In the Nov. 10th issue of The Shooting Star Press newsletter, the authors (who are British) give their list of the top 50 wrestlers of the last 20 years or so. From the onset of Hulkamania to today's ruthless aggression, they list the top 50 of what they refer to as the TV Age. The wrestlers were ranked on actual wrestling ability, the lasting impressions they made on the industry, their drawing power, their character development skills, and their markout value to the authors. In the hopes of provoking debate and discussion I provide the list. 50) Dusty Rhodes 49) Shane Douglas 48) Jimmy Snuka 47) Lex Luger 46) Barry Windham 45) Owen Hart 44) The Honky Tonk Man 43) Kevin Nash 42) Paul Orndorff 41) Bam Bam Bigelow 40) Scott Steiner 39) Scott Hall 38) Bad News Brown 37) Triple H 36) The Undertaker 35) Terry Funk 34) Rob Van Dam 33) Bill Goldberg 32) Dean Malenko 31) Brian Pillman 30) The Great Muta 29) Diamond Dallas Page 28) Rick Rude 27) Curt Hennig 26) Raven 25) Chris Benoit 24) Shawn Michaels 23) Dustin Runnels 22) Vader 21) The Dynamite Kid 20) Sting 19) Eddie Guerrero 18) Jushin Lyger 17) Chris Jericho 16) Rey Mysterio Jr. 15) Ricky Steamboat 14) Jake Roberts 13) Andre the Giant 12) Booker T 11) Arn Anderson 10) Hulk Hogan 9) Randy Savage 8) Ted DiBiase 7) Mick Foley 6) Kurt Angle 5) Roddy Piper 4) Steve Austin 3) The Rock 2) Bret Hart 1) Ric Flair
Anyone interested in reading back issues or subscribing (which I highly recommend--it's the best opinion-oriented sheet out there IMHO) should go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tsspmain
IMO, Bret should be much lower on the list, Andre should be up in the top 5. Same with Hulk Hogan. Totally agree with Rock, Flair and Austin in the top 5 though.
Are you ready for Mahkan-mania to run wild all over you?
Do it! Especially for their letters section where they take the absolute piss out of absolute idiots like Paul Day. You don't know who he is but if you start reading it, you will.
Originally posted by StaggerLeeAny list with Owen Hart behind Kevin Nash, Honkytonk Man, and Bam Bam Bigelo, isnt worth a damn!
I got no real problem with the rest of the list though, maybe a few minor adjustments.
Oh, and how is Dusty in the top 500, let alone 50?
Note that Darryl said the following: The wrestlers were ranked on actual wrestling ability, the lasting impressions they made on the industry, their drawing power, their character development skills, and their markout value to the authors.
Owen - high on the ability scale. Lasting impression - plunging to his death... Drawing power - average Char development - err..I'm better than my bro to not a nugget? markout value - cannot rate that..
Nash - low on the ability scale Impression - year long champ, wcw/wwf champ, created nWo drawing power - varies char development - hmmm...he has had development, cannot name it though.. markout value cannot rate that
Honkey - average on the ability scale Impression - still remembered as 'the greatest IC champ ever' (great gimmick) and thought of whenever elvis is near. drawing power - ppl so wanted to see him get killed development - not needed, great gimmick to starat with markout value - cannot rate that
Bam-Bam..no explanation why he is higher.
Owen, for all his skills and awesomeness was a midcarder alas remembered for falling to his death..that's it..oh and his brother was this one guy..Bret or something like that?
If you liked this list, you should know that they also rank the top 50 wrestlers every year (for the year just past). I forget when it is, though--December? January?
Ok, how in ANY of these catagories other than the last one(actual wrestling ability, the lasting impressions they made on the industry, their drawing power, their character development skills, and their markout value to the authors) is Golddust superior to HBK. These guys must be some SEVERE marks for the buttbutt.
Expressing myself EVERY day - but especially on July 22, 2002!
Originally posted by StaggerLeeMaybe they really liked the crocodile hunter skit.....
Then, the question must be begged.
WHERE'S X-PAC?
Why do I watch? Because every episode has the potential to be the best one ever, and I'll be DAMNED if I'm gonna miss that one after sitting through this shit.
This whole shebang pretty much flushes away any goodwill I'd built up towards Hogan during this final run. Not only does he bail during the middle of an (admittedly shitty)