WingedEagle

The Blueprint The complete Ric Flair

Even if I don't feel like watching wrestling, or am watching something else on TV but not quite feeling it, I can always count on stopping here and finding something worthwhile to look at. One of my favorite sites.

I honestly have no recollection of Bock v. Jarrett. Maybe I will put that in the too watch pile. Well worth it as this is a great match. Bock does his best impression of Flair as touring champ and makes Jarrett look like a credible threat even if he doesn't look like he can buy a drink. Bock also does a great job capitalizing for the finish and high tailing it out.

Beyond brilliant. Best thing I've seen in ages.

Finished this at the gym this morning and absolutely loved it. Never got tired of it, which is quite the praise for a near 3 hour podcast. Gave me a lot of ideas of things I need to rewatch or watch for the first time with some proper context and perspective. Can't wait to check out prior episodes as well.

I've read all 5 of Caro's books, and the 4 on LBJ are the 4 greatest books I've ever read. So great that I might be disappointed if he were to write on wrestling. For these purposes though, there are probably only a few candidates. Vince is obvious. Perhaps Rikidozan because he would undoubtedly use that to sprinboard into Baba and Inoki, either of whom would also make great subjects. Lou Thesz might also make a great candidate as you could branch that out in a number of directions.

This should be awesome. Going to download tonight and look forward to listening to it on an 8-10 mile run tomorrow.

PTPers have been a real pleasure. They've got an act and style that's unlike the other teams and most guys currently on the roster that allows them to stand out. Titus also has legit charisma that shouldn't be relegated to the C show.

Didn't he use it on Savage at Mania before Hogan stepped in with the chair?

This is why I love wrestling. And why friends and family look at me like I'm nuts when I explain to them why I love wrestling.

I know it hasn't been updated in ages, but I think a collection of lists like these would also be great: http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?showtopic=4803

Same here. Really looking forward to this and hope as much as possible makes it through to the yearbook.

Yep, I like both guys and didn't mind the match, but was incredibly short with little focus and a nothing finish, like you said. Also not sure how you get 4.5 on the IWP Jr. match. It was a fun spotfest, nothing more.

Meltzer really fell in love: Nagata vs. Suzuki **** Low Ki vs. Devitt vs. Ibushi ****1/2 Makabe vs. Shibata **** Nakamura vs. Sakuraba ****1/2 Tanahashi vs. Okada ****3/4

Am I crazy or is the crowd popping for Neidhart's headlock more than anything Randy Orton has done in ages?

There are 2 parts. Amazing.

Love the index. Can't wait to see it grow. Perhaps create another forum / subforum for some threads on various lists -- GOAT matches, users favorites, etc?

Some of his heel work and mannerisms were pretty great. The man knew how to piss people off, perhaps so well that his face promos were never that special.

Bravo. Once a year this kind of garbage is great. Good work.

Didn't he burn the bridge to Stamford?

Really interesting match which I thought had one huge flaw. The first third, until Kawada's german, was incredibly well worked given how long they were going. The pacing and facials even in this early stretch did a great job telling the story of how both were approaching the match. The next third or so saw them trade control spots pretty evenly, probably too evenly given this was Kawada's first defense and not against the former champ or Misawa. I could be wrong, but seem to recall reading in the WON what's mentioned above about Baba calling an audible following the earthquake. Whatever the reason, the booking here just felt all wrong. Kobashi probably looks just as strong holding on for as long as he does, withstanding the throat chops and blocking a couple power bombs before dropping the fall to the one Kawada hits, at which point the crowd lost it. It wouldn't exactly bury him to lose after 40+ minutes. Leaving that and the backwards psychology of the challenger killing the clock, this was nearly flawless execution for 60 minutes. Even the near falls at the end, from Kobashi's power bomb to Kawada dialing back to his '93 win with a pin attempt following the stretch plum were hot. They just felt a little out of place after the first 40 minutes. I think I prefer the 10/93 match to this one as its tighter and has a better finish, but its tough to argue against 2 of the best in the world doing their thing for 60 minutes. That huge flaw? The announcing. I don't speak a word of Japanese. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate Akira Fukuzawa walking me through a match and imparting energy and emotion where its appropriate. Baba & whomever were calling this sounded like they didn't want to wake a sleeping child and were hoping to make it through the hour without disturbing anyone. A match like this deserves better. Still no worse than ****1/4.

I'd also considering adding Sakuraba vs. Vovchanchn on 5/1/2000, perhaps just the finish when it was stopped after round 1. Following up 90 minutes with Gracie versus a monster like Igor? Nuts.

I also recall Loss's story -- Rude wanted to get paid for shows selling on his name, and Vince didn't want to pay because he wasn't at said shows.

Kane. That's incredibly unfair to Kane.

That was pretty fun, but I was even more caught off guard seeing him tout WK7 as having 3 MOTY candidates. Was his 3rd the Jr. HW triangle or Nagata/Suzuki? Going to be mighty interesting to see his ratings on this show.