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Vader/Ron Simmons



Scott, continuing with WCW ppvs on network and a few things I'm pondering:
What was the deal with Ron Simmons title reign?  I've heard stories of Watts "proving he wasn't racist".  But it totally sabotaged Vader's reign.  Vader absolutely murdered Sting at the Bash and a month later jobs it to Simmons who holds it for 4 months!   Both Simmons win, and Vader's eventually second title win happen off ppv.  Vader basically, minus a week to Sting, held the belt all year in 93.  And was Simmons supposed to job to Rude at Starrcade?   If Rude doesn't get hurt does Vader get the epic reign in 93?


Vader was apparently hurt pretty bad after the Sting match and they just needed to get the belt off him for a while before resuming the mega push. But yeah, the racism deal was kind of a bonus for Watts so that he could refute the charges, I think.  I don't think Rude was ever supposed to get the belt, though.  I'd have to check the WON from that time.  

Comments

  1. Like Scott said Vader just got hurt at a bad time. He's been pretty injury prone most of his career sadly.

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  2. The Love-Matic Grampa!April 26, 2014 at 7:23 PM

    Never knew Vader was injured that time. But the Simmons reign does make more sense now.

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  3. Combo of the injury plus Watts thinking he could do for Simmons what he did for JYD and push as a mega-star. Problem was, while Simmons was good in the ring, he lacked JYD's charisma and didn't connect as well.
    Of course, didn't help that the best they could do for challengers for him was the likes of the Barbarian (leading to a great bit in the year-end Pro Wrestling Illustrated of "10 reasons WWF is better than WCW" with three of the ten being "The Barbarian a world title contender?!").
    On the racism thing, it was Simmons himself who came up with the line on Watts of "at least he didn't wear the Klan hood in front of us."

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  4. And on the "no PPV" thing, putting aside how the market thing was much less heavy on shows, Watts really had issues with promoting that stuff. He was obsessed with turning the Atlanta Omni into "the Madison Square Garden of the South" and would actually have guys using promos to push an Omni show rather than a PPV or "Clash," exactly the sort of short-sighted territorial booking that helped turn business so bad for WCW.

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  5. Vader dominates with the WCW title for the better part of two years, while Ron Simmons gets a four month pity run that does some of the worst buyrates in WCW history. So it's obvious which of the two was chosen for the WWE Hall of Fame.

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  6. Simmons is way more important in wwe history than Vader.

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  7. I don't like how Vader completely no-sells the power slam after he loses. I understand he's a killer but he could act at least a bit dazed. It's not like a power slam is a quick roll-up type move.

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  8. Vader was the guy who headlined a Summerslam.

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  9. The hall of fame is political, too. Vader never really endeared himself to WWE during his time there while Simmons was a respected locker room figure.

    Plus, first African American world champ is a nice accomplishment as well.

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  10. Read that "Hall of Fame: The Heels" book and Harley Race is up front over how Vader was "always his own worst enemy," his temper ruining a lot of chances for him. Although to be fair, not much higher he could rise after Hogan no-sold his powerbomb before their big PPV matchup.

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  11. I'd love to see a specific cite for Vader being injured long-term necessitating a title switch. Not saying he wasn't, but I just ran through the Observers and while he had his knee scoped before the GAB, he didn't miss much time. Nor did he miss any bookings for either WCW or New Japan in the immediate aftermath. I don't recall a major injury for Vader until he herniated a disc the next year.


    The title switch was simply because Watts fell back to his JYD formula that he tried to recreate in Mid-South. Vader got an "out," from a storyline standpoint, because he was supposed to defend against Sting.

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  12. I wonder if Simmons in 1992 was transplanted to the Attitude Era in the WWF, would he be a huge star? He could wrestle and some of his ECW promos were nasty.

    By the time he got to WWF in 1996, Ron had diminished considerably as a worker.

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  13. He's the first to laugh at his stupid outfit back then but showed good stuff with APA but yeah, would have done better if he'd moved sooner.

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  14. The Omni thing was a big deal before Watts got there. I don't know who was behind that, but it was somebody above the Executive VP because it was a problem throughout the reigns of Herd, Frey, and Watts alike.

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  15. Another guy that belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame!

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  16. Iceman King Parsons is in the WWE Hall of Fame?

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  17. The book "King of New Orleans" which is a great bio of JYD and New Orleans wrestling, has a telling line: "If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery than Watts spent the rest of his time in wrestling flattering JYD."

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  18. Even the Apter mags didn't recognize WCCW as a true "World" title, would always be "WCCW champ" rather than "World champ."

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  19. There's also the WWA World Heavyweight Title that Bobo Brazil held in the 60's.

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  20. Not prying, i appreciate the concern. We actually broke up for about a day or so this week but decided to give it another whirl... I am not really sure why to be honest... she is not a good long term investment... I do like her though and kinda hope she will get her shit together after she graduates, but I don't see it... not really sure where to go from here.

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  21. Random question. So, I am talking to a girl from Africa. However, she is white. She just came over from Africa. Is she technically considered to be an African American?

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  22. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:08 PM

    I hope the one chick that loved me as kid but I ignored her doesn't ever turn up. Then again, considering how that angle ended I kind of hope she does...

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  23. Im.momd blown by this. He always tries and make fun of people for talking about npp also. "But yet people keep talking about npp" is like a catchphrase of his

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  24. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:09 PM

    Yes.

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  25. Too close to call. Don't instagram her.
    ~Donald S.

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  26. Magoonie NOT Teddy BelmontApril 26, 2014 at 8:09 PM

    You just want to know if you can check off African American girl off your checklist don't you?

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  27. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:10 PM

    If she just came over she's not American. So no.

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  28. Was she on a religious mission over there?

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  29. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:10 PM

    White people DO live in Africa.

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  30. I'm fully aware of that.

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  31. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:11 PM

    It would involve a lot of rape.

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  32. Right.... next you'll tell me you know a black guy with a job!

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  33. Bullshit... he'd blow their minds and be made Emperor Nero's personal assistant/oracle.


    "A man raping another man AND his wife? Tell me more, oh wise one."

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  34. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:12 PM

    ...strip club?

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  35. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:12 PM

    I only read the Bible (and the Qur'an) just to read them, because I like to read. I'm not religious at all, and never have been.

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  36. Meh, not really big on strip clubs

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  37. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:13 PM

    Yeah.


    No.


    Wait, what?!?!?

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  38. Favorite STEEL CAGE match? Bret vs. Owen for me.

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  39. Beat me to it. Love that movie btw

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  40. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:14 PM

    Took me a minute to get that one. Well done.

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  41. AMW vs XXX.

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  42. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:15 PM

    John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt. Trust me, you're gonna love it.

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  43. Ditto.

    A lot of spots from that were borrowed from a Bret/Shawn cage match from late '92/early '93. Though Bret and Owen took it from about two stars to five.

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  44. I doubt your girlfriend's a "type" per se, but a lot of times with these types of girls who enjoy their share of drama, I rarely see changes in them outside of having children. THEN they change (not that I'm hinting at anything). For the long haul, I'm not going to say it's worth it. I'm not going to say it's not worth it. I just hope it is.

    I still have the same filipina girlfriend who is likely in the same age bracket as yours. We are now long distance and some of the signs of immaturity are starting to show with her (but luckily, she's just incredibly sweet and knows how to make me feel like the center of her universe despite the distance).

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  45. I'm going to let it play out and see where it goes.

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  46. Spoiler


    Cena wins.

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  47. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:15 PM

    AR Fox is the man.

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  48. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:17 PM

    I hate that match. It's boring and the wrong guy went over.


    Anyway, HITC 1 is my pick, I'd probably call it the best match ever of any kind.

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  49. If HIAC counts, I go with Taker/HHH 2.

    Down vote away

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  50. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:18 PM

    Bruno/Tito Santana vs. Adrian Adonis/Savage.


    http://youtu.be/UU0dcSEVbdM

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  51. I think all the BODers should join the nWo. Separate factions, of course. nWo Canada, nWo Pennsylvania, Diet nWo, nWo Extra Crispy, etc. Everyone gets in.

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  52. Oooh. That's a good one. Forgot about that. Have you watched it recently? It's still great and I LOVE it at the time but Shawn literally only gets like 4 offensive moves in all match. It's a glorified squash natch

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  53. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:20 PM

    Yeah. He was a bump machine in that match.

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  54. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:20 PM

    Why the hell is it that when I read about some crazy ass shit in the news, like the homeless guy that ate a dude's face, or the guy that attacked his girl with a banana, or a foot found in a shoe on the beach. Wassup Florida? Why you so crazy?

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  55. nWo WWE Network needs to start uploading Prime Time's ASAP.

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  56. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:21 PM

    It is kind of a squash. It kind of reminds me of when I had 2 ball pythons and them chasing mice around when I fed them. Except the mouse won, and did awesome mid-air bladejob.

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  57. I'm apart of nWo Extra Crispy. Kind of like how Owen Hart was apart of NOD.

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  58. Next rapid question: Benoit, Montreal, the Streak ending, or holding back Daniel Bryan?

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  59. Thanks. I have thought about all of that... and she isn't worth it, but for now I don't have many options since I am still technically married... and she is mostly cool with that so she will fill a role.. I like her and wish I could help her, but I am just not that guy.

    Sorry to hear about your thing... I thought you were engaged?

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  60. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:23 PM

    Benoit led to changes in and out of the ring.

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  61. The best explanation I ever heard was "criminals and the crazy enjoy warm weather also".

    Did you hear about the guy in FL that started a fetish of where he'd handcuff, tie up, etc. homeless guys and have women beat them up.

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  62. Best Hockey rivalry?

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  63. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:24 PM

    I think Montreal exposed the business to a lot of people and indirectly created the "asshole CEO McMahon" character.

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  64. Melina vs. Alicia Fox

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  65. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:24 PM

    Dammit, man. I won't be visiting FL anytime soon. Going into a Publix sounds like it's the equivalent of going to 'Nam.

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  66. I think Montreal Scewjob was a work.

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  67. Kinda one-sided, historically.

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  68. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:25 PM

    "Because storing dead niggers ain't my fucking business!"

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  69. Black Americans don't play hockey. Pfft.

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  70. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:26 PM

    Or Calligula's assistant.

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  71. As is Yankees/Red Sox.

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  72. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:26 PM

    No point in downvoting anymore, but fuck that match not in the ass, but right up the pisshole.

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  73. NWO Otter already has shirts: http://www.cafepress.com/cp/customize/product2.aspx?number=1279324065

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  74. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:26 PM

    One-sided? Not the last 10 years or so. I'm not counting the 86 years before that.

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  75. Al "The Pensioner's Pal" Eagleson v the media

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  76. Better WWE title reign:


    CM Punk's 434 day reign or Bret Hart's 248 day reign (March - Nov 1994)

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  77. I'm a diehard Red Sox fan. But come on, historically, the Yankees have kicked the Sox ass.

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  78. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:27 PM

    "Because storing dead niggers ain't my fucking business!" - Donald Sterling.

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  79. Anyone here play Hearthstone yet? Love to get done on a little CCG action!

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  80. whats the context here? Most destructive to the business?

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  81. You can randomly run into wrestlers where i live, we have strip clubs that show wrestling ppvs, and our governor admitted to 14 counts of Medicare fraud!!!

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  82. Based on the match quality, it's gotta be Bret. Punk had great defenses against Bryan but that was pretty much it.

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  83. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:28 PM

    God, that guy is an asshole. And since when is it a crime to say porch monkey?

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  84. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:28 PM

    Historically, yes. But 2004 really made up for all of that, in my opinion. I mean, you could feel all of that pent up frustration melt away.

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  85. Punk had a good defense against Cena as well as Mark Henry and Jericho twice.

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  86. Let's keep the random questions going. Best sitcom ever?




    Spoiler alert: Arrested Development.

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  87. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:29 PM

    Pucks vs. teeth.

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  88. UFC 172, let's go.

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  89. Scrubs?

    Three camera with laugh track? All in the Family / Cosby Show.

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  90. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:29 PM

    That wacky Florida. There should be a hidden camera show that catches random acts of Florida in action. I wonder how many deaths the camera would catch?

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  91. I liked his "tribute" to Candido:

    I fucking quit.
    Nothing fucking matters. Not all the hard work, not all the miles and sleepless nights.
    Nothing. God fucking damnit. It's not right. fuck. It's so not fucking right.
    I miss you Chris.
    I really fucking miss you.
    FUCK.
    XpunkX

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  92. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:29 PM

    I wish Punk had taken the belt and defended it elsewhere.

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  93. But do you think that 20 years from now people are going to remember them? Bret and Owen had an Iron Man Match that wasn't even televised that still carries notoriety.

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  94. One series win doesn't erase the fact they murdered us for decades on top of decades.

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  95. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:30 PM

    The Simpsons. I consider it a sitcom, even if it's animated.

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  96. Seinfeld wins, but I also like How I Met Your Mother.

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  97. oh simpsons wins for sure then.

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  98. People won't know who Punk is in 20 years.

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  99. If it's not Florida, it's Germany.

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  100. YOU FUCKED UP YOU FUCKED UP YOU FUCKED UP!

    (Sorry been watching ECW)

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  101. Seinfeld, in that I don't consider The Simpsons to be a sitcom. It created its own genre.

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  102. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:31 PM

    It also created an entire genre.

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  103. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:31 PM

    MASH

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  104. That's a good call.

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  105. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:32 PM

    On that same topic, I am also a lifelong Red Sox fan. I no longer despise the Yankees, as the last few years of watching them hobble around seems to have made me feel kinda sorry for them. The team I really despise is the younger, cockier Rays. I hate David Price, and I think Joe Maddon is a flake.

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  106. Shittier TV ham: Tony Kornheiser or Woody Paige?

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  107. Wow... Holloway cinched that one in deep.

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  108. Paige. Kornheiser occasionally half-admits that he's full of his own shit.

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  109. Honest to god story. One of the very first news stories I saw when I moved here was this piece about how an old guy in a car hit a guy on a bike, and drove with the guy clutching to the hood of his car for 4 mules until he came to a toll booth and the toll booth attendant made him stop.

    The driver was so old and gone, he had no fucking idea

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  110. Reading about all of the backstage shit that happened just before the first Sci-Fi show is so depressing. Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn promised Paul total creative control over the whole and then at the last second Dunn basically hijacked the whole thing and said "LOL JUST KIDDING."


    God, i hate that guy.

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  111. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:33 PM

    That's OK, I'll despise the Wankees enough for the both of us.

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  112. Kornhesier is awesome.

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  113. "Indirectly"?Mr.Mcmahon was made in that night.

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  114. Neither. Skip Bayless or Stephan A Smith.

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  115. Stranger in the AlpsApril 26, 2014 at 8:34 PM

    FLURRIDA!

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  116. I like both. Skips all gimmick tho. What's not to like about stephan A?

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  117. I love Skip. I miss his fill-in days on Jim Rome where he would rip on Ohio State and talk about the volleyball scene from "Top Gun" every time.

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  118. So far is a average event.

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  119. He's narrow-minded on tons of things.

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  120. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:35 PM

    Bayless. And I'm obviously not talking about Brian.

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  121. I actually liked the Zombie thing, mainly because it wasn't meant to be taken seriously and a clear "Fuck you" at Sci-Fi. They did the same thing with 911 in the original ECW.

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  122. I'm excited to see if Phil Davis is still a jacked up softee, or if he's finally ready to take it to the next level.


    Very conflicted on the main event though. I thought Texiera should have gotten the title shot early last summer.

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  123. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 8:36 PM

    Lot of boxing tonight. Klitschko snoozefest earlier.

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  124. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:36 PM

    It was, they just lied to Bret about the finish.

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  125. We're engaged to be engaged--we both know we're headed in that direction regardless of detours. There's an assortment of financial stuff we have to sift through before we do take a step forward, though. Part of the reason why we have to be long distance--money/jobs

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  126. Anyone knows a good chikara feud?

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  127. Jalen Rose..... 's bat.

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  128. For fun read this page.

    http://www.reddit.com/r/FloridaMan/top/


    The best state in the US for crazy stuff by far.

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  129. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:37 PM

    He does play the race card way too much.

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  130. My personal faves are Seinfeld, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Fresh Prince, and That 70s Show. Friends is climbing up the rankings, which is strange considering I initially only watched it to stare at Seasons 1-4 era Jennifer Aniston.

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  131. Ever since the explosion of MMA, boxing has been ruined for me.

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  132. .........Kingston/Quackenbush?


    Striaght out of my ass, I'll admit, but pretty sure that main evented a PPV.

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  133. For your enjoyment: the greatest confrontation between a coach and official in the history of sports.

    http://youtu.be/etZpup-GtLw

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  134. Race..... New York teams....Boston teams.

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  135. Shit. I forgot about that one. I guess it was pretty much status quo anyway

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  136. That ref was ready to throw down

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  137. Amsterdam_Adam_CurryApril 26, 2014 at 8:39 PM

    I don't do Chikara, if I wanted to feel like I was tripping balls I'd get some mushrooms or DMT.

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  138. I see that and raise you this:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGZUKHtW7vg

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  139. No...no...no. hes a HUGE Knicks fan but bashes them on the regular. Same with the yankees. He always gives love to NE guys..brady, kg, pierce, doc, pappi, etc.

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  140. Ya rooty poot. I always liked Iceman, and his finisher, the "Butt Butt" was awesome too.

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  141. What movie should I watch tonight....


    Alien, Back to the Future, Chasing Amy, The Net, Ghostbusters, Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Star Wars IV: A New Hope, or Despicable Me?

    ReplyDelete
  142. Ready To Rumble

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  143. He has quite the history of quitting.

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  144. Low Ki v. Red from Road To The Title? Either that I'd guess Ki v. Dragon v. Daniels from the first show

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  145. It was awesome if you lived in Atlanta though.

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  146. wasn't the mainer, had to be an undercard match of some sort. 90% sure it's from the first show.

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  147. Ron Simmons Vs The Barbarian for the WCW World Title at Halloween Havoc '92.


    Explain that bullshit!

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  148. I actually did live in Atlanta at the time but I was only 11 years old, plus the WWF had already hooked me to their product.

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  149. It was necessary so they could pull off the worst triple main event in ppv history

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  150. If the Barbarian wants to main event with you... He main events with you.

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  151. Magoonie NOT Teddy BelmontApril 26, 2014 at 10:49 PM

    I still think Vader should have gotten better runs in the mid 90s whether it was WCW or WWF. The guy was a beast and a damn good big man wrestler. Why not let Vader beat Hogan to a pulp to win the WCW Title and then have Hogan build himself back up to beat Vader a few months later?

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  152. I heard numerous times, including from Scott that Rude was supposed to win the title.

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  153. Did Turner own The Omni? That would explain a lot.

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  154. I may be in the minority on this one, but I kind of dug on the match, and I think Simmons could have been a good champion for a couple of months, had they given him anything in the way of credible challengers. You can see it when he wins the title how crazy the people go, regardless of color. I always felt like they didn't really get all that they could out of him.

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  155. Because Hogan.

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  156. Considering Ron Simmons lost the title to Vader 2 days after Starrcade '92 an event in which he was supposed to defend against Rick Rude it sure seems like a no brainer to me.

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  157. Everyone assumed it at the time, but here's Dave from the Observer:

    "You can argue whether or not it was feasible when a main event world title match on a PPV is changed but I've got to believe it was possible and should have been done. Rude, who from all indications, despite what has been heavily rumored and reported just about everywhere, was not going to win the title from Simmons, will be out of action for an estimated eight weeks. It was pretty well said on the show that the U.S. title will be vacated because of his injury and either Rick Steamboat or Dustin Rhodes will win the title in the tournament, and you've got to figure with Steamboat holding the tag title, who the natural next champion will be. I'll assume Rude won't return until the 2/27 PPV show."

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  158. It would have made sense for Rude to win the belt, so naturally WCW would do the oppostie.

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  159. Word at the time was that Terry was worried Vader would 'take liberties' (ie, similar to "will Lesnar snap, go off-script and crush U/taker like a bug?)
    To be fair, had Vader done to Hogan what he did to Foley, it might've actually made him a legit superstar in the media's eyes).
    20 years ago, maaaan...

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  160. Hogan was a real idiot. He beats Vader twice then wonders why the cage match won't draw? Christ, do a job man.

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  161. If you set the way back machine to 1995, a lot of the Internet fans on RSP-W were posting about Vader straight up shooting on Hogan, like Vader didn't want to make money. Seriously, smart fans can be really stupid sometimes.

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  162. Cactus Jack as manager gave the match a modicum of credibility at least.


    Who should Simmons' challenger have been? Rude (if he was never win the belt, have him do two jobs in October and December)? Vader? Steve Austin?


    Fact is they were pretty light on the credible heel side of things, and they should have neve taken the belt off of Vader in the first place. (I don't buy he was injured, since he wrestled pretty much all the major shows that year, and when he was world champion the following year he spent most of the year with an injured sterumn and that didn't really slow him down).

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  163. So when's the exact time Bill Watts got the boot and Eric Bischoff got the promotion? I know Jim Ross leaves and debuts at Mania IX so it's gotta be what Jan/Feb 1993?

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  164. When did the Apter mags recognize the ECW title as a "World" title? When they got on ppv or when they got on TNN?

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  165. Zeus could probably be in the Hall of Fame if he wasn't doing legit time for real estate fraud.

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  166. Simmons had charisma as a beer drinking member of the APA.

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  167. I don't buy it. he was hurt for most of 1993 with a brusied sternum and was still pulling ***+ matches with everyone.

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  168. It may of been more fear that his injuries would get worse and he wouldn't be able to work through them. Sure he made it through and kept looking good but no one knew that'd be the case at the time in WCW or something of the sort.

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  169. I think after the first Clash of Champions but before Superbrawl III. Watts brought Ric Flair back... I think it was like the last thing he did before he got fired.

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  170. Vader absolutely should have been Ron Simmons opponent that night. I'm a big fan of both Vader and Rick Rude so who gets the strap going into 1993 even with a healthy Rude is a tough one.


    But Vader going over and regaining the strap at Havoc or putting over the new champ strong seems like a no brainer either way.

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  171. They had no strong heels to challenge him (if they weren't going to use Vader or Rude.... which it seems like they weren't). They really needed a face champion with Simmons, Sting, Ricky Steamboat, and Nikita Koloff as top contenders in the late summer and fall of 92.

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  172. Jef Vinson (Homewreckers Inc™)April 26, 2014 at 11:36 PM

    Well black people DO like to dance.

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  173. Not sure but in WWE canon it started when Shane threw down the NWA title.

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  174. So they recognized the ECW title as a world title, then the company went out of business a year later? Makes sense.

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  175. They themselves acknowledged that fact and i believe even used it as an example for why they hesitated in reinstating official World Title status to the NWA Heavyweight Title in the early days of TNA.

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  176. I'm not saying you're wrong, but in Have A Nice Day, Mick Foley specifically pointed out that it was Bill Watts' idea to turn the Omni into the "MSG of the South. " Which he found ludicrous because WCW would often promote the hell out of a house show at the Omni instead of a PPV or big TV event that would have millions of more potential viewers.

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  177. The Undertaker definitely deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame!

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  178. Darren Young should steal that move and rechristen it "What What In The Butt"

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  179. Thanks for posting this. Where do you get access to old observer stuff like that? I'd read that stuff all the freaking time.

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  180. You need a subscription. It's well worth the price just for the back catalog of stuff to read. Will keep you occupied for awhile

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  181. Damn right. IIRC, Vader was the guy that asked Ted Turner for an autograph. He wasn't allergic to money, FFS...

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  182. It's like Eddie Guerrero in 04.

    First challenger...Kurt Angle! Okay, great!

    Okay, he beat him and our next challenger is....Bradshaw?!?!?!

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  183. Also keep in mind things didn't go direct from Watts to Bischoff overnight. WCW was run by a comittee with Sharon Sidello having the most power for awhile. Bischoff contributed the ideas of the Disney tapings (which we can make jokes about, but they saved the company a ton of money) and a general business plan and worked his way up to the top throughout the summer o f'93.

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  184. Foley is wrong.
    I've watched a shit ton of WCW television, and recently. The Omni hype pre-dated Watts by years. Watts continued it and maybe he used that specific term, but it was an ongoing problem.

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  185. I've never understood that being such a big deal. Obviously TNA taping months of TV and title changes and stuff today is ridiculous but back then it's not like even a small percentage of fans were online or knew the taping results. Doing everything on tape made sense then.

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  186. Spoilers weren't as big of a deal in and of themselves, but locking in title reigns and storylines so far in advance would quickly burn WCW in very predictable ways. See Steven Regal having to defend the tag titles on Brian Pillman's behalf.

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