Snitsky's back acne Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 I was pleasantly surprised how known Rocco seemed to be beyond just hardcore wrestling circles. I had two work colleagues who know I like wrestling but have not seen it in 30+ years come up to me yesterday and say 'I saw Rollerball Rocco died! I remember watching him as a kid on World of Sport! He was my favourite/I hated him so much!'.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Arch Stanton Posted August 2, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted August 2, 2020 52 minutes ago, garynysmon said: I'm starting to wonder the validity of that story tbh, given Bret's built-in bias against him. Would Hogan bother to tweet about someone he hardly remembered? I doubt Rocco would have still spoken about him in glowing terms afterwards nor bothered to seek him out in 2011/12 if he'd have embarassed him like that. It's obviously an exaggerated 'Hogan was a dick' story from Bret, his book was full of them. I imagine there's a bit of truth to the situation he described but I can't imagine a guy like Rocco being 'crushed' by it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snitsky's back acne Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Courtesy of Meltzer: ;He was one of the greats of his time, and because his style was faster than the prior generation, even though his stuff was more hard hitting, he was tabbed by older veterans as not knowing how to work, lacking psychology, not realistic, all the same stuff that every prior generation says about the people who change the style.' I've never heard this said about Rocco. Does anyone know if there is any proof of this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_3165 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 I don't know what "proof" would look like as much of this would be wrestler to wrestler (kayfabe and all that) so they won't have recorded them like they would today. That said I can see why they would have said that about him. Its like how people look at flippy floppy guys in 2020 and say they can't work. Except Rocco COULD work and had great psychology in places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snitsky's back acne Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 4 minutes ago, Michael_3165 said: I don't know what "proof" would look like as much of this would be wrestler to wrestler (kayfabe and all that) so they won't have recorded them like they would today. That said I can see why they would have said that about him. Its like how people look at flippy floppy guys in 2020 and say they can't work. Except Rocco COULD work and had great psychology in places. I meant like interviews or whatnot. I mean, Meltzer has to be basing that comment on something someone said I would imagine? I've just never heard anyone say Rocco couldn't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_3165 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 1 minute ago, Snitsky's back acne said: I meant like interviews or whatnot. I mean, Meltzer has to be basing that comment on something someone said I would imagine? I've just never heard anyone say Rocco couldn't work. Again I suspect this is just over years of people talking one on one. Be interesting to see if one of the old timers have said this in an interview or if Uncle Dave just has had a casual convo about this stuff with people of that era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Arch Stanton Posted August 2, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted August 2, 2020 Meltzer thinks that wrestling today is better than it's ever been and regularly uses that logic to stick up for his mates in the business that don't know how to work, lack psychology and aren't realistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members gmoney Posted August 2, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted August 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Snitsky's back acne said: I meant like interviews or whatnot. I mean, Meltzer has to be basing that comment on something someone said I would imagine? I've just never heard anyone say Rocco couldn't work. They people he means are unlikely to have been doing any interviews about how well people worked. I'm pretty sure he means people at the fag end of their career when Rocco was making a splash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snitsky's back acne Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, gmoney said: They people he means are unlikely to have been doing any interviews about how well people worked. I'm pretty sure he means people at the fag end of their career when Rocco was making a splash. Okay but then he must have some sources, surely? 'he was tabbed by older veterans' - okay, who? Who have you spoken to that was an older veteran at the time that felt that way about him? Or was it something you heard second hand from others? It may indeed be a true statement but if it's based on an assumption then say so, don't pass it off as fact, especially in what is meant to be a tribute to the guy. Sorry, it just irked me a tad.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members gmoney Posted August 2, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted August 2, 2020 I'm sure if you asked him he'd tell you, he seems to waste a lot of time on twitter. I can't really see the controversy to be honest, can you imagine some of the miserable cunts on the British scene in the 70s enjoying Rocco flying around and showing them up every night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snitsky's back acne Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 30 minutes ago, gmoney said: I'm sure if you asked him he'd tell you, he seems to waste a lot of time on twitter. I can't really see the controversy to be honest, can you imagine some of the miserable cunts on the British scene in the 70s enjoying Rocco flying around and showing them up every night? Good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BigJag Posted August 3, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) https://www.njpw1972.com/78161 Nice little write up by NJPW on Roccos' career. Have always heard great things about him. I probably didn't appreciate how great he was being the massive WWF mark that I was in the 80s. However my parents, aunts and uncles all used to mention his name. Whenever the topic of WOS comes up. Good memories. Edited August 3, 2020 by BigJag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Thesz Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 I will look at that later; thanks @BigJag So beautiul to read the tribute on WWE Facebook page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted August 3, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted August 3, 2020 17 hours ago, gmoney said: I'm sure if you asked him he'd tell you, he seems to waste a lot of time on twitter. I can't really see the controversy to be honest, can you imagine some of the miserable cunts on the British scene in the 70s enjoying Rocco flying around and showing them up every night? Rocco kind of touched on this at about 1:40 in this interview; Doesn’t name anyone but from what he says there, his style was met with resistance initially and ‘they’ wanted him to tone it down. Just noticed these have been uploaded on YouTube now... Rocco shoot interview from 2006; Sky Sports ‘Time Of Our Lives’ sitdown with Rocco, Mick McManus and Banger Walsh;  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted August 4, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted August 4, 2020 Sorry for the double post but just seen this match between Rollerball and Kung Fu from 1985 and it’s amazing. Can’t believe this actually went out on a Saturday afternoon in 85. And while I’m here, I love the sneaky knee he cracks Dynamite with here; What a villain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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