EVIL~! alkeiper

It was a studio crowd inside Titan Towers! You'd think they would toe the company line but it's pretty obvious to me that Vince was putting minimal effort into the show at that point.

Buried. Guys bitch because they thought Van Dam, Booker T, etc. were going to become mega-stars and they didn't. Like their success/failure into mega-stardom hinged on a single feud. Fans are still marks, they just cheer for better workers instead of along face/heel lines. It's still the same thing, and it gets tiresome.

This is something that I had floating in my head the last few days. A lot of wrestling reviewers will give negative star ratings to a particularly bad match. Often times it is prompted not by the workers involved, but the sheer idiocy of the booking of the match. In many cases the reviewer goes into the match expecting to hate it. But what truly merits negative stars? In my opinion, it is not enough to put together a boring match. I think a negative star match must fit one of X criteria. 1. The match contained several noticeable, blown spots. Let's see what they messed up here. 1. Nowinski comes in late to break up a pin attempt. 2. Trish attempts a springboard manuever but Gayda is out of position. 3. Trish attempts a leg sweep but Gayda fails to take the move properly, stumbling to the mat. 4. Trish tries twice to set up the bulldog but Gayda fails to position herself properly. 5. When Trish does go for the bulldog, she misses completely. Gayda sells it anyway. That is an easy one, it won Wrestling Observer's Worst Match of the Year award for 2002. Now, even good wrestlers will blow spots. Good workers will work it into the flow of the match, making it somewhat indistinguishable for casual wrestling fans. Knowledgeable wrestling fans notice, but they know it is a work anyway. 2. The match contained booking so bad that it insulted the intelligence of the viewing audience. The Fingerpoke of Doom. WCW advertised Goldberg vs. Kevin Nash and instead gave the fans a ten second "angle" match that turned many against WCW for good. When does a comedy match merit negative stars? For the most part, if the crowd dies. If the crowd is into the match, you can't really punish the workers because you did not like it. I give an exception to a match such as The Four Doinks at Survivor Series '93. When working the match requires ignoring the established rules of the game, that falls under bad booking. 3. The match denigrated into a shoot with the wrestlers losing all cooperation, preventing the match from reaching an intended conclusion. This one is extremely interesting, Bruiser Brody vs. Lex Luger. Brody sees fit not to sell anything Luger does until Luger just gives up, draws the DQ and leaves the cage. I wish I could find Andre the Giant vs. Akira Maeda. I have seen it before. There is a perception often that a better worker gave it to the lesser worker and taught him a lesson, or exposed him. More often it just becomes a disorganized mess with both wrestlers standing awkwardly until someone steps in. Failing to complete a wrestling match is an overlooked, but deserving reason to issue negative stars. What does not merit negative stars? Two workers stepping into the ring, giving a reasonably competent exhibition of professional wrestling but boring the audience. That merits a dud IMO. Dave Meltzer gave Andre the Giant vs. Big John Studd negative stars. That was a pretty dull match with no high spots outside the finish. But it looked legit and the crowd enjoyed it. That can not possibly be negative stars. I rarely rate matches but if I did, my scale would give a basic match at least *, just for stepping in the ring. If the match was bad, that lowers the score as far as a dud, providing the combatants did not at least embarrass the sport. In my view, that is the criteria for negative stars.

It was actually before the fall of the Soviet Union. In April 1990 Volkoff and Boris Zhukov split up and feuded, Volkoff sang the American national anthem in response to Zhukov singing the Soviet anthem. Of course that led to a natural pairing with Jim Duggan.

There's a tendency there to think that size = ability, which is obviously false. I think Keith's biggest problem is he brings his biases into his reviews and he has a rating in mind before he even watches the match.

Yeah. Thank goodness Josh Hamilton doesn't have any drug use in HIS past. No, I think Hamilton is a better story BECAUSE Hamilton had major drug problems but overcame them and appears to have gotten his life back on track. Ankiel, in contrast, was a head-case who came all the way back to the majors as an outfielder after that epic collapse as a pitcher, and then it turns out he was on HGH. One player overcame drugs to achieve in the majors. Another one used them to achieve in the majors. You don't see a difference? Ankiel used drugs three years ago. If he used them since, it's unproven. Of course he could still be on PEDs. And of course, Hamilton could still be a cocaine addict.

There are a couple of problems with star ratings. One is the quibbling over whether a match was five stars or merely four and a half. Especially when you get it from the "Misawa/Kawada is the only ***** match" crowd. That's tiresome. Also, there seems to be a subconscious thought that if a match is 3 stars, it's not a classic.

Yeah. Thank goodness Josh Hamilton doesn't have any drug use in HIS past.

Does Dusty overuse his relievers now too? Or are we just slighting him for everything we can think of now? Great talent acquisition for the Reds. Lots of money but I'm not sweating dollar amounts at this stage.

"Hey, dawg. It's on, dawg. You dead, dawg. I ain't even bullshitting. Your kids too, dawg. It don't even matter to me who is in the car with you. Nigger, all I know is, nigger, when I see your motherfucking ass riding, dawg, it's on. As a matter of fact, I'm coming to your motherfucking house."

Paul Orndorff was the contingency plan if Andre was too injured. IIRC, that's why the had the draw in the cage match at SNME a couple months prior. I think Hulkamania had already taken off, the Andre match only cemented it. Indeed. Hulk Hogan was a phenomenon before he even stepped foot in the WWF.

Roddy Piper's babyface reaction at TNT is quite amusing. "You don't like midgets either huh?" Vince: "To pick on a midget. I mean uhh, how low can you go?" Piper: "I came on this show..."

I find it bothersome that PED speculation has to come up just because he passed away. Hundreds of ballplayers used performance enhancing drugs. How many of them died from their use. (Caminiti and others abused hard drugs.) There is no reason to suspect ballplayers are dying in their 20s from the use of PEDs. It's insulting that its suspected in any case.

Because of the massive amount of players that have dropped dead from brain aneurysms in their prime in the steroid era? Let's be reasonable.

Jimmy Hart refers to "Terry and Dory Funk." So much for Hoss.

Is determining the best games of a foregone era by looking at game logs silly? After all, how can you fairly judge a game where no audio or video call exists? Quite the opposite. In the years before radio and television, fans would gather around newspaper and telegraph stations for live play-by-play readings of a game in progress. Many establishments during World Series games would receive game results in progress and display them on giant chalkboards or electronically operated scoreboards for interested fans. In essence, it was MLB Gameday 80 years before the advent of the internet. Reading the play-by-play of a game account is exactly the same as fans not in attendance would have received the game in that era. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/10021908.shtml Cleveland 1, Chicago White Sox 0 October 2, 1908 With one week left in the 1908 pennant race, the Cleveland Naps trailed the Detroit Tigers by just half a game. The White Sox trailed by a game and a half. Ed Walsh pitched a complete game, striking out 15 batters and giving up a single run, unearned. Opposing pitcher Addie Joss pitched a perfect game. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BO...191210160.shtml Boston Red Sox 3, New York Giants 2, 10 Innings October 16, 1912 (Game 8, World Series) Thanks to a game two tie, this game eight meant do-or-die for both clubs. Christy Mathewson vs. Hugh Bedient. The Giants took the lead in the third, the Red Sox tied the game in the seventh. Red Sox ace Smokey Joe Wood took over in the eighth. In the tenth, Fred Merkle singled in the go-ahead run. The bottom of the inning however saw Fred Snodgrass's famous muff, and the Red Sox scored two runs to win the game. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS...192410100.shtml Washington 4, New York Giants 3, 12 Innings October 10, 1924 (Game 7, World Series) The lowly Senators had their first chance in franchise history to win a World Series. Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, Bucky Harris drove in two runs with a two-out single to tie the game. Walter Johnson, loser of two previous Series games, came in relief in the ninth. Johnson held the Giants scoreless for four innings. In the twelfth, Muddy Ruel doubled, Walter Johnson reached on an error, and Earl McNeely's double drove in Ruel for the win and the World Championship. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NL...193407100.shtml AL All Stars 9, NL All Stars 7 July 10, 1934 If you know anything about this game, it is Carl Hubbell's five consecutive strikeouts. The rest of the game was a barn burner. Trailing 4-0 early, the AL stars came up with two in the fourth and six in the fifth. The bottom of the fifth saw the only steal of home in All-Star history, as Pie Traynor took home on the tail end of a double steal. Mel Harder relieved in that inning, with the score at the end 8-7 AL. Harder pitched five scoreless innings, keeping the NL stars at bay for the win. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BR...194710030.shtml Brooklyn Dodgers 3, NY Yankees 2 October 3, 1947 (Game 4, World Series) The Yankees led 2-1 in the ninth, up two games to one on the Brooklyn Dodgers. While putting the Dodgers in a three to one deficit would be big, the bigger story was Bill Bevens carrying a no-hitter into that inning. (The Dodgers run in the fifth came on two walks, a sacrifice bunt and a fielder's choice.) Leadoff hitter Bruce Edwards flew out to center. Carl Furillo walked, while Spike Jorgensen fouled out to the first baseman. Bill Bevens was one out away from World Series immortality. Dodger manager Burt Shotten sent Al Gionfriddo to pinch-run for Furillo, and Pete Reiser to pinch-hit for pitcher Hugh Casey. Gionfriddo stole second, prompting an intentional walk. The next batter, Cookie Lavagetto, hit a deep fly ball double to score both runs. The no-hitter was broken, and a 2-1 deficit became a 3-2 win for the Dodgers. Series tied at two games apiece. Why walk Reiser to put the winning run on base? Reiser was an elite offensive force in that era. He finished in the top ten of the MVP balloting his three previous seasons (his resume would no doubt look more impressive had he not missed three years due to the war). Lavagetto had a good season, but was more or less a utility infielder with some plate discipline. He had batted just 69 times in 41 games that year, showing management valued his glove more than his bat. (In today's era, he would be an Oakland Athletic.) It is easy to see why Bucky Harris made that decision. Bevens was simply gassed. While no pitch count exists, Bevens had walked ten batters and struck out five. If not for the no-hitter in progress, there is no way he stays on the mound. New York Giants 5, Brooklyn Dodgers 4 October 3, 1951 No boxscore handy, but you all know this one. Bobby Thomson hits a three-run home run to give the New York Giants a 5-4 victory and the National League pennant. The win is made more incredible by the fact that the Giants once trailed in the pennant race by 14.5 games. Books have been written on the game. I can not do it any justice with my own meager writing. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PI...196010130.shtml Pittsburgh 10, NY Yankees 9 October 13, 1960 (Game Seven, World Series) Most of you know Mazeroski's home run I assume. Serious fans (especially Yankee fans) know the Yankees outscored the Pirates 55-27 in this series. Still, the Pirates hung on to force game seven. The Bucs took a 4-0 lead in the game's first two innings. The Yankees fought back, scoring one in the fifth and four in the sixth. In the eighth, the Yankees scored two insurance runs to pad their lead to three. Things fell apart for the Yankees in the eighth. Two singles started the inning, the second of which hit shortstop Tony Kubek in the throat and forced him to depart. Two more singles cut the lead to one. With two outs and two on, Hal Smith hit a home run to give the Pirates a 9-7 lead. The Yankees fought back, scoring two in the ninth off Bob Friend to tie the game. Bill Mazeroski led off the ninth with a home run, and the Pirates pulled a miraculous upset. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BO...197510210.shtml Boston 7, Cincinnati 6, 12 Innings October 21, 1975 (Game Six, World Series) With ace Luis Tiant on the mound, the Red Sox took a 3-0 lead in the first. The Reds came back, scoring three in the fifth, two in the seventh and one in the eighth. With two out and two on in the bottom of the eighth, pinch hitter Bernie Carbo hit a home run on a 2-2 count to tie the game. Some brilliant defensive play kept the score tied until the bottom of the twelfth, when Carlton Fisk hit a leadoff home run to win the game. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HO...198610150.shtml NY Mets 7, Houston 6, 16 Innings October 15, 1986 (Game Six, National League Championship Series) Take note of how many great games end with 7-6 scores. In any case, the Mets led the series three games to two, but a loss would put them in the Astrodome for game seven against the then untouchable Mike Scott. The Astros jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. For eight innings, the Mets collected just two hits and a walk, with just one batter reaching second base. The Mets finally caught up to Bob Knepper in the ninth, scoring three runs and tying the game. The Mets took a lead in the 14th inning on Wally Backman's single. In the bottom of the frame, Billy Hatcher hit a one-out home run off the left field foul pole. The Mets again struck in the 16th, scoring three runs. The Astros refused to go quietly. With one out, Davey Lopes walked, Bill Doran singled, and Hatcher singled as well, scoring Lopes. Denny Walling grounded out for the second out. Glenn Davis singled, scoring another run and putting the tying run in scoring position. Pitcher Jesse Orosco struck out the dangerous Kevin Bass to end the game finally, giving the Mets the National League pennant. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/AT...199910190.shtml Atlanta 10, NY Mets 9, 11 Innings October 19, 1999 (Game Six, National League Championship Series) The wild card era and extra round of playoffs have cheapened the postseason, in my opinion. But expanded the playoffs from two to four in 1969 gave us a plethera of new classics, including this one. The Braves won the first three games of this series. The Mets though refused to go quietly. The Mets scored two in the eighth to win game four 3-2. In game five they scored two in the 15th inning to win; Robin Ventura's famous "grand slam single." Al Leiter gave up five runs in the first inning, failing to record a single out. For most teams, comeback over. The Mets scored three in the sixth to make it a game. The Braves got two back in the bottom of the frame. The Mets tied it in the seventh. Unfortunately the Mets could not put the game away. They took leads in the eighth and tenth only to see those leads slip away. In the 11th, pitcher Kenny Rogers issued a bases loaded walk to Andruw Jones to lose the game, sending the Braves to the World Series. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NY...200310160.shtml NY Yankees 6, Boston 5, 11 Innings October 16, 2003 (Game Seven, American League Championship Series) Most of you are familiar with this one. Pedro Martinez, running on fumes, coughs up a three-run lead in the eighth inning after his manager refuses to take him out of the game. Aaron Boone hits a walk-off home run in the 11th. Was it a bad decision by Grady Little? Defenders will tell you it is easy to second-guess that move in hindsight. My sitting on the cough screaming "take Pedro OUT!" was hardly hindsight. He was not fooling anyone, and it was only by luck that he even escaped the seventh. I hate this game. It would be an exercise in masochism to watch it again and it's a grueling experience. So why was it the best game of the decade? I think it is because of the pure emotion is exhibits. The heights of exhilaration are possible only after the depths of depression. Games such as this one make winning later a bit sweeter. You notice many of the truly great games involved exercises in futility. The Red Sox lost game seven in 1975. The Astros fought back twice only to fall short. Ditto the Mets in 1999. The Giants lost the 1951 World Series in six games. The excitement is not in the result, it is the process. These were some difficult choices, so I look forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback.

Good. I think there's a ton of great talent from that decade.

Here's what a mid-80s talent group would look like, from the offensive side. http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/shareit/ekgR

Is that Yankees affiliate leaving Scranton, by the way? (Figured you might follow this, hence my asking you.) Not for three years as par their agreement. The larger issue in the future is that the commissioner negotiated a deal to give a group the right to purchase the AAA franchise. If that happens, that group could conceivably move the franchise away from Scranton. None of this is imminent, the SWB Yankees will remain for the foreseeable future.

I am thrilled to see the Phillies signed Ron Chiavacci to a minor league contract. Chiavacci is a local product, went to high school in Scranton and College in Kutztown University. This signing means he'll likely pitch for the new Lehigh Valley club next season.

Bill Conlin chimes in.

Negative stars? That's harsh. The Doink match from 1993 was legitimately insulting, I can see that. This one may not have connected with you, but they worked well and didn't blow spots. In fact, watching Lawler was a blast. He is perhaps without question the greatest cheater in wrestling history.

89 minutes.

Watching it now. Started off with Billy Graham/Wilbur Snyder and now Jesse Ventura/Hulk Hogan. I bunch of AWA stuff I've never seen, I love it!

Bundy dyed his hair. He has darker eyebrows.