Slim Jim

DDP hasn't debuted yet (or I can't find him) but he'll definitely have a place somewhere on my roster even if it isn't with the Freebirds. I like the Sam Houston suggestion and might use him with them when they're at a level to feud with Jake Roberts (Jake brings his half-brother in to help him out, they team for a bit and Jake helps him in singles matches until Sam gets frustrated at being "saved" by his big brother so turns on him in a match vs the Freebirds and takes up with them to prove himself). I considered both but I want Mick as Cactus Jack and working as crazy lunatic loner that doesn't fit in with the 'modern' glitzy rock 'n' wrestling. Buzz has a note about his demons in his profile and if you're bad enough to have it mentioned in an 80s profile as being noteworthy, then you're probably not long for this world... Hmm. I hadn't thought of Douglas. He might've been very good, I can picture it better than my actual choice... I went with Brian Pillman in the end. He's in his rookie year so it's a stretch that he'd ever jump straight to the national stage but I can imagine Hayes and Gordy bumping into him on the road somewhere and taking him under their wing. Plus I like the dynamic of the trio in terms of style. Mostly going to use Gordy & Pillman as the most common pairing, with Hayes occasionally going for singles titles with Freebird backing (especially now singles titles can be defended in tag matches).

Just started a WWF game in TGA, so coming into Wrestlemania 3, and I'm bringing in the Freebirds, who I will keep around afterwards but I want to replace Buddy Roberts because he's getting old, and I don't particularly want to use Jimmy Garvin. Any suggestions for a new Freebird?

In my C-Verse TCW/HGC game, I have Duane Stone and Steve DeColt, who have excellent chemistry as a team. That basically writes itself in the long-term, and gives me a great team in the short to mid term. Currently called the Stone-Colt Killers but I might try to think of something else for them.

Playing a HGC game in the CV '97 database. Changed it to TCW and set-up HGC as my child company. I wanted Rip Chord as my champ but Strong wouldn't let him go over so I had a screwy ending that held the title up, then debuted Floyd Goldworthy as the new onscreen authority, who gifted the title to Rip Chord, who formed his Gold Standard stable of himself, Brute Alexei, Eric Tyler, Johnny Martin and Jack Bruce, seeing Bruce as his heir as the partying superstar of the next generation, with the other three as 'muscle'. Strong is working solo but the Blazing Flames and Richie Pangrazzio are working together against Tyler, Martin & Bruce. Hopefully by the second PPV, Strong will be willing to put over Chord (who are now in a clique together with Micky Starr, and making everyone hate Dusty Streets). I have the Demons of Rage feuding with The Vesseys over the tag titles while I build up some other teams (Tyler & Martin should be placed to challenge after going over the Flames, who I'm moving out of their feature spot). I've found some tag chemistry but not in partnerships that are grabbing me right now. I have the DeColt boys in development, along with Big Cat & Jungle Jack, Grunt & Stink, The Peak Brothers, Savage Fury & Tag Team Specialists, so pretty soon I'll have a very deep division to be getting on with. Liberty is currently leeching popularity from Romeo Heartthrob and is the International Champion, and Mr Lucha is the Cruiserweight Champion. BLZ Bubb is currently taking out Dusty Streets over the period of about three months. The final conclusion to that will be his new allies debuting to help finish off Streets. Right now they include Vengeance & Genghis Rahn, who are both in development but I borrow to use in Menace angles/Domination matches, seemingly randomly but building their aura before a mastermind reveals they and BLZ are part of a cohesive unit. I'm not sure I want to use Karen Killer in that role. I have The Guru on my roster but not sure he is right either. I just signed Shane Sneer so might use him, trying to take over to re-live his glory days. I'm toying with adding another figure or two to the group, maybe Runaway Train or the Peak Brothers. Going to build one of them to dethrone Sam Strong after he has overcome Chord and run with the built for a few months, but I'll see who makes the most strides during their initial run before I anoint a Chosen One (I'm hoping it'll be Vengeance). The plan is to build to a War Games style match, either before or after the title switch. I have RDJ in development at the moment (because he was willing to go), so adding him to Bruce, Liberty, Bryan Vessey, Brent Hill & BLZ Bubb on the main roster already and Vengeance, Eddie Peak, Big Cat Brandon, the DeColts, Chris Morrisette, Rich Money and Angry Gilmore in development, and in a year or so I should have a very strong roster (and can move on all the old-timers). Another long-term plan, after the monsters make their mark on Strong, is to have Strong, Chord and another old-timer (maybe an unretired Micky Starr) forming a triumvirate to protect their power against a face-turned Jack Bruce and two of those guys, probably Liberty and RDJ, which gives me 18-months to get them in a place where they can realistically do it. Neither Strong nor Chord are on the Time Decline list so I can plan their retirements as long-term ventures rather than rushing into them.

Playing '97 C-Verse as HGC. Tried to positively meddle in the Strong Dislike between Sam Strong and Dusty Streets - it backfired and they now hate each other. Sorry, Dusty, you're getting jobbed and canned.

<p><span>http://i.imgur.com/kbS9yui.jpg</span></p><p> </p><p> A tweaked/humanised version of the original Rip Chord pic.</p>

Presumably realised that he should cut back on the steroids (improved behaviour) but he's annoyed that you've fined him (unhappy)? Started with USPW because I thought from what I'd read that they had their own network. It's a shame they don't (but they will soon enough). They were my biggest save in '13 and they have started in a similar position to where I had them in that save, so it's been quite seamless to transition. I had Frehley drop the title to Champion at the first PPV. I've never been a fan of Frehley and he's not good enough anyway. Champion isn't really good enough to be the top champion in the world either but he's an improvement, and I'll get the belt onto Money soon enough while I build up some quality opponents. He's inserted himself into the title picture after beating Chris Caulfield. Signed Khoklov to feud with Enygma, and after the next PPV they'll both be in the title hunt for a 5-man Elimination Chamber, unless I can find a worthwhile sixth entrant in the next month or so. Greg Gauge (as Greg Keith) and Ricky DeColt are my new tag team, feuding with Natural Storm, who took the belts off Cold Warriors so I could suspend Novak. I've made a lot of signings and sent a lot of guys down to my new dev. territory. The only person I've released was Captain USA because he wasn't good enough for the level we're at. Peter Michaels, Emily McQueen and Adrian Garcia are on commentary, which is a big improvement. I was very surprised Rick Law agreed to go down to development (I tried pretty much everyone to see who was happy to go) but when he comes back up, he'll make waves. Still need to get some order in the midcard and tag divisions, and the women's division, but working from the top down to make sure I win National Battles is going well for the first month. Also upped all the production to the highest levels, SWF and TCW have made moves to improve theirs and TCW are already in financial trouble. I'll be crippling them ASAP.

Wasn't it just a house show they decided to stick on the Network as a bonus event before Mania? That's why it didn't change anything. I preferred the feel of it, the stripped back set rather than that overly produced and flashy set they use for Raw/Smackdown/most PPVs, and also the lighting was great. I know they usually want to highlight the crowd to include their reaction etc. but something about having just the ring lit up looked great. Enzo & Cass and The Revival (hate the name) were great, hope they get a chance to shine on the main roster. Natalya needs to be given more of the spotlight, she'd be a great 'veteran' addition to the new generation of women's wrestlers in the 'Diva Revolution'. As for Shane coming back to help out, of course he would. I doubt it was a surprise that Vince anointed Steph as his heir-apparent. If you listen to anyone that's worked there, they say they preferred Shane but he was too close to 'the boys' and that Steph is more like Vince. And Vince surely would have made it pretty clear what his attention was to both kids well in advance, and Shane decided to go apply his talents elsewhere. I can see why he would be a bit burned by the whole thing but not enough that he would shun his family forever.

The Rocky Golden I'm using to bring him into USPW as an arrogant outside star heel.

I want them to stick the belt on Triple H just to watch the internet explode with rage.

She's not really playing herself. Just like Stephanie McMahon isn't really playing herself in WWE, and the same for any other wrestler. It's a lot closer to reality than most other TV shows, obviously, but it's like Matt LeBlanc playing "Matt LeBlanc" in Episodes. Sure, he has the same name and various other qualities from his real life, but what happens on the show is still fictional and the audience know that. It should be the same in wrestling. Mickie James isn't playing Mickie James, she's playing "Mickie James", and there's a definite difference there, however subtle it might be (or how badly it might be handled at times).

Feel free to add the new match file I made, it's free for anyone to use: http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=526991

Rollins 28, Reigns 29, Bryan 33, Orton 34. Break out the walkers, those guys are ready for the scrap heap. Lesnar is the biggest star they've had in years and his part time schedule actually HELPS that. Plus the rest of the IC match except Truth are in a good place to compete at the next step down. Cesaro and Kidd are getting decent exposure as the tag champions, along with the Usos. Rusev is in a good spot to get pushed higher if they need him. Bray actually comes out of the Taker match well despite the result. So what if they gave Big Show the Andre Battle Royal as a thank you for his years of dedication? Or that they decided not to kill off 'Taker so he can continue to add something to future shows? Or that they had a nostalgia filled match with DX, NWO and Sting in the middle of a show that is the only show some casual fans from the Attitude Era will watch all year? Of course Triple H beat Sting, it's a WWE vs WCW thing but they made Sting look very strong in the build up, constantly getting the better of Triple H, and it took four guys interfering and a sledgehammer for Triple H to do it. And having that nostalgia act is great for the guys in the IC match, and Rusev, and Reigns, and Rollins because the casual fans tune in to see their old favourites and might like the new guys they see. Basically, you're talking out of your arse. You don't like WWE. Good for you. Don't watch it. And not in the usual "IWC keyboard warrior bitching about Raw so don't watch" way, in a "you clearly do not like this form of entertainment, it isn't for you, so do yourself a favour and watch something you do enjoy" way.

If you didn't enjoy that show, Sports Entertainment isn't for you so might as well get a new hobby because that was a near-perfect Sports Entertainment show. They made the right call with every result IMO.

Especially getting a ladder out ...for no reason at all. It was a clunky and awkward set up for TLC, but hopefully their TLC match can make up for the lacklustre post match stuff at SS.

You can give them any American address in your sign up details, and then pay with Paypal. I use Hola (with Firefox because it doesn't work on Chrome) to make it think I'm connecting from the US.

I've had the Network in the UK since it launched in the US, they haven't gone to great lengths to prevent that happening, and after the rumours of the UK getting a watered-down version of the Network when/if it does launch, I'll probably stick to that anyway.

But he understood important moments and added to the drama. I haven't watched for a while but there were several occasions when they would talk through the Wyatts' entrance, for example, and it completely killed the mood/aura. And I'd take JR miscalling moves but having some emotion to enhance the feel of the match over Cole miscalling moves and spouting bollocks, or bickering with JBL, while a match goes on underneath it. I do agree about both Striker and Regal, though. Striker genuinely loves wrestling, I don't get that feeling from Cole at all.

<p>Jake absolutely stole the show. I think most people expected his speech to be one of the best though.</p><p> </p><p> Mr T was bizarre, shame Scott Hall got such little time but I guess Triple H asked his buddy to help make up for everyone else running on. Not surprising to see Carlito still being a whiny so-and-so, if he's so sick of performing in bingo halls maybe don't take shots at a company that might've brought you back as part of "Operation Charm The WWC Library Out Of Carlos Colon" during their HOF show.</p>

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Arrows" data-cite="Arrows" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Ambrose could go full on hobo look and go crazier after the split to give him something fun to do. It'd make him stand out and solidify him in the midcard as something not just like the rest of the midcard, and that's about as far as I see him going.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Obviously I'm not suggesting a direct rip-off but just as a point of comparison for how it'd play out, Ambrose and AJ having a Joker/Harley Quinn relationship has worked in my mind since he debuted.</p>

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="jbergey_2005" data-cite="jbergey_2005" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I agree with much of what you said DJ.<p> </p><p> The facing Undertaker I guess is the biggest issue I would have. Undertaker at WM has been built to be superhuman and I dont think any amount of hype could get him to the level that makes him a legit threat.</p><p> </p><p> With that said, maybe the WWE has built Undertaker up so much that no one really appears as threat. Do people even think Lesnar can go over on him?</p><p> </p><p> Remarkably, the past 10 years knowing that Undertaker is going to win, the matches have been so wonderfully done that they made you forget about the fact that UT cant be beat. I just dont think Sting could pull this off.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I think they could if they wanted to. WWE are very good at creating promotional videos and vignettes, especially with the video library they have to draw on for Sting. They could hype him up as this mysterious, all-conquering force, blah, blah, blah. The fact that a large part of the audience hasn't seen him before but there's such a storied history to show of him makes it doable as well as this mysterious aura. Only thing is you'd probably have to debut him at either the Rumble or Elimination Chamber and put him over someone credible to really cement it before the actual run-in to Mania with 'Taker (matching him with the supernatural schtick to an extent, I guess. Lights go out with Sting in the ring, GONG, come back up and a confused 'Taker is in the ring alone, camera pans to the shadows in the rafters, that sort of thing).</p><p> </p><p> The problem, for me, isn't could they do it (I firmly believe they could do the build up and sell the match) but would they do it? What's the benefit? Would it boost the buyrate enough to be worthwhile? I think they could build it enough to be an anticipated Main Event level spectacle but I don't think they could go that extra step to build it to the point where enough people would buy the show just on the strength of that match alone. And if there's no financial incentive to it, I don't see them doing it because it doesn't have any long term benefit for the company either.</p><p> </p><p> As a fan, though, I still want to see it, even with the two guys being more than a 100 combined.</p>

Was he talking to him face-to-face? Because if so, then that doesn't negate the point about Cena, just means Rock did it too... if they weren't both present then it's a different scenario. If you're just cutting a promo by yourself, then fine, make light of the guy, but when he's RIGHT THERE, you need to show at least some acknowledgement of him being a threat. Anyway, it was just a small thing I noticed, didn't mean for it to get drawn out into an extended discussion, and I already said it wouldn't dent Bray's momentum anywhere near noticeably but it certainly didn't help him, which was more my point.

It's not that he mocked him or didn't back down, it was the way he did it. He didn't sell Bray, in my opinion. His reaction didn't make me think "damn, I've got to see these guys go at it". I can remember the feud in the early days of DX and Taker going into the Rumble, with DX mocking him but they also made sure to sell how damned scary Taker was too. And recently with Rock/Punk last year, Rock mocked Punk as much as he mocked anyone but he also sold him as a bad ass dude that was a threat. You can mock your opponent without completely undermining them. I can't really put my finger on exactly what it was, I'd need to rewatch it to remind myself, but I just felt at the time like Cena didn't do Wyatt any favours.

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="bigtplaystew" data-cite="bigtplaystew" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><p> I would like to discuss the Cena/Hogan angle. I'm sure smarks everywhere rolled their collective eyes but I was watching with my girlfriend and checking out the more casual fans' reaction on my facebook and I think that was one damn fun segment. Cena was even funny for like two whole seconds!</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I can get onboard with most of what Cena does and is about and accept him as part of the show, and sometimes enjoy what he does, but the way he reacted to Bray's promo shows everything that is wrong with him. He basically no-sold a great promo from Wyatt and dismissed him as a joke, it made him look so weak. Granted it was only a tiny thing so it won't de-rail Bray's momentum but it's typical of how Cena deals with opponents in his promos, and I don't know how much of that is creative and how much is him but it certainly feels like Cena has more freedom and that's how he uses it.</p><p> </p><p> People criticised Rock when he came back and was in a title feud but he legitimised Punk far more than Cena ever did and put him over strong in his promos. Cena rarely does that, especially in the last few years. It's frustrating.</p>

Runs perfectly for me now, even skipping backwards and forwards when watching. And I just read (it cited PWInsider, for those that know about credibility, I don't follow the dirtsheets closely enough to know) that once the trial period is over, they'll be adding a lot more content (but not EVERY Raw and Smackdown). That's completely fine with me, as I've got a lot to keep myself entertained with for the next few weeks even without that.