This Week's Ruminations - Saturday, 10/04/97
This Week's Ruminations - Saturday, 10/04/97
- Normally, I make my ruminations part of my weekly report, but I am not doing any reporting this week as I got invited over a client's house for dinner in Phoenix on Monday and I've got no access to a VCR out there. None of my regular reporters were available, so James Lawson, most recently a regular writer for Scoops, will be filling in for me this Monday. James did the Bash at the Beach report for DDT Digest back in July.
- Speaking of conflicts, I will be on a plane when Nitro is on Columbus Day, 10/13. I will be reporting for Sunday {Pro} on 10/12 and Steve Raymond will be covering Nitro on 10/13.
- True story: So, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to cover Halloween Havoc. The girlfriend's away that weekend so, rather than fly back to Virginia just to be there for two days like I usually do, I'm staying in Phoenix that weekend. Staying in a hotel, I'll have no access to pay-per-views. Add to that I'm getting subs for the next two Nitro reports, I'm pretty annoyed at having to farm the work out. And, to add insult to injury, I'm trying to figure out what the heck I'm going to do in Phoenix that weekend. So, for a week, I sit fretting about those two issues. Hmmm, in Phoenix with nothing to do - want to see Halloween Havoc - in Phoenix with nothing to do - want to see Halloween Havoc. Then, I'm in the cab on the way home from the airport, and like Butthead in Beavis and Butthead, the little 3-watt light bulb flickers on over my head. Why don't I just go?! So, I just got my one lone ticket and will be driving from Phoenix to Las Vegas on Sunday morning and driving back to Phoenix after the show. Look for a Halloween Havoc arena report from me the day after.
- The PWI Top 500 issue came out this week. A couple things I found very interesting:
- Who do you think the number one rated wrestler is? Believe it or not, Dean Malenko! I think that's totally awesome. Not only is he a great wrestler, but I've found that in talking to the few people actually in the business I've talked to, there is a profound respect for Dean by the other wrestlers. In an era of superstars having veto power over their finishes and being able to write their own angles, Dean, like Arn Anderson, is a guy that knows wrestling is a quid quo pro business. At first, it seemed like a really odd choice. I expected either the Giant or Bret Hart. However, Bret is down at number 20 and Giant is number 8. I'd give you the entire breakdown, but I'd probably be breaking some copyright laws.
- Tech 9, one half of Da Naybah Hoodz, broke the PWI 500 for the first time, checking in at 485. Ironically, Supreme, one half of Supreme Kaos, Da Naybah Hoodz biggest rivals, came in right above at 484.
- Kaos of High Voltage came in at 246, although PWI spelled his name "Chaos".
- This issue also includes the ballots for voting for Wrestling of the Year, Most Popular Wrestler, etc.
- Nash and Hall are not listed as top nominees for most hated wrestler of the year, but they are top nominees for most popular wrestler(s).
- Given how Inspirational Wrestler of the Year is defined, Arn Anderson may not qualify. However, I'm voting for him as I found his speech inspirational. He felt that if he came back, others would have to cover for him. He realized it was time to move aside and let the Chris Benoits and Rey Misterios get their time in the spotlight. Arn knew when to step aside unlike certain unnamed WCW champions with the initials H.H. who hold a prized belt they never defend. If fact, Arn isn't even listed as a top nominee for the award, which I am presuming is a result of the issue being printed before his speech. If don't know, maybe he'll be the first write in in history to win a PWI Achievement Award. It's up to you to make it happen.
- E-mail of the week:
From your Nitro Report:
"Hennig successfully gives the Giant a Fisherman's Suplex!! And the Giant powers out afterwards! Hennig is beside himself!"
Did the suplex surprise you? I wasn't really surprised. The Giant set that one up. In case you haven't heard of Wight's agility, he can do a lot of surprising moves, such as flying body presses and moonsaults (though NO ONE will ever catch him). Seems to me after watching that one on tape (I missed the live showing and had to record it) that that suplex was more Giant than Hennig. If Jacqueline's offensive attacks this spring showed nothing else (and they didn't), it was how "fake" these moves are. Take her suplexes, for example...the guys practically did flips. If you watch some of the less technically-sound guys like Steve McMichael, you'll see that they practically do side flips when running into bodyslams.
Back to the Giant...when Hennig does the Fisherman's Suplex, you'll notice that he usually bounces for a while before taking him over. That seems to be like a cue to the wrestler, as if he goes over on the third bounce or something. Then, the other wrestler "jumps" with the other leg as Hennig executes the move. It ALMOST completely worked in this case, but you'll also notice on the replay that it looked like Giant was stuck in mid-air on that one...where Hennig must have had to use all his strength to get him over.
So, to summarize, that move was more Giant than Hennig. One of those long, drawn-out vertical suplexes would have been MUCH more impressive, but we all know what would happen then...Hennig Pancakes in Worcester would have been served the next morning. The interesting thing, though, is how Giant's agility helps sell moves by guys like Hennig. I think that's why you don't see Huck Hogan get powerbombed too much, and why Andre was only slammed once or twice in his career.
Phil S.
DDT Digest Medical Advisor
(I had to take physics to get into med school)