Hello,
Writing in with a couple of 'mail bag' questions for the blog.
1. I've noticed that almost every 80s tag match I watch (from the WWF, anyway) was booked as two out of three falls. Was there a reason this stipulation was so popular, and if so, why did they phase it out?
Well of course back in the old days the 2/3 falls match was pretty standard for most major title matches,and I think it was just kind of a holdover from that time. It was also a great way to get a clean win over a top guy without actually beating him. I'm sure they just phased it out because it took up valuable Russo time.
2. Why was Shawn Michaels so inactive during 1994? Most of the year (or at least the summer) he was on the outside as Diesel's buddy, and wasn't booked for King of the Ring, or SummerSlam (except as a corner man). Was there an issue, an injury, something? The timing just seemed odd.
Combination of all three. He was resting up some injuries and was working without a contract for a while, then negotiated himself a pretty sweet deal where he could be a part-timer.
3. In a related question, when did the WWF decide to push Diesel as hard as they did during 1994? My understanding is that he was in danger of being let go prior to the Royal Rumble, and then suddenly he's tossing guys out like the Terminator, and gets the Intercontinental title, and King of the Ring main event a few months later. Was this all based on the crowds reaction during the Rumble, or was it part of their plans all along? Also, if he was on the way out, why let him leave looking so strong?
Yeah, far as I know Vince basically marked out for his reaction in the Rumble and decided to push him to the moon as a result. Plus Shawn's increasing influence probably helped.
Obviously, I know the 'answers' to some of these can only be speculation, but I respect your opinion highly.
Writing in with a couple of 'mail bag' questions for the blog.
1. I've noticed that almost every 80s tag match I watch (from the WWF, anyway) was booked as two out of three falls. Was there a reason this stipulation was so popular, and if so, why did they phase it out?
Well of course back in the old days the 2/3 falls match was pretty standard for most major title matches,and I think it was just kind of a holdover from that time. It was also a great way to get a clean win over a top guy without actually beating him. I'm sure they just phased it out because it took up valuable Russo time.
2. Why was Shawn Michaels so inactive during 1994? Most of the year (or at least the summer) he was on the outside as Diesel's buddy, and wasn't booked for King of the Ring, or SummerSlam (except as a corner man). Was there an issue, an injury, something? The timing just seemed odd.
Combination of all three. He was resting up some injuries and was working without a contract for a while, then negotiated himself a pretty sweet deal where he could be a part-timer.
3. In a related question, when did the WWF decide to push Diesel as hard as they did during 1994? My understanding is that he was in danger of being let go prior to the Royal Rumble, and then suddenly he's tossing guys out like the Terminator, and gets the Intercontinental title, and King of the Ring main event a few months later. Was this all based on the crowds reaction during the Rumble, or was it part of their plans all along? Also, if he was on the way out, why let him leave looking so strong?
Yeah, far as I know Vince basically marked out for his reaction in the Rumble and decided to push him to the moon as a result. Plus Shawn's increasing influence probably helped.
Obviously, I know the 'answers' to some of these can only be speculation, but I respect your opinion highly.
Thank you, and keep up the good work!
I feel like 2/3 falls was phased out long before Russo started on the creative team. I started watching the WWF just prior to WrestleMania VII in 1991 and I remember seeing precious few 2/3 fall matches, even then. I wonder if the relative lack of depth in the tag team division in the '90s compared to the '80s had anything to do with it, or if it was just a philosophical change in the overall presentation of the product...
ReplyDeleteShouldn't it be "2013 Scott Sez" or did I miss a joke somewhere or something?
ReplyDeleteI don't get this idea that Diesel was on the verge of being released before the Rumble. If that were the case then why even book him as a monster to begin with?
ReplyDeleteThere are strong indications that the WWF had big, big plans for Diesel as soon as they signed him. Before he actually started wrestling on TV (which was when Michaels wigged out and left temporarily) there was a 6-man elimination match at MSG, Shawn/Diesel/Bam Bam vs. Perfect/Jannetty/Tatanka. Diesel eliminates both Perfect and Jannetty cleanly and is the sole survivor.
There was no way Vince was going to just let go a 7-foot guy who could talk. None.
WWE/Vince's default mode is to push a tough-looking big guy. If said big guy only gets a modest response they keep the push going, and if said big guy ever gets a genuine response from the fans, he gets pushed to the moon. Only if the guy is total stiff (i.e. Tensai, Kozlov, Khali) is the push halted.
ReplyDeleteWell two of those three total stiffs got to the main event, and one of THOSE actually got the belt... and the only reason the third stiff didn't make it is because Brock came back and made the entire roster look like jokes by merely doing his entrance.
ReplyDeleteNash said in his most recent shoot interview, "Shawn was a teacher... he only worked 9 months of the year... liked those summer off."
ReplyDeleteFun thing to think about: If Vince decides on someone other than Nash as "his guy", Shawn Michaels probably has a very different career.
ReplyDeleteYeah Russo had nothing to do with it. 89-90 was one of last years they featured it prominently
ReplyDeleteMore like first ditch. It's not like Diesel had had any sustained push yet as a wrestler to even have a chance to not get over. He was still just Shawn's bodyguard. Only thing they tried that didnt get over was his KO punch finisher.
ReplyDeleteI love 2/3 falls matches but in the WWE climate they really can't be as effective as possible. 2/3 falls matches work best with at least 25-30 minutes.
ReplyDeleteBryan/Sheamus was great but still that only went 20 or so. I remember Jericho and Benoit had a 2/3 falls match at Summerslam and they got less than 15 minutes. A shame man.
But given that Raw is 3 hours you'd think every once in a while they go 2/3 falls for the IC or US titles. Give Wade and Sheamus 30 minutes and have a hell of a match. And you still have 2 hours to spend on everything else.
I'd be all in favor of 2/3 falls title matches in return for elimination of the Automatic Rematch clause. Then we could have actual blow off title matches without knowing when we'll see those two guys meet again.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the automatic rematch clause has gotten a bit out-of-control. It's taken a lot of the big-time feel out of a lot of title matches. I don't know if the answer is 2/3 falls, but they need to do something to reduce the number of watered-down rematches.
ReplyDeleteReally fun thing to think about: If Vince decides that someone else is Scott Hall, does that turn Scott Hall's life around or does it plunge WWE into the toilet?
ReplyDeleteI'm confused.
ReplyDeleteAnyone insane enough to want to see The Nasty Boys vs. The Bushwhackers in a 2 out of 3 falls match is clearly insane enough to make the FBI's "Most Wanted Terrorists" list.
ReplyDeleteTensai had that horrible return match BEFORE Brock's return. And Alex Riley had just come off having a string of good matches on Superstars against the likes of Tyler Reks, Michael McGilliHennig and Drew McIntyre so it definitely wasn't A-Ry's fault that the match sucked. Tensai was gonna bomb even if Lesnar didn't come back.
ReplyDeleteI really don't get why people are blaming Brock and Ryback for Albert's return not getting over in the least. That would be like blaming Batista's popularity on why Luther Reigns didn't get over.
Albert didn't get over because eight years have passed and he still sucks, plain and simple.
I won't blame Brock for Tensai not getting over, but if WWE didn't have clearly better options, they would have worked with Tensai until he got over.
ReplyDelete