Matt D

My major windows to watch wrestling that fits into my life are when I'm on the exercise bike for maybe 4 hours a week and to watch old TV shows while at work. For the former, I have my laptop set up by the bike where I'm a captive audience and can maintain concentration on what I'm watching. For the latter, old memphis works great that way as do Superstars/Wrestling challenge/etc. I'm working through 84 memphis tv and 94 WWF tv at work that way. I haven't watched things with people regularly since college ten years ago but this works pretty well for me.

I have Youtube. And the AWA 80s set. And a Dangerous Alliance set. And Youtube.

How is Bryan as a draw compared to those guys?

Also were Hardcore fans ever into Dusty? At least past, I don't know, Florida? If you frame it that way, I don't think you have an argument.

Except for Doctor Who

That was considered pretty hilarious at the time.

Lots of good stuff all around. I'm a little sad you didn't have a paragraph about the Warrior to ECW rumors though. He commented online about those at the time and it was pretty hilarious.

World's worst Bill Watts.

There was a guy posting things on justin.tv a few years back and he kept to a schedule and a lot of my watching fell on that schedule until I ended up getting way behind.

I'm going with Viscera. They had a 3 minute match. Angle ate Viscera's offense really well. The transition was good. His entire offense was three nice looking dropkicks. and it had a Steve Blackman cameo. That's about all I want from a Kurt Angle match.

I do think you can look at his GM run as an example. He was getting heat on everyone without any real benefit to it to anyone.

I also think there were some marketable elements to Ranger Ross.

Austin knew how to garner sympathy as a babyface and keep things interesting during a match as a heel. That's a hell of an advantage Hunter didn't have. He also was pretty good at keeping his act fresh except for, maybe, when he was the GM.

I jotted off some thoughts of that match to Dylan. I am not in a mental state to edit them, so I'll just toss them here: ------------------------ I feel like what people say about Race isn't that off. Due to his lack of prolonged selling, any long face limbwork just becomes "control." which I like with Demotiion as a counterpoint to shitty 80s WWF heel in peril wrestling and because Eadie is so good at making people work for it, but in a match like this it's just frustrating. He sells in general and he lets things matter in general, but it's sort of meaningless selling. Better than Angle, worse than real greats. Things have weight but not necessarily meaning. He sold after he won the fall but didn't during the action itself. He sort of sold when it didn't matter at all. I do think that Bonnema really sold the "control" aspect, which I rarely have ever seen an announcer do. It's literally the only way to look at that match and explain the story of it, so good on him.

I wonder if that pissed Moolah off.

I like (well not LIKE, you know what I mean) the idea that Flair was trying hard to turn Cena into a boozer so he could be a proper main eventer.

Buddy Rose vs Martel - 2/3 Falls - First Fall Only - 2/9/80 I was worried we weren't going to have this at all. As it is, it seems like I just have the first fall to watch here. Bonnema brags that they have a main event to show them since most territories never show a main event. Martel won the belt the previous Thursday in Salem in two falls so Buddy is the challenger here. They actually shake to begin. Great stuff to begin with some wrestling/reversals followed by an awesome quick paced rope running and ending with a Martel 'rana for a near fall. Martel could keep up with Buddy better than anyone else in the territory at this point. Buddy takes a powder and comes back into a headlock, followed by a tease of the rope running, a great drop toehold and a really good Martel reversal to start armwork, which, as we all know by now, is a definite strength of Martel's. Here it's just a hammerlock but Martel really works it and Buddy's as good as always in selling and trying to get out. Really unique attempt to get out through going off the ropes. I've seen hang-on spots but never this particular one before. They switch it into wing lock (with Martel doing a great standing knee into the elbow too). It really looks like he's trying to wrench Buddy's arm off here. Buddy kicks out, but misses an elbow and gets armdragged into Oregon before they go back to another armlock, almost a cross arm breaker, but with Martel jamming his knee into Buddy's shoulder, allowing for just brutal looking selling from Buddy. Great facial expressions. This is really an extended version of the Buddy-Getting-Outwrestled-No-Matter-What shtick he uses sometimes but it's really turned up to 11. Martel has sort of a reverse top-wrist lock and he just grinds it making it look really nasty. Buddy is trying to escalate his way out of this including believably going for a flying head scissors! Martel doesn't let him get him over and really looks like a champion here. Buddy goes for the nose but ends up pinned and has to let go. This has been almost ten minutes of Martel working Buddy's arm but it's been incredibly compelling and well-worked. Rose FINALLY gets an edge, tossing Martel over the top but he steamboats back in and hits a dropkick as the crowd erupts. Buddy goes for it again, Martel hangs on. Buddy's ready for it, but Martel headscissors him out. Buddy runs in, reverses a corner whip. Martel goes for a flash second rope body press, but Buddy ducks it. He starts in almost immediately on the now hurt ribs, making sure to sell just how battered he is in the process. Buddy honing in on a body part is a work of beauty. He does a slingshot where Martel's ribs go into the ropes and he ends up with his back draped over Buddy's knees. Martel fights up but ends up almost pinned. Buddy does it again; this time Martel makes it to the ropes but Buddy goes right back onto the back. Buddy does a great shoulder thrust into the shoulder, but goes for it again and Martel sunset flips him for a near fall. Buddy goes for the inside backbreaker. Martel blocks. Martel goes for it. Buddy blocks. Buddy goes for it. Hits it for the three count. I wish that Buddy had sold the arm JUST a little more because he usually does but it almost didn't matter since the last few minutes were so good. He also might have gone back to it in the later falls, which I don't have here so I don't know, maybe it paid off later. This was great. If it's just a taste to come for what they have later in the year, I'm excited. Buddy Rose vs Frank Dusek - 2/3 Falls - 2/18/80 Set up for this is great. Dusek is a lower card journeyman heel. Rose comes to the ring during a match of his vs Dutch Savage and starts coaching him. Dusek wants nothing to do with it and eventually gets pissed and unloads on Buddy to the fan's (and Dutch's delight). Then we get a promo saying that he found out Buddy was keeping him out of the top of the card and that he doesn't care what the fans think but he's going to go after Buddy. Good, compelling stuff. Pre-match Dusek helps to get over with the crowd by saying he doesn't care about money (Buddy had just flaunted money in a DB Cooper promo) and tossing it into the crowd. He just wants Buddy. Anyone vs Buddy is pretty over but the a lot of the fans have taken a shine to Frank. This is for the title and he puts it around his waist before the match as a taunt, not letting Buddy get it back. Hopefully someone took some pictures of Dusek with it on so he had something to remember this moment. Dusek has some big offense early but also completely misses on an elbow drop, maybe the worst I've ever seen. Regardless Buddy is making him look great. Finally, he heads out for a break. Awesome, awesome spot. Buddy refuses to get in and is hanging by the ringpost, and Dusek just punches the fingers causing Buddy to fall off. I've never seen that before. Buddy takes over for a minute but then runs shoulder first into the turnbuckle and eats a really clumsy suplex out of a pile driver pick up. I don't know if Dusek was nervous or just not used to this sort of role but while he has good energy and has the fans behind him, there's definitely some question about what he's doing in there. Story early, in part is that Dusek wants him so badly that he keeps breaking the count and lets Rose rest as long as he wants. Finally Dusek had enough and grabbed a chair. Buddy runs back in first Dusek drops the chair and then slingshots Buddy out, following it up with an elbow from the apron. Despite the clumsiness this is pretty good stuff. Rose finally makes it back in but uses Sandy Barr as a shield. He ducks and Rose eats a punch to the nose. Dusek hits a back suplex and lifts Buddy up at 2. He pays for a moment later by missing a fist drop off the ropes. Buddy tosses him over the top. Buddy follows him out to slam his head on the apron, but Dusek reverses and they tease a pile driver, but Buddy reverses it. Big moment. Buddy rolls him in, does some huge knees to the spine, before hitting the inside backbreaker. He doesn't pin him though. Instead he hits a knee drop, insult to injury and takes the pin. Very good first fall as Buddy was good enough to mask the sloppiness. Second fall starts with Dusek hurting on the outside from eating punishment between falls. Buddy does a great billy goat butt while he's on the apron to knock him out again. He gets back in and but can't mount any offense. Buddy smothers him with a front facelock on the mat and the fans do a decent enough "We want Frank" chant, for Frank Dusek that is. Buddy does a good job of working the hold, with hope spots and enough moving about to keep it interesting. It's a pretty smart segment considering Dusek's apparent limitations. He finally gets a low knee to get out but Buddy's back on top of him with a good chinlock. Dusek gets out with an eye gouge. This is a solid heat segment with Dusek doing a very good job of trying to fight back in the most vulnerable way possible with very short, ineffectual hope spots and Buddy just giving him a beating but being unable to put him away. Finally Dusek gets his knees up on a splash and a shot in before reversing a whip into the corner. Buddy goes for the inside backbreaker but Dusek floats around, hits a hangman's clothesline off the ropes and slaps on the Cobra Clutch. Buddy fights but can't get out and that's the second fall. Really good stuff. Third fall has some position, fighting til a Dusek russian leg sweep knocks them both down. Rose get sup first, goes for a slam but can't hold him and gets pinned. Tries for another but gets rolled up and then ends up in an abdominal stretch, a nice one too as Dusek punches the ribs. It doesn't last long before Buddy hip tosses him out. Very even here. Buddy gets a kick during a back body drop attempt by Dusek. Buddy goes for the inside backbreaker but, in the first time I've seen this in the portland I've been watching, Dusek kicks Barr accidentally. Buddy goes up to the top for another knee drop but Piper runs out (they were teasing a hair match between them) to push him off the ropes. Dusek snaps on the Cobra again, but Bass runs out and drags him out. Barr counts out Rose for the win. They set up Rose/Dusek vs Bass/Rose post match. I really liked this. Great performance by Buddy in a very smart match, overcoming either jitters or just clumsiness from Dusek.

Kinda like how he honestly and earnestly tried to help Brock Lesnar, only to get ignored, so he turns on him for Big Show? It's what the guy does. He doesn't give a shit about anybody that won't let him completely control them. We all knew the second Brock Lesnar showed up to attack Punk that Heyman turning would be the other shoe dropping on Punk. Let's not read too much into it. I read too much into everything else. Why not this too?

Did the Dream Machine ever feud with Dirty Rhodes?

Really great Frank Dusek turn and promo to set up a future match, but that's neither here nor there. Buddy vs Stasiak - 2/3 Falls - January 19, 1980 Buddy starts out by challenging Martel and Piper for a Playboy Hair Match. Stan comes out boxing and Buddy goes out to stall. The audience participation part of the first fall is Stasiak winding Buddy around with a headlock fifteen times. He hangs on to the hair to keep Buddy in the headlock but breaks it and we have more stalling. Buddy goes for the Robinson backbreaker too early and gets pummeled for his trouble followed by a heart punch tease. After more stalling and another reset, Buddy goes for a hammerlock but gets his leg tripped out an Stasiak works over the ankle before trying to make a wish. He goes back to the ankle and this goes a little long though Buddy's desperation grabs for the ropes and general selling makes it. Stan's doing a good job too but it's just not that compelling. Buddy finally rakes his eyes and locks o a headlock only to get knee-breakered. Stasiak starts punching and kicking the hamstring/knee which Buddy sells huge. Another heart punch tease but Buddy gouges again and finally takes over, while still limping about. He chokes Stasiak on the bottom rope and forces him to roll outside and we get a mini king of the mountain which makes a bunch of sense here and gets the fans riled. Stasiak reverses a whip into the corner once he gets in and clobbers Buddy with the heart punch for the first fall. This was pretty good but I've seen better out of them. Second fall starts with Buddy complaining about the heart punch. Stasiak just smiles grimly and tries to do it again but misses and hits the turnbuckle. Buddy hits the floor, but jumps back in and goes for a quick roll up and then a funny little spot where he keeps trying to pull the tights and gets caught. Stasiak powers out of the full nelson and then does a goofy tight pulling roll up of is own to the delight of the fans. Funny stuff and Buddy gets furious. Knucklelock test of strength. Stasiak gets the better of it and when Rose starts to pull back, he gets hit by a pretty good dropkick. Stasiak locks on a nervehold and Buddy's selling is funny. He's really stooging here. He gets a couple of knees in and hits a slam leading to the inside backbreaker. He's pissed off though and picks up Stasiak at 2 so he can nail a top rope kneedrop into the spine. He gets the three fall and then hits another and almost gets dqed. And, actually we don't have the third fall so I have no idea how this one ended. It didn't really hold a candle to the other matches between them but the comedy stuff was a lot of fun.

I'm 2 of the 3 falls into it and I have a decent amount to say about it and Harley at some point. I think it's a great example of a lot of the criticisms against Race but also pushes back against the Angle comparisons as well. What it does best though is shows how Frank Bonnema was actually a pretty damn good announce for this sort of thing. once I watch the third fall, i'll write something.

PM Sent. He breaks up the 2/3 falls matches by fall which is a little annoying but you get what you pay for. I love seeing Portland in context, as much as we have at least, as the action's almost universally great, the angles are good, the announcing is enjoyable, and even the sponsors just add to the feel of it all.

Honestly? If you have the time and care about this stuff at all, there's absolutely zero reason not to go on youtube (it's all on one channel) and go through the near entirety of 1979 that's posted there. If you want to go for DVDs for quality and to watch on your couch, or whatever, nab Will's Buddy set, but that doesn't have all of the matches posted (and some aren't quite as good as the rest, of course, but I think all are worth your time). In general, there are over 25 chronological matches from 1979 posted right now, surrounded by angles and promos, and I can't think of a reason why anyone wouldn't watch that way if they had an interest. I'm very, very happy that I took the time to do so and excited to continue watching that way.

Give me a few months. I just started on January.

Thanks guys. Back to the write-ups. Rose/Bass/Sheepherders vs Piper/Martel/Savage/Stasiak -2/3 Falls - 1/5/80 Well on paper this sounds great. There's a level of excitement here as this is right before the Martel vs Race match and Borne/Martel just ALMOST won the big tag titles (it was reversed). Faces work over Bass to start. Buddy comes in and sizes off against piper to the joy of the crowd. This is probably the fastest I've ever seen Roddy moves as he does a good job of keeping up with Buddy. It ends well with a cool little roll up out of a leapfrog. Heels get Piper in their corner and take over. Miller has a great knee drop to the throat. I love Bass' elbows into a chinlock too. He does them repeatedly and they keep it interesting. He keeps his knee on Piper's head to contain him to make the tag. Piper has come backs but they keep him in their corner. The faces keep trying to get in but they just make it worse for Piper who is selling this stuff like a dead man. Miller tosses Piper into the corner and it's actually really great. He does this jumping finish to it. Just little things. The heels are swarming on the apron and everywhere else. Bass goes up to the top but gets nailed by Savage on the outside leading to the hot tag to Stasiak. Good FIP, good hot tag. And Stasiak cleaning house is awesome before Martel gets to come in and look like a million bucks vs Buddy who dives into the ring post for him. He also takes this cool little double kick to the gut from Savage and Martel like it was a bazooka hitting him. Faces take over on the arm. There's a crazy feel to this match given all the guys here. Martel has a lot of good arm offense even at this point and Buddy is really selling for him. Faces keep switching off as Williams ties to sneak in repeatedly. I like how Stasiak and Savage work together. Great old man pairing. Buddy is just getting wrenched to hell here. Someone needs to bring back Stasiak's pumphandle winglock. He pumps it fourteen times as the fans count along. Buddy finally makes it out mercifully and they start on Williams with Piper hitting some great arm drags. Buddy takes a powder mid-match after all that arm punishment making it 4 on 3. heels are getting overwhelmed here. One guy after the next ends up in an armlock. Buddy tries to come out with an elbow pad and haphazardly walks right into Dutch Savage's fist unknowingly. This is a long face control segment after the lengthy FIP on Piper but it's pretty entertaining considering who's in there. We're pretty deep into Heel in Peril territory though with the faces screwing around and cheating behind the ref's back and little heel hope spots after eye rakes and what not. After a heart punch tease on Bass (Who drops down), they finally get Savage into their corner and the heels take back over. Buddy hits a DOUBLE AXE HANDLE on the prone Savage using his loaded elbow pad, but then he misses an elbow drop. Miller comes in, eats some knees on a big splash attempt and Savage gets a hot tag into Stasiak. Heels pull into the corner and go nuts on the corner pole with his leg which was hurt last week vs the Sheepherders. Buddy its another prone double axe handle, this time onto the leg. Great stuff. Bass puts him into a half crab and despite Piper trying to break it up. There's the fall. I would have liked it if they built up the Stasiak leg situation a bit more at some point earlier in the fall but what we ended up getting was really good. Really fun fall with the Buddy Arm stuff building to the finish in an interesting way. Second fall: As per Portland rules a limping Stasiak has to start vs Bass. Bass is trying to get the leg so we get some circling/positioning. They play up that Savage and Stasiak were working up a plan. It takes one touch for a tag to be possible. Bass gets a kick in on the leg but Stasiak immediately dives to Savage. Very cool stuff. Bass refuses to get out of his corner and Savage tosses him into his partners finally drawing him out. I haven't gotten to see much of Savage in this so it's good to see some. He's full of tricks. Piper tags in. Bit of stalling before a reset and a series of lock ups with Bass outpowering Piper. Roddy fails on a slam and gets slammed huge by Bass.They do a knucklelock test of strength but with Bass winning soundly. He's got great facial expressions. Crowd is behind Roddy who outfinesses Bass and hits some dropkicks. They move on to a headlock/headscissors exchange. This has been a pretty good story within a story. Savage at one point grabs Roddy's legs when he's in the headscissors to try to get him out. Eventually Roddy ends back up in the corner. Williams does a back elbow followed by a cool jumping elbow drop. Miller comes in and tries a back elbow but Piper ducks it for a hope spot that after three well-done detours leads to the hot tag to Martel who hits a rana into a pin on Buddy. Martel hits some nice offense on Buddy but the heels keep breaking up pins. Faces grind down on Rose including Piper doing a killer barrage of punches. There's only a minute left here and everything breaks down with all 8 guys in the ring fighting in the corners. Faces do a unison battering ram into the center of the ring with the heels' heads. Piper is in control as time runs out. Heels win since they got the only fall. This had some of the best action I've seen and I really liked the first fall. The second fall had a few mini stories building towards the chaos of the end before it just petered out. The guys in this were just so good at what they did.