https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLwsc6eWJJQ

 

John Cena goes Benching with former UPW wrestler Mark Bell. Cena seems to have gotten bigger too.

Right here, in Sacramento, California!

Thanks to Bix's What Culture article on wrestlers' talk show appearances, I was watching the Andy Kaufman and Lawler appearance on Letterman. Letterman's a wrestling fan and Kaufman was a national celebrity at that point, but how well known was Lawler? Of course people from the Memphis territory would know him, but would someone from Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, or most importantly New York know a lot?

 

Lawler wasn't well known nationally at all. Kaufman was, due to Taxi. Heck, Letterman wasn't terribly popular. He was on after Carson and had a niche audience, people knew him, but the majority of people weren't staying up that late. Kaufman was the star of that whole program. And honestly, it seems like something that has been romanticized due to the Kaufman documentary and Man on the Moon and the myth and legend of the guy now. There's probably a few people here who go long enough back to remember this, outside of the wrestling bubble was it even a blip on the radar at the time?

The way Lawler told it on Austin's podcast was that the next day it was the talk of the city, take it for what that's worth.

 

It looks like Roddy Piper might be on the outs with WWE. He said in a stand-up routine recently that he told Vince off backstage, saying he was a failed concert promoter, a failed bodybuilding promoter and a failed football promoter and that the only business he's ever been successful at was the one his dad handed to him.

It seems to make many general lists of shocking tv moments for whatever it's worth.

The way Lawler told it on Austin's podcast was that the next day it was the talk of the city, take it for what that's worth.

 

It looks like Roddy Piper might be on the outs with WWE. He said in a stand-up routine recently that he told Vince off backstage, saying he was a failed concert promoter, a failed bodybuilding promoter and a failed football promoter and that the only business he's ever been successful at was the one his dad handed to him.

Which is exactly what he said on a SmackDown from 2003.

Not surprised he needs new material.

 

There's probably a few people here who go long enough back to remember this, outside of the wrestling bubble was it even a blip on the radar at the time?

 

 

It was newsworthy enough that I remember seeing/hearing about it on tv after it happened. If Entertainment tonight was around then (I think it was), it might have been on there. Can't recall exactly. As noted, it was all about Kaufman and Letterman as nobody outside of the few of us that bought mags knew who Lawler was, but I will give credit to Lawler for being just about the perfect guy to pull of the wrestler part of it, in terms of being media savvy enough and coming across as being legitimately upset at Kaufman.

Reading the latest round of partners announced for GFW, doesn't it kind of seem like Jeff is trying to build a new version of the old time NWA by partnering with as many territories around the globe as possible? Of course I entirely expect it to be like the modern NWA where it's 90% bullshit, but it would actually be a smart thing to attempt to do if expecting indy promoters to work together wasn't comparable to herding cats.

Reading the latest round of partners announced for GFW, doesn't it kind of seem like Jeff is trying to build a new version of the old time NWA by partnering with as many territories around the globe as possible?

 

No. To me it seems like Jeff is just going around giving the ol' Memphis handshake to people.

Well yes, that's the most likely scenario, but why is he spending the money traveling the globe to do this? Unless he's getting all these groups to pay for his transportation, which seems unlikely since none of the groups he's partnering with would be able to afford it except AAA and New Japan.

Reading the latest round of partners announced for GFW, doesn't it kind of seem like Jeff is trying to build a new version of the old time NWA by partnering with as many territories around the globe as possible? Of course I entirely expect it to be like the modern NWA where it's 90% bullshit, but it would actually be a smart thing to attempt to do if expecting indy promoters to work together wasn't comparable to herding cats.

 

 

You know, it probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world from a monetary point of view if his plan was to just air matches from other promotions on a show under the GWF umbrella, before slowing starting to run his own tapings or house shows.

 

Reading the latest round of partners announced for GFW, doesn't it kind of seem like Jeff is trying to build a new version of the old time NWA by partnering with as many territories around the globe as possible? Of course I entirely expect it to be like the modern NWA where it's 90% bullshit, but it would actually be a smart thing to attempt to do if expecting indy promoters to work together wasn't comparable to herding cats.

 

 

You know, it probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world from a monetary point of view if his plan was to just air matches from other promotions on a show under the GWF umbrella, before slowing starting to run his own tapings or house shows.

 

 

In theory it's an OK idea. In practice, you're going to get sub standard footage which may or may not meet broadcast standards, you're relying on independent promotions to deliver such footage on time to the above dubious standards, you're going to have a dubious commentary (unless yo go for studio announces, which is a horrible idea). And if you're just showcasing random matches from over the world, it's hard to build a brand around that. Many practicalities to consider.

Are DVDs (or downloads) of full years of CMLL TV available anywhere? And if so, what's the best year to start with?

 

 

Reading the latest round of partners announced for GFW, doesn't it kind of seem like Jeff is trying to build a new version of the old time NWA by partnering with as many territories around the globe as possible? Of course I entirely expect it to be like the modern NWA where it's 90% bullshit, but it would actually be a smart thing to attempt to do if expecting indy promoters to work together wasn't comparable to herding cats.

 

 

You know, it probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world from a monetary point of view if his plan was to just air matches from other promotions on a show under the GWF umbrella, before slowing starting to run his own tapings or house shows.

 

 

In theory it's an OK idea. In practice, you're going to get sub standard footage which may or may not meet broadcast standards, you're relying on independent promotions to deliver such footage on time to the above dubious standards, you're going to have a dubious commentary (unless yo go for studio announces, which is a horrible idea). And if you're just showcasing random matches from over the world, it's hard to build a brand around that. Many practicalities to consider.

 

 

I definitely get that but I was figuring more along the lines of New Japan and AAA footage which is being pro-shot, rather than dimly-lit indies shot by trainees with off-the-shelf handicams. Studio announcers would need to be used (agreed not the best idea but the most cost-effective one), and I figure they'd mostly just air Jeff Jarrett and AJ Styles matches, plus anyone they plan to bring in for their own tapings.

 

Maybe they could get by with a mix, like an AJ match from New Japan, a Jarrett match from AAA and a whoever match from a GFW taping, presented in a magazine format. On the other hand, it'd probably be tough to sell a new audience on such an outmoded format for a pro wrestling TV show, but then starting up a national promotion in 2014 is hardly the brightest idea either.

So this may be old news but Tammy Sytch is all over her twitter offering "private skype video chats". That's kind of sad.

"Major Gunns" Tylene Buck is a cam whore. Is it really any worse than that?

Don't get me wrong, I don't find the fact itself (being a cam whore) to be morally wrong or anything like that. If somebody's happy doing that or porn or whatever and it's all a personal choice then it's all good but in Tammy's case it really feels like another chapter in her endless downward spiral. When you think she has hit rock bottom then this comes out.

DDP just confirmed the news some of us were vaguely hearing on Twitter, that Jake Roberts is hospitalized and undergoing care.

Has anyone here heard of a wrestler named Ron Soo (that's what he is listed at on match lists). I've found only match results with him listed as Ron Su. He worked in Michinoku Pro back in 1998. He wrestled almost EXACTLY like Hideki Nishida or Masato Yakushiji. He actually looked better than Yaskushiji doing all those Rey Jr. spots from the mid-90s that blew our minds while simultaneously winning our hearts.

DDP just confirmed the news some of us were vaguely hearing on Twitter, that Jake Roberts is hospitalized and undergoing care.

 

Do we know what for?

 

DDP just confirmed the news some of us were vaguely hearing on Twitter, that Jake Roberts is hospitalized and undergoing care.

 

Do we know what for?

 

 

Pneumonia.

http://www.1wrestling.com/2014/08/29/jake-roberts-attorney-updates-jakes-health-condition/

Are DVDs (or downloads) of full years of CMLL TV available anywhere? And if so, what's the best year to start with?

 

http://www.slambamjam.com/mm5/merchant.mvc

 

I think 2005 is a great year to start. You get Mistico rising to the top of the promotion and you get Perros Del Mal becoming the top stable in the promotion. You'll get Mistico taking on Averno, Ultimo Guerrero and Aguayo Jr. in singles matches throughout the year. I was a regular watcher at the time and there were just some great matches throughout the year.

Maybe I'm not seeing it, but how come more tag teams don't employ the Missile Dropkick/Rollup combo? Just watched the Hardys use it against the Acolytes and it seems to be such a simple, yet effective move that good tag teams should be using in their double team move set.

Because simple, yet effective is not really something that pervades modern wrestling more than likely. You need really overly complex things to impress people. Simple is just not the thing.