Si82 Posted August 22, 2004 Report Posted August 22, 2004 I was just looking at Survivor Series 1994 and, in particually, the WWF Championship victory of Mr. Bob Backlund. Now, I think Bob was great in his crazy old man role and I think he could have had a decent WWF Championship run. However, it was of course cut short days later by Diesel. My question is did the WWF have longer plans for Bob to hold on to the belt for a period of time before dropping it to whomever or was he always planned to lose it quickly? I kinda doubt it as I think that the clique was probably involved in this. Can anyone help?
Guest Loss Posted August 22, 2004 Report Posted August 22, 2004 Backlund was never supposed to be a long-term champ. Vince was trying to create Dieselmania and wanted to get the belt on Nash as quickly as he could.
Si82 Posted August 22, 2004 Author Report Posted August 22, 2004 Backlund was never supposed to be a long-term champ. Vince was trying to create Dieselmania and wanted to get the belt on Nash as quickly as he could. Jesus. Poor Bob. Thanks for the help Loss.
Guest DeputyHawk Posted August 22, 2004 Report Posted August 22, 2004 Did Bret not want to drop the belt to Diesel? Why bother giving Backland a sub one week run with the gold?
Guest Ray Posted August 22, 2004 Report Posted August 22, 2004 I think Bret said he thinks it was done to make him look bad. Bret has to wrestle Backlund for 30 minutes, then Diesel beats Backlund in 6 seconds.
Si82 Posted August 22, 2004 Author Report Posted August 22, 2004 I think Bret said he thinks it was done to make him look bad. Bret has to wrestle Backlund for 30 minutes, then Diesel beats Backlund in 6 seconds. I don't think it made Bret look as bad as it did Backlund. Win a 35 minute match and then lose your first title defence in 6 seconds.
Lil' Bitch Posted August 22, 2004 Report Posted August 22, 2004 When did Backlund come back to the WWF, when/how he did turn heel, and when did he leave the WWF?
landy1987 Posted August 22, 2004 Report Posted August 22, 2004 Backlund returned in the fall of 92 as babyface. I dont think he did anything of note until the Summer of 94 where he atatcked his former manager Arnold Skaaland and put him in the crossface chickenwing and blamed him for losing the title 11 years prior to the Iron Sheik for throwing the towel in. He MAY have taken about some time off in late 93 or 94 as I dont remember seeing him at all, except a Royal Rumble appearance in 94
hitman2003 Posted August 22, 2004 Report Posted August 22, 2004 - IIRC, Backlund came backe to the WWF the winter of 1992. - He turned heel the summer of 1994 after a loss to Bret Hart on WWF Superstars. After the match, Bret tried to shake Backlund's hand and then he went nuts on Bret and put him in the crossface chicken wing. - Not sure on when he left.
MillenniumMan831 Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 Did Backlund ever get a televised rematch vs. Diesel?
Scroby Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 I think Vince wanted the Owen/Bret feud to keep going without the title in the picture and wanted to put it on Nash, but Bret didn't want to job to Nash due to obvious reasons, so the Kliq outsmarted Bret by trying to make him look weak.
spman Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 When did Backlund come back to the WWF, when/how he did turn heel, and when did he leave the WWF? Bob Backlund ended up being a mid-card entitiy after his feud with Bret ended at Wrestlemania 11. That summer, they tried and revive him with the "I'm running for President on a hardcore facist platform" gimmick which drew heat, but not money. He dissapeared by the end of 1995 only to return again in '97 as a manager for The Sultan along with The Iron Shiek. That didn't last long, and he was gone not too long after that. He made 2 more appearences, in 1999 as a trainer for Mick Foley foor a few vigenettes on Heat, and in 2000, getting a loud pop as a surprise entrant in the ROyal Rumble, and then later as an advisor or Kurt Angle. In 2000 Backlund ran an unsuccessful political campaign in Connecticut and was forced to drop out after I think he was discovered squandering donations or something. Now a datys he doesn't do much of anything other then the occaisional appearence at Independently Booked autograph signings.
JoeDirt Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 I believe I read that the original Backlund storyline was that his hands were possessed by a then-returning Papa Shango, and he couldn't control what he was doing.
Guest Ray Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 I think Bret said he thinks it was done to make him look bad. Bret has to wrestle Backlund for 30 minutes, then Diesel beats Backlund in 6 seconds. I don't think it made Bret look as bad as it did Backlund. Win a 35 minute match and then lose your first title defence in 6 seconds. It certainly makes Diesel look stronger than Bret though. Which kinda makes Bret look bad. You know.
Slayer Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 I believe I read that the original Backlund storyline was that his hands were possessed by a then-returning Papa Shango, and he couldn't control what he was doing. Word was that he was originally going to be a possessed lackey of Papa Shango, but he got so over with the "crazy old man" gimmick, they ran with that instead
BUTT Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 He made 2 more appearences, in 1999 as a trainer for Mick Foley foor a few vigenettes on Heat, What angle was that part of? I don't remember that.
Lil' Bitch Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 What angle was that part of? I don't remember that. I believe it was heading to the St. Valentines Day Massacre for the first ever last Man Standing match against The Rock if I'm not mistaken.
Guest DeputyHawk Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 There's a great segment in Foley's first book about one of the improvised skits with Backland as his trainer for a match against Rock, which went something like Backlund - Don't exaccerbate me! Foley (improvised) - I never exaccerbate before a match. Backlund (in response, deadly deadpan serious) - No one should. Wish I'd seen that..
Black Lushus Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 we needed a squash over Bob Backlund to believe that Kevin Nash was stronger than Bret Hart? I mean maybe in today's smarked out world I can see this being an issue, but back in the days before the internet hit it big and we were all suckers to kayfabe I just looked at it like Nash is 7 ft. 300 lbs., of course he's gonna kill this guy when Bret Hart couldn't, seeing as how Bret and Bob were evenly matched...
Placebo Effect Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 What's funny is that once Backlund got that character of the crazy old genius, he ran with it. He was at an indy show a few years ago, and some kids crowded him to ask for an autographed. He freaked out, just as you'd expect his character to do, saying that he wouldn't sign autographs for anyone who couldn't name all the Presidents of the United States in order.
Lt. Al Giardello Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 They should of gave Backlund atleast a decent run. They could of had Diesel beat him at the Rumble.
Hektik Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 we needed a squash over Bob Backlund to believe that Kevin Nash was stronger than Bret Hart? I mean maybe in today's smarked out world I can see this being an issue, but back in the days before the internet hit it big and we were all suckers to kayfabe I just looked at it like Nash is 7 ft. 300 lbs., of course he's gonna kill this guy when Bret Hart couldn't, seeing as how Bret and Bob were evenly matched... There were newsletters and hotlines back then. Anway, Backlunds title reign was a promise from Vince. It was an agreement they made when he came back into the WWE. During his second run with the company he did have the "cool" group, the kliq laughing at him, apparently he was a square backstage. He didn't drink or party and used to do calisthenics in the locker room. As a rib, they kept him in the 1993 Royal Rumble for about an hour, including a spot where he had to act like he was knocked out and sell it on the ground for minutes on end.
JoeDirt Posted August 23, 2004 Report Posted August 23, 2004 Backlund's run in the 93 Rumble was just a joke???
Lt. Al Giardello Posted August 24, 2004 Report Posted August 24, 2004 It didn't seem like a joke. Gorilla Moonson and even Bobby Heenan were putting him over. The crowd was marking for him like crazy.
Guest DeputyHawk Posted August 24, 2004 Report Posted August 24, 2004 As a rib, they kept him in the 1993 Royal Rumble for about an hour, including a spot where he had to act like he was knocked out and sell it on the ground for minutes on end. what the fuck? where's that info from?
Guest krazykat72 Posted August 24, 2004 Report Posted August 24, 2004 Backlund was simply a transitional champion, just like Shawn Stasiak in '73, Ivan Koloff in '71, Iron Shiek in '84, etc. Bret was able to lose the title by being "screwed" (probably not the best word for this) by his brother and not giving up. Nash gets the quick decisive win and Backlund got moved back down the card. I don't think it made Hart look bad, the emphasis was that it was Owen's fault and Bret was booked pretty strong at the Rumble title match that year. -Paul Jacobi-
Guest Frank_Nabbit Posted August 24, 2004 Report Posted August 24, 2004 As a rib, they kept him in the 1993 Royal Rumble for about an hour, including a spot where he had to act like he was knocked out and sell it on the ground for minutes on end. Ahhh.....Shawn Micheals and Hall were the only clique members even on the roster at that point..... 123 Kid came in May , Nash in June, HHH in 1994
Hektik Posted August 24, 2004 Report Posted August 24, 2004 As a rib, they kept him in the 1993 Royal Rumble for about an hour, including a spot where he had to act like he was knocked out and sell it on the ground for minutes on end. what the fuck? where's that info from? The Observer Ahhh.....Shawn Micheals and Hall were the only clique members even on the roster at that point..... 123 Kid came in May , Nash in June, HHH in 1994 It didn't say the kliq was behind that particular incident. The kliq did do a lot of mocking behind his back.
Slingshot Suplex Posted August 24, 2004 Report Posted August 24, 2004 I was so disappointed when Backlund lost the title to Diesel. His whole character and his win over Bret was so entertaining that I was looking forward to a few months,anyway, of Mr. Backlund educating/ preaching to the rest of the WWF as champion. I knew it wouldn't be a long reign but I don't think he even lasted the week. Affectionately, he is know known as "Crazy Hands"
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