Author Topic: The Wrestling Thread  (Read 53994 times)

TrapNeuterReturn

  • Achilles bursitis
  • Posts: 152
Re: The Wrestling Thread
« Reply #300 on: July 15, 2013, 02:01:41 PM »
Chanting "Goldberg" when Ryback appears in the squared circle is something else altogether. You don't have to be some over-educated wrestlenet geek to call out that blatant ryp.

Allowing Ryback to articulate anything more than a three word catch phrase was a huge mistake. While a clothesline is about as stupid a maneuver can be, it was one too many. His repetoire should never have exceeded five moves. Of course anything can happen in the WWE Universe, and a return to Dumb Ryback could happen at any time.

While WAKE UP! SHUT UP. STUPID. FEED ME MORE! FINISH IT! are killer catchphrases (ones that I have added to my own personal lexicon) I think he should not be allowed to utter anything more than one-syllable words.

Greggulator

  • Achilles Tendon Bursitis
  • Posts: 789
Re: The Wrestling Thread
« Reply #301 on: August 01, 2013, 04:35:49 PM »
The greatest wrestling promo of all-time? Yes. This is #1 and the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spNA7SiSFZg
Listen to my basketball podcast! www.theholdingcourtpodcast.com

hardweek

  • Achilles bursitis
  • Posts: 222
Re: The Wrestling Thread
« Reply #302 on: August 07, 2013, 01:39:02 AM »
Yes. Of all time.

TrapNeuterReturn

  • Achilles bursitis
  • Posts: 152
Re: The Wrestling Thread
« Reply #303 on: August 07, 2013, 02:17:25 AM »
That was incredible, but if an Ox Baker promo in support of an animal shelter can be considered wrestling, well then...

ox baker says "support your local no kill shelters"

Greggulator

  • Achilles Tendon Bursitis
  • Posts: 789
Re: The Wrestling Thread
« Reply #304 on: August 16, 2013, 12:00:00 PM »
http://www.theclassical.org/articles/selling-out

I've got an article about Darren Young up on The Classical. I'd love if you would read it!
Listen to my basketball podcast! www.theholdingcourtpodcast.com

Greggulator

  • Achilles Tendon Bursitis
  • Posts: 789
Re: The Wrestling Thread
« Reply #305 on: October 07, 2013, 12:34:50 PM »
Word. Wrestling has been AWESOME lately.

The Cena/Bryan match at SummerSlam was essentially a reset button for the entire league. Daniel Bryan is our everyman hero. He's one of us. He's an individualist who floats on his own boat, listens to vinyl, is friends with The Moldy Peaches and excels at a creative class job. However, he doesn't fit the look the corporate masters want and he has to rage against the machine represented by HHH/Steph and their hand-picked golden child (but really gifted) Randy Orton, who has found his inner sadist. Bryan's like every indie rock band who was on the verge of breaking out in the 90s -- it's hard to make a living driving around in the van (or wrestling in armories), and to truly feel like you've made it requires a shot on a major label. But crapheads like Eve 6 look the part while Luna gets jettisoned to the back shelves.

I relate to this so well. I'm a finance journalist professionally. I had a great job working for an energy trade publication. But a lot of my co-workers had Ivy League degrees or spoke four languages and I'm some degenerate Ramones fan/comedy nerd from a no-name school in Philly. I've got no pedigree. But I busted my ass at crappy weekly newspapers and ate shit working as a secretary in grad school and was fired a bunch of times for being outspoken. But I made it and earned the respect of my peers by hustling and breaking my balls.

 But I didn't get a promotion I wanted or as big a raise as I thought I deserved because I dressed casually and had a sense of humor and had a messy desk. I've got grown up responsibilities. I could continue to just be myself and complain about how unfair that all is. Or I could play that dumb game, wear a suit to work (despite working at a cubicle all day) and make a big show of cleaning off my desk when the boss walked past when he left for the day, legitimately headed to a yacht club on some occasions. I sold out in my own little way in order to make some more money. It sucked but I have to do what I have to do. But Daniel Bryan keeps his beard and his smile and gets to win. (Or at least, hopefully, will.)

This whole thing also allowed the Rhodes Family angle to develop. If you're missing out -- Cody Rhodes is Dusty's youngest kid. He's largely been a very good heel but turned face a bit ago and was floundering a bit. He lipped off to HHH and Randy (and also didn't invite them to his wedding) and was given a match -- he beats Randy, he wins the title but if he loses he's fired. He lost and was jettisoned. Golddust (Dustin Rhodes, Cody's brother) returned to try and save his job but also lost. The amazing Dusty Rhodes came back to try and get their job back but got punched out by The Big Show (who has essentially become an indentured servant to HHH/Steph) as a result. The Rhodes boys came back to get revenge by hopping the railing, dressed in black, to f up HHH's mercenaries in The Shield.

It all culminated last night when The Rhodes Boys, with Dusty at ringside, took out The Shield and got their jobs back. It was one of the best matches and moments in ages. So friggin' great.

They're having some awesome morality plays right now. CM Punk's trying to destroy his former father figure Paul Heyman who is just tossing out monsters (Brock Lesnar, Ryback) to get in his way.

It's so awesome.

Listen to my basketball podcast! www.theholdingcourtpodcast.com

Racan

  • Guest
Re: The Wrestling Thread
« Reply #306 on: October 12, 2013, 11:20:00 AM »
Thanks for sharing this, Gregg. It's a great article. I've lately managed to squeeze in a couple of wrestling pieces (the Sergeant Slaughter turncoat angle and the Akeem gimmick) into a pop culture history column I write in a Vancouver monthly, which has been really rewarding. I feel like it's taking hold again as a form of entertainment. Totally agree with you that the writing has a lot to do with it. I feel like for a long time the WWE just forgot how to pen a non-title feud, and as a result anyone not carrying the strap just seemed buried. Less is more. Stick to the archetypes.