RIP Randy Macho Man Savage

[Soulstation1]

Macho probably had a heart attack while driving......

[Dave James]

Although the original gravelly voiced pro wrestlers were guys like "Classy" Fred Blassie or Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis, Macho Man took it to a whole new level. Back in the day, his ability to entertain was probably only exceeded by the likes of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper or Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. My brother and I used to eat this stuff up. What passes for professional wrestling now, what with all the manufactured story lines, pales in comparison to Vince McMahan's original WWF concept.

What most people don't know about Savage (real name Randy Poffo) was that the played for several years in the St. Louis Cardinal's minor league baseball organization. He had a lifetime B.A. of .254, with 16 home runs and 66 RBI's.

R.I.P. Macho Man. Loved your schtick. The mold was broken after they made you.

[sidewinder]

He was highly entertaining, for sure. I guess the steroids that these guys take won't have helped. Sorry to hear this.

[sonnymax]

According to TMZ:

Randy "Macho Man" Savage will be cremated and his ashes co-mingled with the ashes of his loyal pooch, Hercules. Savage's brother, Lanny Poffo, tells TMZ, "the dog's ashes were spread around Randy's favorite tree several years ago, and after Randy is cremated his ashes will be strewn there as well."

[Van Basten II]

Not only he had a great schtick and kept to it with a few minor revamps but he actually was to fun to watch in the ring, .

FYI, the lady who played his valet back then in his WWF years Elisabeth died a few years ago from an overdose, these people really have a short life.

Edited May 23, 2011 by Van Basten II

[Dan Gould]

Although the original gravelly voiced pro wrestlers were guys like "Classy" Fred Blassie or Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis, Macho Man took it to a whole new level. Back in the day, his ability to entertain was probably only exceeded by the likes of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper or Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. My brother and I used to eat this stuff up. What passes for professional wrestling now, what with all the manufactured story lines, pales in comparison to Vince McMahan's original WWF concept.

Savage was the Total Package, unlike the guy who was with Elizabeth when she died. Savage had superior in-ring ability and was great on the mic too, and its a sad day when he died. The husband of one of my wife's friends worked in the biz years ago and I am hoping to hear some stories about Savage from him.

But seriously, Dave, is there any real difference between wrestling today and wrestling back then? The Macho Man - Elizabeth - Hogan "love triangle" angle wasn't a stupid manufactured story line? Or how about George "The Animal Steele's infatuation with Elizabeth, and Savage's beat-downs? Let's not over-romanticize the guy's heyday. He was a true legend, and that should be enough.

Speaking of Steele, (real name William Myers, and he really was a high school teacher at one time), here's a funny story from Wiki:

Throughout his career, Steele prided himself on being able to cut eloquent and effective promos, and ranked his mic skills with the best in the business. At a WWF TV taping in the early 1980s, he was cutting one of these promos when Vince McMahon cut him off, and reminded Steele that his gimmick was the "Animal", and for an animal he was "making too much sense". Incensed, Steele did a second take of nothing but garbled and incoherent syllables ("Duhh-dahh"). Steele did this deliberately, and out of pure frustration, thinking that McMahon would acquiesce and allow Steele to cut his normal, eloquent promos. Much to Steele's shock, McMahon replied, "That's exactly what I want!", and this would remain Steele's interview style for the rest of his WWF run. Steele started to fully cultivate his gimmick of a menacing imbecile.

[Dave James]

But seriously, Dave, is there any real difference between wrestling today and wrestling back then? The Macho Man - Elizabeth - Hogan "love triangle" angle wasn't a stupid manufactured story line? Or how about George "The Animal Steele's infatuation with Elizabeth, and Savage's beat-downs? Let's not over-romanticize the guy's heyday. He was a true legend, and that should be enough.

Well, you're probably right, but it just seems different. Maybe it's that by now, the whole thing has been done to death. The other change is the complete lack of outstanding personalities. While The Rock and Steve Austin had their moments over the last 10 years, the wrestling world right now is littered with nothing but cookie-cutter, roided-up caricatures who simply aren't very interesting. Back in the day, even the second tier guys like Brutus Beefcake, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine could be a lot of fun to watch.

[Shawn]

he was great as "Bonesaw" in the first Spiderman movie.

My best friend Gary was a huge wrestling fan, so I saw most of these guys during their 80's prime. My favorite was Piper, but Savage was right there with him for pure entertainment value.

It's just sad that the entertainment takes such a toll on the performers.

[Dan Gould]

I agree with you, Dave. (And don't forget Jesse The Body Ventura, especially as a "heel" announcer.)

Jesse: Chico Santana getting his bell rung here.

Gorilla Monsoon: Tito Santana, Jess. Tito.

Jesse: That's what I said, Chico.

High comedy, I tell ya.

The memory I'll always have of Savage was one of his matches with Ricky Steamboat. He came off the corner with the ring bell, mounted on a piece of wood, and drove it into Steamboat's throat. To my young eyes, there was no way to 'fake' that, and Steamboat sold it so well I thought the guy was dead.

[Van Basten II]

What mostly changed is the perception of those following it, without the web there was way less cynicism regarding the business, also at the time they still were pretending to be a sport so they had to adapt in a way. In he 80s, wrestling was to real sports was a bit like the Rocky movies to real boxing while afterwards the industry turned more into a Saturdat Night live skit with more and more time devoted to promos and less to the in ring performances. Which eventually made guys go for higher spots for the little time they were in the ring. It worked to a certain point but it gave way to guys who would have not cut it back then.

Other thing that created a big change was the disparition of territories, with them a guy could carry a similar schtick for many years, with the WWF going national a character could get burned fast

Bobby Heenan was funny as hell as a commentator, he did great work with the late Gorilla Monsoon.

Here are a few quotes from the Brain

North Dakota State. What do you have to do there to graduate? Milk a cow with your left hand

After a mexcan wrestler was unmasked

Now when he delivers pizza, everyone will know who he is."

Brain: "Do you know what Koko B. Ware's mom's name is?"

Gorilla: "What?"

Brain: "Tupper"

Gorilla: (Referring to a match in progress in Texas) "Well, we'll be right back with a fight that's taking place very near where a big fight occurred many years ago."

Brain: "You know why there were only 220 Mexicans at the Alamo?

Gorilla: "...why?"

Brain: "They only had one car."

Gorilla: (referring to a sign in the crowd) Natural Disasters Rule. How about that?

Bobby: If she'd been at home doing the dishes she wouldn't have time to make stupid cards like that. Bimbo.

Bobby: Did you see Tatanka today?

Gorilla: Yes I didBobby: Did you say hi to him the right way?

Gorilla: (Groaning) Hows that?

Bobby: Heyhowareya! Heyhowareya!

Gorilla: Will you STOP!

Edited May 23, 2011 by Van Basten II

[Dave James]

My favorite Macho Man moment:

[Dan Gould]

DeadSpin's Dead Wrestler of the Week

(The other entries in this (unfortunately) semi-regular series are well worth reading for those interested.)

[Soulstation1]

My link

[Soulstation1]

[.:.impossible]

Great link Dan.