Matt D

Today's with Keller. Somewhere right after the 20 minute mark.

Austin, on his podcast, saying that Bryan was a moron for not working more like Jerry Lawler, basically, was pretty striking.

I'm actually severely holding Bryan's 2015 against him at this point.

I do sort of want to make a thread about the purpose of heels in WWE, historically and today. I think there may be something to what Parv says about heating a heal up solely to feed him to Cena, and then cycling him down, to build him up to be fed to another babyface the next year, etc. To be the exceptions to that rule are few and far between, the main one being Hunter. I just don't have time right now to really play with it.

Quick comments as I heard the first 30 on my way into work: I remember Sherri pretty fondly with Dibiase probably because 91 was my sweet spot as a kid fan. She made a good foil for Piper in crutches and I thought the black/gold look was one of her better ones. That said I always thought Meltzer was just trying to put pieces together with the Shawn/Ted team based off of the Sherri segment on the taping. Shawn turned to be a singles guy. I do agree the manager cam match was terrible, especially as it's the only match from the Matador/Dibiase feud we have. Announcers: Larry had spent a chunk of 91 doing Pro (or at least Pro Chicago) with Tony, but stopped when the Enforcers team started. Scotty did announce both in Portland and off and on in Global. He was fairly smarky which went a lot farther with sheet readers in 91 than it would now. I'd actually liken him to a Striker who didn't take himself nearly so seriously. I like Paul E back there as a way to get over the heels. One role could have enhanced the other. Rude: wasn't coming back unless Vince wanted him to screw WCW since he was essential. I would have liked to see the Bossman feud payoff at least. If what you guys mentioned Perfect in 93 stands out due to their personal connection. Even as a team in 94 as that would have been a way to protect Perfect after the turn on Luger that didn't actually lead to matches. He didn't have a program with Hogan because he was too stiff during those few times they did work. He apparently didn't like money. Therefore it's more likely he would have jumped back in 94/95.

What was the deal with the ref checking the guys' hands during the last man standing match. At one point, I thought that he passed a long a blood pellet to Reigns like at Mania.

Escape Rules pretty much only work with a chickenshit vulnerable heel champion who wants to get out.

That match can't get enough credit for winning over that crowd.

I didn't loathe Rusev vs Cena until that last stare off when both of them had 3 corners. Then I loathed it. The only way that could be a worse WWE Cinematic moment would be if Michaels was the ref.

There were parts of that match which were really good. The way that Cesaro and Kidd just sync their movements in the ring is really impressive. I could go for them chasing New Day for a couple of months with nefarious freebirds rules techniques foiling them til they finally get them back at Summerslam.

Nattie looks like a JEM villain.

I guess it depends on whether or not this is the end of the feud. Was Sheamus the last King of the Ring? If so they could ban him from the tournament from this, have Dolph win and have him go after the title.

I actually liked the flash pin a lot, because the suplex toss was such a cool looking move, and one that was so fitting of Sheamus' current heavyweight bully character, that I bought it ending on him going for it again, arrogantly, and paying for it. It was sort of refreshing to have a match end in something other than a bunch of finisher avoidance.

Dolph's side is beat to hell. I really liked that triple forearm, double splash, cut off by Sheamus sequence.

Ambrose should use Calf Branding.

Also it's not like he can't handle bad.

Now you have to do the entire WWECW. You're committed.

Triple H is on the podcast of some guy i never heard of since I live in the wrestling bubble: I'm only 10 mins or so in but he already talked about training with Kowalski, how wrestling standards don't change in any meaningful way, and what he does well in the ring (including the spot he never, ever wants to take): http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/04/20/triple-h/

I am to SMW as Parv is to Kamala but I would still watch anything Wright did there in a heartbeat

Presuming that was during the 09 ECW run, I think it was just a case that people weren't used to him then. He was the smarkiest announcer WWE ever had bringing up all sorts of crazy references and getting away with it since it was the C show. The product was very good that year and in some ways he did add to it. He was more tolerable in a two man booth than a three man one where he was desperately trying to get all of his stuff in and he was generally less confident. Right now it's obvious he has a thousand lines prepared and feels the need to get them all in. Back then, he was sort of a breath of fresh air for a few months and kind of made you feel like you were part of something in listening to him, like he was "one of us." It definitely didn't last for long.

The best thing to watch for DDP is his skit on the golf course with Kimberly and Maxx Muscle.

We definitely don't have the Andre and Buddy Rose interaction from Portland, right Matt?

Did you know that Stan Stasiak main evented nine hundred and seventy two MSG shows?

Regal on Jericho's podcast was fascinating. I do think that when you look at wrestlers as closely as we do, it is useful to listen to interviews where they talk about their philosophy of wrestling. I do think intent matters, if nothing else, as a tool to understand certain decisions within matches. It's important to at least try to understand the wrestlers that we're looking at, because comparison without understanding can be haphazard.

I don't see how you can easily superkick a basketball.