Don't Let Sid Near The Scissors- Wrestling Thread

[Reply #440 on:]

The rules of the rumble clearly state that if two feet make contact with any surface outside of the ring the wrestler is eliminated, it does not just specify the floor between the guardrail and the ring.

Are you sure about that? (linkage)

[Reply #441 on:]

Hey, Ralph, have you ever won any NWA titles besides the...one you won that you mentioned in that other post?

[Reply #442 on:]

sad to found out Oliver Humperdink passed away due to cancer.  I remember when he used to managed Bam Bam Bigelow back on 1987 at the first Survivor Series.  i also remember back in 1998, he made an appearance and was almost attacked by Kane, but when he just came to ring and attacked people.

[Reply #443 on:]

Hogan has always been a mark for himself.  He showed up in Georgia in 1980 or 1981 under the name of Sterling Golden, flexing his steroid-enhanced "pythons".  Ole Anderson (our booker) fired his ass after just 6 weeks.  Hogan wanted to be main eventing the moment he stepped foot in Georgia and didn't believe in the "respect" factor that use to be essential when working with guys that can kill you in real life and not break a sweat.

At that time, Hogan couldn't work to save his life.  Stan Hansen said that it was a pain having to drag Hogan's ass to two-star match.

There was one rule to never be violated - nobody was ever allowed to touch the announcer, Gordon Solie.  Solie had in his contract that he was to never be touched in any way by any of the workers. Hogan grabbed Solie by the very large lapels of his jacket during a taped interview, screaming that he (Hogan) wasn't getting any respect and he didn't like it.

I was over to the side talking to Tommy Rich when this happened.  Rich told me, "Bro, just stand back, this is gonna be some fun shit!"

In less than 30 seconds after Hogan manhandled Solie, Ole Anderson, Stan Hansen and Ivan Koloff surrounded Hogan, Ole demanding that Hogan appologize to Solie.  I saw fear in Hogan's eyes because he knew he wouldn't survive a legit fight with any of the three guys surrounding him, much less all three of them.

After being "escorted" to the parking lot at the TBS studio, we never were bothered by "Sterling Golden" again.

Hogan is such a piece of shit.  He demanded that everybody job to him but never wanted to return the favor.  He shit on Randy Savage, Rick Rude, Curt Hennig, Bret Hart, Paul Orndorff, Roddy Piper and just about anybody else he had dealings with.  As for blading, I don't think he bladed anymore than 3-4 times in his entire carreer.  Maybe he meant "balding".

You can tell what sort of piss-poor person he is by the way his family turned out.  I'd love nothing more than to see Hogan and his punk-ass kid get their asses legit kicked on live TV.  I may not be able to do it but I know a lot of guys who can and would do anything for the chance.

I don't address this thread very often because I haven't kept up with Westling too often; I've always had friends who had an interestest, but specifically, most of my wrestling, and the reason I lurk, is because my dad would tell stories about how he used to watch local wrestling circuits in Florida and I've always had a fond aspect of local matches between respectable individuals who in their vein honestly understood the philosophies behind true wrestling.  This post just expounds on the reasons I hate fake people and their inability to understand the paradigm.  I think at this point that Hulk Hogan has probably reaped the rewards of the seeds he has sowed with his family being prominently showed superficially through out television, and I completely agree that he deserves the most abject distinction among a group of people who fueled a field where art became action.

[Reply #444 on:]

I had the honor tonight to sit down with Terry Funk for about 10-15 minutes. He guest starred at my town's indy show, and after everyone got their autographs, I hung around to talk to him. We talked about his corperation hopping, the Gino Hernandez incident, the NWA, the 70's territories, and other stuff. He's a really cool guy. Said I was a smart kid. Still looked pretty good for a guy reaching 70.

[Reply #445 on:]

I made the mistake of going out drinking with Terry Funk and Andre the Giant back in 1980.  It ended up with a legit fist-fight between Andre and Blackjack Mulligan at Manny Fernadez's beachfront home.  The cops were called - the first of 5 squadcars showed up.  One cop went to try to put the cuffs on Andre - Andre back-handed the cop without even looking.  Guy was KO'ed.  After 10 cops showed up, they realized they were facing a lot of drunk, pissed-offed wrestlers and an out-of-control Andre the Giant.  So they turned around, asked for autographs and left.  When they left, we were trying to stop Andre from drowning Mulligan in the Atlantic Ocean.

Manny's beach house was destroyed by morning's light.  He submitted it to his insurance a couple of weeks later, stating that the damage had been caused by a hurricane.  Yeah, Hurricane Andre.

This is the first time I've been to this thread in a long time.  "Sports Entertainment" means nothing to me and if I ever hear from the old life, it usually means that somebody I was friends with has died.  I don't even look at 411mania.com anymore because I have no connection to today's antics.  Moolah's death hit me hard, then losing my first booker (Johnny Weaver) hit hard.  I was informed about a month ago about Sir Oliver Humperdink's demise.  Until then, I never knew his real name was John Sutton.

My day was a different time.  I refuse to be one of those old WWII type of guys who relived their "Days Of Glory" anytime more than 2 people were available to listen to them.  Move forward, tomorrow's another day.

[Reply #446 on:]

You are not missing much Ralph, I watch WWF about twice a year, the Rumble and Wrestlemania and I thought this years Wrestlemania was a pile of shit. Snooki WTF glad I didn't pay anything for it.

I wouldn't regret going drinking with Funk and Andre, sounds like you got some good stories out of it.

[Reply #447 on:]

WWE changing the name to WWE (literaly, they dropped the word "wrestling" from the name. They're officially WWE). I don't understand Vince's idea here, but, I really don't care anymore.

[Reply #448 on:]

Well actually It was 'federation' that they dropped and replaced with 'entertainment' in order to avoid confusion with the 'world wildlife fund' but I still call them WWF.

[Reply #449 on:]

No. We don't give Pandas folding chairs.

[Reply #450 on:]

I didn't think I was missing much.  For those of you who are real fans of "The Old Life" aka "Before Vince", pick up Ole Anderson's book, Inside Out.  I went to the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Reunion last September.  It was great to hang out with some of the guys I knew and some I had never met.  It was the first time I had ever met Jim Cornette - damned, I wish I could cut a promo like that guy.  We got along for a few minutes, then he found out I vote Republican so he started to go Barck Obama all over my ass (damned, talk about man-love).  Ole was there, using crutches to walk.  Poor guy has MS.  He recognized me, gave me a big hug (I was surprised - Ole tends to hate everybody) when he found out my wife is in a nursing home because of MS.  I saw and spent time with Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, Harley Race, Jim Nelson, Don Kernodle, announcer Rich Landrum and David Crocket.  I spent most of my time enjoying the company of Greg Valentine, Baron von Rascke, Paul Jones and other guys who often were on the mid-card.  I really enjoyed hearing Paul Jones trash-talk Dusty Rhoades.  He started his hate-a-thon for Dusty from the mid-70's to today in chronilogical order.  Blackjack Mulligan sent a short video.  The old guys is pretty well crippled with arthritis and severe back pain.  Add that he had a couple of strokes over the past 5 years and you have a pretty beat-up guy.

You guys may enjoy this site: http://www.midatlanticgateway.com/Lobby.htm

As for my very favorite guy who wasn't able to make it, cheers to Gordon Solie.  He could make a boring, 1 star match turn into a 5 star Dusty vs Flair battle just by pacing his voice and tone.  When I first arrived in Florida and was doing a TV taping in Orlando, I bumped into Mulligan in the hallway.  Mully asked if I was going to the dressing room.  I told him yes.  Mully gave me two mini-bottles of Jack Daniels, telling me, "Solie's in the shitter, give them these."  So I went to the dressing room, to the bathroom stalls.  I called out Solie's name, after about 10 seconds, he answered.  I went to the stall that he was in, told him that Mully had given me something for him.  After a couple of seconds, the stall door opened and a hand reached out.  I placed the two mini-bottles  in his hand, he retracted it back into the stall, then locked the door.  I left, shaking my head and wondering what I had gotten myself into.  The guy was always drunk.  Always.  But he would clear up the moment he was in front of the mic and he was pure gold.  He always demanded that he not be included in the angles so that he could act as surprised as the fans as the scenes worked out.

He was grossly underated and underappreciated.

[Reply #451 on:]

Randy "Macho Man" Savage killed in automobile accident.

[Reply #452 on:]

Shame, he was one of my favorites when I was a nipper. One thing that this confirms is that Jake the snake is super human.

[Reply #453 on:]

Jake will outlive all of us.  He can't be human.

Rick Rude.  Curt Hennig.  Road Warrior Hawk.  Bobby Duncum, Jr.  Terry Gordy.  Test (Andrew Martin).  Louie Spicolli.  Chris Candido.  Buzz Sawyer.  Art Barr.  Miss Elizabeth.  Sherri Martel.  Eddie Guerrero, Jr.  Chris Benoit.  Brain Pillman.  Yokozuna.  John "Earthquake" Tenta.  Bam Bam Bigalow.  The Entire von Erick Clan (except Kevin).  Chris Adams.  Gino Hernadez.  Hercules Hernadez.

Those are just off the tip of my mind that didn't make it to 50 (and most died in their 30's).

So Savage was an old man compared to the list.

I won't count Moolah, Sir Oliver Humperdink, Lord Alfred Hayes or Johnny Weaver since they died in the 60-70 year old range

[Reply #454 on:]

It's rare for a wrestler from the 80's or 90's to make it past 40, be it drugs, steriods (whole different thing), or suicide. Also, Ralph, I think you forgot Mike Awesome (Suicide, as well.)

[Reply #455 on:]

Hell, I missed a lot of names.  I use to run with Rick McGraw years ago and he died in his late 20's (circa 1984).

As for steroids.  I'm guilty.  During my run, I abused alcohol, Soma and pain meds.  I've never done any of the illegal stuff (coke, weed, heroin, etc)

As for the steroids, one day I'll place pics of my heart and spine on this site to alert young people just what anabolic steroids can do. 

One of my favorite wrestlers and RL friend, Wayne Coleman, aka Superstar Billy Graham, has needed every joint in his body replaced and a liver transplant d/t his abuse of anabolic steroids.

However, as I hit 50, sometimes I envy the guys who died young.

Mike Awesome.  Was that the guy that WCW stuck with a "dude loves fat chicks" gimmick?  WCW.  What a joke.  After Hogan, Bischoff and their buddies took over, they didn't know how to use real talent like Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Arn Anderson, Chris Jericho or Steve Austin.

[Reply #456 on:]

wow, it's sad.  Macho Man was one of the first few wrestlers I was aware out the other two were The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan.  He's up in heaven snapping slim jims now.  WWE better put him in next year's HOF.

[Reply #457 on:]

I think you forgot Mike Awesome (Suicide, as well.)

There is a bunch of others, too many to go though, off the top of my head Bossman, Owen Hart, Bad News Brown, British Bulldog and Dino Bravo all died in their 30/40's.

As well as Jake, I'm a bit surprised Bobby Heanen and Scott Hall are still kicking, those 2 were supposed to have been in very poor health recently.

Macho Man's greatest match is probably against Ricky Steamboat at WM3 but I think his greatest achievement was in getting a very good match out of the Warrior at WM7 considering that Warrior was supposed to be a very poor worker.

[Reply #458 on:]

Terry Funk, Jimmy Snuka, Jake the Snake- all old, all still alive some how, all really cool people I've met, with Terry being the coolest.

[Reply #459 on:]

Terry Funk was a great brawler, but his older brother, Dory Funk, Jr. was a far better worker and enforcer (aka "Hooker").  Dory didn't have a great body but he could go for hour-long matches and still not be exhausted.  I grew up watching Dory and Jack Brisco (RIP) have amazing matches with each other.  One of the greatest matches I ever saw was a cage match between Johnny Weaver and Dory, Jr.  It went to a one hour draw, Weaver didn't win the NWA World Title but every fan in the old Charlotte Colloseum went shit-fucking-crazy when Weaver walked out of the ring and Dory was left laying on the mat.  Today's matches don't have the same "feel" to them that the great matches from years ago have.

I was in Georgia during my second year of wrestling and was in a taped for TV squash match against Dory.  I thought I was suppose to submit to the "Spinning Toehold", but Dory changed things on the fly and pinned me with a "small package" out of nowhere, just so I would have a WTF look on my face after the pin.  After the match, Dory came to me and told me that I was going to break my hands and piss off other workers if I continued to use fists.  He taught me how to do tremendous damage with an upper forearm smash.  That move was so effective that I dislocated Terry Gordy's jaw (unintentionally) with it.  Even today, people who know my fighting style know that I don't use fists but that I use my rt forearm as an offensive and defensive weapon.

Now they use gaddamned script writers.  I watched RAW and Smackdown this week.  Christian really impresses me, but most of the undercard are so generic one can be repalced with another and it won't be noticed.  The same people must write the same shit for The Miz, Ted DiBiase (I've wrestled his dad in Georgia and Florida) and Cody Rhoades.  Cody Rhoades?  WTF?  Go back home and become a retail assistance.  How can he be so bland after having Dusty as his dad and Dustin (as Goldust) as his brother? 

Note:  There was a time I was afraid that Dustin would be one who would die young.  His world fell apart when his wife left him and the WWE decided to "retire" the Goldust character.

[Reply #460 on:]

I like reading your stories here.

[Reply #461 on:]

Ditto.

Even considered a book, Ralph?

[Reply #462 on:]

Please?

[Reply #463 on:]

I flipped by RAW a couple of nights ago and saw e most hilarious skit:  Some black dude named R Truth came to the ring dressed in a Confederate Soldiers Uniform.  Between his facial motions, body language and the way he cut his promo, I'd give the guy 5 stars for being entertaining.

"Yes sir, Mr. McMahon, sir.  I've been a gooood R TRUTH!"  The delivery was fucking gold.

[Reply #464 on:]

I've seen that WWE's pushing their own envelope a bit, but tonight I saw Scott Steiner do a worked shoot against "Bully" Ray Dudley. Goddamn hilarious. Steiner's up there with Cornette and Dusty promo-wise.

[Reply #465 on:]

C.M Punk does a "worked shoot".  Everything he said is true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2OS9wZGb_3g

[Reply #466 on:]

Jim Cornette goes off on Canada:

http://www.jimcornette.com/

[Reply #467 on:]

Oh, Jim...

[Reply #468 on:]

Jim Cornette is the greatest promo guy in the business.  I remember the days when he would take the mic and rag Dusty Rhodes for entire 20 minute blocks at a time.

The guy can work up a cussing streak better than Hit-Girl.

[Reply #469 on:]

Whatever happened to that avatar? And when did you "retire"?

[Reply #470 on:]

Captain Archer is so cool.

[Reply #471 on:]

“Macho Man” Died From Heart Problem, Not Car Crash

[Reply #472 on:]

All those Slim Jims clogged his arteries.

Show spoiler

I couldn't resist, sorry.

[Reply #473 on:]

All those Slim Jims clogged his arteries.

Snap into a Casket! Oh Yeah!

[Reply #474 on:]

It's late enough now, so it's acceptable.

[Reply #475 on:]

It always is.

[Reply #476 on:]

CM Punk is absolutely on fire with an awesome angle and this thread is dead? Man.

Loved everything about it so far, it's amazing how much a hot crowd can add to the simplest of things.

[Reply #477 on:]

Summer of Punk 2.0?

[Reply #478 on:]

I haven't watched any WWE or TNA programming in awhile, so I may tune into TNA to see how far Bischoff and Hogan ran it into the ground. Mick Foley is going to be at my local indy show October first. Crazy son of a gun. Totally gonna bum around until the very end to talk to him. Hopefully he'll stick around. Some of the wrestlers appear, take some pictures, sign some autographs, and leave.

[Reply #479 on:]

Mick Foley is one of the guys who is very fan-friendly.  You have a better than average chance to get a few words in with him.  He may be selling pictures of himself at a table.  Try to purchase one if you can because Indy bookings don't pay much (sometimes getting gas money is a good paying gig for the undercard guys.)

He was a book signing in Columbia, SC around 1999-2000, I bought his book Have A Nice Day from him and he gave me a free autograph.  I bought The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young with me and he MARKED THE FUCK OUT.  He couldn't believe that the Veterans Moolah and Mae would stand in line to buy his book and support him.  He asked if chairs could be bought over for them to sit next to him; Moolah said she and Mae would sit with him only if I were allowed to sit with them.  The Books-A-Million had a few of Moolah's books in stock, so I asked the store manager if he could bring them out so Moolah could sign her books (and BAM would profit by selling them).  Moolah told Mick that not only was I a former worker but a family friend and her wrestling camp's official Registered Nurse.

Mick kinda looked at me strange when Moolah told him that I use to ride with Flair (way back in the late 70's, early 80's) and that he and I were politically active in the Republican Party.  Mick is a staunch Democrat.  He decided he like me when I told him that I drove to NYC and was paid $30 to curtain-jerk a match at MSG so I could be on the same card as Superstar Billy Graham.  Since that reminded him of driving to MSG to see Superfly Snuka, he felt a kinship with me that night.  We realized that each of our favorites were wrestling the same man, Bob Backlund.

So good luck in getting a picture or two and an autograph from him.  Don't forget the other workers - these guys bust their asses for poor pay and hearing a positive comment from a fan will make their day.