The Old School questions thread

[AlexPuma 0]

There's one thing I never understood because I wasn't watching WCW at the time. During the Benoit / Sid match where Benoit won the WCW Title before jumping ship, why was half the locker room watching? It really helped give the match a rare "Big Match" feel for WCW, but I don't really understand the context of the match or why half the roster would be more interested in it than any other WCW Title match.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

A bit late but regarding the Bulldog/Owen and Clarence Mason questions, 24/7 has an episode of Raw up that shows a clip from Shotgun Saturday night (which would have aired March 1, 1997) where Crush beats Bulldog due to outside shennanigans. Bulldog then fires Mason after the match.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

There's one thing I never understood because I wasn't watching WCW at the time. During the Benoit / Sid match where Benoit won the WCW Title before jumping ship, why was half the locker room watching? It really helped give the match a rare "Big Match" feel for WCW, but I don't really understand the context of the match or why half the roster would be more interested in it than any other WCW Title match.

 

I think they really wanted to sell the start of an new era with Benoit as champ. My guess as a final attempt to keep him from jumping.

[alfdogg 0]

I was watching some of Goldberg's early matches on YouTube, and there's one match in particular where he spears and jackhammers Wrath and he never even takes his helmet off. Some of the comments focused on "man how must clarke have felt as such a longtime veteran to have to put this noob over like that" (just a rough translation of one of the posts), but my first thought was "I bet that's not actually Clarke under the helmet." Can anyone confirm/deny this?

[Boxer 0]

Two questions:

 

1. When The Rock cut the promo after Austin walked out and told him to "GET THE F OUT" was that a shoot or work from Rocky?

 

2. Around the same time HBK cut a promo about Austin stealing the spotlight from him and Rock stealing the spotlight from Hunter, was that a shoot as well?

[Timmy8271 0]

No and No. It was probably Vince that told them to say it. Especially number 1.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Two questions:

 

1. When The Rock cut the promo after Austin walked out and told him to "GET THE F OUT" was that a shoot or work from Rocky?

 

2. Around the same time HBK cut a promo about Austin stealing the spotlight from him and Rock stealing the spotlight from Hunter, was that a shoot as well?

Not shoots in the sense of going against the script but shoots in the sense that they were the real feelings of the person delivering the promo in question.

 

The first one was Vince taking a shot at Austin. The second was both Vince and Shawn taking shots at Austin as well as Shawn taking a shot at Rock.

[DokDoyle 0]

Two questions:

 

1. When The Rock cut the promo after Austin walked out and told him to "GET THE F OUT" was that a shoot or work from Rocky?

 

2. Around the same time HBK cut a promo about Austin stealing the spotlight from him and Rock stealing the spotlight from Hunter, was that a shoot as well?

 

 

If anyone has a copy of the "Get the F Out" video, I've been looking for it for awhile and can't see it anywhere. Thanks in Advance

[Epic Reine 0]

1. Was Rick Rude supposed to come out of retirement before his death? I thought he seemed in pretty good shape.

 

2. When WCW built up Sting/Hogan for Starrcade '97, Sting didn't wrestle for over a year. Was he legitimatley injured or did Bischoff just keep him on the sidelines to build up the angle?

[MDH257 0]

1. Was Rick Rude supposed to come out of retirement before his death? I thought he seemed in pretty good shape.

 

2. When WCW built up Sting/Hogan for Starrcade '97, Sting didn't wrestle for over a year. Was he legitimatley injured or did Bischoff just keep him on the sidelines to build up the angle?

 

1.) Rude was in training for some sort of comeback, he was hoping that WWF would take him back.

 

2.) I've heard stories that Sting had reached the number of dates he was required to work on his contract and that's why it started. I know for sure that he wasn't supposed to be out of the ring for that long, the angle just kept gaining momentum. At some point they decided to hold off his return until Starrcade, even though it would mean going past a year of inaction.

[Boxer 0]

Did Eddie Guererro officially/unoffically turn face right before he died? Or was it meant to be a fake face turn only to turn back heel on Batista?

[Zack Malibu 0]

It was originally meant to be a swerve on Batista, but when Eddie was getting bigger face responses than Big Dave, they kept him on as a face.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

If Eddie had lived, the plan was to go ahead with a heel turn and for Batista to beat him for the belt when he came back.

[Timmy8271 0]

I've been watching a lot of WCW 2000/2001 basically because I like to give myself a headache. I have some questions:

 

1. How long did Jim Duggan last in Team Canada? Better yet, Why did they put him in Team Canada?

 

2. Can someone explain the "Insiders" to me?

 

3. Was Road Warrior Animal really supposed to be the "mystery man" at Sin?

[Jingus 0]

1. Not long. It was a Russo idea iirc, which makes sense because it's a completely illogical swerve which makes no sense.

 

2. Since they couldn't convince the office to bring Scott Hall back, and since Nash loves hanging around on the apron waiting for a hot tag instead of actually working, he and old friend DDP formed a tag team. Since Nash's most famous team was called the Outsiders, they turned it around and called it the Insiders.

 

3. Yes. Seriously.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

1. How long did Jim Duggan last in Team Canada? Better yet, Why did they put him in Team Canada?

 

He was in there for a few months. Why was he put there? Because it was a swerve; who would expect the ultimate American patriot to turn heel on the US?

 

2. Can someone explain the "Insiders" to me?

 

It was a reference to Hall and Nash being the "Outsiders". At the time, Hall was suspended from WCW for being drunk and in no condition to travel while overseas, as well as being rude and abusive to someone he was going out with who just happened to be related to a higher up in WCW/Turner. Nash was lobbying to get him back, but it wasn't happening. Not only that, but I believe it ended up with an edict coming down that Hall's name was no longer to be mentioned on TV. So, when Nash and DDP started feuding with O'Haire and Palumbo, they named themselves The Insiders as a reference to Hall. As well as that, there were numerous instances of angles and promos done to tease Hall coming back in some fashion, even though it was constantly being made clear that Hall was going to be allowed back. But that wasn't going to stop Nash using his angle as a vehicle to get Hall's name over enough to where he felt WCW/Turner would have no choice but to bring him back

 

3. Was Road Warrior Animal really supposed to be the "mystery man" at Sin?

 

No. It was meant to be Rick Steiner, but it was felt too many people knew so decided they needed to surprise people.

[Boxer 0]

Just saw some old fotage of Marc Mero vs. Undertaker from Superstars in early 97. This was when Mero was still "Wildman" and I noticed heel tactics from Sable and Mero. What's up with that? Were they testing a heel run for Mero or Sable?

[King Kamala 0]

At WrestleMania XII, there was supposed to be a Marc Mero Vs Mankind match and from what I gathered, it was supposed to be a ripoff of Randy Savage Vs George "The Animal" Steele with Mankind falling in love with Sable and Mero getting pissed at him about it. So I assume, Mero would have been the heel. But Foley thankfully didn't want anything to do with Marc Mero and it never happened.

[Boxer 0]

At WrestleMania XII, there was supposed to be a Marc Mero Vs Mankind match and from what I gathered, it was supposed to be a ripoff of Randy Savage Vs George "The Animal" Steele with Mankind falling in love with Sable and Mero getting pissed at him about it. So I assume, Mero would have been the heel. But Foley thankfully didn't want anything to do with Marc Mero and it never happened.

 

I read something about this heat with Mero and Foley in Foley's book, but it was never explained. Why the heat?

[King Kamala 0]

Basically, Foley was upset that Mero got a much bigger contract than him and Foley thought he didn't deserve it. IIRC, he thought Mero and Sable were becoming primadonnas too.

[Diamonddust 0]

Basically, Foley was upset that Mero got a much bigger contract than him and Foley thought he didn't deserve it. IIRC, he thought Mero and Sable were becoming primadonnas too.

 

He hinted at this on the most recent roundtable discussion on 24/7.

[Boxer 0]

What was the deal with Nature Boy Buddy Landell. I just saw a clip of this a while ago and he used Flair's old WWF theme as well. Was this a parody on Flair or something? also, why did he disappear so quickly from WWF TV? Was it a ceast and detest order from WCW?

 

Also, does anyone remember an ad on WWF TV hyping up "The Ultimate Survivor Series" and it stated clearly featuring Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, Bret Hart, Diesel, Razor Ramon, Ultimate Warrior, Macho Man, Mr. Perfect, Ric Flair, etc...... This was in 1997, and I'm wondering, why are they hyping up some WCW wrestlers here. Were they trying to get ratings? I never saw the show personally so I put the question out there. Or did the WWF make the WCW superstars look weak, as in making Diesel, Razor, Flair, etc... getting beat by current WWF guys?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

What was the deal with Nature Boy Buddy Landell. I just saw a clip of this a while ago and he used Flair's old WWF theme as well. Was this a parody on Flair or something? also, why did he disappear so quickly from WWF TV? Was it a ceast and detest order from WCW?

 

Buddy's used that gimmick for about ten years prior to when he showed up in the WWF with it. He was brought in at the end of 1995 to lose a squash match on PPV to Ahmed Johnson when Shane Douglas was unable to wrestle. WWF liked him and I think he was going to get a slot on the lower end of the card, but he tore up his ankle around Christmas time and that was it for his chance.

 

Also, does anyone remember an ad on WWF TV hyping up "The Ultimate Survivor Series" and it stated clearly featuring Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, Bret Hart, Diesel, Razor Ramon, Ultimate Warrior, Macho Man, Mr. Perfect, Ric Flair, etc...... This was in 1997, and I'm wondering, why are they hyping up some WCW wrestlers here. Were they trying to get ratings? I never saw the show itself so I'm wondering here. Or did the WWF make the WCW superstars look weak, as in making Diesel, Razor, Flair, etc... getting beat by current WWF guys?

 

Purely for ratings. Though, I'm sure the WCW guys who were shown would have been losing.

 

[King Kamala 0]

The Ultimate Survivor Series was just a one hour best of compilation showing clipped Survivor Series matches. IIRC, it aired on the same night that TV movie Hulk Hogan did with Carl Weathers and Shannon Tweed aired on TNT (Assault on Devil's Island or something silly like that). I don't think it knocked the guys who left for WCW too much- at least not Hulk as I distinctly remember them showing Hulk Hogan bodyslamming the parade of fat dudes from the first Survivor Series main event. And I believe it aired in '98 because I remember part of the hype of the special was they were showing part of The Montreal Incident.

 

Matches featured on the special for those curious (found on Amazon); Hulk's team Vs Andre's team, The Ultimate Warriors Vs Heenan's Family, The Dream Team Vs The Million Dollar Team, Hulk Hogan Vs The Undertaker,, The Hart Family Vs Shawn Michaels and The Knights, Bret Hart Vs Bob Backlund, Goldust Vs Bam Bam Bigelow (Why they hell did they put that one on?), Bret Hart Vs Steve Austin, Owen Hart Vs Steve Austin, and Bret Hart Vs Shawn Michaels (Montreal Incident)

 

 

I remember it being lame and really disappointing. You can't really do a best of in an hour and some of the choices for matches were kind of bizarre.

[Diamonddust 0]

 

What was the deal with Nature Boy Buddy Landell. I just saw a clip of this a while ago and he used Flair's old WWF theme as well. Was this a parody on Flair or something? also, why did he disappear so quickly from WWF TV? Was it a ceast and detest order from WCW?

 

Buddy's used that gimmick for about ten years prior to when he showed up in the WWF with it. He was brought in at the end of 1995 to lose a squash match on PPV to Ahmed Johnson when Shane Douglas was unable to wrestle. WWF liked him and I think he was going to get a slot on the lower end of the card, but he tore up his ankle around Christmas time and that was it for his chance.

 

I also remember Jim Cornette saying Landell was his own worst enemy in regards to his career. He was apparently scheduled for a big push in the 80's, but drug problems and general foolishness prevented that from happening.

[Boxer 0]

I remember during a Raw is War around June-July 1997, it was a Hart Foundation and Austin confrontation. I think it was a build to Canadian Stampede. I remember at the end of the show, Austin stands alone, then Michaels comes out, then Sid came out, than Shamrock came out, and one more dude, I think Goldust?

 

Was this suppose to be the original team to face the Hart Foundation?

 

Also, when did the Patroit debut in the WWF, was it BEFORE or AFTER Canadian Stampede? I always thought a Owen-Patriot feud for the IC title would work.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

That segment is from the Raw 2 weeks after Canadian Stampede and I have no idea what the point was. Sid hadn't been on TV in weeks at that point and I don't think he appeared again after that. I only know the date of this because I have a tape of the post Stampede Raw around here somewhere along with that opening segment from the Raw after it.

 

I know Patriot beat Bret on the Raw before SummerSlam but I don't know if that was his WWE ring debut. Either way I think he started after Canadian Stampede.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I never got why the NWA tried to push Buddy Landell as a heel, using the same gimmick as Ric Flair, who was also a heel. It didn't really go anywhere and wouldn't have lent itself to a real blow-off feud anyway.

[Diamonddust 0]

I never got why the NWA tried to push Buddy Landell as a heel, using the same gimmick as Ric Flair, who was also a heel. It didn't really go anywhere and wouldn't have lent itself to a real blow-off feud anyway.

 

I guess they were using the same logic behind doing a Flair vs. Nikitia Koloff heel vs. heel feud. Although, in that instance, face heat was transfered to Flair due to Koloff being an evil Russian.

[Richard 0]

Probably an attempt by Ole Anderson to hurt Flair somehow.