thing I love about the Ross commentary is that he mentions that MSG had a curfew in that era. Completely out of context since it didn't come in play in the match, nor does Ross add any info about how close to said curfew the match was taking place at. I wonder what the TV ratings were, and if there was ever a thought of changing the paradigm of TV hyping the next big (MSG) card as MSG attendance was dropping dramatically, and was other arenas in the circuit feeling the same attendance drops?

Is that really "against the grain" though? Michaels is quite a polarizing figure.

Well times have certainly changed then if that's the case because now having the Vince seal of approval just means everyone hates you even if you're putting on the best matches in the company. Like political/social issues debates, how much do you want to put the blame for that on the rise of the more "quick hot take" nature of social/network media platforms that rose in the ensuing years? Twitter, Tumblr-esque gifs and memes, podcasts, YouTube channels, etc. Though to be fair, Kennedy/Anderson was presented as a guy who wasn't given the keys to the kingdom the way Reigns has, or seemingly fell into the business because of failures at other things (Cena/body building, Reigns/football). This has always been the absolute dumbest criticism of Reigns to me because there is an incredibly long list of wrestlers who didn't make big names in professional football but became huge stars in wrestling. I guess we should all hate The Rock, Butch Reed, Jim Duggan, Ron Simmons, etc etc etc now though since they didn't have lengthy All Pro careers in the NFL before getting into wrestling. Not sure which is worse, that Reigns only became a pro-wrestler because he failed at football, or the hate because he replaced Chris Hero in CM Punk's original concept of The Shield (I try not to look into crazy anti-Reigns corners but I have to assume replacing an IWC darling in a concept created by an IWC darling who is noted for creative clashes and being proven "right" more often than not is high up on their list of reasons to despise him).

Well times have certainly changed then if that's the case because now having the Vince seal of approval just means everyone hates you even if you're putting on the best matches in the company. Like political/social issues debates, how much do you want to put the blame for that on the rise of the more "quick hot take" nature of social/network media platforms that rose in the ensuing years? Twitter, Tumblr-esque gifs and memes, podcasts, YouTube channels, etc. Though to be fair, Kennedy/Anderson was presented as a guy who wasn't given the keys to the kingdom the way Reigns has, or seemingly fell into the business because of failures at other things (Cena/body building, Reigns/football).