Kevin's Random Thoughts
Friday, October 15, 2004
Revenge of the Bloggg...
The moment I quit bitching, everyone else starts. Fuck off. Here's something I posted over at www.otherarena.com
***
Some time ago, I asked for recommendations on great 70s matches. It's a decade of matches readily available thanks to AJPW and NJPW Classics, but one I have very little experience watching. So based on Frank's recommendations list, jdw's Top 20 AJ Matches of the 70s & 80s, and a few other matches I've seen mentioned, I ordered a slew of matches. 15 Matches over 3 T160 SP tapes. Here's what I came away with.
Tape 110/09/73 - The Destroyer vs Mil Mascaras
07/29/74 - The Destroyer vs Mil Mascaras
My first impression is that the Mil who popped up in here and there in the States in 90s is a much different creature than the Mil here. This is also my first tates of The Destroyer (except for his "legend" appearances in the 90s). The second match is the better of the two, with the mat wrestling a lot more focused, and less micommunication between the two, although their comedy spots didn't come off as well with a Japanese ref who didn't seem to "get" it. The finishes were both kind of lame (Mil avoiding doing a clean job, I suppose), but overall both were enjoyable. If I didn't already know, I'd still walk away saying "There has to be an ultra blowaway Destroyer match out there I need to see".
12/02/74 - Jack Brisco vs Giant Baba
I loved this one. First time seeing Brisco as the World champ and a younger Baba who could still go. Loved Briscos mat work; very interesting stuff. And I was surprised to see Baba keep up with him. Great, dramatic near falls at the end too. It made me enjoy Baba's big win despite the fact I'm so against him buying a title reign.
07/25/75 - Giant Baba vs Fritz Von Erich
It was... interesting, but only for the first part. I enjoyed the nutty psych of Baba wroking Fritz' hand and dodging the claw, but it got old fast. So did the match. Way too long for what they were doing. And death match rules always make for anti climatic finishes. And this was even worse since the "near falls" felt like 2 minutes apart with Fritz slowly getting back up, slowly getting in the ring, and Baba slowly chopping him back down. I'd actually be interested to see a regular rules brawl between the two. Does one exist? Is it worth seeing at all?
12/09/75 - Giant Baba vs Harley Race
Why was this recommended to me? I already own a 30min headlock in Muta vs Windham. I don't get what they were going for. Baba could clearly go on the mat, as he proved against Brisco. And I know Harley can go and bring lots of offense. But they did nothing. You can work a headlock and still make it interesting, but they chose to go nothing but lay there, come up and give us hope of something, but go right back to the same hold. I like wrestler's having a game plan and going back to the same hold, but for God sakes, break it up with chain wrestling or spots in between. Don't just lay in a hold and make no effort to entertain me.
Out of time. I'll do tapes 2 and 3 later.
The moment I quit bitching, everyone else starts. Fuck off. Here's something I posted over at www.otherarena.com
***
Some time ago, I asked for recommendations on great 70s matches. It's a decade of matches readily available thanks to AJPW and NJPW Classics, but one I have very little experience watching. So based on Frank's recommendations list, jdw's Top 20 AJ Matches of the 70s & 80s, and a few other matches I've seen mentioned, I ordered a slew of matches. 15 Matches over 3 T160 SP tapes. Here's what I came away with.
Tape 110/09/73 - The Destroyer vs Mil Mascaras
07/29/74 - The Destroyer vs Mil Mascaras
My first impression is that the Mil who popped up in here and there in the States in 90s is a much different creature than the Mil here. This is also my first tates of The Destroyer (except for his "legend" appearances in the 90s). The second match is the better of the two, with the mat wrestling a lot more focused, and less micommunication between the two, although their comedy spots didn't come off as well with a Japanese ref who didn't seem to "get" it. The finishes were both kind of lame (Mil avoiding doing a clean job, I suppose), but overall both were enjoyable. If I didn't already know, I'd still walk away saying "There has to be an ultra blowaway Destroyer match out there I need to see".
12/02/74 - Jack Brisco vs Giant Baba
I loved this one. First time seeing Brisco as the World champ and a younger Baba who could still go. Loved Briscos mat work; very interesting stuff. And I was surprised to see Baba keep up with him. Great, dramatic near falls at the end too. It made me enjoy Baba's big win despite the fact I'm so against him buying a title reign.
07/25/75 - Giant Baba vs Fritz Von Erich
It was... interesting, but only for the first part. I enjoyed the nutty psych of Baba wroking Fritz' hand and dodging the claw, but it got old fast. So did the match. Way too long for what they were doing. And death match rules always make for anti climatic finishes. And this was even worse since the "near falls" felt like 2 minutes apart with Fritz slowly getting back up, slowly getting in the ring, and Baba slowly chopping him back down. I'd actually be interested to see a regular rules brawl between the two. Does one exist? Is it worth seeing at all?
12/09/75 - Giant Baba vs Harley Race
Why was this recommended to me? I already own a 30min headlock in Muta vs Windham. I don't get what they were going for. Baba could clearly go on the mat, as he proved against Brisco. And I know Harley can go and bring lots of offense. But they did nothing. You can work a headlock and still make it interesting, but they chose to go nothing but lay there, come up and give us hope of something, but go right back to the same hold. I like wrestler's having a game plan and going back to the same hold, but for God sakes, break it up with chain wrestling or spots in between. Don't just lay in a hold and make no effort to entertain me.
Out of time. I'll do tapes 2 and 3 later.
Comments:
Post a Comment
