Gorilla & Brain Wrestlemania III Build Observation

[Milkman Norm]

I just watched the Primetime from two weeks before Wrestlemania III. I was surprised by how much Gorilla minimized Andre as a threat to Hogan. Bobby was making sure to mention that it wasn't gonna be easy for the Giant but his size and strength would be to much for Hogan. But Gorilla? He just kept going on about how Andre couldn't do it and how Hogan was going to beat him. He didn't put Andre over at all. He basically just buried Heenan for the hour. I get that Hogan vs Andre in 1987 could never just be a match but damn did it seem like Monsoon was trying to make it one.

[tms]

I think we would remember Gorilla very differently if we were exposed to him every week.

[Hit Girl]

Monsoon was great. The best announcer WWE ever had. His views on Andre vs Hogan would have just been part of his banter with Brain, or part of his kayfabe position about Andre which was based on outrage that Andre couldn't just straight up have asked Hogan for a title shot if he wanted one, without allying himself with a guy like Bobby Heenan.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

I love how post wm 3, Gorilla just shit on Brain and told him that he should quit doing predictions forever.

[Milkman Norm]

Mar 23, 2019 12:42:17 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

Monsoon was great. The best announcer WWE ever had. His views on Andre vs Hogan would have just been part of his banter with Brain, or part of his kayfabe position about Andre which was based on outrage that Andre couldn't just straight up have asked Hogan for a title shot if he wanted one, without allying himself with a guy like Bobby Heenan.

I'd agree in the pre-Jim Ross era but then you can look at his competition. As for his style... It's nostalgic for me. It wasn't particularly good imo.

[Nr1Humanoid]

When it came to Hogan Gorilla was the definition of biased.

[Hit Girl]

Wrestlemania IV

Hogan poses but is eliminated from the tournament.

Gorilla - "In my opinion you're looking at the greatest professional athlete in the world today"

Jesse - "No he's not, because he isn't the champion"

Gorilla - "Title is vacant Jess"

Jesse - "OK then for the next two hours he is"

[Deleted]

Its funny cause during the build to the 87 survivor series Gorilla goes in the opposite direction constantly talking about Andre being in the best condition of his life

[toodarkmark]

Thats just the world he came from. Like back then you just would discount the bad guy. The Yankees are just a bunch of bums. Todays world you build the enemy and call who you like bums.

[RowdyRobbyPiper]

Mar 23, 2019 12:42:17 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

Monsoon was great. The best announcer WWE ever had. His views on Andre vs Hogan would have just been part of his banter with Brain, or part of his kayfabe position about Andre which was based on outrage that Andre couldn't just straight up have asked Hogan for a title shot if he wanted one, without allying himself with a guy like Bobby Heenan.

Gorilla did the same thing during the 92 Royal Rumble by needling Heenan and saying throughout the match that Flair couldn’t outlast the competition. But when Flair did wind up winning it, Gorilla put Flair over like he was the greatest ever (waiting until Heenan had left the broadcast booth to join Flair and Hennig’s celebration).

Of course, the next week, Gino was back to burying Heenan and Flair. 😂

[RowdyRobbyPiper]

Mar 23, 2019 13:55:28 GMT -5 Milkman Norm said:

Mar 23, 2019 12:42:17 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

Monsoon was great. The best announcer WWE ever had. His views on Andre vs Hogan would have just been part of his banter with Brain, or part of his kayfabe position about Andre which was based on outrage that Andre couldn't just straight up have asked Hogan for a title shot if he wanted one, without allying himself with a guy like Bobby Heenan.

I'd agree in the pre-Jim Ross era but then you can look at his competition. As for his style... It's nostalgic for me. It wasn't particularly good imo.

There were other announcers from the era who were better than Gorilla (and Gorilla is my personal favorite) like Lance Russell, Dave Brown, Gordon Solie, JR, Schiavone. But Gorilla was perfect for the WWF and was the best announcer for that product.

[Milkman Norm]

Mar 24, 2019 5:38:19 GMT -5 RowdyRobbyPiper said:

Mar 23, 2019 13:55:28 GMT -5 Milkman Norm said:

I'd agree in the pre-Jim Ross era but then you can look at his competition. As for his style... It's nostalgic for me. It wasn't particularly good imo.

There were other announcers from the era who were better than Gorilla (and Gorilla is my personal favorite) like Lance Russell, Dave Brown, Gordon Solie, JR, Schiavone. But Gorilla was perfect for the WWF and was the best announcer for that product.

Oh for sure on your first point. I did not make obvious I was talking about WWF announcers only.

[jason1980s]

Sometimes I wonder if those tinted glasses really blinded Gorilla's vision. Best examples are "what gold records?" when Jimmy Hart is clearly holding a gold record almost the whole time DDP is driving the pink Cadillac. The other thing is "On the eighth day" which was a pro-Gorilla sign and he kept asking "the eighth day?" as if he didn't see the last portion.

[Toilet Paper Roll]

I remember the first time noticing this, when Rick Rude was relatively new to the WWF he had some house show matches against Hulk Hogan. Monsoon kept saying Rude didn’t stand a chance because he was way too small. He buried him pretty hard.


Monsoon/Ventura has the best chemistry ever and it’ll never be duplicated. They made bad matches seem important just because of their dialogue

[Deleted]

Gorilla was an unapologetic Hogan mark, but I think it was largely an act, because I recall him saying behind the scenes that Hogan didn't know a wrist lock from a wrist watch.

[Aceorton]

Gorilla, to some extent, had to poke holes in whatever the Brain was up to. That was the core of their relationship. He knew how to get Bobby flustered and upset. Going on about how Andre couldn't beat Hulk (even with him being an obvious threat) works for me during that time as a way of just getting under the Brain's skin.

I have a bigger issue with some of Gorilla's hypocrisies in commentary. At WM3, for example, he was appalled that Heenan was helping Race get back in the ring, but then was fine when Steele was doing it with Steamboat later (as pointed out by Ventura). It's also funny now, watching old footage, how much Gorilla shit on the part-time referees (the non-Marellas and Hebners who worked locally).

[corndog]

Mar 25, 2019 10:11:25 GMT -5 Aceorton said:

Gorilla, to some extent, had to poke holes in whatever the Brain was up to. That was the core of their relationship. He knew how to get Bobby flustered and upset. Going on about how Andre couldn't beat Hulk (even with him being an obvious threat) works for me during that time as a way of just getting under the Brain's skin.

I have a bigger issue with some of Gorilla's hypocrisies in commentary. At WM3, for example, he was appalled that Heenan was helping Race get back in the ring, but then was fine when Steele was doing it with Steamboat later (as pointed out by Ventura). It's also funny now, watching old footage, how much Gorilla shit on the part-time referees (the non-Marellas and Hebners who worked locally).

The second part is why Heenan worked better with Gorilla. Ventura would always McMahon out for his hypocrisies and it worked because Vince was an even bigger blind homer than Gorilla, but when he did it with Gorilla it kind of destroyed the dynamic. Heenan would always put Gorilla's points over by getting frustrated.