Strummer

That was Ryder. I think Scherer is okay when it comes to small news items behind the scenes at the TV and PPVs but is pretty much lost when it comes to the long-arcing, business changing stories

The fact that Meltzer has yet to come out and say this is legit makes me wonder if this is all an elaborate work.

I know this is way off topic, but this triggered something in my WCW Lexicon. Does anyone else remember Finlay and Van Hammer getting something like 30 minutes on the first hour of Nitro sometime in the fall/winter of 98? The crowd was completely DEAD and the announcers were talking about everything BUT the match. Something must have went down or some segment was cut to give the match that much time. I clearly remember this match happening. Anyone?

At the time, while near 40, Nash and Hall were quoting current rap videos, Chris Farley movies and dressing like 20 year olds and no one in the WCW audience turned against them. They were presented as cool heels and the fans bought it. The fans now aren't given a reason to think that DX is cool.

Maybe I was generalizing , but there is a thread over at TSM now which basically says "TNA is having Joe-Angle on PPV, who cares if it isn't being booked properly, it's Joe versus Angle, so shut the fuck up and enjoy it" That's not how wrestling works. The promotion of the match has been horrible. A lot of TNA fans can't seem to defend the mediocre (at best) booking, and with respond with "Yeah, but it's going to be a great match, don't you like great matches?" If WWE can be criticized for bad booking, why can't TNA? Simply because they offer supposed "better" wrestling? - Don't want to start anything but I don't think TNA really has that much better wrestling matches than WWE

My main problem with TNA (and a lot of their fans) is that they basically say "Hey we have great wrestling, and, and.... at least were not WWE!!!" "Who care's about booking, we have athletezzz!!! It's simply lazy booking and promotion. They could do so much more but they coast on the fact that most smarks will back them because of workrate and the fact they aren't run by Vince McMahon.

It's all about booking and presentation. If Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, who were both pushing 40 at the height of the NWO can come off as cool, than any wrestler can. The problem is Shawn and HHH are overexposed and have lost the edge that made them cool in 97. They are getting pops from the crowd but the fans obviously don't have an emotional connection with the gimmick. What exactly are they rebelling against? The fact that they dominate the main event scene and get preferential treatment?

how much did Hogan get?

Vince says on the new Hogan DVD that Andre's back was so bad that he wanted nothing to do with wrestling anymore. Vince responded with how much money the match would draw and I guess Andre changed his mind.

way to make the heels look like absolute idiots

I don't know if I've ever seen a US promotion book strictly on talent. Maybe ROH or the NWA in the mid 80s but even that's a stretch. I would say a combination of character and normal. Building strong characters might be the most important facet of wrestling. It was Steve Austin the character, not the wrestler, that became the biggest star in wrestling. Fans might appreciate good wrestling, but you need to know what the wrestler is feeling and his motives in order to create an emotional attachment. Then I would combine that with normal "wins and losses" booking. Big wins should be talked about *much* more. The work doesn't have to be great as long as you emphasize competition and results.

Yep I was watching the match today and he does say it. Gorilla kind of no sold it.

Where was Hogan from April 96 to July 96? What was the *real* deal with the Stephanie/Nidia backstage heat in 2003? How did Noble become involved?

Just watching the Hogan DVD, and during the main event at WM 6 Jesse Ventura is definitely acting like a face on commentary. He actually compliments Hogan and Warrior several times during the match. No rants against Hogan. No bald jokes. No calling Warrior an idiot. Was this a start of a face turn for Jesse or was it an isolated incident where Vince wanted the match to be the focus?

I think there is some truth to the Briscos/Hogan story. Jerry admitted that he called Hogan once and told him to go to New York because Vince Sr loved monsters. I don't think it was the Briscos "talking him out of retirement" but more of "yeah you could be a star if you go to the WWF" As for the Jake/Hogan deal. Hogan *was* on the Snake Pit (Jake DVD) and got cheered way more than Jake. Jake made up the DDT part. As for a new one, I like Hogan trying to get over that he and Orndorff worked real stiff with each other because they "were a couple rednecks from opposite sides of Florida". Oh and in his book he took credit for selling out Summerslam 92 in England and he wasn't even at the show.

I won't disagree, but I'm curious what makes September 1986 the starting point. I'm blanking on that month. It was the start of the new TV season with both Superstars and Challenge debuting. Everything seemed to build from there.

I was just going over results on Cawthon's site and it's unbelievable how great the WWF booking was from Sept. 86 till WM 3. Say want you want about the quality of the in-ring work but the company was at their zenith as far as the presentation aspect of wrestling.

Bischoff has stated several times that Austin called him up with the idea of being Hogan's brother in storyline. Austin has refuted the claims and said he never came up with the idea and that Hogan was just out for him. For some reason I'm inclined to believe Bischoff.

Kurt Angle is in TNA

I think this post at DVDVR sums up quite nicely why the sheets hated Gorilla Monsoon back in the 80s.

I just noticed something for the first time watching the Jake Roberts DVD tonight. During his MSG debut match with Lanny Poffo they were subtly implying that Jake could control the snake with his mind. Several times in the match Jake stares at Damien in a trance like state and Monsoon wonders aloud if Jake is controlling him telepathically. I don't remember this as a child and I don't know if they even continued doing it during Jake's initial heel push. Just glad as hell they dropped it.

I personally didn't find the vignette offensive but I can see this is going to blow up in their faces

Today is the 20th Anniversary of the famous "Big Event" House Show from Toronto that drew a ridiculous 65,000 fans. If you believe what the promoters and WWF officials say they had no idea it was go to draw that many people. They actually taped the House Show and released it on CV as a sort of mini PPV. I had just gotten into wrestling when this aired and this show hooked me as a fan. The Hogan/Orndorff program is what made me a wrestling fan. 1986/87 were probably the heights of Hulkamnia and the 80s Rock N Wrestling Boom. Here's an article celebrating the night: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/0...22/1770050.html

There are some real gems at the WC board Meltzer has posted lately. -Apparently Verne Gagne wanted to make Hogan the AWA champion in 83 but Hogan refused. I never knew that. I always thought it was the other way around. -When Rick Steamboat was going to leave the NWA to come to the WWF in the mid 80s Vince asked him not to do a job on the way out. (Thus having him come into the WWF strong) Steamboat refused. You have to believe that didn't get him off to a good start with Vince. -In the 80s, Meltz and Vince had a big argument over Hogan's physique. Vince insisted that Hogan's popularity had nothing to do with his body, thus separating him from a possible drug/steroid scandal and probably helping his conscience. Dave went batshit at him.

IIRC, Jericho credited Hall for jump starting his career with that job. Maybe the first time ever someone thanked a Clique member for helping his career.