Loss

The idea wasn't exactly well-received at New Millenium Blues, which eventually spun off into Pro Wrestling Only: http://goo.gl/Zf2ZjG

None of the links work, but now the newer posters at least know we didn't pretend there was a 2006 poll, and you can see what was being discussed at the time if nothing else. http://goo.gl/ieAfG8

I would love to argue against the idea of Hogan making this list in any form, and look forward to the opportunity to do so.

I get that but a little harshness is part of the deal. I don't see it verging into incivility very often. And the tone is so much gentler than it was in earlier days of internet wrestling discussion. I remember reading the Smarkschoice threads and my god there were some vicious exchanges. This. No one has told anyone in seriousness to drink bleach in this thread. No one has started a separate thread suggesting that a specific poster has a mental illness. If someone mentions a poster that hasn't been around in a while, no one else has responded that they hope they are somewhere in a hospital bed dying of AIDS. All of those things happened as part of the 2006 countdown.

Surely, Rolling Stone and ESPN will be all over this.

It is often the end, but threads would be much better if it was the beginning.

"Greatest Wrestler Ever" just rolls off the tongue better than "Best In-Ring Performer In The History Of Recorded And Available Footage".

I just did a check of my ballot. 27 down at this point, the highest rated being Masa Fuchi, who I had at #29.

Thanks to everyone who listened. I think the show of stamina from people who could make it through nine hours of podcasting is pretty impressive on its own.

They have been warning people about spoilers lately on the podcast. But seriously, the no spoilers crowd always seems so self-centered to me (and not just in wrestling). It's like going into a burger joint and demanding not to be near any beef.

I am not sure more discussion would have mattered. Looking at placements of guys like Sting, Malenko and Bigelow its seems clear that at least one third of the voters did not really pay any attention to those threads. I still think it's worth trying. Saying that discussion of wrestlers is pointless because everyone has their mind made up doesn't speak well of this project. I've had my mind changed by convincing posts before.

I know the debate and critique is natural. I was responding to the complaints about non-PWO voters and such. I also think it's important to remember when praising wrestlers that aren't part of established canon that the legwork is harder. Saying something like, "Oh, CIMA has been great for 15 years" without walking through each year of his career and pointing out why while recommending a few dozen matches probably won't cut it. On the flip side, people like Sting who are loved at a level disproportionate to their abilities should have probably been hit harder in their threads.

We haven't even gotten to the top 100 yet! I'm not about to complain about how the list is going. Do you guys realize how much of an accomplishment it is for relatively new "discoveries" or against-the-grain type picks to even show up in the top 200? It's significant, not at all something that should make anyone feel like this project is a failure. It's a massive sign of success! Carlos Colon is still in this thing! Buddy Rose is still in this thing! Imagine either of those happening in 2006. There have been thousands upon thousands of wrestlers in history. That the voters think a wrestler is one of the top 200 of all time is high, high praise. Keep perspective.

Undertaker's inherent sense of entitlement has always annoyed me so much, but I guess Jericho has surpassed him in this latest run.

Didn't realize Brody already dropped.

Next targets of wrath: - Undertaker - Bruiser Brody - Kurt Angle - Chris Jericho - Sting - The Rock And holy cow, El Generico is still here?

Post of the year.

Damn right he's over.

I wish Undertaker, but people like him.

Don't you understand your own confusion?

HHH has succeeded in making us talk about him instead of much better wrestlers for pages and pages. He truly is the master.

I love Dean Malenko as Christopher Cross.

We're at the point where everyone is great. It only gets tougher at the end.

Theory: Takada dropping is partially because of people growing sour on him but more because of newer fans not hearing as much about him and not checking him out for themselves because he wasn't on their radar. Takada I still think was very good and I strongly considered him and probably should have ranked him. But it shows a stark contrast between now and the days when guys like me came online -- Takada praise was everywhere in the late 90s and early 2000s, and it's much harder to find now. I think it's less that everyone thinks Takada sucks (although some clearly do) and more that he's almost fallen off the critical radar. I don't know which is worse. He might as well be Hiromitsu Kanehara.

I've really enjoyed this.