Col. DeBeers

[Grimmas]

Discuss here.

[PeteF3]

I was really disappointed with this guy compared to the pimping that he got going into the AWA set. Kevin Von Erich was similarly overhyped going into the World Class set but he did have some standout matches and performances. DeBeers had mostly middling performances, some good matches against masterful opponents, and was so shitty on interviews and at playing his character that it tended to detract from the full package. I found the gimmick pretty abhorrent years ago but I was really prepared to go in with an open mind and hope to see a lost worker. It didn't happen.

[Lee Casebolt]

I only ever caught Debeers in dying days AWA, which is not a situation where virtually anyone looks good. Is there any sort of defining Debeers match or series I should seek out?

[PeteF3]

These matches made the AWA '80s set:

 

Col. DeBeers vs. Buck Zumhoffe (2/23/86)

Col. DeBeers vs. Nick Bockwinkel (4/17/86)

Col. DeBeers, Buddy Rose, & Doug Somers vs. Nick Bockwinkel, Brad Rheingans, & Steve Pardee (5/31/86)

Col. DeBeers, Larry Zbyszko, & Doug Somers vs. Curt Hennig, Greg Gagne, & Jimmy Snuka (7/26/86)

Col. DeBeers vs. Crusher Blackwell (ladder match) (11/27/86)

Col. DeBeers vs. Jimmy Snuka (diamond glove match) (2/21/87)

Col. DeBeers vs. Sgt. Slaughter (boot camp match) (12/13/88)

 

That said...out of 150 matches I personally had the Bockwinkel match as the highest-ranked, at 71. Defenders of DeBeers would note that he was better at working squashes and short TV matches than big long singles features, which may be true but doesn't really bolster a case for a top-100 guy, and I can't see DeBeers being better at TV bouts than a 1-2-3 Kid or Dustin Rhodes, who were true masters of the form.

 

He also had a long run in Portland as plain Ed Wiskowski, and I have no doubt there are some good matches there.

[Dylan Waco]

His peak was as his Wiskowski in Portland in the late 70's into 1980. At that point I think he was an outstanding worker, and his match with Buddy v. Piper and Martel from 1980 is one of my favorite tag matches of all time, and my MOTY from 1980.

 

I thought he was awesome in the AWA too, but I will grant that he doesn't have the home run match you would want. In some respects I found him to be the Finlay of the AWA in the sense that he never got the chance to really deliver on a big stage, but I thought he was really good at making the most out of what he was given. I love that Bock match, I was higher on the Buck match than anyone, and the Derrick Dukes match we didn't include for VQ reasons would have made my top fifty for that set. Also he really was the best squash match worker by far of anyone we watched for that set. He had a match with Dennis Stamp that I loved enough to nominate and kind of regret not using a personal pick on. Not a lock, but I could see him on my ballot

[soup23]

Agree with Pete on the AWA stuff, I didn't get it and hated his character.

 

I have seen a smattering of his Portland stuff and he was much better there especially with young Hennig and in the ring with Rose. Still, pretty tough sell for me to see him as top 100.

[Matt D]

I'm high on Wiskowski but it's a footage issue to me. He wasn't around Portland as much as you think in that 79-82 period. Some of his work there is spectacular and the rest is solid but, it's not as much as I'd want. I was higher than anyone on the Bockwinkel draw in AWA, but I just don't think there's enough there. We get bits and pieces but there's enough that isn't as good as I'd like it to be that I would need more to really judge for sure.