Madagascar Fred
El Dandy
TAFKA roidzilla and SUFFERIN' SUCCOTASH SON!
Posts: 8,784
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Post by Madagascar Fred on Dec 28, 2011 14:20:58 GMT -5
January-spring of 1988: what an abysmal roster Vince put together at that point
according to Solie.org:
The WWF roster for April 1988 was as follows: George "The Animal" Steele, Andre the Giant, Don "The Rock" Muraco, Hulk Hogan, The Junkyard Dog, Tito Santana, Gregg "The Hammer" Valentine, Nikolia Volkoff, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Davey Boy Smith, The Dynamite Kid, Steve Lombardi, Haku, Hillbilly Jim, B. Brian Blair, "Jump'in" Jim Brunzell, Brett "Hitman" Hart, Jim "The Andvil" Neidhart, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, "Leaping" Lanny Poffo, Hercules Hernandez, Jauques Rougeau, Raymond Rougeau, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, "Golden Boy" Danny Spivey, "The King" Handsome Harley Race, "The Natural Butch Reed, The Honkytonk Man, Paul Roma, Jim Powers, Ax, "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware, Dino Bravo, Rick Martell, "Outlaw" Ron Bass, "Dangerous" Danny Davis, Smash, "The Olympian" Ken Patera, The One Man Gang, The Ultimate Warrior, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, "Sensational" Sherri Martell, Barry Horowitz, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, Virgil, Bam-Bam Bigelow, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggin, "Cowboy" Scott Casey, Sam Houston, Bad-News Brown
man that's a terrible roster right there. Harley Race when he was immobile as hell, Rick Rude's early green phase, some downright awful wrestlers (Bravo, Bad News, Reed, Warrior, Hillbilly Jim, Danny Davis, Steele, Patera post-jail, Bass, OMG, JYD, Andre, arguably Hercules & Casey too), bland gimmicks (Bass, OMG, Casey, Hillbilly Jim, Patera, Strike Force)
what the hell was Vince thinking? did he think it was enough having Hogan, Savage, Andre, DiBiase, Honky, Demolition & Warrior, who were massively over? you could expect all the other old guys returning again with this policy (Billy Graham, Sammartino, Snuka, Orndorff...and indeed Snuka returned in 1989)
why didn't he start seriously pushing the talented midcard/undercard guys like Bret, Martel or Lanny Poffo?
thankfully The Rockers, Mr. Perfect, Terry Taylor, Blue Blazer & The Brainbusters came in shortly after that (yeah, Powers Of Pain too)
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Post by johnnyk9 on Dec 28, 2011 15:56:22 GMT -5
Transitioning, Vince has gone through this a lot
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Mac
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 16,502
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Post by Mac on Dec 28, 2011 16:06:16 GMT -5
Keep going back, the roster gets worse.
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Futureraven: Beelzebruv
Grimlock
The Ultimate Arbiter of Right And Wrong
Spent half my life here, God help me
Posts: 14,949
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Post by Futureraven: Beelzebruv on Dec 28, 2011 16:31:53 GMT -5
Now you can see why Wrestlemania 4 had Savage wrestle 4 times and a massive battle royal.
However, I think you're selling some people short, Bad News was a badass, Hillbilly Jim, while stupid, was over with the kids, in a Santino like spot, and Warrior, yeah he sucked, but he's Warrior, he was a phemomenon at the time.
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El Dandy
Don Corleone
Who are you to doubt El Dandy?
Posts: 1,901
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Post by El Dandy on Dec 28, 2011 16:35:49 GMT -5
Lot of big guys on the roster but I don't see what's wrong with that list. They had plenty of hot angles and feuds happening then. The tag division was hot, the mid-card was strong, lot of colorful and entertaining characters, and not all of the big men were stiffs who couldn't work. There's a solid stable of heels and faces in there. I think their roster towards 1991-92 was considerably worse.
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Post by jason1980s on Dec 28, 2011 17:00:48 GMT -5
It is amazing to think that they went from a lot of matches at Wrestlemania III with numerous wrestlers and still a lot didn't make the card (Kamala, Sika, Demolition, Islanders, Bass, Orndorff, Mulligan) and by Wrestlemania IV they had to go with a battle royal. If there was no tournament no way could the guys in the battle royal do matches and the event not be seen as bad. What could be done? Steele v. Sika Harts v. Bees or Rougeaus Stallions v. Bolsheviks Hillbilly v. Danny Davis Bad News v. Dog Patera v. Race Houston v. Bass
Sure, other wrestlemanias had throwaway matches but those were sprinkeled in with a lot of other major feuds matches. Even the fueds at WM IV weren't there. Jake and Rude weren't feuding yet. Gang and Bigelow could go at it again. Muraco could go against Reed who injured Graham but that was months ago. Hammer, Dibiase, Duggan and Bravo had no feuds. Savage was past the Honkytonk Man. Hogan and Andre could be a main event but it's been done and much better.
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Futureraven: Beelzebruv
Grimlock
The Ultimate Arbiter of Right And Wrong
Spent half my life here, God help me
Posts: 14,949
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Post by Futureraven: Beelzebruv on Dec 28, 2011 17:37:06 GMT -5
Hmmm Hypothetical Wrestlemania 4:
1. Hogan v Dibiase (World title) 2. Savage v Andre 3. Warrior v Hercules 4. Beefcake v Honky Tonk Man (IC title) 5. Bulldogs/Koko v Islanders/Heenan 6. Strike Force v Demolition (Tag Titles) 7. Bam Bam v One Man Gang 8. Don Muraco v Butch Reed 9. Hart Foundation v Killer Bees 10. Bad News Brown v Hillbilly Jim 11. Rick Rude v Jim Duggan 12. Jake Robert v Greg Valentine
How does that sound?
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Jimmy
Grimlock
Posts: 13,317
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Post by Jimmy on Dec 28, 2011 20:24:19 GMT -5
Vince was probably doing a lot of coke at that point.
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El Dandy
Don Corleone
Who are you to doubt El Dandy?
Posts: 1,901
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Post by El Dandy on Dec 28, 2011 22:00:51 GMT -5
Vince was probably doing a lot of coke at that point. Looking at that roster, I'd say him and about 50% of that roster was.
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Post by Owen Ford on Dec 29, 2011 1:31:24 GMT -5
Couldn't disagree more with the original poster, almost everyone you mention as awful was actually awesome.....
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kidglov3s
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Wants her Shot
Who is Tiger Maskooo?
Posts: 15,870
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Post by kidglov3s on Dec 29, 2011 1:37:59 GMT -5
1988 WWF might be my favorite roster of all time.
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Post by MichaelMartini on Dec 29, 2011 1:49:36 GMT -5
Hmmm Hypothetical Wrestlemania 4: 1. Hogan v Dibiase (World title) 2. Savage v Andre 3. Warrior v Hercules 4. Beefcake v Honky Tonk Man (IC title) 5. Bulldogs/Koko v Islanders/Heenan 6. Strike Force v Demolition (Tag Titles) 7. Bam Bam v One Man Gang 8. Don Muraco v Butch Reed 9. Hart Foundation v Killer Bees 10. Bad News Brown v Hillbilly Jim 11. Rick Rude v Jim Duggan 12. Jake Robert v Greg Valentine How does that sound? Nice booking! As for the OP. I don't see what's wrong with that roster. At least half of those names were mega over.
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El Dandy
Don Corleone
Who are you to doubt El Dandy?
Posts: 1,901
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Post by El Dandy on Dec 29, 2011 1:56:22 GMT -5
If you break down the roster by title contention and their position on the card, it really is one of the best the WWF had:
World Heavyweight Title: Hulk Hogan Andre the Giant Macho Man Randy Savage Ted DiBiase
Intercontinental Championship: Honkytonk Man Ultimate Warrior Rick Rude
Tag Team Division: The Hart Foundation The British Bulldogs Demolition The Killer Bees Strikeforce The Dream Team The Islanders The Killer Bees The Fabulous Rogeaus
Mid-card: Jake Roberts Bam Bam Bigelow Hacksaw Jim Duggan Harley Race Koko B. Ware Bad News Brown One Man Gang
The rest of the names were either jobbers or on their way out. That tag division was one of the best ever. Macho Man had moved up from the IC title picture to the heavyweight title. Not long after the Big Bossman would enter the picture as well. Steamboat was in the IC picture but left the company. You also had some tag team wrestlers breaking off into singles competition with Brutus Beefcake, Tito Santana and Rick Martel.
I'd take all of those colorful and unique characters over anything the WWE has done over the past few years.
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siredger
ALF
Can now proudly say he held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in his hands.
Posts: 1,116
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Post by siredger on Dec 29, 2011 2:12:39 GMT -5
Strange, I thought the Dream Team broke up in 1987 at Wrestlemania 3...unless you talk about the short-lived New Dream Team of Valentine & Bravo...
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Futureraven: Beelzebruv
Grimlock
The Ultimate Arbiter of Right And Wrong
Spent half my life here, God help me
Posts: 14,949
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Post by Futureraven: Beelzebruv on Dec 29, 2011 3:07:53 GMT -5
And Beefcake being the challenger for the IC title at WMIV.
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Post by carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army) on Dec 29, 2011 3:28:22 GMT -5
I stopped reading when you said Bad News was a terrible wrestler.
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Post by Stu on Dec 29, 2011 3:41:35 GMT -5
Different era, different fans. Professional wrestling was just in a different place from where it is today. That said, I enjoyed the roster back then and thought the WWF was a lot of fun.
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Post by "Handsome" Whitey Fats on Dec 29, 2011 3:57:28 GMT -5
OMG wasn't a bad wrestler.
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Post by celticjobber on Dec 29, 2011 5:08:37 GMT -5
I completely disagree with the OP. They had a great roster in 1988. If the current roster was anywhere near that varied and over, the industry wouldn't be in the slump it is today.
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Squirrel Master
Hank Scorpio
"Then the Squirrel Master came out of left field and told me I'm his bitch!"
Posts: 6,620
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Post by Squirrel Master on Dec 29, 2011 11:32:41 GMT -5
The chumps on the roster for April 1988 were: Steve Lombardi, Hillbilly Jim, "Leaping" Lanny Poffo, "Golden Boy" Danny Spivey, Paul Roma, Jim Powers, "Outlaw" Ron Bass, "Dangerous" Danny Davis, Barry Horowitz, Virgil, "Cowboy" Scott Casey, Sam Houston. Otherwise a solid group.
man
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