Cena's spinning belt stck around for way too long. If you break it up into eras, first pic is the WWWF, second pic is the Hogan era, third is the new generation (starting with Bret's run), 4th is the attitde era (if you want to ignore the original DX then it makes sense), 5th is Ruthless Aggression (Y2J's run could fit in AE or RA), 6th is the Cena era (note the spinnig belt!) and the last pic is the universe era (Miz is good starting point here as Cena was/is the top star but up until this year didn't have solid runs with the title like he did from 05-09)
So weird seeing Miz in there. It was the right move at the time, but looking at this makes you realize just how far he's fallen, both in the card and in consideration.
Actually Batista's first WWE Title was won off of Randy Orton in a cage match in May '09. He then vacated it the next day thanks to a kayfabe injury to mask a real injury he had before winning it, which makes the booking pure nonsensical shock booking. How TNA of them.
The "Cena deal" in 2010 was his second (and final) reign with that title.
TRIVIA NOTE: Batista over Orton at Judgment Day '09 is the first time in history the title changed hands in a regular steel cage match. Kinda fun footnote.
That was an infuriating title switch, and one of the first times where it seemed they were truly doing the opposite of what they intended to do (and what made sense), just because so many people knew of what was going on.
In some sort of weird way, it's nice that "our" sport has a guy that made it far but really shouldn't have. Basketball has the '94 Rockets, Hockey has the '95 Devils. Sometimes, teams or guys who aren't the best still manage to win it all.
44 Men in 50 years, think how many guys have dreamed of winning that strap, how many have had an opportunity at it and how many have actually held it... shows it still holds high prestige.
I loved Taker's entrance with the belt at Tuesday Night In Texas, when he just dragged it along the ground behind him. Thought that was just so damn cool.
I can't help but think that Benoit was a reason why they've highlighted the WWE title as THE belt over the last few years and turned the WHC into a glorified secondary title. It's allowed the company to emphasize the highlight the WWE title's history and its champions, while Benoit and the WHC in general have just faded into the background.
How are the '94 Rockets that team? Yeah, they didn't have a second superstar, but they had one of the top five big men (only Russell, Kareem, Wilt and Duncan rank higher) and top 12 all-time players at his absolute peak. If you meant the '95 Rockets...yeah, they had a shitty, injury-filled regular season, but still: Hakeem at his peak, two Hall of Famers. I'm a diehard Bulls fan and I've never bought into the "Bulls would've won eight straight!" argument. First, they never beat an elite center in the Finals, and the closest thing in the playoffs were Ewing (never quite elite) and Shaq (dominant, but still unrefined at that point in his career; Rodman wouldn't have been able to do anything with 2000 Shaq). Second...MJ got burned out (unless you believe the gambling suspension conspiracy theory) after three titles. There's a reason three is as far as anyone's gone in the modern era. Anyway, I digress. I agree with your point. The fact that someone like Miz sticks out like a sore thumb only highlights how prestigious that title is. If they're all great, then what does "great" mean? But the NBA champion you're looking for as that outlier is the 1978 Washington Bullets: http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WSB/1978.html I mean, look at that bucket of garbage of a basketball-reference page. Elvin fucking Hayes is your best player? He's the worst "all-time great" ever. Bill Fitch famously told Ralph Sampson to "stay away from that fucking cocksucker" when Hayes tried to take him under his wing. Bob Dandridge, Mitch Kupchack, Kevin Grevey and Phil Chenier as your other starters? Jesus. I barely know who Dandridge is, I only know who Kupchack is because he's the Lakers GM, and I know nothing about the other two. And I'm a straight-up hoops junkie.
Hehe. Miz.
ReplyDeleteI sent this, yay!
ReplyDeleteCena's spinning belt stck around for way too long.
ReplyDeleteIf you break it up into eras, first pic is the WWWF, second pic is the Hogan era, third is the new generation (starting with Bret's run), 4th is the attitde era (if you want to ignore the original DX then it makes sense), 5th is Ruthless Aggression (Y2J's run could fit in AE or RA), 6th is the Cena era (note the spinnig belt!) and the last pic is the universe era (Miz is good starting point here as Cena was/is the top star but up until this year didn't have solid runs with the title like he did from 05-09)
Look how few champions there were until the 90s....
ReplyDeleteSo weird seeing Miz in there. It was the right move at the time, but looking at this makes you realize just how far he's fallen, both in the card and in consideration.
ReplyDeleteYeah, they couldn't get one of him with the belt? He had it for 5 or 6 days didn't he?
ReplyDeleteNot sure it was the right move at the time. I was a huge Miz supporter but in hindsight maybe a big WHC run would have been more appropriate.
ReplyDeleteLook how few hours of national TV there were until the 90s...
ReplyDeleteThat's really cool. Especially how they're grouped by eras.
ReplyDeleteThey couldn't even find a picture of D-Bry with the belt...
ReplyDeleteI think he even defended it a couple of times on house shows between Survivor Series and Tuesday in Texas.
ReplyDeleteActually Batista's first WWE Title was won off of Randy Orton in a cage match in May '09. He then vacated it the next day thanks to a kayfabe injury to mask a real injury he had before winning it, which makes the booking pure nonsensical shock booking. How TNA of them.
ReplyDeleteThe "Cena deal" in 2010 was his second (and final) reign with that title.
TRIVIA NOTE: Batista over Orton at Judgment Day '09 is the first time in history the title changed hands in a regular steel cage match. Kinda fun footnote.
He held it for about 2 minutes so I'd cut them some slack.
ReplyDeleteWhen you eliminate the Big Gold Belt as co-world title, I actually think the parity of champions in the current isn't too bad.
ReplyDeleteWhere's Jack Swagger? I swear he won the title once. And LOL at Miz, so out of place there.
ReplyDeleteThe guy main evented Wrestlemania... HE MAIN EVENTED WRESTLEMANIA... fuck
ReplyDeleteHe won the WHC.
ReplyDelete"One of these things is not like the other... one of these things just DOESN'T BELONG..."
ReplyDeleteHint: It's the Miz.
That was an infuriating title switch, and one of the first times where it seemed they were truly doing the opposite of what they intended to do (and what made sense), just because so many people knew of what was going on.
ReplyDeleteIn some sort of weird way, it's nice that "our" sport has a guy that made it far but really shouldn't have. Basketball has the '94 Rockets, Hockey has the '95 Devils. Sometimes, teams or guys who aren't the best still manage to win it all.
ReplyDeleteI would buy this as a poster, hands down.
ReplyDeleteHe sure did. In fact those 5 or 6 days produced what is one of my favourite pictures in pro wrestling history:
ReplyDeletehttp://24.media.tumblr.com/48ed7a7908620d8ae3dc9a82a2f2c631/tumblr_mj848aFb5R1ru2rt6o5_400.jpg
44 Men in 50 years, think how many guys have dreamed of winning that strap, how many have had an opportunity at it and how many have actually held it... shows it still holds high prestige.
ReplyDeleteVince?
ReplyDeleteAndre's there but no DiBiase? BULLSHIT.
ReplyDeleteAndre DID pin the champ... DiBiase was just handed the belt by Andre.
ReplyDeleteActually, the title change happened at Extreme Rules '09, back when it was held in June.
ReplyDeleteI loved Taker's entrance with the belt at Tuesday Night In Texas, when he just dragged it along the ground behind him. Thought that was just so damn cool.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but think that Benoit was a reason why they've highlighted the WWE title as THE belt over the last few years and turned the WHC into a glorified secondary title. It's allowed the company to emphasize the highlight the WWE title's history and its champions, while Benoit and the WHC in general have just faded into the background.
ReplyDeleteI liked that too. He looked like such an undead zombie doing that and it fit his character. Scared the hell out of 12 year old me.
ReplyDeleteHow are the '94 Rockets that team? Yeah, they didn't have a second superstar, but they had one of the top five big men (only Russell, Kareem, Wilt and Duncan rank higher) and top 12 all-time players at his absolute peak.
ReplyDeleteIf you meant the '95 Rockets...yeah, they had a shitty, injury-filled regular season, but still: Hakeem at his peak, two Hall of Famers.
I'm a diehard Bulls fan and I've never bought into the "Bulls would've won eight straight!" argument. First, they never beat an elite center in the Finals, and the closest thing in the playoffs were Ewing (never quite elite) and Shaq (dominant, but still unrefined at that point in his career; Rodman wouldn't have been able to do anything with 2000 Shaq). Second...MJ got burned out (unless you believe the gambling suspension conspiracy theory) after three titles. There's a reason three is as far as anyone's gone in the modern era.
Anyway, I digress. I agree with your point. The fact that someone like Miz sticks out like a sore thumb only highlights how prestigious that title is. If they're all great, then what does "great" mean? But the NBA champion you're looking for as that outlier is the 1978 Washington Bullets: http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WSB/1978.html
I mean, look at that bucket of garbage of a basketball-reference page. Elvin fucking Hayes is your best player? He's the worst "all-time great" ever. Bill Fitch famously told Ralph Sampson to "stay away from that fucking cocksucker" when Hayes tried to take him under his wing. Bob Dandridge, Mitch Kupchack, Kevin Grevey and Phil Chenier as your other starters? Jesus. I barely know who Dandridge is, I only know who Kupchack is because he's the Lakers GM, and I know nothing about the other two. And I'm a straight-up hoops junkie.
Beauty post. I did mean the '95 Rockets. That playoff year in my mind was such a free for all.
ReplyDelete