NWA On Demand

[shoe]

I get it, I'm a video nerd and a film buff who knew what aspect ratios were before a lot of people--hell, I was buying widescreen VHS tapes when I was a kid. But it's not quite the same bag because the nature of old wrestling production and discovery makes it closer to unearthed home movies than a classic film archive. I'm so used to watching files and discs of many, many good and bad quality levels that it doesn't faze me anymore.

 

Now, I agree that stretching them was completely unnecessary and misunderstanding of his target market, which is more likely to crave correct AR. It just doesn't override the actual footage for me.

How should our tv be rendered to get the best result watching the matches.

[PhilTLL]

The stretch job is pretty clean, without the funhouse mirror effect on the margins, so some people might enjoy it in forced 4:3 on their TV/monitor. I watched the second Flair/Wahoo match in 4:3 alongside the same one from the Mid South set and it wasn't all that different. Motion enhance is not my thing, but I'd use a setting like "Smooth" or "Sports" or whatever if it was.

 

The audio mix is a bit more troublesome. Problems here and there include each commentator in a separate channel, the crowd noise in one or the other, the ring noise in one or the other, no sound at all in one channel, etc. A lot of TVs will auto mix these days, which is good, and if you have an amplifier you can use a mono mixdown setting (like "Mono Movie" on my Yamaha) and that should sort out most of them. But you may need to mess with the internal mixer on your PC if you're watching that way.

[pantherwagner]

I thought Chavo vs. Bock was promised on the original press release but I haven't seen it there.

 

Also, I am looking forward to the day this gets uploaded (if it ever does!)

 

5/24/74 – Houston, TX @ Sam Houston Coliseum
NWA Champion Jack Brisco vs. Mil Mascaras in a 2/3 falls match
AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens vs. Gran Markus & El Solitario

[pantherwagner]

So from what's available, has anything come up to disprove my theory that Mil Mascaras is like an inverse Hulk Hogan in terms of effort put forth outside his home country? 95% of the US based matches I've seen him in were underwhelming and probably most of his quality Mexico stuff was in the era before footage was widely available.

 

A lot of what Mascaras did is, but I thought his best work was in Japan. I have yet to be impressed by anything that I have seen in the US.

[goc]

I thought Chavo vs. Bock was promised on the original press release but I haven't seen it there.

 

Also, I am looking forward to the day this gets uploaded (if it ever does!)

 

5/24/74 – Houston, TX @ Sam Houston Coliseum

NWA Champion Jack Brisco vs. Mil Mascaras in a 2/3 falls match

AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens vs. Gran Markus & El Solitario

I don't think they really have footage going back that far. They uploaded 2 "matches" from the early 70s but it was really just pictures in a slideshow narrated by Paul Boesch.

[Matt D]

I really think Shoe should take one for the team and make a spreadsheet detailing each card from the appropriate time period, whether or not a match has already been in circulation, and then whether or not it's been posted yet, and maintain the master. It could be something Tharpe would be interested in too.

[goc]

I really think Shoe should take one for the team and make a spreadsheet detailing each card from the appropriate time period, whether or not a match has already been in circulation, and then whether or not it's been posted yet, and maintain the master. It could be something Tharpe would be interested in too.

I would rather we run a poll for that job with Matt D and shoe as the candidates

[shoe]

You're insane, but sounds like a perfect anal retentive thing up Parv's alley.

[pantherwagner]

 

I thought Chavo vs. Bock was promised on the original press release but I haven't seen it there.

 

Also, I am looking forward to the day this gets uploaded (if it ever does!)

 

5/24/74 – Houston, TX @ Sam Houston Coliseum

NWA Champion Jack Brisco vs. Mil Mascaras in a 2/3 falls match

AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens vs. Gran Markus & El Solitario

I don't think they really have footage going back that far. They uploaded 2 "matches" from the early 70s but it was really just pictures in a slideshow narrated by Paul Boesch.

 

 

That's a shame. Sometime I read that they had stock starting from the 60s so I took that literally.

 

So there's this legend of a match where Kintaro Oki tried to shoot on Thesz to go back to Japan as NWA champion. Key word being "tried" as Thesz made a point of making it a long slow beat up. Oki and Thesz eventually became good friends (Thesz carried Oki's wheelchair at some events decades later). The legend says that this was taped and never shown on TV but it was part of the Boesch archive.

[Matt D]

You're insane, but sounds like a perfect anal retentive thing up Parv's alley.

 

I don't know anything about Houston wrestling!

 

I'd have suggested Kris but he probably would have hoarded the spreadsheet once he made it.

[KrisZ]

No way in hell.....I just do results

[Matt D]

Can we delete the last six or seven posts before Parv gets back from his holiday and pretend like we went to him first?

[khawk20]

 

 

I thought Chavo vs. Bock was promised on the original press release but I haven't seen it there.

 

Also, I am looking forward to the day this gets uploaded (if it ever does!)

 

5/24/74 – Houston, TX @ Sam Houston Coliseum

NWA Champion Jack Brisco vs. Mil Mascaras in a 2/3 falls match

AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens vs. Gran Markus & El Solitario

I don't think they really have footage going back that far. They uploaded 2 "matches" from the early 70s but it was really just pictures in a slideshow narrated by Paul Boesch.

 

 

That's a shame. Sometime I read that they had stock starting from the 60s so I took that literally.

 

So there's this legend of a match where Kintaro Oki tried to shoot on Thesz to go back to Japan as NWA champion. Key word being "tried" as Thesz made a point of making it a long slow beat up. Oki and Thesz eventually became good friends (Thesz carried Oki's wheelchair at some events decades later). The legend says that this was taped and never shown on TV but it was part of the Boesch archive.

 

 

Well it might be. They could have matches dating back that far on tape and maybe haven't converted them yet.

 

The still pic stuff I've read about is disconcerting a little in that regard, but you never know.

[goc]

If you want to know about any of the matches that no one has reviewed yet, shout them out and I'll watch it and post my thoughts.

[shoe]

Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor 5/3/85

 

 

This match made the Mid-South set. Taylor was one of the few guys like a Steamboat or Windham who could work holds with Flair. Watching Flair work underneath Taylor working holds is pretty interesting because Flair is one of the best at not sitting in holds. He's looking for outs or counters. Taylor moves from the wristlock to the headlock. Ric looks to go after the leg to counter.In a cool moment, Taylor cranks the headlock and that stops that idea. Taylor goes back to the head lock in a good piece of story telling. Hip toss by Flair looks to give Flair some momentum. Flair does it a couple of times. Taylor blocks a 4th one and gives one to Flair. Flair manipulates Taylor into the corner and it's time to go to school. Taylor tries to fire up, but Flair cuts him off. Taylor finally explodes. It looks like Taylor has the match in hand, but Flair gives him a low blow. We have morphed from a technical battle into a battle of stiff chops. Flair is a nice touch shows Taylor how you work an arm. Flair getting serious heat from the crowd by using the ropes for leverage. Taylor is pretty great in his selling. Taylor makes a comeback Flair feeds him. Screw job finish. 4 1/2*

 

@ Houston, TX – Sam Houston Coliseum – May 3, 1985 (4,700)
Tom Prichard fought Mark Ragin to a draw
Dutch Mantell d. Terry Daniels
Brickhouse Brown & Tony Torres d. The Dirty White Boys
Jake Roberts d. Steve Casey
The Barbarian fought Hacksaw Duggan to a DDQ
Mid-South Tag Titles: Ted DiBiase & Steve Williams d. The Rock n Roll Express ©
Bounty Match: Kamala d. Kerry Von Erich
NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair © d. Terry Taylor

[Matt D]

I watched Gino vs Bob Markus. I'm not familiar with Markus but he was fine in this role. I haven't seen too many Gino matches in my life either (a handful at most), so I wanted an introduction through this that wasn't one of the bigger matches. I liked this, especially the early transitions, first with Gran Markus' interference and distraction, and then with a sense of strategy (Gino went for the leg, so Markus countered by going for the leg too). Back half of the match is a bit of a blur to me now as I watched it last night but all in all, I liked it as an intro to Gino.

[khawk20]

Is it Bob Markus or El Gran Markus? Bob was a Toronto job-type guy later on if I remember right, used vs. WWF guys on a lot of Maple Leaf Wrestling telecasts. I don't think they're the same guy.

[shoe]

Superstar Graham vs Tiger Conaway Jr. 2/7/79

 

 

This is boils down to Superstar's strength vs Conway's heart. Man this is one big rest hold. Conway goes for the Adominal stretch. This was pretty bad. Dud

[Matt D]

Is it Bob Markus or El Gran Markus? Bob was a Toronto job-type guy later on if I remember right, used vs. WWF guys on a lot of Maple Leaf Wrestling telecasts. I don't think they're the same guy.

Bob was the opponent. Gran was the partner of Gino who was on the outside.

[shoe]

Is it Bob Markus or El Gran Markus? Bob was a Toronto job-type guy later on if I remember right, used vs. WWF guys on a lot of Maple Leaf Wrestling telecasts. I don't think they're the same guy.

Both guys are on the set. He's talking Bob.

[shoe]

Fantastics vs Eddie Gilbert/Jerry Grey 7/26/85

 

Houston loves them some Fantastics. Grey is a guy I haven't seen that much of. I've seen him as a jobber in JCP and seemed pretty good. We get a pretty fun Fantastics shine. Gilbert's sell job of a Fulton punch was over the top greatness. The Fantastics are great at targeting Gilbert's arm. Gilbert is great at putting little wrinkles in things. Grey trips up Fulton to set up the heat. The crowd immediately gets behind the Fatastics. The heat segment was pretty solid. Hot tag goes right into a flash pin. This was good stuff, and a real fun Gilbert performance. 2 3/4*

 

 

Not sure if this has been in circulation before.

 

This was the card.

 

Boesch @ Houston, TX – Sam Houston Coliseum – July 26, 1985 (7,600)
Wendell Cooley d. Carl Styles
Al Perez d. Pat Rose
The Barbarian & Jake Roberts d. Brickhouse Brown & Mark Ragin
The Fantastics d. Eddie Gilbert & Jerry Grey
Butch Reed d. Dutch Mantell
Hacksaw Duggan & Bill Watts d. Kamala & Mr. Kareem Muhammad by DQ
Steel Cage Match for the Mid-South Tag Titles: Ted DiBiase & Steve Williams © d. Chavo & Hector Guerrero
Dick Murdoch d. The Nightmare
NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair © d. Wahoo McDaniel

[JerryvonKramer]

Finally getting to dig into this, the commentary by Tharpe and the other guy is mostly well done, right tone and pitched in the right place for the footage. Just watched Race vs. Andre (review forthcoming in my Race thread).

 

I have it streaming from my desktop to my TV via a Google chomecast. That means it's in the next room, so after the match finished, Tiger Conway Jr vs Superstar Graham came on randomly. I'm trying to watch things fresh and review afterwards.

 

Footage looks great on the big TV.

[JerryvonKramer]

Superstar Billy Graham vs Tiger Conway Jr. (2/7/79)

 

This came on randomy after Race vs. Andre. A lot of schtick from Graham here, and it's obvious he's from the same school of "can't wrestle, won't wrestle" as Jesse Ventura. A lot of boring holds here eat up much of the 20 minutes, but we do get moments of action too. The two most interesting aspects of this match are:

 

1. The time limit draw --> "let's work five minutes more" finish, and going as far as repeating it.

 

2. Tiger Conway Jr.'s cool Sly-and-the-Family-Stone-style voice.

 

Conway looked like he could be an effective babyface to me, but Graham was just so limited in what he could do.

 

*

[RCS1988]

This could probably turn into a podcast called the TOHW. Titans of Houston Wrestling.

[JerryvonKramer]

A couple of days late to the party but Andre vs Race felt epic. I wonder if it was one of those matches that people in the arena talked about for months, but that has been lost in time.

I've been reviewing Race matches from 1982 from Texas where they are still talking about the time Race slammed Andre, so it was years rather than months.