Hey Scott,
I've recently been watching the weekly WWF shows from 1984 starting from hogans title win. One of the more interesting things from the shows I've noticed is Vince's constant hyping of backlund. I'd always sort of assumed he kind of instantly disappeared after hogan got the belt. However on the TV's Vince keeps hyping backlund like he used with HBK. In addition to praising backlunds greatness, Vince called him the undisputed #1 contender and they aired a huge video package (unheard of at the time) showing backlund wrestling as an amateur and training. It seems like a lot of hype for a guy they were gonna flush right away. My question is did backlund work any dates in WWF post January 1984 and did they ever consider running a backlund vs hogan program? I've heard the old story that Vince wanted backlund to turn into some kind of punk rocker heel, but that seems crazy. Do you think a face vs face hogan/backlund program would have drawn or did enough old time fans love Bob too much necessitating a heel turn for backlund? Lastly have you ever considered doing a book covering pre 1984 topics in depth?
I didn't even start watching any kind of wrestling outside of Stampede until 86, so I'd be useless writing a book about pre-Hogan. As for Backlund, he didn't take the title loss very well, to say the least, and basically disappeared for quite a while. There was no consideration to a Backlund-Hogan program that I know of, as the intention with the Hogan win was to basically erase Bob Backlund and the old guard. Much like what happened to Hogan in 93 with Yokozuna. And no, I don't think that feud dynamic would have worked anyway, as Backlund was viewed as the white bread babyface and Hogan was like a rock star. Fans wanted something different and by god it was gonna be Hogan.
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I would agree with the comic book comparison for past eras, but [oldmangrumbling]...today's guys don't really exude the larger-than-life aura of past performers, unless kids are clamoring for the comic book adventures of Curtis Axel, The Miz, Kofi Kingston and Bray Wyatt.
ReplyDeleteAcutally, nevermind. I'd totally read a Vertigo-style comic about Bray Wyatt.
According to Meltzer, Backlund quit after being asked to color his hair and turn heel. When he came back to TV a few months after Hogan won the belt, the fans actually resented him.
ReplyDeleteMakes me want to pull this out of my closet
ReplyDeletehttp://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mg4I2TJD8ZTVzfX9kzdy90w.jpg
Yeah I've always heard that he was supposed to do a punk rock heel thing which I cannot even remotely fathom. Did you notice all the backlund hyping on those shows though? He even got a whole video package and Vince called him the undisputed #1 contender. Maybe it was just an olive branch to appease backlund, but from watching those shows they sure make it seem like he's still a huge deal. Its really odd because I thought he basically got the old heave ho from vince after jobbing to shirk.
ReplyDeleteFace vs. face wouldn't have worked, but face Hogan vs. heel Backlund would've worked alright. I'd argue that Backlund was actually BETTER as a heel.
ReplyDelete(By the way, you can find a really good face Backlund vs. heel Hogan match on one of Hogan's sets.)
ReplyDeleteMan if there was only another wrestling fed that had been doing that stuff with their covers for years... http://www.chikarapro.com
ReplyDeleteI mean, no, you're right... awesome and original!
Obviously hogan didn't need any rub from backlund but I really think they could have made money running a backlund vs hogan program in 1984. This guy dominated the WWF forever basically. Now maybe backlumd decided he didn't want to job to hogan but you gotta figure that would have been backlunds biggest pay day ever so wouldn't he at least have to consider it. It sounds from the shows like hogan was working a program against the masked superstar at the house shows so it's not like hogan would was going over bigger names where he would refuse the program. Maybe backlumd really was pissed (always thought it was weird he wasn't in that lockerroom champangre celebration with Andre and putski). But if he was that salty about his spot why didnt he jump to jcp. Flair vs backlund at starrcade 84? Fuck yeah.
ReplyDeleteHe jobbed to the former UFC lightweight champion?
ReplyDeleteYeah, you can find some Hogan vs. Backlund matches on Youtube as well.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people compare cena to hogan but in a lot of ways I think he's the spiritual successor to backlund. I get the feeling that maybe bb had a lot of fan backlash and he really played a goody two shoes gimmick. If cena ever does a knee walk he'll pass up flair and Shawn as my all time fave.
ReplyDeleteAlso does any know if backlund ever worked with Andre?
I watched some independent wrestling show in the North East in the '80's and Backlund used to come on that show every week challenging Hogan to a match.
ReplyDeleteGtfoh...time to scour the net
ReplyDeleteJust go to youtube and type Hulk Hogan vs. Bob Backlund and a few things will pop up.
ReplyDeleteFound em. Glad I brought my tablet on the train today
ReplyDeleteI'll go an extra step for ya:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO7FBwKQeUU
Hulk Hogan & Stan Hansen vs. Bob Backlund & Antonio Inoki...
So in early 84 there's no chance the msg fans turn with backlund right? I've always thought it was odd backlund never even came out and shook hogans hand. Although vkm did read a letter on air "from baclkund" to hogan congratulating him for bringing the belt back to America.
ReplyDeleteThat is an odd auto correct for however I butchered the spelling of hulk.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, Andre almost always was a face up until 1987, so I doubt there are any Backlund vs. Andre matches. Maybe they teamed up a few times though.
ReplyDeleteThey tried to make him appeal to kids and it didn't work at all.
ReplyDeleteYeah I was wondering if maybe they worked a match out of country or did a really rare tag team.
ReplyDeleteWow! Never seen this, I'm very excited. Thanks
ReplyDeleteYeah I usually don't point out stuff like that because it is obnoxious... but I thought it was funny
ReplyDeleteI definitely loved to read the wcw comic book when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteBacklund's version was that he wanted to raise his daughter in Connecticut and didn't want her to deal with having a heel dad when she was at school. I'd bet he just didn't like the cartoon wrestling and wanted out.
ReplyDeleteWith some of the crazy stuff I never would have dreamed existed being posted here lately I wouldn't be surprised
ReplyDeleteIf I'm Vince I'm scared Backlund shoots on Hogan.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that why Sheik was the one to take the strap from him? Because he could handle himself if Backlund tried to shoot?
ReplyDeleteI had a nice lol for myself. Maybe Shawn shrek designed the auto correct on my tablet
ReplyDeleteI believe there's always a worry that when you do a babyface vs. babyface passing the torch sort of match/feud, the fans wind up resenting whoever is responsible for pushing out the old guard.
ReplyDeleteI always thought The Muscle Shark would be an awesome pro wrestling nickname.
ReplyDeleteThere's been a couple of attempts made. The strongest was during the Attitude Era, with the somewhat well-received Undertaker book. Well received in that it didn't ENTIRELY suck. But quality for wrestling comics has always been WrestleCrap levels.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I heard too. It's kind of funny in a way that the "All American" babyface can't be trusted to be a pro, but the "evil Iranian" IS trusted.
ReplyDeleteHogan didn't really have a solid feud with anyone in 84 until the very end of the year with Piper.
ReplyDeleteThread jack/off topic: Larry Zbyszko said from what he's heard half the TNA stars are on food stamps now. That can't be right, can it? It has to be hyperbole. Although if it is true, it shows how bad TNA is doing.
ReplyDeleteI guess he didn't need one. I wonder if Vince was afraid the crowds would cheer Backlund over Hogan?
ReplyDeleteHmmm...that kinda sounds like bullshit. Ive read in a few places over half the roster makes 750 a week so that's gotta be too much to get food stamps right?
ReplyDeleteDr. D and the masked superstar. Both seemed like very bad ass credible top heels for him (the masked superstar fucking rules) but you've gotta figure backlund was a way bigger in the north east. Piper was absolutely the top heel in 84, doing pipers pit and managing guys/killing jobbers but they kept him and hogan totally separate for awhile.
ReplyDeleteWell what's weird-is on the TV shows in the first few months after the switch Vince is putting over bob like crazy, calling himthe #1 ccontender and airing vignettes. It seems like if Vince wanted the fans to move on he wouldn't have done that.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know the limit on when you can receive food stamps. That might be low enough depending on how much they work. Or if that figure was cut recently it could get them below the poverty line. My first thought is it's bullshit but I can still see it being true. Which is sad.
ReplyDeleteCena should've used the chickenwing crossface as his primary submission. Guy as strong as Cena would make that move look like an instant killer.
ReplyDeleteBacklund was a pro's pro, however. There was zero percent chance he'd shoot on Hogan.
ReplyDeleteIt's low. In Mass it's like $20k/year for an unmarried person with no kids. $750/week translates to $39k and that's not taking any indy gigs into account.
ReplyDeletelol. How awesome would it have been if they had gotten into a shoot fight? Who would Vince bring in to take the belt off Sheik if he refused to do the job? Somewhere there's an alternate universe where this set off a chain of events leading to shoot-only matches for the title.
ReplyDeleteBut for that reason he would've made it a heel move. Backlund was stronger than he looked; Cena's stronger than HE looks.
ReplyDelete84 would have been too soon for the Mr. Backlund gimmick, since I think it would have been most effective if he was gone for a few years, but if they reintroduced him with Bobby Heenan as a manager selling the fact that Hogan stole Backlund's title shot and he never lost the title, it would have been perfect feud for Hogan's second title reign.
ReplyDeleteBacklund is funny. On various shoot interviews and anicdotes you hear from wrestlers, any time someone talks about Backlund they are nearly in awe of him. I remember hearing Flair tell a story about when he went to Japan as NWA champion, they sent Harley Race with him to make sure nobody fucked with him. Flair then said something about Backlund that basically he didn't need any protection from anyone.
ReplyDeleteYou always have these lists of legit baddest-ass dudes in wrestling, like Meng, I wonder how far up that list in real life Bob Backlund is?
Vince told Backlund that he wanted a program against Hogan, he would have to dye his hair black and wear an earring. Backlund balked and then when to Pro Wrestling USA claiming to still be the champion because he never submitted to the Sheikh. Guess Backlund needed the money in 1994 and switched to heel.
ReplyDeleteI meant afriad the crowds would cheer Backlund over Hogan if they were ever in a feud or had a match.
ReplyDeleteYeah but the thing is, by 1989, how many people in the WWF fanbase would have bought Backlund as a credible challenger to Hogan?
ReplyDeleteIt kinda worked in 1993 because they re-introduced Backlund to the crowd for almost twelve months before having him snap on Bret Hart and Bret was never viewed as the same dominating and unbeatable champion that Hogan was back in the mid-late 80's.
They could have done the slow burn and have him out there for a bit and then have him "snap" and/or use Bobby Heenan to sell Backlund's story and sell how Hogan was ducking the former champion, superior wrestler for years. Let Backlund put the chicken wing on Hogan an interview and people would buy him as a threat. A lot of people forget how freakishly strong Backlund was.
ReplyDeleteBruno supposedly told Buddy Rogers when the match started "We can do this the easy way or the hard way" when buddy was expecting a normal match.... also the screwjob kinda counts
ReplyDeleteYou mean it wasn't a legit heart attack?
ReplyDeletebuddy definitely had a heart attack shortly before that match
ReplyDelete