C.S.

I'm really glad you enjoyed the match. It was one of the first ones I watched on the Network. Just the sheer spectacle of it alone intrigued me, but I wasn't expecting a match nearly as fun and well-worked as this one ended up being. For all of the revisionist history people spew about the "limitations" of wrestlers like Andre and Kamala, they knew their characters backwards and forwards - more than most of the "great workers" today who don't have a prayer of being able to connect with the audience the same way these old masters did. BTW, I haven't forgotten about the match you assigned me - I'm still very excited to watch it and give it a write-up - I just got sidetracked by Jericho vs. Omega today.

My thoughts on Jericho vs. Omega (I didn't watch the rest of the card): Pros: - Intense match - Told a great story - BLOOD! - Some really creative spots (particularly the aerosol can) Cons: - The commentary by Kevin Kelly and Don Callis was BAD and made me pine for Michael Cole. Their voices had only one volume and tone: LOUD and SCREAMING! - The camera work was atrocious: missed spots, bad angles that exposed how much "air" some moves had, and they somehow made the massive Tokyo Dome look like an ROH bingo hall. - The instant replays felt like glitches instead of replays because there were no graphics indicating a replay. NJPW is decades behind WWE in terms of presentation. - The Omega win was too telegraphed. Jericho taking 80% of the match made it a forgone conclusion. Overall: - A very entertaining WWE-style match (but more intense) that felt like a WWE tryout for Kenny Omega - and I'm betting that's exactly what it'll end up being!

Very cool news! BTW, my guess is that the NJPW tie-in will be retroactively added to the Steam PC version, based on this picture.

I got paired with AstroBoy. We're both off to the races and excited about each other's picks. The Secret Santo? This is brilliant!

Wow, running one for ten years is incredibly impressive! I know how much work goes into them. You might like the feds I'm involved in. Definitely not afraid to be absurd at times. PM me if you're thinking of jumping back into the hobby.

*Raises hand* I've been e-wrestling in some form since the mid-'90s, and other than a couple of breaks for health or real life issues, I've never really stopped. Is this something anyone else still does? Have any of you thought about it in years? I sort of feel like the Last of the Mohicans over here. If anyone is interested, I know a couple of e-feds that are looking for people. I help book one of them and I run a character in the other. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, basically it works like this: There are shows every couple of weeks, and you write roleplays (think of wrestler promos) discussing your match on the next show, who you're feuding with, your storyline, etc. You can also submit angles for the show (i.e. "Attack Wrestler A after his or her match."). It's great fun as long as you don't let your ego get too wrapped up in it and take every loss personally - sometimes there are storyline losses, losses to set up something else down the road, etc. - just like real wrestling. To me, it's an awesome outlet for writing, creativity, making good buddies, you name it. I've known some of the wild and wacky people I've met through the game for over two decades now. Winning titles or booking a show everyone loves is awesome fun, of course, but I stay for the friendships and camaraderie. PM me or reply here if you're interested, and I'll tell you who to contact, etc. Or just post your own e-wrestling memories below... I'm genuinely curious if anyone else still does it or has in years.

Absolutely, and the Express is like $29 and works brilliantly. They are hands-down the leader in the market of streaming devices and I can’t see anyone catching them. Apple TV’s look slicker but still lack the channels, even on the new platform. The Amazon devices are generally always pretty much junk across the board from my experience, though like I said, I do have the Firestick solely for NJPW World. Have had four Rokus, two Apple TV’s, and the Firestick since 2011. Only reason I needed more Rokus was older models getting phased out and buying a house. Do you have the first-gen model of the Fire Stick? How is it with NJPW World? I have a first-gen Fire Stick collecting dust.

I assume the unfortunate part is that the match couldn't be streamed, because I'd take Pete Dunne over Zack Sabre Jr. any day of the week and twice on Sundays. With that said, I wish ZSJ a speedy recovery - being sick is never fun.

Highspots is sounding pretty good. Some questions: 1. How reliable is the Roku app? 2. How much shoot interview and documentary content is there? 3. How often is the selection of matches and other content updated?

Softball season?

I think it's a shame that all of this great Rougeau mob talk is going to end up getting buried in this thread. Is there a way to spin it off into its own thread and migrate the posts over there?

Thanks for the detailed insights, guys. Is this how Jacques Rougeau was able to cleanly defeat Hogan in Montreal?

In Dynamite's book, I remember him excusing away his lack of revenge as not being around because of injuries. Supposedly, Dynamite was planning something during a match that got cancelled or never happened for some reason. Survivor Series maybe?

He's a Rougeau. Mob ties really help financial security too. Not that I think the Rougeau family is tied into the Montreal Mafia. I would never ever say that. (I live within driving distance and don't need a visit from Rock Machine MC.) As the manager of Rougeau's Pizza and Poutine in Montreal, I can assure you that customers flock to this irresistible combination of culinary cuisine and we are in no way a front for illegal mob activity!

I wonder if Patrick Clark got tired of the awkward, limited Velveteen Dream gimmick. He was good in it, but it never, ever felt natural or the best way to use him. It would also die an instant death on the main roster. Not everyone can truly embrace something like that the way Dustin Runnels did with Goldust. Plus, "homosexuality" is still more frowned upon in the black community - from what I understand - so that could have something to do it with too. More troubling is that Clark had a pro-Trump heel gimmick that was apparently very effective but got yanked from him when - surprise surprise - Trump actually became President and Linda McMahon joined his cabinet. All pure speculation on my part, but it's as good a guess as any.

Are we sure those are their real homes on Total Divas though?

This sounds like fun!

No one there really does it, or at least they don't do it for NJPW World - or so I've heard.

I agree with this.

Found this randomly:

My memory is hazy as well, and I certainly can't recall the source, but I remember hearing that Vince was chomping at the bit to do something with the "big Samoan kid" but wanted something more high-profile than a tag team - he just wasn't sure what. Then someone (Heenan?) suggested the Yokozuna gimmick, and the rest is history. BTW, I'm impressed any of you knew who Akebono was back then - the first I heard of him was when showed up at WrestleMania a few years ago.

I got some kind of Android TV box from a friend for Christmas (I think it's this one: Bqeel AX9 Android 7.1 4K TV Box). Is there a way to get NJPW World on something like this? I've been down with a bad fever, so I haven't had the energy to set it up yet and play around with it. I'm familiar with mainstream boxes like the Roku, PS3/4, etc., but I don't know much about off-brand gadgets like this. But will they stay past their one-month membership, or even the one match they want to see? Jericho, Omega, a North American-friendly match... All of it is downright useless if NJPW doesn't cultivate new long-term fans outside its home country. That's why I've been so critical of NJPW's shortsighted bush league approach when it comes to the app. Streaming is supposedly a dead issue in Japan, so they'd be doing it for the North American market regardless.

Between the Juno address (OMG Juno WTF thought it was dead LOL) and asking someone to send him a photo he can easily download himself, it's hilarious. On top of that, isn't that his late dad's e-mail address?

Stevie Richards: He could do it all - sidekick goof, underdog babyface, menacing heel - he could play any character and deliver the goods in the ring. Steve Corino: For all the praise (not here) that Cody gets for being a throwback cosplay '80s champion, Corino actually made this role feel real and organic in his ECW run. Michael Modest: I have no idea why the hell he never made it to the WWF - he had everything going for him, except maybe size and hairline. Christopher Daniels: A lot better than he was ever pushed, and he never truly made it to the WWF either, which is a shame. Kamala: Played his character to perfection, and he could be good too. Watch the Kamala-Andre cage match on WWE Network if you don't believe me!

I love this board. It reminds me of a college course for pro wrestling - with all the good, bad, and ugly that entails (and I mean that in the best way possible). You get some incredible discussion, some pretentious discourse, and some heated arguments over the smallest of minutiae - everything that makes a really good college course and professor so much fun and so engaging. That Triple H thread is still one of the greatest things I've ever read!