Phil is a DAD!

Congratulations are in order as my great friend and writing partner, Phil Schneider, is now a father. His son, Daisuke Ikeda Schneider*, is a huge 9 lb. 5 oz. and is beautiful. Maybe some day we can do an Indy Fat Guy Investigation on young Daisuke. In honor of Phil now being a dad, here are reviews of a couple matches where fathers teamed with sons (and obviously, be sure to search around the blog for all the Rush/Pierroth matches I've written up). Congrats Phil!

Jerry Lawler & Too Much vs. Dustin Runnels, Bradshaw & Terry Funk WWF Shotgun 6/16/98 - GREAT

ER: Matt championed this one 5 years ago but I have zero memory of seeing this when it aired, and it really really stands out as unique when compared to other 1998 WWF TV matches. This show was taped in Austin, TX and I imagine that awesome face trios was put together specifically to take advantage of the Texas crowd. I'm so used to seeing WWE beat guys in their home town that it's so weird seeing three hosses  wrestling in the state they identify with, and it all goes exactly as it should go. Seeing Lawler as a heel this "late" in his career is really great, and really everybody in this match looks great. Taylor gets the misfortune of drawing Dustin and Bradshaw for the first part of the match, with Dustin throwing some nice armdrags and a sweet fist drop, then Bradshaw unleashing hell all over the ring with the nastiest clubbing blows you've seen and arguably the best corner clotheslines. Taylor just gets mauled here. Lawler is great on the apron always acting super amused by Too Much's antics, always smiling to the crowd while pointing to them (like he was saying "Right?! Aren't these guys great!?"). When he finally tags in (after Funk begs for him) we get Funk rushing Lawler with punches, Lawler playing the smart game and throwing some great shots, immediately piledriving Funk and then adding another one for good measure. Kevin Kelly puts over Lawler big here and Funk sells the piledrivers in a great Tenryu type way. Funk eventually roars back leading to a big Lawler bump to the floor and Funk banking Lawler's head off the announce table. Fans were flipping out for Funk and it was glorious. Funk being in 1998 WWF was just weird. Everybody gets time to shine in the match with Christopher playing the perfect stooge and bumping all over and the face hosses running through everyone in front of a super hot crowd. What a fun little gem of a TV match.

Dusty & Dustin Rhodes vs. Ted Dibiase & Virgil (WWE Royal Rumble 1/18/91)

ER: This match is definitely regarded as more of a famous angle - with Virgil finally turning on Dibiase - than a good match, but I really really liked the match. Dustin Rhodes was 19 and Virgil was kind of a stiff, but damn if it's not a fun and satisfying 10 minute tag. Ted Dibiase had my absolute favorite theme song when I was a kid, and only now do I realize that they just completely jacked the hook from Brother Louie. But it's still the best, and nobody knew how to walk to a ring like Million Dollar Man era Dibiase. That sequined suit, and that cocksure walk he had, with Virgil walking out in front of him, it always amazed me. Plus how cool does Dibiase look with the jacket off? Just sequined pants and dickey-with-bowtie. That Virgil himself takes off Dibiase's tearaway pants for him is the cherry on the sweetest sundae.  Dustin and Virgil actually work pretty great together here, with a couple fast exchanges, some fast rope running, a great Dustin leapfrog and a neat little roll through by Virgil that ended with Dustin throwing a great stomp to his face. Dustin really isn't far from being fully formed here, and I can't believe he's only 19, as that means he was only 23 as Goldust which is....okay I just always thought he was older and never did the math on it. His Dusty aping spots are understandable in this setting, and he doesn't have his great powerslam yet, but he's not too far from being Dustin Rhodes: Great Wrestler. But he does some neat things that he later abandoned, as the match hinged around him missing a big running knee in the corner. He leaps into it, plows knee first into the top buckle, and does some nice spots around trying to use that knee but it being too hurt. Dibiase as aggressive vet lion going in for the kill on wounded Dustin was awesome. He worked quick, like he had an appointment to get to but had to beat an ass first, yanked on Dustin's leg, dropped THEE greatest fistdrop, taunted Dusty, just some really great Dibiase moments. Virgil works a fun stiff, reckless style, Dusty is mostly out of this except for elbows and to eat the roll up pin, but there's a little bit of magic in this one. Plus it made me realize how much I miss the lens flare on these old PPVs, all of the colorful refracted beams from the hot ring lights shooting off pinks and blues and yellows, I just love it.


*Daisuke Ikeda Schneider mayyyy not be his son's real name. His real name is obviously one of the following:

1. David Richard Schneider
2. Shawn Michael Schneider
3. Charles Taylor Schneider