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same ole same ole
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ncrdbl1 Offline
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Post: #1
same ole same ole
That time again. Time again for another Lawler tribute at a closed down bakery. Growing up most of us if we admit it or not could not wait till Saturday morning at 11 am. We were in the middle of one of the great local promotions anywhere in the US.

It was great. We started at at Ellis auditorium and moved to the Coliseum. The places were packed. Every era had it big star. Billy Wicks was once the face of Memphis wrestling. People flocked in to see him each week. When his time came to step aside he was involved with a long feud with Sputnik Monroe. Whew it was Sputniks time to shine and he did more than that he integrated Memphis wrestling. He could draw people in of both races and carried the promotion until it was his time to step aside. Which he did after a feud with Jackie Fargo allowing Fargo to become the new face of Memphis Wrestling. Then came time for Jackie to step aside and he did so. Allowing a new squirt to come along and take over as the face of Memphis wrestling. Who could forget the time that Lawler dressed as a woman attacked Jackie on TV. he feud that led to teh face change. Unfortunately that was the LAST face change in Memphis wrestling.

Lawler did a good job at carrying the promotion. Sp much so that when Jeff Jarret (as Fargo calls it) stole Herb Welches territory. He gave Lawler a part of the company to come with him to channel 5. They did great on channel 5 it was fresh and exciting and it sold out the coliseum every Monday night. However as time went by the promotion never really produced anyone that could take over as the new face. When Lawler decided to go to NY and act like a damn fool on TV for Vincent McMahon Jr. There was a real need for a new face in Memphis wrestling. The ole look like a buffoon on national TV and then come home and look like an unbeatable hero never really caught on. Crowd dwindled quickly. The promotion was sold, then folded. New promotions popped up time and time again and each one pushed the same old face as the top star. Never producing a new star to take over and lead the local promotion. What was once one of the top territories in the world now holds events in closed down malls and bakeries.

Next week we once again will see a few dozen people gather at the old closed down bakery to watch a young whippersnapper in his 50s take on the big heroes in his mid 60s. All of this in honor of the up coming birthday of the soon to be eligible for social security local star. It sadden me that a once proud territory has fallen so far because one person could not set his ego aside and allow someone new to come in and take over as star and carry the promotion into the future. So much young talent has came through the Memphis territory but left to become big stars elsewhere because they were never allowed to develop fully due to someone's massive ego.
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2014 06:05 AM by ncrdbl1.)
09-12-2014 06:01 AM
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oldmangrizz Offline
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Post: #2
RE: same ole same ole
It's not like it used to be. As in commercial business, the big box company(s) came in and ran the little guy out of business. Personally, I don't think the change happened in the manner you believe it did, but that's neither here nor there. It happened, and it's not the same now.
09-12-2014 07:00 AM
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HornLakeTiger Offline
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Post: #3
RE: same ole same ole
It's definitely true that Lawler never put anyone over as THE next face of the territory, but the truth is, the territory was doomed anyway. As WWE grew bigger and bigger, the idea of thriving small time promotions became a thing of the past.

And I do agree...ENOUGH with the Lawler "tribute shows".
09-12-2014 07:47 AM
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ericsrevenge76 Away
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Post: #4
RE: same ole same ole
(09-12-2014 06:01 AM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  That time again. Time again for another Lawler tribute at a closed down bakery. Growing up most of us if we admit it or not could not wait till Saturday morning at 11 am. We were in the middle of one of the great local promotions anywhere in the US.

It was great. We started at at Ellis auditorium and moved to the Coliseum. The places were packed. Every era had it big star. Billy Wicks was once the face of Memphis wrestling. People flocked in to see him each week. When his time came to step aside he was involved with a long feud with Sputnik Monroe. Whew it was Sputniks time to shine and he did more than that he integrated Memphis wrestling. He could draw people in of both races and carried the promotion until it was his time to step aside. Which he did after a feud with Jackie Fargo allowing Fargo to become the new face of Memphis Wrestling. Then came time for Jackie to step aside and he did so. Allowing a new squirt to come along and take over as the face of Memphis wrestling. Who could forget the time that Lawler dressed as a woman attacked Jackie on TV. he feud that led to teh face change. Unfortunately that was the LAST face change in Memphis wrestling.

Lawler did a good job at carrying the promotion. Sp much so that when Jeff Jarret (as Fargo calls it) stole Herb Welches territory. He gave Lawler a part of the company to come with him to channel 5. They did great on channel 5 it was fresh and exciting and it sold out the coliseum every Monday night. However as time went by the promotion never really produced anyone that could take over as the new face. When Lawler decided to go to NY and act like a damn fool on TV for Vincent McMahon Jr. There was a real need for a new face in Memphis wrestling. The ole look like a buffoon on national TV and then come home and look like an unbeatable hero never really caught on. Crowd dwindled quickly. The promotion was sold, then folded. New promotions popped up time and time again and each one pushed the same old face as the top star. Never producing a new star to take over and lead the local promotion. What was once one of the top territories in the world now holds events in closed down malls and bakeries.

Next week we once again will see a few dozen people gather at the old closed down bakery to watch a young whippersnapper in his 50s take on the big heroes in his mid 60s. All of this in honor of the up coming birthday of the soon to be eligible for social security local star. It sadden me that a once proud territory has fallen so far because one person could not set his ego aside and allow someone new to come in and take over as star and carry the promotion into the future. So much young talent has came through the Memphis territory but left to become big stars elsewhere because they were never allowed to develop fully due to someone's massive ego.




The fact is there was no one to "pass the torch" to because there was no real money in local wrestling after the early/mid 80's.

Hate to break it to you, but every old wresting territory in the country has a similar story.

People in Texas have a similar story, Florida wrestling has a similar story, Virgina and the Carolina's have a similar story, Pacific northwest has a similar story, even the Hart family's old stomping grounds in Canada has a similar story.

Big time regional promotions are long gone, and its isn't anyone in Memphis' fault really, ALL of the best classic territories dried up after he WWE and NWA/WCW became national promotions.
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2014 11:42 AM by ericsrevenge76.)
09-12-2014 10:19 AM
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snowtiger Offline
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Post: #5
RE: same ole same ole
I have always wondered why more wrestlers didn't run for office in their heydays. Wrestling fans must carry some weight at the polls to have voted in Ventura.
09-12-2014 12:15 PM
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EarthBoundMisfit Offline
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Post: #6
RE: same ole same ole
(09-12-2014 12:15 PM)snowtiger Wrote:  I have always wondered why more wrestlers didn't run for office in their heydays. Wrestling fans must carry some weight at the polls to have voted in Ventura.

Jesse is a very intelligent guy, and people were attracted to the fact that he was not a political insider of either party.
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2014 01:34 PM by EarthBoundMisfit.)
09-12-2014 01:22 PM
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Tiger46 Offline
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Post: #7
RE: same ole same ole
(09-12-2014 06:01 AM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  That time again. Time again for another Lawler tribute at a closed down bakery. Growing up most of us if we admit it or not could not wait till Saturday morning at 11 am. We were in the middle of one of the great local promotions anywhere in the US.

It was great. We started at at Ellis auditorium and moved to the Coliseum. The places were packed. Every era had it big star. Billy Wicks was once the face of Memphis wrestling. People flocked in to see him each week. When his time came to step aside he was involved with a long feud with Sputnik Monroe. Whew it was Sputniks time to shine and he did more than that he integrated Memphis wrestling. He could draw people in of both races and carried the promotion until it was his time to step aside. Which he did after a feud with Jackie Fargo allowing Fargo to become the new face of Memphis Wrestling. Then came time for Jackie to step aside and he did so. Allowing a new squirt to come along and take over as the face of Memphis wrestling. Who could forget the time that Lawler dressed as a woman attacked Jackie on TV. he feud that led to teh face change. Unfortunately that was the LAST face change in Memphis wrestling.

Lawler did a good job at carrying the promotion. Sp much so that when Jeff Jarret (as Fargo calls it) stole Herb Welches territory. He gave Lawler a part of the company to come with him to channel 5. They did great on channel 5 it was fresh and exciting and it sold out the coliseum every Monday night. However as time went by the promotion never really produced anyone that could take over as the new face. When Lawler decided to go to NY and act like a damn fool on TV for Vincent McMahon Jr. There was a real need for a new face in Memphis wrestling. The ole look like a buffoon on national TV and then come home and look like an unbeatable hero never really caught on. Crowd dwindled quickly. The promotion was sold, then folded. New promotions popped up time and time again and each one pushed the same old face as the top star. Never producing a new star to take over and lead the local promotion. What was once one of the top territories in the world now holds events in closed down malls and bakeries.

Next week we once again will see a few dozen people gather at the old closed down bakery to watch a young whippersnapper in his 50s take on the big heroes in his mid 60s. All of this in honor of the up coming birthday of the soon to be eligible for social security local star. It sadden me that a once proud territory has fallen so far because one person could not set his ego aside and allow someone new to come in and take over as star and carry the promotion into the future. So much young talent has came through the Memphis territory but left to become big stars elsewhere because they were never allowed to develop fully due to someone's massive ego.

No, cable TV killed Memphis wrestling. The money and national exposure attracted everyone to Atlanta and then Vince McMahan got in the game. Lawler would have only profited from Memphis wrestling becoming bigger. I think his checkbook would have won over his ego.
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2014 02:00 PM by Tiger46.)
09-12-2014 01:59 PM
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ericsrevenge76 Away
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Post: #8
RE: same ole same ole
(09-12-2014 01:59 PM)Tiger46 Wrote:  No, cable TV killed Memphis wrestling. The money and national exposure attracted everyone to Atlanta and then Vince McMahan got in the game. Lawler would have only profited from Memphis wrestling becoming bigger. I think his checkbook would have won over his ego.


Yep

Cable TV is what set the stage for them to become national promotions.
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2014 02:12 PM by ericsrevenge76.)
09-12-2014 02:11 PM
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ncrdbl1 Offline
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Post: #9
RE: same ole same ole
(09-12-2014 02:11 PM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  
(09-12-2014 01:59 PM)Tiger46 Wrote:  No, cable TV killed Memphis wrestling. The money and national exposure attracted everyone to Atlanta and then Vince McMahan got in the game. Lawler would have only profited from Memphis wrestling becoming bigger. I think his checkbook would have won over his ego.


Yep

Cable TV is what set the stage for them to become national promotions.

With proper leadership the USWA could have survived in the cable era. They were number 3 behind WWF and Crocket/WCW. USWA had a short term working agreement with Crocket before it was sold to Turner and a shirt term development contract with WCW. The AWA was on ESPN. Lawler saw the big dollars when he sued WWF over the term King of wrestling. When he ended up getting a deal to be in WWF he just didn't care about the UWSA anymore. The people who bought it were just con men. Many did not realize just how close the WWF came to failing. If the territories did not dislike each other and would have worked together we would not see the current WWE. Do not think it was cable that was the big difference. It was when the WWF began sending video to other markets and buy air time. The air time that Crockett had on TBS was originally going to be WWF taped events.


Talk of adding the CWA/USWA library to the WWE network. Even though Lawler has a number of videos i have to wqonder if he owns the authority to add them to the network. Since he sold the company does he own the rights to these videos?
09-13-2014 05:34 PM
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