Sunset Flip Presents: MSG Moments
By Jim Boy Star
Another week gone by and unfortunately it was a week I got sick. If you listen to the latest show, you can hear me STRUGGLE to get through an edition of Sunset Flip Wrestling Show this week. Any WWE supporters that are tired of me complaining about how terrible WWE is can listen to that show and have a good laugh.
As I was sitting at home this weekend, I started thinking about some of my past experiences at Madison Square Garden. This week’s Raw is from Madison Square Garden and I am going. Even I have to admit that they are putting on a pretty good main event this week. Hell, maybe WWE will actually be…… ummm…. good this week. At the very least the stupid Yankees are not going to be on so that’s a huge plus.
In no particular order I’m going to go through some memories I have at Madison Square Garden.
My first pro wrestling LIVE experience was in the Garden. More specifically it was Wrestlemania X. A good card from top to bottom. Owen Hart was my first least favorite wrestler as a kid, and the fact he beat my favorite wrestler Bret “The Hitman” Hart in the first match made me not like him even more. However, at the end of the night I was thrilled to see Bret Hart win the title that night in the main event defeating Yokozuna in the main event. Rowdy Roddy Piper was the special referee and this week I’ll see him once again in the Garden. Even though I am fully against the guest host concept, I am happy to see Piper this Monday.
There were some other good matches on the Wrestlemania X card, but the first and last match stick in my mind the most, even more than the ladder match. I was also a big fan of Macho Man at the time so I was happy to see him as well. To be honest, if this event was not good, I do not know if I would be writing this column right now.
I am now going to fast forward to Survivor Series 1996, which is on WWE Classics on Demand. This event was special to me for one reason and that is Shawn Michaels was booed out of the building. It was me, my Uncle, and my 2 cousins. I was a fan of Shawn Michaels on his journey to fight for the title, but after he won it, I did not like him anymore. The way McMahon talked about him back then was downright sickening in terms of sucking up. Of course, my cousin Heather loved Shawn Michaels (like most women did back then) and by default that made me want Sid to win even more before going to the event.
As most of you, Sid did win the title that night. The NYC crowd was behind Sid for the most part and I enjoyed every minute of it. My group celebrated the defeat of Shawn Michaels with exception to cousin Heather. Of course, Michaels won the title back at Royal Rumble in San Antonio Texas, where I suppose the company figured he would not get booed in his hometown.
Also that night, I got to see Jake the Snake Roberts, Jimmy Snuka and the beginning of the Rock. Another enjoyable event, as most Garden shows back then were.
My final MSG moment is from 1997. The first time ever that Austin “stunned” Vince McMahon. To say the crowd was electric that night was an understatement. I even remember being disappointed upon entering the event.
Back in the “good ol days”, before we had stale main eventers, feuds that continued for 3 PPV’s for no reason, and when celebrities took time away from wrestling, they had programs. Not just the latest WWE magazine, but actual programs that said what matches are happening that night. When we arrived to the Raw taping, there was only one match, but it was the match that was previously advertised. Champion Shawn Michaels defends against Bret Hart and The Undertaker in a triple threat match for the title.
As Raw began, the graphic showed the main event for the night and it said…….. Bret Hart vs Goldust. I was mad because I wanted to see the triple threat. Long story short, I did get the triple threat match and it was one of the most memorable Raws I have ever been a part of. Other than the Austin stuns McMahon storyline, we also saw the debut of Mick Foley as Cactus Jack. I was a huge fan of Cactus Jack in WCW and I also loved how they had Mick’s three personalities on the Titantron at the same time.
I hope there are going to be some more great memories this Monday on Raw, but somehow with WWE’s booking I am not that sure. I have low standards for this show, just like all other Raws, with hopes that WWE booking surpasses my low standards, but usually they do not.
As mentioned earlier, I am sick and struggled to do the show. You can download it now at sunsetflipwrestling.podomatic.com and even though I struggle, I still find time to prove ONCE AGAIN why Stephanie McMahon is a moron. Finally, visit our youtube page at www.youtube.com/sunsetflipshow
Have a great week everyone
Jim Boy Star
Sunset Flip Wrestling Show
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