Ask X #8

Posted in Ask X by Jack at 19:52, Mar 16 2009

by Jason X

To leave questions for the next installment:
http://inyourheadboard.proboards27.com/index.cgi?board=oldschool&action=display&thread=16061&page=1

Here we are with week 8 of Ask X. first off I want to say thanks to everyone who sent their condolences out for my families loss, it was greatly appreciated, and for those who asked, the Motley Crue concert was awesome. Easily the best concert I have ever been. Next on the agenda, I want to mention that I?m saddened to hear that Test has passed. I know I?m going to sound like JR, but I always thought that Test had a huge upside, and I?ll admit I was even a bit of a Test fan. He?s in a better place now. I was going to get up on my soapbox concerning Test?s passing, but I?m not going to do it this week. Let?s get on with the show.

Old School checks in this week with two questions, regarding WWE?s kid friendly product, and Stone Cold Steve Austin

Old School: Most people have been against WWE's decision to return to a PG, kids oriented show. I personally believe that is a smart way to go, furthermore, i think this particular audience, nowadays, with everyone more or less "smart", is wrestling's natural niche. It makes sense in a commercial perspective - kids can't go alone to the shows, which implies that (at least one of) the parents will be there as well, which implies more ticket sales; in the absence of a strong polarising figure (The Rock, Stone Cold), with broad appeal, the merchandising will invariably be bought by young people. With so many fans diverting their attentions towards "real sports", like MMA - though i doubt it's truly "as real as it gets" -, betting on a younger audience will give them a revenue source that will last until, at least, the respective audience's adolescence. Plus, with every possible angle or match having already been done, the only option would be to go even raunchier, and more hardcore - with inevitable greater risks to the performers. What are your thoughts on this matter?

A: Well with wrestling being a business that goes through cycles every so many years, and being that as Jim Cornette has stated you can use the same angles every 6 months. I think catering to kids is a smart move right now, the major problem with it is Vince needs to keep in mind what happened in 1993 to 1997, they catered way too much to kids, and it drove away fans. Then again, catering to younger fans is also good, because in the attitude era, the teenage fans that were going crazy for Austin and The Rock, were young children who were going crazy for Hogan, and Savage during the 80?s. So you are bringing in fans who will be able to cross over for two different era?s of wrestling. I see it being a huge upside, plus catering to kids, might bring the wrestling back to the show. Fingers are crossed.

Old School: I recently watched an interview Steve Austin gave to Howard Stern where he said he left WWE because he had an argument with Vince regarding a certain angle, where he was supposed to job to someone, and he refused to do it. Could you remind me of what angle this was supposed to be but, more importantly, doesn't it seem like Austin marked out for himself? I mean, everyone gives Bret (damn IYH no-shower) Hart a hard time for, supposedly, not wanting to job out to Michaels in Montreal, but if what Austin said is true, i think Stone Cold should get as much heat for acting in the same way, and not doing business.

A: I think the angle he was referencing was a possible Hogan Vs. Austin match that I?ve heard in the last few years was supposed to take place not too long after WrestleMania. He did walk out the day after Mania for a week, and then only a few months later did he walk out again for a longer period of time. You?re right on the money with the assessment that it had to do with him doing the J.O.B. for someone. Which for as much flack as Hogan gets for not wanting to lay down for someone, he never walked out on the company, and I agree for you that he should get the same treatment as other people have who have refused to do business, but he get?s leeway from the net, because it was in response to a feud with Hogan, and we all know the net loves to hate Hogan.

Dennis Wanker is also checking with two questions this week?if one is the loneliest number, than for me this week two seems to be the magical number.

Dennis Wanker: name 3 wrestlers from the 80's that would be a definite fit in today?s wrestling.

A: This is a tough one, I?m going to avoid wrestlers who are still active (in terms of wrestling, not in the backstage capacity) in pro wrestling either in the big two, or on the indies. So with that here we go.

Rick Rude: Rude would be amazing now, as he could push the envelope even more in today?s environment than he could back in the 1980?s. If you want to argue that Val Venis did this back in the 1990?s you can, but we all know that Val was no where near the all around talent that Rick Rude.
David Von Erich: the man was the best of all the Von Erich?s and he sadly left us much too soon. If he was to be in his prime during this day and age, he would?ve been a main eventer in ROH, and probably would?ve moved on to WWE.
Stan Hansen: he?d be a huge heel in this day and age, his hard hitting style would be a better fit in ROH, but he?d be able to cross over amazingly into either WWE or TNA

Dennis: in your opinion name 3 wrestlers that you think were the most underrated...this could also be from the 80's too thanks

A: okay, three of the most underrated wrestlers. I?ll start with the number one from my previous answer for you, Rick Rude I just don?t think ever got his just due as a wrestler, he wasn?t the greatest. But he could work, he could talk on the mic, he could sell, he could be a bad ass heel, or a chicken shit heel. What more could you want in a wrestler, who was primarily a heel. I wish he got more credit. Number two is one of my all time faves, and I actually said this to them on IYH when they were on, but Dustin Rhodes is the greatest wrestler to never hold a world title. The man is a great natural worker. It?s a shame that he will be remember more for being Golddust, than he will as just being Dustin Rhodes. I still can go back and watch his USWA Texas, or WCW stuff and get completely lost in the match and enjoy as a fan. The man should?ve had a world title run. And finally, I?m going to pick one from the modern era, that way I cover the 80?s, 90?s, and now. Homicide is terribly underrated, unless you are a ROH fan you don?t know just what the guy can do, he would be a great main event heel in the Terry Funk style if TNA ever gave him the ball. He?s another guy who can do it all, the just need to give him the ball.

TC ?Loves to work the arm because he?s an? Anderson, breaks the two question streak by asking me three Memphis wrestling related questions.

TC: Basically every one who's anyone in the business got their start, or made a major pre-impact in the business in the old 80's Memphis territory from Austin, to Hogan, to even the Rock who got his start here. Why hasn't anyone release a best of Memphis DVD with that footage and does the WWE own it?

A: Highspots has just started to offer some best of Memphis Wrestling DVD?s that look to be worth buying, the reason Vince doesn?t own the footage, is because of a messy lawsuit that took place in the late 90?s between Jerry Lawler, Tony Myers, and two share holders in the USWA, They all own parts of the footage, plus you have to add in that Mario Savoldi also owns some of the footage, and so does WMC-TV (which I found out the hard way by posting a Memphis wrestling music video on my you tube account), which makes it an ever hairier situation to deal with. Vince has used some of the footage Lawler owns on the wrestling superstars of the 80?s DVD set. I don?t doubt that one day Vince will own the footage, but it?s a matter of tracking down every person that owns a piece of this wrestling library puzzle.

TC: Lawler had a ton of major feuds with some great talent. But he also had a ton of not so major matches with the likes of "Chucky' "The Christmas Creature", "Rocky the Redbird" just about every year he has such a match. What do you think about the idea of using such, er crappy gimmicks, even in today's wrestling environment?

A: it?s funny you ask this question, as this past week I was having a discussion with a friend of mine about the territories, and how it?s hard for me to say Memphis was the best one, and I actually mentioned Lawler fighting the Monsters. If it was done anywhere and it would be able to work, would be in Chikara, I mean they had CP Munk, Colt Cabunny, and Ken The Box on their shows. It would work today, although I?m not a huge fan of it, I love comedy matches, but I think that takes it to a whole other realm.

TC: And out of curiosity, who are your 10 favorite singles stars from any Memphis era, and 10 favorite tag teams?

A: I?ve been to the Memphis Wrestling History site many times, it?s up there with the Mid Atlantic Gateway as one of the best territory websites. You know this one is going to kill me, cause I?m going to have to name a tag team I loathe as number one right. Alright here we go

Tag Teams
The Fabulous Ones: I hate these guys?I really do?I have no idea how such a homoerotic tag team got over in Memphis the way they did?and they drew huge crowds, that were there to see them and not Lawler. They were two great wrestlers, I just don?t get it.
The Road Warriors: not known for their Memphis stuff but they did well in Memphis, and being there helped them out immensely in the long rung
PG-13: two words Jamie FN Dundee
The Sheepherders: before they were the kid friendly Bushwhackers, these guys were pure evil and violence
The Dirty White Boys: my personal favorite team from Memphis, these guys never got the credit they deserve
The Rock N Roll Express: they got it all started in Memphis, I?d have them higher but they are more famous for their stuff with the NWA
Randy Savage and Lanny Poffo: The renegades from ICW made huge waves in Memphis as a tag team
The Eliminators: Another team that would reach heights elsewhere, but if it wasn?t for their time in Memphis they never would?ve been notices
The Island Boyz: Rosey and Umaga were dominate during their days in Memphis in the early 00?s.
The Nightmares: They were a crown jewel of the First Family of Wrestling.

Singles Wrestlers
Jerry Lawler: Seriously would anyone else have the number one spot
Eddie Gilbert: no explanation needed
Austin Idol
Bill Dundee
Jeff Jarrett
Brian Christopher
Randy Savage
Tommy Rich
Doug Freakin Gilbert
Billy Travis

And We wrap up this short week with the Bret to my Anvil Spec_Sun

Spec_Sun: This is just a general question. What are your thoughts about the NWA World Tag Team Championship tournament at The Great American Bash 1992? I thought the concept was cool, and the format reminded me of those annual All Japan taq team tournaments of the 1980s. I wish the WWE would invest in something like that. Have an annual tag team tournament.

A: my thoughts on that particular tournament are the same as I have for any one night tournaments in general. I love one night tournaments. I think having them makes the outcome very special. The stories that are told on those nights allow the fans to invest in all the wrestlers, and really buy into the winners as the best at what they do. As far as tag tournaments, I do think WWE should do one, maybe have it for a unified tag title, that would cover all the brands. I think we would be able to see some of the teams really step it up and show us just how good they are. It?s a great idea, that will probably never happen.

With that I?m out for the week?

Remember support IYH ever Wednesday, and support Santo Loco?s AAA in English, we are on a seven day break.

later