Letters from Kayfabe

[cheapshot]

Letters from Kayfabe #11

http://placetobenation.com/letters-from-kayfabe-11/

Allan and Parv bring in JT Rozzero from the Event Center studio to join them to form a threesome for a whole hour of hot mailbag action.

1. The Mailbag: Royal Rumble 94 / Ludvig Borga / The Berzerker

2. The Event Center with JT Rozzero: Vince McMahon indicted for steriods in 1991

3. The Long Topic: The early Raws WWF production in 1993-4

JT’s in-depth article on Ludvig Borga: http://placetobenation.com/filth-pollution-corruption-the-ballad-of-ludvig-borga/

For more on the great family of podcasts at Place to Be Nation check out: http://placetobenation.com/podcasts/

[The Chief]

Apparently Borga had some very un-PC tattoos they needed to cover up which is why he wore the longer tights. Tony Halme also released an album which I really need to check out before I die: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mestarit_salilla. Ludvig Borga, renaissance man!

 

My personal favorite Berzerker/John Nord moment was when he showed up in WCW years later. On the front of his t-shirt, it read "If you don't like me... see back" It actually said see back. Then he turned around and the back said "There's something wrong with you!" He was so damn proud of this shirt. This was high comedy he needed to share with the world but only the enlightened got the joke. Tremendous.

[KB8]

"Height of my I.R.S. fandom." I love the idea of Parv running around telling his classmates to ditch the Pogs and put down the Pokemon for ten minutes to watch the taxman win the IC belt.

 

Ludgiv Borga was a total enigma for me as seven year old. He was scheduled to appear so often and he always seemed to be replaced by someone. Wasn't he replaced in the '94 Rumble by Virgil or Bob Holly or something? Rubbish.

[Bigelow34]

Virgil replaced Kamala and Holly replaced 1-2-3 Kid. Since I am watching all these Raws right now, here is Pettengil's list from the final RR Report:

 

Crush, Kamala, Owen Hart, Mabel, Scott Steiner, Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Adam Bomb, Bam Bam Bigelow, Randy Savage, 1-2-3 Kid, Fatu, Samu, Bret Hart, Rick Steiner, Bob Backlund, Greg Valentine, Billy Gunn, Bart Gunn, Rick Martel, Bastion Booger, Marty Jannetty, Doink, Jeff Jarrett, Tatanka, Ludvig Borga, Tenryu, Great Kabuki & Lex Luger

 

So it looks like Kwang perhaps? Both he and Holly debuted on TV within a week after the Rumble so they must have pushed them ahead here.

[KB8]

Yeah, I listened on a bit and you guys mentioned that Virgil was the Kamala replacement. Who replaced Bastion Booger? He was another guy that seemed to be scheduled to show up and never did so. I started watching all the '94 RAWs a few years back and Bastion did guest commentary on one episode where all he did was make bad food puns. I think it was Holly's TV debut that episode and Booger said he should start wearing a helmet because people were sick of him already. Oh, Bastion. How right you were.

[The Chief]

That's another potential topic, the "interim" guest commentators post-Heenan. They had somebody different each week before settling on.....was it a returning Lawler? I can't remember. I always loved Crush on commentary for all the wrong reasons.

[KB8]

I got up to Wrestlemania with the RAWs and they hadn't settled on anyone by that point. They had Whippleman, Savage, IRS, Booger, one time they had Ross. I think they had DiBiase once as well.

[PeteF3]

No one replaced Booger--his spot was empty, with Vince and Ted assuming it was supposed to be the injured Bret.

[Bigelow34]

Yeah Booger never showed up, just a red herring to make you think Hart was out.

 

Savage returns to the booth after WM10 I believe and then Lawler steps in when he leaves in October.

 

There were some good rotating guests during that stretch. Crush wasn't as bad as I thought he would be but the Quebecers, Cornette and Polo all stood out as especially good.

[KB8]

I remember Polo now, actually. Yeah, he was always pretty fun.

 

 

No one replaced Booger--his spot was empty, with Vince and Ted assuming it was supposed to be the injured Bret.

 

Oh yeah, that's right.

[The Chief]

I actually thought HBK was a very good heel commentator during that stretch.

[landy1987]

There was some controversy when Booger picked out his number during the WWF Mania broadcast that morning, although I don't believe anything about that was mentioned during the Rumble broadcast itself, here's the video of it:

 

https://youtu.be/_D-GlrBpcZk?t=21m30s

[cheapshot]

Letters from Kayfabe #12

http://placetobenation.com/letters-from-kayfabe-12/

Allan and Parv welcome back JT Rozzero for another dip into the sack.

1. The Mailbag: Akio Sato comeback appearance / Rockers break-up / Zeus

2. The Event Center with JT Rozzero: Survivor Series 89

3. The Long Topic: The Presidential Rulings of Jack Tunney, Part 2

4. WWF Magazine corner: “Dino Bravo’s new strategy”

To write in to the mailbag, tweet @allan_cheapshot and @JerryvonK

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For more on the great family of podcasts at Place to Be Nation, visit http://placetobenation.com/podcasts

[cheapshot]

Letters from Kayfabe #13

http://placetobenation.com/letters-from-kayfabe-13/

Allan and Parv are back with another week of fun fumbling about in the sack.

1. The Mailbag: Jose Estrada as a Conquistador / Friar Ferguson and Bastion Booger / Did Piper take a pinfall?

2. The Event Center with JT Rozzero: 4 house shows on November 30th 1991

3. The Long Topic: Three-Man Demolition

4. WWF Magazine Corner: “Viewpoints by Terrific Terry Taylor”

The Pro Wrestling Only Network features great shows you can find right here at Place to Be Nation. By subscribing on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ptbn-wrestling-network/id715657490?mt=2) or SoundCloud (http://soundcloud.com/prowrestlingonly), you’ll have access to new episodes, bonus content, as well as a complete archive of all shows on the Network!

For more on the great family of podcasts at Place to Be Nation, visit: http://placetobenation.com/podcasts

[cheapshot]

Letters from Kayfabe #15

http://placetobenation.com/letters-from-kayfabe-15/

Allan and Parv answer more listener questions about the deepest recesses of the WWF.

1. The Mailbag: Bertha Faye / New Foundation and High Energy / Good Hogan Matches

2. The Event Center with JT Rozzero: In Your House – Seasons Beatings (95)

3. The Long Topic: Summerslam Spectacular and Survivor Series Showdown

To write in to the mailbag there is now an email address, [email protected] or send a self-addressed envelop to PO BOX 227, Kayfabe Towers.

Also, back by Heroic demand, the youtube playlist:

[Johnny Sorrow]

I always thought Bertha Faye would be an awesome lay. She'd be a tiger in the sack.

[The Chief]

Double Trouble's WWE story could probably be a Letters From Kayfabe topic...

[JRH]

There was also a 1994 Summerslam Spectacular, but it was titled Sunday Night Slam. Here's the results:

 

 

 

8/1/94; Youngstown, OH; Beeghly Center
8/21/94 - featured an in-ring interview with WWF World Champion Bret Hart in which he discussed his steel cage title defense against his brother Owen at Summer Slam; the interview was conducted at a WWF Superstars taping:
The Undertaker (w/ Ted Dibiase) defeated Sonny Rogers
WWF IC Champion Diesel (w/ Shawn Michaels) pinned Typhoon in a non-title match at around 4:20 with a boot to the face and clothesline
Bull Nakano defeated Heidi Lee Morgan (sub. for WWF Women's Champion Alundra Blayze)
Razor Ramon defeated Todd Becker
Bam Bam Bigelow & IRS defeated Bob Holly & 1-2-3 Kid
Lex Luger pinned Crush with the running forearm after Crush became distracted by Ted Dibiase at ringside

 

and here's the 1994 Survivor Series Showdown (also with the SNS name):

 

11/20/94 - featured Gorilla Monsoon & Stan Lane on commentary; included a video package highlighting Bob Backlund's loss of the WWF World Title in 1983, his title match against Bret Hart in July, the post-match attack on Hart, the many people Backlund had recently locked in the Crossface Chicken Wing, and the alteraction last week on Raw between Backlund and Hart; featured a Survivor Series event center with comments from Chuck Norris regarding his officiating duties in the Undertaker / Yokozuna casket match:

The Smoking Gunns defeated the Heavenly Bodies (w/ Jim Cornette) at around the 14-minute mark when Billy pinned Tom Prichard with a crucifix into a sunset flip (Mega Matches 95) (11/8/94; Bushkill, PA)
Davey Boy Smith defeated Owen Hart via disqualification at around the 11-minute mark when Bob Backlund attacked Smith and locked him in the Crossface Chicken Wing after Owen faked a leg injury; moments later, WWF World Champion Bret Hart knocked Owen out of the ring, ripped off Backlund's shirt, and attempted to lock him in the Sharpshooter until Owen pulled Backlund out to the floor (11/8/94; Bushkill, PA)
Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji & Jim Cornette) pinned John Chrystal at 1:06 with a uranage (11/7/94; Bushkill, PA)

[cheapshot]

Thanks for filling in the holes!

[JRH]

For a topic idea, how about matches from around this timeframe (80s-mid 90s) that potentially could have happened but didnt?

[The Chief]

I always wondered what a Bret Hart vs Rick Rude match would look like in 89-90

[BigBadMick]

U.S. express v Harts in 1985, purely for Windham v Bret.

[Beast]

In general, the influx of NWA talent around 1989 (Garvin, Windham, Anderson, Blanchard) is full of missed opportunities. Brainbusters got a chance to work with every major face team, but neither did anything as a singles. Garvin was past his prime, but could still go. Windham was there on TV for like 6 months and only has footage against Santana and Horner.

 

Also wish we got Savage vs. Perfect at some point. Could have happened late-1988 or early 1989 as face vs heel or late 1992 if Perfect didn't turn immediately upon his return.

[JRH]

Ted Dibiase vs Curt Hennig could have been fun.

[thebrainfollower]

One of the things that bugs me about Savage's title reign was the poor variety of his opponents. He fought against Dibiase, Andre, Bad News and occasionally Akeem. That's about it other than a few TV matches.

 

Compare that to Hogan in any year 84-87 and he took on EVERYONE. That Dibiase feud lasted way longer than it had too to be honest at least as far as house shows go. A Rude program would have made perfect sense (assuming Randy would play ball on Rude hitting on Liz). Perfect would have been tougher because you'd have to job him out early and that kinda ends the perfect gimmick. But in general there are a lot of heels Randy SHOULD have had matches with in 88 that he didn't.