|
|
Post by Arrogance_Personified on Jul 14, 2017 7:59:04 GMT -5
Just wondering what you guys and girls used to think about the I.R.S character back in the good old days of the WWF?
As a kid I hated him but later on in life I realised that was his job to make the fans hate him.
In my opinion he played the character excellent and was solid in the ring, Most of his glory in the WWF was in the Money Inc Tag Team with DiBiase and looking back what a great team they were, Both complimented each other in the ring and two of the best heels ever but I feel he at least deserved a Intercontinental Championship run and would have been an excellent Champion too. I remember the Intercontinental Championship Match he had with Razor Ramon (can't remember the event) and really thought he was gonna win.
Anyway what is your opinion on good old Irwin? Discuss your thoughts and memories.
|
|
|
|
Post by cabbageboy on Jul 14, 2017 8:03:01 GMT -5
It was a good gimmick in that it finally got fans to react one way or the other to Mike Rotunda. I actually thought about the IRS gimmick a while ago and realized that he really wasn't initially a heel (I know, bear with me). An IRS agent that wants people to pay their fair share in taxes shouldn't be an evil guy. It was really when he teamed with the rich Ted Dibiase that you knew this guy was a phony and a fraud. At that point you knew he was all about seeing to it the Million Dollar Man got his big tax breaks while sticking it to the average person. What a brilliant idea for a tag team.
|
|
|
|
Post by 2coldMack is even more baffled on Jul 14, 2017 8:04:09 GMT -5
Good gimmick that got long in the tooth after Dibiase retired, and by the time he left in 1995, was beyond stale.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ronny Rayguns Is All Elite on Jul 14, 2017 8:24:41 GMT -5
I like him better in retrospect/as an adult.
I don't know too many kids (their primary audience at the time) who even knew what the IRS was, let alone have reason to hate them.
His pre debut videos were comic GOLD
|
|
CMWaters
Ozymandius
Rolled a Seven, Beat the Ads.
Bald and busy
Posts: 63,091 
|
Post by CMWaters on Jul 14, 2017 8:27:40 GMT -5
I like him better in retrospect/as an adult. I don't know too many kids (their primary audience at the time) who even knew what the IRS was, let alone have reason to hate them. His pre debut videos were comic GOLD I only had the faintest hint of what the IRS was, but (being that I started watching wrestling in 1994) the vignettes leading up to his Royal Rumble match with The Undertaker did a good enough job showing what a dick he was. |
|
Futureraven: Beelzebruv
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
The Ultimate Arbiter of Right And Wrong
Spent half my life here, God help me
Posts: 15,085
Member is Online
|
Post by Futureraven: Beelzebruv on Jul 14, 2017 9:02:18 GMT -5
I like him better in retrospect/as an adult. I don't know too many kids (their primary audience at the time) who even knew what the IRS was, let alone have reason to hate them. His pre debut videos were comic GOLD I only had the faintest hint of what the IRS was, but (being that I started watching wrestling in 1994) the vignettes leading up to his Royal Rumble match with The Undertaker did a good enough job showing what a dick he was. I knew he was a tax guy, and from growing up hearing Robin Hood stories, I knew taxes were bad(such a simple time lol), so he was bad. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 10:23:31 GMT -5
I like him better in retrospect/as an adult. I don't know too many kids (their primary audience at the time) who even knew what the IRS was, let alone have reason to hate them. His pre debut videos were comic GOLD I only had the faintest hint of what the IRS was, but (being that I started watching wrestling in 1994) the vignettes leading up to his Royal Rumble match with The Undertaker did a good enough job showing what a dick he was. I wanna say I saw him cut a promo in a cemetery that went something like, "They say there's only 2 sure things in life: death and taxes. Wrong. It's just taxes. And these deadbeats arent paying their fair share!" We had a topic about this lead-up recently, and we were like "Yeah, the match was bad, but the build showed how low I.R.S. would stoop to get on Taker's bad side." |
|
|
|
Post by A Platypus Rave on Jul 14, 2017 10:51:16 GMT -5
I only had the faintest hint of what the IRS was, but (being that I started watching wrestling in 1994) the vignettes leading up to his Royal Rumble match with The Undertaker did a good enough job showing what a dick he was. I wanna say I saw him cut a promo in a cemetery that went something like, "They say there's only 2 sure things in life: death and taxes. Wrong. It's just taxes. And these deadbeats arent paying their fair share!" We had a topic about this lead-up recently, and we were like "Yeah, the match was bad, but the build showed how low I.R.S. would stoop to get on Taker's bad side." I still wanted the Death and Taxes tag team that Bruce Prichard mentioned on his podcast at one point happened  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 12:02:39 GMT -5
I can't wait for his fight with Mayweather.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 13:39:45 GMT -5
I wanna say I saw him cut a promo in a cemetery that went something like, "They say there's only 2 sure things in life: death and taxes. Wrong. It's just taxes. And these deadbeats arent paying their fair share!" We had a topic about this lead-up recently, and we were like "Yeah, the match was bad, but the build showed how low I.R.S. would stoop to get on Taker's bad side." I still wanted the Death and Taxes tag team that Bruce Prichard mentioned on his podcast at one point happened Kinda wish they teamed him with Barry Darsow; if you're taking away somebody's assets, you need a Repo Man to do it. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 15:02:43 GMT -5
My main IRS memory was a guy at Survivor Series had a sign that read: Isn't Rotunda Stupid
|
|
|
|
Post by Arrogance_Personified on Jul 15, 2017 11:54:16 GMT -5
Can't remember the event but remember the legends battle royal that I.R.S ended up winning but DiBiase came along to purchase the victory. Or something along those lines.
Always thought it must have been f***in uncomfortable wearing that shirt and tie to perform in.
Is Rotunda still employed by WWE in some role?
|
|
|
|
Post by A Platypus Rave on Jul 15, 2017 13:41:09 GMT -5
Can't remember the event but remember the legends battle royal that I.R.S ended up winning but DiBiase came along to purchase the victory. Or something along those lines. Always thought it must have been f***in uncomfortable wearing that shirt and tie to perform in. Is Rotunda still employed by WWE in some role? He might still be an agent. If not he probably has a legends deal. |
|
|
|
Post by Limity (BLM) on Jul 15, 2017 13:50:16 GMT -5
I still wanted the Death and Taxes tag team that Bruce Prichard mentioned on his podcast at one point happened Kinda wish they teamed him with Barry Darsow; if you're taking away somebody's assets, you need a Repo Man to do it. Damn, that's a great idea. They could be similar to the APA, where other wrestlers hire them to go after people. There's a great promo there with them two telling a face champion that they ran the numbers, and they're going to have to repossess their title. "Turns out, you just can't afford it." Repo Man cackling, IRS staring menacingly. |
|
Magnus the Magnificent
King Koopa
didn't want one.
I could write a book about what you don't know!
Posts: 12,489
|
Post by Magnus the Magnificent on Jul 15, 2017 17:24:23 GMT -5
He was always so damn sweaty in his matches, like he'd stopped and done the ice-bucket challenge half way through.
Good worker, always smooth in the ring and a good enough talker. The crowds hated his guts, so he did his job well enough.
Ok, the gimmick would automatically generate some heat, but Rotunda was getting booed out of the building most nights, which takes skill.
I wish someone would bring back the rope-assisted abdominable stretch; that was always one of my favourite heel spots.
|
|
|
|
Post by MichaelMartini on Jul 15, 2017 17:31:35 GMT -5
I like Rotunda and he did a good job with the character but it was too corny. Especially the ring attire. Wrestling in a tie is just stupid (and probably dangerous).
|
|
DragonMasterP
King Koopa
Wait, I turned 30? How'd that happen?
Posts: 11,989
|
Post by DragonMasterP on Jul 15, 2017 20:40:08 GMT -5
I like Rotunda and he did a good job with the character but it was too corny. Especially the ring attire. Wrestling in a tie is just stupid (and probably dangerous). "Look, he's got him by his tongue!" "That's his tie! If Irwin's stupid enough to wear a tie in there, then he deserves it!" "Boy, you're gonna get audited now!" Also, he and my dad were roommates in college. |
|
|
|
Post by BorneAgain on Jul 15, 2017 20:46:44 GMT -5
In hindsight I only realize now IRS' feud with Taker was a subtle reference to the estate tax.
|
|
Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,127
|
Post by Mozenrath on Jul 15, 2017 20:48:15 GMT -5
I have always really liked the Write Off. Bray should steal it. |
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jul 15, 2017 23:30:00 GMT -5
I always thought he was horrible. His matches were always dull and nearly put me to sleep. He'd has a two minute squash and go to the chinlock multiple times. I know as a heel you're not supposed to pop the crowd, but you're not supposed to bore them to death either. The promos were all just the same thing about whatever town they were in not paying taxes. He was always a drag to watch in the first few years of Raw.
|
|
