Macho Man Randy Savage dead in car accident

bouv · #1 05-20-2011, 12:05 PM

There's probably not many classic pro wrestling fans here, but it's worth mentioning.

It seems he suffered a heart attack at the wheel which caused the accident.

We should all snap into a Slim Jim in memory.

Airman Doors, USAF · #2 05-20-2011, 12:13 PM

That's too bad. I remember back in the late '80s when he had the big feud with Ricky Steamboat, when he took the ring bell and repeatedly went off the top rope and hit Steamboat in the throat with it. Great times for an 11-year-old boy, let me tell you.

Still, I wonder what the autopsy will say about his heart. Odds are it'll have something to do with damage from steroids.

PapSett · #3 05-20-2011, 12:15 PM

Oh...oh. This makes me very sad. I was a huge wrestling fan back in the late 80's, and Macho Man was a WWF staple.

Don't know why it is hitting me so hard but... I feel like bawling like a baby right now.

lieu · #4 05-20-2011, 12:21 PM

Has it been that long since the Slim Jim commercials? I was not expecting to see the genteel looking, silver haired fella.

Oakminster · #5 05-20-2011, 12:26 PM

Somehow, I suspect that Vince McMahon won't miss Randy Savage even a little bit, and if the rumors are true, I don't blame him. I do expect that WWE will do some sort of half-hearted "tribute" to Savage.

That said, Savage was a huge star and a talented performer. Think he started in his father's (Angelo Poffo) ICW promotion, which was considered an "outlaw promotion"

R.I.P., Macho Man.

*Ding*

Stowed Bob · #6 05-20-2011, 12:28 PM

I always preferred Macho Madness over Hulkamania.

Telemark · #7 05-20-2011, 12:29 PM

There are enough fans here, I suspect.

RIP Macho Man, you will be remembered.

TriPolar · #8 05-20-2011, 12:29 PM

This is sad. He reached an iconic status. This was a guy dedicated to the sport. You didn't see spend a lot of time yakking into a mike either. He had that great ability, so rarely seen anymore, of being able to tell a story in the ring. ESPN Classic has shown some old 50's wrestling footage occasionally. Randy's dad appeared on one show.

In the end, we all get thrown over the top rope in the Battle Royale of life. RIP dude.

Bosstone · #9 05-20-2011, 12:34 PM

Iconic is the perfect descriptor. He may not have been as successful as Hogan, but at least in my mind he epitomized the spirit of WWF more than anyone else.

Bob Ducca · #10 05-20-2011, 12:40 PM

Damn, bummer.

fubbleskag · #11 05-20-2011, 12:43 PM

Too soon?

garygnu · #12 05-20-2011, 12:43 PM

And another part of my innocent childhood passes away.

Infovore · #13 05-20-2011, 12:47 PM

Aww, damn. I used to watch a lot of WWF back in the 80s when the spouse and I were dating (he was a big fan) and I remember Macho Man fondly (though my favorite was always Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat).

Too many of those guys are dying way too young. When you start looking at the sheer number of professional wrestlers who have died before their time, it kind of makes you wonder why anybody would ever want to get into that line of work.

RIP, Macho Man.

Happy Scrappy Hero Pup · #14 05-20-2011, 12:49 PM

Man.

I cannot tell you how much 13- year-old Scrappy HATED Randy Savage.

Savage hit Ricky Steamboat (my favorite wrestler) in the THROAT! He could have KILLED him!

Savage was so MEAN to poor Miss Elizabeth!

Savage stabbed Hogan in the BACK!

Then the redemption story, the championship run, and a long career as a/the TOP guy.

I go back and I watch those matches now, knowing that the outcome is predetermined, and realize what an intelligent worker Savage was. EVERYTHING was choreographed, almost excessively so. Everything was spot-on. He and his opponent knew (because Savage insisted) where the other was going to be at all times.

Savage's work ethic and dedication to his craft made a believer out of 13-year-old me and a different kind of believer out of present-day me. He was a true great.

Now he's dead of a heart attack at the age of 59. Gone too soon and almost certainly because of certain pharmaceutical choices he made, and the type of life you have to live if you want to succeed in the business.

Thanks for the memories, Randall Mario Poffo.

*ding*

Enright3 · #15 05-20-2011, 12:55 PM

He's down for the 3 count.

notfrommensa · #16 05-20-2011, 01:01 PM

I had forgotten that one of his manager the lovely Miss Elizabeth died. 8 yrs ago, drug and alcohol abuse.

Drunky Smurf · #17 05-20-2011, 01:02 PM

I just heard about this on the radio. When I first got into wrestling as a wee lad was when Macho Man was in his height of fame and I even had a couple of his [del]dolls[/] action figures.

pricciar · #18 05-20-2011, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oakminster

Somehow, I suspect that Vince McMahon won't miss Randy Savage even a little bit, and if the rumors are true, I don't blame him. I do expect that WWE will do some sort of half-hearted "tribute" to Savage.

What are the rumors? Didn't know there was any bad blood.

Casey1505 · #19 05-20-2011, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lieu

Has it been that long since the Slim Jim commercials? I was not expecting to see the genteel looking, silver haired fella.

...nm...

Covered_In_Bees! · #20 05-20-2011, 01:07 PM

Relevant link.

simster · #21 05-20-2011, 01:07 PM

I remember watching him on local tv when he was facing his brother 'leaping lanny' and the 'rockstars' (shawn micheals and someone else) were just getting started.

man, what a day.

Swallowed My Cellphone · #22 05-20-2011, 01:09 PM

Holy crap! Really?

Mahaloth · #23 05-20-2011, 01:11 PM

58 years old, actually. Quite young.

Do a lot of big wrestlers die from heart attacks around that age?

An Arky · #24 05-20-2011, 01:12 PM

'roids. Heck, he live to a ripe old age, comparatively.

On another note, the Slim Jim curse continues...first, a plant blew up, now this.

Oakminster · #25 05-20-2011, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pricciar

What are the rumors? Didn't know there was any bad blood.

Well....the rumor, and I stress that it is only a rumor, is that Savage had an....inappropriate relationship....with an underaged Stephanie McMahon. I do not know if that is true, but I do know there was bad blood between Savage and Vince over something, and Savage is not currently in the WWE Hall of Fame...

Intergalactic Gladiator · #26 05-20-2011, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Oakminster
Somehow, I suspect that Vince McMahon won't miss Randy Savage even a little bit, and if the rumors are true, I don't blame him. I do expect that WWE will do some sort of half-hearted "tribute" to Savage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pricciar

What are the rumors? Didn't know there was any bad blood.

I was wondering that as well. McMahon kept Savage on TV for the longest time when he was past his "prime." He did defect to WCW back during the Monday Night Wars era, but I would imagine that all has to be under the bridge by now.

Anyway, Savage was never one of my favorites when I watched wrestling, but I liked him a lot. He had a great finishing move and he always brought a real intensity to his matches. There was a time when he was the WCW champ and still worked matches while injured, so that's really impressive to me.

notfrommensa · #27 05-20-2011, 01:17 PM

FWIW from another fourm.

Some speculation on the falling out between Savage and McMahan.

Oakminster · #28 05-20-2011, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simster

I remember watching him on local tv when he was facing his brother 'leaping lanny' and the 'rockstars' (shawn micheals and someone else) were just getting started.

man, what a day.

That was probably The Midnight Rockers, sometimes shortened to just The Rockers. Shawn Michaels and Marty Janetty.

Spoons · #29 05-20-2011, 01:18 PM

Sad news. Back in the late 1980s, I saw him wrestle many times--my girlfriend at the time loved wrestling, and we would go see the matches when they came through. I even saw him fight Ricky Steamboat once.

He was a character, and a talent, and he will be missed.

Intergalactic Gladiator · #30 05-20-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oakminster

Well....the rumor, and I stress that it is only a rumor, is that Savage had an....inappropriate relationship....with an underaged Stephanie McMahon. I do not know if that is true, but I do know there was bad blood between Savage and Vince over something, and Savage is not currently in the WWE Hall of Fame...

I may stand corrected on my last comments...

simster · #31 05-20-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oakminster

That was probably The Midnight Rockers, sometimes shortened to just The Rockers. Shawn Michaels and Marty Janetty.

yup, that was them.

Barkis is Willin' · #32 05-20-2011, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mahaloth

58 years old, actually. Quite young.

Do a lot of big wrestlers die from heart attacks around that age?

A lot of wrestlers sure have died before their time, one way or another.

Macho Man was a favorite of mine back when he and Hulk Hogan were tag team partners and he was with Miss Elizabeth (who has also passed, if I remember correctly). He was a very unique dude, and the OP is correct that he was one of the best technical wrestlers ever. His match in Wrestlemania III with Steamboat was legendary. Possibly the greatest performance of all time. RIP Macho Man.

Telemark · #33 05-20-2011, 01:27 PM

Already a thread on this, and a mention in the celebrity death pool thread.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...php?p=13823067

Barkis is Willin' · #34 05-20-2011, 01:27 PM

RIP Macho Man.

And FYI there is another thread about this in the Game Room.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=609262

bump · #35 05-20-2011, 01:41 PM

Oooooh Noooh!

Oakminster · #36 05-20-2011, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barkis is Willin'

the OP is correct that he was one of the best technical wrestlers ever.

No. Savage was not a shooter so far as I know, and didn't really use a technical style in the ring as that term is commonly used. He was more of a brawler.

I'd also take some issue with the notion that Savage was a "great worker". He really wasn't. He was a great performer, but there's a difference. Savage was not a guy that could go out and improvise a match on the fly. He wanted everything choreographed beforehand. The true "great workers" would go to the ring knowing what the finish was supposed to be and how long the match should last. Everything else was left up to the wrestlers to improvise as the match progressed.

Cell Guy · #37 05-20-2011, 01:56 PM

I always cheered on the heels back in the day. When Ric Flair and the Horsemen broke Dusty's leg I cheered. When the Horsemen dragged Ricky Morton's face across the concrete floor I popped champagne. When Jim Cornette slammed his tennis racket across someone's back I signed up for tennis lessons.

But when Macho Man crushed Ricky Steamboat's throat with that ring bell...DAMN did I hate Savage. In my adolescent mind that crossed the line. That hatred never went away, even during his face runs. And I think that's the greatest compliment you can give a wrestler--when their actions bring about such a strong emotional feeling in the folks who watch.

Rest peacefully, Macho Man.

TriPolar · #38 05-20-2011, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oakminster

No. Savage was not a shooter so far as I know, and didn't really use a technical style in the ring as that term is commonly used. He was more of a brawler.

I'd also take some issue with the notion that Savage was a "great worker". He really wasn't. He was a great performer, but there's a difference. Savage was not a guy that could go out and improvise a match on the fly. He wanted everything choreographed beforehand. The true "great workers" would go to the ring knowing what the finish was supposed to be and how long the match should last. Everything else was left up to the wrestlers to improvise as the match progressed.

That's an accurate description of the situation. I mentioned in the other thread that Randy could tell a story in the ring, something assisted by scripting in his case, and the true "greatest workers" could do that also, without a script. But Randy appeared on the scene when wrestling was jumping into pay-per-view, mega-events, and network television. He offered what was needed at the time.

Glass Joe · #39 05-20-2011, 02:16 PM

RIP to the Macho Man.

Regarding the rumor. It's something I wish would just go away. It first got reported in 2004 on a message board and was quickly ripped apart by other readers. The timeline reported made no sense at all.

Ever since, it's just gained more and more traction. Really taking off when Dave Meltzer claimed that he believed it had some semblance of truth. There are hundreds of shoot videos produced since 2004, but no wrestler from that era has ever confirmed it. Of course, now the initial story has been changed every time a flaw is pointed out.

There was big heat between WWF and Savage in the last few years. What really caused it, is all just speculation. I prefer some actual proof before I'm willing to call a guy a pedo. And now, anyone searching out news on Savage will find thousands of claims online about a rumor, that's been reported as fact within the wrestling "journalism" community.

The exclusion from the WWE Hall of Fame, as mentioned earlier in this thread is often mentioned as proof. Search out some information on the WWE Legends contract, and also realize that Savage was one of the few guys from the era who didn't blow his money. This is as plausible explanation as any.

At one time, Savage would have returned to WWE, but he priced himself out of the market. Finding out that retirement wasn't too bad, he quit even negotiating.

KennerTheGreat · #40 05-20-2011, 02:26 PM

I just found out that before he became the Macho Man, Randy Poffo was a minor league baseball player in the Cardinals' and Reds' system. Here are his minor league stats.

Superdude · #41 05-20-2011, 02:42 PM

In my opinion, Wrestlemania IV was the absolute BEST. thing. ever. That whole Round Robin tournament that ended with Hulk Hogan helping Macho Man win? Perfection to my then-young mind.

Macho Man was my favorite wrestler of all time.

RIP

cochrane · #42 05-20-2011, 05:48 PM

Not to get too gruesome here, but I know the reports say he succumbed to his injuries. But I do hope he passed out from the heart attack and didn't suffer any pain. It's a sad way to go. Macho Man was a great fan favorite, and as others said, was certainly as iconic as Hulk Hogan or Roddy Piper.

TBG · #43 05-20-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Scrappy Hero Pup

Now he's dead of a heart attack at the age of 59.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mahaloth

58 years old, actually. Quite young.

Do a lot of big wrestlers die from heart attacks around that age?

Car accident, probably caused by a heart attack, doesn't seem quite right to say he's dead of a heart attack. If he hadn't been behind the wheel, he may very well have survived.

notfrommensa · #44 05-20-2011, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBG

Car accident, probably caused by a heart attack, doesn't seem quite right to say he's dead of a heart attack. If he hadn't been behind the wheel, he may very well have survived.

But it is more likely if he did not suffer a heart attack, he would have gone on driving and probably would be enjoying a Slim Jim right now.

Steophan · #45 05-20-2011, 06:47 PM

Not much to say, I've not watched WWE for years, but I'm far more upset about this than I would have expected. He was always a favourite of mine, and I remember the Macho King era best.

MaxTheVool · #46 05-20-2011, 06:55 PM

One of my greatest video gaming memories is playing as Macho Man in WWF SuperStars, particularly using his flying clothesline maneuver, as seen at 0:25 in the "highlights" video on the linked page.

TBG · #47 05-20-2011, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superdude

In my opinion, Wrestlemania IV was the absolute BEST. thing. ever. That whole Round Robin tournament that ended with Hulk Hogan helping Macho Man win? Perfection to my then-young mind.

Macho Man was my favorite wrestler of all time.

RIP

That was a single elimination tournament, not round robin. Savage had to wrestle, IIRC, 4 times that night, doubt anyone will break that WM record.

Superdude · #48 05-20-2011, 07:52 PM

You're right, of course, TBG. I realized afterward that I used the wrong type of tournament. And he DID wrestle 4 times that night.

I can't speak about his accident specifically, as I wasn't there, but it's been my experience as an EMT that the heart attack usually renders you unconscious/dead/comatose, so there's a very good chance that he didn't feel a thing upon impact.