Bruiser Brody

[MikeCampbell]

A Brody to Brodie comparison could be fun.

[PeteF3]

3. What other idolized 80's stars suck worse? (my position here would be none and that includes Sayama who had his moments)

Does the definition of "idolized" include Mr. Electricity Steve Regal? I suppose not, but I've never heard much of anything against him until the '80s project started.

[Dylan Waco]

I would hope no one was a Steve Regal fan boy, but I suppose anything is possible. I will grant that he is worse than Brody

[MikeCampbell]

Terry Funk laughs outrageously as the modern viewpoint of people who say he's a lousy worker, or anything less than spectacular.

JDW has told the story before that Dave once laughed at Terry, when he said that Masato Tanaka was just as good as the guys in All Japan.

[S.L.L.]

I think it's pretty funny that Dave talked about how that one really over Brody match was all kicking and punching as if the critics of Brody are people criticizing guys with limited offense

Fuck, I actually liked that feud, too. Granted, it was mostly Kamala, but Brody at least sold in all the matches I saw, and the lumberjack match was probably his only match from that run where he actually brought something more to the table than, say, Big John Studd would have in the same situation. I was actually borderline on nominating that.

 

Potential questions for symposium:

 

1. Who carried Brody more effectively Carlos Colon or Jerry Blackwell?

2. What other guys had looks and entrances as good but sucked as bad in the ring?

3. What other idolized 80's stars suck worse? (my position here would be none and that includes Sayama who had his moments)

4. How in the hell did he have some of his better matches with Dory Funk Jr. of all people?

5. True or False: Brody holding up and fucking with promoters was his biggest positive (I represent the True side of this argument).

6. Is there enough quality Brody out there to construct a single-disc comp of him with which you could trick people unfamiliar with his work into thinking he was good? (My position would be that there's enough decent performances and good/great tags where he's hidden behind better wrestlers that you could convince someone he's good...probably not enough to convince people he's great, or anything near what legend suggests)

[JerryvonKramer]

4. How in the hell did he have some of his better matches with Dory Funk Jr. of all people?

He sold for Dory and, for whatever reason, Dory comes alive, shows real fire and -- if only for that one match -- stops coming across like a Maths supply teacher. Count me out of any Brody symposium / podcast if anyone is really serious about it.

[JerryvonKramer]

I think the more interesting discussion is probably one that pits the so-called "revisionism" of the 80s project / PWO against Meltzer's (for lack of a better term) historicism.

 

But there are more interesting test cases than Brody. Lawler, for example.

[S.L.L.]

7. How many of the million-or-so guys who have worked Brody tribute/knockoff acts over the years are actually better than him? (I'm tempted to just say "all of them", but I'd want to actually think about it first)

[NintendoLogic]

Was Brody better than Sylvester Terkay?

[Matt D]

6. Is there enough quality Brody out there to construct a single-disc comp of him with which you could trick people unfamiliar with his work into thinking he was good? (My position would be that there's enough decent performances and good/great tags where he's hidden behind better wrestlers that you could convince someone he's good...probably not enough to convince people he's great, or anything near what legend suggests)

There may be enough Boris Zhukov out there where you could do that.

[JerryvonKramer]

Are people really high on The Berzerker then?

[Matt D]

I am. Absolutely.

 

He's one of my favorite guys on the WWF roster in 91-92. His offense looks king-sized compared to most of the roster. He bumps huge, all over the ring. He has the manic energy that Brody wished he had.

 

There's a six minute sprint(yes, sprint) vs Bulldog on youtube. Watch the way he bumps on his missed dropkick, over the rope, off of Bulldog's armdrag, the energy in the opening clubber exchange, the rope running. How good his transition headbutt to the chest looks, his flying tackle, his early big boot, his constant frantic motion between his stomps, with his later punts looking actively good. Even his chinlock makes for a solid visual (though some of that is bulldog's selling, but some is the yanking back and the hus-ing). He keeps stuff pretty interesting too, switching up his offense briskly. Bulldog's comeback is led by Nord taking a huge bump over the top rope, and they work a pretty damn good finishing sequence for a early 90s syndi show.

 

Watch the match.

[Bix]

I think it's pretty funny that Dave talked about how that one really over Brody match was all kicking and punching as if the critics of Brody are people criticizing guys with limited offense

Fuck, I actually liked that feud, too. Granted, it was mostly Kamala, but Brody at least sold in all the matches I saw, and the lumberjack match was probably his only match from that run where he actually brought something more to the table than, say, Big John Studd would have in the same situation. I was actually borderline on nominating that.

 

Potential questions for symposium:

 

1. Who carried Brody more effectively Carlos Colon or Jerry Blackwell?

2. What other guys had looks and entrances as good but sucked as bad in the ring?

3. What other idolized 80's stars suck worse? (my position here would be none and that includes Sayama who had his moments)

4. How in the hell did he have some of his better matches with Dory Funk Jr. of all people?

5. True or False: Brody holding up and fucking with promoters was his biggest positive (I represent the True side of this argument).

6. Is there enough quality Brody out there to construct a single-disc comp of him with which you could trick people unfamiliar with his work into thinking he was good? (My position would be that there's enough decent performances and good/great tags where he's hidden behind better wrestlers that you could convince someone he's good...probably not enough to convince people he's great, or anything near what legend suggests)

 

Single disc? Definitely enough matches w/ Abby, Blackwell, the Funks, Gordy, and Jumbo for that, plus one offs like Sawyer and Lawler.

[Bix]

7. How many of the million-or-so guys who have worked Brody tribute/knockoff acts over the years are actually better than him? (I'm tempted to just say "all of them", but I'd want to actually think about it first)

Are we counting pre-long hair John Nord as a Brody tribute/knockoff act? The Barbarian in Mid-South was definitely more consistent than Brody.

 

Duggan is clearly better.

[S.L.L.]

 

6. Is there enough quality Brody out there to construct a single-disc comp of him with which you could trick people unfamiliar with his work into thinking he was good? (My position would be that there's enough decent performances and good/great tags where he's hidden behind better wrestlers that you could convince someone he's good...probably not enough to convince people he's great, or anything near what legend suggests)

Single disc? Definitely enough matches w/ Abby, Blackwell, the Funks, Gordy, and Jumbo for that, plus one offs like Sawyer and Lawler.

 

True. I guess the follow-up questions would be how far you could stretch it out before it falls apart, and how strong a case you could theoretically make for him based on cherry-picking his best stuff.

[BrickHithouse]

A dream match of sorts, Brody vs Bulldog Bob Brown from Winnipeg:

 

[khawk20]

Arrrrrgh....

 

Links to matches like that are why we can't have nice things here.

[bradhindsight]

A dream match of sorts, Brody vs Bulldog Bob Brown from Winnipeg:

 

1,114 views and only 6 people were moved to actually rate "like/dislike" the video.

[Bix]

That match is actually kind of ok. They even bump for each other!

 

Cirque Du Bollea is now my favorite YouTube uploader. He also put up Lou Albano debating Jeff Blatnick:

[jdw]

I think Loss said it best earlier... Dave thinks people shitting on Brody are comparing him to today's wrestlers. I don't think he knows or cares people are comparing Brody to his peers.

That.

[jdw]

Terry Funk laughs outrageously as the modern viewpoint of people who say he's a lousy worker, or anything less than spectacular.

JDW has told the story before that Dave once laughed at Terry, when he said that Masato Tanaka was just as good as the guys in All Japan.

 

I'm glad I didn't have to point to that.

 

John

[marrklarr]

Really enjoyed reading this thread. I think I agree most with whomever described Brody as a symbol. He's all image and no substance.

 

But what an image! The gist of what I've been reading here is basically "I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS GUY IS SO FUCKING POPULAR!!!" In short, Brody was a guy who looked like a warrior god, with a mythic outlaw reputation, who was always successful and only on his own terms without becoming a sellout, who was murdered and died prematurely. Frankly, I don't understand why anybody wouldn't understand why he's so fucking popular.

 

For a lot of people, Sid Vicious (no, not THAT Sid Vicious) symbolizes punk rock. He had the look and the attitude. He came along at the right time, hit the zeitgeist right between the eyes, then promptly died a legendary rock-n-roll death. He was a terrible musician, of course. He played the bass about as well as Ed Leslie cut hair. But that's not the point. And if you were to say, "OH, C'MON, DEE DEE RAMONE AND PAUL SIMONON WERE WAY BETTER BASS PLAYERS," you'd be correct, but you'd also be missing the point. Dee Dee and Paul were great, but like it or not, Sid is an icon.

 

And it won't do to say, "Hey, the Ultimate Warrior was popular in his day too." For one thing, the Warrior and every superficial superstar like him never had Brody's street cred. Whether he was a good worker or not, Brody was a legit, self-made renegade badass. Besides, it's not just that Brody was popular or respected in his time, it's that he is a wrestling legend for all times; for reasons that have not all that much to do with his in-ring chops. And that's ok.

 

If you want to say his matches sucked, that's fine. But Brody still matters. He's still an important figure, and he deserves a certain kind of respect for what he meant to wrestling.

[King Solomon]

Really enjoyed reading this thread. I think I agree most with whomever described Brody as a symbol. He's all image and no substance.

 

But what an image! The gist of what I've been reading here is basically "I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS GUY IS SO FUCKING POPULAR!!!" In short, Brody was a guy who looked like a warrior god, with a mythic outlaw reputation, who was always successful and only on his own terms without becoming a sellout, who was murdered and died prematurely. Frankly, I don't understand why anybody wouldn't understand why he's so fucking popular.

 

For a lot of people, Sid Vicious (no, not THAT Sid Vicious) symbolizes punk rock. He had the look and the attitude. He came along at the right time, hit the zeitgeist right between the eyes, then promptly died a legendary rock-n-roll death. He was a terrible musician, of course. He played the bass about as well as Ed Leslie cut hair. But that's not the point. And if you were to say, "OH, C'MON, DEE DEE RAMONE AND PAUL SIMONON WERE WAY BETTER BASS PLAYERS," you'd be correct, but you'd also be missing the point. Dee Dee and Paul were great, but like it or not, Sid is an icon.

 

And it won't do to say, "Hey, the Ultimate Warrior was popular in his day too." For one thing, the Warrior and every superficial superstar like him never had Brody's street cred. Whether he was a good worker or not, Brody was a legit, self-made renegade badass. Besides, it's not just that Brody was popular or respected in his time, it's that he is a wrestling legend for all times; for reasons that have not all that much to do with his in-ring chops. And that's ok.

 

If you want to say his matches sucked, that's fine. But Brody still matters. He's still an important figure, and he deserves a certain kind of respect for what he meant to wrestling.

 

yup

[King Solomon]

Really enjoyed reading this thread. I think I agree most with whomever described Brody as a symbol. He's all image and no substance.

 

But what an image! The gist of what I've been reading here is basically "I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS GUY IS SO FUCKING POPULAR!!!" In short, Brody was a guy who looked like a warrior god, with a mythic outlaw reputation, who was always successful and only on his own terms without becoming a sellout, who was murdered and died prematurely. Frankly, I don't understand why anybody wouldn't understand why he's so fucking popular.

 

For a lot of people, Sid Vicious (no, not THAT Sid Vicious) symbolizes punk rock. He had the look and the attitude. He came along at the right time, hit the zeitgeist right between the eyes, then promptly died a legendary rock-n-roll death. He was a terrible musician, of course. He played the bass about as well as Ed Leslie cut hair. But that's not the point. And if you were to say, "OH, C'MON, DEE DEE RAMONE AND PAUL SIMONON WERE WAY BETTER BASS PLAYERS," you'd be correct, but you'd also be missing the point. Dee Dee and Paul were great, but like it or not, Sid is an icon.

 

And it won't do to say, "Hey, the Ultimate Warrior was popular in his day too." For one thing, the Warrior and every superficial superstar like him never had Brody's street cred. Whether he was a good worker or not, Brody was a legit, self-made renegade badass. Besides, it's not just that Brody was popular or respected in his time, it's that he is a wrestling legend for all times; for reasons that have not all that much to do with his in-ring chops. And that's ok.

 

If you want to say his matches sucked, that's fine. But Brody still matters. He's still an important figure, and he deserves a certain kind of respect for what he meant to wrestling.

 

yup

 

[King Solomon]

Really enjoyed reading this thread. I think I agree most with whomever described Brody as a symbol. He's all image and no substance.

 

But what an image! The gist of what I've been reading here is basically "I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS GUY IS SO FUCKING POPULAR!!!" In short, Brody was a guy who looked like a warrior god, with a mythic outlaw reputation, who was always successful and only on his own terms without becoming a sellout, who was murdered and died prematurely. Frankly, I don't understand why anybody wouldn't understand why he's so fucking popular.

 

For a lot of people, Sid Vicious (no, not THAT Sid Vicious) symbolizes punk rock. He had the look and the attitude. He came along at the right time, hit the zeitgeist right between the eyes, then promptly died a legendary rock-n-roll death. He was a terrible musician, of course. He played the bass about as well as Ed Leslie cut hair. But that's not the point. And if you were to say, "OH, C'MON, DEE DEE RAMONE AND PAUL SIMONON WERE WAY BETTER BASS PLAYERS," you'd be correct, but you'd also be missing the point. Dee Dee and Paul were great, but like it or not, Sid is an icon.

 

And it won't do to say, "Hey, the Ultimate Warrior was popular in his day too." For one thing, the Warrior and every superficial superstar like him never had Brody's street cred. Whether he was a good worker or not, Brody was a legit, self-made renegade badass. Besides, it's not just that Brody was popular or respected in his time, it's that he is a wrestling legend for all times; for reasons that have not all that much to do with his in-ring chops. And that's ok.

 

If you want to say his matches sucked, that's fine. But Brody still matters. He's still an important figure, and he deserves a certain kind of respect for what he meant to wrestling.