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Post by lucifer on Dec 18, 2018 6:21:31 GMT -5
In preparation for the new set, I was watching “The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA” last night, which has got me wondering...what if Verne does the “smart” thing and keeps Hogan? How much does the history of wrestling change? Does WWF become the powerhouse it did without Hogan? And if so, with whom? I’ve always said that if not for Hogan, Savage would be spoken of as even more of a legend, but Randy isn’t there in 1983. And does he even end up there without Hogan going first? Does Piper? At the time, the AWA might have actually had a more talented core roster than WWF, so I can see them achieving the same level of national success that WWF did. And while we’re on the subject, why isn’t Verne in Legends? Are the Gagne’s under contract to WWE?
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Post by TTX on Dec 18, 2018 6:28:15 GMT -5
It would change things of course....Vince would have had to pick someone else to carry the torch but he'd have found someone....they might not peak but I think they could have been close....as well, eventually Verne and Hulk would have broken up over something and regardless I think AWA would have fallen apart due to Verne's promotional style more than anything which was good for the 60s and 70s but no longer worked in the 80s.
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What if?
Dec 18, 2018 8:19:35 GMT -5
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Post by lucifer on Dec 18, 2018 8:19:35 GMT -5
It would change things of course....Vince would have had to pick someone else to carry the torch but he'd have found someone....they might not peak but I think they could have been close....as well, eventually Verne and Hulk would have broken up over something and regardless I think AWA would have fallen apart due to Verne's promotional style more than anything which was good for the 60s and 70s but no longer worked in the 80s. Yeah, the “business” definitely passed Verne by and I don’t know if Greg was willing to “pull a Vince” to save it. Verne also appeared to be cheap, to put it mildly |
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mj
Infinity Challenge
LWF World Champion
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What if?
Dec 18, 2018 13:39:54 GMT -5
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Post by mj on Dec 18, 2018 13:39:54 GMT -5
It would change things of course....Vince would have had to pick someone else to carry the torch but he'd have found someone....they might not peak but I think they could have been close....as well, eventually Verne and Hulk would have broken up over something and regardless I think AWA would have fallen apart due to Verne's promotional style more than anything which was good for the 60s and 70s but no longer worked in the 80s. Yeah, the “business” definitely passed Verne by and I don’t know if Greg was willing to “pull a Vince” to save it. Verne also appeared to be cheap, to put it mildly To me it comes down to vision.... Vince had a grand vision of where he wanted to take wrestling and Vern was happy with how it was. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2018 14:41:48 GMT -5
I think with or without Hogan, Vince probably still would have won because he had his shit together while the other promoters didn't. If he didn't have Hulk, he would have had someone else but it really just comes down to how organized he had everything.
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Post by Gunslinger on Dec 18, 2018 15:13:54 GMT -5
I think with or without Hogan, Vince probably still would have won because he had his shit together while the other promoters didn't. If he didn't have Hulk, he would have had someone else but it really just comes down to how organized he had everything. For more information in this vein, read Tim Hornbaker's Death of the Territories. It's a damn miracle the territories lasted as long as they did. |
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What if?
Dec 18, 2018 16:34:58 GMT -5
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Post by Cruising00 on Dec 18, 2018 16:34:58 GMT -5
What would of happened if The Von Erich boys all lived would that of changed anything? WCCW was a global phenomenal back in the day or was the titles changing hands on a dq or countout gonna hurt them in the long run?
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Post by TTX on Dec 18, 2018 17:15:27 GMT -5
Well the only way that happens is if Fritz cracked down on the drug culture that took so many of the World Class guys way too soon.
In the end, a lot of the same problems would doom the fed though a living David and a healthy Kerry would probably be booked in a lot of places and Crockett might have had some more ammunition against Vince. I could see Kevin mostly retire with just the occasional appearance with David and Kerry doing most of the heavy lifting.
If the drug culture is gone, Gino and perhaps Terry Gordy would live longer as well.
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Post by Blehschmidt on Dec 18, 2018 20:11:10 GMT -5
What would of happened if The Von Erich boys all lived would that of changed anything? WCCW was a global phenomenal back in the day or was the titles changing hands on a dq or countout gonna hurt them in the long run? I tend to think if David had lived that the company would have ended differently. Not saying they would still be around today, not saying they would have competed with Vince. But I truly believe it was the death of David that deflated the sails and started the whole downward spiral for World Class and the Von Erich family. |
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Post by Pete on Dec 18, 2018 20:48:51 GMT -5
I think the idea of Verne "keeping" Hogan is built on a false premise. Even if Verne had the most advanced mind for promoting wrestling in the cable-TV era possible, Vince still had the largest media markets in the country (except Chicago) and more to offer than anyone else.
It's possible that Verne actually extended the life of the AWA by *not* putting the title on Hogan so his World Champion could jump to the opposition.
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