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Post by willywonka666 on Apr 24, 2014 13:10:45 GMT -5
I was just looking back at an old magazine and was thinking about the excitement when Rick returned to the NWA as a mystery partner to Eddie Gilbert and pinned Ric Flair on national television, got a title shot and had a great series of matches with Flair, but then it was all over by the summer.
I was also reading remarks from fans and critics that didn't like the fact that Ricky's wife and son would accompany him to the ring for his matches-a direct contrast to the playboy that Ric Flair was.
Was this Ricky's decision? Did it last that long? Was this out first taste of a steady amount of fans booing the good guys and going crazy for the bad? We saw it happen with the Road Warriors and then the Dynamic Dudes as well.
Should his run have lasted longer? Why did it end so quickly?
What are your thoughts on Steamboat's run during this period?
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Post by king1836 on Apr 24, 2014 13:17:01 GMT -5
I liked his run in 1989. Supposedly, he suffered an injury in a match against Luger in August and decided to wait out his 1 year contract rather than return.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2014 15:29:17 GMT -5
Ricky's move to the NWA was probably the first instance where I wasn't shocked he was Eddie Gilbert's mystery partner, but ecstatic he returned. I think a PWI mentioned how he was talking about a return there, so it was sorta inside for them.
But yeah, I recall his feuding with Flair, bringing the wife and kid along. He did that in his later run and a lot of us hated it, we'd laugh at how Vader would just squash him in 3 minutes at a show here.
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Post by horsemen4ever on Apr 24, 2014 16:10:57 GMT -5
As far as Steamboat having his family at ringsight, I think that was at the time his wife's idea. She wanted camera time.
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Post by "Playboy" Don Douglas on Apr 25, 2014 0:04:15 GMT -5
Yeah, I've heard that Bonnie had a lot to do with her and Ricky Jr. being featured so prominently. Obviously, I wasn't there so I don't know for sure. I've also heard that Ricky wasn't happy that they went straight to Flair-Funk on the same show. From a kayfabe standpoint, I can see where he was coming from. He had just beat Flair in 2 matches (one being 2 out of 3 falls) before losing this one match...and now he was being pushed aside. Of course, the Flair-Funk feud is a classic, and I actually liked where they were going with Steamboat and Luger with Ricky kind of snapping and beating the hell out of Lex with a chair.
I will freely admit to being biased toward '89 NWA for a variety of reasons, so take my opinions on the matter for whatever you will.
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Post by Joe Neglia on Apr 25, 2014 1:53:02 GMT -5
Was this Ricky's decision? Did it last that long? Was this out first taste of a steady amount of fans booing the good guys and going crazy for the bad? We saw it happen with the Road Warriors and then the Dynamic Dudes as well. Hard to say. Crockett fans had already started to get tired of certain stale and corny aspects of the promotion (notably Dusty being the center of the universe). They popped big for Ron Garvin turning on Dusty a year or so before. Flair was also quickly becoming the heel no one wanted to boo (and in opinion, the Steamboat feud is what finally put it over the top). |
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Squirrel Master
Hank Scorpio
"Then the Squirrel Master came out of left field and told me I'm his bitch!"
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Post by Squirrel Master on Apr 25, 2014 8:43:01 GMT -5
I think Steamboat should have been the top guy in NWA from 1989 for the next two years, minimum.
Feuds with faces and heels alike, such as Luger, Funk, Muta, Hayes and a tweener Flair.... It boggles the mind what could have been.
Sting would reach the top eventually no matter what, and perhaps 1991 a better year all around with such booking.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2014 15:34:02 GMT -5
I think we can all agree that Ricky Steamboat dragging his family to ringside led to him later having the wussiest theme ever in WCW.
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Post by Digital Witness on Apr 25, 2014 15:40:05 GMT -5
I think we'd still be talking about Steamboat/Muta if that actually happened in the NWA. Muta was good enough that he could have and maybe should have been the one to dethrone Steamboat.
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NOwave
Don Corleone
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Post by NOwave on Apr 25, 2014 15:48:03 GMT -5
It was a bit of a surprise that the Steamboat-Flair feud ended as quickly as it did. I remember thinking it could have gone on for several more months. it was still super hot-sold out houses everywhere. And, as someone else mentioned, I think this was the first time that the supposed "heel" was getting as many cheers as the baby face-at least in a major promotion on an ongoing basis.
The Flair-Funk feud was great, but I would have booked at least one more Flair-Steamboat title match for a month or so later, (whenever the next major event was) with a "loser leaves the promotion" stipulation. Flair wins it, which would basically even the score, (2 big wins apiece) and allow Steamboat to leave, which he apparently wanted to do anyway. They could have done the Flair-Funk bit (piledriver thru the table) at that match, and then go on to their feud.
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Post by horsemen4ever on Apr 25, 2014 17:06:49 GMT -5
They could have at least told Steamboat about the Funk feud. I thought after Funk powerdrive Flair on the table, Steamboat should have come back out to make the too late safe.
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Post by cabbageboy on Apr 25, 2014 17:23:08 GMT -5
Yeah, either Flair/Steamboat or Flair/Funk didn't go on long enough, since Starrcade 1989 was a show with a bunch of round robin silliness. You would think they would have stretched out Flair/Funk and the "I Quit" match until Starrcade and maybe done the round robin for everyone else on the card. As far as Steamboat being the top guy for 2 years, it just wasn't going to work. The guy just wasn't all that over, despite the great matches.
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