Ricky Jackson Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 Loved the angle with Rogers and the Graham face turn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 You're welcome Parv. I hope my booking idea keeps you from getting fired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Boricua Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 It was worth a try with Graham. At least shoe's idea helps you get something out of him and help the Elite get over. Â That's a bad break with Backlund. Snuka may be your best bet there unless you have Blassie bring in a huge surprise opponent and have him take it from Backlund right off the bat. Maybe Bulldog Bob Brown is available? Â I'm sure you'll come up with something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrainfollower Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 I dunno about this direction to be honest. It seems an awful lot like trying to turn the WWF into late 80's JCP with a quartet of evil heel elite workers who always seem to win and then keep the titles forever. Â I think WWF succeeded better at feel good moments where good ultimately triumphed far more often than not and changing that would sink the company in the end. Â So while I like a team of Ted, Randy and the Brainbusters at the end of the day they need to lose cleanly and decisively to the hot new babyface act whatever that might be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smack2k Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 Parv, I like this angle a LOT....but its 1983, you are gonna need some known NE guys to show up and get into the main events ASAP...then use them to work with the Elite and go from there.. Â Personally, I LOVE where you are going...but if those guys (ELITE) showed up in WWF in 1983, I dont know how they would have panned out as "THE" group...outside Ted... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 OK...this is absolutely brilliant. I had no idea this game existed either....I have now not seen daylight for 2 days in hope of being able to book Mid Atlantic.....thanks Parv... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
concrete1992 Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Find it absolutely hilarious/fantastic that Binghamton of all places(where I live) is drawing the biggest numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted February 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Week 7 (Feb, Week 3) Â A major change to the business model this week. I've essentially cancelled 75% of all house shows because I don't think the company can afford to run so many venues in the same region. Needs a bit of cooling off to build those crowds back up. So running with this for now: Â Â If I'm still in the job come September, I'll see about adding dates for October-December. This is both an attempt to cut costs AND to make money. We'll see if it works. Â Challenge: Â Â More quiet building of Arn and Tully here. Heat ever so slightly better for them, but Garea and David Sammartino are a slightly higher calibre of JTTS too. Â The big news for this show is the debut of Sgt. Slaughter, who I've brought in to have the option of running with him as World Champ or IC Champ. Or if I go with Snuka as Champ, we might do Slaughter vs. Snuka at Wrestlemania. Â Â Gorilla: What's been happening in the world of Lou Albano? Â Albano: The Captain has been quiet these past few weeks. You want to know why Gorilla? I'll tell ya why. I've been recruiting. I've got a surprise for everyone. I've been up and down the country scouting for talent. And look what I've gone and found ... Â *We hear a whistle* Â Slaughter: Listen up! MAGGOTS. You scummmm. Sgt. Slaughter is back in the WWF. And I've got one thing on my mind, Bob Backlund! That's right. I want to become the new WWF Champion. And with Captain Louis Albano behind me, THIS TIME. This time maggot you better look out! Â Superstars: Â Â Two big things on this show: more pushing of the Bruno vs. Elite angle and ... Backlund's last match for me. Bruno needed to come out of a segment "on top" as it were. Â Â Finkel: Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time, for another very special interview. This has been requested by The Living Legend, Bruno Sammatino! Â Vince (grave voice): Bruno, a couple of weeks ago we talked about what you've been doing. That was before you were attacked by a group that has been calling themselves "The Elite". Since that time, they also brutally assaulted the former WWF champion and personal hero of yours "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. What do you have to say about all this unpleasantness? Â Bruno: Well, Vince, ya know, it's sad day when I see this sport disrespected in such a ... disgraceful manner. Is there no respect left in these young men? Let me tell ya, TED DIBIASE. Your father was a lot of things. And we had some tremendous battles he and I. And he gave his blood. He died for professional wrestling. So what do you think you are doing?! Do you tihnk he'd be proud to see his son attack a man -- the GREAT Buddy Rogers -- a man who is 60 years old? Buddy spent the night in hospital. Are you proud of yourself Ted? Are you and those other guys you're surrounding yourself with happy about what you've done? Can you look in the mirror and say "I did a good job today?" Â Well LET ME TELL YA, DIBIASE! You've made ONE old guy VERY angry. And that's ME. I was happy fishing with Dominic. I was happy spending time with my wife and watching my boy David progress in his career. I've spent 23 years in that squared circle, BOY, and I got more scars. More aches. More pains. More bruises. Than you even dreamt of in your whole stinking life. But when you attacked me. And then you COWARDS dared laid a finger on Buddy Rogers. You awakened an ANIMAL. And now I'VE WOKEN UP. And you want to be careful what you wish for. Come at me DiBiase. Where are you Savage? Blanchard! Anderson! Come out here and face me you little cowards! You'll wish you'd never been born, wrestling business or no wrestling business. You're going to be fighting for your lives! Â *Bruno is so angry he's almost frothing at the mouth. Just then someone walks down the aisle. It's Dominic Denucci ...* Â Denucci: You a, youssa not-a alone, Bruno. I'mma, I'mma comin-a outta retirement too! Â *Denucci joins Bruno in the ring, they embrace. But there's someone else ... It's Killer Kowolski!* Â Kowoski: You're not alone Bruno. I never thought I'd say this, but Killer Kowolski is coming out of retirement and he's got Bruno Sammartino's back! Â * The parade continues ... who's this?? LORD ALFRED HAYES* Â Lord Alfred: I cannot stand by and watch a good man take a shil-acking like that again. You're not alone Bruno. Â * And now ... Superstar Billy Graham. He's got Buddy Rogers in a wheelchair and he's pushing him down to the ring.* Â Graham: I've seen a lot of dark and terrible things over the years in this sport. But what I saw on the Supershow last week is the lowest of the low. And I can't live with myself unless I say ... Bruno, brother, you are not alone! Â *And finally, Andre lumbers his way down the aisle and to the ring* Â Andre: Ted DiBiase!!! Randy Savage!!! You make Andre angry. Bruno, you not alone! Â Bruno poses in the ring with all of his friends as the crowd go wild. The Elite are nowhere to be seen. Â Â I brought in Kamala on an 8-match loan deal with Watts sending Pedro Morales the other way. Just coming in to work this angle since Bob's been through Sheik and Koloff already. Â Â That's basically it for Bob. You can see where this is going ... Â Finally, this just happened. Â Â Jerry Jarrett has declared war on the WWF. While this does affect my ability to bring in Lawler when I need to, the Memphis territory poses no real threat to me. Â They are only over in the South East region and have a popularity rating of "F" in the WWF stomping grounds. Conversely WWF only has a rating of E- in and around Memphis, so it's not anything to be too concerned about. Â If I'm going to invade anywhere, it'll likely be Mid-South given that I have several workers (Ted, Savage, Tully, Andre, Graham) who are pretty over there. But there's no point thinking about expansion when I'm not even drawing that well in NYC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted February 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Week 8 (Feb, Week 4)  Heading into the TV tapings, Backlund got into an argument with a fan.   I wanted to fire him on the spot, but members of the locker room rushed to his aid ...     I don't think pissing Vince Sr off is a very good idea, so I just read Backlund the riot act instead. He didn't take it very well.   I'm not sure why relations between me and Backlund have fallen down so much, but good riddance to bad rubbish! Just counting down the days till his contract ends.  Challenge:   Definition of a nothing show.  Superstars:   So this is where I needed finally to deal with the World Title situation after Backlund's kayfabe injury last week. Also keeping the Elite vs. Bruno and friends feud ticking along.  Trying a new opening to the show with Vince and Jesse hyping a match. Got over pretty good. This match needed a bit of explanation too.   Vince: Welcome to Superstars everybody, and this week we have a special announcement from the WWF President Vincent James  McMahon.  Ventura: Nice to see a McMahon with some real class around here, JUNIOR.  Vince: But before that, we have a special grudge match ladies and gentlemen, between two veteran contenders -- and good friends of Bruno Sammartino -- Dominic Denucci and the legendary Killer Kowolski; and two members of The Elite, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, who are calling themselves "The Brainbusters". What's your prediction Jess?  Ventura: It's going to be the experience and knowhow of Kowowlski and Denucci against the technical skills and speed of The  Brainbusters. But I must say I give the edge to Anderson and Blanchard here, McMahon. Killer Kowolski and Dominic Denucci are coming out of retirement for this one, so ring rust is going to be a factor.    From a booking point of view, I knew this match would suck, but it's about transferring whatever name value Denucci and Kowolski have left into getting Arn and Tully over. And doing it on national TV.   And this is why I'm trying to build up Arn and Tully so much, the tag titles are in a hopeless and sorry state. I can't believe how much Atlas and Johnson have sucked. Johnson is destined for JTTS-ville. Atlas can stick around in the IC ranks. At the moment, no option but to keep on picking up these wins as they limp onwards toward Wrestlemania. They can work the Samoans at the next couple of house shows.   Speaking of sorry, Pedro is faltering badly as IC champ. This could be a potential use of Slaughter. Or of Snuka. Ideally you'd want both guys in the World title picture, but no harm in having a healthy secondary title. I'm increasingly thinking a plan might be to have Slaughter win the IC belt at Wrestlemania and feud with Snuka over it till Summerslam.   Finkel: Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the World Wrestling Federation, Mr. Vincent James McMahon has a very special announcement.  Vince Sr: The WWF champion, Mr Bob Backlund, has sustained a serious injury. After several hours spent with the board of directors and in discussion with the New York State Athletic Commission, and afer consulation with seniors and medical professionals ... it is clear that he will not be able to defend the belt within the requisite 30-day period. Therefore, it is with regret and great sadness, that I have to announce that -- in the powers vested in me as WWF President and by the Board of Directors -- I hereby decalre that Bob Backlund will be stripped of the title. The World title is now considered vacant.  *Bob Backlund comes out looking very forlorn and limping badly on crutches. He hands over the title to Vince Sr with tears in his eyes*  Backlund: I just want to say to all of my fans, thank you. I am sorry it ended like this.  Vince Sr: I am personally issuing an invitation to all of the great wrestlers from around the world to take part in a sixteen-man TOURNAMENT to decide the new champion.  This tournament will be held over several weeks here on WWF Superstars. With the grand final to crown the new champion taking place at WRESTLEMANIA!    As Backlund is hobbling back to the locker room, The Elite pounce him. DiBiase holds down his leg. Savage has a chair and smashes Backlund across the knee with it.  Bruno and Andre run out to chase them off. Backlund, yet again, has to leave on a stretcher. Will he ever wrestle again?  ----  Planning to Wrestlemania  Before this show I went a made some talent trades to make this tournament mean something. All these guys on 8-match loan deals (sending various guys the other way):  From Eddie Graham in Florida, I brought in Dusty Rhodes From Jim Crockett Jr in the Carolinas, I brought in Jack Brisco From Bob Giegel in Central States, I brought in Hiro Saito  It's a good job I made that deal with Crockett for Brisco when I did because just after the this taping, this happened:   They haven't declared outright war, so the Brisco deal is binding, but I can no longer do any new talent trades with them. Tension seems to be rising in the wrestling landscape. Vince Jr is also forbidding me from making any new alliances.  So anyway, here's what I'm thinking for the tournament. Taking place on TV shows and house shows with the final match to headline Wrestlemania:   At this point, I think Bruno has to walk out of Mania with the title. The only reason there is a question mark is because I don't know if he can still go. He's 47 and this is really pushing it. Going to have to book smart around him.  Since I have Brisco (at this point 41) for 8 appearances, I am going to try out DiBiase vs. Brisco as a headline for 2-3 house shows. See how it does. Might see if I can get them to go 40+ minutes, haven't booked any "workrate" matches at all yet.  Backstage, the agents seem to think that Ted is the company's number 1 heel.   I can also try Ted or Savage vs. Dusty while I've still got him.  So right now the plan is:  - Build Ted strong. - Bruno over Ted at Mania for the title. - During the Bruno reign, Bruno doesn't work a full schedule, shows can be headlined either by Ted vs. Dusty / Brisco or Snuka vs. Slaughter. - Ted over Bruno at Summerslam - Bruno goes back to retirement  The other parts of the WM card in prospect ...  - Arn and Tully over Soul Patrol for tag titles, desperately trying to get the Brainbusters a bit more over for this win to mean anything. - Slaughter over Pedro for IC title. - Savage vs. Andre - since Bruno is likely going to win the title, logic says that Savage goes over here, but jobbing out Andre is not something one can do lightly. Will likely do something very cheap here. Count out. Non-finish. Draw even. Andre has an incredible aura so having him lose risks damaging that.  So there's four matches for the card. To be honest parts of this roster are starting to look really fucking tired. Maybe ...  Pat Patterson vs. Ray Stevens - squeeze the last possible drop out of these two. Patterson is really on his last legs and will have to revert to being a road agent after this. Might not run it, we'll see.  Superstar Graham vs. Jesse Ventura (arm wrestling match) - Graham has the talk show, Ventura is colour commentator on Superstars. Ventura goes on the talk show and says he could do a better job presenting it. Graham says he'd be a much better commentator. Ventura challenges him to an arm contest -- winner gets the other guy's job. Jesse wins and the talk show becomes "The Body Shop". But Graham keeps running in, and they have a rematch at Summerslam in which he wins the slot back.  Snuka vs. Don Muraco - basically Snuka needs a win and Muraco isn't doing anything else. "Just another match".  ----  Oh, and finally, I least I've turned round the financial performance:   Turned -$90k into +$100k. Hopefully I'll have a bit less heat from Vince now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Boricua Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 It might be better to have what's left of Patterson and Stevens put over Arn and Tully. This could be a good WrestleMania match and they would fit into the old vs. new motif of the feud. it does delay the tag title win but I think it's better to get them somewhat over on their own before getting the tag belts even if Soul Patrol flounders a bit more in the role. As it is, if you do go ahead with the tag title switch it would be the third change in as many months and all of them being brand new champs. Â I love Savage, but 1983 Andre losing to or failing to defeat 1983 Savage seems like a ridiculously hard sell. Â If your plan is to have Bruno and Ted be the finalists, I think you are booking yourself into a corner. Bruno can't lose but neither should Ted if you're still building him up. If it were were me I'd have some sort of TLD or DDQ that takes Ted out of the tournament (maybe vs. Dusty or Brisco?) which would set up a WrestleMania match against that opponent with Ted going over. That does leave the question of who faces Bruno in the finals in that scenario. Of course, in the end this is all up to you and how you want to handle it. Â Love your plan for Graham and Ventura. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodear Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Why not throw the strap on Andre if you're hurting for a main guy to carry the standard until you can get Ted over? As it is, he's not even in your tournament and he's the face of the company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smack2k Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I cant lie, I look more forward to this each day for an update than I do weekly RAW information!!  Keep it up Parv...I am strongly considering starting a WCW 2000 game on my own..  Mad props for posting it on here as well with you comings and goings....fantastic stuff....  As for this:  If you put the title on Andre and then have Ted win it with help from the Elite, screwing Andre..man, that could be big business...steal the haircutting angle (hadnt happened yet in 83) so Vince can tell "The Elite is raping Andre of his dignity". Hell, you coudl do that with Bruno or Andre losing the title, but with Andre its got a whole nother level of "WOW, that was shocking"  Savage winning the big title in 83 with such a small build I think is gonna turn fans away as he was a nobody in 83, especially in the NE..  IC Title - I like Sarge taking that title a LOT...  Graham and Ventura is awesome  Tag Titles - Maybe have Tully and Arn get a non title win over the Patrol on TV and see how its recieved...then decide what to do at Mania....  On a side note, I love that you are teaching Backlund to not just walk away when in such a high position or get made to look completely destroyed...good thing for others to see on the roster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted February 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Week 9 (Mar, Week 1) Â House show: Â These house show numbers are still tanking. I am thinking of running a few dates elsewhere: New England is a key market I need to improve popularity in. But I'm also thinking of making some incursions into other territories. I have no TV in Canada, but by virtue of geographical "spill over", the promotion has a modicum of popularity up there. I am also thinking about running a couple of one-off shows down in Florida while I've got Dusty and Brisco -- nothing stopping me doing the TV taping down there one week (other than Eddie Graham getting monumentally pissed off). The TV contracts for Superstars and Challenge are coming up for renewal in May. One of my key targets for that month is to take them off Syndicated TV and onto this Network: Â Â This, I think, will be an ideal home for the rest of 1983 and a good platform for going national. GCW is KILLING everyone in TV ratings at the moment. Can't compete with TBS. But moving to Tempo should build enough popularity to at least pitch a new show to one of the bigger networks when the time comes. Â Anyway ... Â Â I mainly used this house show to test Arn, Tully and Savage on the mic. Because of Vince's style of booking, wrestlers are rated more on their overness than on how well they actually do. I actually tried to tweak that a bit -- tone down the comedy a bit, and up the realism -- but Vince blocked me: Â Â Arn, Tully and Savage have still only been in the company a month, so they aren't that over still. But I thought the ratings for their promos were quite promising. Â World Title Tournament First Round: Â These guys were okay considering Brisco is an outside talent. I was mainly seeing if Brisco could go here, because I want him to work a couple of 30+ minute matches with DiBiase down the line. Â Â Just chucked this in to pop the crowd a bit at the end of the night. And yes, there was a screen at the live show. Â Challenge: Â Â As ever, not a lot to say about Challenge. Â World Title Tournament First Round: Â Slaughter vs. Putski was a first-round match. They seemed to have good chemistry, but it's Putski so there's a limit to how good the match can be. Â Mil Mascaras continues to be appalling. I think his match vs. Iron Sheik might be his last for me. Guy has been hopeless. Â Superstars: Â Â So attentions naturally turn more to the tournament this week. Â Â Vince: Welcome to another edition of WWF Superstars. And along with me, of course, Jesse "The Body" Venutra. Â Jesse: Things are a-happening here in the World Wrestling Federation, McMahon. The brackets for the tournament for the vacant world title has been announced! Â Vince: Yes, and why don't we have a look at that graphic right now. Sixteen great competitors from all over the world are taking part. As you can see, two stars have advanced already! Just two nights ago at a live show here in Carnessa Arena, Jack Brisco defeated The Masked Superstar. Â Jesse: Well you and I were ringside for that one McMahon and it was a tough and gruelling match. Jack Brisco is a great competitor and he's just one of SEVERAL world-famous wrestling stars to have come here to win that coveted belt. Â Vince: And on WWF Challenge, earlier on, Sgt. Slaughter advanced to the quarter-finals at the expense of Ivan Putski. Â Jesse: And Slaughter will face Brisco in the next round. I don't know about you, but I can't wait McMahon!! Think of the clash of styles in that encounter. The consummate scientific wrestler Jack Brisco taking on the master of the alley fight, Sgt Slaughter! Â Vince: And there's so much more to come. BRUNO SAMMARTINO has officially come out of retirement, as he announced here on Superstars two weeks ago. And as a former champion he has been granted automatic entry into the tournament! He'll be taking on the wily Mr. Saito, a competitor from the Orient! Â Jesse: And that's another thing about this tournament McMahon, competitors from every corner of the globe. The winner of Sammartino and Saito, an Italian and a Japanese, faces the winner of Mil Mascaras, one of Mexico's biggest stars, and that man from Iran, The Iron Sheik! Either way, I don't like Sammartino's odds McMahon. He's been out of the game too long at this stage. Â Vince: Well that's your opinion Jesse. We have reports that the Living Legend has been training harder than ever and is determined to go all the way in this tournament. Â Jesse: But, McMahon, to do that sooner or later he'll have to get through THE ELITE. And they have sent as their representative, of course, Ted DiBiase! Sammartino is coming out of retirement, DiBiase is in the peak of his physical condition. He's in his prime, McMahon. And aside from Jack Brisco might just be the most pure scientific wrestler in this tournament. AND he has something that Brisco doesn't: back up. Â Vince: It is true that DiBiase looks to be a force to be reckoned with. But look at who he is facing: another former champion, and the host of Superstar's Supershow, Billy Graham! One of the strongest stars here in the WWF. And don't forget that Superstar is still very angry about what he did to the very first WWF Champion, Buddy Rogers! Â Jesse: I've heard on the grapevine that Rogers is going to be in Graham's corner for the match. But I don't like his odds against The Elite. Graham isn't facing one man, but four. Â Vince: The American Dream, DUSTY RHODES is on his way from Florida to take on the Ugandan Giant, Kamala. Rhodes no stranger to success, of course, but he will have his hands full with Kamala that's for sure. Â Jesse: I don't like Stardust's odds, McMahon. Â Vince: Well, Jesse, right now TONIGHT we have TWO more matches from this exciting tournament. First up, it's Superfly Jimmy Snuka taking on The Crippler, Ray Stevens. Â Jesse: I'm not his biggest fan, but I have to give Snuka the edge on that one, McMahon. Â Vince: And later on, ANOTHER former champion, Ivan Koloff is taking on Bruno's friend till the end, Dominic Denucci. Â Jesse: Hey McMahon, how come the Italians get TWO entrants into the tournament when the Russians, the Japanese, the Ugandans, and the Fijians all only get one? I tell ya it's a CONSPIRACY McMahon. It's like DiBiase says, Sammartino always gets preferential treatment. Having his stooges in the tournament. Â Vince: Now knock it off Jesse! Koloff as a former champion has an automatic entry. The only former champion who doesn't is Pedro Morales, because he's the current holder of the Intercontinental title. The other entrants are all the top-ranked contenders from around the world. It is all decided on merit not on race! Â Jesse: Hmmmm... Â World Title Tournament First Round: Â The story here is that, as per Ventura's claim, The Elite think that Denucci was a plant in the tournament to try to watch out for Bruno's interests on "that side of the draw". Just a little angle to keep the secondary players in that storyline ticking along. Backstage, Denucci has been moaning that he doesn't want to wrestle anymore and wants to go back to being a road agent. Soon Dominic, soon ... Â Naturally, Bruno out to make the save to pop the crowd. Â World Title Tournament First Round: Â Stevens can still go if it's less than 8 minutes. Snuka advances to the next round. Â Â Miss Elizabeth distracts Andre at ringside which allows Randy Savage time to get on the top rope and nail him with a double ax-handle, which also instantly disqualifies Big John Studd who had already been beaten badly by Andre. Â But Andre recovers and chases after Savage, who slides out of the ring. Andre lunges forwards and Savage throws Miss Elizabeth at the giant as a human shield before running back down the aisle. In his anger, Andre unwittingly knocks Miss Elizabeth flying. He can't believe what has happened and looks distraught. Â Andre's match with Big John Studd got a tremendous reaction. Andre's overness is ridiculous. Main reason I'm keeping him out of the title picture is that he basically doesn't need the title. He can headline without it. And, if and when Ted does get the strap, he's an automatic opponent for him. There's another reason too though: he keeps getting loaned out by the office to different places. This seems to be Vince Sr's doing and it is largely out of my control, but it does mean -- just as he was in real life -- Andre away a lot and therefore can't work a full schedule like the champ would. Then again, Bruno can't either. They are both "special attractions". Â ---- Â I worry that the tournament may have taken some of the fizz out of the Bruno vs. Ted / Elite feud. But since Bruno and Ted have matches coming up there is good scope for some confrontation. But Bruno's first match back will be a big deal in itself. And Ted is facing Billy Graham who will have Buddy Rogers at ringside as a second / manager. He can get a payback spot in by nailing Ted, but ultimately Ted goes over (cheap, a count out or something -- can't have Graham pinned!) Â The Andre vs. Savage sub-angle will also hopefully get Liz over. Savage can dine out on Andre accidentally knocking her over, while it's clear to everyone else that Savage pushed her. Everyone is right that there's no way Savage can go over Andre or win the world title yet. But he'll also gain popularity faster than most because, well, because he's Randy Savage. I reckon he could be a legit star by the end of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted March 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Week 10 (Mar, Week 2)  Challenge:   Gave Savage a long match with Eddie Gilbert and have started tagging Arn and Tully some more.  Iron Sheik vs. Mil Mascaras was a first-round tournament match.  Superstars:   This whole show was built around starting the Billy Graham vs. Jesse Ventura feud while paying off the brutal attack on Buddy Rogers from a few weeks ago.   Superstar's Supershow  Graham: Well tonight bruthas! I've got a match myself. I'm going into the tournament for the greatest of them all, the World Wrestling Federation title! A title that once belonged around my wasit. My guest tonight is the co-host WWF Superstars, Jesse "The Body" Ventura! How are you doing Jesse, you've just come down from the booth.  Jesse: Good evening Billy Graham. I just want to say one thing before I start: there are few men who have been more influential to my career than this man right here. I probably wouldn't be a wrestler today if it wasn't for you, sir, and I mean that sincerely.  Graham: God bless you, brother, god bless. How have you found being a commentator with Vince McMahon these past few weeks?  Jesse: I can't say the same thing about McMahon as I can for you Superstar. He's a real piece of work y'know. I do my best to keep him on the straight and narrow, but a more biased announcer I have not heard.  Graham: Do you miss having matches?  Jesse: Well now, I am not wrestling as much as I used to, but I am a long way from being retired. I just have no need to step into the ring. I don't need the money. I can get paid to use my brains and my mouth. I was always probably the best talker in this business.  Graham: The BEST, Jesse?  Jesse: Well if you don't mind me saying Superstar, you were like a pioneer, and I took from you, but I developed it and made it ... better y'know. I'm an evolution. I mean since I came in, you copied all my clothes. Each generation is better than the last. You might be the raw materials, but I'm the innovator! To tell you the truth, I could probably present this show better than you could.  Graham: Now wait just a minute Ventura! You're coming here on MY show and saying you could do a better job?  *Both men stand up, Jesse points a finger in Graham's chest as he's talking.*  Jesse: You know Superstar! Sometimes they say you should never meet your heroes because seeing them in the flesh is a disappointment. And seeing you here, you're ... pathetic! Do you think you stand a chance against Ted DiBiase tonight? You stand no chance because you're a HAS BEEN. You're yesterday's news and that's where I should have kept you: yesterday, in my memory. In my good memories of the man I saw I growing up. Not, not THIS.  *Graham is reeling from the string of insults*.  Graham: Well now I've heard it all! Don't think for a SECOND you can speak to me in that way. You're NOTHING Ventura. You're a fake. You're a two-bit knock-off. All your career you've been copying me. All your career you wished you could be Billy Graham, and guess what. You're NOT. There's only ONE Superstar Billy Graham BROTHER, and he's standing right here! "Best in the business" you say? You're going to make me laugh now. When you was working in some high school gym I was selling out Madison Square Garden! When you was in the mirror putting that bandana on your head and wearin' that tie-die and pretendin' to be ME, I was winning the WORLD TITLE! You understand me you punk?!  *Graham goes to hit Jesse. Buddy Rogers comes in to break them up.*  Rogers: Come on now Billy boy, you got a match tonight. You need to concentrate.  Jesse: That's right! "Billy boy"! You need to win that match so you don't end up like HIM!  *Rogers himself gets angered at this and both he and Graham attack Jesse to a loud pop from the crowd*    Disappointing match really. Would have hoped for a higher rating than this. Tried to keep it short to protect Graham, and obviously not having him pinned. This booking might seem like it makes Ted look weak but the Rogers sub-story needed a pay back spot and this was it.   Jesse Ventura has left the booth and gone down to ringside while the match is still going on. DiBiase tries to grab Buddy Rogers who is standing at ringside. Rogers gets up on the apron. DiBiase tries to punch him as Graham clobbers DiBiase in the back. Ventura goes over to remonstrate with Rogers. Graham is distracted and DiBiase tries to roll him up. TWO only. DiBiase goes into his tights for a pair of brass knucks but Rogers spots him doing it and gets into the ring. Startled DiBiase drops the knucks. Meanwhile Graham and the ref are distracted by Ventura. Rogers puts on the knucks and lays out DiBiase who is left in the bloody mess in the middle of the ring. Unfortunately, the ref turns around just as he does it for an instant DQ.  ---  In backstage news, Billy Graham was absolutely furious at the booking of the DiBiase match. He didn't want to take the loss, even by DQ.  Also this:   Backlund is history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted March 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Week 11 (Mar, Week 3) Â Pretty nothing week here, just getting through more of the first round tournament matches. Although Bruno made his long-awaited return. Â Challenge: Â Â Not a lot to say here. Dusty and Kamala did well considering they are outside talents who haven't been in New York for a while. I've jobbed out Kamala pretty hard here. Â Â The problem is that these shows are gaining my popularity in all the other regions of the US, but losing fans in the core North East market. There's not a lot to be done about that at the moment because I am short on stars who are really over in the area and I can't exactly book Bruno vs. Bruno. Â Â Mr. (Hiro) Saito was probably the wrong opponent for Bruno's big return. Tell you the truth I thought I was getting in Masa Saito and only realised it was the wrong one after it was too late. Anyway, at least that's the first round over. Â Â Wrestlemania is two weeks away. And there are SIX tournament matches to get on four TV shows. Â New England Live Show: Â Â I've decided to run some extra dates in Boston because that's one secondary market in which I need to increase in popularity. Very close to achieving "cult" status for the company, and it's New England going up more that will do that. Once I have "cult" status, the TV networks will start talking to me, as well as the PPV carriers. I might even see if I can push Wrestlemania back a couple of weeks to see if I can secure some PPV or close circuit income for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrainfollower Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 Has Parv gone the way of many bookers and been canned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 Week 12 (Mar, Week 4) Â Challenge: Â Â Mainly a show devoted to the Slaughter vs. Brisco quarterfinal match. Â Â This match was really disappointing. Brisco didn't really want to do this job and would only accept the match going ahead if he was "kept strong" for it especially if he was going to eat a submission loss, so this was likely Slaughter selling Brisco sitting in holds for the best part. Â Big win for Slaughter though, even if the match was poor. Â Superstars: Â Â More hype for the eventual DiBiase vs. Bruno showdown at the end of the tournament here. Â Fink: Ladies and gentlemen, Ted DiBiase has paid for the ring for the next 10 minutes. He says he has a special message. Â DiBiase has his head bandaged from Buddy Rogers's punch last week. He looks at Howard Finkel with annoyance. Â DiBiase: GET OUT OF MY RING, little man! Do you see that Bruno? Ya punk kid just lost to a real man, The Macho Randy Savage! And you Billy Graham, you got to get an old man to fight your battles? Well you lost too! And now I've got bigger fish to fry next week, one of the biggest FISHES of them all, Dusty Rhodes! He's more like a whale than a man. But it doesn't matter if it's Billy Graham, Dusty Rhodes, Jack Brisco, Jimmy Snuka or any of these pretenders! I'm going to be there in the final at Wrestlemania, because you're looking at the next WWF champion! Â Why don't you give it up Bruno? You're an old beaten man. Isn't it about time you went home and ate some pasta with your wife?! You're a NOTHING. You're a HAS BEEN. It's 1983 and it's my time now. MINE. It's the time of The Elite! You stand for an old and out of date order Sammartino. You are an old man who thinks in terms of nations and peoples and values. There are no nations. There are no peoples. There are no values. There is only one holistic system of systems, one vast and immane, interwoven, interacting, multivariate, multinational dominion of dollars. Petro-dollars, electro-dollars, multi-dollars, reichmarks, rins, rubles, pounds, and shekels. And guess what? That's the business that we're in! Making MONEY. This $3,000 suit I'm wearing didn't pay for itself. Nothing pays for itself. There are two kinds of people in this world, winners and losers. Randy Savage. That's a winner. Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard. Natural born winners. Billy Graham, Chief Jay Strongbow, Dominic Denucci, David Sammartino, BRUNO Sammartino. Loser. Loser. Loser. Loser! Losers! But we're grateful for you people. You're put on this earth so that someone like me can stand tall and look down on you. These STUPID people out here, they cheer your name, well that's because they are nothing but losers too. None of these people have what it takes to be part of The Elite! Â Let me tell you what "Elite" means. "Elite" means that I don't have to scrub my own toilet because there's someone STUPID enough to take my money and do it for me! "Elite" means that I don't have to wait for my groceries like these peons out here because I've got a special credit line with my name on it. "Elite" means I don't have to cook, because I've got a special table waiting for me at The Four Seasons. And tomorrow night at The Waldorf! And the night after that at the Mandarin Oriental. Everything on the house, everything paid for, because my last name is "DiBiase" and in this town that means something. So why don't you take all your little fans back to little Italy to that $2 pizzeria you're always hanging out in Bruno? Because that's what you're worth and what these people are worth. You're nothing, but you're not one of me. I've got CLASS! I've got STYLE! And you wouldn't know class or style if they ran up and bit you on that fat broken nose of yours! Maybe you used to be somebody back when you was hanging out with old blue eyes, Bruno, but this is my town now. My city! They know my name down Wall Street and they know it down Broadway. When they hear that I'm going to be at the club with Arn and Randy, you'll see a queue a mile long full of the women trying to get a look, and full of the men who want to see a winner. Â I hope The Iron Sheik teaches you a lesson tonight, you should have never stepped back in that ring! Â Â Real off-night for Bruno here. And a slightly troubling sign to me, I don't think I can have the strap on Bruno all the way till Summerslam. Considering a hot shot ... he walks out of WM with the title and loses it in a rematch to DiBiase at a house show two weeks later. Thinking about it ... I think there's better business to be had with Ted vs. various babyfaces than Bruno vs. various heels, but lets see. The main concern is that Bruno doesn't look like he's long for the ring and this is really the last ounce of blood from the stone. Â Post-match: Â Bruno pins The Iron Sheik while Ted DiBiase is at ringside. He raises his hand as he stares with intensity at DiBiase who stares right back at him. Â New England Live Show: Â Â Mainly using these New England shows to test out combinations of talent. Â Â The fact that Hennig and DiBiase have good chemistry in a 45-minute match, for example, bodes well. Maybe I might start thinking about building Hennig up slowly so he could be a future opponent. Â Â Oh dear, oh dear. Another bad night for Bruno. I'm wondering if it's worth putting the belt on him at all. The main issue is that I can't really see ending the first Wrestlemania with a heel winning the title. Â Four TV shows and four tournament matches left till the big one ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smack2k Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 How's the financials Parv? Â Big decision for Mania upcoming....even though Bruno isn't long for the ring, will the people still be pumped and excited to see him win the title? Â You could Brock Lesnar him with the title and only wrestle sparingly with it... Â Outside that, a Ted win at Mania could be bad...would Bruno be willing to do it and would the crowds accept it? Could it cost you your job?? Â Excited to see what comes next.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Boricua Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Intriguing how this will play out. I'd be tempted to call an audible and have Snuka win the tournament if Bruno couldn't go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted March 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Week 13 (April, Week 1) Â Challenge: Â Â Mainly a show to advance the tournament to where it needs to be for Mania. Â Â Gorilla: Well, Jim, we're jam-packed to the rafters here because it is a happening tonight here on WWF Challenge. It's all about that tournament for the vacant WWF title. And it's we've got the remaining quarter-final matches, the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes, who has come in from Florida especially for a shot at the title in this tournament, is taking on a name a lot of people are talking about right now, Ted DiBiase. How do you see this one going Jim? Â Cornette: Gorilla, Dusty Rhodes will talk a good game and have these morons here right behind him, but Ted DiBiase and The Elite is where it is at right now, and I find it hard to look beyond him getting the job done somehow. Â Gorilla: And in the other match, it's Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka taking on The Russian Bear, Ivan Koloff. Jim? Â Cornette: It's going to be an uphill struggle for the Superfly, because you've got to remember, Monsoon, it's not just Ivan Koloff that Snuka has to worry about -- they don't call Freddie Blassie "Classy" for nothing. Â Gorilla: And you can be sure, not matter what the final match is at Wrestlemania, it's going to be a CLASSIC. But before all of that, let's go to our opening match with the 8th Wonder of the World, Andre the Giant! Â Â Â Not a great match, but Dusty is not hugely over in New York. He also took some convincing to do this job. Â Superstars: Â Massive pre-Mania show with some big storyline stuff. Here's the situation going in, will put full show results in spoilers at the end for anyone following the story: Â Â Vince: It's a very big show tonight, Jesse Ventura, ONE WEEK before WRESTLEMANIA!!! And just two semi-final matches left before the big one next week. Â Jesse: Yes, McMahon, it's coming down to crunch time. And my contacts tell me that that ... chump Superstar Billy Graham has a special interview with Bruno tonight before his big match with Sgt. Slaughter. I don't know if I was Bruno, but I wouldn't want that sort of distraction so close to a big match. Â Vince: Well, Jesse, I will be interviewing Ted DiBiase myself personally. The world wants to see who is going to be in the final match-up at Wrestlemania. It's come down to four men: Sgt. Slaughter, Jimmy Snuka, Bruno Sammartino and Ted DiBiase! It's WHAT THE WORLD IS WATCHING!!! Â Jesse: I ought to stop hanging around with you, you cramp my style. Â Graham: And welcome brothers, to the Superstar's Supershow right here on WWF Superstars! And today it's my honour to introduce to you, The Living Legend, Bruno Sammartino! And Andre the Giant! Â *Bruno and Andre are sitting on the sofa, neither of them look very happy* Â Graham: Well, Bruno Sammartino. We go back a long ways don't we brother. But I've been as unhappy as anyone the way Ted DiBiase has been coming out here and running his mouth. We saw him last week run you down to Allentown, brother. Him and his cronies, The Elite, we've seen em do a lot of terrible things now. I just wanna run through them things to remind everyone. We're going to show you, Bruno, and you Andre some clips now. And I apologise if this footage is distressing to rewatch. Â Graham: It all started back at the Royal Rumble. You, brother Andre, won that and the Royal Rumble trophy. Look at what happened. Â *VT of Andre being attacked by The Elite at the Royal Rumble (Week 3 [Jan, Week 3])* Â Graham: Then, just a couple of weeks later, you, brother Bruno, you came back brother. You came back to talk to these fans about your life outside of the ring, brother. And look at what happened. Â *VT of Bruno being attacked by The Elite* Â Graham: Then, Ted DiBiase, Randy Savage and the rest of em came on this very show, brother, on the Superstar's Supershow! And they all ran their mouths about everyone. Â *VT clips of DiBiase's promo from Week 5 (Feb, Week 1) Â "It was all 'Bruno Sammartino this, Andre the Giant that'. And everywhere you turn there's a stooge" ... Â "Wherever you go it's 'Bruno Sammartino' ... Who did Bruno ever beat? Some Greek guy no ones ever heard of? He stayed up here and never faced any of the REAL wrestlers from all over this country because Bruno was scared he was going to be FOUND out ...* Â Graham: And then on the week after that, brothers, the legendary Buddy Rogers, the first WWF champion! He came on this show and look what these punks done ... Â *VT of The Elite ambushing Buddy Rogers and Bruno coming out and roaring in pain (Week 6 [Feb, Week 2]* Â Graham: And you, Bruno, you couldn't take it no more, brother. Â *VT of Bruno's promo from Week 7 (Feb, Week 3) Â "Well LET ME TELL YA, DIBIASE! You've made ONE old guy VERY angry. And that's ME. ... Come at me DiBiase. Where are you Savage? Blanchard! Anderson! Come out here and face me you little cowards! You'll wish you'd never been born, wrestling business or no wrestling business. You're going to be fighting for your lives!" Â Shots of Bruno posing with his allies* Â Graham: And then, brother, they put Bob Backlund out of wrestling for good. And the President, Vincent McMahon Sr announced a tournament for the title! Â *VT with clips of Savage breaking Backlund's leg and McMahon Sr announcing the tournament (Week 8 [Feb, Week 4]* Â Graham: And then, Andre brother, as if these guys hadn't done enough already, The Macho Man Randy Savage attacked you after a match with Big John Studd, and this happened. Â *VT clip of Savage attacking Andre, then throwing Elizabeth in his pass and Andre sending her flying. (Week 9 [Mar, Week 1])* Â Graham: Andre, brother, you've been sitting there patient as a saint. You got anything you want to say? Â Andre: Miss Elizabeth. Sorry to you. Randy Savage push you into me. And I ... I am a big man. Savage!! Me and you at Wrestlemania!! I coming to find you right now!!! ARGHHH!!!!! Â *Andre gets up angrily and lumbers off the set looking for Savage* Â Graham: I hope you find that pipsqueak brother ... (*Turns his attention back to Bruno*) And then you, Bruno came out of retirement to go in that tournament, you been winning, brother. Inching closer to the final at Wrestlemania. But then just last week Ted DiBiase came out here again and had this to say. Â *VT clip of DiBiase promo from Superstars Week 12 (Mar, Week 4) Â "Why don't you give it up Bruno? You're an old beaten man. Isn't it about time you went home and ate some pasta with your wife?! You're a NOTHING. You're a HAS BEEN. It's 1983 and it's my time now. MINE. It's the time of The Elite!"* Â Graham: Gentlemen, you've been patient in sitting back and watching all of that. And now it's time to hear what you gotta say ... Â Bruno: Well let me tell ya Superstar Billy Graham, Ted DiBiase, what do you think you are sayin' calling me a "has been"? You been in ... Â *All of a sudden Bruno's mic cuts off. We hear a voice, it's ... Jesse Ventura* Â Jesse: Cut the interview, cut the interview! Â *Jesse has a big house mic, he's walked onto the set* Â Jesse: I've been sitting here now, what? 10 minutes? 10 minutes and you've barely asked your guests any questions Graham! You're meant to be a journalist. You're meant to be INVESTIGATING what is going on in the mind's of these men. Â Graham (furious): Jesse Ventura! What are you doing out here?! This is MY time, this is MY show! And these people want to hear what Bruno Sammartino has to say! Â Jesse: Well you've screwed up Graham. This is TELEVISION! You've used all your time and now it's MY time. I'm the co-host of this show, see, WWF Superstars. This is MY show. And you've gone over time! Â Graham: Put the microphone back on and let this man speak! Â Jesse: These producers listen to me, you understand? Because I'M the broadcast journalist and you're just an old wrestler PRETENDING to be one. Â Graham: You think I can't do what you do? Just sitting there and talking about the matches? That's an easy job! I'm trying to do some work here! Â Jesse: Well you've made a mess of it Graham because you're time is up! Go on, scram, get off the set. Â Graham: Security! We have another ten minutes at least here! Get this man off my set. Security! Â Jesse: Don't you understand that these people listen to me? ME! I'm Mr. Superstars, I'm the host of this show! Â Graham: There can be only ONE "Mr. Superstar", Jesse Ventura! And it's ME! SUPERSTAR Billy Graham! You understand? Â Jesse: Well why don't we settle this in that ring? Â Graham (tearing at his shirt): You want to go in there right now?! Â Jesse: Where's your sense of style gone? I got a different proposition ... WRESTLEMANIA! Â Graham: You want to face me at Wrestlemania? Â Jesse: But I want to settle this the way they used to way back ... in an ARM WRESTLING CONTEST. Â *Graham looks at one of his arms and flexes his bicep* Â Graham: You're on brother! Â Jesse: But just one thing, Graham ... If I win, I get this show. This slot is MINE! Â Graham: Alright you got it, shake on it ... Â *The shake hands, but as they are shaking hands, Graham tightens his grip and Jesse can't let go* Â Graham: But you got to put something up too! YOU'RE SLOT! Â *Jesse is taken aback. He tries to free his hand, but Graham's grasp is too right* Â Jesse: Wait, whoaaa, wait, now ... you want to be the co-host of WWF Superstars? You want my job?! Â Graham: That's right, your job vs. my job. Â Jesse: Well, well ... wait, now ... we have to check the legality of the contract. This is television, you can't decide a job over an arm-wrestling contest! Â Graham: A deal is a deal brother! And all these millions of people have seen it right here on TELEVISION! Â *Graham turns to the camera, still crushing Ventura's hand* Â Graham: We've got to go to a commercial break, ladies and gentlemen, and when we get back, this piece of work right here will be gone, and you WILL hear from Bruno Sammartino and Andre the Giant! Â *commercial break, when we come back Jesse has gone and the interview with Bruno resumes* Â Graham: So Bruno, we've seen all of what has happened. What do you have to say now? Â Bruno: What I'll say is this Billy Graham. DiBiase comes out here calling me a "has been". He comes out here and runs down my career and runs down these tremendous fans who pay their money to see us. You know, I know I ain't a young man any more. I grew up in the World War. You know the stories. We was eating snow in the mountains to keep us from starving. And we came here, in America, for a new life. I everything I've ever had in this life I've had to WORK for. You understand that? I have WORKED. Blood and sweat and tears. And all the endless hours in the gym. And all the miles I travelled. Boston, New York, Toronto, Washington, St. Louis, Philadephia. I been up and down that road a thousand times. And every match I had that belt around my waist, I took every match the same. I gotta win, I gotta do my best so that I can be my best and feed my family! Just like all of these MEN here in this crowd tonight who go out every day, out on the docks, in the factories, down the mines, men who sweat and bleed to feed their families! And Ted DiBiase comes out here and runs those people down and says he's better than them? Well DiBiase let me tell you THIS! Those people, they are MEN. I'm a MAN. And you're just an arrogant, young punk with more money than sense! You told us all how you grew up in this business. Well think of your FATHER. He was a MAN. He knew what it was to put his body on the line and sacrifice himself for his family! You SICKEN me, DiBiase, with what you've been saying. Â *Bruno has tears in his eyes* Â Bruno: Now I gotta beat Sgt. Slaughter to get to that final in Wrestlemania. And you've got to beat Jimmy Snuka. But let me tell you something now. I want to say this and I want the WWF President to hear it! I don't CARE if Ted DiBiase doesn't reach the final, and I don't care if I do! At Wrestlemania, I WANT DIBIASE. And IN A CAGE so that all of your little punk friends can't run in and help you. You understand what I'm telling you?! I'd give up another shot at that belt, Bruno Sammartino's belt, because I want to destroy you. You need to be taught a lesson. And I am going to do it for ALL OF THESE MEN. I'm going to do it for the good of wrestling! Â Graham: Now, now ... Bruno, I want to make this clear ... are you saying that you are withdrawing from the tournment? Â Bruno: No what I'm saying is that whether I reach the final or whether he does, I want that cage match at Wrestlemania with him! I don't care if I have to wrestle TWO matches that night, that's the one I want! Â Graham: So win or lose in the tournament, you're challenging DiBiase to a cage match at Wrestlemania? Â Bruno: That's right. I'm issueing that challenge right now and if he's a MAN he will accept that. Â Graham: Well that's an EXCLUSIVE here on Superstar's Supershow. Bruno Sammartino has challenged Ted DiBiase to a cage match at Wrestlemania! Â Â Vince: Ted DiBiase, you heard it there, you've been challenged to a match inside of the steel cage by Bruno Sammartino at Wrestlemania, no matter what happens in tonight's matches? Do you accept? Â DiBiase: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha! HAHAHAHAHA! I've heard it all now, McMahon, he wants to face me no matter what? He talks about working for a living and earning your way and he expects to face a member of THE ELITE just like that? Oh no, it doesn't work like that Bruno. When I beat Jimmy Snuka tonight, my next step is taking my rightful place on top of the mountain, as the new WWF champion! It doesn't matter if I have to beat you, or if I have to beat Sgt. Slaughter, THAT'S my match at Wrestlemania! Â Vince: So you're declining the challenge? Â DiBiase: I already have a challenge. It's to become the new WWF champion. I'm not wasting my time with an old man who is trying to hold me down! It's my time now whether Bruno likes it or not! Now ... (DiBiase looks shifty) ... if you'll excuse me I have some ... business to attend to. Â *Vince looks at him quizzically* Â DiBiase: What are you looking at? I've got a semi-final match to prepare for! I'm going. Â Â DiBiase comes down to ringside and causes a count-out loss for Bruno, costing him a place in the final. Â Â Bruno, in a fit of revenge, costs DiBiase his place in the final resulting in a break-out brawl to the back. Â Â Â Â So yes, a major last-minute swerve here. Two things became clear to me: Â 1. DiBiase is not ready to headline without Bruno support yet, he needs to be more over and it would end up hurting the belt to build him further while wearing it. I'm taking a leaf out of Giant Baba's book and being a bit more patient. Â 2. Bruno simply couldn't have another run with the belt. His stamina has gone. He's too old at this point. He's basically the Undertaker in 2014. Â So now it's: Â Snuka vs. Slaughter for the WWF Title in the semi-main with the big blow off Bruno vs. DiBiase in the cage to main event. Â Undercard: Â Soul Patrol vs. Brainbusters for Tag Titles Pedro Morales vs. Don Muraco for IC Title Andre vs. Randy Savage And probably Battle Royale to round things out. Â Â Â Â But now we're all set for Wrestlemania!! Â New England Live Show: Â Â Just another show, building who needs to be built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Wrestlemania I (April, Week 2) Â Okay, so from the point of view of the live gate, this was a total fucking disaster. 6,715. That's right. 6,715. I made a $80k loss on the gate, failed to secure PPV, and for whatever reason these crowds in the North East keep dwindling. I tried cutting the number of house shows. I think this is going to remain a real problem until I can get a bigger TV slot. I don't think the problem is down to my booking. At least that's what I'm telling myself. Vince's "approval rating" for me is currently "Very Low". Oh dear. Â In my mind ALL of these problems are going to go away when the New England rating goes from D to D+ and the WWF's status goes from "regional" to "cult". That will open so many doors it's unreal. But need patience. This show just came a month too early. Â Anyway, here's the show. Ended up holding it at the Baltimore Civic Centre. Â Â Â Â Â Okay, so what this doesn't tell you is that this pissed off more or less the entire roster. Mostly everyone was "very unhappy" or "furious" about Hennig being put over here. Dusty Rhodes flat out refused to take part in the match unless the booking was change, ditto Brisco, ditto Kamala. None of them are on the card. They are loaned-in talent anyway. The idea is that I want to start pushing Curt, but it may be that all I've succeeded in doing is turning the locker room against me. Â Â The IC title scene is still totally dismal. I'll admit that my focus has been elsewhere, but something really needs to be done now. I'm thinking Slaughter. Â Â I was going to keep going with Soul Patrol, but they were just so shitty that I had to do this switch now. Arn and Tully have gone from being an "F" in popularity in the Tri-State region to "C" under my booking so far, and with the straps they'll keep rising. Hopefully they will be at B+ or higher by Summerslam. Â Â Decent match here. Of course Andre goes over. This feud really played second fiddle to the Bruno vs Ted one. In retrospect, I might have made a bigger deal of it. Â Â The arm-wrestling match. Ventura wins cheap thereby winning Graham's "Superstar's Supershow" TV slot. Â Â Â That's right, I went with Snuka in the end. He's a placeholder champ until Ted is ready, which might not even be until Wrestlemania 2 in a whole year's time. Way things are looking, I'm likely to get fired before then. Â Â *DiBiase rolls out of the cage. He is bloodied and can barely raise an arm in victory. Bruno is left in the ring alone. He calls for a mic. He's out of breath. He's bloody and exhausted.* Â Bruno: All you people, all you wonderful fans, I've give you everything. And I'm sorry. This was one match too many for me. I don't want to do it, but it's time for me to say goodbye. It's been 20 great, great years. I didn't want to go out like this. He ... he gave me everything out in here today and the better man won. I hate to say it, but he beat me fair and square. And it's my body telling me "Bruno, enough is enough". I'm happy for Jimmy Snuka. He'll be a great champion. And I'm grateful for everything this company has done. But the end of the road is the end of the road. So will you people do me the honour, just one last time, let me hear you cheer. Â Bruno raises his battered arm in the air, tears in his eyes, and the crowd cheer. He leaves the cage.* Â Bruno and Ted look like they worked that match a bit too stiff for the crowd. Seems like it was a decent match though. Â So I thought with Snuka winning the title that Ted could beat Bruno clean (he wasn't that thrilled about doing the job). The plan is that moving forward, Ted will -- Larry Z-style -- claim to be the man who made Bruno retire and it will be something that people say about him for years. From the booking point of view, the idea of Bruno retiring at the first Wrestlemania has a kind of historical resonance, that hopefully would be talked about for years to come. In a way the loss is bigger news than a win would have been. And for the live crowd, we were going for "emotional". Anyone who was there would hopefully remember the speech he gave at the end. Â ------------- Â Right, now that Mania is out of the way. It's time for some real changes. Â Bruno retires and becomes a Road Agent. Patterson retires and becomes a Road Agent. Denucci retires and becomes a Road Agent. Â Those three are done in the ring as far as I am concerned. Â Jobber / JTTS crew: Â Rene Goulet has a month on his contract and won't be coming back. Â Tony Garea will slide down into being JTTS. Â Frankie Williams has been generally awful and I think I might fire him soon and bring in a better jobber. Â Tag: Â Arn and Tully desperately need some decent opponents who aren't fucking Soul Patrol. Â In fact, I might see if I can sign 3-4 face tag teams. Â IC level: Â Pedro is just a fat disgrace at this point. It's sad. I've let him languish, it's true, but this needs shaking up. Â Slaughter as IC champ and then I need 3-4 new faces to take him on. Curt Hennig might be elevated to be one of them. Â World level: Â Snuka has a ready-made opponent in DiBiase but I want to save that for now. Snuka can go over the Blassie guys (Sheik, Koloff and Kamala) in fairly quick succession, and I want maybe 3-4 heel challengers to come in. Â Meanwhile, DiBiase can float around picking up wins while telling everyone he's better than them. I need to come up with some new angles for The Elite. Savage needs something to do as well. Â Andre can go back to handicap matches and battle royales for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrainfollower Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 If I were Vince, you'd be fired after this Parv. Â You downgraded the world title match to non main event status AND had the biggest star in the history of the promotion LOSE his big revenge angle and just fade away. Â This isn't even the Crockett style booking I was concerned you were going with. This is now HHH style ego run amok booking with your hero Ted Dibiase in that role. Â Sorry, love your podcasts and posts but this just isn't good booking IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Parv this is just bad booking. Are you going to introduce yourself as a new character as the Powers that be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodear Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I'm not trying to dog pile here on Parv but the show has some major issues and needs help stat. Â Parv is suffering from fore site where he is expecting Ted Dibiase, Randy Savage and (now) Curt Hennig to be in 1988 form while it being 1983. In doing so, he's sunk major time and energy into the future as he knows it to be ahead of the curve and its coming off as ignoring the present of the company. He basically angered 1/2 the roster to give a job guy a WrestleMania battle royal win based on facts not based on current performance. Â The titles are in shambles with the World title getting given to Snuka as an afterthought after Backlund was stripped of the title, Pedro being unable to perform and a series of tag team champions that aren't working out. They come off as afterthoughts in the promotion to the Ted Dibiase angle which isn't catching on. Â If I was Parv, I would circle the wagons and get the straps on the most over people he has and wide that wave while he moves the younger guys to the back of the line to develop in the background. No one is 'too big' for the belt at this point, you need to move tickets anyway you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I think the most damming thing was the "We want Bob" and " Fire Parv" chants throughout the show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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