Bob Backlund’s crew cut

[willywonka666]

So I’ve seen it mentioned somewhere that there was a bit of a break between runs of Bob’s in the early 80s and he came back with a nearly shaved head and wearing amateur wrestling gear, and that was kinda the start of the downhill slope for him.

I know very little about Bob (obviously) but aside from Vince Jr not wanting him, did anything else change about him with his appearance?

[Deleted]

I wouldn’t say Vince didn’t want him. He made him WWF Champion in 1994 and it was awesome. One of my favorite feuds ever is Backlund/Bret

[Deleted]

Vince Jr. wanted him, but as a heel. Backlund refused. So that was the end of Backlund in the WWF (until years later).

[cabbageboy]

I wonder why Backlund turned down a heel run in 1984 and a big money feud with Hogan? Was he just really burnt out? The weird thing about Backlund's long title run is that it seemed like something notable happened at various points in it that did not involve him, so it's tricky to say he was the one drawing the money. Early on in his run there was the Dusty/Graham stuff that was on fire. In 1980 the Larry Z./Bruno feud was the top storyline in the company. Later on Snuka/Muraco dominated headlines.

If I could fantasy book 1978-83 I would probably switch Backlund with Bockwinkel. Backlund seems tailor made for being AWA champion, with his white bread, midwestern demeanor and amateur background. And while I know the WWF wasn't keen on heel champs imagine what Bockwinkel could have done in NYC during that era. He could have also put Hogan over for the title.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Jun 17, 2019 18:12:21 GMT -5 cabbageboy said:

I wonder why Backlund turned down a heel run in 1984 and a big money feud with Hogan? Was he just really burnt out? The weird thing about Backlund's long title run is that it seemed like something notable happened at various points in it that did not involve him, so it's tricky to say he was the one drawing the money. Early on in his run there was the Dusty/Graham stuff that was on fire. In 1980 the Larry Z./Bruno feud was the top storyline in the company. Later on Snuka/Muraco dominated headlines.

If I could fantasy book 1978-83 I would probably switch Backlund with Bockwinkel. Backlund seems tailor made for being AWA champion, with his white bread, midwestern demeanor and amateur background. And while I know the WWF wasn't keen on heel champs imagine what Bockwinkel could have done in NYC during that era. He could have also put Hogan over for the title.

I’ve heard Backlund insisted on losing the strap to a guy with a legit athletic background, so he dropped to Shiek and then Shiek to Hogan.

[badkarma]

Jun 17, 2019 18:12:21 GMT -5 cabbageboy said:

I wonder why Backlund turned down a heel run in 1984 and a big money feud with Hogan? Was he just really burnt out? The weird thing about Backlund's long title run is that it seemed like something notable happened at various points in it that did not involve him, so it's tricky to say he was the one drawing the money. Early on in his run there was the Dusty/Graham stuff that was on fire. In 1980 the Larry Z./Bruno feud was the top storyline in the company. Later on Snuka/Muraco dominated headlines.

If I could fantasy book 1978-83 I would probably switch Backlund with Bockwinkel. Backlund seems tailor made for being AWA champion, with his white bread, midwestern demeanor and amateur background. And while I know the WWF wasn't keen on heel champs imagine what Bockwinkel could have done in NYC during that era. He could have also put Hogan over for the title.

I’ve heard it mentioned that Vince wanted Backlund to adopt a heel punk rocker gimmick complete with a Mohawk. Backlund knew it was a bad idea and that he could not pull off, so he walked, and good for him.

[cabbageboy]

Yeah the heel punk rocker gimmick sounds insane. I would have just done an earlier version of what he did in 1994. One does wonder what Backlund would have done as time went on. I recall an interview with Rick Martel where he noted the locker room differences between his 1981 stint tagging with Garea and his later run in 1987. Basically in '81 it was like this loose, goofy, happy family of a roster and you had Lou Albano there to crack jokes and tell crazy stories. By '87 it was total cutthroat Vince mode and all about crushing all opposition. I sort of got the feeling Martel (and obviously Backlund) preferred the way Vince Sr. handled things.

[mrpeacock]

Jun 17, 2019 18:12:21 GMT -5 cabbageboy said:

I wonder why Backlund turned down a heel run in 1984 and a big money feud with Hogan? Was he just really burnt out? The weird thing about Backlund's long title run is that it seemed like something notable happened at various points in it that did not involve him, so it's tricky to say he was the one drawing the money. Early on in his run there was the Dusty/Graham stuff that was on fire. In 1980 the Larry Z./Bruno feud was the top storyline in the company. Later on Snuka/Muraco dominated headlines.

If I could fantasy book 1978-83 I would probably switch Backlund with Bockwinkel. Backlund seems tailor made for being AWA champion, with his white bread, midwestern demeanor and amateur background. And while I know the WWF wasn't keen on heel champs imagine what Bockwinkel could have done in NYC during that era. He could have also put Hogan over for the title.

I’ve heard Backlund claim he didn’t want to turn heel because he had children in school and he didn’t want them to get bullied for their father being a bad guy.

[Deleted]

Jun 17, 2019 23:30:43 GMT -5 mrpeacock said:

Jun 17, 2019 18:12:21 GMT -5 cabbageboy said:

I wonder why Backlund turned down a heel run in 1984 and a big money feud with Hogan? Was he just really burnt out? The weird thing about Backlund's long title run is that it seemed like something notable happened at various points in it that did not involve him, so it's tricky to say he was the one drawing the money. Early on in his run there was the Dusty/Graham stuff that was on fire. In 1980 the Larry Z./Bruno feud was the top storyline in the company. Later on Snuka/Muraco dominated headlines.

If I could fantasy book 1978-83 I would probably switch Backlund with Bockwinkel. Backlund seems tailor made for being AWA champion, with his white bread, midwestern demeanor and amateur background. And while I know the WWF wasn't keen on heel champs imagine what Bockwinkel could have done in NYC during that era. He could have also put Hogan over for the title.

I’ve heard Backlund claim he didn’t want to turn heel because he had children in school and he didn’t want them to get bullied for their father being a bad guy.

This. I don't know how true the punk rock gimmick part is (I never heard it over the years). The story I was always told was that McMahon simply wanted to turn him heel, and dye his hair darker to go along with it. Backlund objected because didn't want people thinking he was a bad guy. Maintaining the public perception that he was a good person meant more to him than doing business. He's a unique guy.

[auph10imitated]

I found Bob Backlund to be boring as hell, it surprised the hell out of me he was champion that long

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

I am still furious that someone on here made up him being in early ECW as Robert Backlund: Extreme Accountant.

I would pay so much money to see that gimmick.

Backlund just taking down motherf***ers trying to hit him with chairs. It would be amazing.

[Deleted]

Jun 17, 2019 18:47:56 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

Jun 17, 2019 18:12:21 GMT -5 cabbageboy said:

I wonder why Backlund turned down a heel run in 1984 and a big money feud with Hogan? Was he just really burnt out? The weird thing about Backlund's long title run is that it seemed like something notable happened at various points in it that did not involve him, so it's tricky to say he was the one drawing the money. Early on in his run there was the Dusty/Graham stuff that was on fire. In 1980 the Larry Z./Bruno feud was the top storyline in the company. Later on Snuka/Muraco dominated headlines.

If I could fantasy book 1978-83 I would probably switch Backlund with Bockwinkel. Backlund seems tailor made for being AWA champion, with his white bread, midwestern demeanor and amateur background. And while I know the WWF wasn't keen on heel champs imagine what Bockwinkel could have done in NYC during that era. He could have also put Hogan over for the title.

I’ve heard Backlund insisted on losing the strap to a guy with a legit athletic background, so he dropped to Shiek and then Shiek to Hogan.

I read his book and he called bull on it. Vince just booked Sheik in the same role as Stasiak and Koloff. A transitional champion. I tend to believe him since his book is pretty honest

[willywonka666]

Jun 18, 2019 0:32:49 GMT -5 @mack619 said:

Jun 17, 2019 23:30:43 GMT -5 mrpeacock said:

I’ve heard Backlund claim he didn’t want to turn heel because he had children in school and he didn’t want them to get bullied for their father being a bad guy.

This. I don't know how true the punk rock gimmick part is (I never heard it over the years). The story I was always told was that McMahon simply wanted to turn him heel, and dye his hair darker to go along with it. Backlund objected because didn't want people thinking he was a bad guy. Maintaining the public perception that he was a good person meant more to him than doing business. He's a unique guy.

I never saw much of Backlund except on the network, but I admire him for that. I think I'd want to be the same way. that's why I was surprised he did a heel run in the 90s

[realist]

Jun 17, 2019 12:57:29 GMT -5 @negan said:

I wouldn’t say Vince didn’t want him. He made him WWF Champion in 1994 and it was awesome. One of my favorite feuds ever is Backlund/Bret

That is probably one of my top ten feuds in all of WWE history.  In my opinion, it became even better in retrospect in 1997 when Bret Hart became the less crazy version of Bob Backlund to Steve Austin's Bret Hart (the former good guy who couldn't understand that times had changed and the fans were cheering for someone else).  Bret Hart became the very thing that he fought against.

[MrElijah]

Jun 20, 2019 8:52:28 GMT -5 realist said:

Jun 17, 2019 12:57:29 GMT -5 @negan said:

I wouldn’t say Vince didn’t watont him. He made him WWF Champion in 1994 and it was awesome. One of my favorite feuds ever is Backlund/Bret

That is probably one of my top ten feuds in all of WWE history.  In my opinion, it became even better in retrospect in 1997 when Bret Hart became the less crazy version of Bob Backlund to Steve Austin's Bret Hart (the former good guy who couldn't understand that times had changed and the fans were cheering for someone else).  Bret Hart became the very thing that he fought against.

Bret's Story Arc from 1991-1997 is very underrated. We all faun over Savage's WWF run but Bret's was, by design or accident, was/is damn compelling. And the amazing thing? He was right.