JerryvonKramer Posted June 15, 2015 Report Share Posted June 15, 2015 http://placetobenation.com/titans-of-wrestling-49-wwf-september-to-october-1981/ On the docket tonight: 09-21 BATTLE ROYAL MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 09-21 BOB BACKLUND vs DON MURACO WWF TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 10-17 GREG VALENTINE vs JEFF CRANEY WWF TV 10-17 JESSE VENTURA vs JERRY GUNN WWF TV 10-17 KING KONG MOSCA vs VICTOR MERCADO WWF TV 10-17 BOB BACKLUND vs DON MURACO WWF TITLE PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM On this show: - The Titans give their thoughts on Dusty Rhodes - The sorry state of Howard Finkel's appearance - An inauspicious goodbye to Dominic Denucci - The "game plan" of jobbers - Don Muarco: Beach bum or man of the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted June 15, 2015 Report Share Posted June 15, 2015 Bob Backlund vs. Don Muraco (9/21/81) Some of the worst punches known to man start this thing off. This is followed by Bobs goofy headlock and a terrible Muraco clothesline. First three minutes is really bad. Muraco responds with a CHINLOCK! Then in a weird display, Muraco goes for the one boot pin, Backlund grabs the foot but Don drops a legdrop. It just looked weird. So Muraco starts working the abs of Backlund and I am digging this portion until Don goes back to the headlock. Come on, this was getting back on a right track. When Bob gets on offense, he finally shows the nasty with some good punches, nasty boot rakes and his piledriver. After Bob's cool offense, he works an armbar? They are working this armbar sequence entirely too long. Bob does some cool shit with it but again, in complete random spots. Muraco tries to changes the tide with some nasty forearms but Bob stays in control. After a Bob atomic drop, Muraco looks dead on the outside but hits Bob in the throat and follows with an Oriental Spike jab to the throat. That was cool. Every time Bob tries to get in the ring, Muraco keeps attacking the throat. Muraco hits his Tombstone piledriver followed by an awkward Superfly splash. Muraco goes for a butterfly suplex but Bob deadlifts Don into a pinning combo for the win even though Don's foot was over the ropes. This is a match that would have been a contender at 20 minutes. At 32 minutes, it felt way too long and the guys were just doing random shit at points. Some of the sequences were awkward a's hell, others were really cool and some were done with no rhyme or reason. The Bob armlock sequence went way too long and the moves were either really nasty or really shitty. This match defines multiple personality disorder. Bob Backlund vs. Don Muraco (10/17/81) You can tell these guys were going long because they were wayyyyy too patient in the beginning. None of the frantic energy that started the last match. Don't know if that is a good thing since some of the offense was so shitty before. First 20 minutes, nothing happening, Bob works a hammerlock and Muraco tries in vain to escape or get out. 2nd 20 minutes, Don turns the tide by attacking Bob's ribs and abs. Shit, this is good Muraco. Why doesn't he do this the whole match? Foot stomps, standing on the abs, butt drop on the abs. Good shit. The drawback is that to kill time, it looks like Muraco is applying a stomach claw but they aren't really working the hold. Bob makes a comeback and decides to use the head scissors as his next time killer of choice. Muraco regains control with an ankle hold and in one of the dumbest goofiest displays I have seen, it looks like Bob is dropping Muraco into a pinning combo but continues rocking like a rocking horse until he ends up being the one pinned. Final 20, Muraco back with a leg lock but that is the loosest leg lock in history. This shit is starting to fall apart. First, Muraco tries to turn a Bob monkey flip into a pin but that was botched then Don botches a rope roll up spot and flops to the mat n delayed fashion. After that, Don goes back to the leg because fuck, why not? Bob escapes by dropping a leg over Don's face and then starts working Don's legs because he hasn't done that yet. Cool deadlift spot out of a leglock though. I am digging Bob's Indian deathlock but this could have been done about 45 minutes ago. There are about 5 minutes to go. I tap out. I am at the point in my life where I don't want to see 2 guys go an hour in scientific match ups. It hurts even more when the work is poor. Multi-man hour long matches? Sure. This was just painful and I have still not found the great Muraco classic.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Yeah...that's great....since you don't listen to the show I don't see the point of all that ..but shine on, you crazy diamond.😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 You don't see the point of me posting reviews of matches you discussed on the shows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJRogers Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Will was goaded into it after dealing with bloated face Muraco from a 1988 SNME for Dangerous Alliance, and then talking with Pete about the upcoming Titans episode Sunday night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 It's actually Steven Graham's reviews I'd like to see for this one because I can't imagine anyone in the world actually preferring the broadway to the Texas Death Match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Neither has a shot at being on the WWF redux and reinforces my view that Muraco was a shit wrestler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 It's actually Steven Graham's reviews I'd like to see for this one because I can't imagine anyone in the world actually preferring the broadway to the Texas Death Match. Been busy and haven't re-watched yet. Will do ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Gagne Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Great belch at 1:49:01. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Is that enough to get a blurb in your column this week? ☺ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Parv will edit out my Valentine vs Dibiase debate challenge to him, but keeps Johnny's burp in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Lame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Parv will edit out my Valentine vs Dibiase debate challenge to him, but keeps Johnny's burp in. He's too busy right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted June 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 Actually Pete, I think that challenge is on there. Seems like something went wrong on the edit and the outro music is in there twice. Once about five mins before the end, then us talking, then the outro music again. I got about 8 hours sleep in a four day stretch last weekend, and I guess that's what you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 The Pro-Wrestling Super Show will gladly host this debate. An open invitation is out there for Pete and Parv to come on the show. Pete did well debating Dylan and he knows I host a fair debate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted June 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I will not have the debate if its terms are restricted to "in-ring only". Because I've never argued that. I just think career vs. career taking all things into account (character, memorable angles, promo ability, etc. etc.) Ted curb stomps Greg. If it's just in-ring, sure give it to Greg. If it's everything, total package, forget about it. I won't have the debate if it's just in-ring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I will not have the debate if its terms are restricted to "in-ring only". Because I've never argued that. I just think career vs. career taking all things into account (character, memorable angles, promo ability, etc. etc.) Ted curb stomps Greg. If it's just in-ring, sure give it to Greg. If it's everything, total package, forget about it. I won't have the debate if it's just in-ring. I assumed Pete meant the whole package, not just in ring. If Pete agrees to these terms then we are set for July. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted June 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I assumed he meant just in-ring, because I don't think the argument for total package can be made. Ted has too many all-time angles in his locker and was demonstrably a better talker -- the leader of stables rather than the member of one, which Greg was at various times and mostly needed a manager. Greg has Wahoo's Leg, what else? Ted was also a much better babyface. I mean I'd rather not have the debate because I think far far far far too much attention is paid to Ted in general. And I feel like a lot of attention has been paid to Greg too over the past year. I mean what's Pete really going to say we haven't heard a million times before? Tito feud was great. Piper feud was great. He was a good Backlund opponent. Wish we had footage of him tagging with Flair. Rah rah. Been there done it, ten times over. Same with Ted. Not trying to put a dampener, but in terms of a show people would actually be interested in, wouldn't two different guys be better? That's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I assumed he meant just in-ring, because I don't think the argument for total package can be made. Ted has too many all-time angles in his locker and was demonstrably a better talker -- the leader of stables rather than the member of one, which Greg was at various times and mostly needed a manager. Greg has Wahoo's Leg, what else? Ted was also a much better babyface. I mean I'd rather not have the debate because I think far far far far too much attention is paid to Ted in general. And I feel like a lot of attention has been paid to Greg too over the past year. I mean what's Pete really going to say we haven't heard a million times before? Tito feud was great. Piper feud was great. He was a good Backlund opponent. Wish we had footage of him tagging with Flair. Rah rah. Been there done it, ten times over. Same with Ted. Not trying to put a dampener, but in terms of a show people would actually be interested in, wouldn't two different guys be better? That's just me. Parv, people love hearing you talk about Ted. Plus we can have a suits vs ropes debate segment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted June 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 Method Man: Well what you know about emceein'? GZA: I know a lot Method Man: Well can you demonstrate somethin' nigga? GZA: I'd rather not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomethingSavage Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Great, great show. Just a truckload of fun to have the gang back together & talking shop in the '81 time frame. Loved the Dusty talk early on. Pete nailed it, calling him the John Wayne of wrestling & saying his fingerprints were all over the modern business. Parv's detailed descriptions of Finkel and the Baron had me cracking up.The "My Name Is" intro theme is tremendous, too. Thumbs up, guys. I'm glad we've got so much variety with the podcast feed these days, but it's cool to see you all keeping this project going. I'd hate to see it get derailed before we get to Snuka showing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Thanks for the praise man. The next show will finally conclude 1981 and then the plan is to plow through 82 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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