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Ask X #3

Posted in Ask X by Jack at 14:39, Feb 08 2009

by Jason X

Alright, here we are again for a belated third week of Ask X. Sorry it's a day late, but I had family commitments yesterday. So here we with some new questions to be answered, and since this is still getting off the ground I'm going to work with lay out of this column still, as I want it to look good for you guys reading it, so any suggestions just hit me up on the message board or on myspace. With that let's get rolling.

My boy Phuck You is up first this week, he's curious about Weak Champs, and Mann Fernandez.

Phuckyou: Why do you think promotions (WWE) put the main belt on guys, only to have them hardly ever defend the belt, and when they do they book them to look weak?? The names, Ultimate Warrior (the only succesful defense of his belt was against Rude at Summerslam), Kane (with his one day reign), Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, and Jeff Hardy (who's only Title match was a loss to Edge) come to mind.

What is the logic of at least making them look like worthy champions, instead of guys who need a DQ to win the match (Mysterio and Punk).

A: From a logical perspective I can't really figure why, especially from the sense that the Champ is the top guy. But let's look at the individual cases. The Ultimate Warrior, while immensely popular, was also extremely limited in the ring. For as much as people say Hogan is limited, he could have an entertaining match with anyone it may not be a 5 star match, but it's entertaining. The Warrior for the most part was boring (I think there is video proof of me saying that when I was 6). With UW being so limited they couldn't put him with just anyone, which was why he had so few defenses. The couldn't over expose him. With Kane, he never got that title run based on talent, being over, or the company having faith in him. His one day title run was just another piece in the McMahon/Austin story. Mysterio, let's be honest here, I respect Mysterio, but to the Rey Mysterio fans reading this, I have to be brutally honest here. He got that title reign because of what happened to Eddie. Did he deserve, yeah Mysterio has put in years of hard work, was it believable, no. Mysterio's size was what had him booked the way he was, it all goes back to getting the fans to believe that what's happening is reality, and no one could believe that little Rey Mysterio could take on Big Show and come out the winner. With, CM Punk it's going to hard for me to be impartial, I've been a fan of his since his IWA Mid-South days (2001) and I'm straight edge to boot. I don't know why they booked Punk like they did, because Punk is the same size and style of wrestler that HBK was back in his 1990's prime. Punk is still over beyond belief with the crowd, so I'm going to assume he'll have another run down the line that will make up for it, and this time hopefully as a heel. With Jeff Hardy, it looks to me that his entire title run was more to push an angle with Matt, than it was him carrying the belt, and if that's the case I don't think we can call his title run a success until we see how the angle with him and Matt plays out.

If Manny Fernandez had gotten a proper push in WWF or WCW, how far do you think his talent would have gotten him....(mind you, my Aunt used to hang out with him, and told me he that he never made it big because he had a major addiction to coke...)

A: I'm going to start this off that I'm a Manny Fernandez fan, and if I was a wrestler I would probably pattern my style after his. With that said, I think he would've been either the top of the bottom or the bottom of the top. In JCP he was upper midcard, and he was a member of the Paul Jones Army. In WWE he would've been a member of the Heenan Family, maybe main eventing a Saturday Night's Main Event against Hogan, but it would've been a one time match not a feud. He was one of those guys who on the regional level was a main eventer, but once things went national he was lost in the crowd. This isn't a knock on his talent, it's just the truth.

Staypuft is next, he asks a great question about pro wrestling and the net, I've done my best to give you a good answer.

Staypuft: The internet.. Has it helped or harmed professional wrestling (yes I know what medium I'm using to ask this question!)? I understand that before the internet there was still the dirt sheets/newsletters but nobody had the ability to download shows; read almost up to the moment spoiler results for the shows and hear almost up to the minute news regarding potential hiring's and firings not to mention potential storylines for the future.

So what do you think Jason; I understand the internet is great in exposing the product to a wider market and allowing the business to grow in other areas but do you think the nature of the internet has killed the sort of mystery that professional wrestling had, when back before the internet was "the shit" you had to watch the show to know what was going on and that if you missed it on a Monday night or whatever unless there was a replay you missed out; when a surprise was a surprise... etc.. etc..

A: I don't think the internet has killed the mystery of the business. That was done when it was first called Sport Entertainment. I think the internet is part of the natural evolution of being a wrestling fan. I think once most fans hit a certain age they begin to get curious about the workings of the business, so maybe in a way it does kill the mystery of the business, but to me I think it helps educate. Me personally I think it's done more to help the business than it has to harm it. Should they give out spoilers, no they shouldn't, but I know I read them to see if what happens is worth me watching. If I read about a surprise appearance does it spoil it for me, not really. Because, I'll still tune in to see it, even if I know who it is, simply because I want to see the reaction. It's easy to see the negative that internet can be for Wrestling, but it's much more positive. I'm sure as we speak some kid is typing John Cena or Rob Van Dam into You Tube, and is seeing clips of Cena in UPW or OVW, and seeing Van Dam in the old ECW or even in USWA or WCW. So I see it as showing newer/younger fans that there was/is more out there than WWE, TNA, and ROH. I also think that the merchandise they come out with now is also a direct result of the internet. Why does WWE include so many matches and promos on their DVD releases? Because 9 times out of 10 it is stuff that people would trade DVD' s and VHS for. So they are giving fans like us what we want in crystal clear footage. Look, at the replica belts they have been selling for the last 10 years. Do you think they came up with that themselves. That is also a direct result of Belt Marks having sites, and message boards about nothing but wrestling belts. So in my opinion the internet has done more good for the wrestling business than it has bad.

Spec_Sun my brother from another mother is back again this week, wondering if Indy promoters could work together to establish a territory system.

Spec_Sun: Let's say that every independent promoter decided to gather together for a series of meeting to be held at some location. For an estimate, I'll say 35 show up. Their goal is to examine the current state of the indy scene, discuss ideas on how to improve, and what could be done in the future to make it better for everyone. After several days of real discussion, they decide to re-establish the territory system, but this time for the indies. The promoters vote to name ROH as the flagship promotion and recognize its heavyweight championship as the top belt. Also, this alliance among independent promoters will be known as the IWA (Independent Wrestling Alliance), which will stretch globally. In my view, this would be a good way for the indy scene to exchange talent, develop talent, and establish some sense of creativity and unity more efficiently.

Jason, here's my question. Could this work, and if not, are there better alternatives?

A: It couldn't work, and here is the reason why. Every promoter is going to want they guy to be the top guy. It's like what Vince has already said, promoters can't even agree to a cup of coffee, how could they agree on booking a card together. Would it help out the Independent scene. It would ten fold, it would help regulate the Indy scene and it would help keep shows fresh, but it would never happen. Say 35 Indy promoters get together and do this, now they have to factor the travel and stay of the top guy who will tour every promotion. But then they'll have to also pay what the other promoters pay in this system, which most Indy promoters are a stingy bunch to begin with because they don't draw big crowds most of the time. I do think the territories can come back and make a huge difference in wrestling. But it would have to be a group of the bigger Indy promotions doing it. It would have to be leagues like IWA Mid-South, Chikara, PWG. Those would be the ones that could pull off working together and creating territories, because they all pretty much do work together now. Once you get to smaller Indy Promotions you are just looking for trouble trying to get them to work together. I'll make this short, but I knew a small time promoter here in PA. He tried to sabotage a Chikara show a few years go, because he thought they were running in what he deemed his town. So that tells you all you need to know about Smaller Indy promoters

TC "Master of the Spinebuster" Anderson is the first person to stump me, and he asks Memphis related questions.

TC Anderson: Ok, time to get back to my roots with these questions. As far as bookers go, how do you feel about Jerry Jarrett and The King during their time together in Memphis?

A: Me personally I have a love hate relationship with Memphis Wrestling, because I respect what it means to the history of pro wrestling. But they were Sports Entertainment before it was sports entertainment. Though, I can't deny what Jerry Jarrett and Lawler did as bookers, they did create a very successful promotion that ran an at most 300 mile radius. They stayed fresh in a smaller region, when leagues who were running a larger region were struggling to stay fresh. Even today, WWE has a hard time keeping things fresh with using the same guys, yet back in the Memphis, Lawler never got stale, the Fabulous Ones never got stale (just gayer, sorry couldn't help it), and the matches were always getting a crowd reaction from bottom to top. So, they are two of the best bookers in the wrestling business ever.

What did you think of Terry Golden's show, Kick Ass Wrestling that came out for about a year and a half? (Jamie Dundee was a personal highlight for me during this period)

A: Color me stumped. TC, I never heard of this league until I read your question. I have watched some of it on You Tube, and it looked like a fun promotion to watch. I'd love to watch more of it. But I can't go into detail about the league. Sorry. If I had a prize to send you I would just for stumping me.

And finally, what did you think about the WWF's invasion into USWA? It was the first time Vince became a heel character way, way before the Montreal Screw Job and many fans have no idea about it.

A: Loved it, this was one of my favorite things that Memphis did. It wasn't just Vince as a heel character it was how in one city, all these WWE good guys were the most despicable heels on earth. That was how good of a booker Jerry Lawler was, and how much the fans really believed in him. That something you don't see now. Vince with the USWA unified title on cracks me up to no end, cause he still has that suit on with the shoulder pads in them. Again, one of the best things Memphis ever did.

Norrin wants to know about that awesome Native American. No not Jay Strongbow. He Wants to know about WAHOO!

Norrin: What are your thoughts and memories of Wahoo McDaniel?

A: When I first saw Wahoo as a child, I believed he was everything he said he was. Yeah he looked budgy, yeah he was old. But he looked like he could take on an army just on how he carried himself. As I've gotten older, I've come to respect Wahoo more as a story teller than just a tough guy. He always had a way of keeping the fans believing that his match was legit. He had that knack, and to do it in the mid 80's NWA which was for other than Mid South, the most hard hitting wrestling promotion at the time. As far as memories go, I most remember Wahoo are his promo's from the TBS Studio show. Cause that's where I saw him most as a kid.

Terry Funk with a Hogan or Flair push, I Love Lacey wants to know

I Love Lacey: In the 80's had Terry Funk gotten a push similar to Hogan or Flair in a major promotion would he today be considered the greatest wrestler of all time by the majority of the fans?

He's already considered one of the greatest of all time, but I don't think a similar push to Hogan and Flair would've helped to get the fans to think he was/is. Terry got over more by just being Terry, than he did by getting pushed by a promoter. Plus Terry wasn't one to stay in a place for too long, so it would've been harder to put that kind of faith in Terry. All in all, a push like that might have actually hindered Terry in the eyes of fans, because he'd be there one month and gone the next. Terry was his own man, and promoters just wouldn't want to give that kind of leeway to someone, not just back then but now too. I think that kind of push would make fans consider Terry lower than Hogan or Flair than it would elevate him in there eyes. I got back to what I said at the beginning of this answer. He's already on their level in the eyes of fans, he didn't need the same type of push

With that, I'm out this week, keep tabs on my you tube account as I'm adding stuff as I type. The address is http://www.youtube.com/SixxEdge

With that I'm out for the week.

Till next time.

To submit questions please go to the IYH message board, or email jack@inyourheadonline.com

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