W.R. the Pirate / Random Thoughts on Pro Wrestling and More

On March 3rd, I had surgery on my left eye. There was a cyst that was growing and the doctor was concerned that it might be malignant.

I didn't mean to look so sad here but I probably was feeling sorry for myself.

 

As of now, I don't know the results of the testing but my cyst was fully removed. Yesterday, I had my stitches removed. If you look closely at my eye you can see where the stitches were.

I will return to work next week and it will be back to business as usual. But in case the surgery wasn't successful, I could've taken on a pirate gimmick like Jean-Pierre Lafitte (pictured below).

Pierre Carl Oulette is legitimately blind in his right eye but he's been a successful pro wrestler for over 30 years.

I've been binging on podcasts to help me through the last couple weeks. Two in particular stand out: The 6:05 Superpodcast and John Arezzi's Pro Wrestling Spotlight - Then and Now.

Both podcasts are hosted by Brian Last, a wrestling historian with an energetic, engaging style. Both podcasts are focused on classic pro wrestling and both only feature minimal advertising, which is refreshing.

John Arezzi hosted the call-in radio show John Arezzi's Pro Wrestling Spotlight on Long Island, New York from 1989 to 1994. Each week, John and Brian revisit each episode and play clips and offer anecdotes. It's a great snapshot of the pro wrestling scene and fans at the time. Currently the podcast is up to January 1991.

The 6:05 Superpodcast is a bit harder explain. It's a variety show based around classic pro wrestling. Brian Last interviews a variety of people in and around the pro wrestling business, covering subjects from the 1950's to the 1990's. Occasionally, modern wrestling will come up, but only in passing. There's also book reviews and a satirical Top Ten segment.

The Top Ten is comprised of guests who impersonate classic wrestlers and cut promos on each other. There's crazy characters like The Magnificent One (Don Muraco), Psychedelic Ivan Koloff, Hiccuping Fabulous Moolah, Cranky Barista Ken Patera, Lord Apnea Hayes (Alfred Hayes with sleep apnea) and The Handsome Boogie Man (Not Jimmy Valiant).

Howard Baum is the man behind The Magnificent One, Ivan Koloff, Moolah and Apnea Hayes and is particularly talented.

It's been ages since I've caught an episode of WWE Raw but I got to see the March 1st episode at my mothers house. I stay with her a couple days after my surgery. Here's a few thoughts:

The Miz vs Bobby Lashley angle dominated the show a bit too much for my liking. They had two false matches with full entrances and one proper match which was short. While I'm glad Bobby Lashley won the WWE title, I don't think it was necessary to rush to put the belt on him. Some fans were clamoring for The Miz to have a decent run as champion but he got squashed.

I noticed a lot of the matches featured a lot of arm bars applied without much intensity. I understand that it's safe and fundamentally sound but I can see why critics call WWE cookie cutter style wrestling.

The Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus match was good but it seemed like Drew scored a convincing victory, yet their feud still continues...

The rumor is that Drew will beat Lashley for the strap at WrestleMania. I'm not sure that would be a good idea. The fans might end up turning on Drew, although that would be easier to camouflage in today's environment.

Lashley vs Brock Lesnar is the fantasy match that's been talked about for years and to me would be a more suitable match for the WrestleMania main event.

Nia Jax is a much maligned figure among smart fans. While her "my hole" sell was ridiculous, I don't think she's that bad. 

Here's my nominations for the worst mainstream wrestler ever.

Giant Gonzalez vs The Undertaker, 1993

1. El Gigante / Giant Gonzalez

2. The Great Khali

3. Vladimir Kozlov

4. Nailz

5. Sylvester Terkay

Is there anyone else worth mentioning? Feel free to leave a comment.

It's good to see Christian Cage resurfacing at AEW. Obviously, he's no spring chicken but if he can stay healthy, he'll be a valuable acquisition.

I should get back to more regular posts over the next few days. Thanks to everyone for continued support, there's more content to come.