Loss Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 And Reid may have used heroin, but Ric made Precious a heroine! (This could be a fun game.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rovert Posted August 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I used to think that Flair had compromising pictures of Bruce Mitchell. But if Flair did he would sold them by now. ^ Not a part of Loss's game just a general statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Am I alone in absolutely not giving a shit about any of this stuff? In a way, I just don't care. The "Ric Flair" I know is on screen. I literally couldn't care less about his IRL dealings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Flair asked her if she wanted to ride "Space Mountain" shortly after filming of this commercial ended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Am I alone in absolutely not giving a shit about any of this stuff? In a way, I just don't care. The "Ric Flair" I know is on screen. I literally couldn't care less about his IRL dealings. The reason I think it's relevant is that it shines a light on the chaos these wrestlers are experiencing when they appear to be on top of the world. Seeing the paths Flair and Benoit have taken -- among many others for that matter -- makes me wonder if it's possible to be a GREAT wrestler (in the U.S. anyway) without destroying your life in the process. That's not to say every wrestler who's good has these types of problems, but just that a pretty high number of wrestlers who are good at their job have lots of problems away from it. I think that's worth discussing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I think Hogan and Savage break that mold to a degree. Hogan's biggest flaw is telling tall tales and having a wife that spent all of his money and then took him to the cleaners in a divorce. Savage, was considered crazy by many but it seems like he was one of the few guys that got away from wrestling and was living a good life. I'd say Edge and Christian seem fairly normal from what I've seen. I think they're just like any other set of pro athletes. You have guys that blow through all their money, you have guys that hold on too long, you have guys that save their money and get out early and you have your good old fashioned fuck ups. Are Benoit and Flair any different from O.J. Simpson, Michael Vick or most of the 90s Dallas Cowboys at the end of the day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Can't we have that sort of conversation just after watching The Wrestler? I'm not sure I feel comfortable raking over all these court proceedings. I mean, in a way, Flair is one of the luckier guys. I mean 1) he's still alive, 2) he's still working in a *snicker* major fed. Have you seen the state of some of the people on recent shoot interviews? Have you seen how washed up a guy like Road Warrior Animal looks now? Or a guy like Matt Bourne? On the other hand, it is sad that someone like Kevin Nash -- because he was shrewd and careful -- is a multimillionaire and the legit GOAT is broke. But like I said, I'd prefer not to think about any of these things. I guess I'm happy to be a mark. If Beyond the Mat had never been released, I can honestly say I wouldn't care. I sort of want to think of Jake Roberts as the character, rather than the damaged man we see in that, y'know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I'm specifically talking about the relationship between being a great worker in the sense that we consider wrestlers great workers and having chaotic private lives. So with Savage, I agree with you. He saved his money and was eccentric, but didn't really wreck his life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Why is it sad that Nash is well off because he did it the right way? That's how it goes in any walk of life. You have the people that piss their money away like Flair and you have the people like Nash that live life carefully and retire comfortably. Nash should be admired for that more than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Can't we have that sort of conversation just after watching The Wrestler? I'm not sure I feel comfortable raking over all these court proceedings. I mean, in a way, Flair is one of the luckier guys. I mean 1) he's still alive, 2) he's still working in a *snicker* major fed. Have you seen the state of some of the people on recent shoot interviews? Have you seen how washed up a guy like Road Warrior Animal looks now? Or a guy like Matt Bourne? On the other hand, it is sad that someone like Kevin Nash -- because he was shrewd and careful -- is a multimillionaire and the legit GOAT is broke. But like I said, I'd prefer not to think about any of these things. I guess I'm happy to be a mark. If Beyond the Mat had never been released, I can honestly say I wouldn't care. I sort of want to think of Jake Roberts as the character, rather than the damaged man we see in that, y'know? I understand that and don't begrudge that line of thinking in the slightest. But message boards are a place for hardcore fans, are they not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Liska Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I'm specifically talking about the relationship between being a great worker in the sense that we consider wrestlers great workers and having chaotic private lives. So with Savage, I agree with you. He saved his money and was eccentric, but didn't really wreck his life. The modern guys seem to be doing better. Foley, Michaels, and Jericho come to mind as being great workers with lots of money put away. Many considered Edge a great worker and he seems comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I'm specifically talking about the relationship between being a great worker in the sense that we consider wrestlers great workers and having chaotic private lives. So with Savage, I agree with you. He saved his money and was eccentric, but didn't really wreck his life. Look at Michael Jordan. Greatest basketball player of all time and he's all kinds of fucked up. Gambling addict, so competitive that he drives people away, used his HoF speech to go after people in high school, etc. I think the drive and talent that takes someone to the top of anything can also turn around and eat that person alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Liska Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Why is it sad that Nash is well off because he did it the right way? That's how it goes in any walk of life. You have the people that piss their money away like Flair and you have the people like Nash that live life carefully and retire comfortably. Nash should be admired for that more than anything. Do we really know this to be true? Meltzer has noted that Nash is always praised as this great example, but he was taking bumps in the Impact Zone in his 50s while doing what it took to be unbelievably jacked for his age despite a history of heart problems in his family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 From my understanding, Nash realized he needed to keep going when he lost his ass on the stock market in the financial collapse in 2008. He's not destitute or anything, but he took a hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Honestly, I think Nash just likes doing it. EDIT: What Loss said is probably true. That nest egg probably took a beating in 2008. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 It's only sad from the point of view of ability. Like in any other walk of life it would be sad if the GOAT was broke but someone mediocre or "above average" at best is a multi-millionaire. I'm still inclined to think that at the end of the day it just doesn't matter. When all is said and done, Flair will be remembered as the GOAT (or damn close) for decades and his body of work is worth more than any money -- and no one can ever take that from him. His personal life and business (mis)dealings are his own business. I'm interested in "backstage stories" insofar as they affect bookings and the outcome of matches. But I sort of draw the line beyond that. I guess this is a point of view that extends beyond wrestling. Like in football, I honestly don't care if Ryan Giggs cheated on his wife. I just don't care. I know him only for his football, that's the only context that matters for me. What he does on the pitch and what he says about football. He could be the biggest scumbag on the earth privately, and it would not change that. Same with Tiger Woods or any other sports person. Or just any other person in the public eye in general. This comes down to a personal view I guess. Among my group of old school friends, all big sports fans, we agree on this. I don't see why wrestling is any different to be honest. Do wish Flair would stop wrestling though. THAT makes me sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I'm specifically talking about the relationship between being a great worker in the sense that we consider wrestlers great workers and having chaotic private lives. So with Savage, I agree with you. He saved his money and was eccentric, but didn't really wreck his life. The modern guys seem to be doing better. Foley, Michaels, and Jericho come to mind as being great workers with lots of money put away. Many considered Edge a great worker and he seems comfortable. I think that the WWE has much greater support structures in place now and the money IS better. Flair was probably one of the top earners in the 80s, sure. But life on the road doesn't lend itself to long-term security OR the idea of saving. Who of the big 80s workers is really well off now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 On that note, why do you care if Flair is broke and some mid-carder worked for a decade and got out with a huge bank account and is living it up somewhere? That has nothing to do with actual ability. Making 2 million a year doesn't mean a damn thing if you're spending 2 million plus a dollar on a yearly basis. Money is just an individual thing. As I've gotten older I've seen that some people just have no concept of how to live within their means and they never will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Does Sting count? I believe he's pretty well off from what I remember. EDIT: Not 80s, but I believe Goldberg is still living off the money he made for his couple of years in WCW and his 1 year in WWE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 They always talk about "Sting money" don't they? I think during the Monday Night Wars, Sting might have been on even more than Hogan. I don't entirely know the story there, but he was definitely on more than $1million a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rovert Posted August 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 From my understanding, Nash realized he needed to keep going when he lost his ass on the stock market in the financial collapse in 2008. He's not destitute or anything, but he took a hit. Yeah Wade Keller has more or less said this. Nash isnt unique either in having a financial set back. His son Tristen will soon be off to college too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 What is Luger's financial status? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 They always talk about "Sting money" don't they? I think during the Monday Night Wars, Sting might have been on even more than Hogan. I don't entirely know the story there, but he was definitely on more than $1million a year. The WWF didn't offer guaranteed money at the time. WCW did. Sting had the best guaranteed deal in WCW, and therefore, the best deal in wrestling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdw Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I'm pretty sure Hogan made more money in WCW in the salad days than Sting. Hogan had cuts of the PPV revenue, a more direct cut of the merchandise (and not doubt was smart enough to get a large chunk of the nWo stuff covered by his merch deal), had a chunk of his money paid "off the WCW books" by Turner Home Entertainment (and lord knows what other Turner / Time Warner entities), etc., etc., etc. My recollection is that at some point in the late 90s / early 00s, Dave made an almost off hand comment in the WON that at the peak of WCW revenue stream, no wrestler in the business ever made as much money as Hogan did. He was a genius of keeping himself on top in WCW, playing every angle perfectly, setting up all his contract negotiations so it looked like the company was ready to move beyond him... but positioning himself as too valueable not to get another massive deal. Look at the big WCW PPV main events when they were high on the hog, and how *few* of them that Sting really was in. Side tangent now that it's coming back to me: I recall that Hogan's original contract had a limited number of TV dates and a limited number of house show dates, and that for TV especially he got a silly $$$ amount. Anyone here think Terry wasn't smart enough to work a great per-TV appearance deal into his contract when Nitro went through the roof, and that he's wasn't smart enough to be available for TV a heck of a lot more than he had been in 1994 and early 1995? Sting made good money. Way up there. Hogan was on another planet. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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