artDDP

Watched a few more matches now. - I'd forgotten how many non-title matches were aired on Raw back then. Vince would always push how important it was for a wrestler to pin the champion to move up the ranks and establish himself as a contender. It was almost as if the undercard was treated with an air of legitimacy. - In the same vein, the Razor Ramon-Shawn Michaels-Diesel angle was very well done. While the Undertaker and Yokozuna were doing ghost-and-goblin angles these three were getting heat the old-fashioned way. It was nice to see the babyface really sell a beat-down from the heel. - I remember the WWF pushing the Headshrinkers-Quebecers title match for weeks and they gave it a big main event feel for the title match. What the hell was the reason for that?

Since there wasn't anyone new in the main event WWE will blame the bad match/dead crowd on an "exhaustive touring schedule" or the fans being "burned out from so many PPVs in a short period."

Something struck me while watching the Quebecers vs. Razor Ramon and 1-2-3 Kid match on the Raw DVD set. Referee Bill Alfonso just sort of stands there during most of the match, televised live, and does a horrible job selling the various tag team interference spots and Vince seems to be livid with his performance while remaining in character. At various points Vince is decrying "this official" for allowing so much to occur right in front of him. Did Alfonso suddenly vanish from the WWF sometime around WrestleMania X?

I had forgotten that the "Double-J" gimmick was supposed to be that Jarrett was such a bad singer he couldn't get a recording contract so he decided to use the WWF for publicity. I just don't get how that was supposed to get him over at all.

The ring action is incredibly solid. Still only on disc 1 of the 1994 set. Really strong wrestling with an emphasis on working as opposed to crazy bumps and spots. 1-2-3 Kid vs. Shawn Michaels was a really fun match, as was Razor vs. Diesel. Also, the angle that sets up the WrestleMania ladder match is included. It still seems so effective. Cheers to WWE and a big LOL for including those "coming to the WWF" promos for Jeff Jarrett, Bob Holly, and King Kong Bundy.

Listening to Vince the few times he's announcing with Bartlett it sounds like he just gets tired of him. He gets in one amusing line about Yokozuna putting a "Headlock on Hunger," which was the WWF's Somalia charity at the time. What I find funny is Savage seems to be really trying to be impartial on commentary. Being that the show was live and in an intimate theater that was full of the fans who would become ECW loyalists, you'll find there are a few times where the crowd doesn't react the way they were expected. The "Hulk Has-Been" and "Hulk Homo" signs in the crowd, for example. Shawn Michaels seemed to be really on at this point, probably relishing being one of the regular featured performers. And, was it deliberate that WWE used matches with Jason Knight and P.J. Walker as preliminary wrestlers? I wish they'd have thrown in the match where Walker upsets I.R.S., though that didn't really go anywhere. Doesn't look like Walker's return as "Man O' War" Aldo Montoya is included in disc 2.

Bret Hart vs. Tom Prichard is a nifty little match. Just an idea of the things that are included in this set. I doubt they'd do it for DVD, maybe for the 24/7 channel, but something similar for Saturday Night's Main Event would be awesome. Now, that was a well-done DVD set. I don't know how they could get that one so right and the Raw 15th so wrong.

The first disc was okay, then they start picking seemingly random things like Goldust kissing Ahmed Johnson and the only segment from the year 2000 is when Chris Jericho pinned Triple-H only to have the decision reversed. In fact, it seems like there was more focus on the years 2005-07 on that set and nearly every match/angle is clipped.

What, no chance it could be Taka Michinoku?

Has anyone else purchased/watched this? I think this more than makes up for that horrible 15th anniversary set as matches and angles are full. I've only made it through the 1993 discs so far, but I'll share some of my thoughts. During the first year, Raw seemed like Vince was trying a Memphis-style studio show. Each week had self-contained angles and the format came off very much like USWA telecasts, right down to the small, intimate arena. I was 9 at the time so I didn't notice but there was a LOT of Hulk hate in NYC when Vince brings him out to team with Brutus. Surprising to hear Vince refer to "pro wrestling" during commentary. I've changed my mind on heel Doink; I had no memory of how interesting the character actually was. Again, I was 9.

I agree. My recollection is Hunter only really seemed "on" when his personal feelings toward someone were bleeding through.

I found this on YouTube. After eighteen years in the business is this the one time Triple-H showed some actual charisma?

Is the Jerry Lynn-Rob Van Dam Heat match uncut or is it the televised version the WWF clipped?

Off-topic: I don't remember if WCW actually did shoot the "poisoning" part of the angle. I remember hearing about it being a possibility through a few of the wrestling news outlets at the time but my memory is that Flair just came back the next week as if nothing happened and Bischoff would mention that Flair's heart wouldn't hold up for another match. Actually, if that is the way it played out, that was some balls on WCW's part; shooting an angle that someone may just die during a match.

I saw these figures elsewhere and I may be wrong, but, how can boxing be dead when their top fighters still command several million dollars a fight? UFC's top fighters don't even touch the mid-six figures.

I had forgotten all about them until this thread. So that makes three.

When I read Observer Dave and then Yahoo! Dave I wonder how much his Yahoo! editor gets paid. Or does he only write concise, coherent columns for Yahoo! and have someone transcribe his ramblings for the Observer?

Is this angle all to set up Triple-H returning to save the company, send the Nexus back to FCW, then turn heel on John Cena just in time to main event WrestleMania? Or maybe Cena turns on Triple-H?

The Undertaker's "symbol."

When the ratings aren't at 5.0 or higher by whatever the next PPV card is they'll just do to him what they did to Rob Van Dam in October 2001.

So as long as Linda is a candidate every obituary will include the line, "...and was released..."?

If I read that correctly, Sek, yes it was.

LOL!

Is this the first time they've shown MVP on WWE TV without his shirt on? I thought they made him cover up the Malcolm X tattoo?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sperm_Wars http://www.mcgoodwin.net/pages/otherbooks/mr_redqueen.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Queen...of_Human_Nature