There actually is a reason I took Mando first that pertains to my plans and geography. But in hindsight I regret not picking Hector first because I should have known he would be more attractive in other places. Robinson was also going to be one of my next picks so my plans are pretty well shot to hell at this point.

Well see how things play out and if you don't see Mando in your plans on final roster keep Southwest Championship Wrestling in mind as a place to send him.

I figured one of Hector and Mando would fall to me.

For some reason I thought both would be available with my next pick.

This is just excruciating. I think I am being all clever with some of my ideas for selection, then I get hit in the face with the fact that the people on the board know as much about wrestling as I do (if not more so).

I am caught in the middle of almost every round going forward which is the dirt worst. For that reason it's likely that I have one last shot of picking up a key piece of talent, and most of the rest of the pool will be utility players I have to mold. I can't decide if this is oddly liberating or depressing.

Williams was a contender for my next pick, nice one Wahoo.

I had half an eye on Williams, am a bit surprised that he went so long, for all that he was green as grass at this point.

Williams was a contender for my next pick, nice one Wahoo.

 

I couldn't believe he was still available

Well he was a rookie at the time and didn't really get great for a few years so I'm not surprised he wasn't grabbed right away.

Sad to see Rip go. I wanted him, but not quite enough to draft him this early. Starting to get to be really thin pickings for people who I think are really appropriate for Portland. Possible I am just going to start loading up on random jobbers and undercard guys after my next pick.

Sad to see Rip go. I wanted him, but not quite enough to draft him this early. Starting to get to be really thin pickings for people who I think are really appropriate for Portland. Possible I am just going to start loading up on random jobbers and undercard guys after my next pick.

 

I was kind of hoping that we would get a Buddy, Embry and Rip stable in Portland.

Well he was a rookie at the time and didn't really get great for a few years so I'm not surprised he wasn't grabbed right away.

 

 

yeah, but the long-term potential, man...

I agree. He was a strong possibility for my next pick. Now I'm hoping the other "diamond in the rough" I have in mind can last another round.

I'll just say that if my fairly obscure late round pick idea gets grabbed first, I may well have an anyeurism.

There are a lot of quality workers still on the board

There are tons of quality workers still on the board. Stars that can make an impact on name alone? Not so many. In some respects the existing board is better suited to smaller feds right now.

Everyone basically is a smaller fed now because of the equal drafting. It's not like WWF and AWA were able to draft 2 for every smaller promotions 1 or anything.

That was actually my point. Those big feds have different needs to operate then the smaller feds. I can get by with Doug Somers as a semi-main eventer.

Southwest with Duggan & The Fabs are two legitimate drawing acts which is like...2 more than they ever had. So I'm pretty happy all things considered, the rest of my draft is just picking up pieces for the undercard/tag teams/utility guys.

EDIT: Already taken care of.

I was looking at Rip Rodgers too. I feel like I have such a mishmash on my roster. I have a whole bunch of half ideas now with the other half somewhere else, but it's part of the challenge and the fun (and the stress, and the ulcers...)

Not sure any pick has made me happier than getting Eddie Gilbert here with the last pick of the 6th round. Not being able to use him until September is fine with me too because I know exactly what I want HIM to do and drafted him solely for an idea I had and narrowed down my young 83 babyfaces down to him being the best to pull it off.

 

I just don't have the grizzled old veteran for the role that I envisioned for Bob Sweetan since he's taking off to Puerto Rico. And Mr. Wrestling II my backup who I hoped would slide is also gone.

Gotta be honest, I kinda hoped Ernie Ladd would fall to me.

 

Man, thinking more about it, he would have been really cool to do something with Tony Atlas. Probably would have been too John Singleton for 1983, though.

At this point I have overbooked my future plans and will feel crushed and heart broken if I lose a piece of the undercard puzzle. My top 5 acts all are fairly easy to book. Eddie is my interesting undercard angle. I got one more big piece for my 3rd babyface act that I absolutely want and then from there it's just trying to find guys who would work well against The Fabs & Duggan on short loser leaves timelines & some utility/job guys after that.