goodhelmet

All three are represented becasue I couldn't justify leaving off three 30+ minute matches that we all thought were worthy of inclusion for a 6 minute TV match that probably got cut. I also think that they have three different personalities. One is the leg getting caught in the rope match, you have the no leg work match and the finale at the Dome. Also, I think Loss has been a little impatient. While we have been exposed to this stuff for years, many of the people who picked up the set are seeing it for the first time. I love reading their reactions and how there are a few matches that everyone agrees on (Stips match, 11/11/85) and then you have matches that people have extreme opposite opinions on... which happen to be the matches that the nomination crew had fights about. This has been a blast reading all of the reactions and making out like I did when I first picked up the Barnett Mid South set.

Michael Hayes - Much better wrestler than given credit for. Dean Malenko - One of my personal favorites and one of the reasons I became interested in wrestling again after it had been dormant for 7 or 8 years. Masa Fuchi - I have seen some great Fuchi matches lately. I think when the All Japan 80s set omes out, Fuchi will look good on there. Tommy Rich - I have seen some great Tommy Rich and shitty Tommy Rich. I don't give a fuck what anyone says but he was fucking OVER in Georgia. He was also one of the first wrestlers I can remember watching back in 1980 or so. Magnum TA - I have been screaming his praises for awhile now. I am glad that others are now experiencing the same appreciation.

Memphis experts, do you recall any similarities between Rood in that time frame and Garvin's persona? I'm curious if he actually did lift some mannerisms and stuff from Garvin while in Memphis. Not really. he had the curly hair going on. I think Garvin was willing to let himself be made fun of where Rude seemed too cool. Also, Garvin showed alot of affection to his valets where Rude treated Angel like a love slave.

I just picked up Pain and Passion about Stampede Wrestling. This post makes me look forward to reading it.

This is pretty cool. Do you have DVDs of these or just the listings? People have been bugging me to go retro active on MOTYC sets for previous years and I may just do that.

You are taking his quote way too literally. His post was more of a reflection of WWE's reaction to Mero and his anti-WWE crusade after the Benoit murders. And I also don't get the OJ post about Mid South. Can you elaborate?

Yes and no... Houston aired the Mid South TV and then aired Houston exclusive matches. Most of the time, Houston matches had at least 1 Mid South guys (with some exceptions like Flair-Wahoo and Dusty-Bock).

I have to watch the Flair-Taylor matches altogether but I remember watching this and not being as excited as you are. I was far more excited watching the Reed-Murdoch matches.

I don't know how to respond to people any other way without using the quotes. And it has been driving Loss mad for 5 years now

Riki Choshu vs Killer Khan (7/31/86, Tokyo, Japan) - Not as brutal as Jeff described it as but it was fun. Nobuhiko Takada vs Shiro Koshinaka (2/5/87, Tokyo, Japan) - This match was fucking sweet. Antonio Inoki vs Bruiser Brody (9/16/85, Tokyo, Japan) - Dan just released this recently so i need to track it down or watch it or something. Nobuhiko Takada vs Hiroshi Hase (2/4/88, Osaka, Japan) - Another great Takada match. Jumbo Tsuruta vs Tiger Mask (3/9/88, Yokohama, Japan) - This should not be on the list. Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu (6/5/89, Tokyo, Japan) - My current #1 match of the entire decade. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs Dory & Terry Funk (12/12/81, Tokyo, Japan) - might be one of the most famous matches but it isn't as great as it is cracked up to be. More memorable for a Hasne lariat than for anything the participants do. Dory & Terry Funk vs Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy (8/31/83, Tokyo, Japan) - Ill have to rewatch this when we dive into All Japan. I thought the post-match was super and one of wrestling's greatest all-time moments. I don't remember much about the match itself. Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich (1/25/85, St. Louis, Mo.) - I have this JIP on my Flair-Kery set. Again, I haven't seen any non-Mid South Kerry-Flair matches for awhile so I need to rewatch. Ric Flair vs Bruiser Brody (1/4/85, St. Louis, Mo.) - Overrated crap. Midnight Express vs Fantastics (4/26/88, Chattanooga, Tn.) A great match hurt by endless commercial breaks. The Fans matched up with Laen/Eaton MX better than Condrey/Eaton MX. Fantastics vs Sheepherders (4/86, New Orleans, La.) (I WAS AT THIS SHOW AND EVEN NOW, IT S ONE OF THE BEST LIVE MATCHES I VE EVER SEEN. ) - Watts' ex-wife claims to have this on video in full. I wish she would release this damn show. Ted Dibiase vs Dick Murdoch (12/31/85, Oklahoma City, Ok.) - This was really super. However, they had a match in Houston a couple of days before this was also completely awesome. Don't know where it will show up on my Mid South ballot though. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood vs Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle (3/12/83, Greensboro, N.C.) - Super match but I am a Steamboat mark. If I had a top ten of favorite moments in wrestling history, at least 3 or 4 of them would be Steamboat title wins. Pat Patterson vs Sgt. Slaughter (4/21/81 @ MSG) - Fun but overrated. Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger & J.J. Dillon vs Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, Nikita Koloff & Paul Ellering (7/4/87, Atlanta, Ga.) - My working #1 on the Crockett set. It is also my favorite Wargames ever including the 90s matches. Midnight Express vs Fantastics (3/27/88, Greensboro, N.C.) Still an awesome match. I just watched this and here is what I wrote... Ric Flair vs Sting (3/27/88, Greensboro, N.C.) - Another match that would not be in my Top 20 of Crockett matches. What I wrote.. Jim Duggan vs Buzz Sawyer (11/11/85, New Orleans, La.) - I have this battling Chavo-Olympia for the 2-3 spot in the Watts set. Absolute Top 100 match. Ric Flair vs Butch Reed (10/27/85, Oklahoma City, Ok.) - These 2 have had some great matches but we couldn't find a complete version of this. Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor (6/1/85, New Orleans, La.) - Taylor and Flaair have had better matches. Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan (11/22/84, Dallas, Tx.) - This was friggin sweet and can be found on my Gordy comp. This match will rank higher than any other Killer Khan match featured in the DVDVR 80s set, guaranteed. Eddie Gilbert & Tommy Rich vs Koko Ware & Norvell Austin (5/14/84, Memphis, Tn.) - Super fun but over-rated by Jeff. Ric Flair vs Lex Luger (12/26/88, Norfolk, Va.) The jury is still out on if I think this is a Top 100 match of the 80s but a great match.. Owen Hart & Ben Bassarab vs The Viet Cong Express (9/6/86, Calgary, Al.) These - He was going off reputation I am guessing? Terry Taylor & Eddie Gilbert vs Sting & Shane Douglas (6/1/87, New Orleans, La.) - Once again, haven't found a complete match but only the wild brawl at the end of the match that lasted about 6 minutes. I have this as an extra on the Watts set. Ric Flair vs Terry Funk (7/23/89, Baltimore, Md.) - With the post-match, this was awesome. I like it much better than the I Quit match. Sgt. Slaughter vs Iron Sheik (6/16/84 @ MSG) - Already voted to be the #1 WWF match of the 80s. Magnum T.A. vs Tully Blanchard (11/26/85, Greensboro, N.C.) - I think I have this as #2 behind the 1st Wargames. Ricky Steamboat vs Lex Luger (7/22/89, Philadelphia, Pa.) - Great story but not a Top 100 match of the 80s. Ricky Steamboat vs Randy Savage (3/29/87, Pontiac, Mi.) - I voted this as #2 on my WWF ballot but I think there are matches not on the WWF set that are better than this. Top 100, sure. Wayne Ferris & Kevin Sullivan vs Bill Dundee & The Dream Machine (4/81, Louisville, Ky.) - I just had a big argument with Bix over this. Fun post-match brawl but the TV didn't show the actual match. Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee (6/83, Memphis, Tn.) - Awesome match and my Memphis working #1. Negro Casas vs El Hijo Del Santo (7/18/87, Los Angeles, Ca.) - Should be Top 20. Midnight Express vs Rock n Roll Express (4/86, Charlotte, N.C.) - I think Dan released this on the World Pro discs. I don't remember being blown away by it. #19 Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton vs Masa Fuchi & Atsushi Onita (1981, Tupelo, Ms.) - Great moment in wrestling but I don't consider these post-match brawls as wrestling matches in their own right. #17 Ted Dibiase vs Jim Duggan (3/22/85, Houston, Tx.) - My Mid South #1 and a Top Ten match of the 80s for me. #15 Ric Flair vs Barry Windham (1/20/87, Fayetteville, N.C.) - Great match but unsure of where it will go on my Crockett ballot and I don't thin kit would crack my Top 20 of 80s matches. #14 Ric Flair vs Terry Funk (11/15/89, Troy, N.Y.) - I don't think this would make my Top 100. I don't even have it in my Top 20 NWA matches. #13 - Bill Dundee & Buddy Landel vs Jerry Lawler & Dutch Mantell (3/24/86, Memphis, Tn.) - As had been said before, he is either going off the match reputation or was there live. The clips hint at some awesome things but we don't see them. #12 Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat (4/2/89, New Orleans, La.) - My 3rd favorite Steamboat-Flair match behind the Steamboat title win and the 1984 Meadowlands match. #9 Tatsumi Fujinami vs Akira Maeda (6/12/86, Osaka, Japan) - I watched this a couple of years ago and liked it but didn't think "Greatest match of the 80s"

AMEN

I don't actually mind the lack of Olympia offense in that match because Chavo was a Boesch guy and I see no problem with him getting the shine. I love Olympia and this was but a small glimpse of what we could have had from him on this set. If only they had more house show footage from 81-83 I think the heat adds to a match so that would affect my thoughts when ranking or rating a match. I am not saing shitty matches can't have great heat but heat always helps whn the audience is emotionally into the match. Also, it does not surprise me at all about the lack of heat today because the crowd isn't as emotionally attached to the wrestlers the same way they were back then. They may still be attached to wrestling but not to the individuals. I have seen much worse and think you are really overstating this. I don't think Lee did anything to try and bring the match down and was perfectly fine in his role. Kris Z actually argued that point but damn, I only have so much time. I actually was arguing to cut it down to 100 but I think it worled out for the best. This is also one of my favorites with 86-87 Crockett coming a close 2nd. I think that is why alot of the arguments about the matches included were so heated. You root for your guys and your favorites. The saving grace is that we will have a "leftovers" set where we include matches that did not make the set for either VQ reasons, lack of availability or oversight. In fact, feel free to send me that cage match Hell, he sat through a helluva lot of shitty WWF matches, this should be a cakewalk.

I saw the movie in a theatre, and I remember thinking the exact same thing... go get juiced. It was a scene that actually stood out to me on first viewing.

Being a douchebag is part of the criteria for being great in the ring?

My Disc 1 rankings so far. They may change... Mr. Olympia vs. Chavo Guerrerro (6/24/83) Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. vs. Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart (Cage Match) (12/25/83) Midnight Express vs. Bill Watts & Stagger Lee (4/22/84) Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. vs. Midnight Express (2/10/84) Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted Dibiase & Matt Borne (Loser Leaves Town) (10/27/82) Ted DiBiase vs. Hacksaw Duggan (Street Fight) (7/29/83) Midnight Express vs. Bill Dundee & Porkchop Cash (4/6/84) Mr. Olympia vs. Bob Roop (7/15/82) Midnight Express vs. Rock N Roll Express (No DQ: Tag Titles vs. $50,000) (5/23/84) One Man Gang vs. Buck Robley (Lumberjack Match) (9/15/82) Buddy Landel & Butch Reed vs. Rock N Roll Express (3/28/84) Butch Reed v. Iron Sheik (4/8/83) Mr. Olympia vs. Paul Orndorff (2/3/82) Bob Roop vs. Mike George (12/16/81) Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Hacksaw Duggan (8/18/82) Junkyard Dog vs. Nick Bockwinkel (6/11/82) Bob Roop vs. Ted DiBiase (4/2/82) Nick Bockwinkel vs. Dusty Rhodes (5/20/83) Mr. Wrestling II & Junkyard Dog vs. Matt Borne & Ted DiBiase (2/16/83) Stagger Lee & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Borne (12/18/82)

I think all three of these will do extremely well in the final voting so I have to disagree with your assessment that people are underappreciating the early stuff. In fact, with a few exceptions and disagreements, most people have had high praise for most of the matches talked about so far.