Bix Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 I was thinking the same thing. This is the first wrestling death I can think if that feels like a huge world in mourning celebrity death, because he was SUCH a big name and memorable personality, plus there's a ton if mainstream coverage. Then it feels extra tragic because he and his wife just celebrated their first anniversary, and they had reunited decades after she was his girlfriend in his late teens/early twenties when he was a baseball player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 This is the first wrestling death I can think if that feels like a huge world in mourning celebrity death, because he was SUCH a big name and memorable personality, plus there's a ton if mainstream coverage. Yep. He's truly the first death of a huge name from the historical wrestling peak. Then it feels extra tragic because he and his wife just celebrated their first anniversary, and they had reunited decades after she was his girlfriend in his late teens/early twenties when he was a baseball player. Well, what can you do, life is a bitch. I should know, I'm in a middle of a truly ugly break-up after a 7 years relationship. Well, I guess I had to tell this sometime somewhere. Since it's late and I'm kinda drunk, there you go. But yeah, car accident at 58 as they came back from celebrating their 1srt year anniversary, man, it's awful. The poor woman must be devastated. Thoughts goes to her and the family, Lanny in particular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Man, at work today I get a text from a pal that just said, "Macho Man died". I went to a computer to check and there it was. I didn't have time to think much about it then. Now that I'm home, this really is a kick in the gut. Savage was my favorite wrestler (not named Jimmy Valiant), and this just stinks. I had almost forgotten that until recently when I watched the Memphis set and got his DVD. He truly was the best, in my opinion. I remember that the first time I saw him was in an Apter mag that had an article about him and Lawler doing a loser leaves town match. But the first time he showed up on Saturday Morning TV I was one hooked 14 year old. I didn't cheer many heels at all back then, probably only Muraco, but Savage quickly became my favorite guy to watch. When he beat Tito in Boston for the IC Belt they showed it on tv and even though I was a huge Tito fan, I didn't care that Savage cheated. I was happy that he won the belt. Everything about him, the crazy interviews, the utter CRISPNESS of everything he did, the wild look in his eyes, the cool pink tights, and the awesome robes. He was a crazy bad ass hippie, and he was the best pro wrestler I ever saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 I've been thinking about Macho's WWF career since this hit earlier and just think of how many incredible matches and feuds he had: Hogan, Warrior, Flair, DiBiase, Steamboat, Santana, Jake, even Beefcake! Has anyone had a hotter seven-year period than Macho from 85 to 92? Certainly not in WWF. Top 5 of all-time for sure. Whichever way you look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Yeah, he was such a significant star that I keep thinking of more moments throughout the day, just when I think I have them all. I agree that this is a different vibe from other wrestling deaths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyonthewall2983 Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 For whatever reason, I was really hoping WWE would make him guest referee for the Cena/Rock match in Miami next year. It would take the generational element already in the feud to another level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Yeah, he was such a significant star that I keep thinking of more moments throughout the day, just when I think I have them all. I agree that this is a different vibe from other wrestling deaths. Completely agree I've read some stuff on other boards today (not much but still a few posters) saying stuff like "Come on you didn't know him... Wrestling fans should be used to this... He lived an exciting life... You're too emotional...." no way. This was Randy the fucking "Macho Man" Savage that died. It IS different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smkelly Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 I think I have said "Ohhh Yeahhh" more times today then I ever have before. I wonder how many times Macho said it on a daily basis. Sorry, just an amusing thought. Like I can see him getting more money back from his taxes than he thought, "Ohhhhh Yeahhhh!" I also wonder what, if any, type of backlash this might cause and/or create. Since it was reported as a heart attack, and some people connect dots before all of the evidence is available, how long before the steroid talking point comes out to play? That being that it hasn't already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 I think I have said "Ohhh Yeahhh" more times today then I ever have before. I wonder how many times Macho said it on a daily basis. Sorry, just an amusing thought. Like I can see him getting more money back from his taxes than he thought, "Ohhhhh Yeahhhh!" I also wonder what, if any, type of backlash this might cause and/or create. Since it was reported as a heart attack, and some people connect dots before all of the evidence is available, how long before the steroid talking point comes out to play? That being that it hasn't already. I hated myself for thinking it, but "He combined both classic wrestling deaths, car crash and heart attack" popped into my head. I feel bad for that, as I said...Savage was and always will be my true favorite wrestler ever. And here's what I mean about "crazy bad ass hippie". He was a Deadhead's wrestler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rovert Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Funny how the world works: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/other_s...n=recent_bullet Hope it wins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyonthewall2983 Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Gotta give big props to Bix for his wonderful articles at CagesideSeats about Randy's career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodySave Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 What really put it in perspective for me is the reaction of my wife, who is the furthest thing from a wrestling fan there is (but is still supportive of my love of it, though very, very rarely watches it.) I told her yesterday that "Macho Man" Randy Savage died and briefly explained who he was. She was kind of enough to be understanding of me being sad about it, but also clearly didn't know him by name alone. This morning, while she was walking through our living room, I showed her part of the great tribute video IGN put together. As soon as she saw the opening clips, she stopped dead in tracks, her jaw dropped and she loudly said "OH, THAT GUY!?! I KNOW HIM! THIS SUCKS!" I will say this is maybe the only wrestling death that I can recall getting massive mainstream coverage and none of it (that I've seen) having any sort of comedic slant against wrestling in its delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 From the reactions to my Facebook status today, I'd say he is one of about 3 or 4 wrestlers total non-fans have heard of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Waco Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 I agree with that. I would say Savage, Hogan, Rock and Austin are the four guys people have heard of fans or not. Beyond that you have a lot of guys on the next level with it largely depending on geography (Flair is huge down South, but not as much so elsewhere) and age (I imagine a lot of people my age would know who Goldberg is. If you are five or six years older than me (mid-30's) you are probably going to see Andre on that level, et.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dooley Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Dylan's right. Hogan, Savage, Austin and Rock are the ones non-fans see as actual stars. That's evident by the media's reaction to Savage's death. By and large, it's been treated like an actual celebrity died. The next tier lower would be guys that are huge in a regional area (Flair in the South, Hart in Canada) or guys like the Undertaker who get the "oh yeah, i know who that guy is" treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjh Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Since it was reported as a heart attack, and some people connect dots before all of the evidence is available, how long before the steroid talking point comes out to play? That being that it hasn't already. I would be very surprised if the autopsy didn't reveal that Savage had an enlarged heart, given that pretty much every muscular wrestler who died of a heart attack had one. Of course, we should wait for the autopsy to come in before judgement, but the steroid angle is obvious for a reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 If anything, I think what reflecting on his career has made me realize is that while I've always been a fan, he's a guy who's always been taken a bit for granted. No one was going to knock Hogan off his pedestal in the 80s. Savage may have been the only other guy in the promotion who -- while not a star at Hogan's level -- could respectably hold his own as a draw without Hogan around. Also, the Savage/Liz dynamic has a case as the best WWF gimmick of all time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 One of my favorite stories during all of this -- not that it's completely new -- has been how I really think Hogan and Savage departing and having success changed Vince's mindset about older stars. When Savage left, Jerry Jarrett went to Vince and said he thought he was making a huge mistake in writing Hogan and Savage off, that they could easily catch fire in WCW because they'd be in a fresh environment. Vince said he was crazy, that they were over 40 years old and done. But Hogan and Savage still had some really good drawing years ahead. I think that's one of the reasons Vince clings to pat hands so long now, because not doing so came back to haunt him in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Dylan's right. Hogan, Savage, Austin and Rock are the ones non-fans see as actual stars. That's evident by the media's reaction to Savage's death. By and large, it's been treated like an actual celebrity died. The next tier lower would be guys that are huge in a regional area (Flair in the South, Hart in Canada) or guys like the Undertaker who get the "oh yeah, i know who that guy is" treatment. Here in the UK, it seems that people of my age (around 28) will almost invariably know Warrior too. I think it's easy to underestimate the overness of the Ultimate Warrior and the extent to which he penetrated the mainstream. Someone even wrote on my Facebook "A sad loss, one of the Big 3 for me: Hogan, Savage and Warrior". Direct quotation. Most people would have at least heard of The Undertaker too. Bret Hart is probably on the next notch down, but also very well known. I'd argue that Austin is probably on about that level too here, because really a lot of people didn't pay any attention during the Monday Night Wars (lots did, but lots didn't, you know). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 Everyone here is really underrating Jake Roberts' name value, at least as "Jake The Snake." The name and gimmick are remembered by the mainstream a lot more than anyone else below the very top level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 Bix, I considered adding Jake's name in there when I mentioned Undertaker. I totally agree with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 Savage promoting WM5 on Arsenio and being awesome: http://www.cagesideseats.com/2011/5/21/218...n-youtube-my-my This is an amazing find, he's perfect here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Waco Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 Jake The Snake is a name people know, but I doubt the average person could pick him out of a lineup, especially if the Snake wasn't present. I would actually bet money that the average person on the street could either pick Savage out of a lineup by name, gimmick name, or catch phrase ("that's the "OOHHH YEEAAHH" guy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cox Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 "Ooooooooh yeah" has an extremely strong case as being the best catchphrase ever. It's either that or "Whatcha gonna do?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smkelly Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 "Give me a hell yeah" is huge too. "Oh Yeah" might not be #1, but it is is the top ten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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