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Steamboat joined Ross on stage. This was by far the most attended session and Steamboat received a long standing ovation.
Ross said the Flair-Steamboat rivalry will love forever. He said that when Steamboat came to the NWA to do his program, Ross didn't know what to expect but booker George Scott did. Steamboat said they were put together in the 70s by Scott. Ross said the only thing Scott did with him that he didn't like was being told Ricky was getting the belt as they went out to call the Chi-Town Rumble show. He said it was like getting a Christmas present and being told what it was before you unwrapped it.
Ross asked Steamboat of his memories of that match. He said that he gets asked about the trilogy of matches a lot but his favorite is the New Orleans bout as they got to go close to an hour and show what they can really do. The night in Chicago, he asked Scott what the plan was after weeks of Scott not telling him what the plan was. They had to start to think of a game plan. The show was underway and Scott didn't know tell him the finish. Steamboat had so much nervous energy burned up by the time he found out. They had worked so much they just needed to worry about the last three moves. They spoke about that and separated and called the rest in the ring. Steamboat had to mentally and emotionally recover from finding out he was getting the belt so he wasn't spent and blown up 5 minutes in. Ross knew before Steamboat did.
Ross said he saw Lance Russell this weekend and he's a treasure and the only letdown this weekend is that Bob Caudle wouldn't be here. He said as a fan, all he wanted was a photo with himself, Bob Caudle and Lance this weekend.
Ross brought up the Best of Three Falls bout. Ross said it was the bout that probably got George Scott fired. They didn't promote the live aspect of the show and only drew 6 thousand in the Superdome. Ross got called in the office and was called out for not promoting tickets and the live event aspect. Ross said he was told not to. They talked about Flair submitting in e first fall and how it was smart booking since he was the challenger desperate to get the belt back submitting in the first fall. Steamboat said it was Flair's idea. Ross said they didn't do a lot of submission finishes.
At Wrestlewar 89, they decided to bring back the judges from the first Clash of Champions. Ross joked about the awful judges from the Flair-Sting bout and asked, "What the hell were we thinking?" They had Lou Thesz, Pat O'Connor and Terry Funk as judges in Nashville. Ross said they had a hell of a match that night. Steamboat agreed. He said all three were completely different from start to finish. Steamboat didn't know they were doing the Terry Funk angle until he was walking up the aisle. Ross said that wasn't good communication. They talked about who was booking then and decided it was "That stupid committee." Ross said booking committees in theory is a good idea but when they cast, write and star in the stories, it won't work.
Steamboat said the guy with the pencil is always go into be on top. Ross added, "and make the most money." Ross said the most powerful weapon in wrestling was the eraser because they could change plans.
Steamboat said early in his career, old timers would take care of you if you liked you but if they didn't, they would bloody you or knock you around and you dare not say anything about it. He said Mr. Fuji would always give him advice on things he can do better. Fuji said he wanted to show him a hold in the shower. He said if anyone gives him a problem in the ring, this is his equalizer. It's called the five on two. The boys all knew what was coming and sure enough, Fuji grabbed his nuts and Steamboat screamed. He said that was his initation and he joked it always worked.
Steamboat then told a story about wrestling Flair in Mid-Atlantic at the old Charlotte Coliseum. They had done a 60 minute draw previously there. George Scott said to do something to get Ric hot and they don't need to go 60. They can do it in 25 minutes or so. Ric says when it feels right he'll beat Steamboat with his feet on the ropes. He expects it to be short but they end up going 58 minutes in or so. The fans know they go that long, it's going to be a draw. They hit 59 minutes and Steamboat is going for a comeback as they count down with 10 second left, Flair covers him. They go 59:57 total. Steamboat said there was a lull in the crowd and suddenly fans start throwing all this stuff. Flair leaves the right but not before looking at Ricky and saying, "We got them tonight kid!"
They went to the Q&A portion.
Steamboat was asked about finishes today and how you can run long programs the way things are. Steamboat said they have been prostituted. You'll see guys kick out of big moves at a major show like Wrestlemania and the idea he guesses that the idea is that these guys are in a war and it gets to the point of who is endorse for wear. Steamboat said prior to he last 8 years or so, it was always that if a guy got a finish on you, that was it. Ross said guys are lazy and working for a pop. He said the "This is awesome" and "You still got it" chants are awful. He knows that's going to get people saying he's a bitter old bastard. Ross said at Wrestlemania 17, it's the first time he remembers The Rock Bottom and the Stone Cold Stunner being kicked out of. Ross said that he story the announcers have to tell is that this is a big night and the guys have to dig down deep but you have to tell that story. Guys now when you watch wrestling across the board you see guys use a small package after all this flying stuff. Guys do the damnedest moves and work faster then the fans can process. Guys don't sell and they blow off finishes. The DDT was once the most feared move in wrestling and now they are transitions like a side headlock takeover. Ross said you have to use chainsaws to beat someone. Ross said there are smart guys backstage putting these matches together and they have to be sick to their stomach because it's counter-productive to what they really believe. Ross said they make music in the ring but they have to let the announcers sing the lyrics by slowing down.
Steamboat said you see all those major moments where guys go through tables and then they are back in the ring. He said you take that moment and throw it away. Ross said the few matches he was forced to be in by the creative department, he looked at it from a broadcasting perspective and was trying to tell their stories. He said the business is going down a road of shortcuts and a lack of fundamentals. If they gave the announcers the time to tell the stories, they don't need to do as much. Ross said you can punch someone ten times and there's no damage and that's an expose.
Steamboat said that in the ring, it's their responsibility to tell the story that allows the announcers to do their job. Ross said he was manipulated out of retirement to call the New Japan WrestleKingdom PPV with the Eddie Haskell of wrestling, Matt Striker. There was a big multi team tag with The Young Bucks and they asked him if he wanted to know what they were going to do. Ross said No and they acted like he didn't care but he wanted not to know. He said once you got past that cluster and they got to singles matches where they could tell good stories, it was one of the best announcing experiences in some time. He said guys wanted to do hot moves instead of trying to win. He said the style is changing and he doesn't know where we are heading. He said wrestling will never go away but we will probably relish the older material more.
Steamboat was asked about his 1991 return where he was just The Dragon and was wasted. Steamboat said they wanted to repackage him and he wasn't even Steamboat anymore. He said he didn't feel in his heart because the world knew who he was. He said it was one of those things where he was being patient and was waiting for that door to open. He was working second from the bottom after working main events with Flair and Steamboat. After ten months, he knew it was time to go.
Steamboat said he worked with Haku for months on end. They didn't do anything major but the chops and kicks were solid. Chief Jay Strongbow told them they needed to tone down because the main eventers were complaining. Steamboat told him they weren't doing anything but wrestling and please don't take away their ability to perform. Strongbow thought about it and said,"You are right. Screw it."
Steamboat was asked to compare the Flair and Savage programs. He said It was apples and oranges. He and Ric had years. Savage and Steamboat was a six month program. It was gratifying thing with Randy. Savage had a good mind and they went in wanting to steal the night because they knew Andre had a bad back. Flair taught him so much and he wouldn't be anywhere as good as he is without Flair wanting to work with him in Mid-Atlantic. Ross said Flair was instinctual but Randy was meticulous and obsessed with perfection. Ross said Randy was his most difficult partner to broadcast with because he didn't trust anyone and Ross wanted to feel the out while Randy wanted it all laid out.
Steamboat and Savage laid out the entire match and they would put it all down in paper to memorize it.
Steamboat was asked about bringing his family to the ring. Steamboat said it drew a contrast from Flair, but he was uncomfortable with it. Ross said he was worried it would alienate the audience. Ross said you have to know your audience and it put Steamboat in a disadvantageous position. Steamboat said his ex had a lot to say about wanting to be involved.
A fan asked why Wrestlewar 89 started at 4 PM. Ross said it was a cable company clearance thing. They were asked why Flair and Steamboat went on in the middle. Ross said some of the matches didn't air. I think he confused the Clash 6 show with Wrestlewar. Steamboat told a story of how Lex Luger was pissed after the Best of Three Falls bout because he wasn't going to make the Clash broadcast.
Steamboat was asked about the comeback against Chris Jericho and what it meant to you. Steamboat said it meant a lot, but his fear was coming back and not looking the same. His plan was to do 20 years and retire as long as he was financially able to. He ended because he injured his back and never wanted to come back because he didn't want the fans to see him as someone who should have stayed out. Wrestlemania 25 was an opportunity for the legends to work with Jericho and since there were three of them, he could do it. Ross pointed out Mockey Rourke was There and buried him. Snuka was limited and Piper was banged up. A lot of the match came down to him and Jericho and it worked and the crowd liked it. They put him in the Backlash singles match which was a shock to him.
Ross said its been a rough month with the passing of Dusty Rhodes and Roddy Piper. He asked Steamboat for thoughts on them. He and Dusty didn't always see eye to eye. Steamboat went to the WWF in 1985 because Dusty became the booker. Ricky was a top babyface and Dusty was going to be the top babyface. It was time for Ricky to go after eight years but he was disgruntled because he knew how he was going to be used. He said a few years later, it was his moment to thank Dusty because of he hadn't made those moves, Steamboat wouldn't have elevated his notoriety as a wrestler. Dusty joked once that Steamboat left him and Ricky said, "Dusty, I didn't want to!"
Ricky teamed and worked against Roddy Piper. Steamboat said that he tells talents to develop a character that they can immediately identify you with. He said in the ring, to be honest, Roddy was probably a seven but on the mic it was off the charts. Ross said there was no writer for Roddy. Ross said most of the heels want to work to be cool and get a pop and sell merchandise. Ross said no one wants to hated. Roddy had no fear and the more you detested him, he happier Roddy was and if you wanted to confront him, be prepared because there was no fear. Piper was living on the streets and didn't have a nice hotel and iPads. He had no fear, period and had a swagger.
Piper told Steamboat he figured out how to get to the main events and that was not show up until after intermission.
Ross asked whether Steamboat could sense how special Steve Austin could be when they worked in the 1990s. Steamboat said he knew then. Ross asked him what attributes set Steve apart. Ross said Austin never felt he had a good match. Steamboat said you run into a lot of guys who think they know it all, but Austin always wanted to know what more he could do and was very coachable. As hard as they went in the ring, no matter how winded Austin was, he was always there in the right place to feed for the comeback for Ricky.
Ross asked about the Hulk Hogan situation. Steamboat said Hogan would have been smart enough to know he was being recorded. He felt like it was something used in conversation. It shouldn't be used at all in language no matter who you are. Ross said for Hogan's sake, hopefully he can rehabilitate his image but it's a damn shame we still have racial issues in 2015. Ross called for everyone to be more tolerant of others no matter who they are.
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