September 24, 201114 yr comment_5483546 We had to deal with that a bit on the Demolition Project. Lots of people were open to it. But there were a few like that.
September 24, 201114 yr comment_5483552 Was Bam Bam Bigelow ever on the ballot, and if so, what kind of support did he get?
September 25, 201114 yr comment_5483556 Yeah, I don't know if I could justify putting him in, but I'd have thought he'd have at least been on the ballot! He had a pretty nice career and was easily one of the best working big men of the last 20-30 years.
September 25, 201113 yr comment_5483564 I knew it would be difficult but it is amusing to see the "We have no clue who was really a draw!" talking point trotted out by McAdam this early in the discussion which tells me that it is going to be impossible to get a fair hearing out of a lot of these people. Received Wisdom of Wrestling Gods cannot be challenged! That's about what I expected. McAdam has always been an AWA hater too, similar to Meltzer..."Another unmarried Marriage Counselor", so to speak.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483689 A few things: Big Daddy - World of Sport had something like 30 million viewers in the 70s. Which was more than 50% of the UK population. As such Big Daddy is the Hogan of UK wrestling. Why? Because if you ask pretty much ANY casual non-wrestling fan over a certain age to name one wrestler, then they'll probably name Big Daddy (and after him probably Giant Haystacks). Seems to me that if you are going to include ANY WoS workers, then he has to be number 1 on that list. Jesse Ventura - given that this is a non-wrestling nomination, who said he wasn't good at his job? Is there seriously a counter to the common wisdom that he was GOAT colour commentator? Better than Heenan in my book. Curt Hennig - why is he on the ballot and not Rick Rude? I don't understand that AT ALL. I'm guessing for his AWA run? But that seems to me to be massively offset by Rude's WCW stuff. Makes no sense to me.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483695 Rick Rude fell off the ballot a year or two ago. Regarding Ventura, I think the standards for getting in as an announcer are very high and I don't think Ventura cuts the mustard on that basis alone. I think he grew disinterested in the role towards the end of the WWF run and that carried on into WCW.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483698 A few things: Big Daddy - World of Sport had something like 30 million viewers in the 70s. Christ, it was nowhere near that. The only normal TV show to hit the 30m mark was the christmas Eastenders in 1986. The only sporting event to hit the 30m mark was the 1966 World Cup Final. According to any BARB and BFI rating stuff I've found they never even hit 20m. I have heard that they got something like 18m on a Cup Final day but I'm not too believing of that, to be honest.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483699 I think one of the Only Fools and Horses Christmas specials might have hit it once too.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483701 24m according to Shittypedia, but that's still a mighty wedge and 4th biggest ever.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483705 A few things: Big Daddy - World of Sport had something like 30 million viewers in the 70s. Christ, it was nowhere near that. The only normal TV show to hit the 30m mark was the christmas Eastenders in 1986. The only sporting event to hit the 30m mark was the 1966 World Cup Final. According to any BARB and BFI rating stuff I've found they never even hit 20m. I have heard that they got something like 18m on a Cup Final day but I'm not too believing of that, to be honest. 70s? http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html Perhaps there is a bias against listing wrestling. John
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483707 Hey jdw, can you answer my question? http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?show...p;#entry5483635 Just one question: what was jdw's involvement in the original WO 1996 Hall of Fame list?
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483708 I could maybe be convinced on Pallo and McManus, but I still think Daddy is the best UK candidate other than Walton
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483709 Is Giant Haystacks not a candidate because he was fat and crap?
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483710 I suspect he's not a candidate because no one has ever made a case for him one way or the other.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483711 In some ways the case for Haystacks is about the same as the case for Big Daddy. One thing that is forgotten is that Big Daddy's run was really quite short. We're talking roughly 1975 to the mid 80s. Before that he wasn't particularly well known and wrestled as another character. His sole claim to fame is that run. Big Daddy's biggest drawing feud was against Giant Haystacks. Unlike Big Daddy, Haystacks travelled. He worked Calgary and, as we all know, WCW briefly. He was a decent heel and a bit of a freak weighing over 500lbs at 6'11. I think all this does though is highlight the weakness of Big Daddy's case. I think someone like Rick Martel would be a stronger candidate than Big Daddy, if you think about it and he doesn't seem to be on the ballot.
September 28, 201113 yr Author comment_5483715 Giant Haystacks also has a much better rep as a worker among his peers than Big Daddy.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483717 Big Daddy was also was the independent promoters British Heavyweight champion in 1960 according to wrestling heritage. Shame there doesn't appears to be much recorded history pre 80's for British wrestling. Also am i the only one who thinks 1979 Big Daddy vs Mighty John Quinn is one of the greatest matches of all time. Needs to be seen with the full intros and the celebration afterwards.
September 28, 201113 yr comment_5483718 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_...#United_Kingdom After going over that list I think it's pretty clear that "Who shot JR?" was the greatest and highest drawing angle of all time.
September 29, 201113 yr comment_5483724 The Beatles: they sustained it a second week. John Shame on me for forgetting the (British) Invasion angle of '64. It helped make the boys the most successful babyfaces ever. Even Lennon's "Bigger than Jesus" promo (which turned him heel in the South) couldn't stop them.
September 29, 201113 yr comment_5483726 The whole Messiah angle in the Bible is pretty epic. They teased his coming for over 2000 years, pretty massive build. So well booked that whole deal. Matthew was running Israel at that time with Mark, Luke and John on the committee. They teased a heel turn when he threw those tables over. It was probably one of the best booked babyface runs of all time. Jesus had fantastic promo skills, real calm delivery and a flair for extended metaphors. And the crowd popped crazy for the miracles. He had some great heels to work with in that territory as well. From early in his career against Herod right up to the end against Pilate. Judas was a pretty great heel too.
September 29, 201113 yr comment_5483727 I know it is smart to try and stay focused on one guy, but I'm itching to start digging into Ken Patera. Buddy Rose is who I really want to focus on, but the attendance figures just aren't available based on the limited archival searches I've done. Still may do a Gordy List on him for shits and giggles.
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