Author Topic: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry  (Read 11655 times)

funk51

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 39567
  • Getbig!
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #25 on: March 05, 2012, 01:56:39 PM »
Arn had a great look, especially for that time period and promotion. Guys actually looked like fighters, not just a bunch of Mens health cover models. He was great on the mic, a great intense presence..a great contrast to Flair. He's the one who came up with the 4 Horsemen name for the group.
i always thought of arn as ole's lackey that's where i get my poor rating i guess. when i watched it seemed he was in ole's shadow. and later flair's.
F

Andy Griffin

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 6620
  • I know my own name, bitch.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #26 on: March 05, 2012, 02:26:19 PM »
i always thought of arn as ole's lackey that's where i get my poor rating i guess. when i watched it seemed he was in ole's shadow. and later flair's.

I think that was a pretty widespread view.  Probably what held him back. 

Kind of like those songs that got into the top 5 at the same time some song was breaking the record for most weeks at #1.
~

GraniteCityDon

  • Getbig IV
  • ****
  • Posts: 1555
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #27 on: March 05, 2012, 03:56:31 PM »
Ted Dibiase............

Money Inc go down as top 10 all time for me but as a singles wrestler far far underused, he jobbed to give people pushes because beating him made you legit.


OLE BIG

  • Getbig III
  • ***
  • Posts: 372
  • Getbig!
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #28 on: March 05, 2012, 04:10:48 PM »
It was those "Born to be wild" promos that got ya, eh?

Ah, the good old days.  I will always remember those.  I also miss the days when real music was used.

I don't mean to sound negative about TA.  I think he had a bright future as well.  But as I said, he had a promising future, AA fulfilled his.


OLE BIG

  • Getbig III
  • ***
  • Posts: 372
  • Getbig!
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #29 on: March 05, 2012, 04:15:03 PM »
i always thought of arn as ole's lackey that's where i get my poor rating i guess. when i watched it seemed he was in ole's shadow. and later flair's.

I think the fact that he was able to stay relevant in Flair's shadow for so many years says something positive instead of negative.  He could have been replaced.  I don't think JJ would have had any problem finding another enforcer for the greatest stable of all time.  ;D ;D ;D

Hulkster

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 22968
  • ND ran away from me
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #30 on: March 05, 2012, 05:06:30 PM »
Ted Dibiase............

Money Inc go down as top 10 all time for me but as a singles wrestler far far underused, he jobbed to give people pushes because beating him made you legit.



good choice.

he was great.
Flower Boy Ran Away

The Showstoppa

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 26879
  • Call the vet, cause these pythons are sick!
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #31 on: March 05, 2012, 08:49:03 PM »
DiBiase was far, far better in mid-south than in the WWF.

funk51

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 39567
  • Getbig!
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #32 on: May 29, 2012, 07:58:41 AM »
mike awesome was vastly overlooked when he moved to the wcw he was that70's guy and completely overlooked in the wwe where he was mostly a backstage guy. in ecw he and masato tanaka  had some of the greatest matches ever esp considering the risks involved.
F

Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #33 on: May 29, 2012, 07:59:42 AM »
mike awesome was vastly overlooked when he moved to the wcw he was that70's guy and completely overlooked in the wwe where he was mostly a backstage guy. in ecw he and masato tanaka  had some of the greatest matches ever esp considering the risks involved.


Typical WCW move.

funk51

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 39567
  • Getbig!
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #34 on: May 29, 2012, 08:01:10 AM »
 ;D pic
F

Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #35 on: May 29, 2012, 08:19:44 AM »
Damn, I sometimes forget how huge he was.
I never met or even saw him live; just on TV, which never does justice.

tu_holmes

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 15922
  • Robot
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #36 on: May 29, 2012, 11:52:23 AM »
When I got to see him in ECW, he was a real beast.

He got so fucked when he went to WCW it's not funny.


Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #37 on: May 29, 2012, 12:44:35 PM »
When I got to see him in ECW, he was a real beast.

He got so fucked when he went to WCW it's not funny.


Was WCW genetically programmed to screw up the ECW talent they acquired?

Sandman..."Hardcore Hack"
Mike Awesome..."That 70's Guy"

How did they come up with that shit? Did they want to intentionally kill off these industry stars who they no doubt paid good money to sign? Seriously, who thought that these were good ideas?
Raven was about the only one they got right.

tu_holmes

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 15922
  • Robot
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #38 on: May 29, 2012, 02:14:05 PM »

Was WCW genetically programmed to screw up the ECW talent they acquired?

Sandman..."Hardcore Hack"
Mike Awesome..."That 70's Guy"

How did they come up with that shit? Did they want to intentionally kill off these industry stars who they no doubt paid good money to sign? Seriously, who thought that these were good ideas?
Raven was about the only one they got right.

They did Raven well and they did "OK" with Chris Jericho... Buy they fucked up pretty much everyone else.

Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, and Shane Douglas were all completely fucked over by WCW.

Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #39 on: May 29, 2012, 02:41:15 PM »
They did Raven well and they did "OK" with Chris Jericho... Buy they fucked up pretty much everyone else.

Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, and Shane Douglas were all completely fucked over by WCW.



Oh, good call on Jericho. We should add his "Thrillseeker" tag partner Lance Storm to the list of ones they got right, too.
Storm actually got a decent push. It's a shame that the company folded during it.

I was more disappointed with how the Fed used Lance after the WCW acquisition.
QED: What does it say about a wrestling company that leaves Curt Hennig & Lance Storm off of their biggest PPV of the year?

GraniteCityDon

  • Getbig IV
  • ****
  • Posts: 1555
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #40 on: May 30, 2012, 01:57:40 AM »
He was a mid card PPV guy before they put him to tag team glory. He was worth the strap for 1 run so i stand by what i say.

Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #41 on: May 30, 2012, 04:41:53 AM »
I see we're all using "underused" and "underrated" interchangeably. No biggie; it's all opinion-based anyway.
IMO, DiBiase was both underrated AND underutilized.

He was trained by the Funks down Texas and was being groomed to become the next NWA world champion. That fate changed when the old man lured him to the Fed.
Ted was given the gimmick Vince had dreamt up for himself when he was a kid: a cocky millionaire who bought his way out of everything. The character was a perfect heel, and Ted portrayed it excellently.

The biggest criticism of Ted seems to be his ring style. While his mic work and vignettes perfectly suited the gimmick, Ted's ring work was often not "dirty" enough. He kept everything tight and it looked very good and technically sound, but he maybe should have adopted more sleazy tactics. He used some in his matches, but many folks feel he relied too heavily on his mic work and Virgil to get over as a heel.

That said, he got a decent push, but I always felt they should have put the big belt on him at some point. According to some sources, DiBiase was originally in line to win the strap in the tournament at WM IV. He had tremendous heat and good momentum going at this time, and it was a shame to see him almost relegated to mid-card status following WM V, after which time he would engage in mundane feuds with his manservant Virgil (who is very much a prick in real life) and a morbidly obesce albino hermaphrodite with a peroxided perm and raccoon eyes named Dusty Rhodes.

Ted would again gain steam teaming with Mike Rotundo to form Money Inc. They would become the WWF tag champions, which would be Ted's only "legitimate" title reign in the Fed. They worked a memorable program with Hogan and his manservant, Brutus Beefcake. Ted sort of faded into the background once again following the Money Inc. run, eventually ending up in WCW, where he wound up managing the Steiners before becoming one of 83 members in the nWo.

Considering some of the guys they did push, I always thought it a shame they didn't do more with Ted.
In my book, he was underrated and underused by management. At least the fans know better.

GraniteCityDon

  • Getbig IV
  • ****
  • Posts: 1555
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #42 on: May 30, 2012, 05:50:53 AM »
this is exactly why you are viewed as our leader :D

littleguns

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 4183
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #43 on: May 30, 2012, 06:47:19 AM »

Was WCW genetically programmed to screw up the ECW talent they acquired?
How did they come up with that shit? Did they want to intentionally kill off these industry stars who they no doubt paid good money to sign? Seriously, who thought that these were good ideas?
Raven was about the only one they got right.


I think they did this so Vince would not scoop them up and make them stars thus adding more firepower to the Monday night wars...ahh the death of WCW..I just love how Jericho said..."If I knew they sold for $5Mil, I (Jericho) would have bought the company".....

Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #44 on: May 30, 2012, 01:11:31 PM »
this is exactly why you are viewed as our leader :D


LOL...Thanks!!

Fortunately, for the few times that I'm wrong, there is a member "watchdog" here who helpfully points out my inaccuracies with innumerable references and citations; almost as if he takes pleasure in correcting people. He often comes across quite matter-of-factly, bordering on confrontational - enough that several members have sporadically PM'ed me complaints about him over the last 18 months.

But, I'm always quick to point out that I've known this member for years on here and he is a good guy. Some people just come across a certain way. Also, the print medium omits "delivery," which is a critical component in determining the context of a message.

As I've said many times on here: it's just guys in spandex pretending to fight.


The Showstoppa

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 26879
  • Call the vet, cause these pythons are sick!
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #45 on: May 30, 2012, 01:54:11 PM »
DiBiase "brat pack" days in the old mid-south were excellent. 

Monty, he was basically the character you mentioned as being more sleazy in the ring, but with a cocky attitude.  Not the lame belt and money talk nonsense, but a very over heel that was well on his way to NWA glory. His time in GCW was also very good. 

Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #46 on: May 30, 2012, 02:18:11 PM »
DiBiase "brat pack" days in the old mid-south were excellent. 

Monty, he was basically the character you mentioned as being more sleazy in the ring, but with a cocky attitude.  Not the lame belt and money talk nonsense, but a very over heel that was well on his way to NWA glory. His time in GCW was also very good. 


Do you think he made more money with Vince than he would have staying in the Alliance?

The Showstoppa

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 26879
  • Call the vet, cause these pythons are sick!
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #47 on: May 30, 2012, 02:42:18 PM »

Do you think he made more money with Vince than he would have staying in the Alliance?

Good question, during that time period I'm not sure Vince was shelling out like he did later on.  But DiBiase was/is a smart guy, so I'm sure he had his reasons.  He would have made an excellent NWA champ to travel around as he could generate heat so easily. 

Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #48 on: May 30, 2012, 02:50:25 PM »
Good question, during that time period I'm not sure Vince was shelling out like he did later on.  But DiBiase was/is a smart guy, so I'm sure he had his reasons.  He would have made an excellent NWA champ to travel around as he could generate heat so easily. 


One thing about his run in the Fed, is that he was lucky enough to catch the tail-end of the kayfabe days. Vince still bought into it enough that he provided Ted with limos, jets, and spending money to project the gimmick.

Hulkster

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 22968
  • ND ran away from me
Re: The most underrated talent in the history of the industry
« Reply #49 on: May 30, 2012, 08:18:59 PM »
he was even on lifestyles of the rich and famous with robin leach.

I really thought he was that rich just because of that show LOL
Flower Boy Ran Away