The Attitude Era Thread Vol 1

[strummer]

It was the SD taping after No Way Out 2001

 

[JN News]

I loved the Edge/Gangrel feud in 1998. I wouldn't have turned Edge heel. But I would delve deeper into concept of maybe Edge felt that Gangrel needed to be stopped as if he was some sort of threat to the world. Maybe align him with Kane to try and take down The Ministry of Darkness, somehow.

 

[Valeyard]

I really liked at the time that two brand new guys were feuding. Then they just went Brood and that was fine but I liked the feud better. Gangrel getting tossed in the fire pit was great.

Also re: Judgment Day aftermath, TLC 3 is still a really great match that wasn't talked up enough at the time let alone now (when it really can't be).

 

[Sex Machine Gun]

That was one of the rare times they acknowledged that SD was taped as wwf.com ran an article on *Wednesday* about Benoit effectively wrestling five matches in three days.

 

[Valeyard]

Yeah I remember thinking he'd be destroyed just because dude didn't know how to phone it in. And I didn't get UPN until 2003 so I didn't get to see it until at least three years later.

 

[BruiserBrody]

x.com

x.com

This was great shit at the time. Then they wrestled the Road Warriors a week or 2 later. Just an awesome period.

 

[MFer]

https://www.facebook.com/WWFOldSchoolWrestling/posts/pfbid02aSPG9Kc9JHBY5EnV1Ht9CkDbfv117dp6W3o2ZgB3oUeahDV8YFTYWUjxz9K2JfeUl

Something about the month of May and forgettable Austin-Taker matches. Also Chyna's last match in WWF.

I genuinely forgot (or flat out didn't know) that the women's division was basically dead during the entire InVasion angle. It looks like they didn't vacate the title until Chyna officially left WWF in November.

I thought the chain match was fairly decent and Chyna/Lita was solid for that period (I believe they were supposed to have more matches but of course Chyna left). Benoit/Angle you already know what you're getting. There was the classic Regal look of horror after getting stinkfaced. Tag team stuff was fine. Austin/Taker wasn't the worst but it was meh overall.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://www.facebook.com/100064241637156/posts/888708619947184

According to Bret, Stu was dragged against his will to this RAW. Hard to tell since Stu looks like he was dragged against his will to any event post retirement.

 

[Valeyard]

When hasn't Stu looked pissed and confused, though? Guy always talked like had six strokes on the way to any venue.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Yeah, "looks like".

I think they also had the never to do a Montreal Screwjob callback with Austin-Benoit. Not to mention the fact that they were in Calgary right around the anniversary of Owen's death I'm kind of surprised Austin went along with it but maybe he was thinking "Well, damn, son. This heel run ain't workin' out like I thought it would. I might as well do what Vince tells me."

 

[Valeyard]

I genuinely don't like Stu, so it doesn't bother me terribly, but I don't blame Austin for things like that considering it's wrestling and everyone is working.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I think even Vince had the sense to cool it with the potshots after Bret had his debilitating stroke but even in '01, the Bret potshots felt like kicking a man when he was down.

 

[Fall of Epic]

That stunt was Bruce trying to get Stampede to become an official development territory right?

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

That's probably what Bruce wanted to believe.

Idk if Vince would've hired Bruce to be a popcorn vendor let alone had hm help developmental.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://www.facebook.com/100064241637156/posts/889429656541747

I think this was the year they did a 32 man KOTR tournament for some reason. Maybe they wanted to match the stupid 32 man WCW World Title Tournament from the previous fall.

A March Madness sized rasslin tournament is fun to imagine but I can’t imagine it being successfully executed.

King Shane is fun to imagine though ngl…

 

[BruiserBrody]

Back in my Action Figure booking days I ran a tourney where all first round matches went to draws, so the last match was also the finals. I was likely inspired by Doink/Perfect going 3 rounds in 93.
--
I also booked a brand split, but it was an Apter inspired brand split, meaning the same talent was headlining for multiple groups ala the indies of the mid 90s.

I'm sure my talent was thrilled to try and get over with an owner running 10 TV shows a week and maybe weekly PPV? (2 Sunday shows Pre and post PPV, plus an International show and maybe 2 on Sat to cover the WWF Superstars at 11 am/WCW 605 I grew up knowing.

 

[Fall of Epic]

I liked the larger KOTR field. I think they just had too many people on the roster and figured it was best to use them as tourney fodder. Crash Holly made it to the semi finals!

 

[HarleyQuinn]

I liked the larger KOTR field. I think they just had too many people on the roster and figured it was best to use them as tourney fodder. Crash Holly made it to the semi finals!

I also liked it as it allowed for a few "upset" wins but I'm sure folks like @King Kamala would just look back and be like, "Why were the Hollys beating guys like Albert and Faarooq in KOTR Qualifying Matches?!?" So I can see why the idea was ditched pretty quickly.

 

[Hawk 34]

I was listening to John McAdams interview with the author of The Six Pack and they sidebarred into some Montreal Screwjob discussion. Apparently, it’s an accepted theory that Vince McMahon goaded Bret Hart into punching him because he knew Bret would be able to sue the pants out of WWF for breach of contract and he wanted to have grounds for a counter suit.

That is most Vince McMahon story (non sex pest division) I have ever heard. Considering how mired in lawsuits and legal issues WWF was in the mid ‘90s, I can honestly see it being kind of worth risking a broken nose, jaw or concussion to avoid a suit that they almost definitely would have lost.

It’s also a psychology play to boys to say “I’ll fight for you guys, if I have to get my ass kicked, so be it, I’m not afraid of a fight” motivational tactic.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I also liked it as it allowed for a few "upset" wins but I'm sure folks like @King Kamala would just look back and be like, "Why were the Hollys beating guys like Albert and Faarooq in KOTR Qualifying Matches?!?" So I can see why the idea was ditched pretty quickly.

I don’t remember it being booked poorly. I just remember there being a lot of tag team card filler (like Albert and Faarooq!) in the early rounds.

If they had done a 32 man tournament a year or two later, it would have made more sense.

 

[Valeyard]

A 32-man field is totally fine because it hurt anything and gave a bunch of guys a little extra to do. It took a backseat until it got to the final eight anyhow. It just added a little extra cool thing to TV, which is really pretty cool.

 

[Fall of Epic]

The 8 man tourney they did in '97 was more of a WTF moment. I guess this was when Vince started getting sick of the KOTR concept.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

‘97, at least launched a very prominent mid card feud and started Triple H’s slow path to the main event. ‘98 is probably most forgettable PPV era KOTR. Tournament is only slightly more memorable on that show than Too Much Vs Al Snow & Head with Jerry Lawler as guest referee.

King of the Ring isn’t even brought up the much amongst Shamrock’s accomplishments in pro wrestling.

 

[Valeyard]

The four-man tourney in 96 makes sense from a kayfabe standpoint, even if I hate it. 1997 and 98 are lazy booking. The whole thing for me was the specialness of the path to the crown. 97 also had Mankind be in actual danger of losing to Lawler in a match that lasted forever, which I can't get with.

98 was overshadowed immediately due to the cell and the main event. Shamrock deserved a real moment. That tournament also just didn't hit because it was Shamrock/Rock again, and because the final should've been Shamrock/Severn. Like, it HAD to be Shamrock/Severn. Never getting that match is kinda wild.

 

[Fall of Epic]

Why did they bring Austin back for the Backlash PPV and then leave again immediately after? Business was still hot (even if the ending to WM sucked) in 2000 so I don't think they needed to pop a buyrate. I imagine they wanted to remind everyone that's he's top dog?

 

[Valeyard]

To pop a buyrate since he wasn't cleared yet. He'd not been mentioned since December at least and I know I missed him terribly at the time. If anything him disappearing again made me want his return more later in the year.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Vince had turned heel again at Mania and Rock needed the ultimate ace in the hole to overcome the Vince/DX alliance.

Big Show was too busy being a comedy gimmick to be useful muscle for Rock.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://www.facebook.com/100066969734097/posts/783940767181574

I forgot Jusse showed up again in ‘01.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

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It was never a good idea. Trust me.

 

[Valeyard]

No, it is, but there's no way it works in practice considering what a mess he was. He wouldn't make it to Summerslam. A better Jake, though? Like even early 96 Jake? That has high potential.

In a perfect world, though, it'd be Bret.