The OtherArena

Steve Yohe · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:12 am Post subject: Misjudged again by John Williams

"I wasn't a Bob Fan. Neither was Yohe. Hoback couldn't get us to watch him at King of Chickens. Frank couldn't convince Yohe that Bob was anything other than "goofy" over in an old thread on Wrestling Classics."

Is it true that Steve Yohe was such a fanboy of Backlund that he wrote letters to Bob asking him to come out of retirement..before he went to the UWFI. And Bobby (my dear friend) sent him letters & x-mass cards that he hung on my appartment's door...in a place that young John Williams could see when he visited me for the first time years & years ago. Guess the old John Williams doesn't remember the night he, Yohe & james spent at the LA FORUM watching my idol Bobby Backlund do a job for Diesal & how Stevie had to go to the restroom to cry his fanboy eyes out.

The truth is that I loved Backlund but didn't want to watch him after he stunk the place out in his last WWF tour. His stay in the UWFI was also thought of as embarasing at the time even tho it makes him look good today. Frank supprised me with his support of Bob's work at one time & maybe I didn't hold his work as high as I should but John doesn't state the issue like I remember. I have wonderful letters & X-Mass cards to prove what a fanboy I've always been. Bob I love because he's the only person who spells worst that me.---Steve Yohe

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 12594

Steve Yohe · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:48 am Post subject:

Well you were wrong. I had his fucking letters on my wall & took the time to encouage him. Other than Beyer, what other wrestler did I ever contact.

I was upset the night he jobed to Diesal at the Forum & said so.

Backlund stunk the place out on his return to the WWF in 92 & was made in to a joke when he jobed the WC to Diesal in seconds because they didn't trust him to have a decent match in MSG. This made me think his work was less than the people I memtioned. At that point in time, when I was first talking with Frank, I was down on him & I can still see why I felt that way.

It must be said that the tape I saw were mainly from Japan. I saw some of his American tapes but not near as much as I've seen because of you & Frank. I like Japanese wrestling & I didn't want to buy MSG tapes because of the junk on the undercards. Maybe I figured I'd get to it some day.

I remember a WON letter in which I wrote about Inoki droping the WWF title in Japan to Backlund. Dave didn't know about the match until I brought it up. The old story in the WON was Bob got screwed out of the title by referee Red Shoes Dugan & Inoki was forced to return it to Bob on the plane to America.

Yes Frank did make me think more highly of Bob's work but I was a fanboy.--Yohe

khawk20 · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 170

One piece of film that didn't make goodhelmet's compilation is him vs. Larry Hennig from the AWA, circa 1976. They both come in as faces, but Bob ultimately ends up switching to the heel role in the match.

From those clips, I thought he did pretty good with that. What were your impressions, Will?

ultimohtani · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 12594

It's okay to continue suggesting things for folks to watch. That's what the thread is all about - Backlund Recommendations. :)

John

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 12594

shoe · Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Posts: 111

Steve Yohe · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:03 am Post subject: Bob vs Ivan Koloff 8-28-78

I just finished watching the first Disc & I loved the Backlund/Koloff match of 8-28-78. This was 7 1/2 years after the famous win over Sammartino & Ivan is a cpmpletely different wrestler...in style & body. Against Bruno he was a huge powerhouse, but when Bob is champ he's slimed down & using state of the art moves of the late 70's like the suplex. He moves well, has balance & quick feet & still has power & stamina. Matt wrestling is good & does the handstand in the headscissors like it was nothing. His bumps are great & he doesn't over do anything. Calls a very good match. His leaps off the top rope are good & fit the storyline. I can't believe that Ray Stevens had a better bombs away than Kofoff. The match had the old WWF screw finish but everyone went nuts & didn't seem to notice at the end. I have great respect for Ivan Koloff.

I watched Marufuji/Kenta last night & it wasn't as good. Wish we could go back to wrestling.--Yohe

Iron Chad · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 1163

The most eye-opening thing to me about the `78 Backlund/Koloff match was the crowd heat was off the charts. This was one of the first Backlund matches from his heyday I watched and the idea of Bob being a goofy Howdy-Doody champ the fans hated was still fresh in my mind. The crowd in MSG goes nuts, especially when Ivan hits the Bruno-killer bombs away and Bob's comeback from it. Bob's All-American act didn't cost him any fan support in this match.

I do hate the WWF blood screw-finish, you would think if you beat your opponent to the point the match had to be stopped because of his blood-loss you would win and get the title.

That being said, avoid the `83 rematch between these two, it's every bit as bad as this match was great.

-Chad
I'd love to hear Meltzer's reaction to this match blowing Marifuji/KENTA out of the water.

Frank_Jewett · Site Admin Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1282

shoe · Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Posts: 111

I just got finishing watching the 7-27-78 draw between Backlund and Inoki and was floored. This was just an incredible match. This was the 1st time that I have seen this match. The match was really focused and laid out really well. The way the match opens with both guys shooting for takedowns, and how quick and crisp they were was cool. Inoki's work on Backlund's arm was top notch. Especially when he was working the key lock which eventually lead to the Octopus for the submission. The Octupus was a really cool visual. Not to be out done Bob works the leg like a pro. The match flowed so well. That Atomic back breaker that Bob gives Inoki looked like it should have crippled him. I loved how towards the end of the match Inoki went back to the Key lock(I hope I'm describing the move right). The matwork was really well done. Really just a great way to fill 60 minutes. I love when I watch a match and it's a 60 minute match and it feels like 10. Usually that means they filled the time like pros.

In contrast I watched the Tsruta-Robinson draw from 77. I enjoyed this match also;but it wasn't worked nearly as smart. Billy would work the back, win the fall, and then begin to work Tsruta's leg. It was a what the Fuck moment. What Billy would do was fine, but it was in the wrong context. Then Billy would eventually go back to work on the back.Something that is missing from matches today that was a normal moveset in the 70's was the leaping with all your weight while your opponent is sitting down on the mat. You use to see Billy,Dory, Brisco, and the like do it as part of the story they were telling. You never see that anymore. Such a simple maneuver, that could go miles in telling a story. The only person who may use in their repretoire may be Danielson. I don't watch enough ROH to say for sure.

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 12594

It's not too late to go and vote for it as your favorite Bob Match of the 70s. ;)

John

Steve Yohe · Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject:

I watched the Backlund/Patterson match from MSG last night. I don't know what Pat was like before he went to San Francisco, but I always thought he copied a lot of his style from Ray Stevens and was secondary to Ray at least in Northern Calif. Wouldn't it be something if we found a Stevens match as good as Pat's with Backlund?---Yohe

Frank_Jewett · Site Admin Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1282