Tag Team Wrestling

[hydrophonic]

[RANT]
I've been talking about tag wrestling a lot lately, on here and otherwise.  I keep saying that part of why the WWE isn't as good as it used to be is the lack of a strong tag division.  My theory is that being part of a tag team gives young wrestlers a chance to learn their craft and gives older wrestlers a break from carrying a full match.

When ECW and WCW went under and there was only one major promotion it seemed like a no brainer that the tag division would get stronger.  That has not been the case, it has in fact gotten weaker.  It may no longer even exist.


Quick, name 5 WWE tag teams.


Now consider this.  I was watching WrestleMania 2000 (XVI) last night.  Here are some teams that are packaged together as either a tag team or as a stable:

The Godfather & D"Lo Brown
The Big Boss Man & Bull Buchanan
The Mean Street Posse
The APA
Taka Michinoku & Sho Funaki
T & A (Test & Albert w/ Trish Stratus)
Head Cheese (Al Snow & Steve Blackmon)
The Dudleys
The Hardys
Edge & Christian
Too Cool
The Radicalz (Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malinko, Perry Saturn)
D-X (Road Dogg & X-Pac)

In addition to those 12, Rakishi & Kane tagged together (against D-X).

I'm not saying all those teams are good, but look at it this way: Not counting Rakishi & Kane who were not packaged together, that's 28 guys that got to be on the card at Mania.  Now, in the intrest of fairness, 7 of them were in the Hardcore Battle Royal (which was awful).  But there were 5 tag matches on the card.

Wasn't the justification for the "brand split" that there were too many wrestlers and not enough TV time?  If there are "too many wrestlers" shouldn't there be a STRONG tag division?

Now, just for the sake of ranting, here are a few guys that have held major singles titles that have come out of the tag division (I'm sure I'll miss a few):

Bret Hart
Shawn Michales
JBL
Jeff Hardy
Christian Cage
Edge
Booker T

[/RANT]

[Brett Hitman Hog]

I understand what you are saying and I agree.  If you get 4 quality guys in a tag match it is every bit as good, if not better than a one on one match.  Having to work as a 4 person orchestra makes the wrestlers better to go solo, if you ask me.  Bret Hart and The Anvil were awesome together, Michaels and Jannetty.. Edge and Christian.. Fun to watch.

I just lost my train of thought.. But you are correct sir!  Also a midget tag match would be good to see.  I miss Tiger Jackson and another random little dude vs. Little Louie and another random little dude.  RIP Tiger Jackson, Dink, Macho Midget, etc.

[hydrophonic]

I edited my original post to change "major championships" to "major singles titles" and add Booker T to that list.

If you get 4 quality guys in a tag match

See, that's the whole thing right there.  They don't even have to be quality guys.  When they started out The Road Warriors weren't very good at wrestling.  I'm not sure that either of them ever got to a point where they could put on a "quality" singles match but they were a GREAT tag team.

What really got me on this subject, Hitman, was when I got your 3 DVD set several months ago.  The first match I watched was you and the Anvil against the Killer Bees.  Not far in to the match either Lord Alfred Hayes or Gorilla Monson comments that "both of these teams are probably in the top 5 tag teams in the WWF."

I immediately was thinking "PROBABLY in the TOP FIVE"?

Seriously, it takes a while for me to come up with 5 current WWE tag teams even if I count Kane & Big Show who aren't really a tag team in my book.

[Tmac813]

DOOM

The Road Warriors...

[bigred1]

what about LOD
What about Midnight Express
What about the Free Birds
What about Hall & Nash

[bigred1]

the Steiners

[hydrophonic]

Of those 5 teams, only Scott Steiner went on to real success as a singles wrestler.  Michael Hayes would be the best wrestler on any of those teams and he COULD have been a big draw as a singles wrestler but COULD NOT have been a bigger draw than he was as the leader of the Freebirds.

Hall & Nash teamed AFTER having success as singles wrestlers.

Those are all good teams though.

[Call Mr. Sow]

Where are the FREEBIRDS when wrestling needs them?

[maniax22bolts20]

at least 1 (Terry Gordy) if not 2 of the 3 or 4 are dead. I've heard nothing on Buddy Roberts or Garvin in years. Somewhere I think I still have a 45rpm of Badstreet U.S.A . (Atlanta,GA). The WWE does indeed need to strenghten tag-team angles.

[bigred1]

http://www.tpww.net/themes/WWE%20-%20nWo%20(tpww.net).mp3

[Brett Hitman Hog]

I think success as a singles wrestler is loosely defined.  Scott Steiner had a successful singles career because the powers that be allowed it.  His single matches were UGLY.  JBL, successful singles wrestler because Vinnie kept pushing him on people, and FINALLY he was accepted. 

When guys like Steiner and JBL had/have ugly singles matches is because they, nor their oponent can carry the work load.  JBL vs. Eddie G were great because of Eddie G.  JBL vs. say Steiner would not be great, neither can call a great match.  Were/Are they successful, yes, but it goes back to what hydrophonic said, you don't have to be great for a tag match.  Rick was the smarter Steiner and could call the Action.  JBL at the time was teamed with Ron Simmons AFTER Simmons was a world champion and Simmons could call a match.

**And to clearify a point I made earlier.  I said 4 quality guys is as good if not better than a 1 on 1.  I just meant I like tag matches with teams that are good just as much.  They can still be good with 1 good dude and 1 douchee on the team.  Just saying the action awesome if they are all great wrestlers.

[secthumper]

The Texasss Outlaws(Rhodes and Dickie Murdoch) RIP

[hydrophonic]

Just to be clear, the list in my original post is just the teams that were used at WrestleMania 2000.  I picked that show mostly because I watched it last night but also because it was before ECW & WCW folded.  Like I said, putting the bulk of those three rosters in one company should have made the tag division strong.  Instead we're looking at WrestleMania XXII having TWO tag matches, and that's assuming that MNM defends their titles.  There were FIVE tag matches at WM2000 (XVI), one of them a 6 person tag match (Chyna was involved, hence "person" though "man" wouldn't exactly be wrong).

There really is no excuse for the WWE's tag division to be so poor.  Not only do they have enough talent on their rosters, but - last I heard - Michael Hayes and Arn Anderson were both working as road agents.  Plus, Road Warrior Animal is still with the company.  You think those three guys can teach the young pups a thing or two about tag wrestling?

[hydrophonic]

Oh, and strong 2nd post Hitman.  +1

[hydrophonic]

Probably the best part of this thread is where I talk to "The Hitman" (who had a Bret Hart avatar) as though he IS Bret Hart.  Say, whatever happend to The Hitman?

Anyway, ::bump::