He was doomed a long time ago. He managed to regain some interest with The Fiend, but that angle was never going to last. He was doing great with the swamp guru identity until motherfucking goddamned Creative got in the way and turned it into a complete joke.
They never believed in him from the start, good they finally were able to give him some freedom
Sometimes it feels like if a character shows his or her own creativity, versus the “creativity” bestowed upon them from TPTB, then they are doomed. Don’t want to go searching right now, but saw a recent picture, and Husky Harris (more “creative” nonsense) might be in the best shape of his career, even better than his return as The Fiend.
I’ve read reports that the reason Bray had been off TV since 'Mania is that he’s suffering from some depression issues related to Brodie Lee’s death. If that’s the case, then maybe it’s for the best that he doesn’t try to make a comeback before he’s fully taken care of himself.
The report I read said the reason Bray was given was “budget related”. If it was mental health related I would hope that they would have given a better reason.
David Crockett joined commentary in Dark Elevation from their show in Charlotte. He used to call the action in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, one of many NWA franchises that existed before incorporation into WCW.
Me and my friends couldn’t stand him. 
He was such a huge mark, and he made us embarrassed to have Southern accents. My buddy Pat had a theory that psychiatrists told Mid-Atlantic he’d kill himself if he ever found out wrestling was fake. He was especially bad when Tully Blanchard had Baby Doll as his valet. If Tully was in trouble, Crockett would remark “Look at the con-surn awn the face of Bay-bee Dah-wull! Ah luv it!”
Still, it was fun to hear his voice. It brought back memories of seeing Mid-Atlantic shows in Raleigh’s Dorton Arena, and we were fortunate enough to see a groundbreaking show live before it was aired on TV, the one where Baby Doll suddenly appeared and clobbered Jim Cornette as he was running away from another wrestler. The crowd popped big time.
My wrestling Facebook is also freaking out because they apparently released Ric Flair as well. I think it was mutual. I say it’s because he’s like 500 years old and doesn’t want to do shit anymore, but they insist on that it’s “creative differences”.
Unrelated, I have to laugh at them because they posted a meme that said "things I like: (wwe and aew logos) things I don’t like: (wwe fans & aew fans). The very first comment was “yeah, but how can anybody say they like WWE nowadays”. Thank you for literally proving the meme correct.
One rumor I’ve heard is that Ric Flair has been fairly vocal about the shitty booking (and speech writing) of Charlotte. And he is certainly right about that. Charlotte is definitely having issues delivering the lines they’ve written for her (probably doesn’t help that it is written last second and there is little time to practice) and she, like most wrestlers, should be given bullet points, not scripts.
AEW Dark Taz/Excalibur moment of the day
PAC vs Jack Evans
Ricky Starks joins commentary
Ex: Did you guys instruct the band to play out of tune? (referring to the Dixieland jazz band that played during Stark’s entrance in the previous Dynamite)
Starks: Excalibur, I could slap you right now. It’s called “When the Saints Go Marching In” and it’s a very historical song in New Orleans! I didn’t think they were out of tune!
Taz: Well actually, it was the wrong band that showed up.
Ex: Each member of the band seemed to be playing their own jazz interpretation of the song.
Taz: They were drinking beforehand. That’s a whole 'nother story. It was the wrong band that was there. They were not what I booked. And then the balloons(?) weren’t there. Only six showed up.
FWIW, Flair has denied that rumor - he just says that staying with WWE would have stood in the way of some other business ventures he has going on right now.
Personally, the build to Summerslam feels like an afterthought right now compared to whether or not Punk and Danielson are coming to AEW in time for All Out.
Definitely agree on the promos, although Charlote can’t sound like anything but a robot when she talks, but unhappy with her booking? She’s already won the title like 7 times and is never below the top of card. The only way she’s booked poorly is because she is in the same “I’m the queen and should be champion and I’m better than you” storyline over and over and over again with not variety.
The worst part is that Charlotte’s storyline is still much better than every storyline of your least favorite champion. The only champion who is getting credible challengers being built up to face him is Reigns, and SummerSlam is just a shit-show, simply throwing inactive wrestlers into the title match.
I was only old enough to catch the later part of his WCW career, but I remember he had a great heel run as “Earl Robert of Eaton”, William (then Lord Steven) Regal’s stooge/tag team partner.
I imagine Jim Cornette’s gonna have a hell of a tribute episode on next week’s podcast.
He was truly a great worker, and he had a killer mullet. There’s nothing but good stories about Beautiful Bobby. Too bad Midnight Express never got into WWE’s Hall of Fame. Their feuds with RnR Express were master classes in tag team wrestling, and Bobby could always be counted on to fill in when there was time for an extra match or two.
Here’s to you Bobby. /clink
Goodbye Bobby. Great worker, and no one has ever said a bad word about him. An all-time great.
damn that one hurts …
Can’t believe they let Bronson Reed go. They had been building him up for months and ppppt now he’s gone. Any more Australians left?
AEW Dark Taz/Excalibur moment of the day (Friday edition)
Julia Hart vs Angelica Risk
Ricky Starks joins commentary
Taz: No relation to Angelico, but I digress.
Ex: People can be related by their first names Ricky, did you know that?
Starks: Yeah, that’s surprising to me.
Taz: It’s pro wrestling. Hello? Anything’s possible.
Later, Angelica shouts three numbers and does a Rey Mysterio 619 move on Hart.
Taz: A little area code shot.
Ex: What’d she call out? 815?
Starks: Is that Albuquerque New Mexico?
Taz: I don’t think Albuquerque has an area code. It just has like, 6 numbers.
Starks: 6 numbers? (laughs)
Taz: It’s a zip code.
sounds like aew is going for the old “wrestling challenge” vibes
according to the weekly dirt sheet round up Nxt is going for a total renovation …
Jim Cornette’s tribute to Bobby Eaton
At the beginning, Jim is choked up and on the verge of tears. He asks Brian Last to take over for a bit, then regains his composure and goes for 2 hours talking about Bobby.
Eaton began as a fan who helped put together the ring when he was 16. He pretty much taught himself wrestling by watching the stars at work, then got his break when somebody noticed him and a friend playing around in the ring after they had set it up. The only “formal” training he had was when the veterans taught him ring psychology. He was such a natural talent, he couldn’t describe his technique to others, because he performed without thinking about what he was doing.
I talked upthread about the show I saw in Raleigh with Cornette, Midnight Express and Baby Doll. He mentions it at about the 1:46 mark. I’m famous!