Let's just get back to this, which is Luger, the main point of this thread. This is just where I completely disagree, they could not have easily been booked to that level because Crockett did not have the marketing or promotional smarts of Cokeboy. That's not any bias, I am a wrestling fan, no bias to any one brand or the other. Looking back at this era I much prefer watching NWA. But we cannot pretend like Crockett had anywhere near the production values, marketing knowledge or star-making ability that Vince and WWF had. Vince did more to make Luger a star in 1993 than NWA/WCW EVER did at any point in his career, and Vince never even put a title on him.
THAT IS WHY I keep bringing up Sting, because you are saying they should have let Luger run with the ball. What I am saying is they did that with Sting in 90, and nothing changed. That's not Sting's fault, that's NWA's fault. If Vince got his hands on a guy like Sting in 1990 I guarantee you he would have been a major draw in wrestling. So if they couldn't turn Sting into a Hogan-caliber rival, there's no possible way it would have worked with a guy like Luger who was less charismatic, less unique looking, and worse in the ring than the Stinger.
I realize Flair had booking influence, again, nobody is denying that. It was early Cena syndrome. NWA had a proven draw and were too scared to strap the rocket to anyone else's back, but it's not like they had a lot of options. Magnum TA got hurt, Kerry Von Erich was just a mess, Steamboat was winding down and wanting to retire even in 89.
Look, I'll say again, Luger shoulda got a run with the strap. But losing to Flair did nothing to hurt his overness or status on the card. If Luger got the strap in 88 I don't think the fate of NWA would have changed in the least bit. What killed him was Flair leaving in 91. Luger finally got his title run but he never got over Flair, which was the one thing his fans were waiting for. By the time he got the title in 91, Flair was gone and nobody really cared about WCW at that point.
I am saying in 88, luger losing how he did.
coupled with the flair promo and the ring sports aesthetic of the product.
Is what hurt luger and flair did bury luger with that definitive match.
Along with the booking committee and brass of the nwa.
as it ruined the idea that luger could win at all.
To the point when luger later got the strap in flair's absence is why it failed.
Which, LIKE WE ARE BOTH SAYING IS THE NWA'S FAULT.
We agree the NWA botched and then hid their hands regardless of owner.
Yet the negative narrative of lex.
that was created from this booking is a burial and it illustrates my point of the thread.
The thread is about blame and placing it accurately.
If you are placing blame on the NWA as well as I am,....
Well why is lex given the narrative of failing.
when he was put in the wrong scenario and booking decisions.
The point of the thread was exposing why luger is blamed and buried when it was not his fault.
Yet that same burial continues to be expanded and expounded upon.
as if luger was to blame.
When it was both flair, the NWA, the booking committe, and later the wwf and later wcw and later Liz.
Who were at fault and not luger.
Art Barr
nikka what?
