|
|
Post by Turnbuckle Zealot(Phil) on Dec 27, 2013 1:46:13 GMT -5
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, & professional is at the least a non exception, if not the art from which this very phrase derived. No art form has more fans filled with impersonators, & fellow performers attempting to recreate other people's characters than in Professional Wrestling.
A classic succession of a gimmick being taken & improved upon is as follows: Gorgeous George > Freddie Blassie > Buddy Rodgers > Superstar Billy Graham > Ric Flair. Wrestlers also blend the characters of two other people to create all new personalities: Rufus R. Jone + Superstar Billy Graham = Dusty Rhodes. Or Don Jardine + Don Leo Jonathan = Undertaker
Another interesting aspect of the cross-index between wrestlers throughout history is the lineage of influence.
The effects of each predeceasing generation(s) on the current one or the succeeding one.
A good example starts with Jack Brisco. His influence on Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat was the foundation for over 70% of the aerialist/athletic type wrestlers such as Kingston/Gibson/Kidman/Helms & the smaller, technicians like Jericho/Danielson/Aries etc.
And sometimes wrestlers are incapable of avoiding comparison to similar workers of the past.
Big Show/Andre, CM Punk/Bret Hart, Brock Lesnar/Goldberg, Mark Henry/Tony Atlas+Ted Arcidi, Triple H/Harley Race, Golddust/Adrian Street, Dolph Ziggler/Hennig Morrison/Michaels - the talent etc.
Which brings me to one connection that I'm amazed isn't made more often.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin was the modern counterpart to "The Crusher" Reggie Lisowski.
Their strengths as performers, characters in the ring, in-styles, & levels of popularity relative to their era's were almost identical.
Crusher: Groundbreaking interview.
Garnered hysterical reactions from audiences.
Tough as granite, smash mouth Brawler with great ability to wrestle entertaining bouts.
Character: Heavy drinking, charismatic, tougher than rawhide, tire iron toothed Brawler with decent wrestling ability.
Austin: All of the above.
I would love to hear the arguments for & against this observation.
Please contribute your thoughts on the various subjects relating to gimmick imitation, influence, similarities between personas, & lineages of influence.
|
|
|
|
Post by Duck Holliday on Dec 27, 2013 2:26:08 GMT -5
I can't really comment as far as any comparison to the Crusher goes, but many attribute several elements of the Stone Cold gimmick originally to Sandman from ECW. Also, I know Austin attributed some of his Stunning Steve persona to Ric Flair.
|
|
|
|
Post by Turnbuckle Zealot(Phil) on Dec 27, 2013 3:02:58 GMT -5
I can't really comment as far as any comparison to the Crusher goes, but many attribute several elements of the Stone Cold gimmick originally to Sandman from ECW. Also, I know Austin attributed some of his Stunning Steve persona to Ric Flair. True, but as far as the finished product he stands far similar to The Crusher than the Sandman. While Sandman portrayed a drunk, Crusher embodied that rough around the edges, pulp-fiction hero of legend that Austin would be come 97. |
|
|
|
Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Dec 27, 2013 4:41:29 GMT -5
Stone Cold Steve Austin is the 90s version to what Dr. D David Schultz was in the 80s.
Just go back and watch some of Dr. D's promos and how he talked. He was a lot like Austin. Or should I say, Austin was a lot like him.
|
|
Deleted
Joined on: Jun 28, 2024 22:16:27 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2013 5:38:47 GMT -5
I have heard the Crusher comparison before and agree with it wholeheartedly.you have made the comparison much clearer though man.
|
|
|
|
Post by Turnbuckle Zealot(Phil) on Dec 28, 2013 2:06:12 GMT -5
Stone Cold Steve Austin is the 90s version to what Dr. D David Schultz was in the 80s. Just go back and watch some of Dr. D's promos and how he talked. He was a lot like Austin. Or should I say, Austin was a lot like him. I can't argue with that, but one could say the character's roots lie with Crusher. Sandman & Schultz are continuations of the pulp-fiction anti-hero persona. |
|
Deleted
Joined on: Jun 28, 2024 22:16:27 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2013 11:05:11 GMT -5
Stone Cold Steve Austin is the 90s version to what Dr. D David Schultz was in the 80s. Just go back and watch some of Dr. D's promos and how he talked. He was a lot like Austin. Or should I say, Austin was a lot like him. I can't argue with that, but one could say the character's roots lie with Crusher. Sandman & Schultz are continuations of the pulp-fiction anti-hero persona. yes I agree.Schultz may have been a proto Austin but he was still drawing on the paper that Crusher left out. |
|
Deleted
Joined on: Jun 28, 2024 22:16:27 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2013 11:22:04 GMT -5
Austin to me will always be Vince's replacement for Nash after he left for WCW.
Literally - Nash tells Vince he's going to WCW. Stone Cold is born.
|
|
|
|
Post by Turnbuckle Zealot(Phil) on Dec 28, 2013 14:37:23 GMT -5
Austin to me will always be Vince's replacement for Nash after he left for WCW. Literally - Nash tells Vince he's going to WCW. Stone Cold is born. So basically Vince traded out an over-sized, gas-guzzling hummer with a bad paint job for a camouflage Rolls Royce with the MPG rating of a Prius & adjustable, beer-cozy cup holders? |
|
Deleted
Joined on: Jun 28, 2024 22:16:27 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2013 14:42:30 GMT -5
Austin to me will always be Vince's replacement for Nash after he left for WCW. Literally - Nash tells Vince he's going to WCW. Stone Cold is born. So basically Vince traded out an over-sized, gas-guzzling hummer with a bad paint job for a camouflage Rolls Royce with the MPG rating of a Prius & adjustable, beer-cozy cup holders? Not really. Nash was awesome when he put the effort in. |
|
|
|
Post by Turnbuckle Zealot(Phil) on Dec 28, 2013 14:49:10 GMT -5
So basically Vince traded out an over-sized, gas-guzzling hummer with a bad paint job for a camouflage Rolls Royce with the MPG rating of a Prius & adjustable, beer-cozy cup holders? Not really. Nash was awesome when he put the effort in. Seriously... How are you not laughing at my response? |
|
HalfBlackRazorback
Superstar
Im calling it tonight Bray Wyatt beats Bryan and the IWC explodes
Joined on: Dec 28, 2013 8:43:18 GMT -5
Posts: 710 
|
Post by HalfBlackRazorback on Dec 28, 2013 17:13:54 GMT -5
CM punk to me is this generations Randy Savage from his look to his promos to his intensity he even does the elbow the same way. Daniel Bryan reminds me of Brett hart with a little more charisma. Cena is this generations Hulk hogan. I don't new to explain that. The other I can see is Damien Sandow reminds me of a cross
Between the Genius and rick rude. He has the genius gimmick but the hard hiring smooth style of rick rude
|
|
HalfBlackRazorback
Superstar
Im calling it tonight Bray Wyatt beats Bryan and the IWC explodes
Joined on: Dec 28, 2013 8:43:18 GMT -5
Posts: 710
|
Post by HalfBlackRazorback on Dec 28, 2013 17:15:57 GMT -5
Austin to me will always be Vince's replacement for Nash after he left for WCW. Literally - Nash tells Vince he's going to WCW. Stone Cold is born. Stone cold wasn't born he created the gimmick himself. He is Nothing like Nash. Nash could be good but that's definitely an apple to oranges comparison |
|
Deleted
Joined on: Jun 28, 2024 22:16:27 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2013 17:33:03 GMT -5
Austin to me will always be Vince's replacement for Nash after he left for WCW. Literally - Nash tells Vince he's going to WCW. Stone Cold is born. Stone cold wasn't born he created the gimmick himself. He is Nothing like Nash. Nash could be good but that's definitely an apple to oranges comparison Heel Diesel from late 95 to his departure in 96 IS Stone Cold. He even said it in his youshoot. |
|
HalfBlackRazorback
Superstar
Im calling it tonight Bray Wyatt beats Bryan and the IWC explodes
Joined on: Dec 28, 2013 8:43:18 GMT -5
Posts: 710
|
Post by HalfBlackRazorback on Dec 28, 2013 17:44:19 GMT -5
Stone cold wasn't born he created the gimmick himself. He is Nothing like Nash. Nash could be good but that's definitely an apple to oranges comparison Heel Diesel from late 95 to his departure in 96 IS Stone Cold. He even said it in his youshoot. Everything in a shoot isn't true I heard Larry Zybysko say in a shoot that he was WCW #1 babyface in 1997 |
|
|
|
Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Dec 28, 2013 21:09:05 GMT -5
CM punk to me is this generations Randy Savage from his look to his promos to his intensity he even does the elbow the same way. Daniel Bryan reminds me of Brett hart with a little more charisma. Cena is this generations Hulk hogan. I don't new to explain that. The other I can see is Damien Sandow reminds me of a cross Between the Genius and rick rude. He has the genius gimmick but the hard hiring smooth style of rick rude When did Randy Savage ever give a bad elbow drop?? CM Punk can not come close to giving a "Randy Savage style" elbow drop. Savage dove forward, Punk goes to the side and is sloppy with it. I like CM Punk, but his elbow is not anywhere near Savage's. |
|
HalfBlackRazorback
Superstar
Im calling it tonight Bray Wyatt beats Bryan and the IWC explodes
Joined on: Dec 28, 2013 8:43:18 GMT -5
Posts: 710
|
Post by HalfBlackRazorback on Dec 29, 2013 8:19:30 GMT -5
CM punk to me is this generations Randy Savage from his look to his promos to his intensity he even does the elbow the same way. Daniel Bryan reminds me of Brett hart with a little more charisma. Cena is this generations Hulk hogan. I don't new to explain that. The other I can see is Damien Sandow reminds me of a cross Between the Genius and rick rude. He has the genius gimmick but the hard hiring smooth style of rick rude When did Randy Savage ever give a bad elbow drop?? CM Punk can not come close to giving a "Randy Savage style" elbow drop. Savage dove forward, Punk goes to the side and is sloppy with it. I like CM Punk, but his elbow is not anywhere near Savage's. he sets it up does the two fingers up and does a diving elbow. I love when fans try and critique how someone delivers a move |
|
Deleted
Joined on: Jun 28, 2024 22:16:27 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2013 6:13:29 GMT -5
hmm...I see what AF is trying to say with the Austin/Nash thing but Stone Cold was created by Austin himself.Vince cannot take any credit for it.Vince himself(as well as many others)have stated that he wasn't even on the same page after the Austin 3:16 speech and had to be pushed to embrace the concept.Bret Hart even stated that he chose Austin because he could see he was going places....Vince didn't.
Nashs tweener character from late 95 to his departure was great though.
|
|
