Ken Patera versus “Judo” Joe Black

Some of the worst ‘selling’ I have ever seen, courtesy of up-and-comer ‘Judo’ Joe Black.

Farewell To The Captain

Captain Lou Albano

RIP 1933-2009

LordsofPain.com just reported that WWE Hall of Famer Captain Lou Albano (Louis Vincent Albano) has passed away. He was 76 years old.

Captain Lou enjoyed a 40+ year career in the pro wrestling business as a wrestler and manager. He was a one-on-a-kind personality and a longtime favorite of wrestling fans.

The “manager of champions” guided 15 different tag teams and 4 singles competitors to championship gold. Fans may remember that his association with Cyndi Lauper helped usher in The Rock & Wrestling Connection, which helped mainstream pro wrestling and helped lead to the first Wrestlemania.

I’d like to extend my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Captain Lou Albano. He shall be missed.

An Uneventful Awards Ceremony

He’s just a common man, workin’ hard for the man!

Did Vince McMahon write this?

Kanye West rushes the stage and interrupts Taylor Swift’s accepting a Video Music award, and the slow-witted Swift just stands there speechless -- I suppose if the words aren’t on the teleprompter for her, she is lost and doesn’t know what to do.

This should be good

The August 10, 2009 issue of Dave Metlzer’s The Wrestling Observer reports that none other than Rev Al Sharpton is scheduled to host a future episode of WWE RAW.  That’s crackerjack booking from the House of McMahon for you.

This movie is a must-see!

TNA pro wrestler and former Olympian Kurt Angle starts in this upcoming low budget thriller.  File this one in the ‘it’s so bad, it’s good’ category!  Enjoy the trailer for End Game.

It’s good to be the mayor

Read the whole story at The Commercial Appeal…

Wrestler Jerry Lawler running for Memphis mayor
By Zack McMillin

The ‘King’ is getting back into the political ring.

Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler of local and national wrestling fame said this morning in a scheduled appearance on WGKS-FM KIX 106 that he is going to run in the City of Memphis’ special mayoral election.

Long the dominant personality in the Memphis wrestling scene, Lawler’s fame has expanded nationally because of his presence on WWE broadcasts. That role also means he spends ample time away from Memphis, something that did not help him when he ran for mayor in 1999 and gained less than 12 percent of the vote.

In interviews this week, Lawler has contended that Memphis politicians have made the city “a laughingstock” outside of town, and stresses his experience as a marketer and businessman as proof that he would bring a valuable skillset.

He also believes his celebrity in this community guarantees a base of voters. Whether he can convince more voters that electing a celebrity wrestler will help solve Memphis’s image problems will be one of his main challenges.

Lawler said he will not actively raise funds for the race, stressed his “common sense” and pointed to his popularity across racial lines.

He’s cool, he’s cocky, and he’s bad.

It’s no secret that I am a lifelong fan of pro wrestling, but it’s not common knowledge that my alltime favorite pro wrestling gimmick is the WWF’s version of The Honkytonk Man.

Wrestler Roy Wayne Farris had used the gimmick of the wrestling Elvis impersonator for years with moderate success in territories like Memphis and Calgary, but he hit the big time with his first run in the WWF in the mid 1980s.  He was originally introduced as Hulk Hogan’s pal but the fans were sour on him, prompting a heel turn after losing a fan balloting vote of confidence.

The Honky Tonk Man would go on to score a stunning upset against WWF Intercontinental Champion Ricky Steamboat, winning the coveted title at a WWF television taping in Buffalo, NY.  Under the guidance of his manager, Jimmy Hart, he would soon christen himself “The Greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time,” and he did his best to live up to that standard by holding the championship for 64 consecutive weeks.

To this day, that accomplishment remains a record Intercontinental championship title run.

It was only natural that the WWF’s second album, Piledriver, would feature a song by the Honky Tonk Man, and it certainly did not disappoint.   He would go on to steal the show at the 1987 Slammy Awards with the live rendition of his theme song.  A true showstopper!  Enjoy!

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The Day.com reports…

Rell Names WWE Executive To State School Board

Many of the state’s public school students are familiar with the grapplers of Stamford-based World Wrestling Entertainment.

Now the woman behind the storylines and promotion of stars such as John Cena, Triple H and the Undertaker, will be helping determine the state policies that oversee their education.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced Saturday that she has appointed Linda McMahon of Greenwich, the WWE’s chief executive officer, to the 11-member Board of Education.

McMahon and her more well-known husband Vince, began the company in 1982 and have since transformed it into an enterprise with annual revenues of almost $500 million.

”Linda clearly understands the skills and education needed to succeed in business and the type of highly educated and skilled workforce that must be available to ensure that success,” Rell said in statement.