sek69 Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 You know when you have your first real girlfriend, and you think it's going to last forever? Invariably life gets in the way, and you end up drifting apart for whatever reason. You move on, find love elswhere. Maybe even get married. Then, years later, you come across a photo or some keepsake that reminds you of that first love and the memories come back. That's how I felt watching the WCCW TV comps I got from KZ this past week. WCCW was the very first wrestling promotion I ever watched thanks to the 4 pm airings on ESPN every weekday. Everything was just like I remembered it, that rolling drumbeat themesong, the somewhat-dumpy looking Sportatorium with the red hot crowd inexplicably only being held back from the ring with what looks like your Gramma's clothesline, Marc Lowrance running for his life as the main event starts while he's in the middle of his ring introductions. It's amazing how well everything holds up all these years later, the crowds they drew were so hot you still get sucked into every feud and angle even though you know how they turn out. And come on, who still doesn't mark out to "Badstreet USA"? It's amazing that SK used to use the Hayes/Garvin Freebirds as his measuring stick of suck, when all they did was try to do what the 'Birds always did: They used to just stand there and get insane heat from the crowd. For some reason, despite early 90s WCW still being almost exclusively Southern, the act didn't translate to a national level. It's still a sight to see the Texas crowd go nuts just at the mere sight of the Freebirds just because they dared to challenge their local heroes. It is interesting watching my first wrestling experience with smarked-out eyes now. It's hard to watch a Kerry match and not try to guess if it's before or after his foot was amputated or try to see if he's visibly intoxicated. It's kind of funny seeing Gordy execute the Asian Spike (which was pushed like it was an almost fatal move) and see how it's clearly just a run of the mill nerve type hold. It's also kind of creepy at times watching and realizing everyone in the match currently playing is dead except for the referee. I've moved on to other loves in wrestling, like ROH or TNA, but it was a nice trip down memory lane watching these discs and going back to that time where I'd rush home from school just in time to turn the TV on during the opening credits of WCCW. *bum-dadda-bum-dadda-bum-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUUUUUN-DUN* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 I was a huge WCCW fan as well, but the time I really got into it, unfortunately, was the time Memphis basically took over the territory. And I missed the glory days as they were happening and instead had to rely on the afternoon Legends programs, which were of much older footage. It's surreal watching old WCCW footage now, since everyone except Michael Hayes, Jimmy Garvin and Kevin Von Erich is dead for the most part. Adams. Gino. The rest of the Von Erichs, including Fritz. Terry Gordy. Sunshine, the first female valet ever, was manic depressive and eventually had to get out of the business because she had severe mental problems. And it's weird, and sad, and telling, how they were on top of the world from 1982-1985, and they fell so quickly. I guess the lesson is that promotions should never rest on their laurels, but more than that, there's a lot to be said about the underbelly of wrestling at a very extreme level in WCCW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted December 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 You know what's messed up? If you watch the shows back when it was still an NWA territory, you know who shows up? Jake F'N Roberts. Of all people to still be alive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 It's also kind of creepy at times watching and realizing everyone in the match currently playing is dead except for the referee. There is no way in hell Bronco Lubich (sic?) is still alive. He could be but I wouldn't bet on it. While you were receiving your WCCW from KZ, I have been converting a ton of footage from 1982-84. I was going to cut them up and make comps from the comps but there is no need. Even the sub-par matches have a purpose and are worth watching in the grand scheme of things. Hell, one of the most entertianing feuds going on at the time was Iceman King Parsons vs. Buddy Roberts and neither is what I would label as a phenomenal worker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted December 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 David Manning was the ref for a lot of the matches, he's the one I was talking about. He co hosted that DVD Kevin made, and he looks different without his giant 80s white guy 'fro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 No lie, my uncle (by marriage) looked like friggin David Manning.. and gasp... his name was Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SweetMama Scaat Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 one of the most entertianing feuds going on at the time was Iceman King Parsons vs. Buddy Roberts and neither is what I would label as a phenomenal worker. You should tell us about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHawk Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 I think Bronco Lubich is still alive, actually. I thought I saw a thread on the Kayfabe Memories board that said his health wasn't the best these days, but he's still ticking. And yes, Jake Roberts is still alive but half the top names aren't. Weird how life turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 one of the most entertianing feuds going on at the time was Iceman King Parsons vs. Buddy Roberts and neither is what I would label as a phenomenal worker. You should tell us about it. The short version: Parsons was teaming with various Von Erichs against the Freebirds. These two would get paired up in singles matches culmiinating in a hair vs. hair match in which Buddy Roberts lost so Roberts ended up wearing a wig and headgear ala Kurt Angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EastCoastJ Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 I absolutely loved World Class. I was just watching Kerry Von Erich and Bruiser Brody vs. The Freebirds from the June 17, 1983 Wrestling Star Wars from Reunion Arena where they were packing in a 17,000+ sellout with a couple thousand turned away at the door. The promo Michaels Hayes did before the match was easily one of the best promos that I have ever seen, and there really is nothing in wrestling like The Freebirds coming down through the crowded aisles to the ring in Texas with the Georgia/Confederated flag. Von Erich and Brody came out to the Star Wars theme and took the American Tag Team Championship when Brody bodyslammed Kerry Von Erich on to Terry Gordy for the pin. Unbelievable scene. Does anyone know anywhere to get decent quality World Class affordably? I don't have nearly as much as I would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SweetMama Scaat Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Howd Parsons work character wise? Did he turn face and join the Freebirds or did he turn heel against them?...or did neither happen...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Does anyone know anywhere to get decent quality World Class affordably? I don't have nearly as much as I would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Thread Killer Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 I used to have a buddy when I was in High School who had a Satellite Dish (and this was back in the days when the Dish was so damn big it took up half your backyard.) He would always tape World Class for me. Some of my happiest memories are saving those tapes for the weekend and then finally getting the TV to myself and watching hours of World Class. My favorite was Bruiser Brody of course...and any time that Abdullah came through and he and Brody would have one of their famous all around the arena brawls, culminating in Brody bashing Abby over the head with a garbage can repeatedly. They were just nothing brawls, but those two used to match up so well, I loved to watch them go at it. Abby would either chop Brody in the throat with that upward thrust, or stab him in the head with a fork, and Brody would answer back with a huge overhead punch, and they'd just go back and forth. They'd always end up in a no contest or double countout, and you always knew that would happen, but it never mattered to me. I saw those guys fight in AJPW in 81, WWC in Puerto Rico, Central States, Montreal International Wrestling (where ABBY was the face and BRODY was the heel) but my favorites were always their brawls in Texas. I'd pay big money to get an Abby/Brody comp or a tape of their best brawls from World Class. Good times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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