El-P

The "guys with ridiculous names with no cool nickname" of the late 2000's is way more annoying. I miss wrestler's names being Greg "The Hammer" Valentine or "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.

Interesting observation.

First time Kerry showed up on Saturday Night, he was announced as The Texas Tornado Kerry von Erich. Then didn't they drop his name to only keep Texas Tornado ? My memory is fuzzy.

1994 is probably the peak of the Nastys, not that were much better than usual, but they got involved in more really good matches than ever that year. The first half of 1994 in WCW was terrific anyway, some of the best PPV's ever. I love the War Games match, the only drawback to me is the lack of blood.

Just watched Timeline of WWE 1977-1978. Amazing to hear Superstar still convinced that Bob Backlund was a huge mistake, that he had zero charisma, that he never drew a dime and that MSG audience hated him from day one. Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story. Basically, Superstar still seems jealous and bitter about him not becoming Hulk Hogan.

Holy shit.

Don't ask me why I remember this, but before Test even debuted, he was talked about on Kevin Kelly's little radio show they had, Byte This, and they put him over as "having Sid's physical presence and Shawn Michaels's ability and charisma". Yep.

No, I agree with you. I never thought about it before when I look back at Russo era, but you're right, and it is an issue. Austin going back to the traditionnal black trunks was cool as hell because it was the dyas of stupid gimmicks and people in full outfits. No one else was in a traditionnal wrestling gear anymore, especially not a simple black one. Then the Rock got the same look, more or less. Then Triple H got into black trunks (which really looked like him copying teh two biggest star of the era). Everyone looking the same doesn't work in american wrestling. I always thought part of the appeal wa also the presentation, the colorful gears and robes. This part has been forgotten today. The biggest star of this era is dressed like Justin Credible. Well...

Yep. It turned the complexion of the company around. I love how there is this myth that WCW created no new stars at all. Well, they weren't main event stars there, but WCW sure did produced shitloads of upper mid card name that were over as hell. Granted, they weren't used at their full potential, but still, when they showed up in WWF, they just took the spot of most mid-carder from the Russo era (poor D-Lo and Val, who got effectively buried in the shuffle because of it). WWF used what WCW produced to enhance their own product, and its not like they used them all at their upmost potential either. Eddie Guerrero was first used very poorly. Saturn who was super over in WCW got wasted. They never knew what to do with Raven, who was close to a main event guy in WCW. Sure, Rey Mysterio got pushed to new hights (and pretty much only because Eddie died in the first place), but rey was a *star* in WCW already. Do we need to mention Jericho ? Really, the afflux of stars from the other companies is a big part of what made the WWF's product so much better in 2000. Sure, you got Angle, who was a pure WWF product, but he was pretty much alone. This is what is lacking today too, big time.

Yeah, because all of a sudden, matches actually mattered. By 1999, the crowds had been taught to only react to entrances and catchphrases. In that respect, NOA were the perfect exemple of the Attitude Era.

Survivor Series 98 is really the starting point of the complete Russoisation of the promotion, with an entire PPV build around : a swerve. A bunch of nothing short matches (maybe one or two got good) and the swerve at the end of the PPV. The entire Russo booking philosophy is there. He has booked the same way for 12 years now. Amazing. Royal Rumble was all about Vince MacMahon winning the match, nice way to shit on your gimmick and the entire PPV again. And WM15 was all about not delivering the matches you build toward by switching championships at the last time (Road Dog winning the IC and Billy Gunn the hardcore, putting them in matches with no build whatsoever, brillant), and the double, triple swerve with HHH and Chyna.

I agree. That's probably also why Russo is still employed in 2010, and probably in 2011.

All I know is that my high school friends and I started ordering WWF ppvs in 1998 and ordered almost every single one. In 1999 we only ordered WrestleMania and SummerSlam, but in 2000 we ordered every single show. '99 was brutal. If they didn't have The Rock and Austin to save most of the shit it would had been the worst year ever. In 1999 I think the only compelling characters were The Rock and Austin. In most of 2000 the WWF tried to make everyone interesting and worth watching. Instead of relying on shock value they tried to create real, somewhat 3-D characters. Mankind was also a pretty great part of 1999, if I recall. Apart from having his head bashing in at Royal Rumble in that stupid match that I hated, and a nothing program with th Big Show, I don't remember Mankind being any part of any important angle in 1999. The big stuff came back in 2000 when it was time to put Stephy's love interest over. But Mick's big years really were 1997 when he broke through, the Ross interview, the first Hunter program which again helped Hunter a whole lot, Dude Love showing up at the top of the cage in SummerSlam, teaming with Austin, then in 98 the Terry Funk and NAO deal, HITC with Taker, corporate Dude Love against Austin, the birth of Mr. Socko and corporate Mankind getting screwed, winning the WWF championship. Foley was at the peak of his stardom. But 1999 really sucked, even Austin was involved in shitty stuff all year long (terrible feud with the Corporate Ministry). I guess The Rock was really the only bright spot, with Jericho showing up and Russo getting the fuck out the other two positive things. And then you had Owen dying. Terrible year, no wonder it drove me out. I kinda regret it in retrospect since I missed out the really good 2000 and first half of 2001 because of it.

I dunno. Attitude Era and 1999 in particular is what drove me out of WWF for good because the writing was so shitty and nonsensical. How can any fan forgive "It was me all along !", I don't understand.

How many people in WWE will be cut so she can waste more money ?

TNA management should be proud. Seriously, these guys are the biggest fuck up of their generations. So pathetic.

To be fair, they were referred to as "newcomers to the World Wrestling Federation," not as newcomers to pro wrestling itself. And besides, to talk about their years of experience could have provided free advertising to JCP/NWA, their main rival. It's funny how french announer Eddie Carpentier flew off the radar, because when they debuted, he put them over as one of the greatest tag team in the world, former world champions and even told they used to be called the Road Warriors. Of course I had zero notion of what he was talking about at the time since for me, wrestling = WWF. He also refered to Rick Martel as a former world champion, put over Flair as a *true* wrestling god (and Carpentier was a face announcer) that was the real world champion while Hogan was only the WWF champion. If at that time I knew what he was refering too I would have probably marked out big time.

It seems like Gran Naniwa has died a month ago from myocardial blockage. He was only 34, that's really sad...

Just saw it. Prettt sureal indeed. Waltman was brutally honest about every subject, and comes off as a pretty cool guy. He's 38, and despite years of abuse he still looks pretty much exactly like he did when he showed up in WCW in 96.

For the first time in ages, I had a look at RAW. That was so odd. I know absolutely nobody in the current roster except the usual suspects. And quite frankly, what I see doens't give me the urge to watch. The old set reminded me how much better it was when it was not overproduced and sanitized. I ff through most of it, because I have zero interest in the product. And the only sequence that made me stop was the final one. Roddy cuts a better promo that any of their current star. But as much as I think WWE is crap, there's one thing that is obvious to me, is that Cena deserves everything he's got. He's so much better than anyone else in the character and charisma departement. I mean, I don't wacht WWE, and this guy almost made me care about that angle. That Wade Barrett guy seems like a pretty good heel too, at least from what I've seen, he's a hundred time better than Orton, who, after all these years, is still a black hole. Anyway, Cena does that to me everytime I dare to watch a WWE show (which is about once or twice a year). It's so obvious why he should be this generation's Man, above everyone else. When did Michael Cole got so freaking horrible ? I mean, he's god awful. Howard Finkel put all their ring anouncers they had since the early 00's to shame. Gene Okerlund is still as great as he was before. Yeah, I sound like an old jeezer, which I probably am, but still. Some segments involving the legends were just awful and stupid though.

No. You should call the show and piss off Dave live.

Hitler never got his heat back on Staline after the double-cross. Plus the US bombing Hiroshima was such a heel move. Seriously, who booked this shit ? I know it was to build toward the Cold War but still. Best part of the war was Pétain turning heel and De Gaulle becoming a huge babyface in London. He was the top draw in France for decades then. Sammartino-like babyface. 40 years after his death, he's still celebrated. Chickenshit heel Sarkozy paying hommage to de Gaulle was a great heel move, it pissed off the crowd so much. Gotta... get... Meltzer... out.... of... my..... brain....

Don't think so. It's just that Bischoff, Russo and Dixie are retards.

They also seemed baffled by the fact Smackdown has been voted ahead of The Ultimate Fighter in a "best TV show" poll. As in "best *wrestling* TV show".

I think I've just heard the most offensive chant ever. On an ECW Arena show, fans are actually chanting "Hiroshima" at Tajiri. This is just wrong.