Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: qdeezie
So, am I the only person on BITOG that grew up watching wrestling? I'm surprised that no one mentioned anything.
I don't watch wrestling nowadays because it's no ways as good as it used to be (it's seriously lacking personalities and storylines), but when I look back on my childhood, watching wrestling (primarily NWA/Mid Atlantic Wrestling/WCW - Jim Crockett Promotions) and seeing Dusty Rhodes along with other all time greats is something that always puts a smile on my face whenever I take a trip down memory lane.
Too bad about Dusty Rhodes. He never really wrestled on TV or at any shows I went to when I was watching wrestling but I used to read about him all the time. The few times I saw him he was very entertaining though and I liked him. It is said to see he has passed.
As far as your general comments on wrestling...
I agree, wrestling has gone to pot. I watched wrestling all the time as a kid up through say the early - mid 80's. By the late 80's - early 90's I was done with it. Used to watch it Saturday at noon religiously and I subscribed to a lot of the popular magazines about it. I went to quite a few shows/events too.
Back when I watched it was 3 main federations that covered the east, central, and west. It was the WWWF/WWF in the east, NWA in the center, and then the one out west I can't remember the name of? I think it was the AWA/NWA or something like that? Verne Gagne and Nick Bockwinkle were long time champions in that federation back then whatever it was called.
I gave up on wrestling and lost total interest when it shifted to what it has become today. I do not like wrestling now. It used to be exciting and sort of on the funny side. Now it is just vulgar and stupid(IMO). Vince McMahon Jr really lost me when he went from the simple good guy son of Vince Sr to whatever he is now.
Where I grew up it was always the WWWF( Vince Sr ) and then the WWF( Vince Jr )so the guys I saw and enjoyed watching were( just to see how many I can remember )...
The Good Guys:
Bruno Sammartino( 60's-70's champion )
Bob Backlund( 70's-80's champion )
Arnold Skaaland ( wrestler & manager )
Gorilla Monsoon
Andre The Giant
Pedro Morales
Pat Patterson( was bad at 1st )
Tony Atlas
Chief Jay Strongbow
Tony Garea & Rick Martel ( tag team )
Ivan Putski( POLISH POWER!!!! ) & Tito Santana ( tag team )
The Bushwhackers ( tag team )
Hulk Hogan( I like the old Hulk much better than the new )
Haystacks Calhoun
Quick Draw Rick McGraw
Hacksaw Jim Dugan
Ricky The Dragon Steamboat
Jimmy Superfly Snuka
Wendi Richter ( HOT female champion )
The Bad Guys:
Nature Boy Buddy Roberts ( wrestler and manager )
Superstar Billy Graham
Ivan Kolof
Killer Kowalski
The executioners ( tag team )
The Wild Samoans ( tag team )
The Moon Dogs ( tag team )
Lou Albano( manager )
Classy Freddie Blassie ( wrestler & manager )
The Grand Wizard ( manager )
Magnificent Morocco
Greg Valentine
Jesse The Body Ventura
Mr. Fuji
Professor Tanaka
King Kong Bundy
Big John Stud
Iron Shiek
Nikoli Volkof
George The Animal Steele
Rowdy Roddy Piper
Sargent Slaughter
The Fabulous Moolah( female champion forever )
Wow, I can't believe I remembered that many, even though I know I am forgetting a ton, it has been so long since I really watched it.
Good walk down memory lane.
Gotta correct you.
André the giant turned heel once he challenged hogan for the title. They were best friends and he back door'd him.
George the animal Steele turned baby face with his love for the macho mans wife Elizabeth.
Roddy piper turned baby face too.
Sgt. slaughter was a baby face then went heel with that nonsense in the late 80s and turned Arab or something.
The wwe reached it peak with the rock and Steve Austin. I'd get shivers when I heard their songs come on.
If you smeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllll.....what the Rock............is coooookin.
Jake the snake was a devout Christian. He would quote scripture in the dressing rooms.
Steve Austin got tired of hearing it so as the snake was about to quote something Austin pipes up saying " well Austin 3:16 says I gonna whoop your [censored]"
And the rest is history.
Yeah. I watched from the time I was 10. I quit watching once these new guys emerged like Jon cera,so maybe 10 years ago or so.
When I first started there were some small TV shows. Nwa and the awa and of course the wwf.
Vince McMahon was a genius. Then him and Ted turner tried to be the Kings,and turner lost b
The Ted turner stuff was retarded. Such great athletes doing such dumb story lines. But it gave guys who hated Vince somewhere to work.
Once Vince got it all a lot guys were forced into retirement.
The wcw is where good wrestlers went to die. The wwe made legends.
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