Bockwinkel

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Guys I just wanted to say a huge thanks for the feedback, definitely gives me the motivation to keep going. Wish I could do these updates more regularly but I'm doing it around my work schedule. So updates will come as and when I can do them. I will say this though. I love writing AWA. I'm really glad to see the Bockwinkel segments as people's favorites because honestly. I love writing them. Nick Bockwinkel was SO underrated as a heel because he wasn't NWA or WWF. he was AWA and we just weren't fed that before the network. Nick Bockwinkel astounds me how good he was in his fifties. AWA All Star Wrestling #003 January, Week 3, 1983 Final Rating: 53

Yes it is! DOTT is my favorite mod and I was so happy when I saw someone had made a version for TEW 2020. So far I'm only a month in in game, so I'll keep you posted. I am doing what I guess you could call a back up run on TEW 2016, just in case as time goes on with it being beta. Fingers crossed my aim is to at least make it to 2000 in game if my luck goes well with AWA.

Post Show Feedback What segment did you enjoy the most? What segment didn't you care for? Anything to improve for the next episode? What are you looking forward to next AWA All Star Wrestling? Anything Else?

AWA All Star Wrestling #002 January, Week 2, 1983

I AM booking AWA Tour cards as well, but basically using them like B Shows. Introducing new talent, getting potential stars recognized, using the main event for top guys I don't necessarily want regularly on TV outside of promos. Old school booking. For that reason I wont be posting the Tour results as they may spoil booking ideas. AWA All Star Wrestling Match Card. Mike Graham VS. Masa Saito Curt Hennig VS. Rene Goulet The High Flyers VS. Mike Boyette & Tom Stone Baron Von Raschke VS. Brad Rheingans

Well, the first show is in the books and if it has taught me anything. It's that we are in it for the long haul. It's going to take time to breath some life into this product. I can't commit to our product change until 3 months down the line. A process, make a switch here, lower the times of matches there. Introduce more talking, introduce more conflict. Speed the pace up, Excite, entertain and amaze. I had to rely on older talent to get my new talent introduced and the old talent are all over, which left me with job guys. Not like this isn't how AWA has been booked for god knows how long. This has been dad's formula. Lots of squash matches, one or two big matches to fill the card and highlight star power, an interview or two. If I want my young guys to get over established talent. I have to establish my new guys first... Still there's some positives to take away. Commit to the plan. Youth movement means faces that aren't as recognized in our region. A major star in Texas might not be a known face in Minnesota. Build people, have faith in people, help them improve and let them grow on the fans. Savage has potential, but the kid is green. But god damn he is good. With some experience under his belt that potential is going to explode into something hot. Give the kid the mic. The promos might not kill right away, but there's something there. Let him work on it. Baron Von Raschke and Hogan, good starter feud for the year for the kid. America VS. Germany might not be as cool and as new as Russia but it still gets a pop. And it's a start, we could have paired Hogan against a Russian counterpart in Boris Breznikoff, but Boris needs building first. Baron is recognized, he's AWA Alumni...and he can still strike fear in kids in the crowd. His time isn't over just yet. Tito surprised me with his mic skills. No, he's not a word smith, but he is able to connect to the fans. The kid has heart. He excites people. Overlooking him is foolish. God I love Nick. He killed it. He's the glue that holds this show together. Hold on to him. Even when his time in the ring eventually comes to an end. This man has so much to teach. Nick Bockwinkel is a wrestling treasure.

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AWA All Star Wrestling #001 January, Week 1, 1983.

Meeting With Nick

Relationship With New Japan. Today Hulk Hogan is a happy man, because today I informed him of our new relationship with New Japan. After talking with the people at New Japan I've managed to work on a relationship that should benefit both of us, we can trade talent with one another and workers from both companies can go to the other on excursions. Opportunities to introduce new and exciting styles into our company once we build things up. Hearing about the deal being worked out made Hogan sigh in relief. After all. He can make more money now.

The Battle Plan Ok, so, I've been working, endlessly since getting the reign here to put together a strategy for the AWA. How do we stay relevant? How do we compete? How can we be the alternative? Let's start with the product... If it ain't broke don't fix it is the saying my dad has lived by with our product base, but he created this system in the sixties. Meant to highlight the athleticism of the time. Slower, methodical, technical. But things have gotten a little faster. Right now our major stars are expected to put on 20 minute matches at minimum in order to make some big money for the house. I want to change that, everybody wins. The boys get a more forgiving match expectation if I reduce that time by just fifteen minutes, the shorter pace can make things more exciting if we get the right wrestlers. The fans get a rejuvinated product, We have more time to work with on the match card. What do we use that time for? Promos. Segments, Interviews. Something to heighten the entertainment we provide, but also continue to perpetrate an image that we are legitimate. When Nick gets on a mic, it's golden. Hogan isn't too bad either, he might not be a word smith but the people love his energy. Hennig could use some work but his in ring skill makes up for it. I want to sign more athletic stars who can TALK, they can get people into the building and then back it up with their skill in the ring. It will help show that unlike that company in New York, the AWA is REAL! Light Heavyweight Division. The light heavyweight title has been a throw away championship, and it could be so much more. With the right wrestler to lead the charge for a new division, we can create exciting matches and feuds that will be what create an exciting mid card. Set out maximum Weight to Light Heavyweight. Let's see who we can find, get the title of Mike Graham. So ideally, a heel, a heel who can talk. Then slowly introduce new faces who come in to challenge them. Tag Team Wrestling Tag team wrestling could be a great open for our shows, right now it's the secondary title for the company. One half of which I hold. Some people are worried I'll gp into business for myself, perhaps me lowering the position of my own title on the card within the next three months will convince them otherwise. Doesn't mean tag team wrestling is left by the wayside. The intention will be to warm up the crowd, get them ready for a competitive night. Women's division? It will open us up to the female demographic although it might be small, the women will also be a good open while we get a division built and who knows? Maybe those ladies will be able to break the glass ceiling in the long run. Expend Towards The Great Lakes Right now the Mid West is our largest region. To gain a more secure market, focusing on expanding to a point we can offer our guys more secure contracts. Making sure we hold on to the people we want. We'll have work to do it. Which means sacrificing some higher houses by holding shows in places where little numbers will come to see us, work on the finances on that one before going ahead with that. Maybe make one or two trips a month at first. Top 5 Dad had his rule of 5, the top 5...and the next 5. Based off the current roster and the people he wanted to sign. It's a good ethos to have, so I want to continue the practice. The Current Top Five. These are the guys I consider to be the back bone of our roster, they are the people I am wanting our fans to buy tickets for. 1. Nick Bockwinkel I have rarely seen a wrestler get better with age but Nick is one of the few who have. He's loyal, he's classy, and he kills on the microphone. He's our current champion and I intend top keep things that way for now, though I have a long term plan for him and my number 2 on the list. 2. Hulk Hogan The kid ain't what dad would normally go for in his top guys but charisma is charisma and he has it. The fans go crazy for him, He's easily a future champion for the company. But I have to build to it, and hope we can hold on to him in the mean time, I know dad was having some disputes with him over New Japan...so maybe I have a way of reducing that tension right away. 3. Curt Hennig Second generation and I'd argue, better than his dad. Curt has the technical skill Larry just didn't possess. The fans love him, potential written all over him. Utilise it. 4. Tito Santana Tito is a great hand and I want to utilize him. His style could help create some real excitement, but I'm just not confident he will get over enough to make it to the main spot. Doesn't mean we can't establish him with the fans, make him a mainstay, maybe utilize him for Light Heavyweight or Tag Divisions in the future. 5. Wahoo McDaniel I don't know how much more I can get from Wahoo, but I want what I get from him to be impactful and get someone over. I wrote a question mark next to his name for anything short term for him. Long term though? Well...I'll have to talk to him first. Next 5 1. Rick Martel I want good things for Rick, just not sure where to place him right now, would he be better for the Light Heavyweight, or Tag Divisions? Bit weak on the microphone so pairing him up with someone seems like the smart thing to do. Whatever we do, I want him to be a regular on our cards and drawing houses. 2. Jerry Lawler One of the NEW signings I made. As long as it doesn't take him away from his Memphis dates I can work with this. Good on the mic, easy to get the crowd to hate him. Possible he could become our number 2 heel with the right push. 3. Randy Savage Another NEW signing. This is the man I want to lead our light heavyweight division into it's new era. He's a middleweight but he's so jacked you wouldn't know it and the mic work I've seen from tapes of him tells me he can get people into buildings. I'll give Angelo a call, finalise the deal. 4 & 5 Undecided. The roster isn't where it's at yet for me to commit. Don't want to be rushing too many through the door at once. Work with the signings we have. Go from there. New Announcing Team How do we come across elgitimate on TV. With a legitimate team. Rod and Wally have been here, they've done good work. But it's time for a change and it's time to move away from that small league look. Keeping Gene on colour due to his wit and charm. We'll need top tier play by play men to compliment him. Two voices jumped out at me Gordon Solie- The Dean of Wrestling. Gordon adds immediate legitimacy to our product and we can work around his other commitments Jim Ross- Mid South has a good man here. A southerner on our booth will help wih the American appeal so we can look south of the border some day. He also said yes the moment I mentioned I had Gordon Solie on board...

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