What I'm Watching: Mike Quackenbush\Jigsaw vs Young Bucks

I am a huge, unabashed, mark for Mike Quackenbush. But as I heard him say, perhaps mark isn't the word. That still holds a pejorative tone in my mind. Rather, let me say this:  I am a huge fan of the type of wrestling that he presents, both as a wrestler himself and to whatever degree he has control over Chikara Pro. But I think, that more so than just him, Chikara has given me back something I loved dearly, only to fall out of love with for a while: tag team wrestling.

When I was a kid, I was a frantic, rabid devotee of the Rockers (I still maintain that the Rockers were the best tag team of the era and only got jobbed out of a tag team title run due to politics). Eventually, though, the Rockers became a gateway team for me to maybe my favorite team of all-time. They only had a few martches together, and were perhaps best known as opponents. They were the junior heavyweight dream team of Flyin' Brian and Jushin "Thunder" Liger. To be honest, even though they teamed together a couple of times,they were my favorite. And then, as I got older, I fell in love with the Steiners, and the Rock N' Roll Express, and the Midnight Express. but WWF tag teams never had the same dynamism to my eyes that the Rockers did. Maybe it's because the DNA of southern wrestling is tied together with tag team wrestling, thus making it endlessly important. Maybe it's because the WWE slowly drug the blade across its own throat with the myriad of crappy tag teams they gave us in the post Hart Foundation era. But whatever the reason, tag team wrestling in the WWF didn't seem to mean as much to me as it did other places. Chikara, though, gave me something to care about again. And this is the match that did it.



What you'll notice when you watch the match here is the degree to which both teams involved know the job they are supposed to play. The Young Bucks are supposed to be the invaders, the people no one likes, and they do it well. They don't look for cheers. They cheat, A LOT. Meanwhile, Quackensaw (one of my favorite portmanteaus in the last little while in wrestling) are the heroes. They understand it, and play up to it. Watch this match sometimes when tag team wrestling on big-box TV disappoints you. I hope this one doesn't.

The Rock, and E-Fed Promos

I e-fed. Still. (If you want to find out where I'm fedding at the moment, ask me on Twitter and I will tell you.) But the biggest problem with e-fedding is watching, and reading, these promos that never feel organic. Like they are just doing what they know sounds cool, instead of sitting down to take the time to honestly write from their heart. I've been guilty of this sin myself, so don't think i'm throwing stones from a glass house.

But as I watched the Rock this monday I kept thinking: "I've seen this before." While CM Punk seemed genuinely arrogant, reveling in the knowledge that he was the anti-hero, The Rock seemed to be simply..... trying to be everything. Tough guy for those sections of the audience who want macho tough guys, and funny for the kids who need to be drawn into a feud with sugar and honey. I hated this. And maybe, for the first time, i wasn't alone. Casual fans throughout the internet found themselves watching that entire thing and feeling...... disappointed is the word that comes to mind. Now I am not, despite the impression I give off, some snarky guy who hates all things corporate wrestling. My heart is still warmed by certain things on big-box wrestling. Chief amongst that list, however, is in fact CM Punk. Because in a promotion filled to the brim with nihilists, and men claiming to be one thing while being another (I am looking at you on this one, John Cena), CM Punk has found his way back to himself. And that's something to be treasured.

Now if we can just get the Rock there.

Stuff I'm Watching: Mitsuharu Misawa vs Steve Williams

(Editor's Note: Yes I know I said I was going to keep this blog active and didn't. I had a retail job from December to January that kept me from this blog, or doign anything other than sleeping. That changes now.)

A lot of times, especially on Twitter, the current big-box WWE corporate product draws grunts of annoyance over this bad booking decision, or that sophomoric promo by John Cena over there. It's understandable. I've done it myself too. The trick is, when you feel yourself starting to walk down that road of annoyance, crack open a DVD or turn on your Real Player or VLC Player and watch wrestling you know you enjoy. Wrestling that speaks to you. That is what this series is designed to do.It's the stuff I'm watching, the matches I turn to and download the second big-box wrestling gets under my skin.

Now, with that said, another small note before we get into this. This is what I, ME, am watching. Perhaps, once I show you these, something about the style here won't speak to you as it speaks to me. If that's the case, then by all means, you don't have to stay here. Delve into the magic of youtube, or Ditch's Wrestling Page and find something that you know you'll like more. The point here is not to enjoy what I enjoy, because I know some of you won't. The point is rather to find the things you enjoy.