Strummer

Meltz:

It's nice to see that Dave is letting up on the WWF hate that filled up the Observer in the first couple years of the expansion. Those 84-86 Observers are hard to read IMO with the constant complaining. These issues are a much easier read and for more informative now that Meltzer has calmed down and tried to be objective (ie actually giving the WWF credit for their financial success, praising certain angles, etc). He's obviously not a WWF fan by any means but he's being fair. And Dave being a fan of the HTM gimmick (although he hates him as a worker) is hilarious to me for some reason

Any idea on who this could have been? Volkoff? Zukov? Sika? Killer Khan?

(1) What do you ultimately think Vince McMahon will most be remembered for as a promoter? His ability to make stars out of so so/below average talent Promoting big time main events during the PPV era. (2) What do you think is the most important positive change that has come from the WWE vision of what pro wrestling is? Production values. Wrestlers having the chance to earn extra income though other media outlets (3) What do you think is the most important negative change that has come from the WWE vision of what pro wrestling is? The "trailer park" stigma. Creating a steroid culture by only pushing huge guys to the top (4) What is something that you have always felt WWE does well that they don't get enough credit for? Still being able to make money even when business is down. The business model of the company has always been fantastic (5) What is something that you have always felt WWE does horribly that they don't get enough criticism for? Ignoring wrestling history as a whole (although that's obvioulsy changed the last few years) (6) Overall, do you think most people are fair when discussing WWE, or do you think people tended to be blinded -- either by fanboyism or hatred? Mostly hatred due to the whole "workrate is everything" movement that started on the net in the early 90s and still permeates today (7) What match would you point to as the match that most defines the WWE version of wrestling? Hogan v Andre WM III (8) Could the WWF have had their initial success without Hulk Hogan? Why or why not? No. Hogan had size AND charisma. I don't know if any other wrestler at the time had them both as much as Hogan (9) Could the WWF have been more financially successful in the post-Hogan, pre-Austin time period with different people on top? Why or why not? No because from a presentation standpoint the company was still cartoonish and behind the times. It didn't matter who was on top as long as they still promoted wrestling like it was still the 80s (10) Who do you think was a bigger star at their peak -- Hulk Hogan or Steve Austin? Hulk Hogan. He was everywhere in the 80s. (11) What do you think is Vince McMahon's greatest accomplishment as a promoter? Creating Wrestlemania (12) What do you think was the greatest contributing factor to WCW overtaking the WWF from 1995-1998? The WWF's cartoonish presentation of wrestling while WCW was changing with the times and pushing new concepts such as live shows, monthly PPV, shoot type interviews and suprises and swerves in the main events (13) What do you think was the greatest contributing factor to the WWF overtaking WCW in 1998? The rise of Austin. Not being able to properly blow off the NWO angle and making WCW seem foolish and inept (14) Which world champion was the best in terms of ring work and why? Probably Bret because he was so good at selling and playing babyface. Shawn often outshined his opponent (see nash at WM 11) (15) Which world champion do you think meant most to the company? Hulk Hogan (16) Which world champion had the worst run? Kevin Nash although it wasn't his fault because he was booked as the typical "ahh shucks" bland WWF babyface instead of a killer (17) What do you consider the high point in WWF or WWE history? The period from fall of 86 (Debut of the new syndicated packages) to WM III (18) What do you consider the absolute low point in WWF or WWE history? 1995 There were some great matches that year but the booking and presentation were horrible. (19) Looking at things from their point of view, why do you think WWE frowns on employees being big wrestling fans? Because they want them to act professional and not have a pre conceived notion on who to push or what angles to develop (20) Do you think the WWF has ever done a good job at booking tag teams in a meaningful way? If so, what time period? Yes. From a presentation aspect definitely the 80s. The matches may not have been great and didn't get enough time to develop but the belts were valued and each team had been given characters and personalities and were built up (21) What is the best non-main event feud the company has ever produced and why? I'm tempted to say Roberts/Savage in 91 if you don't consider that "Main Event" It was a personal blood feud that the WWF rarely did in those days (22) What is the worst main event level feud the company has ever produced and why? Diesel Sid because the fans were dying for Shawn/Diesel and instead gave them this (23) What do you think was the single biggest contributing factor that caused the end of the 1998-2001 boom? Lack of competition that led to complacency (24) From your personal experiences, is the WWF a company that delivers house shows where you feel you get your money's worth? Always except for marathon tapings I've been to in the early/mid 90s (I guess these technically aren't house shows but they were really boring live) (25) Where do you think they'll be in five years? Same place they are now

I don't know if this has been confirmed or not but apparently Lashley left the WWE because he felt certain higher ups in the company (along with the lockeroom in general) were racist or at least racially insensitive. I would bet the potential Krystal/Edge storyline had something to do with that as the plan was to make several racial overtones in the angle.

Noticed that too Al Keith's irrational hatred for JBL continues. Lack of ~!Moveset

Cena enters at number 30 and wins the Royal Rumble!! I haven't been that shocked by a wrestling result in years. Kudos for the company for keeping this under wraps.

If you didn't grow up in the late 80s/early 90s you can't truly appreciate how awesome this is. Mike Adamle!! I was joking a few weeks ago about hiring Todd Christensen but never thought they'd hire the Gordon Solie of American Gladiators!

According to the latest Observer, Big Show is on his way back to WWE. Yet another wrestler who rips the company on the way out and then comes back as soon as they show any interest.

Yes, Herb had a very high opinion of Shawn's work It always suprised me that Herb was such a proponent of his work with Shawn's obvious problems with selling. IIRC, Herb said he was a better worker than Bret (who Herb said tricked fans into thinking he was a great worker). Herb's old "Tidbits" columns are both maddening and gleefully entertaining at the same time. Herb said some weird things but I couldn't stop reading

I didn't like the presentation of the show. They should have sold it like it was live. The announcing was obviously done in post production and it didn't have that "anything can happen" vibe that the original series had. Bring back Todd Christensen!

Much appreciated Loss. It's clear that Dave was hinting that Crockett was going to get killed by the PPV business and then that's exactly what happens. It's funny I really don't remember the Rockers second stint in the AWA. I know they were devastated about being fired from the WWF. Shawn hinted that he was having thoughts of suicide around this time (late 87, early 88) on the new DVD. I'm pretty sure I caught some of that World Class stuff on ESPN. It aired weekdays at 4:00 PM I believe.

This will be tough since I didn't get TBS until 1996 but I'll try: 1. How big of a WCW fan were you during the company's actual run? Didn't have much access to the product other than Worldwide and the Apter mags. From what I remember I really would have been into 1991/1992 if I could have seen all the main shows. Was a big fan during the initial NWO angle and for pretty much the first (and only) time I preferred it to the WWF product. 2. Are you a bigger fan of WCW now or then? Then. Looking back I can't get around all the mistakes they made and they have no one to blame but themselves. 3. Best Year/Period for WCW from when Nitro first went on the air until they started the Piper/Hogan program 4. Best World Heavyweight Title run This is when it's going to get tough. So I'll say Vader in 92 5. Best United States Championship run Rick Rude 6. Best Tag Team Championship run Steiners 7. Best Television Championship run This is easy since he fought on Worldwide all the time. Steve Austin 8. Best Cruiserweight Championship run Rey in 96 I guess 9. Best feud WCW v NWO 10. Most Underrated Feud Ray Traylor v Vader and Sting v Regal come to mind 11. Best Angle or Storyline NWO invades WCW 12. Most Underrated Angle or Storyline can Sting trust Luger from the early days of Nitro 13. Best Booker Dusty 14. Wrestler who had the most surprising run Rick Martel fighting over the TV title in early 98. Goldberg during his initial streak. 15. A worker they could have done more with Bret Hart, Eddy 16. The worker who's most synonymnous with WCW for you Flair 17. The point where Flair got old 1996 during the initial NWO stages 18. Best Face Sting in 96 and 97 19. Best Heel Hogan 20. Most Underrated Face Booker T 21. Most Underrated Heel Giant as a monster heel 22. The worker who was most effective whether they were heel or face Flair 23. A worker who turned (heel or face) too many times Luger, Giant, Flair 24. Favourite Commentating Pairing Schiavone and Heenan I guess 25. Lasting Memory of WCW NWO angle being booked perfectly early on but not being able to properly blow it off. Only WCW.. The Disney tapings

Anyone notice how pissed Bret was during the Rockers/Harts match? He drops several F bombs in guise of arguing with the referee (again since there is no commentary it's quite obvious what he's saying) In retrospect, with Bret being a perfectionist about his in ring stuff, it's not too hard to figure out that he was upset about how the match was coming off. I don't understand as I think the match is fine, bordering on great. And yes there is no way that match could have been aired in full on SNME. It would have been edited significantly

From the "10 years ago in the Observer" article at wo.com "Meltzer also pointed out that ‘there were more physiques than at any time in the past three or four years with the tell-tale side effects (swollen nipples, crater like acne on the back) and more muscular physiques associated with steroid use. And it’s not just limited to the women." I assume he meant men at the end there. Right? if not that's kind of confusing. I'm pretty sure he was trying to say the men looked like that but also the women

Maybe but it also could have been that his non-wrestling ventures bombed miserably. In WWE magazine Jericho credits the 60 minute Shawn/Cena match from RAW for giving him the passion to come back. I guess I'm in the minority but I liked the debut

I agree that it's tough to hear people criticize Gorilla when you grew up on him and were basically taught the psychology of wrestling by him. He was *the* voice of the WWF during the first boom Yes he said ridiculous things but so has every wrestling announcer in history. I have to believe that some of the hate stems from the hardcore NWA fans hating his hyperbole about WWF wrestling. I can see Meltzer in 1986 rolling his eyes as Gorilla was saying "You can't see action like this anywhere but in the World Wrestling Federation" It's hard to explain but Gorilla made wrestling feel important. That's why I didn't mind him criticizing wrestlers for blowing moves or not hooking the leg. He treated it like a real sport. Athletes should be criticized for making mistakes in games just like a wrestler should be criticized for making mistakes in matches. He made it seem like life or death on who won a Dino Bravo/Ron Garvin match. That takes talent

He's awesome. And it still amazes me that people on the net can't get into a guy that sucks in the ring. Mic skills are separate from wrestling skills. Why is it a crime to admit a poor worker might have skills in another facet of the business? OMG he sucks in the ring so he can't be good at anything else! He's worthless, send him back to OVW!

The WWF had some awesome brawls in the early 80s. 85-89 was pretty rough for hard hitting wrestling but it was there at the beginning of the decade

Holy Shit she's hot again: http://redhotdivas.com/gallery/albums/tamm...edcarpet/04.jpg

Johnny Nitro must be a very understanding boyfriend to let his girlfriend bang another guy who he happens to work with. You have to love the wrestling business

Another idiot on Scott Keith's Blog complaining that Benoit has been deleted from the Old Nitros.

I love pro wrestling

What makes this even more unbelievable is that Meltzer reported that the DNC was legit pissed off at the WWF for feeling they swayed voters towards Bush and very likely cost the Dems the (2000) election Think about that for a second. Vince is a hell of a promoter

Meltz: