A completely full mailbag this week, so no loading up with intro text. Let’s just dive right into it and see what y’all wanna talk about!
Nolan W asks…”Did anybody think when Sami Zayn wrestled Stardust at Roadblock 2016 that we’d be discussing that as a possible WrestleMania main event one day?”
I thought Sami wrestled Braun at that show? But to your point, so much of what we are now seeing has to do with Vince being out of creative, as there’s zero chance he would have ever let this get so ‘out of control.’ That would be in his mind, not everyone else’s. Kinda weird to think what may have happened to other folks that got super over on their own – I will always shake my head at how Matt Cardona got over doing silly videos by himself, and then the company would just bury him at every opportunity. Shocking what happens when you get behind opportunities that life gives you versus shoving that stuff in the trash and fighting your fanbase. With all THAT said, I still am betting Vince gets back in creative and we’re back to weekly baffling stuff. I just can’t see that never happening again.
Rudy Y sez…”When you say “Mrs. Deal! Get ______ on the phone!” what does she normally do?”
Drops a dime into the pay phone and immediately contacts the person. The person says, “RD who?” then hangs up. Been that way for over 20 years!
Mike M inquires…”What’s your opinion on self-aware jobbers, like The JOB Squad, Heath Slater, James Ellsworth, etc?”
Personally, I love them, in large part because of what I just wrote above. You have guys that see they are slotted at a certain level so they are going to make the most of it and figure out a path to entertain the audience the best they can (while no doubt at the same time entertaining themselves). When you think about Three Man Band, it’s kinda staggering the amount of success they have obtained, especially Drew. I still find their antics in that group far more entertaining than anything they’ve done individually since but I’m a weirdo like that.
Mike B provides the following query: “Who do you think could eat more BW3, Abdulla or Yoko”
Neither. Guys like that wouldn’t waste their time on a place you have to buy wings by the piece. Golden Corral for them all the way.
Bryan B Jr quizzes us with…”What are the odds if Vince Russo were still writing for a wrestling company, a Brawl For All version of Slapfight would be on the progrem?”
I am not sure anyone could pay Russo enough to write for a wrestling company these days as a regular gig. Trust me, he’s done with it and counting the days until his real retirement where he will vanish from covering it at all.
Gary L ponders…”Post Mania debuts?”
Depends on if Tony is going to break the bank or not. If not, I completely see FTR and possibly Omega coming in to WWE. I think that really neuters AEW to lose part of the Elite, but as I’ve said before, WWE has things that Tony simply can’t offer – which in large part is why we are seeing Cody in a Mania main event this year.
Robert R questions…”Will anything from original ECW be inducted on the site?”
I mean, the Musketeer has to show up at some point, right?
Richard P throws this at us…”Are there any topics that are too taboo, even for wrestling? We’ve seen tasteless, we’ve seen a rapist gimmick, but do you think there is something that even the highest/drunkest mark will say “Hey now, no way am I going to see that”?”
It’s been how long since we saw Katie Vick and this is seriously a question?
Sean B wants to know…”Did you know that John Tenta did hardcore matches in early 2000s while in All Japan?”
I did not, but that doesn’t surprise me. John was a family man and was going to do anything he had to so as to keep his family fed and under a good roof. He was the epitome of a good, honest person, one I attempt to emulate as best I can.
James B ponders…”What was the biggest upset in Gooker history?”
I don’t know that it’s the biggest, but I was somewhat shocked by this year’s voting. I really thought it was going to be a closer race, and Flair ‘winning’ wasn’t a real surprise, the landslide margin was to me. Generally I have a good idea going in as to what was going to top the chart but this year I really felt it would be like a three way race. All that said, that match was terrible and was worthy of the Gooker nod.
That’s it for today kids. But keep sending in those questions rightchere!