JerryvonKramer Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Where the Big Boys Play #3 – Final Conflict Before moving on to Starrcade ’84, Chad and Parv rewind back to March 1983 for this big show at Greensboro Coliseum — a good example of what a supercard in the pre-PPV era might have looked like and featuring a main event that has been mythologized by smart fans for years. Topics include: assessing Dr Tom Miller as a ring announcer, the concept of face managers including Arnold Skaaland in WWF, the plight of ageing 60s and 70s wrestlers in the 80s, Chad wonders why Gary Hart was known as “Playboy”?, the pod pays homage to the energy of David Crockett, and an unusually in-depth review of the legendary Sgt. Slaughter and Don Kernodle vs. Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood cage match for the NWA world tag titles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 I am still debating my feelings for the main event. I didn't love the match near as much as I thought I would. It really left me cold for the ending and the most memorable things going forward will the be the saves into the cage and Slaughter's dive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Sorry I wasn't able to be a part of this since I suggested it. Extremely hectic weekend. -Some interesting stuff on the undercard. Rick Harris became Black Bart a couple years later. Private Nelson evolved into Boris Zhukov. Johnny Weaver was the long time workhorse of the Mid-Atlantic promotion. Gene Anderson by accounts suffered a brain injury in 1981. He's obviously a shell of himself here. And Piper/Slater is a fun match. -I once saw a blonde wrestler on the old black & white ESPN wrestling broadcasts named Gary Hart. That would've been early '60s. It fits the time frame of Hart's early career, but I can't find pictures to confirm. It would make sense for Hart's alias to have to do with his early look though. -The big thing out of this card was how huge a financial success it was. Crockett had an overflow sellout for the card. It was their success here that prompted the promotion to think they could do it again with Starrcade. And they did for all intents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Same Gary Hart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 No worries Al, sure we will have you on in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Here's the link to the first chapter (of 20+) of the "Road to Greensboro" saga. Some really good stuff here; it's easy to see why this feud was so hot at the time. Edit: I take it the Flair/Valentine Broadway from the Final Conflict show didn't make tape? Too bad. Double Edit: Slaughter timeline: 1980-81: First WWF run--matches with Backlund, famous feud with Patterson 1981-83: JCP--last date Cawthon has for Slaughter in Carolinas is May 15, 1983, although he continued to work Toronto shows until Jan 1984 and wrestled Steamboat on 1/8/84 in Charlotte in what was billed as Steamboat's retirement match (?) 1983-84: Second WWF run--First date March 30, 1983, so there was a bit of overlap with WWF and JCP. Feud with Sheik in 84 Joined AWA/Pro Wrestling USA in late 84. I don't think he worked for AWA during the 80-84 period, other than as Super Destroyer II in 1980, but I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Thanks for the info Ricky, Slaughters timeline gets me so confused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Yeah, Flair/Valentine didn't make the tape. There's a weird dynamic there. From the Greensboro results they are teaming or fighting sometimes alternatively it seems from month to month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 JCP @ Greensboro, NC - Coliseum - February 20, 1983 Red Dog Lane defeated Ricky Morton Dizzy Hogan & Sweet Brown Sugar defeated Ricky Harris & Bill White Jack Brisco defeated Paul Jones Dick Slater defeated Jerry Brisco Jimmy Valiant defeated the One Man Gang in a New York Streetfight Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood defeated NWA World Champion Ric Flair & NWA US Champion Greg Valentine when Steamboat pinned Flair NWA Tag Team Champions Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle defeated Terry & Dory Funk Jr. I'm just guessing, but maybe at this Greensboro show Flair and Valentine had a falling out after losing the match, with Valentine blaming Flair for the loss or some such thing, leading to the match next month. Maybe it was just a localized match/angle to add another big match to the card. Edit: Also, that Slaughter/Kernodle vs Funk bros match sounds quite interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Their was a big angle between the two if I remember correctly. I believe Gene Anderson was managing Flair/Valentine. I believe Valentine and Gene broke Flair's nose with the cane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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