Misawa not only appeared on more ballots than Kobashi or Kawada; he whipped them on both top 10 and top 3 votes. That is not something I would have guessed coming in. But as I said on the podcast, he was the best I've ever seen on his best night. So no complaints.

 

Definitely, his top 10 and top 3 votes really stood out. Can't complain about showering him with love though.

Another thing I was surprised to see was Bryan on only 142 ballots considering I know for a while he was the only man to be on every ballot.

Considering the attrition rate my ballot has had throughout the entire reveal process, I'm surprised that the top three that are left were the top three on my ballot.

Another thing I was surprised to see was Bryan on only 142 ballots considering I know for a while he was the only man to be on every ballot.

 

Yeah, I thought he'd tie with Vader for being on the most ballots.

 

 

Considering the attrition rate my ballot has had throughout the entire reveal process, I'm surprised that the top three that are left were the top three on my ballot.

 

Boricua, did you exclude the big All Japan guys because you haven't watched a lot of them or because you don't like the style?

Well, I have 2/3 at least. In which order ? I don't think Hansen will finish #2 like I had him.

Another thing I was surprised to see was Bryan on only 142 ballots considering I know for a while he was the only man to be on every ballot.

That's something that caught my attention as well.

Liger and Bryan were on every ballot for the longest while. Liger dropped off. Then Bryan. Then the other three overtook him.

Misawa not only appeared on more ballots than Kobashi or Kawada; he whipped them on both top 10 and top 3 votes. That is not something I would have guessed coming in. But as I said on the podcast, he was the best I've ever seen on his best night. So no complaints.

That surprises me. I know there was a lot of against Kobashi but I had no idea there was anything like that for Kawada too.

 

 

In a selfish fan way I wanted Bryan to win too.

 

I think this is a pretty appropriate top 4. Given the talk on the boards and hearing some of the lists on podcasts, it is tough to argue with or be surprised by this top four. You have a guy who made his case in Japan, a guy who made his case in America and two guys who made their case in both to varying degrees. All score pretty high on all of the major metrics and all (sans Funk, kinda) have bookended their careers and their case has been made for a while (no recency). Everyone has their detractors and their flaws and this could probably be said about all the top 10, but these are four of the harder guys to argue against as GREAT.

I would say that Misawa didn't as clearly bookend his career because he was still active with no sign of retiring, within I'd say conservatively the next 5 years liberally 10, before his untimely passing so it could be contended that he would have done more to add to or detract from his case which leaves that little bit of open-endedness to his career that the other do not have even-weirdly, Funk who is still wrestling feels like his career is very much concluded because over the past few years it has become very obvious exactly what he can produce with his body completely broken down and it has in no way really effected his over all case.

 

A very odd nit to pick I know but reading your break down made me feel inspired this fine Friday morning

Meltzer said Misawa was actually talking about doing a retirement tour soon in the months leading up to his death. Also just look at how he was moving in his last year. There is no way he could have wrestled 5 more years unless you just mean doing tags where he spends the match on the apron and only does a few elbows.

 

That is exactly what I meant people were already starting to sour on him and in some ways it tarnish his legacy I think if he had stuck around he would have ended up with something similar to Tenryu's last few years with one or two big time performances with younger guys sprinkled in and at the end of the day he wouldn't been seen in the same light he is today. Once again we live in the world the way it is not they way it could be but it's a major what if.

 

On a side note who voted Misawa 86? I could almost accept 100 just as a "I hate AJPW" troll vote but who really sized the man up and said "Hmm yeah 86 seems right"? I mean honestly?

 

Another thing I was surprised to see was Bryan on only 142 ballots considering I know for a while he was the only man to be on every ballot.

 

Yeah, I thought he'd tie with Vader for being on the most ballots.

 

 

Considering the attrition rate my ballot has had throughout the entire reveal process, I'm surprised that the top three that are left were the top three on my ballot.

 

Boricua, did you exclude the big All Japan guys because you haven't watched a lot of them or because you don't like the style?

 

 

I touched on this in the podcast with Will that was lost to the void, but the short answer is that they were part of a group of wrestlers where I had not really watched much of them before the project and, when the time came to send in the ballot, I still was unsure of what my assessment on them was. So i made a decision about how i would construct my ballot. I'll post a longer explanation later in the "Things I learned about myself as a fan" thread.

 

 

 

In a selfish fan way I wanted Bryan to win too.

 

I think this is a pretty appropriate top 4. Given the talk on the boards and hearing some of the lists on podcasts, it is tough to argue with or be surprised by this top four. You have a guy who made his case in Japan, a guy who made his case in America and two guys who made their case in both to varying degrees. All score pretty high on all of the major metrics and all (sans Funk, kinda) have bookended their careers and their case has been made for a while (no recency). Everyone has their detractors and their flaws and this could probably be said about all the top 10, but these are four of the harder guys to argue against as GREAT.

I would say that Misawa didn't as clearly bookend his career because he was still active with no sign of retiring, within I'd say conservatively the next 5 years liberally 10, before his untimely passing so it could be contended that he would have done more to add to or detract from his case which leaves that little bit of open-endedness to his career that the other do not have even-weirdly, Funk who is still wrestling feels like his career is very much concluded because over the past few years it has become very obvious exactly what he can produce with his body completely broken down and it has in no way really effected his over all case.

 

A very odd nit to pick I know but reading your break down made me feel inspired this fine Friday morning

Meltzer said Misawa was actually talking about doing a retirement tour soon in the months leading up to his death. Also just look at how he was moving in his last year. There is no way he could have wrestled 5 more years unless you just mean doing tags where he spends the match on the apron and only does a few elbows.

 

That is exactly what I meant people were already starting to sour on him and in some ways it tarnish his legacy I think if he had stuck around he would have ended up with something similar to Tenryu's last few years with one or two big time performances with younger guys sprinkled in and at the end of the day he wouldn't been seen in the same light he is today. Once again we live in the world the way it is not they way it could be but it's a major what if.

 

 

You really think Tenryu's last few years had any significant impact on his legacy? Almost every wrestler holds on too long. Misawa already had. I don't believe his particular ending was much of a factor here.

Bash '89 for the Title! Here's hoping the post-match is just as awesome.

Yep, I guessed right.

Now, can Funk pull it off ? I guess not but it would be awesome.

Shit, I really thought Hansen would beat Funk. Well, he was already my avatar, so that's easy.

 

 

You really think Tenryu's last few years had any significant impact on his legacy? Almost every wrestler holds on too long. Misawa already had. I don't believe his particular ending was much of a factor here.

 

No I don't my point is the what if is that I believe it could or would have effected his legacy maybe only slightly but still at least some the example of Tenryu is there he was 13 I could easily see Misawa after a 5-10 year run as a washed up over weight old guy at the same place not a huge change but a change.

Could the Funker really pull this off? When voting started, I knew people would rank Funk as an all-time great, but I didn't think many would list him No. 1. He might end up winning the whole damn thing!

Could the Funker really pull this off? When voting started, I knew people would rank Funk as an all-time great, but I didn't think many would list him No. 1. He might end up winning the whole damn thing!

 

Folks did say Flair would lie down too willingly, so you never know.

In the booking meeting for the Flair vs. Funk GWE showdown, both workers are arguing over who gets to blade first. Bookers are legit worried that both guys may pre-blade in the locker room and juice during their entrance.

Now Gary Hart is involved!

So it looks like the top 4 may be in the exact same order as I have the top 4 on my ballot. Here is where I placed everyone from today and yesterday.
Jushin Liger (16)

Daniel Bryan (11)

Rey Mysterio Jr (8)

Jerry Lawler (6)

Kenta Kobashi (5)

Mitsuharu Misawa (4)

Stan Hansen (3)

What a gigantic leap Bryan had from only being a honorable mention in 2006 to being number 5 this year

Could the Funker really pull this off? When voting started, I knew people would rank Funk as an all-time great, but I didn't think many would list him No. 1. He might end up winning the whole damn thing!

I had him as my number 1

No I don't my point is the what if is that I believe it could or would have effected his legacy maybe only slightly but still at least some the example of Tenryu is there he was 13 I could easily see Misawa after a 5-10 year run as a washed up over weight old guy at the same place stuff not a huge change but a change.

 

 

Still untangling my brain from trying to read this sentence. My God, man, where's the punctuation? THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

Happy about Funk over Hansen, though I have no major problems with Hansen here.

 

No I don't my point is the what if is that I believe it could or would have effected his legacy maybe only slightly but still at least some the example of Tenryu is there he was 13 I could easily see Misawa after a 5-10 year run as a washed up over weight old guy at the same place stuff not a huge change but a change.

 

 

Still untangling my brain from trying to read this sentence. My God, man, where's the punctuation? THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

 

There's a hypen

 

 

No I don't my point is the what if is that I believe it could or would have effected his legacy maybe only slightly but still at least some the example of Tenryu is there he was 13 I could easily see Misawa after a 5-10 year run as a washed up over weight old guy at the same place stuff not a huge change but a change.

 

 

Still untangling my brain from trying to read this sentence. My God, man, where's the punctuation? THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

 

There's a hypen

You can use more than two h per sentence too.