Phosphor Glow
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Is a real girl!
Posts: 19,870
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Post by Phosphor Glow on Jun 11, 2021 22:47:38 GMT -5
Mark Henry was in the WWF/E for 25 years and while he's recognized as a legend and Hall of Famer NOW as well as overall nice guy, for a good portion of his career(like almost the entirety of the 2000s) he didn't do much and was barely on TV, mainly due to injuries and improving his conditioning and wrestling skills in OVW. In fact his original lasted until 2006 and they were trying to get him to quit with humiliating storylines such as his sexual misadventures with making out with a transvestite and sleeping with Mae Young. It didn't work and he stuck it out(pardon the pun). He then renewed his contract(which I was surprised that he was given that option) when it expired and he was getting failed push after failed push as a generic angry big man until something clicked in 2008 when he won the ECW championship. Ironically enough, he finally got over with the fans(at least the first time since his "Sexual Chocolate" days) in 2009, and beat then WWE champion Randy Orton and the company pretty much ignored those reactions DESPITE BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE VOLUME OF THEM BY WAVING HIS HANDS IN THE AIR. He was eventually cooled down throughout 2009 and 2010, but his big break came during his Hall of Pain run which culminated in him winning the World Heavyweight Championship from Randy Orton(this time with the face/heel roles reversed) and held it for three months. He then went on to be a respected veteran in the business before quietly bowing out(at least in ring) in 2017 and while becoming a backstage producer with a match here and there. If there's anybody who personifies perseverance, its the World Strongest Man. He could've easily and quietly left the scene in 2006 and became a footnote in wrestling history, but he had far more patience than most guys in his position would to the point where he got a "thank you" World title reign for sticking around as long as he has. So yeah TL;DR that would be my answer. I have a real soft spot for his ECW Champion run with Tony Atlas as his manager.
That run RULED and was so much fun to watch. Loved every second of it.
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Post by sungod2020 on Jun 18, 2021 22:37:17 GMT -5
Iron Sheik was around until December 1997! Now granted, he had left as an active wrestler earlier, but the fact that he was still there as Sultan's manager that long (I believe his last appearance was actually the same night as Vince's "Cure for the Common Show" speech that launched the attitude era) is kind of strange. I was also surprised he made it over a year (March 91 to May 92) for his Colonel Mustafa run considering how terrible and washed up he was at that point. Even then the only reason they finally fired him was because he stashed his cocaine in the Berzerker's bag while they were waiting in customs to enter Canada. Thankfully he was so dumb he actually told Berzerker he did it which gave him the chance to hide the bag somewhere and ditch it. Berzerker was understandably super pissed about this and angrily confronted Sheik later in the day and then told Sgt. Slaughter (who I guess must have been in office at that point even though he was still wrestling) what happened when Sarge came over to see what the problem was. Sarge asked Sheik if he did it and he admitted to it which led to him getting dismissed. If wasn't for that though who knows how much longer they would've kept him. Probably not much longer I would guess but who knows. He was almost 50 years old during that run which makes it even more incredible that they would hire him back Slaughter Iraq angle or not. Not only was it shocking he lasted over a year with that gimmick, but it was kinda pointless to have to begin with given the war was over a month before he debuted with it. Isn't it true he only got the job because it was a down time in his life(I forgot the reason why), so they brought him back for sympathy? Back to the topic at hand, when I was going through the results at historyofthewwe.com, I was surprised to see Charles Wright played the Papa Shango character all the way to October 1993. He didn't have a storyline for over a year at that point. I always assumed that after Ultimate Warrior squashed him, he was just wrestling jobber matches on Superstars and Wrestling Challenge with his 30 second Royal Rumble performance being his final showing before quietly being released. In fact, it's kinda surprising Charles Wright in general lasted as long as he did under failed gimmick after failed gimmick(voodoo priest, MMA wannable, Black militant) before something clicked as The Godfather. If you first watched wrestling in the Attitude Era, you'd probably wouldn't think he was around for as long as he has been given the crap they've had him doing. I wouldn't be surprised if his IC title victory was a thank you for sticking around for those years(it was actually 7 years before he had his first title reign with the company).
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Post by ThankGodForSidJustice on Jun 19, 2021 5:29:25 GMT -5
I was also surprised he made it over a year (March 91 to May 92) for his Colonel Mustafa run considering how terrible and washed up he was at that point. Even then the only reason they finally fired him was because he stashed his cocaine in the Berzerker's bag while they were waiting in customs to enter Canada. Thankfully he was so dumb he actually told Berzerker he did it which gave him the chance to hide the bag somewhere and ditch it. Berzerker was understandably super pissed about this and angrily confronted Sheik later in the day and then told Sgt. Slaughter (who I guess must have been in office at that point even though he was still wrestling) what happened when Sarge came over to see what the problem was. Sarge asked Sheik if he did it and he admitted to it which led to him getting dismissed. If wasn't for that though who knows how much longer they would've kept him. Probably not much longer I would guess but who knows. He was almost 50 years old during that run which makes it even more incredible that they would hire him back Slaughter Iraq angle or not. Not only was it shocking he lasted over a year with that gimmick, but it was kinda pointless to have to begin with given the war was over a month before he debuted with it. Isn't it true he only got the job because it was a down time in his life(I forgot the reason why), so they brought him back for sympathy? Back to the topic at hand, when I was going through the results at historyofthewwe.com, I was surprised to see Charles Wright played the Papa Shango character all the way to October 1993. He didn't have a storyline for over a year at that point. I always assumed that after Ultimate Warrior squashed him, he was just wrestling jobber matches on Superstars and Wrestling Challenge with his 30 second Royal Rumble performance being his final showing before quietly being released. In fact, it's kinda surprising Charles Wright in general lasted as long as he did under failed gimmick after failed gimmick(voodoo priest, MMA wannable, Black militant) before something clicked as The Godfather. If you first watched wrestling in the Attitude Era, you'd probably wouldn't think he was around for as long as he has been given the crap they've had him doing. I wouldn't be surprised if his IC title victory was a thank you for sticking around for those years(it was actually 7 years before he had his first title reign with the company). Wouldn't surprise me if that was the case with Sheik. I think he was one of those Vince Sr. guys similar to Nikolai who got another run in 94 when he was even worse then 91-92 Sheik where Vince just had a soft spot for them and would bring them back even if they brought nothing to the table. According to Bret in an interview I remember him saying that Sheik wasn't smart with his money and thought it was unfortunate because Sheik was a big time work horse in the mid 80's and worked a ton of matches for the company but yet wasted all the money he made. So him being hard up for money and Vince bringing him back similar to him bringing back Tony Atlas for the Saba Simba run when he was apparently homeless, wouldn't surprise me. Sheik also had a blink and you'll miss return in 1988 as well. Only had maybe a couple of TV squashes before getting turfed again in less then a month I think. Shango was injured at the time of that Rumble which was why he got dumped out so quick. If you notice he has an arm pad on which he never wore and also was a pretty odd fit for the character. I always thought it was so random how Flair just kind of nonchalantly dumped him from behind. They probably should've just subbed him but they were lacking bad in depth at that point so they did an in and out with him instead to protect him. They had given up on him at that point anyways. It was amazing how hard he fell from 92 to 93. 92 he was featured prominently and was pushed as the new monster and then it just seemed once 93 dawned he was jobbing to everyone. I can't remember many name talents jobbing as much on TV during that era as he did. Wright was all accounts a good guy and popular backstage. Also he was he buds with Undertaker. Those were likely the two reasons he kept getting brought back. Same deal with Crush another super popular guy backstage who was tight with Taker and kept getting brought back and given several chances with various gimmicks as a result.
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Post by sungod2020 on Jun 22, 2021 17:59:02 GMT -5
I was surprised to learn that perennial midcarder Savio Vega was under contract with the WWF until July 1999. I always thought he was quietly released after the ill-fated Brawl 4 All a year earlier, but in actuality, he did work dark matches and was on Spanish-language B Show Super Astros in jobber matches.
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Post by johnnyk9 on Jun 22, 2021 20:34:42 GMT -5
Iron Mike Sharpe I feel did squash matches from 1983 to 1995
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Post by jason1980s on Jun 23, 2021 0:03:11 GMT -5
I was surprised to learn that perennial midcarder Savio Vega was under contract with the WWF until July 1999. I always thought he was quietly released after the ill-fated Brawl 4 All a year earlier, but in actuality, he did work dark matches and was on Spanish-language B Show Super Astros in jobber matches. I didn't know he lasted that long either. I just figured he just left after the BFA. He seems like a guy who WWF wouldn't just let go for an injury. He was always a good hand and took whatever WWF gave him and did his best with it. He was very believable as a ninja.
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Post by jason1980s on Jun 25, 2021 0:37:58 GMT -5
A number of lower card guys in early 1990s WWF like Jim Brunzell and Jim Powers, Virgil, Koko B. Ware and as mentioned Mike Sharpe. All of them lasted until 1993-1995 though there were a few months or years where I think they weren't used.
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Post by Hulkshi Tanahashi on Jun 25, 2021 8:25:14 GMT -5
Terry Taylor was in the 1993 Royal Rumble and not as The Rooster, though it would have been insane if he had used that infamous gimmick.
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Post by jason1980s on Jun 25, 2021 9:52:26 GMT -5
Terry Taylor was in the 1993 Royal Rumble and not as The Rooster, though it would have been insane if he had used that infamous gimmick. Terry is one guy who has surprised me being involved with a major company for so long (in terms of his 30 + year career). He never stayed long in WWF or WCW until he got to WCW in 1993 and even then he left for WWF in the late 90s and back again to WCW. I guess he is liked by the office guys because he sure doesn't have a long term loyalty.
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Jake, The Jake, Jake
Dennis Stamp
Will never EVER get a personal title. Ever. Nope. Never. Not a chance. No way, no how.
Posts: 3,717
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Post by Jake, The Jake, Jake on Jun 25, 2021 10:39:28 GMT -5
This isn’t really the same thing but I remember Lenny Lane showing up randomly on ECW to do a job in like ‘08.
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Post by Mike Bockwinkel on Jun 25, 2021 11:48:30 GMT -5
JJ Dillon was still in WWF office and even name dropped for Brian Pillmans signing press conference.
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Post by jason1980s on Jun 25, 2021 11:57:40 GMT -5
JJ Dillon was still in WWF office and even name dropped for Brian Pillmans signing press conference. The WWF agents are ones you either didn't realize where around so long or still think they are around. I know not long ago people were still thinking Tony Garea was with WWF, though I think he's been gone a while. George Steele stuck around as an agent at least until 1996 or longer, he may have even still been employed when he did the Oddities run.
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Venti
Unicron
Posts: 2,994
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Post by Venti on Jun 25, 2021 13:35:35 GMT -5
Not a really crazy example, but when I think of Vader's WWF run, I only have the image of him in 1996/early 1997 WWF with the red white and blue ropes and block logo era in my head.
I always forget that he was there up to October 1998, full on scratch logo, Attitude era WWF. His last match there was even with Edge I believe.
That's insane to me that you have a guy like Vader around and he's relegated to losing matches on Sunday Night Heat.
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Post by Can you afford to pay me, Gah on Jun 26, 2021 5:22:24 GMT -5
Terry Taylor was in the 1993 Royal Rumble and not as The Rooster, though it would have been insane if he had used that infamous gimmick. Terry is one guy who has surprised me being involved with a major company for so long (in terms of his 30 + year career). He never stayed long in WWF or WCW until he got to WCW in 1993 and even then he left for WWF in the late 90s and back again to WCW. I guess he is liked by the office guys because he sure doesn't have a long term loyalty. He jumped back and forth with WWE and WCW as an office guy as well and also in TNA for a while. The guy no matter what seems to still get office jobs by either company, even after leaving. Currently back in the WWE as one of the trainers at the WWE PC.
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Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,037
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Post by Mozenrath on Jun 26, 2021 6:11:19 GMT -5
Terry is something of an enigma. He seems to even eclipse Johnny Ace in terms of guys that simultaneously command some respect for their accomplishments or skill but also have very vocal detractors, both for in-ring and out.
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Post by Triangle Lancer on Jun 26, 2021 8:14:31 GMT -5
JJ Dillon was still in WWF office and even name dropped for Brian Pillmans signing press conference. The WWF agents are ones you either didn't realize where around so long or still think they are around. I know not long ago people were still thinking Tony Garea was with WWF, though I think he's been gone a while. George Steele stuck around as an agent at least until 1996 or longer, he may have even still been employed when he did the Oddities run. Rene Goulet did an interview with Slam wrestling to talk about his days as an agent, which started around his 1984 return. His job was basically to feed what Vince wanted to the guys, scout the matches. He'd work the opening match, then head to the box office "in my tights and boots, covered in sweat and blood" to collect the gate. Then get on the phone after the matches and give Vince a rundown of what happened. (When Rene and the agents came out, I'd always laugh. Especially if there was a fight to break up. Here's two guys looking to kill each other, Rene with Tony Garea come out-looking like a blonde Cookie the Clown and an Elvis impersonator-trying to get things in order. And Lanza looking like the dad in the bunch: "Boys, stop this mess!") His release in late 1997 was when Vince started looking for a group of TV "yes men" (which we know as the Stooges today); one was gonna be Patterson and it was either Rene or Jerry Brisco for the other guy. Rene figured "Pat's my friend [they've known each other 30 years], we're both Quebecois, he'll put in a good word for me". Brisco undercut him (he had VKM's ear and was buddies with JR) and got the job. Vince told Rene thanks for everything but they were letting him go.
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Post by jason1980s on Jun 26, 2021 20:27:12 GMT -5
It's probably for the better Brisco and Patterson were chosen since I can't see Rene having the charisma or entertainment value the Stooges had. I feel bad for Rene but obviously the best choice was made for the storylines. It's unfortunate that the McMahon "loyalty" only extends so far. Vince was loyal to Moolah, Blassie, James Dudley and a few others but I guess had no loyalty to Rene Goulet. Not sure if Rene is a legacy wing HOFer but I would think he should be a 1994-1996 HOF inductee and whether Rene could be entertaining and embarrass himself on TV or not he should have still been kept on.
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Post by Triangle Lancer on Jun 26, 2021 20:47:12 GMT -5
It's probably for the better Brisco and Patterson were chosen since I can't see Rene having the charisma or entertainment value the Stooges had. I feel bad for Rene but obviously the best choice was made for the storylines. It's unfortunate that the McMahon "loyalty" only extends so far. Vince was loyal to Moolah, Blassie, James Dudley and a few others but I guess had no loyalty to Rene Goulet. Not sure if Rene is a legacy wing HOFer but I would think he should be a 1994-1996 HOF inductee and whether Rene could be entertaining and embarrass himself on TV or not he should have still been kept on. Eh, by WW(W)F history he has that strange (in retrospect) tag title with Karl Gotch. Solid hand, great as a Legionaire Sgt. Jacques Goulet in a few territories. But HOF is stretching it. (He was the man who died in May 2019 but it went unreported for 6 months.) I loved the Scorpion claw as a kid. It was different. Rarely won with it, but I remember the glitter glove he'd wear, and how he would go bat-crap when the ref wanted to check it for weapons.
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Post by sungod2020 on Jun 27, 2021 17:47:52 GMT -5
Not a really crazy example, but when I think of Vader's WWF run, I only have the image of him in 1996/early 1997 WWF with the red white and blue ropes and block logo era in my head. I always forget that he was there up to October 1998, full on scratch logo, Attitude era WWF. His last match there was even with Edge I believe. That's insane to me that you have a guy like Vader around and he's relegated to losing matches on Sunday Night Heat. He even took Godfather's hoes...
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Post by jason1980s on Jun 27, 2021 18:01:18 GMT -5
Eh, by WW(W)F history he has that strange (in retrospect) tag title with Karl Gotch. Solid hand, great as a Legionaire Sgt. Jacques Goulet in a few territories. But HOF is stretching it. (He was the man who died in May 2019 but it went unreported for 6 months.) I loved the Scorpion claw as a kid. It was different. Rarely won with it, but I remember the glitter glove he'd wear, and how he would go bat-crap when the ref wanted to check it for weapons. HOF may be a stretch but the first three classes (not including Andre) were comprised mostly of people who the McMahon family were loyal to as those guys were loyal to him. A lot of them were major talents but the main reason they were inducted was their relationships with Vince J. or Vince K. With that in mind, Rene maybe should have gotten a spot like Johnny Rodz. Maybe Vince put him off thinking he would add him at some other time that never came, unless he's a legacy wing guy. Granted, not all 1994-1996 inductees were guys who worked for WWWF/WWF for a long time but most of them were.
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