khawk20 Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 The problem with Ellering's role in the AWA early on was that he was expected to play the cowardly heel manager, and his personality and vocal stylings on the mic said otherwise. He didn't come across in interviews as a guy being a pseudo-badass hiding behind his monsters and doing all his talking. He sounded like he could back his shit up in the ring or at ringside. Then, you see him cowering at the feet of Crusher or Raschke during a schmozzle before, during, or after a match, and you'd say to yourself "that just doesn't fit". The exact same interview style was far more effective when the Roadies were in "face" mode, or at least facing heel teams. I always thought Hawk was better in the ring than Animal personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdw Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 I thought Hawk did cooler stuff... just don't recall his base level work being better. Again, it's been ages since I've watched any RW stuff since they're not exactly the type of old stuff I go out of my way to rewatch. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Hawk was the best performer all around anyway. The most charismatic, the best promo, and the best worker. Ellering was good for the "Tell 'em Paul" spot only. I think it was: PAUL: "Tell 'em, Animal!" ANIMAL: "Tell 'em, Hawk!" Hawk would drop the "Tell 'em Paul!" to get back to Ellering. I'm not 100% sure that Hawk was the best worker. It's been a long time since I watched them, but at the time I thought Animal did a little better selling for the heels. Not that the Roadies sold a lot for the heels, but when they did try short peril stretches, it seemed Animal was better at it while Hawk was a little stiff/unnatural in his selling. Not stiff in the normal working term, but in his movements. I've watched quite a bit of Roadies lately through my WCW watch, and Hawk is crisper in term of offense, while Animal throws those big forearms and boots rather randomly, Hawk is a better bumper, and Hawk had the best offense of the two (neckbreaker, powerslam, flying clothesline, big boot, chops...). I don't think he was unnatural, but he had a way of looking *heavy*. I don't know If I'm gonna be able to translate what I feel when I watch him, but it's like he's made of metal, he seems like a super dense mass, moreso than Animal. Which gave him this kinda unnatural way of falling sometimes, like he was heavier than he looked like. But it produced this incredible aura of power and undestructibility to me. As far as selling, maybe Animal was a better seller indeed, but more often than not it was Hawk who was doing the selling after the vaunted transition spot in the corner right to the outside. So all in all, I'm really a much bigger Hawk fan. I think he could have been a single star a la Sting. Animal, I don't think so. I think Ellering was useful for more than just "Tell 'em, Animal" on the mic. Not great... but solid enough in laying down the initial storyline before passing it off to the guys. John Yeah, that's true, I'm kinda hard on Ellering, but he never struck me as essential to the Roadies act like Corny was with the MX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 It's just so weird to me that Ellering had a "strong man" gimmick in memphis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khawk20 Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 It's just so weird to me that Ellering had a "strong man" gimmick in memphis. ...and in the AWA. He feuded with Jesse Ventura. He was a big guy back then...totally believable as a "strong man". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Yeah, Ellering was jacked early on. He was about as good of a worker as Ventura too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdw Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Yeah, major jacking as can be seen here: http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/gall...ulellering.html http://square.phpwebhosting.com/~man1000/Wrestler.php?id=755 John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 I don't think anyone who saw the Paul Ellerig Workout Videos from the Mid South 1980's set could ever wash them out of their mind. Kids are people too! Whack-a-do, whack-a-do! Ha ha ha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 I don't think anyone who saw the Paul Ellerig Workout Videos from the Mid South 1980's set could ever wash them out of their mind. Kids are people too! Whack-a-do, whack-a-do! Ha ha ha. "PAC MAN FEVER! YEAH!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 If you can find it, Ellering took the Persian Club challenge in Mid-South over the course of two episodes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdw Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Are those things on Youtube? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 No idea on the Mid South, but this was some of the "weak" 1980 Jimmy Hart stuff I was talking about. The months without Lawler all pretty much stunk (except for Billy Robinson) until Tommy Rich came in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MycGlTq8Bb4 This is missing the week before where Ellering challenged and Ackbar fillibustered until the show faded to black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Ellering cheating by not doing the exercise right is a little weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 I'm not sure if he was cheating or he just didn't quite understand how to do it right. I really wish they would've capped Ackbar stalling the week before because Ackbar just goes on this huge promo and talks right through the credits of the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdw Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Jumping around like a big goofball, Ellering looks like a cross between Jesse Ventura and Jim Powers. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Jim Mitchell is awful Mitchell was great at promos when he was able to let loose but that was about it. I thought Jones was a horrid manager when I started watching him in 1986. It didn't help that he had Corny and JJ as manager to compare with along with a number of other guys who could talk their asses off (Flair, Arn, Dusty even if I hated Dusty on the mic back then). But... Jones was terrible. Sek nails is: mush mouth, loses his place and/or stumbles in his promos. I wonder if he was good on the mic as a wrestler to have been pushed as long and hard in Mid Atlantic as he was... or if he's one of those oddball local guys who just happened to be pushed. John The deal with Jones was he was a pretty great babyface and really only worked as a heel for JCP once in 78-79 and 82-88. Paul was credible because of his wrestling talent and basically he became a manager after Sir Oliver Humperdink who was his manager left JCP in early 1983. Paul was good in his role as the foil for Valiant but once he graduated up to a bigger feud he wasn't as good. Albano would probably be a solid #2 behind Heenan all time when it comes to being a guy who could get people to pay to see him get his ass beat. The main difference I noticed is that Bobby usually would get his ass beat and bump like a superball for the babyface, while Albano would usually do his "take one bump, juice, and bail" routine when it came time for the payoff. The very little i've seen of Heenan as an actual wrestler he was actually quite good. Never saw Albano in ring but i've always heard he kinda sucked. I'll use this as an excuse to post a link to Lord Alfred Hayes vs Bobby Heenan from AWA, awesome match that everyone should see if you haaven't allready. For what's billed as a "battle of the managers" they look better then all but the top tier talent around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKASakc7_zY This is aas good a place as any to note that Lord Alfred hayes had a nice run as a heel-then-face manager in the AWA from the later 70's through the middle of 1980. He subsequently moved to Montreal and managed some heels there, including Billy Robinson. It's why you see Hayes at ringside for Robinson in some AWA Winnipeg matches, even though Robinson was a face in the rest of the AWA. Lord Alfred was very effective as a heel manager everywhere he went to such as AWA, Florida, JCP, Montreal, and the like and I thought he would've been an awesome replacement for Grand Wizard instead of Piper who was the actual replacement for a while. Alfred as the stereotypical English gentlemen while wearing a bad tuxedo was very fun. Alfred was actually Vince's liason in Montreal in 1983 before he joined WWF full time. I mentioned Adnan. I think if you consider him a manager he was a very good one and one that was effective in both garnering heat and drawing money. In fact he was really good at sustaining heat and helping to draw money. I actually think Adnan is a reasonable candidate for the WON HoF to be honest. Adnan was effective because he could work matches plus it was always easy to boo the Iraqi. Adnan's career is underrated as he was a gigantic draw in many different countries in the 70's and early 80's. He would sell out stadiums in South Africa and was a good draw in Hawaii as well. Regarding Ellering, he was at his best in GCW in 83-84 where he managed the original Legion of Doom but also Arn Anderson & Matt Borne cutting some great promos at the time using his great vocabulary and would take shots at wrestlers in a tone where they didn't know he was doing it. Ellering was essential to the Roadies believe me as they weren't as special in WWF without him. Sorta surprised that Percy Pringle wasn't mentioned here as much as he was pretty fun as a heel but Paul Bearer was as essential to the Undertaker's rise as anyone. A guy I really dug was Sonny King in his runs in GCW in 1982-83 and in Southeastern in 1984 as he was smooth and softspoken while doing a Kojak type gimmick being bald and sucking the lollipop but he was effective in getting over the Samoans, Moondogs, Ivan Koloff, & Iron Sheik in GCW since they weren't the best talkers. Also I thought Bruce Prichard was fun in Global managing the Cartel in 1991-92 especially coming off being Brother Love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Superstar Graham's influence on wrestling didn't always produce the most eye-pleasing fashion choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Taker was downright scary with Brother Love. I'm totally convinced they gave him Pringle to make him less scary to the kids. Also, the only useful role Mick Foley has left is to be face manager Lou Albano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 That picture of Ellering is eye-gouging. Without looking at the name I thought it was Ventura. Taker was downright scary with Brother Love. I'm totally convinced they gave him Pringle to make him less scary to the kids. I think that was the case, make the character a little bit cartoonier with Percy Pringle going way over the top. I agree the Taker/Brother Love was way creepier. Also, the only useful role Mick Foley has left is to be face manager Lou Albano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victator Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 He was really effective as a manager in 1992 WCW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Who is he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Foley I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Yeah, Cactus Jack managed Barbarian and I want to say Butch Reed, maybe some others, for a few months while he was recovering from an injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted February 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Wasn't Max Payne also a sort of manager at this time? With the two of them tagging shortly after this period? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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