Scott,
Hope you're enjoying the network as much as me. 2 quick questions after watching Bash 89 today.
1. I noticed while watching the credits at the end of the ppv that Jim Herd was executive producer in 1989. I've only heard Jim Herd be universally trashed by any of the talent who worked for the company at that time. 1989 is universally regarded as the golden year for the NWA though. As an aside HH 89 might be the most underrated ppv of all time. Back to the point though, if Jim Herd doesn't deserve any credit for 1989 who does for the direction of the company that year?
2. In place of the awful round robin format, what would you have booked for the top 4-5 matches for Starrcade to top off that year properly?
I doubt any human being alive could possibly enjoy the network on the same level as I do. But you're welcome to try.
1. Ric Flair. Jim Ross. George Scott to a certain degree. Pretty much anyone in the organization, besides Herd, up to and including the janitorial staff and the guy who cut up the little cubes of cheese for the catering trays.
2. Hmm, OK. I think I've tried this one before, but here's my thinking today:
World title: Ric Flair v. Lex Luger. Double turn finish, Luger passes out in the figure-four after the Andersons double-team his knee on the floor, Sting saves to set up that Flair program. Had Barry Windham not been stupid enough to jump to the WWF, I would have put him in here as Flair's opponent and done Luger & Sting v. Andersons instead.
Cage match: Sting & The Andersons v. Buzz Sawyer/Terry Funk/(other J-Tex dude). We assume Funk doesn't turn babyface or retire for this. Andersons turn on Sting afterwards and brutalize him, leading to him making the save for Luger later when they try the same thing on him.
TV title: Great Muta v. Brian Pillman. Because it never happened and this was as good a place as any. Pillman gets the belt here.
Tag titles: The Steiners v. The Road Warriors. You have to have this match at some point!
I'd probably throw some prelim stuff like Doom squashing the Dynamic Douchebags in there and maybe Dan Spivey and Steve Williams beating the shit out of each other, but that's the basics.
I think I may be the only person here who dug the Iron Man tourneys (or the 1990 tag tourney) but then again I'm a sucker for tournaments
ReplyDeleteI can see the stance on not building a PPV around tourneys or specialty themed shows. But when you have 52 weeks a year, can't see why they don't run one not tournaments once a year. It's something that's been missing from the rumble for awhile now too. Can't beat Ax and Smash as 1-2 or the Skyscrapers winning whatever battle royal that was called and splitting the prize instead of fighting
ReplyDeleteOne thing I never understood is how many times they have used a Starrcade for a "Gimmick PPV" idea. that 1989 tournament... Several Battlebowls... That WCW vs NJPW in 1995... Those would be perfect for some "B" PPVs to boost the buyrates, while saving Starrcade for the big blowoff matches (Like in 1996 to 1998 for example)
ReplyDeleteAlso, The Widowmaker in 1989 changed the face of wrestling forever!!
Scott - how about you show us some love and give us new GAB & Halloween Havoc 89 rants!?
ReplyDeleteThe mistake NWA made in 1989 was not holding off on the "I Quit" match until Starrcade. They should have booked a Flair/Funk title match to end in a shmozz, then do Flair/Funk "I Quit/Loser Must Retire/World Title" at Starrcade, add Road Warrior/Steniers for the tag belts, Luger/Steve Williams for the US Title and Sting/Muta for the TV belt...
ReplyDeleteBigger disappointment as the capper on a fantastic year: Starrcade 89 or Wrestlemania 2000?
ReplyDeleteNever seen Starrcade 89, just always hear it spoken of as a letdown. TO THE NETWORK I GO
Too many insane point things going on. 20 points for this kind of win, 15 points for that kind of win, -5 for a DQ... overly complicated.
ReplyDelete1 point for a win, 1/2 for a draw, -1/2 for a dq. Keep it simple.
Well so far, NWA 1989 getting lots of love on the blog. Deservedly so '89 was bad ass. Bad ass. It hooked me up with Muta, who I've loved ever since, and his awesome feud with kick ass retro Sting. The Flair/Steamboat trilogy begins as a prelude to Flair/Funk. The Horsemen, The Steiners & L.O.D. were strong and a peaking Luger. Lots to love in NWA '89.
ReplyDeleteEspecially THE GREAT MUTA.
Really, once Starrcade 87 got destroyed by the first Survivor Series, Starrcade kind of lost it's aura as a big blowoff show, and that honor got moved around to either The Great American Bash (90 & 91... ending Flair's reigns for the hot new babyface) or Superbrawl after that.
ReplyDeleteI repeatedly referred to Network Launch Monday as a "BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS" so I think I'm almost on Scott's level.
ReplyDeleteSure, once it's working properly. No problem.
ReplyDelete...and if you run out of weeks of TV before your planned blowoff show just make up new rules to end it in time!
ReplyDeleteCan I request a review of Bash at the beach 96?
ReplyDeleteFirst time watching GAB 89 right now, and of course it decides to start freezing up in the middle of Flair-Funk. What is strange to me is this concept of Flair as a face, at least at this point. I didn't get to watch much NWA, so when did that happen?
ReplyDeleteWrestleWar 89. Flair regained the title from Steamboat and then supposedly retired ringside judge Terry Funk challenged him to a title match. Flair rightly pointed out that Funk had to go through the top 10 first, so Funk jumped him and piledrove him through the judges' table at ringside, breaking his neck in the process. It was pretty fucking awesome.
ReplyDeleteThere's a surprisingly good steiners/warriors match on best of nitro vol 2.
ReplyDeleteWell then I guess I know what my next ppv is gonna be.
ReplyDeleteEspecially the interview Ross did at Flair's house, with Ric in a neckbrace and a GODAWFUL yellow sweatsuit. He may have been THE heel of the NWA, but Flair could play face when he wanted to.
ReplyDeleteWrestleMania would be the capper to 1999 which wasn't a good year in WWF. WrestleMania X-7 would be the capper of 2000 and that was an awesome capper.
ReplyDeleteTNA! TNA! TNA! TNA! TNA! TNA!
ReplyDeleteGet yourself something to keep you awake; WrestleWar 89 is the textbook definition of a one-match show.
ReplyDeleteThis was the only time I enjoyed Flair as a face.
ReplyDeleteI was a lot more markish back then, but I liked Starrcade 89 even though nothing but pride was on the line. And it ended up being another good seed planting for the Flair/Sting feud (of course, that got fouled up weeks later at the next Clash, but, hey, stuff happens).
ReplyDeleteWorld Title : Flair vs Funk I Quit Match (Instead of being on the Clash)
ReplyDeleteTag Belts: Steiners vs Road Warriors
Us Title: Luger vs Sting
TV Title: Muta vs Arn Anderson
Throw a US Tag Titles match involving Pillman and whatever other fodder....
You have Sting join Arn in stopping J-Tex from interfering in the Flair match. Let Arn induct him int the Horsemen like originally happened, building towards the inevitable Sting/Flair showdown
I liked the fact that pride was on the line, though. These days, nobody really cares if they win or lose, which is almost as annoying as guys getting pissed off when the authority figure informs them they have to wrestle that week.
ReplyDeleteI just don't see Flair v. Funk drawing on top of the year's biggest show. Flair had already won and then won another blowoff at Havoc, the story had been told. It was fine as a main event for a Clash (although even that didn't do a huge rating) but I really think you needed one of the big guns for Starrcade. Plus if you had Windham there, you could set up Flair/Andersons/Sid v. Windham/Sting/Luger/Pillman in Wargames for Wrestlewar, like JESUS INTENDED.
ReplyDeleteI found it simple back then...but then again I was a major nerd back then.
ReplyDelete(Yes that has changed ever so slightly)
What if you did a Sting/Flair "Faces who respect each other" match? Setting up the Flair turn down the road...
ReplyDeleteDoug Gilbert vs Muta is good for a glorified squash, and I think Luger-Hayes managed to be an entertaining experiment despite not being a "good match" so to speak. But yeah, not much else. Luckily, the main event was only the 5th match on the card so you don't have a lot of garbage to sit through.
ReplyDeleteJim Herd might not deserve as much credit as Flair, but he probably has better credit than Flair.
ReplyDeleteYup, for me any one of Flair v. Sting/Luger/Windham would have been a top level main event.
ReplyDeleteI agree. WM 2000 - 17 is the best stretch ever.
ReplyDeleteYou're the man Scott! Love your work, and value your opinion more than the rest of the wrestling writers.
ReplyDeleteSeeing that I've never emailed in before, I'd take the chance to give you props.
Keep it up my man!
You mentioning Steiners/Roadwarriors got me thinking that since wrestling companies don't push tag teams as such anymore that the Wyatts/Shield was the first dream tag team match a wrestling company has produced in years. TNA had the right idea some time ago when they were trying to milk tag team legends for as much as it was worth by doing (in theory) tag team dream matches like with Dudleys vs Steiners, of course by the time they did it, it was too late to be considered a dream match anymore.
ReplyDeleteWow, are you trying to hit him up for money? *ahem*
ReplyDeleteNope
ReplyDelete