The David Crockett Appreciation Thread

[sek69]

After watching the latest NWA episode on 24/7 where he single handedly tries to break up a fierce Magnum-Tully brawl, I've decided David Crockett is one of the main reasons to subscribe to the service right now. His indignant tone at any and all heelishness and is quasi-homoerotic love for Magnum T.A. are the kind of things sorely missing from wrestling today.

[KrisZ]

David Crockett MADE the heels and the faces with his reactions, sure most fans hated him later but he was a big time help in getting guys over on commentary.

[CodySave]

"Look at him Tony, LOOK AT HIM!"

 

How was Crockett regarded at the time? I assume the "smarter" fans thought he was an idiot, but in hindsight, he's really amazing at pushing the excitement of the action and making people seem important. A large part of why I like Don West is that he's a poor man's David Crockett. At times, West is the only one who can make some of TNA's crap appear sensible.

 

Crockett is incredible in the clip where the Mulkeys score the huge upset over the Gladiators. I believe KrisZ put it up as one of the Territorial Angles of the Day at the DVDVR board.

 

Actually, here's the clip so people can enjoy listening to David while reading about him. Sorry that I don't know how to imbed videos.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za-YNZ4vTOQ

[Loss]

By normal standards, David Crockett was horrible, but he was really effective, and I always thought he did a great job putting over title changes. When he said, "NEW World Tag Team Champions", it seemed like a big deal.

[maxpower]

I loved how in the beginning of an imprtant match Crockett would get all super serious and quiet like a psychotic golf announcer but nothing could ever beat his calls in those 3 minute Worldwide main events (that you never got to see the end of) where he'd just be screaming peoles names as they ran into the ring to join the brawl. He was just as excited as the crowd (and they were almost always excited) and it looks and sounds great compared to today where the announcer will be screaming at the top of his lungs how great something is while the crowd is farting all over it.

[PeteF3]

Low-Key Crockett was the best...you KNEW serious shit had gone down when David freaking Crockett can barely bring himself to speak.

 

"The Nightmare has come true, for all of us" being the pre-eminent example, after Nikita won Match #7 to win the U.S. championship. You'd swear Nikita had just shot Ronald Reagan in cold blood.

 

Fuck it. Crockett >>> Schiavone, and not just Nitro-era Schiavone, I mean back then.

[jdw]

How was Crockett regarded at the time? I assume the "smarter" fans thought he was an idiot, but in hindsight, he's really amazing at pushing the excitement of the action and making people seem important.

Smart fans at the time hated him, and actually thought Tony was good.

 

If you actually *listen* to 1985-87 matches before Ross showed up, and get past Crockett getting excited as all hell... you'll notice that:

 

( a ) Tony talks in generalities, focusing on quasi-storylines while fluffing his way through the play-by-play.

 

( b ) Crockett actually calls shit better than Tony, even though he's not exactly the play-by-play man. He calls the hold, and will even put over the pain/pressure/etc. Tony is more in "Whatta Manuever!" mode. Crockett does both - calls the hold and explains it while also sporting wood over it.

 

Tony, in re-watching from the 80s, really is mediocre. It surprised me, since back in the 80s I was annoyed like everyone about David stroking his cock on TV every weekend. But he actually combined the excitement with the calling of the match well. Tony faked his way through calling the match, and I think in hindsight it's obvious that he faked his way through a lot of the excitement as well other than his favorites.

 

Crockett is a bit like late 70s, early 80s McMahon on rewatch - they're a lot better than given credit for. Vince calling a good match at MSG is really good in the context of the era. I'll take Vince of that era over Solie any day.

 

 

John

[Bix]

Wait, there are people who don't like late '70s-early '80s Vince? I've never come across them.

[sek69]

80s Vince annoyed me at times with the "WHATTAMANEUVER~!" stuff. At least Crockett sounded so excited he forgot the move names, Vince sounded like he couldn't be bothered to learn the move names.

[Loss]

They're referring to more pre-Hogan era Vince as an announcer. Late 70s/early 80s.

[Marty]

Yeah, mid-to-late 70s/early 80s Vince was pretty good as an announcer (fun to listen to these days as well, since it was before they always went with a two (or more) announcer tandem). I actually always liked Vince as an interviewer as well. He never had the voice of Gene Okerlund, but he did a fine job getting talent over and making them larger than life.

 

Might be just me, but I'm guessing once Vince Jr. took over the company and became even more entrenched in the promoting aspect than ever before, it's when he paid less attention to the finer details of his announcing work.

[sek69]

Vince was pretty bad on that show from 1973 they had on 24/7, there was LONG periods of silence where I was wondering if he fell asleep at the table.

[Loss]

For at least the fourth time, LATE 70S, EARLY 80S.

 

[Marty]

Also, did they take out some commentary out for whatever reason from those broadcasts? I've heard those long periods of silence before (even during the era of Vince that we've been talking about) and I've often wondered that.

[jdw]

Wait, there are people who don't like late '70s-early '80s Vince? I've never come across them.

I've run across people who never thought Vince was any good, while thinking Solie was the god of the era.

 

 

John

[jdw]

Also, did they take out some commentary out for whatever reason from those broadcasts? I've heard those long periods of silence before (even during the era of Vince that we've been talking about) and I've often wondered that.

I don't think Vince felt the need to constantly talk. In contrast, Monsoon liked to talk to just hear his own voice.

 

 

John