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Titans of Wrestling #71: WWF December 1982


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http://placetobenation.com/titans-of-wrestling-71-wwf-december-1982/

 

TqoAMIN.png

 

The Titans are back and plum to the very depths of wrestling despair as they journey boldly into one of the WWF's very lowest periods. You don't know man, you weren't there.

 

On the docket:

 

11-27 ROGERS CORNER: JIMMY SNUKA WWF TV

12-04 ROGERS CORNER: DON MURACO WWF TV

12-11 ROGERS CORNER: BACKLUND/GILBERT/SKAALAND WWF TV

12-18 BACKLUND/GILBERT vs SENZA/MARTIN WWF TV

12-18 ROGERS CORNER: JOHN STUDD/FRED BLASSIE WWF TV

12-25 JOHN STUDD vs EDDIE GILBERT WWF TV

12-28 PEDRO MORALES vs DON MURACO IC TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

12-28 BOB BACKLUND vs SUPERSTAR GRAHAM WWF TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

12-28 JIMMY SNUKA vs RAY STEVENS MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

 

Highlights include:

 

- With Titans morale at an all-time low dredging through the quagmire, will all four members make it to the bitter end?

- To what extent had Vince Sr tapped out completely by December 1982?

- In-depth analysis of ... the mechanics of the Big John Studd bodyslam challenge.

- Gorilla Monsoon continues to be a dick to Vinnie Jr on commentary.

- They are lumberjacks, and they're okay.

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I don't think there's enough 75-76 out there to do it the way you can 79 on. I'd love to see the Titans carry on and do all of 84 but maybe with a new member to transition to Hulkamania, maybe up to Wrestlemania.

Because as others have said, 83 isn't all that terribly good overall.

 

As for Vince Sr. tapping out, my understanding is that until payments from Jr were over he had control of booking the Garden, World Title and TV. Which given Vince Jr was in charge of booking the tag and IC titles before the buyout, really doesn't change all that much. It's not like you can book Boston or Philly to be THAT unique especially if you don't control TV.

 

Conspiracy minded people have suggested Vince deliberately sank 83, giving Backlund a bunch of terrible challengers who were new OR good challengers who fans had been seen before (and that is true that it happened) in order to lower fan interest and make the transition to Hulkamania more accepted by devaluing Backlund. My only objection to this is it just seems risky for someone who doesn't even have total control of his own company to try. I think it's more likely Vince needed to wait until payments were done, and wasn't going to go out of his way to give Bob anything insanely awesome. As for Sr, yeah I think he had tapped out by this point and was just doing what he knew.

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The truth is that Backlund had been on top for almost five years and the fans were clearly tired of him by at least as early as the summer of 82, and there was no need for conspiracies to replace him. Snuka's arrival as the hot new star played a part in Bob losing favor with the fans. In a way it's comparable to Austin and Hart in 96/97, except Bob declined the heel turn

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Titans, you need to check out the recent episode of 6:05 podcast that played audio of Albano & Blassie on a Philly Radio show in 1983. It's an awesome look on "smark" perspective of Backlund at the time when he was running out of steam. Blassie and Albano are fucking awesome at keeping Kayfabe when callers ask about George Steele's teaching job and Ernie Roth's recent passing. Right down your alley.

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