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The Dames

The Dames' Diatribe on The Flair DVD (Disc 2)

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After tons of distractions, I finally got this epic review done.

 

*sigh*

 

Disc 3, here I come.

 

Please leave me some feedback and for goodness sake, stay on topic.

 

Dames

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Guest FrigidSoul

I just watched the match from Clash VI tonight actually. I'm surprised you didn't take a pic of Flair's chest after one of Steamboat's chops where there's a perfect red hand mark on Flair's chest. I always thought Steamboat had the more vicious chop.

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Guest Frank_Nabbit

I'd like to argue that Bruiser Brody/Abdullah the Butcher was the 1st "Hardcore" match seen on a national level, since WCCW had a vast syndication deal in effect at the time.

 

I'm thinking Dusty and/or the Road Warriors must've had a blood bath or 2 during the mid 80's as well...

 

 

---------

 

As far as the Piledriver on the table goes... Savage did it to Ricky Morton in Memphis in 1984 (as seen in Wrestling Gold) and I'm pretty sure that Col Debeers had piledriven Sgt Slaughter on the cement in 1988 in the AWA and Snuka got similar treatment from Ray Stevens or Muraco or somebody during the early 80's.

 

 

Good Work overall though.

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Another great review as always. Can't wait to hear about the Rumble 92.

 

However, Funk/Flair met at the Great American Bash . . . not Beach Blast in 1989. Beach Blast didn't start until 1992. Minor thing, but just giving you a heads up.

 

I'm actually one of the few that enjoys the Chi Town Rumble match the best, but I think that's mostly from seeing Ricky Steamboat win THE BIG ONE.

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Guest ManKinnd

I totally agree with your analysis of Wrestlewar 89, but I still don't understand all the love for "I quit." The finish had very little build-up and the match felt incomplete.

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This is the first time I've been able to read a column/review without the page being jammed together, and I have to say, damn good review.

 

Was the Flair/Windham vs. Steamboat/Gilbert match really clipped? I thought that was from a commerical, and from what I have read the match was rather short when in aired on TBS 15 years ago due to time.

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Guest FrigidSoul
I totally agree with your analysis of Wrestlewar 89, but I still don't understand all the love for "I quit." The finish had very little build-up and the match felt incomplete.

The major build-up was from the GAB match...if you watch them back to back its just incredible. It is a shame it was left off the DVD.

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Another great review as always. Can't wait to hear about the Rumble 92.

 

However, Funk/Flair met at the Great American Bash . . . not Beach Blast in 1989. Beach Blast didn't start until 1992. Minor thing, but just giving you a heads up.

 

I'm actually one of the few that enjoys the Chi Town Rumble match the best, but I think that's mostly from seeing Ricky Steamboat win THE BIG ONE.

Thanks, I made the correction.

 

Dames

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Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes
steamboattux.jpg

 

...is it me, or does Ricky look like Bischoff in this picture?

He summoned the spirit of Rick Martel it seems, as well as looking like Bischoff.

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I totally agree with your analysis of Wrestlewar 89, but I still don't understand all the love for "I quit." The finish had very little build-up and the match felt incomplete.

I wouldn't say the finish had no build up to it. Flair was chopping away at Funk's chest the entire time to the point that it had become a vulnerability. He then attacked the leg when it was time to and alternated between the chest and the leg to Funk in a prone position and slapped on the Figure Four in the middle.

 

How is that no build up?

 

Dames

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Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly

I think you might want to look over the part about the plane crash. It seemed like you were getting Johnny Valiant and Johnny Valentine mixed up.

 

In the Horsemen chapter did Tully Blanchard say that they KICKED major league ass or that they KISSED major league ass?

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Great Diatribe, as always. Though as a smart mark I have to find something to complain about, and after searching, here it is:

 

"even though they’ve never been the closest of friends because they’re lifestyles"

 

Should be "their lifestyles".

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I think you might want to look over the part about the plane crash. It seemed like you were getting Johnny Valiant and Johnny Valentine mixed up.

 

In the Horsemen chapter did Tully Blanchard say that they KICKED major league ass or that they KISSED major league ass?

Thanks for the corrections.

 

As for the Valiant/Valentine thing, I specifically remember the fan, Shawn Hudson, saying Jimmy Valiant was going to be on the card...but Jimmy Valentine was on the plane.

 

Dames

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Guest ManKinnd
I totally agree with your analysis of Wrestlewar 89, but I still don't understand all the love for "I quit." The finish had very little build-up and the match felt incomplete.

I wouldn't say the finish had no build up to it. Flair was chopping away at Funk's chest the entire time to the point that it had become a vulnerability. He then attacked the leg when it was time to and alternated between the chest and the leg to Funk in a prone position and slapped on the Figure Four in the middle.

 

How is that no build up?

 

Dames

They're generally beating the crap out of each other for about 15 minutes. Funk is clearly working the neck, but Flair isn't really suffering from it. All of a sudden, about 3 minutes before the end, Flair does his usual leg work, figure four, over, just like every other Flair match there is. There was nothing special at all for it being a retirement I quit match. The first 15 minutes or so were very intense, but it seemed about then, Flair just decided to stop that and hit the usual ending, leaving me dissapointed. **** from me, no more.

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Great review Dames, I just got around to watching the Terry Funk chapter... and my God... why was his skin not falling off after those chops...

 

Oh... keep hitting left or right on the chapters and selections to find some easter eggs. There are plenty on chapter 3 Dames. Just keep hitting left and right on your controller.

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Guest Mad the Swine

Johnny Valentine was on the plane. The Valiants were not in the Mid-Atlantic at that time, either.

 

Here's a little diagram of the seating arrangement:

(front)

Farkas - Valentine

Woods - Flair

Crockett - Bruggers

(back)

 

Flair originally was supposed to be in Valentine's seat. Johnny said several years later that Flair balked and whined and refused to sit there. Though Valentine wanted to stay where he was (he and Woods were playing chess), he consented.

 

Valentine was scheduled to face Mr. Wrestling (Tim Woods) in the main event that night.

 

As a further clarification, the airplane pictured is not the doomed plane. Newspaper reports listed it as yellow and white. Plus, newspaper pictures of the downed, doomed plane had its identification number on the tail. This one didn't.

 

Flair had not wrestled twice the previous day. He had one match - in Lynchburg, VA.

 

The crash created some additional problems in terms of booking. Valentine was the "U.S." champ (there wasn't a uniform U.S. champ around the country. most territories promoted their own version of the belt) and Flair was the Mid-Atlantic champ.

 

Valentine was stripped of the belt and a one-day tournament was held in mid-November. Flair remained champion, losing his belt in the ring in early 1976 to Wahoo McDaniel.

 

Speaking of, Flair's comeback was January 31, 1976 against McDaniel. A recovery a few days shy of four months ain't bad.

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I've been watching Disc 2 throughout the day, and good Lord, the chopping. msnindifferent.gif This is the first I've seen of Flair vs. Steamboat, and while it's not been the euphoria it apparently is for some, I'm still very impressed. I'm sure the match at the Clash is about 20 leagues above what Hogan and Savage did on the same day.

 

I will point out that Flair didn't sell the leg very well, given the ~15 elbow drops and Figure Four. JR mentioned a limp while he was walking on the apron, but it was slight, and didn't last very long.

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I totally agree with your analysis of Wrestlewar 89, but I still don't understand all the love for "I quit." The finish had very little build-up and the match felt incomplete.

I wouldn't say the finish had no build up to it. Flair was chopping away at Funk's chest the entire time to the point that it had become a vulnerability. He then attacked the leg when it was time to and alternated between the chest and the leg to Funk in a prone position and slapped on the Figure Four in the middle.

 

How is that no build up?

 

Dames

They're generally beating the crap out of each other for about 15 minutes. Funk is clearly working the neck, but Flair isn't really suffering from it. All of a sudden, about 3 minutes before the end, Flair does his usual leg work, figure four, over, just like every other Flair match there is. There was nothing special at all for it being a retirement I quit match. The first 15 minutes or so were very intense, but it seemed about then, Flair just decided to stop that and hit the usual ending, leaving me dissapointed. **** from me, no more.

Even **** is generous, I don't care how much you curve it. Flair totally phoned that one in, and aside from some mean chops does exactly dick in the match. At least Funk was smart enough to keep things moving, which for the most part saved the match from being a complete failure. Still, the Terry should have asserted himself more, since Flair couldn't be bothered to give him any opportunities to do much of anything. The match needed selling and transitions more than it needed blood.

 

 

Wrestlewar 89 has it's problems as well, mainly with how they keep using the same spots over and over with no progression. Vader/Sting Superbrawl 93 is actually a smarter match, and if you actually compare the two matches you will see Sting of all people out performing Flair. Of course Sting isn't a better worker than Flair, but it is something to consider when you slap a big star rating on Wrestlewar 89, and proclaim it an all time classic.

 

And Flair did sell the arm work, but that's just what he did, he sold it. It's solid, but it's not spectacular. He never really goes out of his way to make the arm work seem threatening, or convey to the viewer that more and more damage is being done to it with each arm bar. When Steamboat goes for the Chickenwing, it isn't because Flair's arm appears to be ripe for the picking, it's because he just scored with the Superplex.

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