1996 Stock Picks

[Guest Paul Kersey]

I'm liking the respect Luger & DDP are starting to pick up. I always thought they may be cases where unpopularity from people in the business kind of spread to fans. I actually can't remember too many bad DDP matches in his 95-98 rise; when they don't work, they tend to be more due to bad booking. For an unlikely star, he really does start to shine, and deserves some credit (as sorror above gives him) for taking that push & running with it.

 

Would I be taking this too far out of the '96 topic to ask what people think of Luger's '91 WCW world title run? I remember it well because that was when I started really getting into wrestling (& preferring WCW) but no one talks about it. I'm kind of trying to watch it & I'm thinking his promos come across well. He's not the best at the slower aspects of matches but he's pretty good at quick sprints (which he always seemed pretty good at.) A lot just came together for him in 95-6, with his work getting really good and the booking serving him well. I don't know if he ever quite really clicked as the top babyface in 97, but crowds did seem into him around that quick title reign.

 

Whether All American Lex fizzled or Vince got cold feet, I'd say Bret would have been the guy Vince was never really behind. It seems Vince always tried to push somebody else, (Hogan & Lex in 93, Nash in 95, HBK in 96)it wouldn't work, and he'd go back to Bret. I think Bret actually had a good (and valuable) 96; he comes in off the third title win & DaveyBoy match to big matches with Taker & Nash in the Mania build, puts on the WM12 match with HBK, is sorely missed when away, and comes back to get Austin over & hugely reinvigorate the main events. He'd be going into 97 with the Austin feud still hot, an HBK build going again, and look like the top contender in a rarely hot & open title picture. I'd say his 97 would only make him hotter until he actually shows up on WCW tv; while the future still looks bright with the NWO promo after Survivor Series, that would look like the perfect point to "sell," as I recall it being mostly downhill from there.