Matt D

I've just seen Jericho vs Neville so far but I'm a little floored by how much I enjoyed it. My only real annoyance is that the crowd didn't turn on Jericho at all once he started playing the frustrated vet. They were just so glad to be there.

Ok, I'm live and with you guys now. Andre vs Harley is awesome. Things I loved: -How NWA Title Match the first fall felt despite the fact it was Andre, what with the arm work and the wrestling. Huge points to Andre in general. -That Harley slammed him with his right hand and not his left. -The backwork and how Harley seemed totally credible bearhugging Andre and Andre sold, so so well, and consistently late into the second fall. I really liked how he targeted Race's back even as his own was hurting. Surly Giant. -The way that they sort of paralleled the end of the first and second fall by having Harley try to lure Andre out only to get SLAMMED over the top because Andre was pissed after missing the butt bump in the corner. Then of course, that sort of led to the third fall too which made it all more acceptable somehow, you know? Harley seemed desperate and clever. It felt like a bit of canny, heel wrestling, a human fighting a force of nature, just trying to survive. I was cool with it. -I tend to prefer predator Harley to prey Harley but him selling to the back row for Andre is completely appropriate and pretty awesome. -Maybe most of all, just the feel of this. It feels hugely epic, especially when they stand and stare at each other before fighting. There's one moment in the second fall when Harley goes out and Andre goes after him that there's just this moment of weight over the match, just how big the stakes are and how larger than life it all is. That's right before Andre hits him and Harley does the total full body wobble selling that doesn't seem outlandish but seems to fit the moment somehow.

It's just like pro wrestling to him, no?

There's a lot to love about this match. It's so, so much better than the Summerslam 1990 match. In context it's even better than that. Between the stage and the rare match with the Hart Foundation, Demolition really sell for them and make them feel like a threat. I think it's the first time chronologically that Ax begged off and he did it because Bret was presented as something more at the time and because the moment warranted it. It's part of the versatility argument. i'm sure I'll have more to say later.

Awesome to hear. Can't wait to see it.

I think people are doing that with anyone they consider in their top ten.

It was all over the end of the Cena vs Michaels Mania match.

I'm at a hotel for the fourth (and thus can't watch Brock or Harley/Andre) so I am only seeing glimpses of stuff here on my phone between toddler wrangling and trying to find food. Thanks for debunking quickly. Now someone tell me about Andre vs Harley. Phil started with a frigging Bull Ramos match

The internet told me that Nakamura and Okada had try outs

I'll make the general argument for Bock later (it's "He does everything Flair does just as well, and everything Flair doesn't do well far better."). Maybe months later.

I've watched something like 10 Misawa matches ever. I have no time now at all. My ballot will be just as ridiculous now, in March, or a year and a half from now. So there is that.

Bockwinkel

One of my thoughts why listening to this was that Luger obviously hadn't heard the Exile on Badstreet episodes dealing with 88 Crockett (which is a joke, but there was some dissonance there, I thought).

It's alright. I'm the first to admit that my method, or philosophy, or however you want to name how it is that I look at things, is innately flawed. A contextual approach needs a lot of evidence in order to bridge the gaps between sheer output and intent and understanding and execution and situational variance and whatever else. We never have enough to hit "truth." We never will. The best we can ever get is as educated a perception as possible. So then, exactly because of that, I am eager to jump on any new evidence/data we come across.

I think my post in the thread a few notches up would indicate that I am considering that, and even that I found it remarkable and worth noting. At the same time, it's very striking to me that it took Luger (one might even say "Luger, of all people!") getting him half way to the point for him to start tackling this stuff. If nothing else, I think there was a marked reluctance, almost bordering on frustration, that he had to adapt for a crowd like Philadelphia, when he'd much prefer to just be Ric Flair. Still, a preference to be intellectually lazy is different than an inability to be intellectual at all, and yes, I will keep that in mind moving forward, in both what I listen to and in what I watch.

Thank god that CBS only wants wrestling guest.

Lex took that so well and was so upbeat about it all. I lost it for the Kansas City lines.

I've never heard Ric talk so thoughtfully and meaningful about wrestling. Lex absolutely brought out the best in him in this podcast. I think he gets Flair better than Flair gets Flair, but he also helped Flair get to actual points of consideration about his own work in ways i've never heard him get to before. I'm about 40 mins in but it's a must listen.

Quick takeaways: Tunney takes the midgets seriously as he's setting up a title match with that result. Martel ended up looking like a massive worldbeater given how you did that. Did Bret tap out or pass out? I'm disappointed that the cup wasn't destroyed.

I vote for Bruce Tharpe.

You did say it first. That's why it's funny.

Can Johnny do a podcast with the History of WWE guy so he can call him Billystar SuperGraham the whole time and then not explain it.

He'll let us see it in 2021

How do you feel about salt throwing?