Grimmas

Wow does removing heel authorities solve a lot of problems.

But he did exactly the right things at exactly the right times for the context. He really did. He's the most efficient wrestler I've ever seen. So what gives? I really haven't watched much Strongbow at all. Hit me with some recs that are on youtube.

I guess my struggle time and time again with this is the very idea of Chief Jay Strongbow and why more people don't champion him. I'd be much more receptive to it if people could find a way to square "context" with also thinking he sucks. The arguments I made for him and Putski were not just facetious piss-takes of "The Matt D view", they put forward arguments that Johnny and others have tried to articulate before about the important of time and place, and doing the right thing for the context. I realise this is on the extreme end of things, but one way to test ideas is to push at the limits. Chief Jay is like a big action movie that stinks, but makes a lot of money. Nobody thinks it deserves an Oscar.

Last reveal of the evening takes another guy off my list. So far: 227 - Brazo de Plata (98) 279 - Mascarita Dorada (76) 283 - Killer Khan (96) 309 - John Tenta (100)

227 - Brazo de Plata 2006 Ranking: honourable mention Points: 458 # of Ballots: 14 Average Vote: 68.29 High Vote: 26 (JRGoldman) Low Vote: 99 "More fun than any wrestler ever." simen oem

228 - Super Dragon 2006 Ranking: unranked Points: 457 # of Ballots: 22 Average Vote: 80.23 High Vote: 32 (jackwebb) Low Vote: 98

229 - Gino Hernandez 2006 Ranking: honourable mention Points: 445 # of Ballots: 14 Average Vote: 69.21 High Vote: 16 (Derek C) Low Vote: 96

I don't really like any of Harley's career though. That piledriver is just an example of what I don't like about him. I have never watched a Harley match and thought Harley was awesome. Not once. It's not like I picked that one thing and it discounted everything else, it's just that everything else was nothing I thought was great either.

Oh my I loved that match. It's not good or anything, but it was exactly what you'd want from a New Jack vs Bam Bam match. Really a lot of fun.

by the way, best scene ever.

230 - Jon Cortez 2006 Ranking: unranked Points: 423 # of Ballots: 15 Average Vote: 72.80 High Vote: 44 (Matt D) Low Vote: 100

231 - Juventud Guerrera 2006 Ranking: honourable mention (111) Points: 420 # of Ballots: 19 Average Vote: 78.89 High Vote: 37 (anarchistxx) Low Vote: 98

232 - Masakatsu Funaki 2006 Ranking: honourable mention Points: 408 # of Ballots: 10 Average Vote: 60.20 High Vote: 37 (Parties) Low Vote: 100

That run was sad to post. Only a couple of folks left that I feel I can not personally see a case for.

233 - El Solar 2006 Ranking: honourable mention (131) Points: 400 # of Ballots: 15 Average Vote: 74.33 High Vote: 36 (JRGoldman) Low Vote: 94

234 - Abdullah the Butcher 2006 Ranking: honourable mention Points: 396 # of Ballots: 17 Average Vote: 77.71 High Vote: 32 (El Boricua) Low Vote: 100

235 - Dick Slater 2006 Ranking: honourable mention Points: 386 # of Ballots: 14 Average Vote: 73.43 High Vote: 42 (John Steffy) Low Vote: 100

236 - Roderick Strong 2006 Ranking: unranked Points: 376 # of Ballots: 14 Average Vote: 74.14 High Vote: 22 (Woof) Low Vote: 100 Recommended Match: Roderick Strong vs James Gibson (ROH, 10/2/2005)

It seems nonsensical for people to claim that Grimmas' position is indefensible. I'm not qualified to judge on the merits until I watch a whole bunch of Japan stuff, and re-watch all the Bret Hart matches I grew up seeing on TV, but it seems really dubious for various people to conclude there is no legitimate way to reach Grimmas' conclusions. This ranking process is inherently subjective and people are allowed to come up with different criteria in arriving at their results ... The debate is at an impasse and over now as far as I'm concerned. But I don't like one side being cast as a set of heels here, not the case. To me Steven frequently comes off like Carey here, fittingly another Canadian: The guy at wheel is reeling off all these amazing Kobashi matches and all these things Kobashi does better. And he's just saying "no Bret is better, no Bret is better" over and over again. The whole debate, in my view, came off like that. And it's why I've never been comfortable removing output -- that is hard, tangible evidence -- from the equation. There has to be evidence to back up claims. The realm of pure subjectivity in any debate descends to the level of that gif. I mean cool, if that's what you want, great, but it doesn't lend itself to actually getting to heart of anything. Seriously? meh, if that's what you think cool. I completely disagree, but whatever I'm done with debating this with you.

237 - Jerry Lynn 2006 Ranking: honourable mention Points: 361 # of Ballots: 13 Average Vote: 73.23 High Vote: 21 Low Vote: 100

Exactly what I was going for.

Read the post by Stacey summarizing my thoughts. Listen to the Super Show where I lay out my case. If you don't agree with me fine, but I think Bret Hart is a better pro-wrestler than Kenta Kobashi.

Can do the time period when people started watching easily. PWO-PTBN podcast hosts would be interesting too.

We can do whatever you guys want.

Anything outside top 100 doesn't really count in my books.