C.S.

I liked Jim Powers too. Never understood why he didn't get a push. Ditto for Barry Horowitz (other than the Skip angle, but that didn't work because Horowitz isn't a natural babyface IMO).

Also, if any woman is going to get the push as THE Diva of the division, it will be Charlotte, not Sasha. At best, I see Sasha being the Psychosis to Charlotte's Rey (not comparing their ring work, just the dynamic).

Where are you seeing this? I can't find anything anywhere. Great news though!

This still has all of the leaked documents: http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2015/7/8/8912989/be-yourself-now-heres-a-list-of-stuff-not-to-do- Most of these rules are fine. The commentary still sucks though, probably because Vince is yelling in their ears for three hours. Look how much better the commentary was on the Japanese "Beast in the East" special, presumably because Vince wasn't there to "produce" them. Am I saying Michael Cole was perfect and suddenly morphed into the next Gordon Solie or Jim Ross? No. But he was actually very decent, maybe on par with a Tony Schiavone type. What did JBL say and what did Titus do?

The match selection does look pretty damn good, but the aspect ratio issue is a deal-breaker for me. More below... I was one of those posters, and I'll happily defend my stance. Bruce Tharpe apparently paid "big money" to have the footage artificially stretched (fake widescreen). To me, that's absolutely bonkers from a business perspective. Not only is he throwing money away for no reason (money he could be using to benefit this service in other better ways), he's also driving away some potential customers (the WC thread is proof of that). I'll put it another way: Would anyone here have objected to these matches being shown in their original aspect ratio? (4:3 - bars on the left and right sides, like older WWE footage.) I really doubt it. Agreed. Go to any film/DVD/Blu-Ray forum and 99% of the posters there are up in arms if a movie isn't presented in its original aspect ratio. I hate to bring up the "wrestling is art" thing again, but if it's art, don't you want your art preserved and presented the way it was originally? Imagine if someone tried to artificially stretch the Mona Lisa. Why is this any different? If you don't care about the aspect ratio, that's cool and more power to you. But others do care. It is a valid issue. A really infantile post, but you're right, no one is forcing us to pay for this - and I won't. Another thing no one has really brought up: Is this ever going to be able on TV devices? (Roku, AppleTV, PS3/4, etc.) That's more important than you'd think. Yeah, there are workarounds (hooking a computer up to a TV with HDMI, using the built-in browser on a PS3/4 or Xbox, etc.), but that's not the same.

If SBG is bitching about violence and bloodshed now, that's idiotic. However, there's a massive difference between Abby cutting people without permission before he knew he had Hep C (which is still bad, don't get me wrong) and knowingly infecting them with his blade. I don't see how Graham is a hypocrite for speaking out against the latter. He may be full of shit for many other reasons, but not that. Did Graham show questionable judgment by being okay with it before the Hep C issue? Sure. But it became a much more serious matter when Abby's reckless blading infected others (most notably Devon "Hannibal" Nicholson). As New Jack said in the video, what Abby did was attempted murder. Lock that rib shack pig up!

To be fair to SBG in this case, it was later discovered that Abdullah knowingly had Hep C and bladed people anyway. That's a scumbag move of the lowest caliber. Graham had Hep C as well (not from Abdullah), so I can see why he'd be upset and take it personally. So, yeah, fuck Abdullah. He's a fat piece of shit.

Here's a fantastic article about just that: Cookies, Goats, and Pudding: Inside the Bizarre World of Catering for WWE Edit: LOL. I just realized the OP's name is Fantastic. There was absolutely no pun intended by my italicizing of the same word.

Is it fair to list the first version of In Your House: Beware of Dog, where Mother Nature knocked out all the lights and pinned Vince 1-2-3? The second version of that show - with two matches cobbled together from the first - was one hell of a show, though.

My thoughts on some more books: Titan Sinking: I finished it, and while you don't really learn anything new if you've been around long enough, it's still a very entertaining trip down memory lane. My only nitpick is that sometimes it seems rumor and speculation are passed along as fact. I recommend it though - and I'm looking forward to the 1996 edition. Curtain Call: How An Unscripted Goodbye Changed The Course Of Pro Wrestling (by Dan Ryckert): This isn't mentioned in the OP - I discovered it after. It reminds me somewhat of Titan Sinking, except it's much shorter and covers only the Kliq. Again, nothing new, but a fun trip down memory lane with some interesting tidbits about Shane Douglas and the Bone Street Krew (Taker's clique). There was a lot about the Kliq in Titan Sinking as well, so I could be mixing up what was in there with what's in here. Either way, this isn't a bad companion piece of sorts to the Titan book, even though they're both by different authors. Dusty Wolfe's "books": They're all single columns really - no more than 5-10 pages each. I really enjoyed the ones about other wrestlers the most. The soapbox and general history pieces from him weren't as interesting to me. That's just my opinion though. The Stamp Collection: A mixture of poetry, Dennis Stamp's oversized ego, and some fun stories. Yes, this is as strange as it sounds. He has no love lost for Blackjack Mulligan, Dick Murdoch, and especially Bruiser Brody. He takes a particularly nasty shot about Brody's murder. Still, that's balanced by an incredible story at the end involving Terry Funk and a sick child that will leave you in tears. Like him or not, Dennis Stamp is definitely one of a kind, LOL. (And in case you're wondering, no, there's no mention of "Beyond the Mat" anywhere in the book.) Latin Thunder: I'm reading this one now, and while I have no idea who the hell the author is, I still like it so far. He is very thankful to his first trainer, even though the carny con man essentially took his money and ran. That's a bit much for me, making him sound like a brainwashed "respect the business, brother" type. Still, I do like it so far. Any book that starts out with Skandor Akbar (who was not the trainer I mentioned above) has to be at least decent. I tried reading the Tom Prichard book, but I wasn't in the mood for it. Maybe I'll go back to it after. I'm also not really looking forward to reading the two Snuka books, for obvious reasons.

DiBiase's speech for the face turn was amazing, but of course WCW didn't capitalize on it, because WCW was WCW-ing as usual. Another one: Someone else in other thread mentioned "Supersock" Jose Lothario. I had almost forgotten about the period in Michaels' career where he was managed by his trainer. What a complete waste of time that was. No one knew who the hell "Supersock" was, and he wasn't over a lick in the role.

I've always heard that he's technically not a Jr. because it's Vincent J. McMahon and Vincent K. McMahon. Apparently, the middle initial makes a difference.

Sorry to respond to such old posts, but I had to say something. Meltzer is the very last person I'd take seriously about technology. He is somewhat famously known for his lack of skills in that dept. Imagine if GFW had somehow gotten on Netflix, with all of the promotional backing that comes with that. That would be a huge deal IMO. Of course, as we know by now, something like that probably won't happen. But my point is, traditional TV doesn't necessarily have to be the be-all and end-all anymore - and it's becoming less and less important with each passing year. However, if GFW's idea of an online presence is expecting people to go on their website or look up videos on YouTube, that won't get them anywhere. They need something big, like a Netflix deal.

I caught it. The new format is dreadful and the entire show was a colossal dud. A bit of an exaggeration to say NO ONE there has star potential - I think ZZ, the Indian guy, the black guy, and one or two others do (sorry for using such generic descriptors, but I don't remember enough about any of them to specify further) - but the show sucks so far.

The presence of the Harris Boys smells like a Jeff Jarrett move. They were always his boys. Wonder if this means increased involvement for Jarrett/GFW in TNA. My money's on yes.

Should that really be a knock on him though? I mean, I understand why it is. but very few wrestlers are still as good after 15 years. What a major missed opportunity that no major U.S. wrestling league ever signed someone as talented and levelheaded as Michael Modest, save for the one WCW match he had at the end with Christopher Daniels, which Keller and DDP both ripped to shreds, because "no psychology, bro" even though they were only given five minutes and told to be flashy. The excuse given, that he "exposed the business" on that stupid NBC special (even though Harley Fucking Race and others were on the same special and did the same thing), really grates on my nerves.

I tried reading the 1PW book, but the default font is miniscule (I can increase it, but still, why should I have to change my settings for one book?) and it is an oral history involving people I've never heard of and don't care about. Obviously, that's my own bias. It's possible I'm missing out on a truly great book. If so, my loss. With that said, I'm really enjoying the Titan Sinking book so far. It hasn't gotten into 1995 specifically yet, and there's very little written about the years before that I didn't already know, but it's still interesting to read. I can't really judge the book accurately until it gets into 1995 itself, but so far so good. I can't think of any names for 1996 (maybe something with Stone Cold?), but if he ever gets to 1997, From New Generation to D-Generation could be good.

Both Matt Murphy books are well worth reading. One fascinating tidbit from The Professional Wrestler in the World of Sports-Entertainment: It offers advice for wrestlers who want to send a résumé to John Laurinaitis (yeah, it's a bit dated now, haha). Apparently, Big Johnny wanted PowerPoint presentations. WTF??? IMO, there are few programs more useless, obnoxious, and bloated than PowerPoint. On that note, I just found this a few minutes ago: http://www.businessinsider.com/universities-should-ban-powerpoint--it-makes-students-stupid-and-professors-boring-2015-6 I'll look for the Dixon 1PW book and add it. It sounds awesome. Nice review of the Dixon 1995 book. I'll post my own thoughts here when I get around to reading it. BTW, I love the idea for your site. Bookmarked!

Haha, yeah, that's why I offered to let the reader fill in his/her own favorite "vanilla midget." I was just too tired to think of a better example than Malenko.

Don't get me wrong: I didn't like it either, but I can see why it might have seemed like a good idea before it happened. Credible was fairly well-liked by the fans (both people I knew and the internet in general), from what I remember. But the minute he won the title, it was obvious what a monumental mistake it was.

I am reading The Professional Wrestler in the World of Sports-Entertainment (Matt Murphy) now. It's basically a "how to" book if you decide to become a wrestler. Not the moves, but how to act, what to do, bathe, wash your gear, etc. Despite that, it's surprisingly compelling. Can you link to these? I can't find them. Edit: I found them, I think. What is KB though, and who is Thomas Hall? http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6/ Except, Bret's alleged physical abuse and family abandonment are new wrinkles. I don't remember Bret's book ever going into any of that. He did admit to fucking around though. Sounds interesting. I just added it. James Dixon has about twenty other books, so I assumed he was a hack pushing out quick cash grabs. I may be wrong on that (or I may be right). I know nothing about the author, to be honest.

Nope. AGAIN I'll repeat (for the 10th time, it seems), I'm not saying that at all. Good artists can want to make millions and actually do it. Nothing wrong with that. Van Gogh could've been a millionaire (he wasn't) and he'd still be an artist. But 90% of the people in wrestling seem to have the mindset that it's all about making the most money you can (again, nothing wrong with that) and - here's why they're not artists - you're a "mark" if you're in it for any other reason. If the majority of "the business" treats it that way, then it stands to reason that "artistic merit" is way down the list of goals, if it's there at all. No, that doesn't mean wrestlers don't take pride in their work, don't want to have a good match, don't care, etc. But Hulk Hogan is considered the best worker in the business by many other wrestlers, why? Not because he knew a thousand moves and "created art." It's because he made the most money, drew the biggest houses, and everyone else benefited from being on the card with him. If a "starving artist" like Van Gogh was a wrestler, he'd be looked at with contempt. It's all about who drew the houses, made the most money, etc. There's a reason "vanilla midget" became a phrase behind-the-scenes. Malenko (or fill in the name of your favorite "vanilla midget") could tie Nash (or fill in the name of your favorite/least favorite "main eventer") into a thousand pretzels, but he didn't draw the money. Instead of being respected as an "artist," he was ridiculed for being "short and bland." That's the mindset most wrestlers and promoters seem to have. Nash's entire Hall of Fame speech was seemingly about what? Money, guaranteed contracts, yadda yadda. HBK's introduction, same thing. That's why Dusty's words about Nash surprised me.

I don't know... Credible didn't seem like a bad idea until it happened. Then, immediately after the fact, it was obvious it just didn't work. But before that, he was fairly popular and - sorry - credible.

Brock Lesnar An Undertaker-like special attraction...great. A World Champ holding the belt hostage...not so hot.

Has anyone else tried this? I signed up for a free month and loaded it up with wrestling books. Several of them are available through this service. You can check out ten books at a time and keep them for as long as you want. When you're done, return one and add another. There is a ton of rubbish - and searching for wrestling books in Kindle Unlimited, funnily enough, also gives you listings for gay erotica (lol). But there are enough good wrestling books to make a free month worthwhile. What I've found so far: Hacksaw: The Jim Duggan Story Dusty: Reflections of Wrestling's American Dream Hart Strings (Julie Hart) Black Bart & Me And a Few Other Wrestling Tales (Dusty Wolfe) Animal (George Steel) Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story JUSTICE DENIED: The Untold Story of Nancy Argentino's Death in Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka's Motel Room (Irvin Muchnick) Legends of Memphis Wrestling (Steve Crawford) The Stamp Collection (Dennis Stamp) A Pro Wrestling Curriculum: Advice, suggestions and stories (Tom Prichard) Latin Thunder: My Journey Off The Top Rope! Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore The Somebody Obsession: A Nobody's Desperate Journey to Stardom (Matt Murphy) The Professional Wrestler in the World of Sports-Entertainment (Matt Murphy) The ones I've read: - Terry Funk: I actually read this years ago and remember it being good fun. - The Somebody Obsession: I also read this years ago, and even though I still have no idea who the hell Matt Murphy is, it was actually a very interesting book about a low-level journeyman wrestler. He talks about training with Harley Race, dealing with bitter wrestlers like Malia Hosaka, etc. I highly recommend it. He has a second book, but I haven't read it yet. - Hacksaw: Surprisingly good. Much better than I expected, actually. He's very open about people and behaviors he doesn't like, including violence against women (naming Steve Austin, among others), what a wreck WCW was (he seemed bitter about people like DDP acting like they were big stars even though business was in the toilet), etc. - Dusty: I actually thought he had written this himself, because for better or worse, it reads like he's talking to you the whole time. I was surprised by how much bad language he used. Good book. I only wish he had updated it to include more recent events. At the time it was written, Cody was still an aspiring actor, etc. - Hart Strings: This is the whole book in a nutshell: Bret Hart was physically abusive, slept around, did drugs, used her for sex after they split up, abandoned his kids, etc. I have no idea what's true and what isn't, but man, she's bitter (maybe rightfully so, maybe not - I don't know). She had a tough upbringing, even ending up in a detention center at one point. It's hard to know what's true and what's bullshit, but it's still an interesting look at the Hart Family. She thanks Bret at the end, despite everything she claims he put her through. I'm not sure what to make of that. Not sure what to read next. I was surprised and delighted when I discovered THE STAMP COLLECTION though. The Dusty Wolfe book is actually just a few pages (I haven't read it yet), and he has several others. I don't know why he didn't just combine all of these into one book, but maybe he makes more money this way? I think I've found just about every worthwhile wrestling book this service offers, but if you know of any others, please share them. I'm not sure yet if Kindle Unlimited is worth $10 a month, but I'm definitely enjoying my free month.