WWF/WWE/ECW/WCW

Well, the official cause of Reid Flair's death has been revealed:

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/273825-update-reid-flairs-official-cause-of-death-revealed

I used to tape trade with a guy years back who supplied me with tons of Memphis stuff.  I should really dig that out and transfer it to dvd.  My favorite tape was always the Buddy and Bill Show feud with Lawler and Mantell.  

That is so awful about Ric Flair's son.  There are a lot of tragic ways to die, but for me ODing alone in a hotel room is one of the saddest.

jstate wrote:

The King tag teaming with Zeb Coulter

Wow, so Dirty Dutch is still active and involved.  Good for him.  He was always a favorite of mine.  Loved the Kansas Jayhawks team with Bobby Jaggers.  One of the best matches I ever saw live was them against the Andersons.

Hopefully he is able to teach some of these new guys a thing or too.  He should bring back the "shoebaby" whip too.

"Good scientific move there Budro..."

jstate wrote:

Wow, so Dirty Dutch is still active and involved.  Good for him.  He was always a favorite of mine.  Loved the Kansas Jayhawks team with Bobby Jaggers.  One of the best matches I ever saw live was them against the Andersons.

Hopefully he is able to teach some of these new guys a thing or too.  He should bring back the "shoebaby" whip too.

Right now he's playing a anti-illegal immigrant "Real American" type. Any kind of whip would probably not go over well . I didn't know wresting til 1990 so I only remember him as Uncle Zebekiah, manager of the Blu Brothers and Justin Hawk Bradshaw. Of course JBL's character doesn't mention ever being managed by Zeb, WWE has no place for cannon. Like when they tried to pass Prince Albert as Lord Tensai, like people wouldn't recognize him just because he shaved his back and got tattoos.

You know, until I got to thinking about Memphis wrestling, it never occurred to me how often the "main guys" flip flopped between face and heel.  The only one who remained a constant was Lawler.  Bill Dundee, Dutch Mantell, Austin Idol...those guys flipped almost weekly.

I always thought the problem with the Uncle Zebekiah character was they didn't have him do anything really.  He was just there.  I'll bet he is real good in his current role if they actually let him talk.  I also like that they hired a former wrestler instead of an actor or something.

Memphis always astounds me with how they managed to keep coming up with stuff every week.  I tend to hate lots of interview time but with Memphis I loved it.  Probably because they always stressed how everything would be settled in ring and how important the fight was.  Lance Russell was the master at that.

jstate wrote:

I always thought the problem with the Uncle Zebekiah character was they didn't have him do anything really.  He was just there.  I'll bet he is real good in his current role if they actually let him talk.  I also like that they hired a former wrestler instead of an actor or something.

Memphis always astounds me with how they managed to keep coming up with stuff every week.  I tend to hate lots of interview time but with Memphis I loved it.  Probably because they always stressed how everything would be settled in ring and how important the fight was.  Lance Russell was the master at that.

Lance Russell is my favorite wrestling announcer of all time.  He made every angle seem important and was great at getting new guys over with his calls of their matches.

BTW, WWE is giving Dutch some time to talk and he's as great as always on his promos. He's even done some ringside commentary.

jstate wrote:

I always thought the problem with the Uncle Zebekiah character was they didn't have him do anything really.  He was just there.  I'll bet he is real good in his current role if they actually let him talk.  I also like that they hired a former wrestler instead of an actor or something.

Memphis always astounds me with how they managed to keep coming up with stuff every week.  I tend to hate lots of interview time but with Memphis I loved it.  Probably because they always stressed how everything would be settled in ring and how important the fight was.  Lance Russell was the master at that.

As Zeb Coulter he gets to talk quite a bit. While I hate the sterotype he portrays (I'm against illegal immigration, but I have no problem with Hispanic people as do the majority that feel the same way as me), he does a bang up job as the mouthpiece of Jack Swagger.

Dutch Mantel has always been a great talker.

Interesting (and sad) story about The Iron Sheik.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/iron-sheik--the-man-behind-the-mask-224707360.html

And yet another interesting article on wrestling.  I think I may pick this book up.  I've always known that George was a school teacher in real life and like Mick Foley's books, I find it interesting when a well-spoken, erudite former wrestler talks about what it was like.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/men-action/201306/george-animal-steele-jim-myers-wrestling-elizabeth-randy-savage

Wrestling legend Jackie Fargo has died. He was pretty much Jerry Lawler mentor and one of his best friends. RIP.

I shall do a Fargo strut in his honor.  RIP, Pally.

George Steele was such a terrible wrestler but damn did I find his act entertaining.  I remember there was this guy that used to be at the Capital Center matches every month - he was a "smart" fan and would go on and on about real names and backstage stuff.  It was so annoying but at the same time interesting to hear things like Steele being a school teacher in Detroit.  Would've never dreamed that was true.  Steele was great in Ed Wood too.  
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Somewhere I still have some turnbuckle stuffing.

Yeah George was awful as a wrestler but I used to love his heel schtick. The grunts, the looking up at the lights, the turnbuckle eating and of course, the jab in his opponents throats with a tongue depressor (or whatever it was) that the ref could never find because this "Neanderthal" cleverly hid it all the time.

Matt Borne has died. He was also known as Big Josh in WCW and was the original Doink the Clown.

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/06/28/matt-borne-original-doink-the-clown-dead-at-56

Wow. I remember him. Sad. RIP.

I really liked his match at the first WrestleMania with Ricky Steamboat.  I saw him over the years wrestle in World Class/USWA in Dallas in WCW as well.  After WWF, he had a chance to turn is career around in ECW, but his personal demons got the best of him.  I remember the team he had with Buzz Sawyer as well. 

 

Flair & Piper were on some show called "Wife-swap" tonight.

R.I.P. Doink the Clown.

CRIMSONMASK wrote:

Flair & Piper were on some show called "Wife-swap" tonight.

I saw that, Cant get over how old Flair looked, I swear he's what 70, 80 and acting like he's 18 or 21? It was cool seeing how the Piper lived, I thought that was way cool.