slabinski611 Posted September 11, 2013 Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 Obviously Andre was a larger than life attraction but what do people think of Andre as a worker. A lot of us grew up on late 80s wwf Andre who was broken down and couldn't move but I know he was able to bump earlier in his career. Here is a sampling of mobile Andre. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp0Wo7hLTIE&hd=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Childs Posted September 11, 2013 Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 Old Andre was a really smart, expressive worker who knew how to get around his limitations. Younger Andre, say pre-1983, was an unbelievable force of nature. He was just as charismatic but with exceptional agility for a man his size. He was one of the stars of the New Japan DVDVR set. The Hansen match from '81 and the Killer Khan match from '82 are two of my favorites from the '80s. If we had more '70s Andre on tape, he might be widely regarded as a great worker. Based on what I've seen, he was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted September 11, 2013 Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 Dylan and Dave pimped this on their Andre podcast and it really is a sight to see. 1972 Andre was 26, somewhat slim, athletic, and a decent heel to boot. The match is long, but pretty damn good and worth the time investment. Strong Kobayashi holds up his end and is guy I've been impressed with between this match and a 1974 match with Inoki that was maybe the best Inoki match I've ever seen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOOyxdEHZKU...FB&index=20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 I would love to see more Andre from before he broke down because almost everything that's out there suggests he was absolutely worthy of the legend. I haven't seen a ton of pre-broken down Andre but it has almost all been interesting stuff. a 1974 match with Inoki that was maybe the best Inoki match I've ever seen. To me Inoki is a guy at his best when he's put in there with guys that he can't just fuck around and do whatever he wants. When he's forced to think a bit more, he can be a really good wrestler. Sometimes I think he got a bit lazy and complacent, but certain people could get him into a headspace where he could have great matches. Andre is certainly one of the guys that forces him into that space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakeplastictrees Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 There isn't any Andre match outside the WMIII and SNME matches with Hogan that I enjoy. The guy had a good size and presence...but that's about it. Definitely someone I would NEVER buy a comp of. He's been called a legend so long by WWE that people just accept it and not really analyze WHY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 There isn't any Andre match outside the WMIII and SNME matches with Hogan that I enjoy. The guy had a good size and presence...but that's about it. Definitely someone I would NEVER buy a comp of. He's been called a legend so long by WWE that people just accept it and not really analyze WHY. Have you seen the Hansen or Khan matches from NJPW, because they are great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 There isn't any Andre match outside the WMIII and SNME matches with Hogan that I enjoy. The guy had a good size and presence...but that's about it. Definitely someone I would NEVER buy a comp of. He's been called a legend so long by WWE that people just accept it and not really analyze WHY.Andre was a good worker in the 70s, it's not just a line guys roll out either, it's true. How much 70s Andre have you watched? I only ask this, because it would seem strange to me if a guy had seen a bunch of 70s Andre to pick out those two matches from his career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrickHithouse Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 For me, Andre doesn't really become "unwatchable" until 1989 or so. Anyone that hasn't seen 70's Andre should probably do so, he's really, really good more often than not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 There isn't any Andre match outside the WMIII and SNME matches with Hogan that I enjoy. The guy had a good size and presence...but that's about it. Definitely someone I would NEVER buy a comp of. He's been called a legend so long by WWE that people just accept it and not really analyze WHY. Actually the exact opposite happened. We went thinking Andre would suck and came out thinking he was pretty incredible. The Andre-Hansen feud from New Japan opened people's eyes. Then discoveries like the Andre-Khan and Andre-Kobayashi matches made us do a double take. Now it is at the point I am actively looking forward to new Andre matches. Even in matches that aren't strong (including a lame Inoki match), Andre was the highlight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 I love late Andre. He's one of my favorite smart workers. He could move so little by that point that he knew he had to make every single movement and gesture matter. And he did. It's amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 He may have been smart but the matches were so bad. Exhibit #1: Andre vs. Ultimate Warrior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 Oh, fuck that. Perfectly fine match. Should not at all gotten WON Worst Match of the Year. It's really smartly put together. Really smart and it's a good performance from Andre and yet another sign that Warrior could follow direction. It's not great (and we all hate long bear-hug spots), but it's a perfectly fine match. The house show matches where he loses in 20 seconds or whatever are another issue but the SNME match is one of the biggest expectation-reality gaps that I've ever had coming into a match I thought was going to be terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 I watched it with Phil. I thought it was one of the worst matches I have ever seen. Phil liked Andre in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 I had the thing written up on DVDVR years ago. I'll take another look. Granted, we do like different things in wrestling and it's not an overly exciting match, but I think it's very, very far from the worst ever, middling at worst, and actually pretty effective in doing what it was trying to do. If you want me to write it up again, I will. To me, it's really damning of the WON at the time, more than anything else and how narrow-minded it was in what it considered good wrestling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 Bro, don't waste your time. You need to watch Andre vs. Khan or Andre vs. Hansen and tell me what you think about those matches! Also, I don't follow Meltzer or the Observer mindset on what makes good wrestling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 Yeah, I realize on a reread that could come out with me saying that you did. Not my intent. You have your own views on this stuff and they're not WONish in the least. Alright, I've been meaning to watch the 72 match vs Strong Kobayashi. So I will check that out instead and we'll call it compromise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 That is such an awesome match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slabinski611 Posted September 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 Would anyone care to supply me with a link to the Andre/Khan match if it is available online. I forget the date but I watched one the other day and I was not impressed. I love Andre/Hansen though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted September 15, 2013 Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 If it was Andre-Khan from NJ, it is the good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstar Sleeze Posted September 15, 2013 Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 I watched six minutes worth of clips from Bockwinkel vs Andre at Cominskey Park. Holy Shit, was it good. Andre was taking some pretty wicked bumps including one huge one over the top ropes with Bock. It was crazy, but the gist you get from the clips is that Andre is working underneath and it looked surprisingly credible. Andre was selling like a champ for Bock, who had some great offense. I wish we had the complete match, but clips are worth watching. Andre/Hansen is pretty bitchin', but I have never been able to find the Khan match. Do we have footage of Harley vs Andre? Did Flair ever work Andre and do we have footage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyonthewall2983 Posted September 15, 2013 Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 Did Flair ever work Andre and do we have footage? There are pictures, but nothing that I know of filmed, closest I can think of is this Flair/Steamboat match with Andre as ref. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Schneider Posted September 15, 2013 Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 I am with Matt on old Andre, I liked the Warrior match, although Warrior sucked, and also loved the Savage match where he attacks Elizabeth. I am not a huge fan of face Andre, didn't love the match which made the 80s lucha set for example, but I love heel Andre he is such a smirky jerk and also can be a terrifying monster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 15, 2013 Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 One of my absolute favorite things about heel Andre is that he is definitely the hero of his own story, whether it's him on the way to the ring to Wrestlemania III or cutting promos before Survivor Series 87 about all the fans being excited he's going to be back in the ring or celebrating with the Brainbusters after they win the tag belts. There's such a joie de vivre to him when he's playing this role, which is amazing considering the pain he was in and the frustration he had in life that we always hear about. I'm not sure I ever actually saw that Savage match. I have to check it out. Savage's title run is a bit of a hole for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Redman Posted September 15, 2013 Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 Another great 'old man Andre' performance is actually at Survivor Series 1987. His pre-match promo is awesome, and during the match he is gigantic douche trolling Hogan and it rules. I think years ago I had the same "it's sad he can barely move" mindset, but since I started watching 80s stuff a lot closer I think I have enjoyed every old man Andre performance I've seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted September 15, 2013 Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 Watched that Andre/Warrior match and man I thought it was pretty good. As for its WON accolades Meltzer probably has ****3/4 rated matches that are worse than that. I don't even think Warrior sucked in it. Even the bear hug spots tended to be good as far as those go with Warrior pumping himself up in his making the crowd go nuts and Andre grabbing that awesome headbutt to the gut on his. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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