Hollywood Blondes

[Guest Wisdom]

While they were together, who was the bigger star of that team, Austin or Pillman?

[TheFranchise 0]

While they were together, who was the bigger star of that team, Austin or Pillman?

Old Schkeel.

 

As for the question, Pillman, at that time.

[nl5xsk1 0]

EDIT: in the time it took me to type my original post, Franchise answered my question.

 

But much less angrily than I'd anticipated. I eat my words, Franchise

[TheFranchise 0]

...Damn it. I wanna know what you said now.

[Guest LooneyTune]

Pillman had the name recognition of being able to Main Event (to an extent). Austin was simply one of the lower members of the Dangerous Alliance before that, although he wasn't at low card levels since he had a pretty good reign as T.V. Champion.

[Youth N Asia 0]

I don't think there was a standout. They couldn't have pulled it off without the other one.

[Downhome 0]

The answer is easy.

 

Pillman was the standout star at the start.

 

The team evolved to the point where both were looked at as equals of sort.

 

Austin was the standout star leading up to the end, and at the end.

[Zack Malibu 0]

First off, this isn't WWE material.

 

Secondly, they're the greatest tag team that ever lived.

 

Thirdly, at the time they were equals. Both were getting shafted by WCW, got thrown together (neither one was keen on being a team), but made the most of it, bonded in real life and became arguably the top team ever.

[nl5xsk1 0]

...Damn it. I wanna know what you said now.

I can't remember it verbatim, but basically "how long until someone screams at Wisdom for posting this in the wrong folder?" ... and then while I was typing that in you pointed out that it was the wrong thread and didn't do it like an asshole (which is what I expected, b/c that tends to be the normal reaction).

 

Nothing too earthshattering

[Guest Wisdom]

My apologies for posting in the wrong froum gents.

 

Was there anything in particluar that made Pillman kind of fall of, or for that matter, what made Austin's stock rise toward the end of ther reign?

[Zack Malibu 0]

My apologies for posting in the wrong froum gents.

 

Was there anything in particluar that made Pillman kind of fall of, or for that matter, what made Austin's stock rise toward the end of ther reign?

IIRC, Flair was grooming Austin for a feud with him, and they hadn't yet figured out what to do with Pillman. Then Hogan's arrival ruined it all.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

IIRC, Flair was grooming Austin for a feud with him, and they hadn't yet figured out what to do with Pillman. Then Hogan's arrival ruined it all.

The Blondes were split up long before Hogan arrived.

[Zack Malibu 0]

IIRC, Flair was grooming Austin for a feud with him, and they hadn't yet figured out what to do with Pillman.  Then Hogan's arrival ruined it all.

The Blondes were split up long before Hogan arrived.

I was talking about the Flair feud. Trust me, I know all about the Blondes. I've been a mark since age 12.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

IIRC, Flair was grooming Austin for a feud with him, and they hadn't yet figured out what to do with Pillman.  Then Hogan's arrival ruined it all.

The Blondes were split up long before Hogan arrived.

I was talking about the Flair feud. Trust me, I know all about the Blondes. I've been a mark since age 12.

At what point was Flair grooming Austin for this feud ?

[Zack Malibu 0]

IIRC, Flair was grooming Austin for a feud with him, and they hadn't yet figured out what to do with Pillman.  Then Hogan's arrival ruined it all.

The Blondes were split up long before Hogan arrived.

I was talking about the Flair feud. Trust me, I know all about the Blondes. I've been a mark since age 12.

At what point was Flair grooming Austin for this feud ?

Late '93-Early '94. Was mentioned in an old Observer, and I think PWI did a story to kayfabe it, talking about how Austin's time had come and he wanted Flair to step aside. Flair having to turn heel for Hogan ruined it though, and Hogan also crapped on Pillman by having him turned into "California Brian" with the "Blondes Have More Fun" Theme song. Thankfully his stint as Hogan's little buddy didn't last.

[MikeJordan23 0]

As a collective unit Pillman I always saw as the leader of the tandem. After they broke up I thought Austin was the big bigger star. And WCW pushed him that way too. I remember him defeating Pillman on a Clash I believe soon after they broke up which Austin won, not dominately but decisively.

[razazteca 0]

Secondly, they're the greatest tag team that ever lived.

Better than Dr. Death and Gordy?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Pillman was the bigger star early on, but by the end, Austin was clearly being positioned to be the next big thing in WCW.

 

The Rockers were similar. In the beginning, Marty carried the team, but Shawn caught up and passed him sometime in 89-90.

 

Overall, Austin was the better of the two. Both wrestling-wise and charisma-wise. Even if Pillman never had his injuries and unfortunate death, he would never have even come close to what Austin was.

[Guest Ray]

Secondly, they're the greatest tag team that ever lived.

 

 

 

Anyway....though I haven't seen a Blondes match in a while, I agree that Pillman > Austin at the start.

[Guest krazykat72]

Pillman was the bigger star early on, but by the end, Austin was clearly being positioned to be the next big thing in WCW.

 

The Rockers were similar. In the beginning, Marty carried the team, but Shawn caught up and passed him sometime in 89-90.

 

Overall, Austin was the better of the two. Both wrestling-wise and charisma-wise. Even if Pillman never had his injuries and unfortunate death, he would never have even come close to what Austin was.

Having watched a bunch of Rockers matches from '86-'91 lately, there is no point where Marty carries the Rockers. It went from them being even to Shawn clearly being the star (especially from the beginning of '91-the end). Even in the AWA matches with Rose and Somers and Bad Company, there was no clear cut "leader", though Michaels had been an insider favorite even back then.

 

-Paul Jacobi-

[Guest LooneyTune]

Jannetty was the person who recommended Michaels for the Midnight Rockers as his partner, so if anything, I'd say Jannetty was more important at the start.

[Guest Loss]

It could be argued that Michaels peaked as a worker when teaming with Jannetty. He was still good after that, don't get me wrong, but there's an argument for his prime being 1986-1991.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

It could be argued that Michaels peaked as a worker when teaming with Jannetty. He was still good after that, don't get me wrong, but there's an argument for his prime being 1986-1991.

Loss, honestly.......I would like to hear it.

[Guest LooneyTune]

His best matches were from 1995-1997, but thats my opinion. He would have an occasionally great match as a member of the Rockers, but Jannetty almost always did all the work in the matches by playing face in peril, while Michaels did about a minute or two of work in a 12 minute match.

 

His singles push in 1992 really didn't feature many good matches, outside of the matches with Hart at House Shows.

 

In 1993, he had great matches with Jannetty, but was putting on weight it seemed (around the waist, so he was getting fat) and didn't have much luck with anyone besides him.

 

1994 he had good matches with Ramon...and thats it. He wrestled maybe 6 matches all year on Television.

 

1995 he had a pretty good match with Diesel, carried Sid to a pretty entertaining match, had a kickass 2nd Ladder Match, had a good match with Owen (the night he got "KOed"), and was simply putting more effort.

 

1996 he miracle carried EVERYONE.

 

1997 he had great matches with The Undertaker, a hard worker to get around due to his limited moveset (stupid character), as well as a great tag match on RAW w/ Austin vs. Owen/Bulldog. The Survivor Series match vs. Hart was good as usual, and more famous than anything.

[Guest krazykat72]

It could be argued that Michaels peaked as a worker when teaming with Jannetty. He was still good after that, don't get me wrong, but there's an argument for his prime being 1986-1991.

I had a nice discussion with you in that Bret Hart lovefest thread, but there is *no* argument for this to be the case.

[Guest krazykat72]

His best matches were from 1995-1997, but thats my opinion. He would have an occasionally great match as a member of the Rockers, but Jannetty almost always did all the work in the matches by playing face in peril, while Michaels did about a minute or two of work in a 12 minute match.

 

His singles push in 1992 really didn't feature many good matches, outside of the matches with Hart at House Shows.

 

In 1993, he had great matches with Jannetty, but was putting on weight it seemed (around the waist, so he was getting fat) and didn't have much luck with anyone besides him.

 

1994 he had good matches with Ramon...and thats it. He wrestled maybe 6 matches all year on Television.

 

1995 he had a pretty good match with Diesel, carried Sid to a pretty entertaining match, had a kickass 2nd Ladder Match, had a good match with Owen (the night he got "KOed"), and was simply putting more effort.

 

1996 he miracle carried EVERYONE.

 

1997 he had great matches with The Undertaker, a hard worker to get around due to his limited moveset (stupid character), as well as a great tag match on RAW w/ Austin vs. Owen/Bulldog. The Survivor Series match vs. Hart was good as usual, and more famous than anything.

The Rockers statement is completely untrue. Jannetty didn't always play face in peril, it was actually pretty split.

 

Michaels had a match in '92 with Randy Savage that was just as good (IMO) as the one Bret Hart had in 1987. Savage sold his ass off and Shawn looked really good.

His matches with Virgil are pretty good, as well as the aforementioned Hart matches and some good matches with Davey Boy Smith.

 

'93 had some excellent Jannetty matches, as well some ok matches with Crush and a decent, if not disappointing match with Hennig at SummerSlam. The Tatanka match was MOTN at 'Mania, but admittedly there wasn't a ton of competition.

 

'94 - He could have just done the Ladder match and it would have been enough. Apparently, some of the ladder matches on the house show circuit were about as good as 'Mania. His RAW re-match with Ramon was really great as well as the Action Zone tag which is an underrated US Tag match of the 90's candidate.

 

'95- the Jarrett match, the good 'Mania match with Sid, a really, really good performance in the Rumble, the aforementioned 2nd Ladder match, a decent Sid match and a nice showing in that Wild Card match .

 

'96-agreed about '96

 

'97- don't forget the year ender with Owen, the RAW match with Foley, and the better than i remembered KOtR match with Austin.

 

I'd say the Prime was 3/94-1/97.

 

-Paul Jacobi-

[Guest Ray]

1996 he miracle carried EVERYONE.

 

EVERYONE? Bret? Owen? Austin? Vader? Yeah...he was "carrying" those guys.

[Guest LooneyTune]

Davey Boy (he had been a shit worker since returning in 94), Sid, Yokozuna, Diesel...those guys. Plus he carried a stoned out of his mind Jannetty to a good match in the Summer on Raw, and had good matches with every worker he fought on T.V. in 1996.

 

Except Jerry Lawler for some reason. I obviously didn't mean workers like Bret, Owen, Foley, and Vader.

[Guest Ray]

Davey Boy (he had been a shit worker since returning in 94),

Davey wasn't "shit" after 94. Watch IYH 5 vs Bret, or Raw 5/97 w/Owen vs Austin/Michaels, or vs Owen 2/97. Davey was more than solid in all of those.

 

I obviously didn't mean workers like Bret, Owen, Foley, and Vader.

You said "everyone."

[Guest LooneyTune]

OK, I retract the "everyone" comment, I meant he was having good-great matches with pretty much anyone on the roster.

 

Davey Boy would have a good match now and then, but to run down the ones mentioned. He was carried to his greatest singles match post-Bulldogs at Summertslam '92 by Bret, so I don't see him having trouble doing it again at IYH. Him and Owen had great chemistry together, mainly because they had a lot of time to work toegether in 1994-95 during the whole Hart Family angle, and because Owen was a pretty good worker. Also maybe because they were "family" and had practiced a lot, but I doubt they did any "Warrior vs. Hogan" type stuff.

 

The tag match from the late spring of '97 was just incredible, and everyone busted ass on that. I still enjoyed his work, although it was usually because of devotion to his work as a member of the British Bulldogs.