Between the Sheets #4 (August 11-17, 1992) (Featuring Emil Jay)

[KrisZ]

 

Kris Zellner and David Bixenspan are joined by Emil Jay (Piledriver Podcast) to discuss the week that was August 11-17, 1992. Listen to us pontificate about the beginning of the WWF/USWA relationship, 1992 G1 Climax Finals & NWA World Heavyweight Title ramifications, Genichiro Tenryu killing Masao Orihara, the insanity of Mr. Danger, early Rey Misterio Jr., & Bill Watts being Bill Watts!!!!!

 

http://placetobenation.com/between-the-sheets-4-august-11-17-1992/

[vikingsfan73]

I listened to the first hour at work today, another great job! At first glance, you wouldn't think there was enough stuff going on in any week to fill a three hour podcast, but these things just fly by. I remember Dave's coverage of that Japan trip, those were always my favorite issues of the Observer.

[Beast]

Another strong show. Love not knowing what year will be covered each week as it keeps things interesting. So much variety, basically like watching a yearbook disc.

[WrestlingPower]

I'm only 30 minutes in but the Bigelow talk each week almost screams for a show specifically on Bigelow to step thru his career path step-by-step. I didn't realize how disjointed his career was until hearing these.

[SomethingSavage]

With my schedule what it is right now, I pretty much have to bust up podcasts into separate hour-long stretches. So I've only just heard the first hour so far, but yeah. Can't get enough of this stuff.

 

Enjoying the hell out of the concept & the series. Every week is like taking a time warp back into a specific piece of wrestling's past, and you guys get to focus on the sort of shit that would usually fall through the cracks or just not get talked up at all under another topic. Plus we're getting fresh takes & new voices with the revolving door of guests, which is always a cool bonus.

The Lawler and WWF talk has me wanting to watch the McMemphis comp again. SO many awesome promos and interviews in that thing.

 

I couldn't agree more about the Mr. Perfect babyface turn. It still holds up as being a fantastic little self-contained angle. EVERY single character and personality involved with that story, from Vince to Heenan... over to Flair, Savage, and Hennig himself... all played their parts perfectly there.

 

And, call me crazy, but I just don't see Sting being a good fit for the WWF around this time. I *guess* maybe a case could be made where - in some alternate universe - he receives Bret's push and position for the next few years as a lead babyface. Or maybe he winds up with the Lex Express push in '93 opposite of Bret, and then that actually succeeds where Luger's run failed. In that case, we get both Bret AND Sting as top babyfaces for a few years, I suppose.

 

But meh. I think Sting was better off in WCW. That whole New Generation WWF era wasn't exactly getting the most out of everybody, and so I have a hard time buying into the idea that they would've hit this sudden home run with Sting there. Even if he was a new face, he was still a guy with neon tights and face-paint - and that wasn't unique or different enough to push anything forward or feel like progress in a time they were trying really hard to find that. And so Sting would've likely just felt like another holdover from the 80's. The WWF already had that in spades.

 

Plus we would've missed out on the Sting vs. Vader series, some of the Dangerous Alliance battles, the Regal matches, etc. And later we got that awesome little dynamic of the heel Lex / babyface Sting tag team for awhile there. I'll take the WCW run we actually got over some fantasy matches with the Clique crew - all of which could have been okay in theory, depending on how they good they decided they wanted to let Sting look on any given night, in any given town.

 

To be honest, I just don't know if I agree that a run - beginning in '92 or even '95 when the contract is up - for Sting in the WWF would've made him into anything more significant than what he wound up with in reality. The Crow Sting era was huge. He's getting residual pops, cheers, and fans from it to this day.

 

Sting in the New Generation era wouldn't have been as big a deal as '97 Sting in WCW. I don't think it matters if he would've been their World Champion for a year or not. The Crow gimmick is just bigger.

 

And if he misses out on that Nitro era for the sake of getting an Attitude Era run in the 'F, do they really use him as well or better? I think it's doubtful. I don't think the Crow gimmick lands on him there, and so what does an Attitude Era Sting really look like in the WWF? Does he drop the colors and the paint for leather jackets and street clothes? Does he get religious? Wasn't that Dustin Rhodes?

 

I mean, I have a hard time seeing any 90's WWF run being as successful or memorable as the Sting we actually got in WCW in the long run.

[Cobra Commander]

Was the "Chono and Muta were told to not overshadow WCW guys in 92" claim always bullshit?

[KrisZ]

I think there was something to do that

[WrestlingPower]

Larry Katz is the guy Bix was trying to think of. His radio show was out of Baltimore. He had an association with the MD/VA indie scene around that time and would do some ring announcing.

[Bix]

Larry Katz is the guy Bix was trying to think of. His radio show was out of Baltimore. He had an association with the MD/VA indie scene around that time and would do some ring announcing.

Yes, The Larry Katz Show. Thanks Tim.