----I will have to retract my statements about Crazy Train being a “short term” c
hampion. I got the chance to watch 95% of the Mark Justice vs Crazy Train NBW title change this week via video tape. Train has improved a lot and his bumping was totally on cue. I remember thinking “what a goof” when I first saw his gimmick, but he is over and is learning his craft. The match [***1/2] had all the hope spots, false finishes and drama you would want in a title change. The fans popped really loud for the finish and Train’s reaction was perfect. Can Train have matches with other people at this caliber?? Probably not unless it is someone like Mark Justice. I think Train will make a good champion in the vein of him taking a beating, build a good finish and then out of nowhere he wins every time.----Since it seems like I am stuck on talking about NBW, then I want to comment on something that I just hated about the Train vs Justice match. NBW is not the only one at fault here, because wrestling in general screws up this stuff all the time. When Jimmy Tidwell, Rob Justice and Jason Matthews jumped Mark after the bout, who made the save?? Crazy Train and Jeremy Moore?? Should they have?? No way. Justice has been pushed as a mega heel here and there is no way they should consider saving him. This needs to be a few weeks down the line. Memphis use to do this perfect in they would do interviews like, “I know no one likes me, but I need to ask for you to be my partner..” The “common enemy” angle and it worked. This should all play out in that Justice does not trust anyone – babys or heels – for a while in NBW. In a few weeks, have a babyface need a partner and come out and ask Mark to be his partner.
----The Randy Hales interview was a great piece of work done by Gene Jackson. Hales was just totally honest and that made the interview. He wanted people to know that Memphis Wrestling was really hot in the 70s also and many people forget about that. I think the main reason of that is that the “journalists” that cover the business right now are fans of the 80’s stuff like the Fabs, Bill Dundee and Jerry Lawler. I started watching wrestling in 1978, so most of my childhood memories are of the 80s stuff. The 70’s 2 out of 3 Falls – “Hair vs Hair” Al Greene vs Jackie Fargo bout was mentioned and the booking on that bout was just genius. Fargo the babyface wins the first fall. Greene comes back to win the second fall. So, Fargo wins the third fall and everyone goes home happy; right?? NO!! Greene won two straight falls and they shaved the head of the Jackie Fargo!! Isn’t it weird how a lot of babyfaces lost in hair matches in Memphis??
----Hales also made comments about Jerry and Jeff Jarrett. Jerry Jarrett had already went into promoting when I started watching it and wrestled very little, but I have went back to watch some of his bouts. I was not a fan of his work. Never thought much of it. But, he is a perfect case to go back to look at the reasoning of him getting over. As Hales said, it was that soft spoken babyface interview along with the fact that Jerry had the “look” before anyone knew what the “look” was. Blonde good looking babyface made money. Jeff, on the other hand, has always worked very hard to be a good worker. He has been criticized by many for his WWE and TNA work, but I have always considered him an above average worker. During a wrestling convention in Memphis as us marks were making the weekly rounds with the boys, it featured three Billy Travis/Jeff Jarrett vs Pat Tanaka/Paul Diamond bouts. Talking with Jeff that weekend he was determined to improve after each night and would come to us smarks to ask us what we thought. This is coming from a guy that could have just been a horrible worker and still been a “hero” on Memphis Wrestling.
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