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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on Nov 20, 2022 18:47:43 GMT -5
"Back when men were men, and women didn't vote." -A completely real line from face (Supposedly) commentator Larry Zbyszko at Superbrawl 1998. Jesus Christ |
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Mozenrath
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Post by Mozenrath on Nov 20, 2022 20:22:14 GMT -5
He did occasionally get laughs out of me by pointing out how nonsensical story beats were, but
A. He did that to get himself over, at the expense of the (bad) angles
B. He was so smug about it
C. He also got really pissy if Tenay or any of the others corrected him or disagreed when he was wrong about something.
I do think putting someone who did not consider themselves a retired wrestler in that role was just asking for trouble, since he always seemed to be trying to angle himself to get a big program with wrestlers who in most cases probably had zero interest in wrestling him.
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tafkaga
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Post by tafkaga on Nov 20, 2022 21:33:27 GMT -5
I just watched some Nitros from May-Jun 97 where they had some Mexican rules matches and our man Zbyszko could not grasp the rules while Schiavone and even Tenay were noticeably frustrated trying to call the match while having to tolerate Larry screeching like a confused grandpa over the entire match. WHO'S THE LEGAL MAN??? WHAT'S GOING ON??? THIS ISN'T MEXICO!!! f*** him.
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Post by Cyno on Nov 20, 2022 21:45:17 GMT -5
The thread title is meant to be said with the sarcasm of a 90's teenager really into Smashing Pumpkins, isn't it?
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Post by Super Duper Dragunov on Nov 20, 2022 23:34:31 GMT -5
Did you mean depreciation thread? blah blah human game of chess blah blah new world odor blah blah human game of chess blah blah human game of chess blah blah human game of chess....... |
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Post by ThankGodForSidJustice on Nov 21, 2022 4:29:32 GMT -5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-QMwicV00UI think this match is a perfect example of why Larry was a poor commentator. The finish of the match is Scott Norton powerslamming and beating the One Man Gang. So normally in situations like this a commentator would put over how strong Norton is and how impressive of it was of him to be able to slam and convincingly pin such a huge man. Instead Larry just talks about Sting and Lex Luger and then craps on Norton for taking the wrong approach during the match. I mean he just freakin powerslammed a near 400 pound man and that's what you have to say? One of the main priorities of a commentator is to put over the talent especially if they just did something that's impressive and is worth putting over. However he would do the total opposite of that.
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Post by Gravedigger's Biscuits on Nov 21, 2022 4:54:28 GMT -5
The thread title is meant to be said with the sarcasm of a 90's teenager really into Smashing Pumpkins, isn't it?  |
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XIII
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Post by XIII on Nov 21, 2022 9:38:34 GMT -5
I think the only time that I ever liked Larry Z was when he was teaming with Arn during the Dangerous Alliance days, but that was more because of Arn Larry Z sucks at everything.
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tafkaga
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Post by tafkaga on Nov 21, 2022 10:04:14 GMT -5
Did you mean depreciation thread? blah blah human game of chess blah blah new world odor blah blah human game of chess blah blah human game of chess blah blah human game of chess....... blah blah the holy grail blah blah fourteen glorious years blah blah |
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Post by Milkman Norm on Nov 21, 2022 10:56:40 GMT -5
I think the only time that I ever liked Larry Z was when he was teaming with Arn during the Dangerous Alliance days, but that was more because of Arn Larry Z sucks at everything. I think Larry was actually a hell of a worker. I mean he drew mega money with the Bruno angle. He was just an awful color commentator. |
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Post by Citizen Snips Has Left on Nov 21, 2022 12:28:53 GMT -5
It was so bizarre how every week they’d show the fans going nuts for Larry and he’d take a little bow. I always figured he bought the fans in the rows behind the booth beers or something right before those segments, nobody would cheer Larry of their own free will.
According to several interviews I’ve read, Larry is also a proud member of the “The nWo was actually all my idea!” club (or at least Hall’s debut). What a yutz.
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tafkaga
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Post by tafkaga on Nov 21, 2022 13:40:08 GMT -5
I think the only time that I ever liked Larry Z was when he was teaming with Arn during the Dangerous Alliance days, but that was more because of Arn Larry Z sucks at everything. I think Larry was actually a hell of a worker. I mean he drew mega money with the Bruno angle. He was just an awful color commentator. Ditto, and his wrestling promos AS A HEEL were also gold. Got to give credit where it's due. |
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Post by Cyno on Nov 21, 2022 13:58:50 GMT -5
My dad was a WWWF fan when Larry turned on Bruno. Dude was such a hated heel people like tried to attack him for real after shows.
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Post by ThankGodForSidJustice on Nov 21, 2022 15:26:10 GMT -5
I think the only time that I ever liked Larry Z was when he was teaming with Arn during the Dangerous Alliance days, but that was more because of Arn Larry Z sucks at everything. Arn and Larry did make a good team (even though I agree it was largely because of Arn) and should've had a longer run. I thought Arn and Larry made a better team then Arn and Bobby Eaton which is so odd as Eaton was a way better wrestler then Larry Z. Arn telling stories about Larry on his podcast is always super funny as he does a good impression of him and you can also tell that he was by far his least favorite of all of his partners just because of damn lazy he was. Arn: "Are you ever going to get in here and do anything?" Larry: "Oh Arn but they're chanting Larry sucks" Arn: "Larry they mean it" Larry: "Oh Arn I'm getting heat" Arn: "Yeah with me and the babyfaces" I also recall him telling a story of them going to the gym only for Larry then to not want work out there once they got there because he was such a tight wad and did not want to pay a ten dollar workout fee. Larry: "We're just here to work out not rent the place". Arn tries to convince him it's not a big deal and to just pay the fee however Larry still refused and just went out and sat in the car for an hour and a half while Arn worked out. Seems like Larry was a big diva lol. |
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tafkaga
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Post by tafkaga on Nov 21, 2022 16:34:33 GMT -5
I think the only time that I ever liked Larry Z was when he was teaming with Arn during the Dangerous Alliance days, but that was more because of Arn Larry Z sucks at everything. Arn and Larry did make a good team (even though I agree it was largely because of Arn) and should've had a longer run. I thought Arn and Larry made a better team then Arn and Bobby Eaton which is so odd as Eaton was a way better wrestler then Larry Z. Arn telling stories about Larry on his podcast is always super funny as he does a good impression of him and you can also tell that he was by far his least favorite of all of his partners just because of damn lazy he was. Arn: "Are you ever going to get in here and do anything?" Larry: "Oh Arn but they're chanting Larry sucks" Arn: "Larry they mean it" Larry: "Oh Arn I'm getting heat" Arn: "Yeah with me and the babyfaces" I also recall him telling a story of them going to the gym only for Larry then to not want work out there once they got there because he was such a tight wad and did not want to pay a ten dollar workout fee. Larry: "We're just here to work out not rent the place". Arn tries to convince him it's not a big deal and to just pay the fee however Larry still refused and just went out and sat in the car for an hour and a half while Arn worked out. Seems like Larry was a big diva lol. Arn and Larry were the perfect tag team. They both looked like creepy middle aged uncles who got drunk every Saturday night and beat their wives. They both shot their mouths off constantly about being badasses who you didn't f*** with only to get their asses handed to them. They both delivered their cheesy tough guy promos like they were so impressed with themselves for coming up with them. |
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Mozenrath
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Post by Mozenrath on Nov 21, 2022 18:11:04 GMT -5
Larry deserves his flowers for the Bruno feud and all, but he's also definitely a guy who coasted on reputation, between that and his AWA days. (Isn't he married to a Gagne? I wonder which came first, him sticking with AWA as long as he did because he was married in, or if he married in BECAUSE he spent all his time there.)
I wonder if part of my disdain for him comes from seeing Minoru Suzuki, etc, have a martial arts or MMA background but also try to impress out of it and not point to it as if to say, "and that's why I can go at a pace that has Greg Valentine wondering if I'm ever going to speed up."
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Post by BorneAgain on Nov 21, 2022 20:39:51 GMT -5
The issue with Zbyszko was that he was a guy built for the territory era, and someone that probably would have been an effective heel commentator if wrestling had stayed like it was in the early 90s. However the arrival of the nWo and the influx of younger, more athletic, and faster talent meant he was awkwardly put in the babyface position while being a grumpy and smug character that never really put the latter guys over. Heenan had his issues in WCW certainly, but when something was amazing, he typical sold it on commentary as such. Look at the big moments with Luger, Sting, DDP, & Goldberg and you hear Bobby trying to make them seem huge. Larry rarely seemed to bother in the same way.
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Post by Mozenrath on Nov 21, 2022 21:23:55 GMT -5
The issue with Zbyszko was that he was a guy built for the territory era, and someone that probably would have been an effective heel commentator if wrestling had stayed like it was in the early 90s. However the arrival of the nWo and the influx of younger, more athletic, and faster talent meant he was awkwardly put in the babyface position while being a grumpy and smug character that never really put the latter guys over. Heenan had his issues in WCW certainly, but when something was amazing, he typical sold it on commentary as such. Look at the big moments with Luger, Sting, DDP, & Goldberg and you hear Bobby trying to make them seem huge. Larry rarely seemed to bother in the same way. Heenan also didn't mind playing the fool, whereas Larry wanted to know how a storyline would play out so that he would not make false predictions. He always wanted to look like the smartest guy in the room, which sometimes worked, but also often just made him look insecure. |
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