Sunday, December 4, 2016
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Doink, Undertaker & more
Previously, I was talking (generally speaking) about how certain characters should be failures/successes, only to somehow do the opposite. I'd like to delve deeper into a few characters, specifically. How many I end up mentioning hasn't been determined, so this could awhile.
Doink the Clown
Played by several people over the years, Matt Bourne likely being the best remembered, Doink is a character that, by all rights, should've been a massive failure. I won't claim that Doink was a great success. However, I'm of the opinion that Doink was a far better character then often given credit for. At least, this holds true when Doink was a heel. As a face, not so much. Definitely as a heel.
When Doink was a heel, as you'd expect, he'd pull pranks on the faces. It would be common tactics, like dumping a bucket of water on an unsuspecting wrestler. I believe he once used a trip wire on the Big Boss Man. Nailing Crush with a prosthetic arm started a feud between the two.
If he had difficulties beating his opponent, a second Doink (played by the likes of Steve Keirn, Steve Lombardi, etc.) would come out replace the first Doink. A switcheroo would take place with Doink #2 hiding under the ring. Doink #1, when needed, would roll under the ring. While the ref and opponent where distracted on one side of the ring, the second Doink would crawl out from the opposite side of the ring and continue the match.
While a standard tactic, typically involving masked wrestlers, the right people managed to play the part. I've said for years that you can get a truly horrible idea. With the right person, you can get just about anything over. Some ideas, however, are just so horrible, nobody can make it work.
A face Doink is one of those things that I feel never stood a chance. Everyone expects the bad guys to eventually get what's coming to them. When your character is based around the idea that you're pranking others, pranking others constantly is something a jerk would typically do.
I know good people do pranks of their own. I get it. We've all pranked others at one point or another. Those that do it non-stop are the ones that are typically disliked by others. Nobody likes it when someone else is doing it so often to others. So, when a good guy does it, it makes others ask what the hell are they thinking?
I would think if a bad guy gets pranked, that just motivates them to kick your ass. Good guys would really be no different on this concept. Did WWE forget that heels want retribution when they're being jacked around by others? I can see using pranks if the bad guy starts the feud, as a way of annoying them. But, that just doesn't feel like something a good guy would typically do for very long.
It's any wonder why face Doink didn't do so well.
Undertaker
When the concept of the Undertaker was first put to paper, WWE creative staff must've been wondering what the fuck Vince McMahon was thinking. I know I would've questioned his sanity. How are you supposed to book a character like this? We're talking about an undead wrestler who either can't feel pain or has an insanely high tolerance to pain. This is a character that wasn't supposed to be knocked down easily. When knocked down, he couldn't be kept down long. No way anyone could beat him by submission, as he couldn't feel pain. You can't keep him down long enough to pin him.
To say that booking him would be difficult. Granted, Undertaker was created when jobbers were frequently used, so it would be easy enough to give him a huge winning streak. When facing top stars, he only lost when somehow counted out or disqualified.
One of the early questions had to have been "how do we book him in title situations?" After all, a character like this should be capable of easily dominating any champion that got in his way.
Yet, through no small miracle, Undertaker became a success rather quickly. After 25 years, approximately, Undertaker's popularity is still going strong.
No selling his opponents was a huge necessity in the early days. In order to look invincible, Taker had to look like he couldn't be hurt. Selling anyone's offense would've destroyed the credibility of the character. It goes to the same point whenever you have a monster character. You need them to look devastating. If King Kong Bundy or Big John Studd looked like any average wrestler could hurt them, they wouldn't be effective as big men. Same logic with Undertaker.
Granted, as time progressed and attitudes changed, Undertaker was able to move away from being completely indestructible. He was eventually able to take on a few "human" qualities. This included having flaws, including the ability to make mistakes, having emotions cloud his judgement, and so on. His character was able to retain certain supernatural characteristics and high tolerances for pain. Even now, people will still enjoy characters with supernatural powers.
Don't believe me? Just pay attention to TV or movies. Every so often, another movie will come along involving one or more characters with superpowers. Harry Potter was popular because of magical powers. Not much of a difference between magic powers and super powers. It's all in the technicalities.
For Undertaker to keep his "powers" throughout most of his career, most fans didn't seem to care. It wasn't that anyone really believed that Taker could "rise from the dead", whenever placed in a casket. Somehow works in religion, but that's a discussion best avoided for this blog.
This could be a good example of the right person playing the part. Typically, most fans will suspend reality....but only so far. When it becomes a bit ridiculous, such as the Katie Vick angle, fans will have only so much patience before finally having a few shitfits.
Speaking of ridiculous stuff, I have to ask why certain people are tortured with so many bad ideas. Glenn Jacobs would be a prime example of this. A wrestling dentist. Fake Diesel. The Katie Vick angle. If I'm not mistaken, he was a Christmas Creature, at one point......or some shit similar to Christmas Creature.
How do guys like Glenn get so many bad ideas thrown in their direction? There are times where I have to believe Kane has pissed someone off in WWE.....or people have one sick sense of humor. There's a select few that I have more pity for, mostly because they've been saddled with some screwy shit.
Hector Guerrero has got to be at the top of the list. Some of you might be old enough to be familiar with LazorTron. I'll want to save that for a later day. Sadly, that won't be the most embarrassing thing he's ever done. You really don't get much lower when you get stuck wearing a turkey costume. Gobble-Gobble.
If you have no clue what I'm talking about, just Google Gobbeldy Gooker. Trust me, it was bad. When you have an award named after a character you played, honoring gimmicks and ideas that were horrible, well.....it would be enough to make most people depressed. Poor Hector. He must've on Vince McMahon's bad side.
With this depressing note, I'll put a momentary end to this article.
Doink the Clown
Played by several people over the years, Matt Bourne likely being the best remembered, Doink is a character that, by all rights, should've been a massive failure. I won't claim that Doink was a great success. However, I'm of the opinion that Doink was a far better character then often given credit for. At least, this holds true when Doink was a heel. As a face, not so much. Definitely as a heel.
When Doink was a heel, as you'd expect, he'd pull pranks on the faces. It would be common tactics, like dumping a bucket of water on an unsuspecting wrestler. I believe he once used a trip wire on the Big Boss Man. Nailing Crush with a prosthetic arm started a feud between the two.
If he had difficulties beating his opponent, a second Doink (played by the likes of Steve Keirn, Steve Lombardi, etc.) would come out replace the first Doink. A switcheroo would take place with Doink #2 hiding under the ring. Doink #1, when needed, would roll under the ring. While the ref and opponent where distracted on one side of the ring, the second Doink would crawl out from the opposite side of the ring and continue the match.
While a standard tactic, typically involving masked wrestlers, the right people managed to play the part. I've said for years that you can get a truly horrible idea. With the right person, you can get just about anything over. Some ideas, however, are just so horrible, nobody can make it work.
A face Doink is one of those things that I feel never stood a chance. Everyone expects the bad guys to eventually get what's coming to them. When your character is based around the idea that you're pranking others, pranking others constantly is something a jerk would typically do.
I know good people do pranks of their own. I get it. We've all pranked others at one point or another. Those that do it non-stop are the ones that are typically disliked by others. Nobody likes it when someone else is doing it so often to others. So, when a good guy does it, it makes others ask what the hell are they thinking?
I would think if a bad guy gets pranked, that just motivates them to kick your ass. Good guys would really be no different on this concept. Did WWE forget that heels want retribution when they're being jacked around by others? I can see using pranks if the bad guy starts the feud, as a way of annoying them. But, that just doesn't feel like something a good guy would typically do for very long.
It's any wonder why face Doink didn't do so well.
Undertaker
When the concept of the Undertaker was first put to paper, WWE creative staff must've been wondering what the fuck Vince McMahon was thinking. I know I would've questioned his sanity. How are you supposed to book a character like this? We're talking about an undead wrestler who either can't feel pain or has an insanely high tolerance to pain. This is a character that wasn't supposed to be knocked down easily. When knocked down, he couldn't be kept down long. No way anyone could beat him by submission, as he couldn't feel pain. You can't keep him down long enough to pin him.
To say that booking him would be difficult. Granted, Undertaker was created when jobbers were frequently used, so it would be easy enough to give him a huge winning streak. When facing top stars, he only lost when somehow counted out or disqualified.
One of the early questions had to have been "how do we book him in title situations?" After all, a character like this should be capable of easily dominating any champion that got in his way.
Yet, through no small miracle, Undertaker became a success rather quickly. After 25 years, approximately, Undertaker's popularity is still going strong.
No selling his opponents was a huge necessity in the early days. In order to look invincible, Taker had to look like he couldn't be hurt. Selling anyone's offense would've destroyed the credibility of the character. It goes to the same point whenever you have a monster character. You need them to look devastating. If King Kong Bundy or Big John Studd looked like any average wrestler could hurt them, they wouldn't be effective as big men. Same logic with Undertaker.
Granted, as time progressed and attitudes changed, Undertaker was able to move away from being completely indestructible. He was eventually able to take on a few "human" qualities. This included having flaws, including the ability to make mistakes, having emotions cloud his judgement, and so on. His character was able to retain certain supernatural characteristics and high tolerances for pain. Even now, people will still enjoy characters with supernatural powers.
Don't believe me? Just pay attention to TV or movies. Every so often, another movie will come along involving one or more characters with superpowers. Harry Potter was popular because of magical powers. Not much of a difference between magic powers and super powers. It's all in the technicalities.
For Undertaker to keep his "powers" throughout most of his career, most fans didn't seem to care. It wasn't that anyone really believed that Taker could "rise from the dead", whenever placed in a casket. Somehow works in religion, but that's a discussion best avoided for this blog.
This could be a good example of the right person playing the part. Typically, most fans will suspend reality....but only so far. When it becomes a bit ridiculous, such as the Katie Vick angle, fans will have only so much patience before finally having a few shitfits.
Speaking of ridiculous stuff, I have to ask why certain people are tortured with so many bad ideas. Glenn Jacobs would be a prime example of this. A wrestling dentist. Fake Diesel. The Katie Vick angle. If I'm not mistaken, he was a Christmas Creature, at one point......or some shit similar to Christmas Creature.
How do guys like Glenn get so many bad ideas thrown in their direction? There are times where I have to believe Kane has pissed someone off in WWE.....or people have one sick sense of humor. There's a select few that I have more pity for, mostly because they've been saddled with some screwy shit.
Hector Guerrero has got to be at the top of the list. Some of you might be old enough to be familiar with LazorTron. I'll want to save that for a later day. Sadly, that won't be the most embarrassing thing he's ever done. You really don't get much lower when you get stuck wearing a turkey costume. Gobble-Gobble.
If you have no clue what I'm talking about, just Google Gobbeldy Gooker. Trust me, it was bad. When you have an award named after a character you played, honoring gimmicks and ideas that were horrible, well.....it would be enough to make most people depressed. Poor Hector. He must've on Vince McMahon's bad side.
With this depressing note, I'll put a momentary end to this article.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
the good, the bad, and the ugly
Gimmicks. Wrestling has been full of them decades. Gimmicks are truly a necessary evil. It may not always seem like it, but everything we see is a gimmick, to one degree or another. Referees, for example, are one such point. Can't have a match if we didn't have someone "officiating" the matches. The matches alone are a gimmick, considering they have winners and losers determined in advance. Don't forget the matches can even have different rules, depending on what a promoter wants to accomplish for a particular match. The commentators? Someone needs to sell the storylines/angles to the fans watching on TV.
The wrestlers themselves are obvious, as are most of the stuff you'll see.
With that said, most fans will admit that there are great gimmicks. Some, not so much. Then, there are those that are downright ugly. Let's see how many I can cover before going batshit crazy.
Considering I've been watching religiously since the late 80's (casually since '83-'84), I've seen my share of gimmicks that truly qualify as good, bad, and downright nasty. I'll try to be as fair as possible, considering different factors. As an example, I'm not going to complain about the Iron Sheik as his character/gimmick was par for the course, at that time. Same could be said for Sgt. Slaughter, for similar reasons.
Some gimmicks are never appropriate ever, no matter what. Jeep Swenson, being billed as the Final Solution, should be a great example of this point. I know I used to sleep during History class, but I have to think the creative team in WCW must've skipped their history classes outright. I still managed to get high marks in History, despite my frequent naps.
I'm debating on the Katie Vick angle, as that's more of a bad storyline as opposed to an actual gimmick. Maybe I'll just include anything that's good, bad, or ugly. If I include storylines, then this is also a prime example of something that never should've left the drawing boards. Why it was even contemplated is completely beyond me.
While we get ideas that are pure ugly, we still manage to get ideas that scream "what were they thinking?" Gobbeldy Gooker is one such idea. It was hyped for several weeks, leading to the 1990 Survivor Series. This is probably better remembered for the debut of the Undertaker.
Speaking of Undertaker, that's one idea that must've looked horrible on paper. After all, we're talking about an undead zombie character that couldn't feel pain. We're talking about a character that debuted roughly two decades before the Walking Dead debuted on TV.
I realize zombie-esque characters have been huge in TV and movies for a long time. Not entirely sure when this concept first began. Yet, having a character like that in wrestling could've made things a bit difficult, to say the least. After all, when you look at a wrestler that can't feel pain, you can't make him submit. Can't beat him in a match if you can't make him tap out.
When a wrestler can't feel pain, it's hard to slow him down, let alone get him on his back. Pinfalls would be difficult, to put it nicely. When you get a match like a Last Man Standing match, how do you stop someone that can't be put down for more then a couple seconds?
Yet, Undertaker's character not only caught on, but remained popular for over 26 years. Amazing, to put it mildly.
Then we have characters like Doink. Decades before the creepy clown phase we've been going through, we had Doink the Clown. I'd like to think we got rid of the creepy clowns, but most of them are still in DC.
On a serious point, Doink started off as a heel that loved pulling pranks on fans and wrestlers. You'd think this would've become annoying shit. Yet, as a heel, Doink was actually pretty damned entertaining. As a face, not so much. As a heel, definitely entertaining. Then, to be honest, heels typically represent certain aspects of human society we don't always want to admit to. This includes being an egotistical prick that can't do anything wrong (Mr. Perfect), that rich asshole that can buy whatever he pleases (Million Dollar Man), the jerk that plays pranks on people who are otherwise too nice (Doink).
Knowing how people generally behave, it should be no surprise that a heel Doink succeeded at all. As a real life example, my brother was at his church on a Saturday. It was during the late morning/early afternoon. He had promised he'd help with some minor stuff, mostly light cleaning. The head pastor had stepped out when my brother showed up. Left the door unlocked so bro wouldn't have to wait for the pastor to arrive.
When the pastor arrived, he could easily spot bro's vehicle in the parking lot. Didn't think much of anything for 10-20 minutes. After awhile, he realized that he didn't see or hear bro. Something seemed odd, so the pastor looked around the church to see if he could find my bro.
Long story short, the pastor entered a room, only to have my brother bark at him like a dog. Bro was crouched in such a position that he couldn't be spotted until it was too late. Bro nearly took a foot to the face, do to the panic he caused with his pastor, but it was worth it. The pastor didn't live this down for a couple of months.
It's really the idea that stuff like this, as funny as it may be to certain people, is easily relatable. It's not much different then a bunch of teenagers at a different church bro had been a part of, previously. They ended up in a snowball fight that ended up in the church itself, briefly. A snowball ended up wizzing past the head of a woman, scarring her to the point she had to go home and freshen up, to put it nicely.
While most of the adults were fuming over this, when my brother found out about it, he was laughing to the point he nearly went home to freshen up.
Maybe it's stuff like this that allows people to enjoy goofy and/or unusual characters. Much like having a darker personality that allows us to appreciate dark characters. When we see characters like Eugene, a "mentally challenged" wrestler, fans typically want to cheer on the underdog. Well.....I'd certainly say a "mentally challenged" wrestler would be a major underdog.
Sure, Eugene was meant as comic relief, but he was certainly an underdog. People love to see others succeed when they would normally fail, otherwise. Doesn't matter if it's in a movie, TV, real life or what not.
In this regards, Eugene had a benefit. He was good in the sense that people wanted to see him overcome the odds. Granted, the guy that played the part (Nick Dinsmore) was a highly competent performer. That certainly made the character more entertaining.
It can be amazing just what characters will become popular while others fail. Since it's getting late, I'm calling it a night. More on this later.
The wrestlers themselves are obvious, as are most of the stuff you'll see.
With that said, most fans will admit that there are great gimmicks. Some, not so much. Then, there are those that are downright ugly. Let's see how many I can cover before going batshit crazy.
Considering I've been watching religiously since the late 80's (casually since '83-'84), I've seen my share of gimmicks that truly qualify as good, bad, and downright nasty. I'll try to be as fair as possible, considering different factors. As an example, I'm not going to complain about the Iron Sheik as his character/gimmick was par for the course, at that time. Same could be said for Sgt. Slaughter, for similar reasons.
Some gimmicks are never appropriate ever, no matter what. Jeep Swenson, being billed as the Final Solution, should be a great example of this point. I know I used to sleep during History class, but I have to think the creative team in WCW must've skipped their history classes outright. I still managed to get high marks in History, despite my frequent naps.
I'm debating on the Katie Vick angle, as that's more of a bad storyline as opposed to an actual gimmick. Maybe I'll just include anything that's good, bad, or ugly. If I include storylines, then this is also a prime example of something that never should've left the drawing boards. Why it was even contemplated is completely beyond me.
While we get ideas that are pure ugly, we still manage to get ideas that scream "what were they thinking?" Gobbeldy Gooker is one such idea. It was hyped for several weeks, leading to the 1990 Survivor Series. This is probably better remembered for the debut of the Undertaker.
Speaking of Undertaker, that's one idea that must've looked horrible on paper. After all, we're talking about an undead zombie character that couldn't feel pain. We're talking about a character that debuted roughly two decades before the Walking Dead debuted on TV.
I realize zombie-esque characters have been huge in TV and movies for a long time. Not entirely sure when this concept first began. Yet, having a character like that in wrestling could've made things a bit difficult, to say the least. After all, when you look at a wrestler that can't feel pain, you can't make him submit. Can't beat him in a match if you can't make him tap out.
When a wrestler can't feel pain, it's hard to slow him down, let alone get him on his back. Pinfalls would be difficult, to put it nicely. When you get a match like a Last Man Standing match, how do you stop someone that can't be put down for more then a couple seconds?
Yet, Undertaker's character not only caught on, but remained popular for over 26 years. Amazing, to put it mildly.
Then we have characters like Doink. Decades before the creepy clown phase we've been going through, we had Doink the Clown. I'd like to think we got rid of the creepy clowns, but most of them are still in DC.
On a serious point, Doink started off as a heel that loved pulling pranks on fans and wrestlers. You'd think this would've become annoying shit. Yet, as a heel, Doink was actually pretty damned entertaining. As a face, not so much. As a heel, definitely entertaining. Then, to be honest, heels typically represent certain aspects of human society we don't always want to admit to. This includes being an egotistical prick that can't do anything wrong (Mr. Perfect), that rich asshole that can buy whatever he pleases (Million Dollar Man), the jerk that plays pranks on people who are otherwise too nice (Doink).
Knowing how people generally behave, it should be no surprise that a heel Doink succeeded at all. As a real life example, my brother was at his church on a Saturday. It was during the late morning/early afternoon. He had promised he'd help with some minor stuff, mostly light cleaning. The head pastor had stepped out when my brother showed up. Left the door unlocked so bro wouldn't have to wait for the pastor to arrive.
When the pastor arrived, he could easily spot bro's vehicle in the parking lot. Didn't think much of anything for 10-20 minutes. After awhile, he realized that he didn't see or hear bro. Something seemed odd, so the pastor looked around the church to see if he could find my bro.
Long story short, the pastor entered a room, only to have my brother bark at him like a dog. Bro was crouched in such a position that he couldn't be spotted until it was too late. Bro nearly took a foot to the face, do to the panic he caused with his pastor, but it was worth it. The pastor didn't live this down for a couple of months.
It's really the idea that stuff like this, as funny as it may be to certain people, is easily relatable. It's not much different then a bunch of teenagers at a different church bro had been a part of, previously. They ended up in a snowball fight that ended up in the church itself, briefly. A snowball ended up wizzing past the head of a woman, scarring her to the point she had to go home and freshen up, to put it nicely.
While most of the adults were fuming over this, when my brother found out about it, he was laughing to the point he nearly went home to freshen up.
Maybe it's stuff like this that allows people to enjoy goofy and/or unusual characters. Much like having a darker personality that allows us to appreciate dark characters. When we see characters like Eugene, a "mentally challenged" wrestler, fans typically want to cheer on the underdog. Well.....I'd certainly say a "mentally challenged" wrestler would be a major underdog.
Sure, Eugene was meant as comic relief, but he was certainly an underdog. People love to see others succeed when they would normally fail, otherwise. Doesn't matter if it's in a movie, TV, real life or what not.
In this regards, Eugene had a benefit. He was good in the sense that people wanted to see him overcome the odds. Granted, the guy that played the part (Nick Dinsmore) was a highly competent performer. That certainly made the character more entertaining.
It can be amazing just what characters will become popular while others fail. Since it's getting late, I'm calling it a night. More on this later.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Spotlight: Hulk Hogan
NOTE: This won't be a full biography. This is merely intended as a partial look at Hogan's career.
Alias:
Hollywood Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Mr. America
Sterling Golden
Terry Boulder
The Super Destroyer
Thunder Lips (Rocky III)
Nicknames:
Hollywood
The Fabulous
The Incredible
The Immortal
The Hulkster
The Unstoppable Force
Billed Height: 6' 8"
Billed Weight: 303 lbs.
Billed from: Hollywood, CA (as Hollywood Hogan), Venice Beach, CA (as Hulk Hogan), Washington DC (as Mr. America)
Trained by: Hiro Matsuda
Debut: 1977
Promotions worked for:
AWA
WWF
WCW
TNA
NJPW
Finishing Move:
Atomic Legdrop
Managers:
Lou Albano
Freddie Blassie
Miss Elizabeth
Jimmy Hart
Johnny Valiant
Championships/Awards:
WWE World Heavyweight Champion (x6)
WWE Tag Team Championship (x1) (w/Edge)
WCW World Heavyweight Champion (x6)
Royal Rumble Winner (1990, 1991)
Notable Feuds:
Roddy Piper
Bobby Heenan
King Kong Bundy
Paul Orndorff
Andre the Giant
Big Boss Man
Ted DiBiase
Slick
Randy Savage
Earthquake
Sid Vicious
Zeus
Mr. Delete repeated word
Sgt. Slaughter
Yokozuna
Ric Flair
Dungeon of Doom
The Giant
Arn Anderson
Lex Luger
Sting
Ultimate Warrior
Goldberg
Diamond Dallas Page
Kevin Sullivan
Nicknames:
Hollywood
The Fabulous
The Incredible
The Immortal
The Hulkster
The Unstoppable Force
Billed Height: 6' 8"
Billed Weight: 303 lbs.
Billed from: Hollywood, CA (as Hollywood Hogan), Venice Beach, CA (as Hulk Hogan), Washington DC (as Mr. America)
Trained by: Hiro Matsuda
Debut: 1977
Promotions worked for:
AWA
WWF
WCW
TNA
NJPW
Finishing Move:
Atomic Legdrop
Managers:
Lou Albano
Freddie Blassie
Miss Elizabeth
Jimmy Hart
Johnny Valiant
Championships/Awards:
WWE World Heavyweight Champion (x6)
WWE Tag Team Championship (x1) (w/Edge)
WCW World Heavyweight Champion (x6)
Royal Rumble Winner (1990, 1991)
Notable Feuds:
Roddy Piper
Bobby Heenan
King Kong Bundy
Paul Orndorff
Andre the Giant
Big Boss Man
Ted DiBiase
Slick
Randy Savage
Earthquake
Sid Vicious
Zeus
Mr. Delete repeated word
Sgt. Slaughter
Yokozuna
Ric Flair
Dungeon of Doom
The Giant
Arn Anderson
Lex Luger
Sting
Ultimate Warrior
Goldberg
Diamond Dallas Page
Kevin Sullivan
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Goldberg returning to WWE, Paige's WWE Status & Women's HIAC
Here we are, another week underway. As expected, there are plenty of rumors going around. I'll touch on the ones that really stand out to me, at the moment.
Let's start with the return of Goldberg. For years, many fans would question what would happen if there was "1 more match". The biggest scenario involved a Goldberg/Lesnar rematch. Most fans seem to agree that if the rematch were to happen, it had to be done properly. The one time these men faced each other, nobody gave a shit, especially the wrestlers themselves. When they had their match (WrestleMania), it was no secret that their contracts were coming to an end. Neither man had any intentions of staying in WWE.
Fans knew the match could go one of two ways. Either Lesnar & Goldberg would put on an epic match, wanting to go out with a hell of a bang, or they'd "phone it in". History shows that they picked the latter option. At the time, neither man really gave a damn if their match stunk the joint up or not. They were getting paid well, regardless of the outcome. The only saving grace of the match came when Steve Austin nailed a stunner on both men. Even then, that wasn't enough to remove the stench from that shithole of a match.
Since then, it's been questioned and/or speculated if we'd ever see Goldberg in a WWE ring again, let alone a rematch. When Lesnar first made his return, there were people that held out hope that Goldberg could eventually return. After all, WWE seems to have made amends with past superstars, such as Bret Hart, Bruno Sammartino, and even Ultimate Warrior.
Then, when their recent video game, WWE 2K17 (I think that's the title) had Goldberg as an option for the game, it brought even more speculation. As of Raw (October 10), it looked like a virtual guarantee when Paul Heyman challenged Goldberg to show up for next weeks Raw. It wasn't long afterwards when Goldberg confirmed he'd be at Raw.
Last I heard, a few details needed to be hammered out. By the sounds of it, it'll likely be figured out in time for Raw.
At the moment, a rematch between Lesnar & Goldberg is looking like it'll actually happen. Though, I'm not counting on it to happen yet. If I know WWE's thinking, they'll most likely save it for WrestleMania. After all, Lesnar's contract already allows him to work limited dates during a given year. I'm going to assume that Goldberg will likely work under a similar deal.
WWE's been doing that a lot with certain big names, as of late. Sting was supposed to work a similar deal before being hurt by Seth Rollins. Triple H is essentially working a similar deal. RVD's worked similar deals in the past. Undertaker's been on a similar contract for several years, now. No reason to think Goldberg would be any different.
Since they'll both likely have limited dates, WWE will want to take more time to let the big rematch build. Goldberg could appear at Survivor Series. Maybe he'll have a little action, like destroying a few guys, just to demonstrate that he's back and ready to destroy anyone in his path. Don't expect much out him, physically.
After all, he hasn't been in a ring in a long time. Being in shape isn't the same as being in ring shape. If he's going to put on a decent match, at all, he's going to need time to get into ring shape. Don't expect him to do too much, quite yet.
I just hope that their next match doesn't stink the joint up.
Next subject involves Paige. I'll go straight to the point and say this is one hell of a mess involving her. It's starting to remind me of a bad Jerry Springer episode.....not like there was ever a good episode. What the hell is this crap, anyway?
Didn't this start with heat because she became involved with Alberto Del Rio? That's how I seem to recall it, at the moment. Both of them were sent to different brands once WWE reactivated the brand extension. WWE was accused of trying to break them up. There were accusations, when Alberto was still in WWE, that he was "arrested" in an incident that may or may not have involved Paige.
Then, just a few months ago, they were suspended for violating the WWE's Wellness Policy. I think it was September when Alberto was able to leave the company. If memory serves me right, it was claimed that he had an "escape clause" in his contract, which gave him a chance to leave the company, so long as it was within a specified period of time. Simply put, he jumped on the chance to bail out.
Rumor had it that Paige had gotten some legal help to potentially try and get out of her contract. Not sure if this is legit or just rumor, so take it for what you will. It's also been mentioned that she's been having problems with a neck injury/neck problems. Not sure on the extent of her problems.
What I know is WWE has already suspended her for a second time for another Wellness Policy violation. Paige took to Twitter claiming, in a nutshell, that it's a bunch of bullshit. I'm just paraphrasing this, for the sake of time. I heard her dad took to Twitter in defense of her.
WWE's version, however, has a whole new version of events. While not being too specific, they are claiming it was over her taking something illegal. We can rule out marijuana, as that doesn't involved suspension.....last time I checked. That was supposed to be nothing more then a fine.
Whatever she's accused of taking, it's something far more serious. What she's accused of taking is unknown to me at this time. This leads me to ask if WWE is seriously trying to go after Paige to make some sort of point. Is WWE truly that vindictive? Is Paige deliberately trying to sabotage her career in WWE? Is Alberto a bad influence on Paige? What the holy hell is going on here?
I said it before and I'll say it again. This feels like an episode from Jerry Springer.
Then we've got the Hell in a Cell Pay-Per-View in a few weeks. At the moment, WWE is going to do at least three Hell in a Cell matches. One of those matches is going to be Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks for the Raw Women's Title.
This has been rumored for awhile. It wasn't until Monday when WWE confirmed was actually going through with it. I'll give WWE credit for trying something ballsy. I can't recall ever seeing a woman's match in a cage. A Hell in a Cell match is definitely new. Not sure if this will be a good match or not. To be fair, there's only a small handful of HIAC matches that are truly memorable. Considering how dangerous the match can be, the question worth asking is how far WWE will allow the women to go.
If WWE wants fans to truly believe that the women are on the same level as the men, they'll have to give plenty of leeway. Obviously, the won't let it go as far as the Undertaker/Foley HIAC match. As much as I loved the Attitude Era, overall, I don't think most of it should be repeated either.
As long as we can avoid a disaster like the Kennel in a Cell match, I'll most likely be happy with the match.
WWE appears to be taking women's wrestling far more seriously now then it ever did in the past. We're finally at the point where women like Sasha Banks and Charlotte are putting on matches just as good as the men. It wasn't that long ago when they main evented Raw.
If WWE can make the Cruiserweight Division look that good, I'm going to be able to be a happy man.
Let's start with the return of Goldberg. For years, many fans would question what would happen if there was "1 more match". The biggest scenario involved a Goldberg/Lesnar rematch. Most fans seem to agree that if the rematch were to happen, it had to be done properly. The one time these men faced each other, nobody gave a shit, especially the wrestlers themselves. When they had their match (WrestleMania), it was no secret that their contracts were coming to an end. Neither man had any intentions of staying in WWE.
Fans knew the match could go one of two ways. Either Lesnar & Goldberg would put on an epic match, wanting to go out with a hell of a bang, or they'd "phone it in". History shows that they picked the latter option. At the time, neither man really gave a damn if their match stunk the joint up or not. They were getting paid well, regardless of the outcome. The only saving grace of the match came when Steve Austin nailed a stunner on both men. Even then, that wasn't enough to remove the stench from that shithole of a match.
Since then, it's been questioned and/or speculated if we'd ever see Goldberg in a WWE ring again, let alone a rematch. When Lesnar first made his return, there were people that held out hope that Goldberg could eventually return. After all, WWE seems to have made amends with past superstars, such as Bret Hart, Bruno Sammartino, and even Ultimate Warrior.
Then, when their recent video game, WWE 2K17 (I think that's the title) had Goldberg as an option for the game, it brought even more speculation. As of Raw (October 10), it looked like a virtual guarantee when Paul Heyman challenged Goldberg to show up for next weeks Raw. It wasn't long afterwards when Goldberg confirmed he'd be at Raw.
Last I heard, a few details needed to be hammered out. By the sounds of it, it'll likely be figured out in time for Raw.
At the moment, a rematch between Lesnar & Goldberg is looking like it'll actually happen. Though, I'm not counting on it to happen yet. If I know WWE's thinking, they'll most likely save it for WrestleMania. After all, Lesnar's contract already allows him to work limited dates during a given year. I'm going to assume that Goldberg will likely work under a similar deal.
WWE's been doing that a lot with certain big names, as of late. Sting was supposed to work a similar deal before being hurt by Seth Rollins. Triple H is essentially working a similar deal. RVD's worked similar deals in the past. Undertaker's been on a similar contract for several years, now. No reason to think Goldberg would be any different.
Since they'll both likely have limited dates, WWE will want to take more time to let the big rematch build. Goldberg could appear at Survivor Series. Maybe he'll have a little action, like destroying a few guys, just to demonstrate that he's back and ready to destroy anyone in his path. Don't expect much out him, physically.
After all, he hasn't been in a ring in a long time. Being in shape isn't the same as being in ring shape. If he's going to put on a decent match, at all, he's going to need time to get into ring shape. Don't expect him to do too much, quite yet.
I just hope that their next match doesn't stink the joint up.
Next subject involves Paige. I'll go straight to the point and say this is one hell of a mess involving her. It's starting to remind me of a bad Jerry Springer episode.....not like there was ever a good episode. What the hell is this crap, anyway?
Didn't this start with heat because she became involved with Alberto Del Rio? That's how I seem to recall it, at the moment. Both of them were sent to different brands once WWE reactivated the brand extension. WWE was accused of trying to break them up. There were accusations, when Alberto was still in WWE, that he was "arrested" in an incident that may or may not have involved Paige.
Then, just a few months ago, they were suspended for violating the WWE's Wellness Policy. I think it was September when Alberto was able to leave the company. If memory serves me right, it was claimed that he had an "escape clause" in his contract, which gave him a chance to leave the company, so long as it was within a specified period of time. Simply put, he jumped on the chance to bail out.
Rumor had it that Paige had gotten some legal help to potentially try and get out of her contract. Not sure if this is legit or just rumor, so take it for what you will. It's also been mentioned that she's been having problems with a neck injury/neck problems. Not sure on the extent of her problems.
What I know is WWE has already suspended her for a second time for another Wellness Policy violation. Paige took to Twitter claiming, in a nutshell, that it's a bunch of bullshit. I'm just paraphrasing this, for the sake of time. I heard her dad took to Twitter in defense of her.
WWE's version, however, has a whole new version of events. While not being too specific, they are claiming it was over her taking something illegal. We can rule out marijuana, as that doesn't involved suspension.....last time I checked. That was supposed to be nothing more then a fine.
Whatever she's accused of taking, it's something far more serious. What she's accused of taking is unknown to me at this time. This leads me to ask if WWE is seriously trying to go after Paige to make some sort of point. Is WWE truly that vindictive? Is Paige deliberately trying to sabotage her career in WWE? Is Alberto a bad influence on Paige? What the holy hell is going on here?
I said it before and I'll say it again. This feels like an episode from Jerry Springer.
Then we've got the Hell in a Cell Pay-Per-View in a few weeks. At the moment, WWE is going to do at least three Hell in a Cell matches. One of those matches is going to be Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks for the Raw Women's Title.
This has been rumored for awhile. It wasn't until Monday when WWE confirmed was actually going through with it. I'll give WWE credit for trying something ballsy. I can't recall ever seeing a woman's match in a cage. A Hell in a Cell match is definitely new. Not sure if this will be a good match or not. To be fair, there's only a small handful of HIAC matches that are truly memorable. Considering how dangerous the match can be, the question worth asking is how far WWE will allow the women to go.
If WWE wants fans to truly believe that the women are on the same level as the men, they'll have to give plenty of leeway. Obviously, the won't let it go as far as the Undertaker/Foley HIAC match. As much as I loved the Attitude Era, overall, I don't think most of it should be repeated either.
As long as we can avoid a disaster like the Kennel in a Cell match, I'll most likely be happy with the match.
WWE appears to be taking women's wrestling far more seriously now then it ever did in the past. We're finally at the point where women like Sasha Banks and Charlotte are putting on matches just as good as the men. It wasn't that long ago when they main evented Raw.
If WWE can make the Cruiserweight Division look that good, I'm going to be able to be a happy man.
Sunday, October 9, 2016
greatest of all time?
At one time or another, we've heard these arguments. I'm pretty sure we've all been in this argument, at one point or another. Pretty safe bet we've all got different views on this. Is there any way of proving just who the greatest of all time really is?
After all, there are so many generations of wrestlers throughout the years. Most of them will eventually be forgotten, after enough time has elapsed. If you want examples, how many people are familiar with George Hackensmidt? Lou Thesz? Gorgeous George? Ed "Strangler" Lewis?
Most fans might be familiar with those names, but that's about it. Fans would generally have to Google their names to have any clue who they are.
Now, let's try newer names. Vergne Gagne? Larry "The Ax" Hennig? Nick Bockwinkel? The Crusher? Mad Dog Vachon? Older fans will likely have fond memories of guys like this at different events. Even my dad, who was more of a casual viewer, remembers seeing the old AWA stars at a gas station he was working, during the 70s. He has a harder time remembering who all of them were, due to so much time passing, but that's to be expected.
I have a few memories of the older stars, but most of them were at the point they should've retired years ago (when I was first watching) or they were just coming close. Most of them had long since been past their glory when I saw my first match in the 80's.
This brings me to the next few examples. Hulk Hogan? Ric Flair? Dusty Rhodes? Harley Race? The Von Erichs? Fabulous Freebirds? These names would've been well known to my generation. In the case of Flair, Rhodes, and Race, they would've been familiar with older fans as well. Slightly younger fans would probably remember Hogan when he jumped ship to WCW or helped to form the NWO.
For fans in my generation, we'll remember moments like Hogan slamming Andre at WrestleMania 3, the formation of the 4 Horsemen, Rhodes' "hard times" promo (I believe you can still find it on YouTube), and various other moments.
Add another 10 years or so and fans even younger will remember the formation of the NWO, the Monday Night Wars, the Attitude Era and many things more.
The current generation of fans might be familiar with many of the people I've named. Some of these guys are occasionally seen in managerial roles, such as Ric Flair. Some, such as Dusty Rhodes, they've seen in segments involving different wrestlers. Some may have watched old matches on the WWE Network, YouTube, or DVDs.
Speaking of greats, who are considered the greats now? John Cena? Randy Orton? Triple H?
Attitude Era fans would probably count Undertaker, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and others.
This leads me to ask the all important question. Can we accurately determine who the greatest really is? Not 100%. Most people that are being honest will admit that it's really determined on a generation by generation basis. With so many names to look up, there's no way most fans can accurately figure this out.
Historians likely can't answer this 100%. About the best anyone can do is give their opinions on who they think is the greatest, based off a variety of factors. This would include who were the biggest draws of their era, length of title reigns, how many titles they held, if they had memorable and/or historic matches and so on.
Even then, is there any way of truly determining who the greatest were? I doubt it. Perhaps, if time allows, I could go into why I feel certain people should be given credit.
After all, there are so many generations of wrestlers throughout the years. Most of them will eventually be forgotten, after enough time has elapsed. If you want examples, how many people are familiar with George Hackensmidt? Lou Thesz? Gorgeous George? Ed "Strangler" Lewis?
Most fans might be familiar with those names, but that's about it. Fans would generally have to Google their names to have any clue who they are.
Now, let's try newer names. Vergne Gagne? Larry "The Ax" Hennig? Nick Bockwinkel? The Crusher? Mad Dog Vachon? Older fans will likely have fond memories of guys like this at different events. Even my dad, who was more of a casual viewer, remembers seeing the old AWA stars at a gas station he was working, during the 70s. He has a harder time remembering who all of them were, due to so much time passing, but that's to be expected.
I have a few memories of the older stars, but most of them were at the point they should've retired years ago (when I was first watching) or they were just coming close. Most of them had long since been past their glory when I saw my first match in the 80's.
This brings me to the next few examples. Hulk Hogan? Ric Flair? Dusty Rhodes? Harley Race? The Von Erichs? Fabulous Freebirds? These names would've been well known to my generation. In the case of Flair, Rhodes, and Race, they would've been familiar with older fans as well. Slightly younger fans would probably remember Hogan when he jumped ship to WCW or helped to form the NWO.
For fans in my generation, we'll remember moments like Hogan slamming Andre at WrestleMania 3, the formation of the 4 Horsemen, Rhodes' "hard times" promo (I believe you can still find it on YouTube), and various other moments.
Add another 10 years or so and fans even younger will remember the formation of the NWO, the Monday Night Wars, the Attitude Era and many things more.
The current generation of fans might be familiar with many of the people I've named. Some of these guys are occasionally seen in managerial roles, such as Ric Flair. Some, such as Dusty Rhodes, they've seen in segments involving different wrestlers. Some may have watched old matches on the WWE Network, YouTube, or DVDs.
Speaking of greats, who are considered the greats now? John Cena? Randy Orton? Triple H?
Attitude Era fans would probably count Undertaker, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and others.
This leads me to ask the all important question. Can we accurately determine who the greatest really is? Not 100%. Most people that are being honest will admit that it's really determined on a generation by generation basis. With so many names to look up, there's no way most fans can accurately figure this out.
Historians likely can't answer this 100%. About the best anyone can do is give their opinions on who they think is the greatest, based off a variety of factors. This would include who were the biggest draws of their era, length of title reigns, how many titles they held, if they had memorable and/or historic matches and so on.
Even then, is there any way of truly determining who the greatest were? I doubt it. Perhaps, if time allows, I could go into why I feel certain people should be given credit.
Thursday, October 6, 2016
No Mercy predictions
The Smackdown Live PPV is coming on us on Sunday. For the hell of it, I'm going to take a shot at this and try to make a few predictions.
Nikki Bella vs. Carmella
I predict Nikki takes the win with a pinfall. This feels like a piss break for me.
Nikki Bella vs. Carmella
I predict Nikki takes the win with a pinfall. This feels like a piss break for me.
Jack Swagger vs. Baron Corbin
Since this early in their feud, I can't imagine Swagger getting a victory quite yet. Corbin will either win by pinfall, likely through bullshit methods, or Swagger gets a Count Out/DQ victory. Something has to happen to keep this going.
Smackdown Tag Team Title Match
Usos vs. Rhyno & Heath Slater(champions)
Considering what's been going on with the Usos, American Alpha, and Rhyno &Slater, I expect two potential results. This will either end up as a draw/double DQ because American Alpha interferes, attacking the Usos. Or, they end up helping Rhyno & Slater pick up the victory against the Uso, with Rhyno gaining the pinfall on either member of the Usos.
Either way, I don't see the challengers getting the belts quite yet.
Either way, I don't see the challengers getting the belts quite yet.
Smackdown Woman's Title Match
Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch(champion)
Feels too early for Becky to drop the belt, quite yet. Typically, WWE doesn't have someone like Alexa to win titles too soon after coming on the main roster. I know it happens on occasion, but not often.
Becky will likely retain after Carmella interferes, causing a DQ. If that doesn't happen, Nikki will likely stop her from screwing things up.
Becky will likely retain after Carmella interferes, causing a DQ. If that doesn't happen, Nikki will likely stop her from screwing things up.
Intercontinental Title vs. Career Match
Dolph Ziggler (Career) vs. The Miz (champion) w/Maryse
There have been rumors of Ziggler being prepped for a backstage role, presumably along the lines of road agent. Honestly, I feel Ziggler's been stale for a long time while Miz has really been hitting his stride. Perhaps Miz is on his way to making a new record, beating Honky Tonk Man's old record.
No matter what, I don't imagine Ziggler winning. Miz somehow manages to retain the title.
There have been rumors of Ziggler being prepped for a backstage role, presumably along the lines of road agent. Honestly, I feel Ziggler's been stale for a long time while Miz has really been hitting his stride. Perhaps Miz is on his way to making a new record, beating Honky Tonk Man's old record.
No matter what, I don't imagine Ziggler winning. Miz somehow manages to retain the title.
Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton
What's there to say about this match? It'll probably be like every big match that Bray has. He'll probably be on the losing end of this, like most of his really big matches. Why would anything change now?
Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship
AJ Styles (champion) vs. Dean Ambrose vs. John Cena
This could be the hardest to predict. Cena's been booked to potentially tie Ric Flair's record of 16-time World Title record (which is closer to 22 or 23, but I digress). Yet, AJ and Dean have both had some solid victories over Cena.
I think this is AJ's first PPV defense. I don't see him dropping the belt right away. Somehow, AJ walks out as champion. Most likely, he'll get the pinfall on Ambrose, which will keep Cena's momentum going strong. I don't see this hurting Ambrose.
I think this is AJ's first PPV defense. I don't see him dropping the belt right away. Somehow, AJ walks out as champion. Most likely, he'll get the pinfall on Ambrose, which will keep Cena's momentum going strong. I don't see this hurting Ambrose.
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