Get it...BRAWL games!? See, as opposed to BALL games! Witty!

Anyways, with Yankee and Shea Stadiums closing, I was actually thinking about famous rasslin' cards in those venues, last month. As far as I know, Yankee Stadium never had one, but Shea had at least one: the famous 1980 Bruno/Larry and Hulk/Andre show. And guess what's on 24/7 this month?!

Caught PTW from 11/26/87 yesterday. Or, as all episodes from Fall 1987 should be callied: YSTW...as in "Young Stallions Time Wrestling". But it's a fun show for the Brain constantly slamming Thanksgiving, and the Demolition Music Video! Also the initial appearance on a nationwide broadcast level of one specifically superior grappler whom would elevate his own personal expectations as well as those imposed on him by the normals of the world.

Watched the Boston Garden show. The highlight of the entire show was Piper slamming Big John Studd and then having Bundy and Studd get into a huge argument.

Watching Super Clash 85. Ok show but nothing special.

Larry Nelson is an idiot btw. He called Magnum TA's belly to belly suplex a powerslam.

Whoa, whoa, whoooaaa! So you're NOT in agreement with Gorilla Monsoon that Pedro Morales vs. Bob Orton was "a main event in any arena in the country"?!

I don't think Pedro Morales was ever a big deal outside of the WWWF as far as the U.S. went. Bob Orton Jr. is great... 3 years before this show took place. I have to admit though. The Machines are really overrated as Wrestlecrap. They've been super over on the shows I've seen them on. If they had just cut out the stupid fake accent in the promos they would've been a solid group.

Geez...next you'll tell me that Brutus Beefcake vs. Dino Bravo is also NOT a "main event in any arena in the country"!

Absolutely agree that the Machines were NOT "crap". It's amazing that such a fun, high-profile angle/gimmick was done and gone in less than a year. They started popping up in July 1986 and were gone by the end of the year.

Also interesting that Studd had tension between Bundy and Heenan, but he disappeared from the WWF shortly afterwards. When he came back in late 1988, they actually had some continuity, as he was now a face and opposed to Heenan.

Group me in with someone that never really found the Machines to be Wrestlecrap either. I thought they could have at least used that in a major angle at some point.

Although, you can fully indulge yourself in kayfabe storylines and say that the Machines DID lead to a major angle.

The whole gimmick revolved around Andre being suspended, so he came back under a mask. Andre was reinstated at the end of the year and none other than Bobby Heenan was present at that conference. To all fans, it seemed that Heenan was there because he had opposed Andre was trying to give him more shit. But about six weeks later (February 1987) Andre appears on Piper's Pit to challenge Hulk Hogan... and then he reveals Heenan as his new manager. You could connect the dots and figure out Heenan probably got in Andre's ear at the reinstatement conference.

Andre also picked up his single-strap, all-black singlet look while a Machine. So you could say that the Machines angle led, in some ways, to Andre turning heel.

I think they would've played it up more, had they not also been using Super and Big Machine as "Ax" and "Blackjack Mulligan", respectively.

I guess that is true, but I was thinking of someone making a heel turn or something.

Now this all has me thinking of how good the old school booking could be with their continuity.

I always thought this might be a cool idea with a masked tag team:

-Some babyface (let's say...Steamboat) has a brutal match with a heel (let's say...Jake Roberts DDT'ing on the concrete). They go on about their feud and everyone thinks Steamboat's sick bump is just part of it.

But, about two weeks after the bump, a new "Wonder Machine" or some other shit begins popping up. Wonder Machine appears in tags, but is always made to look good. After a few months, the Machines branch out as singles and Wonder Machine begins scoring some wins over guys like Jimmy Jack Funk, Brutus Beefcake and even Don Muraco. So, you run with that until shortly after WrestleMania 3.

Steamboat goes on to win the IC title....but one of the top contenders to the title is now Wonder Machine. Steamboat is completely oblivious, as the DDT on the concrete gave him a split personality and he's been using "Wonder Machine" as his "Tyler Durden" (Fight Club). So the angle gets busted wide open when Wonder Machine vs. Steamboat is signed.... but one wrestler can't appear. Someone can step in to mess with Steamboat, saying he's the REAL Wonder Machine.. and you can do all sorts of wacky ID mix-ups with the mask.

Or maybe Wonder Machine shows up for the title match...and is given the title by forfeit. Then when Steamboat finally comes around, he realizes he's no longer the champ, because that belongs to "Wonder Machine". So whatta' ya' do?!

Obviously, you'd need a really talented worker for this angle. Also, the tag element is essential, because that way you can hide the guy somewhat. Might also be a good idea to give "Wonder Machine" a full bodysuit, so you can disguise him even more.

That's a great idea and is exactly what I meant. Good stuff E.

Personally I think this would have been great if used in the Orndorff turns around this time too.

My main problem with the Machines was Mulligan. He was really over the hill for this role. They should've used Lanny Poffo or Owen Hart and had a Flying Machine or something like that as the third man.

Heh...and surprisingly enough, "Wonder Machine" would've been a perfect name for Orndorff!

I've always wanted to see the split personality gimmick. Not an obvious one like Mick Foley, but one where the guy has no idea he's doing it. Back in the late 80's, I whipped up such an angle with my MUSCLE Things. My champ/main face (who always wore a mask) hit his head and began wrestling as "SS Trooper", a masked crazed Nazi. A slow burn, as the bump on his heads unleashed his "dark side" and began to turn him into a heel. I grew up/lost interest before I could ever finish it.

MD-- I think Mulligan did fine, all things considered. The Machines were just big, thumping brawlers. As a team, that works fine. Both Mulligan and Andre had limited ability at that time, but they were only each responsible for 1/3 of the match (at the most). Or..if you wanna' get technical: 1/6 of the match.

SS Trooper might be the greatest gimmick I've ever heard. Seriously.*

*No I'm not a Nazi.

Really, it wouldn't be any more offensive than Fritz and Waldo Von Erich or any of the countless other Nazi wrestlers from the 50's-80's. Just with a mask, so the worker wouldn't have to look the part.

I wouldn't put a swastika on his mask, just maybe the "SS" lightning bolts on his forehead. Plain ol' black pants and you're set.

I used to know some whack job in my 8th grade art class, who was obsessed with guns n' ammo, exploding mailboxes and all that crap. He told me that "SS Trooper" was supposedly a German produced pro-Nazi propaganda comic book from the 40's. Complete opposite of Captain America.

Thought it was a great, evil bad guy name. One of those character names that I would flip-flop around and re-use in my cartoons and other crap. Like "Dr. Pain", "Stymie Malone", "Ace Jones" and other names I'd come up with.

Yeah, I would agree. I didn't think you would have the swastika's on the mask either. Although that would surely get someone heat.....or killed.

That's actually a funny story about the 8th grader. I have to admit although I'm no fan of Nazi's a friend of mine put it pretty good one time. He said, "I'm not Nazi, but I'll be damned if they aren't the coolest looking bad guys ever." Which is pretty much where I stand.

The TNT episode from July 9 is actually kinda' funny. They do a follow-up to "The Mating Game" and bring Jim Neidhart back for another go-round. But it's reversed this time and Moolah is one of the suitors.

So of course Moolah wins. Neidhart sees her and is shocked...but Moolah pushes him in the chest and says; "you got a problem?!" Neidhart, in arguably one of the best spots of his career, says "oh what the hell....let's get it on!" and scoops up Moolah.

Oh, and Mean Gene teases "footage from Japan" next week, setting up the Machines! I have to say that Gene is a hoot as TNT host, with his constant oogling of anything involving women. His delivery and demeanor seem more fitted for the absurdity of the show. As opposed to Vince who usually tried to make it serious with his typical promoter's flair. For instance: Vince's segment with the female weightlifter was bizarre...but if Gene had been there, it would've a riot.

I completely agree about ol Mean Gene. Funny thing is that Gene is notorious for his usage of "white powder" and I would say that the TNT days were the prime of that actually.

Yeah, I never knew Gene could be entertaining. When I was watching WWF crap from 1988 to 1992, the only time I'd see Gene was as a backstage interviewer or in those awful pre-recorded and scripted "WWF Update" segments.

Gene's always been brilliant as an interviewer. He's always done these little facial expressions in reaction to wrestlers that have added a lot over the years.

Ick..the Shea Stadium show is there, but it has "updated commentary" from Michael Cole and Mick Foley. So of course Foley tries to make shitty pop culture references and plugs his books a few times. Dick.

Tonight's the last night to catch the LA Sports Arena show form 10/16/88. Similar to a September 1988 show I recapped about two years ago (what? You don't recall my every move and post?! For shame!)

It has the Hulk Hogan "War Bonnet", with King Haku as its new victim. Also one of the few shows with Steve Lombardi that does NOT reference the "Terry Garvin School of Self-Defense". Probably cuz' Rod Tongard and Superstar Billy Graham are the commentators.

Also, similar to JBS' post in the AWA thread, there are some goofy fans in the audience. Notably a Christian Slater/Richard Marx looking guy in a suit jacket in the front row. He seems to be completely anti-babyface. Example: he stands up and throws his arms up in frustration after the Blue Blazer pins Jose Estrada. Jose Estrada had a posse'!