A positive Hulk Hogan thread...

[Bob Morris]

As I've gotten older and seen more of Hogan's work from the past, I've come to appreciate it more. Watching the Saturday Night's Main Event DVD, for example, gives you a good exposure to Hogan and the work he could do in his prime.

 

I still love his reaction when the Megapowers angle kicked off -- how he looked surprised Elizabeth was asking for his help, then once he saw what was happening to Savage in the ring, IT WAS ON.

 

Few are as good at working the crowd as Hulk Hogan. He's easily top 10 in that category. He could do it just as effectively as a face or as a heel.

 

And the Bash 96 promo is arguably a top 10 promo of all time.

 

Oh, and that stuff with Hogan stooging for an old lady is all kinds of awesome.

[flyonthewall2983]

He gave us possibly the greatest heel turn ever and the greatest "fuck you" to the fans ever with that promo. All in the same night.

[flyonthewall2983]

Hulk Hogan was a hero to tons of kids.

 

That's like, the best compliment ever.

This can't be ignored. The segment with the young man on Hulk's first DVD, who straightened his life up because of just seeing him on TV one day and going back to that place of when he was a kid and looked up to him. That was strong stuff.

[tomk]

Early in the 80s when he was a big blade freak, he had a bunch of cool brawling on the floor spots. Always like the press into the corner post.

 

He can be really neat as proto-Taz:orange skinned guy who says "Brother/Brah" alot in promos with really good looking throws/suplexes. I like Hogan's ude hishigi juji gatame more than Taz' kata ha jime.

[tomk]

He's not given enough credit for his selling and the fact that 90% of his matches are heel control segments.

 

1) Is this accurate description of the majority of Hogan's high end matches?

2)If it was accurate would it be commendable? Why would this be commendable?

Noone says that Inoki letting opponent take 90% of match and then brushing it off is commendable. It is Inoki at his laziest and worst. Hogan at his laziest does it, but don't see why we should applaud him for it.

[Matt D]

He's not given enough credit for his selling and the fact that 90% of his matches are heel control segments.

 

1) Is this accurate description of the majority of Hogan's high end matches?

2)If it was accurate would it be commendable? Why would this be commendable?

Noone says that Inoki letting opponent take 90% of match and then brushing it off is commendable. It is Inoki at his laziest and worst. Hogan at his laziest does it, but don't see why we should applaud him for it.

 

I respond to 2) with what I feel are more fitting questions:

 

1) Is he effective in this role? Does he sell well? Does he sell actively?

2) In selling and giving the heel so much of the match, does he get the heel over? Does he get the match over?

3) Does his comeback matter all the more because of his performance/selling? Was this an integral part of his formula that would not have worked if he did not execute it well?

[Johnny Sorrow]

Like Tom alluded to, when Hogan's matches had him all sweaty and covered in the crimson mask when he did his "hulk-up", it looked awesome.

[RWOOD]

I remember seeing something about a 2002 run aside from his match with the Rock somewhere in this thread or the other one while waiting for my account to be vailidated but I can't seem to find the specific mention of it aside from Loss' use of the phrase Humble Hogan. Either way, its something I've been watching a lot of this summer and its been a lot of fun.

 

I watched some of the Mr. America stuff including the debut of Zach Gowan which is oddly well orchestrated. I think back to flipping through it on TV in 2003 and being really put off but found it entertaining so many years later. The promos with Piper are fun enough. Quite frankly I think Hogan in a mask really does it for me. I haven't seen an ep. of Smackdown where he actually wrestles as Mr. America yet. I would assue its the same stuff as usual except with a mask which is fine. His match with McMahon at Wrestlemania was really entertaining.

 

I went back a year this past weekend and was watched the Smackdown where Hogan actually goes down pretty clean to Trips. I think its the 6/6/02 episode. It was kind of nice and a little bit laughable years later to see Hogan putting over Trip and Taker and Angle and whoever else he did. The next week he got the shit kicked out of him backstage and missed a tag match with Trips against Angle and Taker, who had just beat Hogan in that match where Hogan dogged the chokeslam for the title. After Trips cleaned house Hogan came down Hulking up, Angle did a bit of stooging and then Trips and Hogan did a pose down for the 2nd week in a row. I'm interested enough to see the stuff with Edge as on the show he has sustained a shoulder injury of some kind and the return should be triumphat enough.

 

Other than that I like Hogans other WWF matches with Savage and the double count out match with Flair from the Garden. I saw a really good match with Rick Rude in Boston I think. I'm pretty sure it was from 1988. I specifically remember being eight and marking out for Hogan in the Rumble, at SNME in the tag match and at VIII itself with Sid despite the clusterfuck finish. I recently rewatched my own VHS tape copy and it still gives me nostalgic chills. It was my first WWF pay per view and was obviously excited for it. I saw Starrcade 89 at the time but was six and don't remember. I haven't seen it since.

 

Hogans work in WCW wasn't very great in my mind but I've only seen the nWo run and the bad matches from Uncensored and that thing with the monster trucks on top of the arena from PPV. His heel promos always kept me on the edge of my seat but I think that may have been more the crowd and my keen interest in wrestling at the time. I was more interested in the good matches WCW had to offer and at that point anyway. I will be the second (?)person here to mention Hogan's match with Page in October 1998 as one of my favorite millenial Hogan matches. I always though the Nitro crowd was a bit canned (am I wrong?) but that match had amazing heat. I remember watching and getting mad at myself for marking out a bit for a Hogan match. I forget how it ends.

 

I haven't really seen his good matches from AWA. I'm sure I'll come along a comp someday.

 

I've always held Hogan footage in high regard because it is linked so much to my childhood. I'm excited to see No Holds Barred again. I don't know if I'd consider myself a mark though. If it weren't for Hulk Hogan I could safely say I might not be interested in wrestling which is so much greater than Hulk Hogan itself. I just realize Hogan's place as the reason I started watching in the first place.

 

Thats as positive as it can get I think. I'm glad it was my first post. Hey everyone.