Mindgames '96

[Guest]

Just the other day, I saw the Mindgames PPV's main event for the first time. I really liked the match, but I have a question: Perhaps I am missing something (which is a possibility), but in the part where HBK is working on Mankind's hand, the announcers keep pointing out that he (Michaels) is using psychology by incapacitating Mankind's Mandible Claw hand. What is to prevent Mankind from using his other hand? Was the one HBK kept stomping on Mankind's special Mandible Claw hand? Was he unable to perform it with the other one? Or am I thinking too much about it, and should just go with the flow?

 

Oh yeah, I wanted to point out the part where Foley's head, "bouncing like a egg" according to JR, crashes into the exposed floor outside the ring.  Eggs don't bounce, Jim.

[Guest red_file]

The only indicator that Mankind could only give the mandible claw with the one hand was the partial glove he wore over that hand that bound his middle and ring fingers together.  IIRC early Mankind promos featured him talking about his father breaking his fingers in the piano; I'm guessing we're supposed to assume that it was the partial-glove covered hand that recieved the broken fingers.

 

Perhaps a really simplistic reason would be that he was right-handed and his left hand lacked the dexterity to find the nerve under the tongue.  It would be similar to the reason why Stone Cold only gives the stunned on the one shoulder.

[Guest Caliban]

That was a great match - the psychology in question is that Mankind only used one hand for the mandible claw, the one Michaels was working on. Mankind never used the other hand to my knowledge.

[Guest]

He used both Hands against the New Age Outlaws many times.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

What about Mankind sitting on the apron? It looked like he was bashing his leg with something. What was going on there?

[Guest]

What about Mankind sitting on the apron? It looked like he was bashing his leg with something. What was going on there?

 

He was trying to regain feeling in his kneeing after it had been worked on pretty severely by HBK.

[Guest converge241]

They are probably using that same stupid logic that they spouted during the HHH-Hogan match where HHH was working over one of Hogan's legs to "prevent the legrop"(of doom)..

If shawn had worked over both then yeah it would have made sense.

imaging if they went through with the original finish with this match and Mick got his 1st WWF title a little early (a la Austin "almost" winning it , and his knee screwing up)?

[Guest]

He used both Hands against the New Age Outlaws many times.

That was later on, when Mandkind became less like a cartoon and more like Mick Foley.

 

Or perhaps, more appropriately, less like one cartoon and more like another ;-)

 

Seriously, Mick rules.

[Guest dreamer420]

They are probably using that same stupid logic that they spouted during the HHH-Hogan match where HHH was working over one of Hogan's legs to "prevent the legrop"(of doom)..

If shawn had worked over both then yeah it would have made sense.

imaging if they went through with the original finish with this match and Mick got his 1st WWF title a little early (a la Austin "almost" winning it , and his knee screwing up)?

I don't think that is stupid logic.  Makes for a better match I think.

[Guest RetroRob215]

He used both Hands against the New Age Outlaws many times.

BUT he was a face then and when he turned face everyone forgot about his horrific childhood.

[Guest Some Guy]

The problem was HBK switched hands a few times by accident, which is understandable.  Also the finish sucked, Shawn should have gone over clean and jobbed to Vader at Survivor Series, IMO.

[Guest converge241]

I don't think that is stupid logic.  Makes for a better match I think.

 

i only think it is stupid logic if a wrestler only works over one hand or arm instead of both if you are trying to neutralize a finisher. Hogan can still do the legdrop with the other leg. Foley could still do the claw with the other hand.

It makes sense if like say a Kurt Anle or a Ric Flair works over an opponent's ankle or leg and really focuses on one, because they are trying to set up their opponent to be put away by the leglock or anklelock.

Ih HHH had worked over BOTH  of Hogan's legs and JR was all "my gawd hes neutralizing the hosserific legdrop!" that would be cool.

[Guest]

I don't know if I'm being more nitpicky than the nitpickers, but could you do a leg drop even if both legs were hurt? It's not like a figure four that requires the legs to DO something... they just fall on a guy.

[Guest converge241]

no thats a good point, not nitpicky.

I just think that falls beyond that fine line between wrestling internal logic and real world logic.

But that line is subject to individual interpretation.

 

Theres just some point where if you question too much of the wrestling physics and logic, the whole system of suspension of disbelief breaks down. eventually you would just get to the "why doesnt wrestler A just knowck out Wrestler b" and pin him stuff.

 

or the classic "if there are no rules in ECW.. why dont all of the heels buddies or other heels just come out and destroy the other guy"

 

its fun for debates though

[Guest Luke Argyle]

The best part of the match to me (if I could even name one.  I LOVE this match) is when Mankind starts pulling out all the stops to try to put HBK away.  The Piledriver, the Double Arm, cradles, anything he can think of and none of them can get the job done.  Foley showing his frustration is so freaking great.  HBK bumps like a maniac in the match, too.  It's by no means a typical Foley freakshow.

[Guest Tony149]

I don't know if I'm being more nitpicky than the nitpickers, but could you do a leg drop even if both legs were hurt? It's not like a figure four that requires the legs to DO something... they just fall on a guy.

If the leg was worked over then I assume the person doing it would run slower (Or very slower in Hogan's case) and the legdrop would be weaker.

[Guest converge241]

If the leg was worked over then I assume the person doing it would run slower (Or very slower in Hogan's case) and the legdrop would be weaker.

 

well that sounds a little better. I alwas thought in Hulkamania physics that the hulkamaniacs drove the force of the legdrop, not the momentum

 

(or very slower)

hah

[Guest]

What was the story behind the setting up of the match? From what Foley said in his book, and from the various places on the internet where I read about the match, apparently there was no feud to set it up. If that's the case, how did it end up as the main event of a PPV? (I hadn't started watching wrestling at the time, so I don't know.)

[Guest converge241]

The set up for the match was just simply Mankind was hot on his defeats of the Undertaker, so he got a title shot. I liked it when they used to just give a guy the title match becuase he was the top contender, instead of a story having to be behind it.