OOOLD SCHOOOOL

[NEWM]

This isn't me trying to be "oh, he's controversial", but I honestly preferred Johnny Polo to Raven. Never a huge fan of Raven. I liked him a bit in the Flock and in that great match with Rhino, but never a massive supporter of him. But Johnny Polo was always really funny on All American Wrestling or when he'd pop in for a chat with Pettengill on Mania. He always had a goofy grin and a wise crack to make as well. Shame they took him off TV after the Quebecers left. He was decent.

I'm totally with you Ian, even though I know it sounds like saying stuff just to be cool or something. His stuff as a manager was great, and aside from Pettingill, his work with "Vic" McMahon on Challenge on Gorilla on a couple of Colisseum's is top. He looks like he's having a fucking whale of a time too.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

I totally agree with you Ian. It was easily the best spell of his entire career. Often a character like a Johnny Polo or a Bobby Heenan can make the most mundane match feel a bit more exciting or at least slightly interesting anyway. In the HBK Jannetty match I was on about, Polo is telling Gorilla what a great movie Over The Top is, despite Gorilla telling him constantly that he'd already seen it. Was there any particular reason why the Quebecers left?

I dunno. I imagine its something to do with the local scene in Canada. There was a few times that Jacques Rougeau got a better offer from local promoters in his area in Canada to stay local and win all the time. For some reason Canadians always preferred winning over making money. Jacques even went over Hogan in 1997 in Canada. Pat Patterson supposedly always looked after the Canadians as well.Pierre Outlette stayed on, I think. But they took ages to repackage him.

[Devon Malcolm]

I was never a massive Raven fan except for the aforementioned Rhyno match and a couple of other matches he had during his WWE hardcore title run. I think his mini-feud with Goldberg in WCW was pretty good, too.But as Johnny Polo he was tremendous fun, most particularly because he always seemed to REALLY wind up McMahon on commentary with his ringside stuff to the point of much amusement on my part.

[Reznor]

Jacques 'retired' in October 94They did break up but it was all done on Canadian house shows. There was a camera at ringside though because some footage of it was shown on Canadian tv. Imo, they should've brought Rick Martel in as a Quebecer to tide them over until Pierre started as the pirate.

[The Cum Doctor]

WWE RAW 05/04/1993

 

Sounds like a hot crowd for this bad boy!

 

Virgil vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

 

I've always been a fan of Bigelow, but what I've seen from him when I've been watching these back hasn't been good at all. This should be a good competitive match though rather than the squash matches that we have seen up to this point. The fans seem to be very anti-Virgil which strikes me as odd. He botches a move right after which sort of proves their point though. Well, I get the competitive match I was expecting, but I also get the shite match which has been such a feature of Bigelow so far. Great moment when the fans get behind Bam Bam in a BIG way, and Vince says "The fans well behind Virgil!" Aye, right you are Vinny. The match gets messier and messier as it goes on. Bigelow finally ends it with the Falling Headbutt off top. Dreadful match.

 

Jerry Lawler is due to make his in ring debut but then just walks away as the fans call him Burger King. I can't quite remember where that went, but I look forward to it.

 

Yokozuna stands backstage looking angry as he got done over. He and Mr. Fuji will be protesting to Jack Tunney as the match wasn't sanctioned. Yokozuna is not to be trifled with!

 

Kimchee vs. Bob Backlund

 

Backlund needs a strong showing after a Mania defeat, so a match with Kimchee should do the job. I have to admit, I kinda wanted to see Backlund getting a squash match here. A competitive match with Kimchee isn't the best way to look better. As it is though, this is a decent wee match. Backlund gets the win with a bridging pinfall.

 

Damian Demento vs. Jim Brunzell

 

Demento has been getting beaten on RAW a few times, but this might well turn out good for him. I can't remember Brunzell getting pushed around this time. The match was the very definition of "a whole lot of nothing" as it felt like there was a lot going on, yet none of it felt like it actually meant anything. Just to sum that up, Demento wins with a Knee Drop. A Knee Drop people.

 

We have attempt number two at getting Jerry Lawler down to the ring for his match, which goes as well as the first attempt.

 

The Beverly Brothers vs. The Steiner Brothers

 

This should at least put an end to the streak of shite that we have been dealt so far. Even Vince doesn't know which Beverly is which so I don't think I'm gonna bother trying to figure it out either. Whatever one's which, should be fun watching them getting ragdolled for a wee bit. Rick Steiner has been the highlight of the Steiners watching these back. Scott is fun as well, but Rick seems to enjoy putting some good and proper punishment on folk. Scott gets the pin with the Frankensteiner even though he's not the legal man. Vince tries to make it out as if there was confusion, but nobody's buying that. Anyways, that was good fun tag team action like those two teams put on at the start of the year.

 

Jerry Lawler vs. Jim Powers

 

Jim Powers has enough of Lawler running away so runs to the ring and brings him into the ring so as he has to take part. It appears to go well for him as well, and Powers is all full of fire, going mental after every single move, and I almost feel sorry for him that the fans aren't showing the same enthusiasm. In an odd moment, a few minutes into the match, they start wrestling as if the match just started. It's hard to describe, but it's just weird. Lawler eventually gets the win with the Piledriver, but also grabs the tights for good measure. That was actually quite a good match there and a good way to close the show.

 

Jerry Lawler comes to ringside and says that Randy Savage is where he belongs, sitting at ringside watching Jerry Lawler. Lawler says Savage doesn't have the guts to get in the ring with him. The fans want to see Savage kill Lawler and that's yer show.

 

Outside of the total abortion of an opener, this was a fun show.

[EdgarTheSlouch]

Jacques 'retired' in October 94They did break up but it was all done on Canadian house shows. There was a camera at ringside though because some footage of it was shown on Canadian tv. Imo, they should've brought Rick Martel in as a Quebecer to tide them over until Pierre started as the pirate.

[PowerButchi]

[Reznor]

Great find man, nice one!Being such a Quebecers fanboy, I'm aware of that channel and have browsed it in the past, but somehow managed to miss that. The clips made that sound like it could've been brilliant. Listen to the crowd! Would love it if an unedited version was in existence.And just as good - check this in the related vids.....

! Gotta love Jacques and Pierre!

[air_raid]

I've been watching lots of Nitro episodes lately (like always, really) and here are a few random thoughts.* When Dr Harvey Schiller comes out, dressed in a suit and speaking like a normal person, not cutting a "wrestling promo", and watching the way Bischoff responds to his edict (that Eric is suspended) it really makes me wish there were less examples of the "authority figure" character as a storyline device in modern wrestling, and that if they were used then they were used more in this kind of manner. Bloke in power comes out and says what's what, other characters react but ultimately what he says goes, that's the end of it. Bischoff joining the nWo and later "Mr McMahon" during the Austin/Rock vs Corporation runs were great, partially because it was ground-breaking to have the boss as a heel putting up roadblocks/stripping babyfaces of their titles - it was fresh and interesting and unpredictable - and secondly because as "Mr McMahon" Vince was able to use previously unseen ability as a performer, and tap in to an audience of millions living vicariously through Austin, who deep down wanted to rebel against whatever system they were part of and/or beat up their boss. Since though, everything else has been a stale re-run and things have been saturated with constant reworkings of the same storylines with owners, presidents, commissioners, general managers, Directors of Authority, COOs, executive vice presidents and so on, to diminishing returns. I genuinely pine for the days when the "board of directors" or "championship committee" or whoever was making the matches in kayfabe operated behind the scenes annonymously. No, the Raw laptop doesn't count.* I like Syxx's black tights with the lightening on, because I like the consistency of the lightening motif staying part of his look through the 1-2-3 Kid run and on into his stint in WcW, just as it of course was when he was the Lightening Kid in Global. Looking back, I hated Syxx passionately at the time but he was (and still is) a great performer who was skilled at making me hate him, and I can watch all the older matches of his with such appreciation now.* As noted time and time again, I really miss JTTS matches. Matching Mark Starr or Jim Powers against a genuinely over guy who dained to let them look competitive for about five minutes before unleashing a couple of moves and then their finish for a big pop. You knew the JTTS was reasonably skilled, but you didnt have to pretend they had a dog's chance of winning. I think you need more "lower card" talents nowadays than they have, everyone seems to be midcard or just some nobody they draft in to feed to Ryback. The guys they have treading water on Superstars might be better used being on the TV shows helping provide these showcase matches for the actual midcarders. I'm starting to think a Jack Swagger for instance might be more over if he regular outings to go over the Tyson Kidds and Trent Barettas of the world, the modern day Mark Starr or Sparky Plugg if you like. And I'd really like Kofi to be relegated to JTTS. I hate Kofi.* Hogan is right-handed and always throws his punches right-handed, yet he throws his knifedge chops with the left. How strange.* Bagwell was awesome.

[LaGoosh]

This weekend I started watching every episode of Raw from 1998. I became a fan in early '99 so I'm seeing all this stuff (apart from the big moments obviously) for the first time. It really is cracking stuff, there's just so much excitement and momentum in the product.One thing I've noticed is how they didn't overexpose their big stars. Stone Cold is obviously the biggest star on the show but he's barely on it, unlike John Cena who has a 20 minute promo, several backstage segments and a match at almost every Raw. But the fact that he's barely on it means that for the whole show you just can't WAIT for him to turn up because you know he's going to do something or say something fucking brilliant when he does. He's like the shark from Jaws, he just turns up out of nowhere, causes chaos and then leaves. Also Kane at the time is really hot but he's only on every other show so when he does come out the crowd always go nuts. One of my favorite things too is Jerry Lawler during Brian Christopher's matches where he refuses to admit Brian is his son. The ring they used back then though looks like it's made from concrete, it makes all the moves so brutal.The NWA stuff with Jim Cornette and Marc Mero can fuck right off though.

[air_raid]

The NWA stuff with Jim Cornette and Marc Mero can fuck right off though.

 

I actually liked the version of Mero they had between his comeback and Survivors 97, before he started calling himself "Marvelous" and became a mysogynist. He just turned up looking no nonsense with his no nonsense music, threw some fists, hit his TKO and went home, while Sable stood in the corner looking hot, but not massively involved.

 

But yeah, by the turn of the year his character had become a whiny little bitch and he lost a good year of having any kind of career of his own to becoming a vehicle to getting his wife over. Which I'm sure he didn't mind when the royalty cheques came through their mailbox at the time, but I wonder how he feels about it now.

[PowerButchi]

Bollocks. Him beating Sable at Over the Edge in 1998 was one of the funniest, and just bloody good, heel performances I've seen. The way he celebrates at the end like he's won the Superbowl is a joy to behold.

[Professor Paul's Bin]

This weekend I started watching every episode of Raw from 1998. I became a fan in early '99 so I'm seeing all this stuff (apart from the big moments obviously) for the first time. It really is cracking stuff, there's just so much excitement and momentum in the product.

 

One thing I've noticed is how they didn't overexpose their big stars. Stone Cold is obviously the biggest star on the show but he's barely on it, unlike John Cena who has a 20 minute promo, several backstage segments and a match at almost every Raw. But the fact that he's barely on it means that for the whole show you just can't WAIT for him to turn up because you know he's going to do something or say something fucking brilliant when he does. He's like the shark from Jaws, he just turns up out of nowhere, causes chaos and then leaves. Also Kane at the time is really hot but he's only on every other show so when he does come out the crowd always go nuts. One of my favorite things too is Jerry Lawler during Brian Christopher's matches where he refuses to admit Brian is his son. The ring they used back then though looks like it's made from concrete, it makes all the moves so brutal.

 

The NWA stuff with Jim Cornette and Marc Mero can fuck right off though.

 

It's a really brilliant period to watch. I started a few months ago and have slowly worked my way to the post WM14 RAW which is a bloody fantastic episode. It's a really interesting period to watch to see the transition the WWF had to the Attitude Era.

 

That NWA Cornette stuff was fucking terrible. It fucks off just before WrestleMania and Jarrett ends up with Tennessee Lee which I'm sure had no explanation

 

What I absolutely love about this period is everything involving Goldust and Luna aswell.

[The Cum Doctor]

WWE RAW 12/04/1993

 

To start the show, Money Inc are getting advice from The Beverly Brothers about how to deal with The Steiner Brothers.

 

IRS vs. Scott Steiner

 

It was supposed to be Money Inc. vs. The Bushwackers according to the graphic the previous week. I can't say I'm too fussed about how things have turned out. The stuff before the commercial is top drawer, with IRS using some cheap methods to get the upper hand in the match, but Scott always managing to work his way back into a submission of some sort. IRS winds up flat out cheating and throwing Scott to the floor for Dibiase to finally get control of the match. The match kinda breaks down after that, but it's still a whole load of fun. Everyone comes into the ring and the match is won by Scott Steiner via DQ.

 

Beverly Brothers come down and help Money Inc. to deal with The Steiner Brothers. This backfires though as The Steiner Brothers get the hell out of there. Now the Beverlys and Money Inc are arguing. They attack IRS and now want Dibiase.

 

Tatanka vs. Von Krus

 

Krus looks like Matt Lucas. Krus mocks Tatanka and then spits at him, oh, this will NOT end well. Doink the Clown has turned up at ringside though which will probably make things a bit more difficult for Tatanka. Tatanka doesn't seem phased though as he lays into Krus. Krus puts up a fight, but not HALF as good as the one that last jobber did. Plus, Von Krus is actually fucking horrendous if this match is anything to go by. Samoan Drop ends it for Tatanka. Get that useless cunt out of there.

 

We're now going to have an interview with Luna Vachon and Sensational Sherri. Luna isn't here to argue and debate. She's here to state facts and says Sherri is a witch. She runs down Sherri some more and Sherri has seen enough of this so turns up. Luna doesn't stop though. Sherri then attacks Luna and Bartlett gets involved. That didn't work though. Sherri with a Suplex on the floor and there's a beating going on here. Bartlett now tries to break it up. They finally get broken up after a great wee brawl. Oh, wait, Luna back to the ring and she jumps Sherri. Savage well enjoyed this. Hell, so did I!

 

Papa Shango vs. Scott Taylor

 

A quite dreary squash match to be honest. Shango is quite brutal at times but not nearly often enough. It's quite short though which I'm quite happy with. Shoulderbreaker puts a stop to Scotty 2 Hotty.

 

Friar Ferguson vs. Some Guy Duffy

 

What the fuck is this?! I have no recollection of this guy. He does bring a big bump for Duffy though by dumping him unceremoniously to the floor. The novelty of seeing this weirdo only does so much to make me care about the actual match though, as it's another pretty poor squash match here. Ferguson sits on Duffy and gets the win.

 

Money Inc. are now standing by to have words about the match with The Beverly Brothers. The Beverlys turn up and lay on a beating before they can say much of anything and that'll be your big match next week!

 

Probably the less said about that episode the better in all honesty.

[Halitosis Romantic]

Von Krus? That's Big Vito, right?