Magnum Milano

I'll be looking at her in a whole new light on Central News now! 

I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined Sameena Ali-Khan modelling lingerie and underwear.

Sameena! 

Are those genuine?  She'll give old Bob a heart attack!

The Pointer Sisters - Dirty Work (1978) - cover of the Steely Dan song

29 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Good stuff, cheers. I'll fire it up after I've finished The Vietnam War.

The Ken Burns one?

I torrented that and his ten parter on the History of Baseball (even though I'm not a baseball fan I pretty much enjoy all Sports docs) but haven't got around to starting it yet.

9 hours ago, SuperBacon said:

Been watching TOTP on BBC4 as well?

To keep with the theme: 

 

How can someone come out of last night's TOTP shows and not post Betty!

Betty Boo - Doin' the Do (1990)

2 hours ago, jazzygeofferz said:

I wonder whether they'll try to bring back Mike from Karate Kid 3 as well?

Sean Kanan seems pretty open to reprising the role in interviews I've seen with him, he also made an appearance in that Josh Gad reunited video.  I reckon it's just a case of them finding a logical story to bring him back and then he'll make a cameo or two.

4 minutes ago, Mr Butternut Squash said:

Is there a link to the JCP podcast with Dylan? Sounds right up my street. I enjoy Zellner too, his accent is brilliant, and I remember having a blast with all those epic PWO linked shows a few years ago. And yeah, shame about Bix. I find him fairly unlistenable to be honest. 

This, I think, is where Kris streams all his podcasts from now (I don't believe he posts them on PTBN or Sound Cloud anymore).

https://redcircle.com/shows/between-the-sheets

The show with Dylan is called "The Pay Windah", but they've only done two shows so far (which is one more than I thought to be fair).

13 hours ago, TheBurningRed said:

Cross will have that matchplay and European wins coming off the rankings this year. I think the UK open final as well. He’s looking at dropping out the top 32. It’s bollocks the premier league has that top 4 rule as he’s been so bad and looks to have the start of dartitis. 

Cross is 25th on the one year rankings, he's going to plummet this year unless he sees a dramatic upturn in form and is able to defend a fair chunk of the money from his two tournament wins.

https://www.dartsrankings.com/yeartodate

A completely random fact that I checked out after watching one of those "easter egg" videos on YouTube.

In Cobra Kai Season One, Ralph Macchio (57) is five years older than Pat Morita (52) was in the original Karate Kid film.

William Muldoon

Mildred Burke

Sky Low Low

Watched the first five episodes yesterday.

New year, new thread.

Actor Mark Eden, best known to a generation as Alan Bradley off Coronation Street and who in real life was married to co-star Sue Nicholls (Audrey), has passed away at the age of 92. 

8 minutes ago, TheBurningRed said:

Yeah I was amazed too. However, if Gilding has a missus with those teeth, I’d be shocked. And annoyed. 

More like "golden brown teeth" as opposed to "Goldfinger".  The absolute state of them.

10 minutes ago, TheBurningRed said:

It’s literally his routine before he throws that I enjoy haha. He had a match a few years back at the worlds against John Henderson. Two stunners on display. If that didn’t get the female demographic watching, I don’t know what would. 

I was amazed when the commentators were talking about Big Hendo's wife during one of his matches this year.  Admittedly he looks tons better for the weight loss, but I never had him down as someone who would have married.

55 minutes ago, TheBurningRed said:

We need more Andy Gilding and his little ocd routine before he throws. But not him smiling. 

Perhaps the first and only time you'll see someone say "we need more Andy Gilding".

We met Denis Ovens at the Matchplay in Blackpool back in '07.  He played earlier in the afternoon and then later on was mooching around the bookies section in the corner of the building.  Had a brief chat with him and he signed my programme too.  Nice guy.  I forget how he got on in his match (he was playing Barney so probably lost), but the lasting memory of his game is when a completely unplanned and unexpected chant of "the Heat, the Heat, the Heat is on fire!" erupted around the Winter Gardens.

I've found myself spending more and more time this World championships on TDF.  First darts forum I ever visited was TSOD, however the vast majority of posts there these days tends to be the posters just hurling insults at one another and less about the darts.  TDF does suffer similarly, yet it is nowhere near as bad and there is at least more discussion going on about the darts, even if posts can get pretty offensive, plus I do find a fair bit of the commentary from folk funny.

In regards to the Worlds, I've tended to be picking and choosing what matches I watch and haven't watched any full sessions.  You can usually find someone streaming it on YouTube or Twitch so that's where I've been.  I was gutted for Scott Waites against Aspinall, but it was a total bottle job on his part with those three in hand at D10.  Looking at the quarters I do think it is still quite open.  Gurney has been playing the best he has all year, so Price winning is no formality, and I would expect Anderson or Dirk to give Van Gerwen a game in the semi (Chisnall will roll over like he always does).  Bunting/Ratajski is a toss up, although I would like the Pole to do well.  After all that, watch it be a MVG/Price final.

Agree with you re. preferring the Mexican Death Match over the Japanese one.  My write ups:

Super Crazy vs Yoshihiro Tajiri (Mexican Death Match) (ECW TNN 1/21/00)

Quote

The rules of a Mexican Death match are that it is ‘no DQ’, as opposed to something like a Texas Death match. The match start with Joey Styles and Joel Gertner making jokes like how the loser of the match has to watch 12 hours of Mil Mascaras movies. Almost as soon as it’s started though we cut to a break. We return to see Tajiri dropkick Crazy whilst he’s tied in the ‘Tree of Woe’. He goes outside and brings three chairs into the ring, sets them up in front of Crazy’s head and dropkicks the lot into this face busting him open. He bites the cut and wipes Crazy’s blood down his chest before ramming his head into a table. He then fires chairs across the table at his head, which Crazy has to duck out the way of, and the chairs go flying into the audience. The crowd lose their shit at how dangerous this is and Tajiri’s response? He bows at them! Tajiri lies Crazy on the table and comes off the top with a double foot stomp. The table doesn’t break so he heads up for another go, this time making sure to put Crazy through it. At this point he starts mocking the beaten Crazy who is down on his knees which is all kinds of awesome. Irish whip reversal and Crazy with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker followed by a springboard moonsault. He throws Tajiri to the outside, nails him with a chair and they fight to the back. Moonsault off the bleachers through a table. Back in the ring and Crazy is laying in those kicks. Punches in the corner with the crowd counting along in Spanish, then Tajiri staggers to the opposite one and receives ten more with him now busted open like his opponent. Crazy whips him into the ropes, handspring elbow, but Crazy is back to his feet and levels him with a clothesline. He crotches Tajiri on the top rope and a springboard back heel kick to the head for a two. A great spot where Crazy has Tajiri backed up against the ropes slapping his chest, he catches a kick, but Tajiri then reverses it into the tarantula. Kick to the groin and a lovely German suplex for a near fall. A baseball slide dropkick sends Crazy over the guard rail and into the front row, and Tajiri with an Asai moonsault out onto him. He brings a table in the ring and sets it up in the corner, but he’s taken took long and is met by a glorious missile dropkick from Crazy. As Tajiri rolls to the floor for a breather, Crazy collects a table of his own and sets it up in the opposing corner. Tajiri is back on the apron and he’s got the ring wrench in his hand. Back kick to Crazy and he starts driving the wrench into his mouth. Crazy ducks a kick, boot to the mid-section and he goes to powerbomb Tajiri through a table. Tajiri blocks it and blows the mist in Crazy’s eyes. He leaps off the table, but Tajiri catches him, runs to the opposite corner and powerbombs him through that table for the win. That finishing sequence just there was outstanding.

Excellent match. Tajiri is just so good here. He’s methodical, calculated, everything he does has a meaning and a purpose. There is a legitimate air of ‘I don’t give a shit’ about him when he’s firing those chairs at Crazy’s head and they go flying into the crowd. His mannerisms and charisma are off the chart on this one. Even when something goes ‘wrong’ like the double footstomp through the table, if you didn’t know better you would have thought that was meant to happen. The guy is a consummate pro, covers it perfectly and just does it again. Compare this with how Ric Blade behaved when he botched the leg drop against Low Ki (CZW 1/8). Crazy’s comeback seemed a bit out of place considering the beating he had just taken, maybe fire back with some punches first before going into the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and springboard moonsault! The finishing stretch is tremendous and the best I’ve seen in the year so far. By the way I wish Hat Guy and his pal would sit the fuck down! Boy would I hate to be at the Arena and be sat behind that pair!

Super Crazy vs Yoshihiro Tajiri (Japanese Death Match) (ECW TNN 3/24/00)

Quote

The footage starts just as Tajiri launches Super Crazy over the guardrail and into the audience, and Tajiri with a kick to the head on him as he returns to the ring. Handspring elbow, but Crazy is back to his feet and dropkicks Tajiri who tumbles through the ropes to the floor. It’s Crazy’s turn to launch his opponent into the front row and a lovely Asai moonsault follows. Double jump moonsault for two, and Crazy unloads with punches in the corner before repeating in the opposite one. Nice series of pin attempts with both men getting their fair share of two counts. Tajiri with a dropkick to the head and he steps outside to pick up a chair. He’s about to clock Crazy, but he gets in first and dropkicks it into his face. As he grabs his leg, out of nowhere, Tajiri levels him in the head with the chair. He slams Crazy’s face into it and then kicks the back of it so the steel collides with his head. We return from an ad break as Tajiri is bringing a couple of tables into the ring while Crazy has been busted open from that kick to the back of the chair. Double foot stomp off the top puts Crazy through one of the tables, but he’s still able to kick out of the pin. Tajiri props the second table up in the corner, Crazy ducks the kick and a tilt-a-whirl into a powerslam through that one. Crazy brings a third table into the match and goes to moonsault Tajiri through it, however it doesn’t break and he ends up powerbombing him through it for the win.

Steve Corino immediately attacks Crazy after the match, while the referee seems more concerned with getting the remnants of the table out of there as opposed to trying to stop the attack! Jack Victory is also out and the guy throws a great looking punch. It’s not long before Crazy starts to hold his own against these two, which brings out Rhino who smashes him with an almighty gore. The four of them put the boots to Crazy until Sandman’s music plays and he takes an absolute eternity to make his way through the audience and make the ‘save’ (although you can’t really say he made a save, Corino et al just stopped focussing on Crazy). When he eventually gets into the ring he Singapore canes everyone, but as he goes to hit Tajiri for a second time he blows the mist in his face and Rhino gores him. Piledriver for Sandman and Crazy, and Cyrus says the nobody stands up to the Network, and if there is anyone in the back, in the arena or anywhere who’s got the guts to stand up to the Network, he suggests they come out and meet the Network face to face. Balls Mahoney and his steel chair have got the guts and answer the challenge. As Cyrus starts laying the verbal smack down on Balls, he doesn’t realise that his ‘Network’ have vacated the ring and he’s all alone in there. He tries to apologise and back off but Balls isn’t having any of it. Just as he’s about to cave his skull in with his chair, Corino is back in to grab it and Rhino gores him, while Cyrus again says the nobody stands up to the Network!

Another real good match in the series, although it’s probably my third favourite of the ‘death matches’, primarily due to the fact it was so short (not even seven minutes in duration). The best thing about this was the way the match built, as you would’ve had no idea whatsoever that it was a death match for the first half of it. The opening section is pure wrestling and there is a really nice pinning sequence in this, and Tajiri has a gorgeous one off a fireman’s carry to look out for. It was only the second half where they bought out the tables and chairs and the violence levels escalated. My one gripe is on Crazy’s comebacks (and it’s a common trait with him), that he takes an absolute pounding and then as soon as it’s his turn on the offense, he’s back running and flying around as if there was never anything wrong with him in the first place. The post-match angle was what it was, and lasted about as long as the match itself. Never thought I would see someone make a slower run-in/save than Mick Foley and his bad knees, but the Sandman manages it!

I'm sure I've posted this before.  The Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat promo video that aired the night before Wrestle War' 89 and the third match in the trilogy.  How could you not want to buy the PPV after this?

9 minutes ago, WeeAl said:

Bixenspan's co-host sounds oddly like Jim Ross though. That Heyman has received such positive press over the years, with how shitty he behaved as a person, a promoter and with waning quality of booking, shows the value he found in being a mole for the Observer and The Torch. 

Kris Zellner is excellent on every podcast I've ever heard him on.  I don't know whether he still does it, but the Exile on Badstreet podcast is/was fantastic, plus he's done shows with Dylan Hales (they were going to do a month by month history of JCP starting in 1989 but not sure how far they got into it) and does one with Rob Naylor too, looking at old wrestling magazines.  I have no idea how he is able to keep putting stuff out at the regularity he does.  Just a shame he does this one with Bixenspan.  And after what one of Bix's previous co-hosts on a different podcast had to say about him, I hope Zellner keeps an eye on the financials!

13 minutes ago, RancidPunx said:

I have every issue of Powerslam magazine and I think I am missing two issues of it’s pretty-cursor Superstars of Wrestling .

Any ideas of approx how much they would be worth ?

Not looking to sell but it good even to have an approximate valuation ..

I think about 5 issues in total are in “average” condition , otherwise all are in excellent condition .

I always find looking at the "sold" listings on eBay is a good guide.

A quick look there seems to indicate that the first couple of years of PS sell for £10+ (there is a copy of Issue One that sold for £34.99, but that looks on the high side), after that the issues go for anywhere between £2 and £6.

Superstars of Wrestling looks to be just under a tenner an issue, although again can go for more.

18 hours ago, wordsfromlee said:

I caught that Back To The 80's with Lenny Henry yesterday. I'm pretty sure Paul Ross and David Quantick's entire income is made from them regaling anecdotes about TV clips that they watched for the first time 30 seconds previously on talking head countdown clip shows like this. No Stuart Maconie, surprisingly. 

Dom Joly is another who seems to make his living from shows like this.  There was a similar talking heads show on Channel 5 after Back to the 80s finished and Joly turned up in that too.  As someone who's been watching Desmond's on All 4 it was great to see Carmen Munroe being interviewed and talking about it, especially as it looked like Stephen K. Amos was the best they had to offer at first.

I enjoyed the 90s one last night, although was surprised at how high Don't Forget Your Toothbrush and So Graham Norton ranked in their list.

13 hours ago, DavidB6937 said:

What's the difference between a Mexican and Japanese death match?

From what I remember, nothing.  Just one of those wrestling quirks to give the idea that the match was "favouring" one of the men.  Similarly to how the Road Warriors always fought in "Chicago Street Fights", which were exactly the same as a regular Street Fight.

16 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

I don't think Tajiri had a bad match in 2000. He was amazing and probably the highlight of the dying days of the company. 

I had him having the best match in ten of the twelve months of 2000 for ECW.

• Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Super Crazy (Mexican Death Match) (TNN 1/21)
• Super Crazy vs Yoshihiro Tajiri (Japanese Death Match) (Jacksonville, FL 2/4)
• Super Crazy vs Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Little Guido (TNN 4/14)
• Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Steve Corino (Hardcore Heaven 5/14)
• Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Steve Corino (TNN 6/23)
• Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Psicosis (Hardcore TV 8/27)
• Mikey Whipwreck & Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke (TNN 9/8)
• Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke vs Mikey Whipwreck & Yoshihiro Tajiri (Anarchy Rulz 10/1)
• Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke vs Mikey Whipwreck/Super Crazy & Yoshihiro Tajiri (November to Remember 11/5)
• Mikey Whipwreck & Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke (Hardcore TV 12/24)

Additionally, he placed second in six months (including March, for a Japanese Death Match against Super Crazy, behind the Gedo & Jado/Impact Players tag) and third in three months (including July, for an Unholy Alliance/FBI tag, behind two matches from the Heatwave PPV). 

He really had an astonishing output of quality that year.

12 minutes ago, wandshogun09 said:

I’ve noticed Psicosis listed on a few shows in 2000. Completely forgot he went back to ECW. Was any of his stuff worth a watch? 

I didn't watch everything for the year, but probably the match against Tajiri on the 8/27 episode of Hardcore TV is the only thing I would say to go out of your way to watch (and I thought it was the best ECW match of that month).  Although Tajiri was a phenomenal worker throughout all of 2000.

Psicosis came across more often than not as someone who had the enjoyment beaten out of him by WCW.  There was a six-man (FBI vs Mikey & Tajiri & Psicosis) on the 8/18 TNN episode that was decent, but Psicosis was a step behind everyone else, with the exception of Big Sal, in that match.  He has a televised singles match with Mikey in October that is awful. 

My thoughts on Van Dam vs Tanaka from when I rewatched it a few years back.

Quote

A bit of adequate wrestling and exchanges, and Van Dam looks to the crowd for approvement. Christ, not this again? Really cool leg scissors takedown into a pin for two and he then bows to the audience. Seriously fuck off with this shit! Tanaka with a sit out powerbomb and RVD rolls to the floor. Side headlock and he shoots Tanaka into the ropes, split legged drop down, leap frog attempt, Masato catches him and goes for another powerbomb, but this time RVD counters with a huracanrana. Then he… you know what! A Blue Thunder Driver plants Van Dam to the canvas with authority. Belly to back suplex over the top rope to the floor but RVD lands on his feet. He gets up on the apron only to be met with a huge forearm that sends him flying backwards into the aisle. Tanaka whips him into the guard rail and nails him with a running chair shot. Back in the ring he sits Van Dam on the top turnbuckle and hits a spinning DDT for a two. Masato sets up a table, again sits RVD on the top turnbuckle and a suicideplex into a DDT through the table in what was a nasty looking bump. This also only brings a two, and Tanaka then misses an elbow off the top. RVD ducks a forearm, spinning dropkick and he starts to unload on Tanaka. No selling from RVD here today! Great side kick off the top, and whilst he can’t sell, he can still look to the crowd for acknowledgement after a move! Cartwheel into a backflip, and ‘Rolling Thunder’ onto a chair as Tanaka kicks out on two. Van Dam dropkicks a chair into the face of his opponent and it’s still only enough for two. Tanaka with a DDT onto the chair for ‘what’s between one and three’? RVD counters a tornado DDT onto the chair into a rough looking Northern Lights suplex. Tanaka ducks the Van Daminator and brains RVD with a stiff chairshot to the head for a near fall, with a further two count after a modified Ace Crusher. ‘Diamond Dust’ (Buff Blockbuster into a stunner) which looked uncomfortable as hell the way RVD took it, is still not enough to put Van Dam away. Tanaka charges at RVD with a chair but he ducks out the way and hits the turnbuckle instead. Van Daminator, ‘Five Star’ frog splash and RVD retains his TV title.

I hated the opening to this and have had a gutful of Van Dam’s incessant looking for approval from the crowd after a move. I got into the match more with all the near falls, but change it up a bit guys! There were a lot of pinfall attempts, and every time the kick out would occur just after the referee hits the mat for the second time; no kick outs on one, no kick outs at the last split second, it was all so predictable. RVD’s selling was non-existant, he’d take a beating and next thing he’s all fine and leaping off the top turnbuckle. The liberal use of the chair in this match bothered me more than at any other time too. A couple of very uncomfortable looking bumps along the way too with the DDT through the table and the ‘Diamond Dust’. As with Sabu, I’m not digging the RVD re-watch in the slightest.

Van Dam was probably the person who's stock dropped the most for me when rewatching 2000, and was borderline impossible to watch come the end.  I used to despise the constant showboating, looking for approval from the fans after every move, he'd even hop out the ring after a move or sequence to go and hi five with the crowd before returning to the action.  His opponents would always fall into perfect position for one of his spots and then they would have to sit or lie there for what seemed like an eternity (the Van Terminator or the Fonzie assisted Van Daminator where his opponent is crotched on the top rope) while the idiot mugged to the crowd or did his crowd participation stuff.

Some TNN stuff I liked if you're after any primers (dates might be off by a day based on where and when they originally aired at the time):

Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Jerry Lynn (TNN 1/14)
Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Super Crazy (Mexican Death Match) (TNN 1/21) 
Raven & Tommy Dreamer vs Impact Players (TNN 2/25)
Gedo & Jado vs Impact Players (TNN 3/10)
Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Super Crazy (Japanese Death) (TNN 3/24)
Rhino vs Super Crazy (TNN 3/31)
Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Little Guido (TNN 3/31)
Super Crazy vs Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Little Guido (TNN 4/14)
Tommy Dreamer & Sandman & New Jack vs Jack Victory & Steve Corino & Yoshihiro Tajiri (TNN 4/21)
Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Steve Corino (TNN 6/23)
Mikey Whipwreck vs Little Guido (TNN 8/4)
Rob Van Dam & Kid Kash vs Justin Credible & Rhino (TNN 8/25)
Mikey Whipwreck & Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke (TNN 9/8)
Justin Credible vs Steve Corino (TNN 9/15)
Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke vs Roadkill & Danny Doring (TNN 9/22)
Justin Credible vs Steve Corino vs Jerry Lynn (TNN 9/29)