WWE 24/7

[Black Lushus 0]

to this day, Bret vs. the USA is my favorite fued of all time.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Do you mean the Hart Foundation angle does hold up or doesn't hold up with time? I didn't get the wording. In retrospect I think WCW is a lot like a promotion such as World Class. They were doing sorta okay and then had that one mega angle that drew big money (NWO in WCW, Freebirds/Von Erichs in WCCW). But then once that angle was played out they had no other real good idea and then business flopped. I think it's better to build a company around the stars rather than the major angle.

 

Anyway, by Feb. 1997 I had stopped caring much about WCW. The WWF had kicked it into high gear by that point. The last thing I remember for about 6 months in WCW was the Piper goes to Alcatraz angle.

 

The Hart Foundation storyline does hold up over time. Ten years later, and it's still one of the best storylines ever.

[Guest robrabies]

It holds up because it's good social commentary that still speaks the truth. It's one of the smarter storylines ever and among the most sophisticated that the E has ever come up with.

[spman 0]

So....way to close out the month. Maybe my service hasn't compeltely updated yet, but it looks like all we got new this week is a new ECW and a new WCCW. Wrestlemania 3 and Prime Time Wrestling from 3/27/87 have also been extended for another week. Boy howdy.....

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

You always seem to forget to mention the Specials, but yes, a 5 week month in WM build-up mode certainly gave us a lameduck 5th week until the new theme starts next Wednesday. I was hoping for Armageddon but I guess that would interfere with the Mania theme, so maybe next week.

 

Hall of Fame: Snuka vs Muraco, Snuka vs Zybysko.

Specials: Disc 3 of the Hogan Anthology, Legends repeat (JYD episode).

ECW/Territories: ECW (October 8, 1995), WCCW (don't remember).

 

I still have to watch disc 2 of Mania XX, the 2005 Hall of Fame, Mania 21, the 2006 Hall of Fame, and Mania 22 to finish my yearly build-up by Sunday so I'm pretty much set for the week anyway but I look forward to watching the ECW and WCCW shows.

[cabbageboy 0]

Glad a new WCCW is on there, that show rocks from what I've seen thus far.

 

If anything I think the Harts/US angle is better now than it was then. I didn't like the angle for shit 10 years ago, mainly because I liked the guys who were supposed to be the "heels" in it (Bret, Owen, Bulldog) better than the alleged face in it (Austin). The main reason I don't think it's the greatest angle ever or anything is that it was never clear what we were supposed to want to see here. It also never drew a dime.

[Black Lushus 0]

I just hate the fact that there really never was a clear cut winner...well at least not decided in the ring...

[Vern Gagne 0]

I always thought the blowoff match was the 10 man tag match.

[Black Lushus 0]

well, I figured the main players on the US side were Austin, HBK and the Patriot. The Patriot's the only one Bret soundly defeated. Bret/Austin was SUPPOSED to end at WM14, so to me, that feud never ended. HBK and Bret? Well that's 100 other threads.

[humanoid92 0]

A lot of feuds back then didn't really have clear-cut blowoffs, which I actually like. A good blowoff is definitely necessary for some feuds and if it's done right it can be a perfect way to wrap up a story, but I really don't think a major blowoff is necessary in every single instance. Sometimes it's good to leave some unfinished business.

 

As far as the Bret vs. America storyline goes, I kind of agree with cabbageboy. Even though I'm American Bret, Owen and the Bulldog were my favorites and I couldn't stand Austin. So I still rooted for Bret. I always thought it was kind of a lame, forced way into making him a heel, but at the same time the angle did intrigue me. Austin was getting popular (which I could not understand at the time... he was just a hillbilly brawler that sweared a lot... big deal). I didn't hate Austin, but I hated his popularity and couldn't understand why the crowd would turn on Bret, who had really done nothing wrong and was as good in the ring as he'd ever been. So basically, I agreed with every reason he had for turning heel... which is why his turn was so effective. He may have come off as whiny and bitter (which I wouldn't accuse him of but I know some saw him this way) but the thing is, he was right.

 

But when people call it the best ever... I don't know. I don't even consider it Bret's best stuff, so how can I consider it the best ever? The thing is, it was a USA vs. Canada storyline, and yet.. there really wasn't anyone sticking up for the USA. Bret's main opponents during that time were a dead guy, a flamboyant ladies man, and a foul-mouthed redneck that only fought because he was an angry guy, not to support his country. The 10 man tag is a perfect example. Here it was, Canada's first family returns home, there's so much pride on the line, and who goes in to challenge them and represent the hated USA?... a washed-up tag team, a sexually ambiguous freak, an ultimate-fighter turned wrestler, and the aforementioned foul-mouthed redneck. I mean, three of the five had freaking face-paint. I know the Patriot got involved later, but he was such a lame character and an unimportant part of the whole thing.. and really, the only reason he got a spot like that in the first place was because of the nature of the storyline.

 

I know part of the appeal of the storyline was that it didn't degenerate into the typical black and white 80's style Hogan angle of USA vs. Evil Foreigners. But as great as Bret's work was and as awesome as the pro-Canada stuff was, they never had the proper foil(s) other than Austin. And even then, the Bret/Austin feud had already existed for months prior and really didn't have much to do at all with Canada vs. USA.

[cabbageboy 0]

Well, to me the actual blowoff to the Harts/USA storyline is Austin destroying Owen Hart at Survivor Series 1997. That was the last match in the feud. Austin never did quite ever beat Bret though.

 

I've mentioned this several times on here but this storyline is what I refer to when I say that shades of gray booking doesn't draw shit. You can have wrestlers be a bit shaded in terms of "The face here is a somewhat flawed individual" or "The heel is doing what he thinks is right." But at the end of the day the audience should be made to understand that there is a preferred result, someone we're supposed to WANT to see win, and a heel whose ass needs kicking. That is to me the main problem with the Harts vs. Austin/USA. What was I supposed to want to see in this? There was no good that could come from it long term. As Bret himself noted in the Wrestling With Shadows documentary, once he turned his back on America there was really no going back (at least in WWF). His career never really recovered from this angle and the Montreal screwjob that followed.

 

Austin as a character still had no redeeming value in this storyline. He still came off like a foul mouthed, drunk redneck appealing to the lowest common denominator. Certainly not someone I felt like supporting. In short we have a revolting redneck asshole and a bunch of fallen heroes badmouthing America. Who am I supposed to want to see win out in this tussle? The godsend here is that Austin never really trashed Canada, so once it blew over he was wildly popular there as well as everywhere else. Hell, I think the brief Austin feud with The Nation and specifically Rocky Maivia in late 1997 was more beneficial to Austin as a character since it put him up against the odds with a group of vicious heels.

 

Also on Wrestling With Shadows is Bret mentioning the endgame was to turn the American fans heel. WTF? The American fans are the vast majority of the WWF's business, so why do something that makes all the fans feel like they are a bunch of assholes, racists, and gun loving maniacs? Especially when Bret Hart was largely right about what he said and there were no American wrestlers in the angle disproving him (until The Patriot I guess). The angle is one that is fondly remembered creatively, but WCW was kicking the WWF's ass during this time period for a reason.

[Black Lushus 0]

eh I don't care about all that, I was thoroughly entertained. Bret was a great heel, the Harts was a cool stable, Austin was fun before his character started going over-the-top in 98 and on, heel HBK came back, UT was starting to wrestle interesting matches, Mankind was a fun character. I enjoyed 1997 WWF, regardless of what it drew.

[10 Pounds 0]

Does the Hulk Hogan anthology have the Summerslam match where Michaels oversells everything Hogan does ? I've seen clips of the match but I had no interest in buying either DVD.

 

Did anybody watched the roundtable about the Iron Sheik ? They could do a weekly 30-minute program with nothing but Sheik stories and clips in it and that'd be worth the monthly fee all by itself.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Yes it does and yes I did. The Sheik stuff was tremendous. 3 words - "Intelligent Jew businessman".

[cabbageboy 0]

Is Mean Gene actually Jewish? Okerlund sounds kinda Swedish if anything.

 

Hogan/Michaels is a really good match, by all means check it out on 24/7. HBK sells and bumps like a maniac in that one, it's so over the top it's kinda funny. I LOVE the ending where Michaels does that ludicrous sell of the boot, and Hogan just makes him lay there and wait for the legdrop, haha.

[Brocklock 0]

Austin cuts one of his best promos ever on the ECW show. So, everyone should check that one out. It has yet another good Cactus promo too.

[Black Lushus 0]

Hogan/Michaels is a really good match, by all means check it out on 24/7. HBK sells and bumps like a maniac in that one, it's so over the top it's kinda funny. I LOVE the ending where Michaels does that ludicrous sell of the boot, and Hogan just makes him lay there and wait for the legdrop, haha.

 

I had actually rewatched Summerslam 05 the other day...you know what? I agree with you, I liked the Hogan/HBK match. Really, the only bad overselling was that big boot spot...otherwise, Michaels pretty much sold the way he does with every big man he faces.

[cabbageboy 0]

I quite enjoy the hilarious oversell of the big boot, since it leads to Hogan's brilliant moment of posing to the crowd while making Shawn wait for the leg. It was the epitome of "Hey asshole, you show me up like that I'll make you wait longer to job."

 

In fact I quite enjoy most of Hogan's 2002-2005 work in WWE. The only car wreck feud he had was the UT one in 2002, but even that had comedic value.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I loved the Legends show. I know it's a rerun but like I said, my cable company didn't have them available before. Dusty's joke about the writing team being born after 1980 was great.

 

ECW was a poor wrestling show but a GREAT promo show.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

On ECW, the Dreamer/Cactus/Raven stuff is leading up to Cactus vs. Dreamer at their next show, which was the "fire chair" incident. It'll be interesting to see how Joey Styles and Taz introduce the show. The incident was edited out of the match and never mentioned on ECW tv.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Damnit I knew Backlash 2003 would win. The PYBO poll for May is Judgment Day 2003 (which says "Benoit vs. Finlay" even though the link really does list the right 2003 card), No Way Out 2004, or No Mercy 2005. The pictures for all of the choices have Eddie, so I'm guessing May's theme will be about him (that would mean Shorties would have 10 Eddie matches - nice) but the "This Month / Next Month" hasn't updated yet.

 

However, they do have WCW Mayhem 1999 listed as being available this week along with "The Stone Cold Truth" and the "December 30, 1996" episode of Tuesday Night Titans (obviously that date is the next MNW episode).

 

This is also the month they're going to group more sections together, going from 6 categories where some only have 2 programs to 4 categories that should look a bit fuller:

 

Gone: Hall of Fame, Specials, Primetime, and ECW-Territories.

 

Replacements: Legends (HoF and Specials), TV Classics (Primtime and ECW-Territories)

[Black Lushus 0]

have they shown that Smackdown Dec. 06 PPV yet? Uhmmm, Armageddon, was it?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

No, I assume that is soon (possibly even this week).

[MillenniumMan831 0]

FWIW, the April matches are up for WWE 24/7 Online. The theme of the month is "Legendary Moments" and they seem to be on an old school kick and put up a lot of rare stuff. 19 matches are listed but 5 of them are repeats so here are the 14 new offerings:

 

MSG - Wild Samoans vs. Andre the Giant, Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas January 23, 1984 | Approx. run time: 9 mins.

In a match that includes four WWE Hall of Famers, Andre the Giant teamed with World Tag Team Champions Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas to take on The Wild Samoans. Could Andre and the champions defeat the former tag champs?

 

AWA Championship Wrestling - Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel November 15, 1986 | Approx. run time: 60 mins.

When Curt Hennig challenged Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA Championship, few would give Hennig a chance to dethrone Bockwinkel. Hennig and Bockwinkel would battle for 60 minutes in this championship fight, who would walk away AWA Champion?

 

MSG - Wild Samoans & Sgt. Slaughter vs. Adrian Adonis, Dick Murdoch & Captain Lou Albano September 22, 1984 | Approx. run time: 27 mins.

The Wild Samoans & Slaughter would team up to take on Murdoch, Albano & Adonis in Six-Man tag action. Albano's relationship with The Wild Samoans was off again as he was now managing Murdoch & Adonis. Would the current team under Albano be able to defeat The Samoans and Sgt. Slaughter?

 

WCW Fall Brawl - Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes & The Nasty Boys vs. The Stud Stable September 18, 1984 | Approx. run time: 19 mins.

In a War Games Cage Match, Team Rhodes would face The Stud Stable - Arn Anderson, Terry Funk, Bunkhouse Buck & Col. Robert Parker. Would Dusty, Dustin & The Nasty Boys be able to withstand the force of The Stud Stable or would Parker guide his team to victory?

 

Championship Wrestling - Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito vs. Chief Jay & Jules Strongbow August 13, 1982 | Approx. run time: 15 mins.

Fuji reformed a successful tag team and climbed his way back to the top of the tag ranks, winning the World Tag Team Championship with Mr. Saito twice. Their rivalry with the Strongbows saw the teams go back-and-forth with the titles, and on this night, Fuji & Saito would challenge Chief Jay & Jules once more for the World Tag Team Championship.

 

WCW SuperBrawl - Curt Hennig & Barry Windham vs. Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko February 21, 1999 | Approx. run time: 19 mins.

Hennig would team with Barry Windham to face Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko for the WCW Tag Team Championship in a double-elimination tournament final in '99. The West Texas Rednecks - as Hennig and Windham were known - looked to capture the gold from the Rabid Wolverine and Malenko. Could they succeed?

 

SummerSlam - Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Jake "The Snake" RobertsAugust 18, 1996 | Approx. run time: 15 mins.

Lawler has never been one to shy away from controversy, and on this night, it showed. Lawler berated Roberts for his documented battles with substances, and then he began a verbal assault on newcomer Mark Henry, who was seated at ringside. Would "The King" prevail or would his mouth be shut by Roberts?

 

NWA Starrcade - Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair November 28, 1985 | Approx. run time: 22 mins.

The storied rivalry between Rhodes and Flair added another chapter on this night, as the men would do battle for the NWA World Championship. Could "Dream" stop Flair's title reign or would "Nature Boy" strut out still champion?

 

Championship Wrestling - Wild Samoans vs. Tito Santana & Ivan Putski April 15, 1980 | Approx. run time: 9 mins.

The Wild Samoans would challenge Santana & Putski for the World Tag Team Championship, their first opportunity at the titles since forming the historical tag team. Could Afa & Sika win their first gold in WWE, or would Ivan Putski & Tito Santana retain?

 

RAW - Headshrinkers w/Afa vs. The Quebecers May 2, 1994 | Approx. run time: 14 mins. After a successful career in the ring as one-half of the Wild Samoans, Afa looked to guide The Headshrinkers to World Tag Team gold. Could the men from the Isle of Samoa defeat the Quebecers and claim gold, or would Canadian pride shine as bright as the titles?

 

Championship Wrestling - Wild Samoans vs. Tony Garea & Rene Goulet September 1, 1980 | Approx. run time: 12 mins.

After relinquishing the World Tag Team Championship to Bob Backlund & Pedro Morales, The Samoans were entered into a tournament to crown new champions. In the finals, they faced Garea & Goulet. Could the Wild Samoans regain the championship, or would Garea, with Goulet, once again claim tag team gold?

 

MSG - Dusty Rhodes vs. Superstar Billy Graham September 26, 1977 | Approx. run time: 22 mins.

The brutal rivalry between these two Superstars led to a number of matches over the years. In this encounter, the two would clash over Graham's WWE Championship. Would Superstar Billy Graham retain his title, or would Rhodes surprise everyone and walk away the champion?

 

RAW - Jim Ross vs. Jonathan Coachman September 29, 2003 | Approx. run time: 7 mins.

Good Ol' JR was fighting not just for his pride, but for his job as the announcer on Raw. The Coach had been a constant pain in JR's backside, and the Boomer Sooner looked to exact revenge in a Country Whipping Match. Could JR defeat Coach and take his place at ringside?

 

Championship Wrestling - Mr. Fuji & Prof. Tanaka vs. Tony Garea & Larry Zbyszko September 27, 1977 | Approx. run time: 13 mins.

In a tournament final, Fuji & Tanaka would face Garea & Zbyszko for the World Tag Team Championship. The accomplished team of Garea & Zbyszko would be up against the legendary rule-breaking of Fuji & Tanaka. Would Mr. Fuji & Prof. Tanaka walk away with their third World Tag Team Championship?

[JHawk 0]

A bunch of old WW(W)F Tag Team Title changes this month, although it looks like they got a couple of the dates wrong again.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

I looked some of them up on Cawthon's site (mostly the WWWF era). They're not too far off. Plus, some of them were tv tapings so it's hard to tell if they're referring to taping date or airing date.

 

The 1st fall of the Fuji/Saito vs. Strongbows is great. The Strongbows eat the salt, Fuji nails the crotch drop, and it's all over.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

May sounds like it will be good month on 24/7. The theme is "Latino Legends" (so I was close in my assumption about it being Eddie themed). Programming will include the Eddie Raw tribute, When Worlds Collide, and a collection of Shorties hosted by Hugo and Carlos.

 

"It’s non-stop action as the WWE Spanish Announce Team, Hugo Savinovich and Carlos Cabrera, present classic Lucha Libre contests. Featured matches include Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero, Tiger Mask vs. Jose Estrada, Konnan vs. Psicosis, Super Crazy vs. Mosco de la Merced and many more"

[Black Lushus 0]

they did that last year...

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Well it's new to me and I'm sure SOME of the things will be shook up (and of course the MNW will be further along).

[Black Lushus 0]

I'm just looking forward to the MNW episodes and whatever PPVs they show, I missed a shit ton of PPVs between Summerslam 2000 and WM21 so I'm trying to play catch up getting them taped.