Brody and Friends talk about the AWA (Brody has no friends)

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1765580643843387804

Some ring rat was about to change her mind when Dick Beyer's face was revealed.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1766451471619391682

Not sure if it is neat or sad that Bock faced Crusher in the 50s and was still fighting him in the 80s.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1770435890109694019

 

[BruiserBrody]

The heels do some killer work. Jumbo.... can't do a return promo.

 

[BruiserBrody]

I feel like I've talked about this before, but I was just looking up GCW results from 1984 and saw Crusher Blackwell had a run there leading up to Black Saturday. Blackwell had just done his big face turn in June and the AWA wrote him off for the summer. Blackwell worked GCW, Central States and Japan. His AWA face turn would have made TV but Blackwell is doing heel work in both places.
WORSE YET - he and his blood foe Brody team a bunch in Japan in Aug, only to fly back to the Midwest at the end of the month to begin their feud! I'd love to see the Apters coverage of that!

Also - note that Verne doesn't yet seem to realize his promotion is in a war and does his usual limited summer schedule instead of fortifying the roster and running shows to expand, the WWF gets a few free months to scoop up more talent and TV deals.

 

[AA484]

Watching a documentary on the murder of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright and noticed this(!) on his gravestone. I guess the guy was a bigger AWA fan than a Memphis/Lawler fan (Wright was a Memphis native):

 

[AA484]

The dad calls the son, “Gan-ya,” after his middle name, Vern-Gagne, which the dad says used to be the name of a professional wrestler.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

1986 AWA All Star Wrestlers Battle Royal Playset Commercial by Remco | 1986 AWA All Star Wrestlers Battle Royal Playset Commercial by Remco | By Vintage Toy EmporiumFacebook

1986 AWA All Star Wrestlers Battle Royal Playset Commercial by Remco

www.facebook.com

 

[BruiserBrody]

Verne could have played his Baba pipeline better and offered his fans some interesting new talent after Wrestlerock.
If Verne hangs on to his $ and talent for 8 months longer than he did, he's in play for the UWF talent. So Doc, Steiner, etc guys with NCAA cred Verne would love can be added to the mix. (To be fair, young Rick and eventually young Scott Steiner both made AWA TV and Verne used both as job guys.)
I don't think Dibiase would have been in play, Baba pipeline or not as JCP was offering him 250K or something like that as his guarantee before he went with Vince's offer.
Verne does switch alliances to NJPW at some point (late 87/early 88?) which opens up light heavyweight showcase matches for ESPN. Owen is not yet in the WWF, the Guerreros are about to enter AWA, Muta is already slumming it in America in various territories in 87. The Rockers are still in and out of the AWA at times, Tanaka and Diamond are soon to arrive. The Bulldogs and Brian Blair could be late 88 additions.
Of course any free agents/fantasy booking is null and void as the AWA is offering hot dogs and hand shakes for payoffs so there's no incentive to come other than the ESPN TV. Verne is a prick boss and the only house shows are paid shows in front of 1000 people on a good weekend.

Brody tried booking hoss heavy in WCCW in late 86/into 87 (Abby, Jos LeDuc, Mulligan, Nord etc) and that was part of the death period of WCCW. Different fan demo and all that from the AWA

 

[BruiserBrody]

‘He’s such a nice guy’: New film shares two sides of pro wrestling’s legendary villain Jim ‘The Baron’ Raschke

The incredible story of Baron Von Raschke, real name Jim Raschke, is the subject of a documentary film co-written and co-produced by his son. It’s called “The Claw.”

www.mprnews.org

 

[BruiserBrody]

March 17 – With only one week left to promote their upcoming Cow Palace card, the AWA secures a last-minute deal with KTSF-26 in San Francisco.

March 24 – Having lost valuable weeks of television to promote the card, the AWA’s card at the Cow Palace draws an abysmal 900 fans.

3/24/84 – San Francisco, CA @ the Cow Palace
Jesse Ventura & Steve Regal (sub Bobby Heenan) & Mr. Saito defeated The Crusher & Baron Von Raschke & Buck Zumhofe
Blackjack Mulligan & Blackjack Lanza defeated AWA Tag Team Champions Ken Patera & Jerry Blackwell via DQ
Wendy Richter & Donna Christanello defeated Princess Victoria & Despina Montagus
Greg Gagne & Kevin Kelly defeated Steve Regal & Steve O
Kevin Kelly defeated Guy Lambert
Reported Attendance: 900

Yes they reunited the Blackjacks for a hot minute to combat the WWF roster purge.
Richter would start with the WWF a week later and work tag matches throughout April, including doing jobs. Suddenly in May she is working Moolah to set up the Lauper angle.
Not sure why Steve O is a heel here. I would guess a false result myself.

 

[BruiserBrody]

January 31 – The AWA shows signs of weakness on the west coast, drawing only 1,000 fans to San Francisco’s Cow Palace after the departure of Hulk Hogan. [DEATH OF THE TERRITORIES, pp. 123] In the main event, AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel defeats Brad Rheingans. 1/31/84 – San Francisco, CA @ the Cow Palace AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel defeated Brad Rheingans The Crusher & Mad Dog Vachon defeated Mr. Saito & Jesse Ventura Greg Gagne vs. Sheik Adnan was canceled when both men no showed. Ken Patera drew Billy Robinson 15:00 Steve Regal defeated Buck Zumhofe Reported Attendance: 1,000​

 

[BruiserBrody]

I knew the Road Warriors no showed this TV Taping to protest things but I didn't know the AWA went ahead and announced at the beginning of the show that the Warriors were booked and didn't make it. Then went ahead and aired Jim Garvin and Steve Regal cutting promos on the Warriors about the match that they already announced would not be aired.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

AWA Unleashed!- Episode 116- Spotlight: 1974 - AWA Unleashed

”The Voice of Minnesota Wrestling” Mick Karch, wrestling historian George Schire and Chris Tubbs recap the glory days of the historic and influential American Wrestling Association.

pca.st

@BruiserBrody , lmk if they discuss how AWA addressed Watergate.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Closest we got to Watergate is when Eddie Sharkey broke into the AWA offices with a gun to kill Gagne for trying to shag his wife

 

[BruiserBrody]

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1788557575803519394

I had no idea who Lawler was when I first read about this and was calling him Lawyer until Mama Brody corrected my ways,

I would have watched AWA TV at 10 AM on Sunday mornings more than likely, but I don't recall anything from my 5-6 year old brain.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

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[BruiserBrody]

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Running a stadium with a 2:30 AWA World title match was an odd choice.
Yes, it was followed with a memorable multi minute brawl that saw them brawl to the dug outs, but maybe go 7-10 mins first?

Hansen was fresh to the territory, although he had been in the AWA in the recent past. Not sure if the fans gave a shit at a main event level.
The Bruno angle was 8+ years prior so his name was at worst known.

It at least gave Martel an angle to try and draw with. They hadn't run any real angles with Rick past Bockwinkel doing standard former champ challenges and Martel/Garvin tied Baroness Von Rasche (Baron in drag) into the mix to counter Precious. I believe the Freebirds may have attacked him at some point to set up Hayes as a challenger, with Gordy getting some shots too.
The old timers say Hayes was a dud for an angle because he was such a similar gimmick to Garvin and they were challengers back to back.

Bore-us Zuhkov actually drew well with Martel in Canada and IIRC they had a 3 match series culminating in a cage match in Winnipeg (Montreal?)

 

[BruiserBrody]

Canada alone is a small microcosm of how Vince beat Verne. SuperClash was only weeks after Vince bought/partnered with the Montreal promotion, which would have been Martel's top city. Vince got the Rougeaus and Bravo and most of the rest of talent was left to die on the vine.
(Ron Garvin and Jimmy Garvin sold out Montreal all summer as top heels and Vince didn't somehow get them to sign on.)
I'm not sure if ass kicking Ronnie is better or worse than Jimmy having Steve Regal as his flashy partner to beat the Road Warriors right after SuperClash. Regal was Wilbur Snyder's son in law IIRC and Verne really pushed him up the card to the point of holding multiple belts. Then he ended up on the outs and working Windy City Wrestling basically outlaw to Verne and eventually working WWF prelims.

Anyway, 6 months after Superclash, Verne also lost Winnipeg thanks to the local promoter and Blackjack Lanza (now a WWF agent) outflanking him and kicking him out of the arena and TV IRRC.
That was a mini story all on it's own and Mad Dog Vachon was black balled by Verne for leaving the AWA for Vince (which wound up with a 50 something Vachon working a handful of dates instead of headlining around the AWA towns. Vachon was being used on Winnipeg's AWA TV by late 85 despite Verne's wishes. Vachon was making the spots for only that particular town.
Bockwinkel was also turned face on Winnipeg TV in a separate angle than what turned him on ESPN's TV. Mad Dog was involved in that too. It should be on youtube.

Martel left the AWA the moment he lost the belt and went to headline the new montreal promotion with Steve DiSalvo, Abby, etc

 

[BruiserBrody]

Loss4Words-
June 2 1984– In an attempt to expand their reach, the AWA looks to lock down Indianapolis and runs their first card at the Market Square Arena. In the main event, Steve Keirn wins an 18-man battle royal. The card only draws 1,000 fans and suffers from a whopping seven no-shows of wrestlers in advertised matches. Despite jumping to the WWF weeks earlier, the AWA continued to advertise Jesse Ventura for this card, in this case against Baron Von Raschke, with Von Raschke saying in interviews that if he does not show up, it proves that Ventura is a chicken. Among the no-shows, Bruiser Brody and the Road Warriors were also announced for the card but never could have appeared in the first place, as they were already booked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that day. [WON JULY 1984] The AWA continues to run the building monthly through October, but can never find success in the city.

June 7 – The AWA draws a terrible 750 fans to the San Francisco Cow Palace in further sign of their demise in the city. In the main event, Nick Bockwinkel and Bruiser Brody team to defeat Baron Von Raschke and the Crusher. On the undercard, Brody also wrestles against Steve O and “giving building management heart failure” [WON JULY 1984]by roaming the crowd and brawling into every section of the building.

​ ​ June 10 – Preparing for the WWF’s debut in the market only a week later, the AWA draws a tepid 8,000 fans to the St. Paul Civic Center. In the top matches, Jerry Blackwell wins a $100,000 18-man battle royal while Nick Bockwinkel and the Crusher brawl to a double disqualification. When the cash prize for the battle royal is announced, the WWF lobbies the Minnesota State Athletic commission to require a tax agent to be present to ensure the money is distributed as advertised, pointing out the opportunity for the state to collect up to $25,000 in tax revenue. [WON 1984-07-09] The WWF gains allies in the press for this endeavor, as sports columnist Don Riley writes in the day’s Sunday Pioneer Press, “For 25 years, Gagne and Co. have reaped (critics pronounce it ‘raped’) this community of a gross more than $15 million. Gagne’s established himself in the old Heffelfinger mansion, bought $50,000 horses for children, made a movie, bought choice real estate – but eats alone when it comes to his camaraderie with his grunters. Many of his own have defaulted, claiming they can earn twice as much with the New Yorkers. Others tolerate the 350-mile auto trips, the grubby overnight lodgings, the truck stop steaks for one reason: He keeps them steadily employed. It might be a $400 check for a $150,000 gate in St. Paul or a $150 job for a 720 turnout in Fergus Falls.” Gene Okerlund also twists the knife, telling local reporters, “Someone told me two of the guys Wally [Karbo] is bringing in are Wilbur Snyder and Dick the Bruiser. Wilbur Snyder? Well, if he gets hurt, Medicaid will take care of it.” [WON 1984-07-09] While at the event, Mad Dog Vachon informs the AWA that this will be his last show with the company, as he is now WWF bound, a “greater blow to the Gagne troupe than it was a boon to Titan and company, which is just another example of McMahon’s attempt to strip various promotions of key talents before invasions.” [WON 1984-07-09] Promoters Greg Gagne and Wally Karbo respond by pulling Vachon from the evening’s show [WON 1984-07-09], which only angers fans in live attendance and contributes to AWA’s reputation for not delivering on advertised lineups. All three Twin Cities network affiliates cover the AWA show that night on the evening news, although the WWF airs an ad during the commercial break on WTCN-11 before the segment to promote their own card June 14 – The AWA draws 2,000 fans to Winnipeg, Manitoba, its worst crowd in the city “in years”. [WON 1984-07-30] In the main event, Bruiser Brody and Abdullah the Butcher teamed against the Crusher and Baron Von Raschke. Brody will be unable to wrestle in Winnipeg again after slamming a referee into a wall, taking a police officer’s chair to use as a weapon, and attacking Von Raschke with the table in use by the athletic commission. The AWA is forced to cancel the scheduled July 12 Winnipeg show because of the incident. [WON AUGUST 1984] .​

Shit falls apart fast for Verne

 

[BruiserBrody]

Stealing Ken Patera's gimmick is not cool

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

AWA Unleashed!- Episode 120- Mick Karch- Part 4 - AWA Unleashed

”The Voice of Minnesota Wrestling” Mick Karch, wrestling historian George Schire and Chris Tubbs recap the glory days of the historic and influential American Wrestling Association.

pca.st

Part 4!? At this point, they should probably just have Brod on the podcast

 

[BruiserBrody]

AWA Unleashed!- Episode 120- Mick Karch- Part 4 - AWA Unleashed

”The Voice of Minnesota Wrestling” Mick Karch, wrestling historian George Schire and Chris Tubbs recap the glory days of the historic and influential American Wrestling Association.

pca.st

Part 4!? At this point, they should probably just have Brod on the podcast

One of our local toy stores is doing a "Rock and Wrestling" festival with live music, live wrestling, food trucks, etc. I emailed them to see if they wanted AWA great Frank Hill to be part of the event (Only wrestler announced so far is Colt Cabana) but they never replied.

I'm guessing they felt ignoring it was better than replying with "We ain't paying that bum!"

 

[BruiserBrody]

Fighting Words!

Dutch even says he doesn't see the appeal of Crusher and Bruiser, much less the Gagnes....

"How did they draw sell outs with that roster?" Well, Dutch they didn't after 1985. Before that you had Hogan, Heenan and Bockwinkel!

Much less Mad Dog Vachon, SS Graham, Wahoo and a ton of other top talents rotating through.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Ahhh cripes! I tink I'mma gonna watch'er

 

[BruiserBrody]

Ahhh cripes! I tink I'mma gonna watch'er

This is actually a hell of a "shoot interview" that could've been released under an AWA round table gimmick DVD.

It serves as a nice complement to Eric's mini life story that was told on "Who Killed WCW?"

They all have their time served during the AWA death spiral.

We even get a little talk on Verne's Hail Mary attempts to lure WGN into funding the AWA, as well as a late 80s attempt to get a network to pay for Hogan's contract to bring him back to the AWA.

Apparently Eric was still doing AWA wrap arounds for old matches on syndication as late as 1991 while already in WCW.

 

[BruiserBrody]

June 6 78
Apparently Greg Gagne got married the night before so the roster was struggling to make the town afterward. Not sure I buy that as I assume Gagne would have been married in the Twin Cities era so Milwaukee a day later wouldn't be that bad, even by car.

Milwaukee
From the Arena (4,843)

Pat O'Connor beat Jake Guzick in 8:00 (replaced a scheduled Angelo Mosca vs Larry Hennig match)

George Gadaski & Frank Hill beat Lord Alfred Hayes in a handicap match where Hayes had to beat both men
- Hayes pinned Gadaski but time ran out before he could beat Hill...the original bout was slated as Gadaski vs Super Destroyer Mark II

Evan Johnson & Steve Olsonoski beat Pat Patterson & Ray Stevens via DQ after Stevens or Patterson jumped off the top rope

Bob Orton Jr. beat Jim Brunzell at the 15 minute mark

Rufus R. Jones beat AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel via pin in 22:00; Jones pinned Bockwinkel after Bockwinkel threw referee Larry Lisowski into a third Jones "Freight Train" attempt. Fans left the Arena thinking Jones was the new champ, but later Bockwinkel was disqualified and retained the belt

--
Jake Guzick was a play on the name of one of Capone's goons https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Guzik

Two Jobbers vs a manager

2 young lions (putting it nicely) vs top heels

Bock carrying Freight Train for 22 mins!

At least the fans got Brunzell/Orton.

 

[alkeiper]

I don't know how often Dusty himself used the Dusty finish. But I think there's a good argument that it should be as associated with Verne Gagne and the AWA.

 

[BruiserBrody]

I don't know how often Dusty himself used the Dusty finish. But I think there's a good argument that it should be as associated with Verne Gagne and the AWA.

Kevin Sullivan calls it a "Louie Tillet" finish.

I've posted in this thread a pre AWA Wally Karbo card with the same finish from 1958 or whatever.