|
|
Post by Robbymac on Sept 9, 2014 13:00:23 GMT -5
Watching Nitro in order from the beginning. This was certainly an interesting storyline that was incredibly unique for its time. I like how two guys who were friends personally didn't allow the heel/face alignment effect their friendship.
Haven't gotten to the nWo yet, but if I remember correctly there wasn't really a payoff to this. NWO just came in and Luger went fully babyface. Was this always the plan, or was one of them destined to turn Or turn on each other?
|
|
|
|
Post by horsemen4ever on Sept 9, 2014 14:03:23 GMT -5
I don't know what the plan was, but I say the way it turned out was perfect. Sting turing away from WCW and going rogue was a brillent for the story to come full circle. Sting kept giving Luger the benefit of the doubt, overlooked some of his more questionable choices, and when the shoe is on the other foot, Luger doesn't believe Sting and Sting loses it.
|
|
Ben Wyatt
Crow T. Robot
Are You Gonna Go My Way?
I don't get it. At all. It's kind of a small horse, I mean what am I missing? Am I crazy?
Posts: 41,482
|
Post by Ben Wyatt on Sept 9, 2014 14:09:39 GMT -5
Watching Nitro in order from the beginning. This was certainly an interesting storyline that was incredibly unique for its time. I like how two guys who were friends personally didn't allow the heel/face alignment effect their friendship. Haven't gotten to the nWo yet, but if I remember correctly there wasn't really a payoff to this. NWO just came in and Luger went fully babyface. Was this always the plan, or was one of them destined to turn Or turn on each other? IIRC, Luger was on the heel team at Uncensored 96 (the Doomsday cage match) and he accidentally on purpose caused his team to lose via htting Flair with a loaded glove. Then came a feud with the Road Warriors (I don't recall the ending to that one), which bled into the Outsiders' arrival |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2014 14:33:05 GMT -5
I think this is a great example of creating long-term suspense and intrigue in wrestling without necessarily needing to have a "payoff". The suspense was the payoff. It added a unique element to every appearance Luger made during that time, which generated more interest in his character than he'd had since probably '89.
|
|
|
|
Post by ronnie2hotty on Sept 10, 2014 7:56:34 GMT -5
It's actually pretty amazing how well the early Nitros have held up over time, even with typical WCW moments.
|
|
|
|
Post by somsta on Sept 10, 2014 8:24:19 GMT -5
It's actually pretty amazing how well the early Nitros have held up over time, even with typical WCW moments. Yeah, as great as the nWo was I think that first year of Nitro, prior to Hall's arrival, is for the most part just as good. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2014 8:39:36 GMT -5
It's actually pretty amazing how well the early Nitros have held up over time, even with typical WCW moments. Yeah, as great as the nWo was I think that first year of Nitro, prior to Hall's arrival, is for the most part just as good. Undoubtedly. I think people forget how "edgy" Nitro was in '95 compared to the stuff WWE was doing at the same time. It was hard to replace that live TV feel for a taped show. |
|
auph10imitated
Dennis Stamp
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 4,951
|
Post by auph10imitated on Sept 10, 2014 12:30:23 GMT -5
This is one of those long running ally/rivalries that doesnt get the credit it deserves, I guess it gets lost in the shuffle. They did the whole friends, enemies, friends, enemies thing much like Hogan and Savage and others. The 1995 dynamic was interesting in the sense that Luger was a heel and Sting a babyface, but they remained friends/teamates and it caused problems for the other people that were involved. I think eventually come spring 1996, Luger being a heel was quiteky forgotten and he and Sting just remained faces before the nWo deal. I could be wrong though but thats how I recall it going down. Luger just stopped acting heelish and became happy face Luger again.
Even though WWF pushed him big, he always felt more of a star in WCW, he always seemed more at home.
|
|
domrep
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 7,461
|
Post by domrep on Sept 11, 2014 15:27:32 GMT -5
The reason why Nitro shows hold up today is b/c the storylines are timeless. It had the 'realness' Bischoff always looked for in his angles. I can't say that about the Attitude Era stuff, I'd say 90% of that stuff wouldn't fly today. But I loved the Luger tweener storyline, the angles the following 4-6 months were all because of him.
Luger showing up - Luger wanting Hogan's belt - Savage and Hogan not trusting Luger and not trusting Sting b/c he was friends with Luger - Hart screws over Hogan and aligns w/Luger - Sting is still friends with Luger despite that but is now somewhat of an enemy to Hogan and Savage.
Then you have Ric Flair mixed in...it was great storytelling.
|
|
|
|
Post by JTG Fan on Sept 16, 2014 17:47:07 GMT -5
I've watched the War Games match at Fall Brawl 96 several times before but I've never seen the pre-match promo where Sting approaches the Horsemen and Luger and tells them it wasn't him, he didn't turn on WCW. And Luger tells Sting to his face that he knows that was him joining the nWo on Nitro and he doesn't believe him.
Lex sure was a shitty friend.
|
|
Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
|
Post by Crappler El 0 M on Sept 16, 2014 17:53:55 GMT -5
I've watched from the beginning recently thanks to the Network and I really enjoy Luger's work. He was very entertaining as the heel pretending not to be a heel. He was pretty funny at times, and Luger is someone not remembered for being able to play nuanced characters.
|
|
TGM
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 6,073
|
Post by TGM on Sept 16, 2014 18:22:52 GMT -5
I've watched the War Games match at Fall Brawl 96 several times before but I've never seen the pre-match promo where Sting approaches the Horsemen and Luger and tells them it wasn't him, he didn't turn on WCW. And Luger tells Sting to his face that he knows that was him joining the nWo on Nitro and he doesn't believe him. Lex sure was a shitty friend. Like all of Sting's friends. |
|
Shark
Hank Scorpio
The world's only Samurai Ninja Pirate
Posts: 7,045 
|
Post by Shark on Sept 16, 2014 18:30:15 GMT -5
My favorite thing about it was that while Luger did have some moments where he'd cost Sting a match or something, it was easy to explain as a mistake and it was a plausible excuse. Otherwise, Luger always did right by Sting while he was doing he tweener thing. He came to help Sting without fail. Plus Luger not liking Hogan or Savage made sense because they didn't shy away from not liking/trusting him so why should Luger be willing to like/trust them? This was back when pro wrestling made some damn sense!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2014 18:32:10 GMT -5
I've watched from the beginning recently thanks to the Network and I really enjoy Luger's work. He was very entertaining as the heel pretending not to be a heel. He was pretty funny at times, and Luger is someone not remembered for being able to play nuanced characters. He was really good until the nWo storyline began, and then he just seemed to default to generic babyface. I get what you're saying about nuanced, but really that's what Luger was best at - a babyface with an edge, who eventually turned heel but always had a motive for doing so, i.e. angry at getting stepped over by other babyfaces, or joining the Horsemen to further his career... rather than just the typical "Hahaha, I've always been secretly bad, I was just pretending to be a good guy!" Unfortunately he always seems to be more remembered for the one dimensional characters he was draped in rather than the better stuff he did. |
|
|
|
Post by somsta on Sept 16, 2014 19:45:03 GMT -5
I've watched the War Games match at Fall Brawl 96 several times before but I've never seen the pre-match promo where Sting approaches the Horsemen and Luger and tells them it wasn't him, he didn't turn on WCW. And Luger tells Sting to his face that he knows that was him joining the nWo on Nitro and he doesn't believe him. Lex sure was a shitty friend. In a way, it's almost as if Luger was the one that turned on Sting by not believing in him. Luger turning on Sting... Hmm... Now there's an idea.... |
|
Essential1
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,080
|
Post by Essential1 on Sept 16, 2014 20:51:43 GMT -5
I never watched any WCW around this time so would love examples of this. I'm interested because it sounds like Luger actually had a personality at some point in his career.
|
|
chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,955
|
Post by chazraps on Sept 16, 2014 20:51:43 GMT -5
It's a really cool idea, and also lead to some of Randy Savage's best promos of the era when asked to comment on it.
I think the only storyline in wrestling like it was the following year when the Smoking Gunns had Billy Gunn slowly turn heel while smitting with Sunny as Bart Gunn remained face and growing increasingly irritated with Billy's actions.
|
|
Essential1
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,080
|
Post by Essential1 on Sept 16, 2014 20:52:52 GMT -5
I remember that. I think both Gunns acted heelish in their matches and entrance though.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2014 8:47:39 GMT -5
I never watched any WCW around this time so would love examples of this. I'm interested because it sounds like Luger actually had a personality at some point in his career. Of course he did. Like literally every other wrestler, he excelled when allowed to be himself. Draping someone in the star spangled banner and asking them to be a boy scout muscle man would not play to anyone's strengths, unless it was a comedy character. |
|
|
|
Post by horsemen4ever on Sept 17, 2014 9:20:14 GMT -5
I still say to this day, Luger's best run was his 89 heel run, that was him at his best.
|
|
