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Post by LWPD on Mar 26, 2012 19:46:07 GMT -5
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Post by Vidtek on Mar 28, 2012 19:25:22 GMT -5
Looking forward to this.
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Post by LWPD on Mar 31, 2012 17:20:25 GMT -5
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Post by LWPD on Mar 31, 2012 17:27:48 GMT -5
“And in the end it is not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.”
- Abraham LincolnHonest Effort: The Trials of Lincoln
Project OutlineWhat is this?Besides hopefully amusing myself, the objective with this project is to engage the hobby in a way that will prove substantial over time, while not being too time consuming on the front end. On paper that's a tough balancing act. In an attempt to accomplish that, this format will focus on the development of a single career, that of The Honest One™ Abraham Lincoln! Why Abraham Lincoln?From a historical perspective, there are few Americans that have made more of a remarkable impact on this country than Abraham Lincoln. His background, his look, his renowned oratory, his bold leadership in the face of immense challenges, and his untimely death, all combine to create an incredible aura. He was an amazing person, and this project is partly a convenient excuse to get to know his life and work a bit better. My initial thought upon first seeing Abe's card was that it was too strong relative to prior LOW cards. At a Rahl Rating of 31 (31), the 180 lbs Man from the Log Cabin rocks a -2 Power rating and a classic big/strong man style finisher. Envisioning him throat slamming heavier proven athletes who enjoyed substantial careers inside the squared circle was a bit of a stretch. Yet upon reflection, this romanticized view of Abe's skill set can make for a really fun card that challenges the imagination. Ultimately, that's one of the most rewarding aspects of this game. I also suspect this larger than life American Icon can just as easily fit in with the CotG Brands, and probably compete at a very high level. Over the course of time, this line of thinking will be thoroughly put to the test. Sprinting Through A MarathonUnlike a traditional Fed thread, each write up will be comprised of a single match in Lincoln's career. This allows for greatly expedited pacing. The same amount of time it may take to play out two or three cards of seven matches, will instead fulfill the entire leg of a tour of some part of the Filsinger Universe. And travel he will... A Touring AttractionStarting with LEGENDSonline Series 1, the Honest One's journey will begin. As a special attraction who is working a perpetual tour, Abe's stints will be divided up by brand and game edition. On a given tour, he will work matches with all the talent in a given area/time frame, with any angles flowing naturally from the course of events. While his career evolves his performance in a given territory will be recorded, and when the time is right, he'll move on to the next leg of his journey. In cases where a wrestler is known for some form of specialty match, he'll directly take on that challenge. Wherever there is a historically significant real life or fictional storyline, Abe will walk through it. He will tour Detroit and engage The Sheik inside a steel cage. He will tour GWF 2096 and experience Splatter's Lottery. He will tour now defunct official Feds from the past such as CPC and aCe. He will enter the rings of great fan made bootleg sets like the ICOF, nG0 and w3. He will perform under the rules of various official charts from the Ringside Companion series. He will do combat under all types of open source specialty match charts. The Trials of Lincoln will put the man with the top hat through the ringer! ToneMatch write ups and angles will be handled with a kayfabe slant, while elements of analysis (ie. card reviews, thoughts on specialty charts, etc) will be written from a breaking of the fourth wall perspective. Over time, repeated use of Lincoln's card should provide a deep account of all sorts of different FG content. My goal is to build a comprehensive career for Abe, while at the same time documenting what he is going through from a game-play perspective. Hopefully this journey will prove interesting or helpful in some way to other players.
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Post by LWPD on Apr 1, 2012 7:38:21 GMT -5
"I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."
-Abraham LincolnHonest Effort: The Trials of Lincoln
LEGENDSonline Series 1 Tour: Match 1Abraham Lincoln vs Boris Zhukov
Play by Play: Rough and tumble action gets underway early as Boris jumps the debuting Lincoln while in the midst of removing his top hat and suspenders. A series of headbutts rocks the great unifier, who regains his senses after BZ misses a hard turnbuckle charge. Abe then nails Zhukov with a stiff right jab, downing the fatigued Russian as he falls hard to the canvas. A hammerlock almost secures a submission, but Boris drapes his right leg under the ropes, forcing a break. Feeling his oats, the lanky man from the log cabin signals to the crowd and secures a picture perfect headlock throw...1,2,3! The Honest One scores the duke!
After the bell, Lincoln is attacked from behind by Zhukov's long time partner, Nikolai Volkoff. The two Russians double team an exhausted Abe until S.D. Jones, chair in hand, clears the ring!Booking The Honest One: At this early stage of Abe's career, I see him going through a feeling out period. Positioned at the lower end of the spectrum, Boris was a good match-up in which to test the waters. The action flowed quickly and Abe rode the momentum well. Post match, throwing in the Volkoff attack seemed like a natural. Fans can expect a lateral challenge coming out of this. The easiest of connecting roads wasn't paved for Lincoln, as his savior came in the form of Mr. Special Delivery.Boris Zhukov: The ManA quick Google search indicates that the role of Boris Zhukov was played by the Virgina born Jim Barrell. His career spanned from 1978-96. Surviving footage from the early 80s capture his days in the Crockett's Mid Atlantic promotion working as Private Jim Nelson. From a fan perspective, Boris was one of those wrestlers that largely slipped under my radar. I remember reading about him in the Apter mags during his stint with the AWA. When he finally appeared on WWF television, he was booked in a mid card tag role with Nikolai Volkoff. He had the standard Red Scare/bald Russian heel look down to a science. While never spectacular, he filled a niche and was an asset in terms of building up more marketable stars. A steady hand. A Closer LookBefore Boris, Private Jim Nelson!Booked As A Threat: Boris Zhukov vs Carlos Colon 9/19/86Playing Carpenter: Boris Zhukov vs Hulk Hogan 5/14/88Boris puts on the Russian 'raspy voice' in this promo circa '91Boris Zhukov: The CardHeight: 6'2 Weight: 275 lbs. Siberia, Russia Boris is a well constructed card that reflects his stint as one half of The Bolsheviks. Players can expect to see mid-level stats mixed with a healthy dose of tag proficiency. At a Rahl Rating of 10 (19) his main weaknesses are attribute based, scoring -4 points! His lack of agility hampers his skill in running the ropes. Defensively balanced, his Level 2 carries the dreaded 'down - 3', but a PIN 6 (3) still gives him a fighting chance to recover. Offensively, his Level 1 & 2 arsenal is respectable. With a finisher on the low end, he may be best suited for success as part of a team.Going ForwardAbraham Lincoln walks away with a victory in his LEGENDSonline Series 1 Tour debut. Yet before he could celebrate, he suffered a sneak attack that left him laying flat back. Will the Great Emancipator stay composed and keep steady on the winning track? Or will a quest for revenge send him into a tail spin?
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Post by Vegas on Apr 2, 2012 14:37:08 GMT -5
I enjoyed reading the write up and I enjoyed watching the posted videos.
I look forward to the next posts on this thread!
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Post by pikemojo on Apr 2, 2012 18:09:21 GMT -5
I really enjoyed the read as well. A really well constructed analysis of the cards.
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Post by LWPD on Apr 2, 2012 19:19:26 GMT -5
I enjoyed reading the write up and I enjoyed watching the posted videos. I look forward to the next posts on this thread! I really enjoyed the read as well. A really well constructed analysis of the cards. Thanks guys!
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Post by LWPD on Apr 6, 2012 12:31:46 GMT -5
"If I am killed, I can die but once; but to live in constant dread of it, is to die over and over again."
-Abraham LincolnHonest Effort: The Trials of Lincoln
LEGENDSonline Series 1 Tour: Match 2
Abraham Lincoln & S.D. Jones vs Nikolai Volkoff & Boris ZhukovPlay by PlayWith fire in his eyes, Lincoln starts off strong, launching a scientific wrestling assault on Boris Zhukov. A tag to Nikolai Volkoff sees the momentum shift as the big man stifles Abe's mojo. A lunging tag to S.D. Jones finds the man from the City of Brotherly Love quickly rocked by a Volkoff power slam. NV follows up with a running stomp that nets a near fall. Abe tags back in, but The Bolsheviks use their power attack in tandem, educating the Honest One in the ways of teamwork on the sly. Volkoff hits a throat drop off the ropes, causing Abe to fall to the arena floor. Back inside a groggy Lincoln somehow makes a diving tag to his partner. Jones comes in like a house of fire, connecting on Boris with a HEADBUTT, but Nikolai makes the save. A donnybrook outside the ring ends with Boris being busted open after he misses a face first running charge into the steel post. Back inside a blind tag to Volkoff goes bad quickly as Lincoln rattles the Russian powerhouse with a headlock throw. While Jones keeps a bloody Zhukov at bay, Abe signals to the crowd and connects with a THROAT LIFT SLAM for the three count! Booking The Honest OneWild action from bell to bell. Lincoln ascends another half step up the ladder, pinning the formidable Nikolai Volkoff amid the chaos of a tag match. A product of the 80s, The Bolsheviks brought forth the underlying Cold War era nemesis vibe. While in today's pro wrestling market the clash of civilizations storyline doesn't carry forth much value, back when nuclear confrontation and different ways of life were at their peak among the world's two superpowers, the emotional connection was real. A revered figure like Lincoln probably would have been 'over' at any American venue against the 'evil' symbols of the USSR.
To his credit, Jones held up his end of the bargain. S.D. was always a likable figure. Quick with a smile, he was popular with the fans on the east coast circuit. I could see him connecting well with Abe without egos clashing. This unlikely Salt n Pepper unit may see a return date sometime in the future.Nikolai Volkoff: The ManThe role of this Russian was played by the Croatian born Josip Peruzovic. By age 19 Josip had become a Yugoslavian weight lifting champion, and while on competition travel abroad, went to the Canadian embassy to seek asylum. His defection was used as a platform to enter the United States. While publicly he would play the part of a Soviet sympathizer, in real life he was staunchly anti-communist. He debuted in 1967 and still works occasional spot shows. A sample of his work as Bepo Mongol is included below. The character of Nikolai Volkoff was invented by Vince McMahon, Sr. who wanted a 'Russian' foil to work opposite his face talent. Josip, part ethnically Russian and fluent in the language, adopted the gimmick. From an 80s fan perspective, he came across as a credible Russian strongman. I felt at the time that Nikita Koloff was the 'coolest Russian heel' of the era, but in hindsight Volkoff was the better worker. Decades later, I still vividly remember Nikolai's pre-match singing of the Soviet Nation Anthem, which is a testament to the effect of his character. He played his part well, which largely consisted of power moves, basic brawling and standard heel tactics. Given his tenure, he was a more than worthy inductee into the WWE HOF.Bepo & Geto Mongol vs Gorilla Monsoon & Pedro Morales 12/26/70Nikolai Volkoff vs Bruno Sammartino 10/25/75Nikolai Volkoff Sings The Soviet National AnthemPromo Circa '90Ted DiBiase buys Nikolai Volkoff Circa '94Nikolai Volkoff: The CardHeight: 6'7 Weight: 287 lbs. Moscow, Russia Although equipped with a lowly PIN 7 (4), this can be a deceptively tough card. The big man from Siberia has a super defense, sporting six defensive counters and only one down! A single defensive tag on all three levels makes him an ideal partner. His overall offensive arsenal is mid range. Agility is a glaring weak point, but his power equates to a set of attributes that in total do no harm. On paper Nikolai has potential utility in both tag and singles competition.S.D. Jones: The ManThe role of S.D. Jones was played by Conrad Efraim. Originally hailing from Antigua in the West Indies, he transitioned into the wrestling world in 1971. At one time he was booked as Roosevelt Jones, the kayfabe cousin of territorial star Rufus R Jones. He was trained at the Johnny Rodz wrestling school in Manhattan and by the mid 70s he settled into a long stint with the WWF. I'll always remember him as a quality worker, who perfected 'house of fire' spots, but usually came up on the short end of the stick. This WWE HOF inductee passed away in October 2008 after a stroke. RIPEarly Days: S.D. Jones & Texas Red vs Victor Rivera & The Canadian 1976Student vs Teacher: S.D. Jones vs Johnny Rodz 1979Elevated: S.D. Jones V Bob Bradley 1983Carpenter Role: S.D. Jones vs King Kong Bundy WM 1S.D. Jones: The CardHeight: 6'0 Weight: 238 lbs. Philadelphia, PA Much like Boris Zhukov, the man from Antigua has potency on the lower tier of the roster. His attributes are a weak spot, netting a combined -6 points. Defensively he carries three down - 3 designations, along with a lowly PIN 7 (4). I'd peg this as an accurate reflection of how he was booked during his stint in the WWF, enhancement level with the capacity to pull off an occasional upset. That said, with three total defensive tag listings, S.D. has the makings of a respectable partner.Going ForwardTwo matches into his first tour, with a singles and tag victory in his pocket, The Honest One is on the upswing. While his popularity is building a base, not everyone on the LEGENDSonline Series 1 roster is a fan. In fact, one man in particular is making jokes at his expense. Who? Find out next time as The Trials of Lincoln continue!
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Post by LWPD on Apr 8, 2012 16:56:06 GMT -5
“Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”
- Abraham LincolnHonest Effort: The Trials of LincolnCreativeSince Abraham Lincoln's entrance into the LEGENDSonline Series 1 territory, Bobby The Brain Heenan has been launching non-stop jokes and nasty remarks at the revered former President. Berating his appearance, style of dress and way of speaking, Heenan has pronounced Lincoln a red, white and blue humanoid! Thoroughly offended, Lincoln has challenged Heenan to confront him one on one in the ring. Heenan said he would agree to a match, if and only if, Lincoln defeats his nearly 500 lbs charge, King Kong Bundy!
Can Abraham Lincoln defeat the behemoth from Atlantic City?LEGENDSonline Series 1 Tour: Match 3
Abraham Lincoln vs King Kong Bundy (w/Bobby Heenan ringside)Play by PlayA huge size differential in this one, with Lincoln giving up close to 300 pounds. The Honest One goes to work early, but merely dazes Bundy with single leg takedown and ankle pick attempts. Bundy brings the Honest One back down to reality as he powers out of a front facelock attempt. KKB launches several punches to the head, but Abe surprisingly holds his own. Abe sends Bundy into the ropes and the more agile man from the log cabin hits a wicked clothesline. Abe locks in a bear hug and trip for a cover...but Bundy powers out at 1. The sweet science of an arm bar hold down leaves Bundy hurt. Lincoln hits the ropes but Bundy connects with a towering back body drop. Abe battles back with a waistlock takedown and a breathtaking LINCOLNCANRANNA that brings KBB down hard. Abe signals for the THROAT LIFT SLAM...1,2, Bobby Heenan drapes Bundy's foot onto the bottom rope. Lincoln is distracted as he hard stares at Heenan and yells passionately for a show of sportsmanship, inadvertently giving Bundy a chance to recover. A KKB running power slam puts Abe down hard to the canvas. Bundy signals and then connects with the AVALANCHE...1,2,NO! A frustrated Bundy tosses Abe out of the ring, where a waiting Heenan goes for a chair shot...but misses. Lincoln then drills The Brain with a stiff jab, planting him flat on his ass. Back inside, Abe feels his oats and locks in a hammerlock, and then flows into a spinning leg lariat. He signals for a second THROAT LIFT SLAM, 1,2,diving save by Heenan! The Brain begs off, but Lincoln grabs him by the scruff of his collar and dumps him out hard to the arena floor. With both men visibly exhausted, Lincoln ducks a lumbering Bundy clothesline and somehow executes a picture perfect headlock throw, into a cover...1,2,3! Abe scores the duke!
After the bell, a frantic Bobby Heenan charges the ring and repeatedly whips a gassed out Lincoln with his own suspenders. Officials enter the ring and finally restrain Heenan, evicting him from the ringside area. Welts on his back, a victorious Abraham Lincoln is left hurt, confused and embarrassed! Booking The Honest OneThat match was a heck of a lot of fun to play out. Going in, this was Lincoln's biggest test to date. On paper, a man of Bundy's size is very intimidating. His finisher alone makes his card a potential spoiler at any given moment. Abe safely navigated through some very tense moments. Overcoming a near fall and surviving multiple outside interference attempts by The Brain, ultimately netted a hard fought victory.
Heenan's card has utility in possessing such a high interference success factor (Distractor Rating - 9). Needless to say, the strength of the character alone makes for a great foil. Were this occurring in a real life setting, both Heenan and Bundy would deserve major props for 'putting over' a youngster on the rise. Instead, the random rolls of cards and dice just happened to work out well for Abe.King Kong Bundy: The ManThe role of King Kong Bundy was played by Chris Pallies. Chris broke into the business by accident, mistakenly intercepting a phone call meant for his brother by referee Dick Woherle, his first connection in pro wrestling. His training was done by Larry Sharpe of the Monster Factory fame. He started wrestling in 1980 at age 23. From an 80s fan perspective, Bundy was among the most agile big men of his generation, playing an effective killer heel. A star in several territories, by 1986 KBB had reached his peak, co-headlining Wrestlemania 2 in a cage match against WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan. One of the most memorable pro wrestling visuals that I can still easily recall decades later was from Wrestlemania 3, when Bundy slammed and then elbow dropped the midget wrestler Little Beaver. Chris left the business for other opportunities in early '88, working several television and movie spots in the interim. He briefly returned to the WWF in the fall of '94, but didn't seem to have the same spring in his step, and left the main stream pro wrestling scene for good a year later. Bundy continued to work sporadically on the Indy scene until his retirement in 2006. Green Years: Chris Canyon vs Mil Mascaras 5/23/81Territory Days: Boom Boom Bundy & Jerry Blackwell vs Road Warriors 11/22/84King Kong Bundy On The StickPeak: King Kong Bundy, Lord Littlebrook & Little Tokyo vs Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid & Little Beaver WM 3/29/87King Kong Bundy: The CardHeight: 6'4 Weight: 446 lbs. Atlantic City, NJ The big man from Atlantic City clocks in at a Rahl Rating of 25 (28). Offensively, its all about the finisher. The AVALANCHE is slotted with a potent +4, yet its match ending potential is tempered by needing back to back successful pin rolls in order to simulate a mandatory 'five count'. In terms of Rahl scoring, the double jeopardy mechanic cuts his finisher's raw score to a 6, yet the effect lingers in game-play. Attribute wise, at -4 pw Bundy tends to have a size and strength advantage, but his lack of agility will haunt him when in speed based (ch) scenarios, running the ropes, going for a deathjump or trying to escape a cage. Defensively KKB is formidable with six total counters (three as counter - 2) and only one down - 3 designation. That said, his lowly PIN 7 (4) won't do him any favors. A total of two defensive tags makes Bundy a possible threat in the tag ranks, as a quick tag in on Level 3 Offense could easily spell the end for just about anyone! Going ForwardGoing into this match, imaginary odds makers were betting heavily against Top Hat Abe. Big mistake! An even bigger mistake was made by Bobby Heenan, who agreed to step into the ring with Lincoln should the Honest One survive a battle with his charge. With Abe's temper boiling after being whipped post-match by The Brain with his own costume prop, a grudge match waits in the wings. Yet just what type of match these two will compete in, and whether or not The Brain has a trick up his sleeve, remains to be seen...
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