Random thoughts thread v2 *NO NEWS ITEMS*

[Quentin]

He managed the Skyscrapers when Taker was involved. Other than that, he must have some compromising photos of Stephanie or something.

[d-d-d-dAz]

He's worked everywhere though, hasn't he?

 

It seems every time I watch a documentary he appears, as a young man, managing someone or other.

[Wrasslin]

The only time I can remember the WWE 'getting it' in regards to the football shirt was Santino (Last year?)

 

He kept peeling off club shirts and getting booed until he got to the England shirt and the crowd cheered or something along those lines.

[SpiritOfTheForest]

Is he someones mate? I remember him managing Doom in WCW but the only time I remember seeing him in WWF/E before he started managing Rodney Mack was during the Taker/Foley HIAC

 

 

He was a referee for a couple of years during the attitude era. That's when I started watching so I only ever knew him as a ref which was a bit strange when he suddenly became a manager.

[Daaaaaad!]

All these years of doing UK shows and WWE still don't seem to understand that people over here travel from all around the country to their shows.

Even more glaring to me was the face Cryme Tyme in April 2008 trying to get the crowd to sing along to "money, money, yeah, yeah" and then customising it "those euros, euros, yeah, yeah".

What I remember about that though is that I'm sure they started off saying 'pounds' then changed to 'euros' within one verse!

[Reznor]

It was the weakest the tag division's ever been,

 

Steady on mate. There were four teams going for the belts most of the summer - Rockers, Gunns, Godwinns and Body Donnas - proper actual tag teams whose actual main goal in the WWF was to be tag team champions, not bored singles stars with nothing better to do. FOUR. That instantly makes it better than the tag team division has been in WWE for YEARS.

It was a throwaway comment, but since you pulled us up on it, It got me thinking... and to be honest, I still stand by it, at least during the years i'm familiar with. Granted, I kinda drifted away between around 2005-2008, but I know there was still some fun stuff to be found and good matches here and there. I can't think of any other year where there's been so little entertainment to be had from tag wrestling. The way I see it, just scrapping it in 1996 and having nothing would've been an improvement on most of the stuff we got.

 

It really was terrible for the most part. Fair enough, as you say the dedicated division with 'real' teams at least gave it a focus, but the terrible action and characters more than negated the positives of that imo.

 

I have vague memories of the Shawn/Ahmed v Gunns match with Sunny and Faarooq being fun, and I did enjoy Gunns/Bodydonnas at the rumble but that was before all the role-reversals. I'm struggling to come up with much else. Even as a massive Marty Jannetty fan, there was next-to-nothing to bother my arse about - a couple of entertaining workratey tags v the Bodydonnas is about all that springs to mind. Did Shawn and Ahmed ever face Bulldog & Owen?

 

Of course, there at least was one absolutely brilliant tag match that year, but I wouldn't count that as it was a 6 man not featuring anyone from the tag division.

 

I'm banging on about the stupidity of all the heels being faces and vice-versa, but to be fair, the Gunns were half-decent on both sides, so it's not so much directed at them, but the Godwinns and Bodydonnas as goodies with the Rockers as rulebreakers was just a bad joke. What was plainly evident was they needed a top babyface team in there if the Gunns were turning, whether that be creating a new team or signing up LOD who I think were done in WCW by around Mar-Apr time.

 

Also thinking back to the original comment on the Summerslam card, that was a really crappy show overall, wasn't it? And yet it was sandwiched in between two great (big 5) PPVs. The undercard was bloody awful - bad matches, pointless stuff thrown together, Owen and Savio in an iron man match. Granted, Taker/Mankind was decent and Vader/HBK was really good, but not enough to be a show saver.

 

The WWF were really down to the bare bones around that time, the roster was so thin. Compare and contrast to around Wrestlemania time with Warrior, Bret, Diesel, Razor, and Kid all gone. Added to that, Ahmed was out, and they still decided not to use the new star and KOTR winner (on the main show at least). HHH was conspicuous by his absence too. I don't know the reason, whether he was injured, or still getting shit for the MSG stuff, but it wouldn't surprise me if they just didn't have anybody for him to face, such was the lack of depth to the roster. To offset all that, the only new faces of note were Mankind and Mero. Survivor Series and a new beginning couldn't come quick enough!

 

Outwith the main event, about the only other good stuff on the show was Sunny on the free-for-all, and The King's pre-match antics towards Jake!

[air_raid]

Also thinking back to the original comment on the Summerslam card, that was a really crappy show overall, wasn't it? And yet it was sandwiched in between two great (big 5) PPVs. The undercard was bloody awful - bad matches, pointless stuff thrown together, Owen and Savio in an iron man match. Granted, Taker/Mankind was decent and Vader/HBK was really good, but not enough to be a show saver. !

 

I quite enjoyed the Bulldog/Sid match, because I enjoyed both guys, but in general SummerSlam was a bit naff. Mero/Goldust should have been better (don't laugh, Mero was much better than people give him credit for). As you say, Owen/Savio was interminable. I couldn't believe when I read it only went 13 minutes, felt like forever. Lack of Austin seemed silly even at the time, never mind with the benefit of hindsight. If ever a midcard was crying out for a livewire Waltman sprint it was that one. I'll be blunt, I think it's a myth that the Boiler Room Brawl was good. I was bored senseless when they were actually in the Boiler Room, and no commentary made it worse. Shocking ending aside, I thought it was worthless, and I'm never watching it again. The main event did indeed save the show. That's Shawn Michaels for you.

 

Is he someones mate? I remember him managing Doom in WCW but the only time I remember seeing him in WWF/E before he started managing Rodney Mack was during the Taker/Foley HIAC

 

Teddy was a heel ref in WcW before he managed Doom. As Doom's manager he was involved in a suitably daft hair vs hair match against Paul Ellering at Capital Combat in which he wore boxing gloves and headgear. The match lasted three minutes and you don't need me to tell you who won. I'd still recommend watching it though because you get to see Missy Hyatt doing the ring announcing.

 

Later on Teddy became a pretty regular feature as manager of babyface JTTS. He managed Scorpio & Bagwell for a while, and Craig Pittman (remember him?) actually turned babyface by announcing Teddy was his new manager, but it didn't really work because nobody gave a shit. Later on when Fire & Ice split up, he managed Ice Train, which was just what a kid needed trying to escape the undercard. I'm fairly sure Teddy was in Train's corner the night Alex Wright turned on Train to mark the start of his heel turn and making something of himself. During 96-97 it actually became a running joke on DDTDigest and wherever Nitro was recapped, that the man being managed by Teddy in an undercard filler match was obviously going to be losing. He even managed Jim Powers, as if Jim needed a manager to tell him "this is who you're losing to this week Jim." Still, in kayfabe Teddy must have been quite useful at the paperwork because I do remember Jim getting the odd Cruiser and/or TV title shot on Nitro despite having a win/loss record of 0-millions.

 

Teddy's ref stint for me will always be summed up by his counting a three for Gangrel by mistake over X-Pac at the 1999 Rumble. He saw his fair share of bad times during that spell. He had to referee the first match after Owen died at Over The Edge, and he was the ref when D'Lo paralyzed Droz. Speaking of D'Lo, you better recognize that Teddy managed him briefly before they transferred the gimmick to Rodney Mack and let D'Lo go. He managed Chris Norwinski too. According to his wiki, he managed Mark Jindrak on SmackDown after a draft lottery too, although I had both forgotten that, and pretty much Jindrak's entire career. That would pretty much bring us to the Teddy Long SmackDown GM post-Heyman, PLAYAH PLAYAH era.

 

 

Speaking of Jim Powers, here's his retirement announcement from a few years back.

 

First off, hello to all of my fans, supporters, and friends that I have had the pleasure of knowing and meeting throughout my wrestling career. You have no idea how much you all mean to me. Unfortunately, you don't realize these things until you get up in age, and you're not made as accessible as I was fortunate to have been in wrestling.

 

The other reason I am writing this letter is because I am officially announcing my retirement from pro wrestling. This is not something I just decided to do. For the last few years, retirement has weighed heavily on my mind. Basically, it's taken me this long to come to grips that I can't physically be the performer I once was. I still love wrestling just as I did when I was young, it's just the sad reality that my body can no longer take the abuse, which explains why I have remained dormant over the last few years. Admittedly, I was never a "top guy," although I wrestled my heart out to put on the best show possible for all of you. It's like the cliche goes, without you, there is no me. From when I first got into the business in 1984 until my most major injury in 1998, the 14 years of abuse I put my body through has pretty much left me crippled. From the neck injury I sustained in '98 on WCW Nitro that ended my full-time wrestling career, to a hip that needs to be replaced, to stiff joints, bad knees, bad back, and swollen ankles...my quality of life is almost nill. I used to be able to wrestle for 30+ minutes and not be winded, but now I get light-headed and out of breath just getting out of bed. I have a beautiful daughter, that once she has children of her own, I want to be able to hold my grandchild and be able to get down on the floor with them. I also have some young nieces and nephews, that I want to still be able to toss a softball or football with. I have a gorgeous wife that I still want to be able to go to places as uneventful as the grocery store. The years of wear and tear that wrestling has wreaked on my body, has already taken the ease of mobility, and a painless quality of life. The past few years, my wife, my family, my friends, and even my business manager, have told me that I need to end my career before it ends me. Through these people and prayer, I have finally come to terms with it being time to hang up the boots, as they say in the wrestling business.

 

I thought I could make a few non-wrestling appearances, but I have canceled them. I accepted them awhile back, because I was hoping I would feel up to it. I am not. My most sincerest apologies to anyone that was hoping to see me. Jim Powers was once on top of the world, but now James Manley is physically broken down and was trying to stay in the spotlight. Sadly for me, that spotlight has faded.

 

I apologize for the rant, anyone who knows me knows I tend to do it. Please forgive me for not being able to perform for you, or attend any conventions to meet you. It truly saddens me to no end. I love you all, you have given me memories that no one can ever take away from me. If you happen to see me somewhere in my hometown, please say hello, so I can personally thank you myself. God Bless you all, and thank you for giving me some of the best years in my life.

 

Yours Truly,

 

Jim Powers

 

 

Respect the JTTS, friends - they hurt too.

Edited April 23, 2013 by air_raid

[Maverick]

Thanks for the info Raid and now that you mention it I do remember him popping up on the early Nitro's in his black bandanna managing all the jobbers of the day. I thought he was alright with Doom but someone in the WWE must like him for him to have been employed this long. Suppose he might just be a good dependable bloke who doesn't ruffle any feathers or take the spotlight away from the top guys.

[MungoChutney]

Just heard a wee rumour about a girl I work with and Del Rio. Will post an update when I confirm it.

[Dirty Eddie]

Before the subject trails off from Teddy completely, does anyone know if he has any other WWE jobs that we don't see onscreen. He's been such a bit-part player (player-player) on TV for the last few years, almost always as Second to someone, that I thought he might have... like, a "proper" job backstage that he's really, really good at (to balance out for his rubbish on-screen stuff) and that's why he's been employed for so long.

 

Any idea?

[Professor Paul's Bin]

I don't particularly agree with the Observer awards. I was looking at the 2012 awards and noticed TNA got the award for best weekly show but despite that, they gave TNA the worst promotion of the year award. Now I don't understand how the best weekly show of the year can also be the worst promotion of the year.

 

Good to see RAW earn the Worst Weekly Show award as 2012 was a very poor year which I do agree with.

[Maverick]

I don't particularly agree with the Observer awards. I was looking at the 2012 awards and noticed TNA got the award for best weekly show but despite that, they gave TNA the worst promotion of the year award. Now I don't understand how the best weekly show of the year can also be the worst promotion of the year.

 

Good to see RAW earn the Worst Weekly Show award as 2012 was a very poor year which I do agree with.

Aren't they voted on by the Observer readers? So it's not inconceivable that more people enjoyed Impact than say Raw or Smackdown but enjoyed WWE better overall as their ppv's etc are always streets ahead.

[Professor Paul's Bin]

Yeah they are voted by the readers but much of what it says is complete and utter tripe. I suppose the two I've just mentioned just show how irrelevant the awards actually are.

 

I personally thought TNA had a cracking year in 2012 and certainly wouldn't say they were the worst promotion of the year.

[Ant]

Just heard a wee rumour about a girl I work with and Del Rio. Will post an update when I confirm it.

 

The f'n durty.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

I was looking at the 2012 awards and noticed TNA got the award for best weekly show but despite that, they gave TNA the worst promotion of the year award. Now I don't understand how the best weekly show of the year can also be the worst promotion of the year.

Because the TV show was great, but their attendances dropped, television ratings dwindled, they allowed Ric Flair to go to WWE while under contract, got sued by a load more people and made their biggest show of the year drew about 18,000 buys and was heavily papered. Quality product, but the promotion itself was rotten in terms of its business.

Edited April 23, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay