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The Only Review of IYH: Canadian Stampede That You'll Ever Need


A great show, with perhaps the most over-rated main event in history. Join me, won't you?

I had this one sitting around, so I figured why not. Everyone seems to be into the old WCW/NWA stuff, so I'll continue on that. Any requests for an earlier show, just let me know. Oh, and I know there was a request for Slamboree 1998, but since Scott is on a Scott Sez recap of 1998 WCW, I didn't want to step on his toes.


HHH vs. Mankind

Mick controls the first half of the match with everything from over-the-turnbuckle flips to the channeling of Cactus Jack for an off-the-apron elbow. The match turns to HHH's favor when they produce a moment we'd see hundreds of times in video packages, when Hunter whips Mankind towards Chyna, and she powerslams him into the stairs, causing some damage to his lower leg. Hunter works the leg, and it's here we get a classic example of why Mick is one of the greats. HHH whips Mankind to the corner, but Mick just collapses, selling the leg so well. Few care about their craft that much. One thing I can say is that Hunter and Chyna were fantastic together. Hunter is an excellent prick at this point, and Chyna was a complete bitch, constantly injecting herself. Great stuff. As for the match, it's fantastic. I understand they wanted to keep the ending as a goose egg for the blow-off at SummerSlam, and with the match as great as it was, I don't mind. The pull-apart brawl at the end is awesome, and really has you believing these two want nothing but blood. Sometimes I forget how great the early Attitude Era could be. 
Hunter & Mankind are both counted out at 13:14 | ****


We get some footage of the Hart Foundation and what was basically a week dedicated to them in their city. It's actually sort of sad, knowing what happier times these were for them, and how bad things would get. 

Taka Michanoku vs. Great Sasuke

They start off hesitant of one another and work into a few submissions. The crowd is absolutely dead and doesn't show any sign of life until Taka takes a spinning back-kick to the face. He deserves the pop, that kick looked brutal. Sasuke soon delivers another, in what's seemingly turning into a kickboxing match. Taka brings the crowd to life when he leaps to the top rope and flies out to Sasuke, who's retreated to the outside after a Dragon Screw Leg Whip [I wonder how Mrs. Rhodes dug that]. Back inside, they really bring out the flashy stuff that's completely drawing the crowd in. Taka hits the Driver, almost scoring the pin. That seems to piss Sasuke the hell off, as he delivers a dropkick to Taka as he's mid-air, and then soon a Scott Norton-esque powerbomb and then bridges for the pin. Some really good stuff that the crowd was dead for in the beginning, but Taka & Sas eventually had them eating right out of their hands. 
Sasuke hits a Thunder Fire Bomb for the pin at 10:00 | ***1/2


Vader vs. The Undertaker [C] - WWE Championship

It was supposed to be Ahmed but he's out with a knee injury, so Vader takes his place. Sounds like a win to me. The Undertaker controls the beginning of the match with ease. Vader eventually gains control when Taker turns his attention to Paul Bearer, who's on the outside. He keeps the abuse up, until he feels the need to do the ol' Yokozuna nerve-pinch spot. The lamest spot in history? I stand firm that it is. Twice, Undertaker tries to mount a comeback, but Vader keeps him at bay. At one point, Vader straight up kicks Undertaker in his graveyard, and later he returns the favor by uppercutting Vader in his hangdang while he's setting up for the Vaderbomb. Tombstone finishes what was surely a better match than anyone expected. From the reviews I'd read before, I was expecting more. This just didn't have much going for it, as it really seemed like Vader was merely lucky when he got offense in, and was no real threat to The Undertaker. 
The Undertaker Tombstones Vader for the pin at 12:39 | **3/4

The Hart Foundation vs. Stone Cold, Goldust, LOD, and Ken Shamrock

The Hart Foundation each get their own entrance, starting with Pillman and ending with Bret. The cheers keep building and building, and they're all clearly enjoying the hell out of this, with Pillman seemingly having the time of his life. When Bret is beating Stone Cold down in the corner and spits on him here in the beginning, that's hands down the biggest face heat I've ever heard in my life. They tag Shamrock in because someone in the back of the arena wanted to hear the spots. There's a point where Pillman runs in to paint brush Shamrock, and you can see he's clearly having an absolute blast with all the face heat. Later, the LOD put Owen through the Doomsday Device, with The Anvil breaking up the pin. I'd be thinking "Hey, where the hell were you about 10 seconds ago when I was clotheslined into a back-flip through the air?" Eventually, Owen is the one to pin Stone Cold, and thankfully end this. Look, I know there are some people who can actually sit there and give this 5 stars, but there's NO WAY I could do that. I mean, a match with Goldust, The LOD, and Ken Shamrock that's going for half an hour? No way. This match was insanely average, and insanely boring for the most part. There's a reason why the WarGames were the WarGames and not just a 5 on 5 tag, because it wouldn't have been that exciting. The heat was fantastic and such, and the beginning was great, but this went WAY too long. Austin vs. The Hart Foundation felt like a blood feud, the addition of the other four felt like nothing more than shoring up the sides. They didn't have the heat that Austin organically had, and instead were booed by association. It really needed some other element to up the excitement. Again, we're reminded how awesome Stone Cold used to be when he sneaks back by himself and just whallops Anvil with a chair. Definitely a match worth seeing for the crowd reactions. 
Owen rolls up Stone Cold for the pin at 24:31 | ***


Showcase Showdown: Just take a look at the numbers, it's safe to say it's one of the best PPVs of all time. Even though I don't like the main event as much as others, I can't deny how massive it was. It has the largest, off-the-charts heat that I've ever seen. The undercard is pretty damn great as well. I was hoping Taker vs. Vader would have delivered a bit more, but what we got was nothing to scoff at. Taka and Sasuke had a hell of a fight and brought something that most wrestling fans at that point had never seen. Through sheer innovation they brought the crowd to life for their match. Triple H and Mankind had one of their all-time best encounters, and showcased why the early Attitude Era was some of the greatest work in the history of wrestling.
Canadian Stampede is First Showcase all the way, baby.


Much respect to my editor, Steven Ferrari. He and I first met when I put the entire Mandelbaum family in the hospital, and they could no longer roll the crepes for their restaurant. Well, Steven knew some Cuban guys [who turned out to be Dominican Republic] who could roll'em, and tadow. Of course, that meant Fuj lost out to Neil, but Fuj is a known loser, so it's expected. 


Str8 Gangster, No Chaser - New article series known as Man Etiquette, so you'll know how to act in certain situations, I pay tribute to the burliest of the burly from the 8-bit era, talk about people who shouldn't use the internet [all of them], Saved By The Bell Archives, Comic Book Films You Didn't Know Were Comic Book Films, movie reviews, wrestling articles, and plenty of other goods.
WCW In 2000 - Recently updated with the infamous Bash at the Beach 2000, and the Nitro after. You know what's shocking? The PPV is GOOD. No joke, it's seriously good, and features the best match of WCW's 2000 year so far. Also, the Nitro following is good. It's genuinely creepy, I tell you.
Man Movie Encyclopedia Vol.1 - NOW ONLY 99CENTS! THAT'S LESS THAN A DOLLAR! My book about action films. Endorsed by Scott Keith & Maddox, as well as well as fellow BoD'ers The Fuj & Kenny Chill. 5 star average on amazon.
Board for the BoD'ers - We average about 50 people a day stopping by, a constant cast of people posting, and you can talk about anything you want. 


Questions, requests, mailbag stuff, whatever, send'em on down to CaliberW@hotmail.com

- Caliber Winfield

Comments

  1. I totally understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and star ratings. But three stars for the main event? It's like you want to be abused by the comments. Kinda like covering yourself in meat and running into a kennel.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Satan, formerly WankerMay 1, 2013 at 5:33 AM

    Going into it with the "...with perhaps the most over-rated main event in history..." line I was going to respond with "Oh, Caliber, no no no..."

    But I read it, and I fully understand what your ratings are based on. It's based on two things: what the matches promise to deliver, and how well the workers can articulate it. I appreciate that, because it's based purely upon the carny art that is professional wrestling.

    However, I understand why Scott gave the main event the full monty, and it's because there's no higher recommendation for watching a match even if (or because) it's merely for the purpose of amusing one's self... which happens to be true, in my book. If this was 1995, I can understand why a movie like Heat would get critical acclaim: if only because De Niro and Pacino share scenes for the first time ever. Of course, in hindsight this doesn't hold up, but something like Canadian Stampede does because names like Bret Hart and Steve Austin are still relevant.

    Good review!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd have to double check, but I think I'm getting Caliber's ratings... he seems to weigh the actual match as free of "outside influence" as he can. Which is why WM 29 can get such "high" ratings, while older shows/matches might be "underrated".


    Molten crowd: Who cares, the match was barely average.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Satan, formerly WankerMay 1, 2013 at 5:35 AM

    Caliber Winfield is like the Rosa Parks of wrestling. He says things which has him thrown to the back of the bus at the time, but in the future he's revered as a black goddess.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Satan, formerly WankerMay 1, 2013 at 5:39 AM

    Not a big Rosa Parks fan, huh?

    Racist.

    ReplyDelete
  6. If there is ever a reason for to claim that Caliber is a Contrarian... I submit the main event.

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  7. It's very easy to make one of the best ppvs of all time, if you have only four matches... it could be even better, if you have only one match. ;-) I always liked the event, but the "best ppv of all time" thing is just unfair compared to other ppvs with more than four matches...

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  8. Count me in as one of those that think the main event is overrated. I think its higher than ***, but its far from a perfect match IMO. I do think this PPV overall is one of the best ever, but at only 4 matches it could never be..THE BEST. Some PPV's are too long and drawn out so I don't think you need a 4 hour Wrestlemania esque PPV to qualify as great. But at the same time I like a decent length event and 4 matches just isn't enough to satisfy me.

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  9. I love the main event. The beauty of the match was the crowd heat...kinda like Rock/Hogan. Cheering/booing every move (even small transition ones), LOUD Austin Sucks chants. Really fun match. I actually just watched it the other day. And as a Hart Foundation mark, I've especially like the main event because it's their last moment happy moment in wrestling before they all began getting screwed, jobbed out, and sadly, dying.

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  10. the guy loved WM 25 for crying out loud!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 7:24 AM

    For the most part, yes, this is true. Except for Rock vs Hogan from WM 18. One of my Top 5 Favorite Matches of All Time, and it's mostly because of the crowd. I get the chills every time I watch it.

    But yeah, a good chunk of the time I don't care about the crowd.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 7:27 AM

    My favorite comment of all time.

    And Ross, I really don't want to be abused. I honestly thought about not even posting this because I knew people would freak out, but what the hell. The match isn't that great. It gets the rating because of the heat. Which I can fully appreciate. People are influenced by different things.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 7:29 AM

    Ugh, Heat was very forgettable.

    But yeah, I totally understand why Scott gave it 5 stars. I don't think anyone who gives it 5 stars is wrong, I just wasn't that entertained by the crowd.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 7:37 AM

    Yeah, but Rock/Hogan is still an entertaining match, I think, and the crowd was SO behind Hogan, and it was such an odd, awesome event. This one, I understood, and dig why people love it, but the match itself is just so boring. If they trimmed about 10 minutes, and got rid of Shamrock, Goldust, and The LOD, we'd have ourselves something. Oh, and if Pillman were on commentary.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Give Pillman a headset and have him do commentary and wrestle the match at the same time. If anybody could have pulled that off it was Pillman.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 7:51 AM

    Oh, man, brilliance.

    Didn't Jericho do that once?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 7:55 AM

    People do say a lot of things about me. You know what they say about you? Nothing.

    ReplyDelete
  18. LIES AND SLANDER!


    People talk about me.. it might not be nice but they talk.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Triple H v. Brock Lesnar is a better match than the 10-man tag.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I TALK ABOUT THE FUJ ALL THE TIME

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  21. PEOPLE ONLY TALK ABOUT CALIBER WHEN THEY'RE SHITTING ON HIS REVIEWS

    ReplyDelete
  22. HE'S TOTALLY ASKING FOR IT.

    ReplyDelete
  23. DUDE, THE ROCK DID THAT ALL THE TIME.


    WE CAN TELL YOU JUST STARTED WATCHING WRESTLING

    ReplyDelete
  24. You thought Mankind vs. HHH was the best match on the show?

    ReplyDelete
  25. YOU GAVE YOURSELF AWAY, CALIBER.

    ReplyDelete
  26. No offense (or offence eh?) to Canada, but Canadians are the ones that usually overrate this match due to sentimental value. I think Caliber hit the nail on the head with his review on the match. Yes the heat was awesome, but the ring work not soo much.

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  27. LIKE SERIOUSLY, IF YOU NEVER KNEW OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE ROCK DID THAT DURING HIS HAYDAY, THEN THERE'S NO WAY YOU BEEN WATCHING WRESTLING FOR LONG

    ReplyDelete
  28. EVEN WORSE TO SAY THAT YOU THINK JERICHO DID THAT ONCE

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  29. I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT CALIBER STARTED WATCHING A FEW YEARS BACK AND IS DISCOVERING THESE SHOWS BECAUSE OF THE HYPE. WELL, I'M SORRY, BROTHER BUT A LOT CLASSICS DON'T AGE WELL.


    THEY AREN'T CLASSICS BECAUSE OF HOW TECHNICAL THEIR WRESTLING WAS. THEY WERE CLASSICS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE VIEWER INVESTED EMOTIONALLY INTO THE MATCH BECAUSE THE VIEWER WAS WATCHING THE FEUD GROW AND FLOWER INTO A BIG DEAL. YOU CAN'T JUST SHIT ON A MATCH IF YOU'RE WATCHING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME NOW BECAUSE YOU JUST WON'T GET IT.


    THAT'S HOW I FELT ABOUT STEAMBOAT VS MACHO MAN WHEN I SAW IT FOR THE TIME AND I WAS WRONG TO SAY THE MATCH WAS OVERRATED BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE FOR IT. I JUST DID NOT UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OF A BIG DEAL IT WAS.

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  30. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF OPINION. IT'S UNDERSTANDING HOW AND WHY THESE MATCHES ARE CLASSICS GOD DAMN YOU.

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  31. I'm with Caliber on this. Yeah, it's a fun match, and it's nice (in a sad kind of way) seeing Pillman so giddy out there, but really, if you're not Canadian and/or a Hart family mark it's not *that* great.

    ReplyDelete
  32. You know what, fuck it.

    I have been saying this guy is a hack for MONTHS and this right here just is the icing on the cake.

    Theres no consistancy in his ratings (subjective as they are) and said that the other 4 people were thrown in thee match...

    AUSTIN NEVER WANTED TO TEAM UP WITH THEM!!!

    Watching the PPV cold without the RAWs to accompany gives you the rating you did. But you gave Punk/Taler ***** IIRC and that thing was disjointed as fuck... just like this match

    But you had the RAWs to understand the hows and whys of the matter at hand... Mixed in with a little CM Punk Dick-eating and there you go.

    The 10 man was a great brawl and really accentuated the RAWs of the time (when TV built to PPVS and not vice versa, but you wouldnt know that because you have no fucking clue about heat spots, psychology "whats that?", backstory and overall match pace.


    But what the fuck am i even posting this for, this fucking tub of goo defends WCW in 2000.


    Theres nothing else to be said.


    You're terrible.


    Give it up. Stick to the movies.


    I give you a pass cuz you like big booty bitches like Phoenix Marie, but wrestling aint your bag.


    It just isnt... Please stop it.

    ReplyDelete
  33. To be fair, Rock would throw on the headset say a few lines while beating up on, say, Mick and then throw the headset down. I was talking about giving Pillman the headset from the start of the match to the finish.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Sorry Im American and far from a Stampede mark.


    That match rocks.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Jerry Lawler did it a ton of times.

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  36. "Silky Johnson once called in a bomb threat to the special olymoics maaaaaaaaaannnnnnnn."
    hate! hate! hate ! hate!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Eh, I can see why people love this match and why some people feel just ok about this match. I don't think many people think its a bad match, it's just if you're not super into the Hart Foundation it can come off as just a pretty good ten man. I'm somewhere in the middle of Scott and Caliber putting it at ****.

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  38. No Space Flying Tiger Drop from Sasuke makes any match of his auto -*****. Its a Japanese law. Look it up!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Seriously, what am I hating on?


    Im just poking holes in this shitty fucking review.


    Cuz its shit.


    Alright. I dont give a fuck how many downvotes I get.


    Im not here to placate someones ego. The review is shitty. Whatever.


    When he reviews movies and shit, Im digging it.


    The wrestling is garbage. Its all fucking garbage!


    Overrates WWF
    Underrates WCW


    Contrarian to everything else.


    Hive-mind hates HHH/Taker at WM 27, he fucking LOVES IT!!!!
    Hive-Mind love HBK/Taker at 25... He fucking trashes it!!!!
    Then sits behind his stance of "This is my opinion!"


    Well this is my opinion.


    YOU ARE A HACK!


    HACK!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Scream09_HartKillerMay 1, 2013 at 9:11 AM

    I don't know/care if it was *** or *****, but there was a great storyline behind it and the heat was amazing. It gave the Harts a feel good moment, it gives Austin a reason to branch off into the Owen feud, and it furthers Austin's character by going ape shit and getting arrested while the Harts celebrate. It accomplished what it was trying to accomplish. I'm really not one for ratings anyway, I either enjoy it or I didn't, and I enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  41. This here is the highlight of my morning as sad as that is...

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  42. I can see what you are saying here. Based on how I rate matches I wouldn't give it *****, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.

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  43. This is pretty much how I feel about it. Not the greatest match ever, far from it, but it was exciting and enjoyable. It certainly was the right match for its time.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 9:24 AM

    Dude, are you going to cry?

    ReplyDelete
  45. Scream09_HartKillerMay 1, 2013 at 9:26 AM

    Are star rantings really still relevant? I watched a match between Jake and Honky Tonk Man not that long ago, and the crowd is electric. They're hardly doing shit, but the crowd is hanging on every little thing they do.

    Today you can get Kofi and Barrett putting on at least a *** on Raw, and nobody gives a fuck about any of it.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Scream09_HartKillerMay 1, 2013 at 9:27 AM

    A hardcore Hack?

    ReplyDelete
  47. Interesting question. Perhaps the way things get ranked should be modified a bit...

    ReplyDelete
  48. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 9:28 AM

    Are you gonna cry too? Do you and Cap Locks Man want to get a room together and gently weep?

    But I like you, Fuj, you show people that you can still be a sissy bitch who over-reacts to things when you pass 30 years old.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Scream09_HartKillerMay 1, 2013 at 9:29 AM

    I was a part of that crowd. It was awesome. I ran to buy an nWo shirt mid-match.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 9:30 AM

    I've honestly thought about ditching them all together and simply going with "watch it/don't watch it". Because that's what a star rating is for. If it's 4 stars or more, I search it out.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Scream09_HartKillerMay 1, 2013 at 9:31 AM

    Let's leave Robert De Niro out of this.

    ReplyDelete
  52. you're 999,999 in a million caliber.


    you are everybody.... yet you are a nobody...


    theres nothing special about you.


    you are a clone of a clone. the regurgitation of wrestling fanboys past trying to siphon the popularity off the teat of scott keith internet fame. im sure you surf well...


    the bastard love-child of maddox's dried up semen that hit the vagina of the IWC...


    and here you are 20-plus years later... writing terrible reviews about shit you have a micron of knowledge about.


    piss off...


    stick to the movies kid.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 9:40 AM

    You're right Fuj. I am a nobody. If only I could be someone like you.

    I tell you, the hardest thing for a wrestling fan to find is an older wrestling smark who does nothing but bitch and complain all the time. Obviously you're a smart cat, because you only want to read reviews that parrot back your own thoughts.

    People flock to read my work. People pay money to read my work. People don't do shit for your work, because you simply can't.

    I'm a better rapper than you. I'm a better artist than you. I'm a better writer than you.

    Flat out, I'm better.

    ReplyDelete
  54. This is a good point. It makes me wonder if people care as much about a "technically" sound match as opposed to a match you just enjoy. I think ability does play a part in it, but storyline, heat, personalities of the participants also play a role.
    There have been many matches I've hunted out because they were ****+ affairs, but if I wasn't invested or able to be invested in the match sometimes it just didn't live up to the hype for me. On the other hand matches that are ranked at maybe ** or *** by some might be far more enjoyable for me if I care about the participants or buy into the storyline.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Of course if you ditch the *** rating system, you'll get the usual complaints..."Why can't you just use star ratings like everyone else? This system doesn't make sense..." etc etc.
    That said, you are taking criticism on how you rate matches using the *** system anyway so what will it matter?

    ReplyDelete
  56. bitch and complain?

    debatable.

    i find you terrible. IT'S MY OPINION. im gonna hide behind that like you do.

    " because you only want to read reviews that parrot back your own thoughts"

    WRONG #1

    i like to read reviews that give me new insight on the matches. Not your paraphrasing of Keiths review, mixed in with "maddox-ese". Which is what you clearly do.



    People flock to read your work? prove it. if i didnt respond to your drivel... you wouldnt have the responses you have... but continue.


    people pay for your book? fair, i paid for it. it was an entertaining read. i greatly endorse it.


    people dont shit for my work? because im not makin 6 figures in afghanistan as a logistics manager for the DoD... oh wait...


    better rapper? please.
    better artist... prove it.
    better writer? if i cared to try...


    but you keep telling yourself you're better... i hope it makes you warm and fuzzy at night.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Caliber_VoorheesMay 1, 2013 at 9:52 AM

    That's exactly what I was thinking. People like my recaps, so I'll just make those the focus by ditching the star ratings.

    ReplyDelete
  58. but you know what?

    this is pointless.

    you're gonna continue writing these shitty, gimmicked reviews and im gonna keep trashing them.

    and we aint gonna get nowhere. you have your stance and i have mines. i have to at least respect it, if i dont like it.

    but congrats, you're now "over" on this board because of me.

    next time you write a review, send me a special out for the hits you receive in the future...

    ReplyDelete
  59. Guys, guys, you're both just terrible, awful people, both of you. Happy to help.


    (I'm inclined to agree with Fuj here. Sorry Caliber)

    ReplyDelete
  60. I agree. This guy is a boob.

    ReplyDelete
  61. I suggested this a few weeks ago and got scorned for it. I fully support this decision.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Should go to %'s out of 100. That would be more accurate.

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  63. Winner!

    http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m873yluNDH1qzx70zo1_500.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  64. How do you work out if a match is worth 84% as opposed to 85%


    Star ratings give you a ball park figure which is about as accurate as you need

    ReplyDelete
  65. "Just take a look at the numbers, it's safe to say it's one of the best PPVs of all time."

    ****


    ***1/2

    **3/4

    ***



    Doesn't scream "Best PPV Ever"

    ReplyDelete
  66. ARE YOU CALLING ME OUT, SON?! BECAUSE I'LL SHOVE A CORKSCREW UP YOUR NOSE AND DRAG THE LUMP OF SHIT YOU CALL A BRAIN AND PAINT MY HOUSE WITH IT!

    ReplyDelete
  67. YOU BETTA RECOGNIZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

    ReplyDelete
  68. WHO THE FUCK IS PAYING MONEY FOR YOUR WORK?!

    ReplyDelete
  69. FUJ MAKIN YOU FAMOUS, SON

    ReplyDelete
  70. Looks like a typical IYH

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  71. What's wrong with Goldust?

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  72. Well, the main event varies. Just because I don't dig it, I would never say to someone "skip it", because it's a match that belongs in the HoF. The crowd alone makes that match. So, with a must see main event, and two fantastic undercard matches, that puts the PPV in some pretty elite territory.

    ReplyDelete
  73. Star ratings aren't terrible, but far too much importance is placed on them. They're fine as a general guideline. One can pretty much assume that anything ****+ is worth watching. That said, because we're trying to rate a fake sport based on no real criteria other than personal preference, star ratings aren't (and never should be) the be-all and end-all way to determine match quality.


    I'd honestly prefer a system where people just said, "I found this match to be highly entertaining because (insert style of match or whatever they liked about it)" and then let the reader determine if they would like to watch it. So to use the main event for this show as an example, "the work in the match itself is fairly average and standard, but the crowd is absolutely nuclear which makes the match itself unique." I'm someone who feels that a crazy crowd can totally make an average match great so had I not already seen the 5 on 5, I'd be stoked to check it out based on the crowd reaction, but seeing *** generally means a match is average at best and not something worth going out of my way to see. But if I'm someone who focuses strictly on the in-ring stuff and isn't influenced by the crowd, especially for a match over 15+ years old, then I might be more inclined to just not bother finding the match. I think that's a far better (and more useful) system for grading matches.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Hey what I said is not that far off. It was a very patriotic moment for Canadians, and I dont blame them at all. Plus I was following the storylines and everything and loved the Hart Foundation (minus the anvil). So I can see why its such a fond memory and gets a little boost in the rating by some of our neighbo(u)rs north of the border. But besides Austin his tag team partners were just a hodgepodged mess due to lack of depth in the WWF at the time. I give it 3 1/2*'s myself and most of it is bc of Austin and that molten crowd.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Did you really give the main just 3 stars???

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  76. I think you've summed up my thoughts pretty nicely. Well done

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  77. I've always liked Goldust, but I think he was going through a rough patch at this stage in his career.

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  78. Iv always felt that the main event should have been an elimination tag

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  79. People care about being "over" here?

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  80. So if a match is considered a classic, you have to like it and rate it highly?

    ReplyDelete
  81. While the in-ring action in the Main Event wasn't *****-ish, the personalities and crowd certainly made it so. Even the L.O.D. seemed to be into the match and trying hard, and there was very little resting or fucking around. Just from a sociological stand-point, the match is a must-see, as the hometown heroes cheat like NUTS and get cheered for it.

    But by far the best part of the match is Steve Austin. Watch him on the apron- he controls the ENTIRE MATCH, even when he's not in the ring! He just has to turn to the crowd at the right time and it sets the entire Saddledome off after him- Austin was so in his glory as a heel that it wasn't even funny. I mean, he's acting like the best heel EVER, and THEN he takes a swing at an 80-year old man and the arena comes unglued.

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  82. Yeah, Caliber's star-ratings are all over the place. I generally just ignore them and read the rest of the review, which is a better assessment.

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  83. Goldust's matches were AGONIZING to sit through around this time- just endless rest-holds and stalling.

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  84. You know it's a great PPV when Undertaker vs. Vader is the worst match. And yeah, I realize Vader was over the hill by this point but still, that kind of monster vs. monster combination is intriguing in any form.

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  85. But this is why star ratings are kinda bullshit.

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  86. I was thinking the same thing... I think he rated Wrestlemania 25 higher than this PPV if you count star ratings.

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  87. I think it's more ***** if you start from the moment the faces come out to the moment the show goes off the air. Pillman's reaction to the biggest pop he's ever received is worth a * in itself.

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  88. Hey!


    I also shit on his anti-intellectual attitude and populist bullshit.

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  89. I think they are still relevant, but there seem to be a lot of unwritten rules built into them -- as most people use them as a summary statistic for workrate (except in select cases when they don't). It's all very convoluted.

    It's sort of silly, because an experienced movie reviewer using the same system rates the overall 'value' of the movie to them, considering all of the different factors -- they don't just focus on one thing. The rating should be an 'at a glance' mechanism for all aspects of the match IMO.

    I actually like the idea of having a two tier system -- a rating for the work in the match and a rating for all of the intangibles. The reviewer can explain their feelings on both in the review, but that'd be a handy reference that all the different types of fans can appreciate (i.e. those that care only about good work and nothing else, those that don't really like watching good matches with bad crowds).

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  90. ok, you are redeemed with that comment. As an avowed (and in the vast minority) hater of the WM18 Hogan/Rock match, that comment was great.

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  91. absolutely not. Hogan/rock sucked. THIS match was still entertaining.

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  92. they were agonizing from the day he started in WWF, which is odd since I actually liked his matches in WCW. He played that character to the hilt, but it made him the most boring wrestler in the world

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  93. In contrast, how does one work out if a match is three stars or three and a quarter stars? No matter how you decide to rate a match, it's absolutely subjective to the person watching it.

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  94. A two tier system would definitely be better but we still don't have a clear definition for what constitutes good workrate. Some people might think that Davey Richards is a great worker and his matches are ***** from a workrate perspective while others may hate all the no selling and head droppy sorta stuff and think he's a crap worker. Almost like how there's always the argument if companies like ROH can have true ***** matches since they often occur in front of less than a thousand people, so although a crowd might be totally electric, the reviewer may not care since it's not in front of a big audience.

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  95. True and to some extent I suppose you have to get to know the tastes of the person doing the review no matter what the system, but I think pulling a single rating apart into a couple of different categories would at least make having the rating a more descriptive, but still easy to digest measure.

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  96. Reading through this thread has caused me to lose hope for humanity. I'm not a gypsy dammit but I hex every single one of you. May every last one of you be stricken with obscure genital diseases that prevent you from breeding, and may you all one day be forced into an afterlife where the only form of entertainment is the Scott Steiner/Triple H matches and Sid promos.

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  97. I have a system like that, its called not rating matches. A star rating is an excuse for someone to pan over the review and fixate on a number, "the whooshing of thumbs up and down" as a great man once said. Read what I wrote and figure out if you want to check it out or not on your own., yknow?

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  98. True. It's like that with almost anything that has some sort of overall number attached to it. Film reviews, video game reviews, Amazon reviews, etc...

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  99. Caliber_VoorheesMay 2, 2013 at 8:03 AM

    Does that include me?

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  100. May you encounter a Candiru on your next trip to the Amazon.

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  101. He and the Undertaker were similar in that regard.

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  102. I have a book for sale in the Amazon

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