BigBadMick

Dawho, I can't write much now but I'll quick say that in an ideal world good-to-great matches will take place in a well booked feud and all of it will be worth watching. However, I think good-to-great matches are also available without the support that we would all prefer. Cherrypicking these takes a lot of the heartache out of hours and hours of drivel. Maybe I'm stripping things down too much for most people's tastes?

Also, I care much more about good, decent matches (I'm not sure how to define that right now) than the entire product and storylines being up to scratch. I'm happy to get TNA matches from last year recommended to me and give them a go without getting too caught up in the wider context. I might differ from others in that respect.

Sorry Parv, I should have mentioned it was you and Will in that original conversation. 'I've said it before, the ONLY reason people watch stuff live now is to be part of the big conversation.' I'm wondering if that's true for me, because if so I don't think it's a good enough reason to keep up. Although, the only thing I was 'live' (ie, without having read spoilers first), is the PPVs. No way I'm sitting through entire Raws/Smackdowns - and I'm only checking out recommended parts.

Have a bit more time, so I'll expand on this. I had stopped watching Raw altogether after Night of Champions last year, just keeping up with the ppvs. I'd read reports and the general consensus was that it was skippable more often than not, and that was fine with me as I had other stuff to watch. Actually, the one exception was going out of my way to see Rollins v Orton. I've watched Raw since the New Year - when I say 'watched', I mean picked out around 40-50 minutes of matches/angles to breeze through. Instead, I've been going through loads of older stuff for the past 2 years - WCW ppvs and Clashes 1990-97, 80s AJPW, WWF 1990-97 and then 2002-12, Mid-South, 80s World Class. I just find it more satisfying to have a viewing project that I can go at really hard and heavy when time permits, rather than dipping in for a bit of this and that, randomly.

This has been on my mind for a good while, ever since I found this place in early 2013. I PMed Grimmas the following a week ago - 'Another really good discussion you had was on the Christmas party. I liked Will's defense of watching the current product - just cos it's not the best ever doesn't mean it's not worthwhile, and as long as you can cherrypick good matches and angles it's worth keeping an eye on it. I never watch Raw live - generally get through it in less than an hour on Tuesdays. It's an interesting topic - the benefits/disadvantages of watching live/classic footage. There's the convenience of stockpiling stuff with classics to watch at your leisure, but you're sacrificing the sense of community with modern stuff.' Speaking for myself, I lean far more on old footage nowadays. And harass Shoe with thoughts on Texas wrestling as I go along

I think Nailz had a similar deal?

Was Dusty the only wrestler in 1985-93 whose past accomplishments were acknowledged by WWF? And how was this done? They were mentioned on the last Titans podcast - I've never seem them. Something about Dusty being recognised by fans and winking to the camera???

That quite frankly is really quite shocking! Maybe no one talked about the Rumble at his work place because they AREN'T wrestling fans? I couldnt help but laugh when it said he screamed and woke his wife up. Hope he got a right telling off for that. Not everyone likes wrestling. Kids do but alot of people move on and Im not really sure how this made headline news. Sorry, doc. I should have explained that this is a spoof website, similar to The Onion.

This was sent to my facebook account. Hell, if wrestling fans can't laugh at themselves..... http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2015/01/26/agony-for-grown-man-as-nobody-at-work-wants-to-talk-about-royal-rumble/

Finally getting to this. Really enjoyed the comparison of Bruno and Backlund, and how it morphed into comparing Brisco to Backlund. Really good discussion there lads.

I would love it if you could do this with your AJPW series from now on Parv.

IF they keep him then they better finally wise up and start using him to elevate guys. I've been saying all along that he should be defending against more than just Cena because even guys losing to Brock will look strong if it's a competitive match. Rollins at the Rumble is proof positive. He looks like a million bucks after that match. Hopefully that's the start of a trend. If WM is indeed Brock's last match then his whole run will feel like a huge wasted opportunity. The problem with Brock is he never defended the Title. Wins at Summerslam defends at NOC and then you dont see another title defense till January. Surely they could have come up with a better option than this. Is he going to be booked for the Feb PPV? Cena has lost quite a bit recently so im expecting Cena to go over at Mania as he cant beat Takers streak now so Rusev will have to do. Its still odd why they dont just save the match for Mania to make it feel something special ie matches that havent happened before. The thing is when Cena looses he doesn't seem to care about it and moves on, teaching the fan's that wins and losses don't matter that much. Funny, Meltzer made the point recently that part of that is Vince's idea that people shouldn't whine and complain. Of course, completely devaluing wins and losses is a direct result. Which Vince seems to regard as a necessary evil or something.....

The only fans that are going to cancel is those immature kids on Twitter who sulked over what happened at the Ryumble. Quite frankly I enjoyed the event and to me thats all that matters. Its a huge over reaction because you get thousands of hours of classic footage to watch and thats a great service. Getting the current PPVs is just a bonus and if it bothers them that much buy the PPV from SKY/cable operator. What happens on a PPV shouldnt count for whether you do or dont want the network. Its still a great 24/7 channel. You do realize that the majority of people have the network for the current product and not for old footage otherwise WWE 24/7 would had been a huge success. Yeah Doc, sometimes it seems like you don't accept that you have a minority opinion on things.

Yeah, and a lot of it had already been used on the Bryan and Warrior docs last year. What's next week's episode about?

I really don't think he's joking.

Bret/Yoko is redeemed by WWE suprising the fans by having Hogan walk out with the title. Worst booking has to be the Rumble Orton won. How would you go about booking this? Dont forget you had the Georgia Dome in January and the fans would have been pissed had Goldberg not won the belt back. Mind you they were pissed anyway by the end of the night. Doctor, did you really think Hogan coming in and winning the title at WM9 was a good thing?

Yeah I finally sucumbed to the Network and ordered just so I can watch the Rumble. I enjoyed it anyway shame the internet kids didnt but hey they expect too much. Regarding cropping they did this for years on their official DVDs before they finally changed it. Never had a issue with the stretched pic on the dvds before this. You are the only person - in the world - that hasn't any complaints about the Rumble.

Yeah I read this too. Says Smackdown is cancelled too. Isnt WWE overreacting just because Bryan lost. WHAT are you talking about?

Do it Parv. Please.

I really liked it years ago, perhaps slightly less this time round. Didn't mind the headlocks - plenty of action punctuating it, and the crowd stayed with it. Ending was atrocious though.

IIRC Meltz found out Benoit was winning the Rumble and eventually the title at mania in Nov./Dec. 2003 but sat on the news. Can't remember if it was at the request of the company or that he didn't want to ruin it for smart fans. It was a wild time on the net Well heck, shame we just had a "Dave Meltzer's journalistic credibility" discussion last month. Imagine a beat reporter finding out Phil Jackson is coming out of retirement to coach the Knicks next year, but sitting on it because it would make Knicks fans so happy if the press conference was a surprise. And imagine him having that luxury because nobody else is on his beat. Surely if he had gone public with it the plan would have been changed? And Meltzer knew this.

Again. on my recent 1996-97 binge, Davey Boy's stock went up. Not to the extent of Owen, but still a crucial cog in the wheel - kept match quality up until knee trouble in late '97.

I've watched loads of 1996-97 WWF lately and Owen has skyrocketed in my opinion. Forgot how good he was, and how crucial he was to keeping match quality decent.

Just Survivors 89, as far as I know.

All Noble's ROH work was disappointing? It's been years - probably 2005-06 - since I watched it, but I remember enjoying it loads....