83 Weeks - AWA Team Challenge Series 1989 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

The year is 1989. For the American Wrestling Association, the AWA, business is bad. Times are desperate. Sometimes, desperation brings out the best. But maybe not in this case. Because on October 1, 1989, history saw the beginning of the AWA Team Challenge Series. It was one of the company’s last big angles. It gave us a lot to talk about - not all of it great! 

Since we’re about to take a deep dive into a specific event in October, 1989, let’s look at the context - as we like to say. Over in the WWE, Wrestlemania V had seen Hulk Hogan regain the WWE Title. The build to Survivor Series was taking place and on house shows, Hogan was defending the belt against Macho Man Randy Savage. In WCW, Ric Flair was champion after pinning Ricky Steamboat on May 7 at the Wrestle War 89: Music City Showdown. The company was getting ready to host the inaugural Halloween Havoc on October 28 at the Philadelphia Civic Center, pitting Ric Flair and Sting against Terry Funk and The Great Muta - in the Thunderdome. 

Do you like the new Thunderdome set-up on WWE?

In the AWA, business wasn’t doing so well.  The world championship was on Larry Zbyszko, who won the title by eliminating Tom Zenk in a battle royal on February 7, 1989. This was after the belt had been stripped off of Jerry “The King” Lawler on January 20 when Lawler and Jerry Jarrett’s Continental Wrestling Association split with the AWA. (As a result, Lawler kept the physical belt in what he said was retaliation for not getting his payoff from Superclash III). Zbyszko defended the belt that year against Greg Gagne, Sgt. Slaughter, Baron Von Raschke and even David Sammartino. Attendance was the drizzling shits. A show on February 2 in Winnipeg with almost every star the company had drew a reported attendance of 500. A few days later, a show at the St. Paul Civic Center - in which Zbyszko won the AWA title - drew 750 paid in an arena that seated 16,000. 

Desperate times call for desperate measures, which is why we have the AWA Team Challenge Series.

The roster was split into three teams: Team Baron (Baron Von Rashke’s team, The Blitzers); Team Zybszko (called Larry Zybysko’s Legends); and Team Slaughter (Sgt. Slaughter’s Snipers). Each team competed for points which would be won in various, and often gimmick-heavy, matches. The three teams were vying for a shot at a $1 million prize. Kayfabe, of course. 

Baron, Sarge, and Larry: Why were those guys the three team captains?

The concept would allow the company to continue its major storylines and feuds, even if their top talent jumped to the WWF or WCW. That was a regular problem for AWA at this time and no surprise, it would affect this series, too, before 1990 was over.

The series was an effort by AWA to adapt to their challenges. Among those challenges included low attendance figures and a difficulty drawing a crowd for live television shows. As we all know in 2020, thanks to COVID-19, a wrestling show without a crowd is a weird thing. 

Ten months into 2020, we are used to crowdless wrestling. How has the experience of this year affected your perspective on the AWA Team Challenge Series’ pilot?

With AWA not having a choice, a totally unique professional wrestling product was created to counter the challenge of not having fans in attendance. For some, it was an innovation, a roll of a dice. For others, it was just bad. 

It was the birth of the “new AWA,” and more specifically today, the unreleased AWA Team Challenge Series pilot, dated October 23, 1989 and uploaded to the WWE Network under the Hidden Gems category. (To find it, you may need to use the search feature.)

The idea has been said to be in the same vein as American Gladiators by wrestling fans online.

Do you see that comparison?

On episode 31 of 83 Weeks, the AWA episode in the archives, I believe you talked about this...but...who came up with the idea of using a Chroma key - or green screen - to replace the cheering fans during a live event. 

(Bob Syers?)

At the time, AWA had a show on ESPN - All-Star Wrestling. It was your pretty standard pro-wrestling television program. This new product would give the company something to market to independent television stations around the US - they’re the ones you watch local news and Judge Judy on. An elaborate revenue-sharing deal with TV stations was said to be part of the concept. 

Can you explain anything about how this might have worked? 

How does a syndicator convince a television station in a smaller community to get on board with a syndicated series (like this or any other)?

For entrances, wrestlers would use the Chroma key. The entire room, including floor, would be covered in one color (usually green, or possibly blue). The wrestler would walk from the back toward the camera. Since the background is all one color, it’s cut out and replaced with whatever the producer wants! In this instance, it was the same image of a cheering crowd on each side - only one of the images was flipped to make it look different. Both were sped up to 2X speed to make it look like there was more excitement, too. 

How bad did this look to you?

Would entrance music have helped?

Once to the ring, there was a more difficult challenge in creating a digital audience. Green screens work best when there’s one large object that is being cut out of the picture. A wrestling ring, ropes, multiple wrestlers, and all the objects in the frame would be much harder for a computer to automatically remove. 

So, they wrestled in an empty studio with black curtains and fake crowd noise. 

In the context of 2020, does this really seem as weird of an idea as it would have basically any other year?

The pilot episode opens with a typical 80s synth tune and barely dressed cheerleaders shouting “Hey Hey Hey for the AWA.” Their cheers do not match up, at all, with the music. But we see a preview of the action in the open, which will feature wrestling, rock music, and ladies boxing. 

From there, we get a slow zoom toward Verne Gagne, holding his dog in his lap, while sitting on a boat dock with his tackle box next to him. Verne explains how modern technology is going to bring fans right into the ring. He says he’s so excited about this new series, he might come out of retirement one more time! Oh, he’s only kidding. 

Now that Verne has been on TV again, what should have been the show’s opening segment begins... with host, Ralph Strangis, seated next to Greg Gagne in a small production room designed for one person. With the two seated uncomfortably next to each other, we learn that this is actually called SATELLITE BASE. Ralph and Greg are wearing their best workout jumpsuits. The concept is described to us in a way that sounds like virtual reality, telling us we will feel exactly what the wrestlers feel in the ring, and be closer than ever before. Greg Gagne’s energy is turned up to about a 3 while Strangis is at a 10. Strangis promises we will see wrestling, the Beverly Hills Knockouts...and rock music.

Was there some kind of plan to incorporate this into a music channel? Or to license music into the series? Because no music is present.

Would the local TV stations maybe have been responsible for licensing/adding in music?

SIDEBAR: Strangis never did much in professional wrestling but he did enjoy success as an NHL commentator. In a longshot in the early 90s, Strangis tried out for the Minnesota North Stars, a hockey team from 1967 to 1993. He was one of the least likely to get the job as the story goes, but he got it. In 1993, the team moved to Dallas and their previous play-by-play man opted not to make the move. Strangis would be the “Voice of the Stars” for the Dallas Stars hockey franchise from 1993 to April 2015.

Another weird fact: Strangis was a contestant on Press Your Luck in 1984 and won $7,431.

Unfortunately, just a few days ago on September 22, 2020, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Strangis was battling bladder cancer. Strangis shared the news, saying they got it early. He’s been going through immunotherapy, which is not full-blown chemo but still not fun. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ralph and we hope he stays strong.

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article245896045.html

Any memories of working alongside Ralph Strangis? 

Back to the AWA Team Challenge Series…

We get our first entrance, which is probably the moment most wrestling fans would have turned off the TV. A low-res 80s graphic shows the wrestler’s signature, name, and photo. Then, the green screen magic begins. Tommy Jammer makes his entrance wearing a neon green jacket, which would have been hell on a green screen so they must have been using a blue background instead. He walks forward while pretending to work the crowd on either side. 

Jammer makes his way into the squared circle, where his opponent - Tom Burton - is waiting on him. Once in the ring, we can see that there are no fans in the arena for the first time. But throughout all of the matches, we get these weird cut-away shots to people in bars or restaurants cheering for something, perhaps with the idea being that SATELLITE BASE would be potentially taking cameras in living rooms and restaurants across the country. 

Another new piece of technology from SATELLITE BASE is the ability to do slow-motion replays. It’s such a basic thing now but they made a spectacle out of it. So when a big move, like a...clothesline...or...body slam…(sarcasm)...is hit, all Ralph has to do is shout, “Punch that button, Greg!” And we get to see a replay. The first slow motion use, on a body slam, shows the recipient not selling at all and getting up instantly. 

Do you think Greg has punched a lot of buttons?

Jammer wins the match with a powerslam and “Surfer Splash” at 1:41.

From there, we get a backstage segment with two wrestlers standing side by side in front of our Chroma key. Blitzers captain Baron Von Raskhe is next to Sniper’s captain Sgt Slaughter. He’s wearing a GI Joe logo too. The two discuss a friendly rivalry, with Rashke saying his man, Paul Diamond, will face Col. DeBeers - from the Snipers - later in the night.

Then, another backstage segment in front of the Chroma key. The Destruction Crew, Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom, are knocking down buildings! It looks as bad as it sounds! They fake a bunch of hits with their backs to the camera, someone hits play, and footage of buildings collapsing begins to play. The future Beverly Brothers put each other over and talk about how vicious they are. 

Is this the worst thing on the show?

SIDEBAR: These two would become more famous during the modern era for viral videos of their horribly stiff finishing maneuver in the WWF, called the Shaker Heights Spike. It’s a miracle that didn’t end with an eight figure settlement. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKD4u0LxP1o

Have you heard stories about how these guys were rough?

NOTE: Enos wrestled as the “Mauler” during Scott Hall’s Nitro debut

More Chroma-key entrances with Enos and Bloom. They come in with sledgehammers and construction vests and are managed by Johnny Valiant. Their opponents are Ricky Rice and Jerry Lynn. Yes, that Jerry Lynn. The Destruction Crew wrestle pretty stiff. Enos and Bloom win with a Doomsday Device on Jerry Lynn at 4:53 but Greg Gagne calls for a DQ since moves off the top are illegal. 

Our good buddy Eric Bischoff comes to the ring to get comments from Johnny V and the Destruction Crew. Eric’s hair stands out as a topic that must be discussed because he’s full gray here and a lot fluffier. He looks much older than he would ten years later on Nitro.

Looking back, can you describe your hair during this time?

Our Twitter fans loved your hair, Eric. We will get to their questions about it in a little while...But, serious question…It seems like looking older when you’re young could have benefits, especially with an old-school wrestling promoter - or old television station managers you were looking to sell syndication to. Was that a conscious strategy?

Sgt. Slaughter is next up in front of our Chroma key with a promo about DeBeers, calling him scum. DeBeers is a heel and Slaughter is a baby, so there has to be some kind of tension between the two. Teams, by the way, were chosen at random, according to Ralph and Greg. Then, Slaughter turns to the right side of the frame and finishes the promo. Why? 

Because DeBeers is up in front of the Chroma key and he’s looking at the left side of the screen to talk to Slaughter. The illusion is that they’re standing nearby and looking at each other. In reality, they both did the interview in the same spot with different backgrounds added and then the interviews were edited together. 

From a TV producer stand-point, why didn’t we see this more and why don’t we ever see it now?
(It’s fucking cheesy)

FUN FACT: 

DeBeers was supposed to be in front of the South African flag during his shot. One problem: The South African flag at the time was orange, white and blue - not yellow, white and purple. While it didn’t exist at the time, in 2014, this design would come to be known as the “Nonbinary Flag,” to represent those who do not feel their gender identifies with the male or female label. So, Col. DeBeers was standing in front of a cropped Non-binary flag. (Credit: Maffew Botchamania)

https://gender.wikia.org/wiki/Pride_Flags#Nonbinary_Flag

Now, if you thought Vince McMahon was the first person who used scantily clad women in wrestling, you’re in for a Rude Awakening here. :) The Beverly Hills Knockouts are here next to show us some women’s boxing! One of the female athletes, “Mustang Sally” is literally just wearing lingerie and a jacket...and the jacket isn’t long for this world. Many women in the audience are wearing only their underwear, too. The boxing trunks have the thighs cut out so we see maximum ass. 

Slaughterhouse Shawn faces The Blonde Bomber in what begins as a boxing match. It looks worked, although they’re working snug. The boxing gloves are enormous. Midway through, Blonde Bomber takes off her gloves and begins wrestling. She puts Shawn in a rear chinlock and wrenches on it three times while Shawn sells it four times. Round three begins with Mustang Sally doing a backbreaker on Shawn. After both are knocked down, the first to their feet wins, and it’s Slaughterhouse Shawn. 

During the match, one of the gimmicks is to have the woman box the camera so it looks like you’re an opponent. It really just ends up looking like they’re shadow-boxing the cameraman. A fan in a green shirt holds his arm up to celebrate and all the human eye can focus on is a pit stain. 

Would you say this segment was a hit or a miss? Tell us what you thought about it. 

We’re back to SATELLITE BASE to talk to Ralph and Greg some more. They’re talking about the scoring, which is already well underway since the series technically began prior to this pilot being taped. Larry’s Legends leads with 16 while Baron’s Blitzers are in second with 15 and Sarge’s Snipers trail with 13. 

As we get set for Paul “Hard Rock” Diamond vs. Col. Debeers in a King of the Hill match, Diamond delivers a prematch promo from outer space (Chroma key). It’s during this that you can 100% see the blue outline around Paul Diamond, confirming they used a blue screen. 

Then, we get more Chroma key entrances. There’s a fan who looks like a mix between John Denver and David Koresh on the left. This match is a King of the Hill match, which can only be won by throwing your opponent over the top rope and out onto the arena floor. When Debeers yells at the crowd, we see a close shot of a woman covering her face. It’s absurd. We see a cutaway shot to some type of banquet hall with tables and people applauding. But this is an interesting match concept. Debeers almost eliminates Diamond but he does the Shawn Michaels spot where he stops and comes back up in the ring - only to try a headscissors on Debeers. It doesn’t work. DeBeers makes the fatal decision to go for a piledriver by the ropes and at 5:50, Paul Diamond back-drops him out and onto the floor for the win. 

What do you think about a “King of the Hill” style match? Does it work?

The Terminator is in action, next. Sgt. Slaughter is facing The Terminator. No, not the one from the movie. This is some hairy guy. Ralph says Slaughter moves like a tank...deliberate...and ready to pounce. I think he meant “slow.” They do a weird spot where both men work the crowd: the Terminator tells the non-existent crowd to shut up; Slaughter waves to the empty crowd. Ralph calls Sarge’s standing-dropkick a flying-dropkick. Sarge comes off the ropes with a flying body press for a two count. PUNCH THE BUTTON. Sarge nails a second-rope clothesline, nicknamed the “Slaughter Cannon.” And Slaughter wins with a Cobra Clutch at 6:45. We get another request to PUNCH THE BUTTON.

Did you think this might have been a little obnoxious and annoying?

Eric is back at ringside to interview Sgt. Slaughter. Sarge is out of breath and says he’s in the best shape of his life. 

We check in one last time with SATELLITE BASE to hear that we will get MORE Rock n’ Roll, more Beverly Hills Knockouts, and MORE AWA Wrestling next week. We finish with it being called the “new AWA” once more. 

Then, like the end of an episode of Law and Order, in giant white bold text, we see AWA EXECUTIVE PRODUCER VERNE GAGNE. 

Tell us your overall thoughts about the team challenge series pilot?

This pilot never aired on TV until we got it on the network and the rebanding to the “new AWA” never took off, but the Team Challenge Series did playout on AWA television. Some of the matches were in empty ‘arenas’ (rooms) similar to what we saw here - but with a pink background. Announcers even claimed it was being held there as part of an effort to stop wrestlers from interfering!!

Not only that, but the series would take an even more bizarre twist as we would begin to see gimmick matches that make even the most devoted wrestling fan embarrassed. Matches like…

• Hands Tied Behind Your Back Match
• Meat Grinder Match (three period handicap gauntlet match; survive and win 8 points, lose and opponents get 4 points each)
• Beauty and the Beast Match
• Knock Down Match
• Greco Roman Rules Match
• and ...The Great Turkey Hunt which was literally a Turkey on a Pole match

https://youtu.be/qa2LbYdVBpo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2AjcKYg22A (This Week in WWE History video)

Let’s talk about the Turkey on a Pole. It was on November 26, 1989’s edition of AWA All Star Wrestling. An empty studio with pink walls is our setting. There’s a pole and on it, a stuffed, raw turkey. The match is between Jake the Milkman Milliman, who looks like Otis, and Colonel DeBeers. DeBeers gets the turkey off the pole but accidentally drops it and the Milkman catches it in time for the referee to see him and award him the bout. 

Memories of the Turkey on a Pole match? Were you a fan?

Later matches would be taped at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota. Some of those featured the commentary duo of Eric Bischoff and Lee Marshall. In one such match, on August 6, 1990, Sgt. Slaughter faced Tom Burton. During that match, the commentators harp on Sgt. Slaughter being down on his luck lately and put over heel champion Zbyszko for defeating Sarge in clean title defenses in Hawaii and Guam (lol, didn’t happen). 

It sounds like a burial of a wrestler on his way out the door for the WWF. Do you recall this and was that the goal?

Just as had been a worry, Sgt. Slaughter would jump ship to the WWF around this time, laying the groundwork for his heel run as the Iraqi sympathizer. Always in kayfabe, the AWA announced Slaughter had gone AWOL. We learn Col. DeBeers has been voted in to be the new captain of the Snipers. The name would then be changed to “DeBeers Diamondcutters.”

Do you have any memories of Slaughter leaving and what Verne’s reaction might have been? How did the locker room or the people you worked with react?

The series came to a conclusion in August, 1990, with the Million Dollar Battle Royal. Thanks to the points being so close, the Battle Royal would decide the entire competition. It was won by Larry’s Legends and long-time AWA jobber, Jake “The Milkman” Milliman. Basically, he looks like Otis with a haircut from the 80s. With that win, Milliman won** a million dollars for himself and Larry’s Legends!! The heels, Zbyszko, the Destruction Crew, and the Hangmen celebrate while ignoring Milliman. 

How much money do you think Verne paid Milliman for winning?

In the months that followed, AWA’s impending doom came to realization. Zbyszko jumped ship to the WCW while still the AWA champion. He was stripped of the belt but would be the last champion, as the company went bankrupt before a new champion could be crowned in 1991. Slaughter was already gone to the WWF and would be an anti-American heel who won the WWF title at the Royal Rumble; Most of the talent would go to one of the two remaining big organizations in the US while some went to Japan, some went to the indies, and others just retired. 

What kind of effect did the AWA Team Challenge Series have on the business of AWA? Good or bad?

Now, let’s take our fans inside of the ring and let them feel the action like they’ve never felt it before with some questions. PUNCH THE BUTTON!

QUESTIONS

Instagram: AWrestlingHistorian has a cool question...When did you see the writing on the wall for the AWA and what mistakes from Verne did you learn not to repeat in WCW?

Crawl78 has a good question. If Verne put you in charge of the AWA what moves would you have made.   Any talent you would have pushed?

Chris Hopkins asks...How much did concepts like this help with Eric’s education and insight into the business (ie - how not to do things)?

Rory asks...Could you see AEW or WWE revive the Team Challenge Series if so why or why not. 

The 5th Horseman asks..#AskEric Verne had a good track record of discovering future stars...in the WWF. Was there an effort to get somebody new over or did you/he have hope someone specifically would have a break-out moment?

HAIR Questions:

Jeremy says...Eric that hair you had then was epic! Did you have your own stylist, or was that hair strictly taken care by your own hands? 

Jason asks...How many different women per week, on average, with that hair, brother?!?

Greg asks...Did Eric rub a balloon across the top of his head while applying hairspray right before showtime, or is that natural hair height

Fernando asks...Who had better hair at this time @EBischoff or @RicFlairNatrBoy

Joe asks...Who had the best mullet in AWA?

Lenny asks...To your knowledge, at this time was Verne actively trying to recruit new talent or was he just in “preservation” mode and try to make a go of it with the talent he had? 

Just Scott asks..At any point during this fiasco of a tournament, was there a suggestion to just do something else and pretend it never happened?

KMA Jackson wants to know...Why do you think there isn't more AWA content available on the WWE Network? 

Ary Rosenbaum asks...Greg Gagne has this story on this shoot interview with Cornette that Verne and Tribune was about to land Hogan before the NY Daily News strike in ‘89 killing it. is there an ounce of truth to this? 

Lenny wants you to….Tell us about the Illustrious Johnny Stewart. Did he ever wrestle anywhere else after AWA? 

Lenny also asked...Were any talents under contracts? It wouldn’t seem so with slaughter stepping out in the middle of the series. 

Ary asks...How big [did] the effect of Verne’s fight with Minnesota over the eminent domain of his house have on the AWA? 

HighBoxingIQ asks...Any cool Johnny V stories? 

Darryl says...Since you get tagged with this idea since it happened & you said it wasn't yours, do you have a clue who's idea was this series? 

Ken O’Neill says...@EBischoff please defend the serious booking style of Verne Gagne with Turkey on a pole..., 

Kevin wants to know...What sports bar did you use for the crowd shots on this show?

Francis asks...Where did you get the cheerleaders from? 

Joe asks...Why does the Baron always want to fist someone?

Tonka asks...Did you ever feel slighted? That some fans don't know you had been in the business awhile before taking control of WCW? I remind people you started in a Territory