RIP Jim Crockett Jr

[Andy Griffin]

I grew up on Mid-Atlantic Wrestling. 

https://myfox8.com/entertainment-news/nc-native-jim-crockett-jr-promoter-who-signed-ric-flair-and-other-wwe-hall-of-famers-dies-at-76/

[Matt]

Crockett Promotions was mentioned in the 2018 Andre the Giant documentary. I can't recall if Jim Jr. was in it. If I recall correctly, there were a couple of good guys from his promotion who went over to the WWE [then WWF]. Possibly "Junkyard Dog" [big Black dude with chains who I did not remember], and maybe even Rowdy Roddy Piper...but I can't remember for sure.

Is there much of a regional wrestling scene in the USA anymore?

[Andy Griffin]

Crockett Promotions was mentioned in the 2018 Andre the Giant documentary. I can't recall if Jim Jr. was in it. If I recall correctly, there were a couple of good guys from his promotion who went over to the WWE [then WWF]. Possibly "Junkyard Dog" [big Black dude with chains who I did not remember], and maybe even Rowdy Roddy Piper...but I can't remember for sure.

Is there much of a regional wrestling scene in the USA anymore?

Piper had spent some time in Mid-Altantic and Georgia after his early years out west, and then went to the WWF. 

JYD had spent some time in Georgia, but he hit it bigger in the Mid-South Territory.

Regarding regional wrestling ... the territories are dead, and they ain't coming back. 

[LurkerNoMore]

Crockett and Mid Atlantic has some great angles that you can watch on YT.   Vince has nothing but trash shit now.

[Matt]

Piper had spent some time in Mid-Altantic and Georgia after his early years out west, and then went to the WWF. 

JYD had spent some time in Georgia, but he hit it bigger in the Mid-South Territory.

Regarding regional wrestling ... the territories are dead, and they ain't coming back.

Interesting.

Wow, Vince McMahon really did something amazing by creating the whole WWE universe.

I think he made the 1987 WrestleMania [WrestleMania III?] Pay-Per-View unavailable in some parts of Michigan to fill up the Pontiac Silverdome.

[Andy Griffin]

Interesting.

Wow, Vince McMahon really did something amazing by creating the whole WWE universe.

I think he made the 1987 WrestleMania [WrestleMania III?] Pay-Per-View unavailable in some parts of Michigan to fill up the Pontiac Silverdome.

He was a visionary, to be sure.  But I think the territories were doomed to fail eventually as pay per views were far more efficient than running 6-7 house shows each week.  If nothing else, the internet would have destroyed the whole territory model. 

[Obvious Gimmick]

Regarding regional wrestling ... the territories are dead, and they ain't coming back.

Sad. I remember every other week, there would be a ‘loser leave town’ match, when the heal from territory A went to B and vice versa. Miss that 

[LurkerNoMore]

Sad. I remember every other week, there would be a ‘loser leave town’ match, when the heal from territory A went to B and vice versa. Miss that 

Or someone would bring in Abdullah in order to collect a bounty on a baby face.

[Andy Griffin]

Sad. I remember every other week, there would be a ‘loser leave town’ match, when the heal from territory A went to B and vice versa. Miss that 

Either that, or come back in a mask as someone else...disguises that didn't fool even the most gullible marks but still fun.

[Matt]

He was a visionary, to be sure.  But I think the territories were doomed to fail eventually as pay per views were far more efficient than running 6-7 house shows each week.  If nothing else, the internet would have destroyed the whole territory model.

I hadn't even thought about that...within ten years or so, the territory model would have been displaced by the internet.

I remember most of the WWE wrestlers of the late 1980s and early 1990s, but I don't remember the Road Warriors for some reason. Meanwhile, when Road Warriors Animal died, I read the duo were the most popular anything on earth [not just wrestlers]. We're they really that big? It could just be a Getbigger said that, and it was hyperbole. I didn't remember them.

I just noticed they were with Crockett Promotions.

[LurkerNoMore]

I hadn't even thought about that...within ten years or so, the territory model would have been displaced by the internet.

I remember most of the WWE wrestlers of the late 1980s and early 1990s, but I don't remember the Road Warriors for some reason. Meanwhile, when Road Warriors Animal died, I read the duo were the most popular anything on earth [not just wrestlers]. We're they really that big? It could just be a Getbigger said that, and it was hyperbole. I didn't remember them.

I just noticed they were with Crockett Promotions.

The Road Warriors were basically the Hogan/Flair type in the tag team world.  They were the most dominant force around until the WWE made a mockery of them in their second run basically.  It was a shame what happened to them in their final days... but they are cemented in history for sure.

[Obvious Gimmick]

Or someone would bring in Abdullah in order to collect a bounty on a baby face.

I marked out for Abby. Saw him a few times in the 80s. Scared the shit out of me

[Humble Narcissist]

He was a visionary, to be sure.  But I think the territories were doomed to fail eventually as pay per views were far more efficient than running 6-7 house shows each week.  If nothing else, the internet would have destroyed the whole territory model.

Yes, the territories could never make it today but they were great back in the day, especially for the wrestlers.

[LurkerNoMore]

The product COULD HAVE made it today despite the internet but Vince ruined it.  No more slow build up in feuds or rivalries. No more character development.  No more squash matches.  These were important.  You could take two mid card guys like Bravo and Muraco, have them destroy jobbers each week leading up to their PPV match where you actually wanted to see who would win.   Why she’ll out $$$ for PPV when they give the same matches away on tv each week?

The only thing Vince did right lately was the way Lesnar was handled.  Like a true champion.  You didn’t see him wrestling on tv every week or doing run ins.   He was a prize fighter.  Only for the big shows.  And he dominated to the point of winning cleanly. 

[Andy Griffin]

I miss the announcements for upcoming "big events" at various armories, high school gyms, etc...

[Humble Narcissist]

The product COULD HAVE made it today despite the internet but Vince ruined it.  No more slow build up in feuds or rivalries. No more character development.  No more squash matches.  These were important.  You could take two mid card guys like Bravo and Muraco, have them destroy jobbers each week leading up to their PPV match where you actually wanted to see who would win.   Why she’ll out $$$ for PPV when they give the same matches away on tv each week?

The only thing Vince did right lately was the way Lesnar was handled.  Like a true champion.  You didn’t see him wrestling on tv every week or doing run ins.   He was a prize fighter.  Only for the big shows.  And he dominated to the point of winning cleanly.

Also the BIG events and pay per views were usually the finality of a feud and they moved on to other feuds.  Now they might have a rematch the night after the pay per view on Raw.  What's the point of buying the pay per view?

They also need to go back to shooting promos outside the ring.

[LurkerNoMore]

Also the BIG events and pay per views were usually the finality of a feud and they moved on to other feuds.  Now they might have a rematch the night after the pay per view on Raw.  What's the point of buying the pay per view?

They also need to go back to shooting promos outside the ring.

And to stop playing the villains theme music before he heads out of the back to launch a sneak attack on the baby face.   Used to be villains would just crash into the ring out of the blue, or jump out from behind the curtain during an interview at the podium and surprise everyone with a beat down on the babyface.  Now the music starts up... they waltz down to the ring and the baby face acts surprised when he gets his ass kicked in a few minutes.  MF don't you act surprised.... you heard that music.... I heard it too, and I went to the bathroom, the concession stand and made it back to my seat before you got jumped. 

And this shit about having championship matches gimmick style....  triple threat... fatal four way.... it's bullshit.  A man is the champion because he beat the champion before him.  Two men have a match, the best or craftiest man wins.  Right there.  In the middle of the ring.  A champion shouldn't be expected to defend his belt against 3 other men at once.  Especially, when it only takes one of the other men getting pinned by someone other than the champion to cause a title change.

Fuck Vince.

[Dave D]

And to stop playing the villains theme music before he heads out of the back to launch a sneak attack on the baby face.   Used to be villains would just crash into the ring out of the blue, or jump out from behind the curtain during an interview at the podium and surprise everyone with a beat down on the babyface.  Now the music starts up... they waltz down to the ring and the baby face acts surprised when he gets his ass kicked in a few minutes.  MF don't you act surprised.... you heard that music.... I heard it too, and I went to the bathroom, the concession stand and made it back to my seat before you got jumped. 

And this shit about having championship matches gimmick style....  triple threat... fatal four way.... it's bullshit.  A man is the champion because he beat the champion before him.  Two men have a match, the best or craftiest man wins.  Right there.  In the middle of the ring.  A champion shouldn't be expected to defend his belt against 3 other men at once.  Especially, when it only takes one of the other men getting pinned by someone other than the champion to cause a title change.

Fuck Vince.

Interestingly enough  JR said the WWE got the idea of triple threats and fatal 4-ways from ECW.  At one  time they made sense, the champ could get screwed out of the title without ever losing (via pin or submission) and he could stay strong. But since today’s product consists of 50/50 booking, no one, outside of Roman and to a lesser extent Drew, needs to an excuse when they lose.