Remembering Randy Savage

NWA pays tribute to a legend.

At church this morning, we did our daily prayers to remember those who have recently departed.  Instead of saying "amen," I involuntarily responded "Oooooh yea!"  That's because an hour earlier I learned of the passing of Randy "Macho Man" Savage.

Without question, Randy Savage was my first favorite wrestler.  I started watching the WWF regularly after WrestleMania IV because he was champion.  Aside from being the single most masculine name in wrestling, Randy Macho Man Savage was the total package in 1988 to me.  He was holding the highest honor in the WWF, he was accompanied by the most beautiful girl in the WWF, and he was friends with the most popular wrestler in the WWF.

Earlier this month, I spent money that I didn't readily have on the Macho Madness DVD and yesterday, I finished the last disc.  His matches (especially the 1992 match with Shawn Michaels) hold up very well today.  I remembered being in awe of him as champion in 1992, since it seemed so improbable at the time to retire at one WrestleMania and then to win the championship at the next one, but watching back yesterday, I realized what a crowning achievement it was for him to regain the WWF championship.

He had four more reigns in WCW, and only Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair ever beat him for the championship; as if a sure indication that those two men were the only ones capable of it.

After I grew out my beard in 2007, I kept referencing pictures of Randy Savage to determine was what acceptable and what was not.  This reference point eventually evolved into a Halloween costume in 2008.  And I'd put my vocal impressions against anyone.  His voice was another trademark that separated Savage from the rest of the roster, which was a secret to his success.  He was the only man who had a female manager in the WWF.  He had the most outlandish costumes, and he was also the first to rotate and change his attire frequently.  Numerous things about Randy Macho Man Savage made him stand out, even to the casual viewers, and once you took notice, he had the talent & proficiency to impress.


My top 5 favorite Randy Savage matches--
5. Randy Macho Man Savage versus Ted DiBiase (March 1988)... A week or two before WrestleMania IV, I looked over the brackets at a friend's house and I said "I want Steamboat or Savage to win, even though I know they won't."  The WWF was Hulk Hogan's territory, period. Or so I thought. As it turned out, Hulk Hogan was cheated out of the championship, but he did the next best thing and helped his best friend win the championship.  Hulkster's popularity was unquestioned at the time, and the WWF faced a difficult task of transitioning the fans onto a new champion.  I thought the way this shift was handled was perfect, albeit most historians consider it a failure.  In my opinion, if Randy Savage could not fill Hogan's spot and retain the fans in 1988, then it simply could not be done.  The tournament set-up was perfect to launch Savage's reign, and this final match tied all the loose ends together (even if the issues between parties weren't exactly resolved).

4. Ric Flair versus Randy Macho Man Savage (April 1992)... Recently I learned that this program was Randy Savage's idea.  It helped Vince McMahon out of a booking stalement, and it was better than the next best option.  That really proved Savage's aptitude for the business thoroughly, and it is sad that he left the business when he was an invaluable resource of unlimited knowledge (albeit, as Dusty Rhodes pointed out, he was the only major star of the '80s to walk away). The match itself was tremendous to watch unfold, and Savage's cheating to win (despite being a face) was a great nod to the history of both characters.

3. Randy Savage & Hulk Hogan vs. Ted DiBiase & Andre The Giant (August 1988)... As soon as WrestleMania IV ended, this match was obligatory. The build-up for this encounter was handled perfectly, especially with Jesse The Body Ventura as a huge X factor in the equation (albeit, painfully slow by today's standards). The match played out in such a fashion that every question was resolved, suitably bringing an end to the program between Savage and Ted DiBiase.

2. Randy Macho King Savage versus Ultimate Warrior (March 1991)... This match was billed as a retirement match at a time where neither man was ready to retire.  The characters of both men were in stark contrast, complete with their own personal baggage to boot.  The highlight of the match was the repetition of finishers, first from Savage and then from Warrior which ended the match, but the most memorable moment came in the immediate aftermath when Randy Savage & Ms. Elizabeth reunited.

1. Tito Santana versus Randy Macho Man Savage (February 1986)... This match is my all-time favorite despite its airing prior to my watching wrestling, which is a credit to the storytelling in the match itself.  You did not need much knowledge about either man to enjoy the match, albeit it helped.  The result was one of the best see-saw match-ups in which both men relied on their own ring smarts to defeat the other.  In the end, the dastardly Randy Savage dug deep (and stooped very low) to win his first WWF championship.

NBA/NHL Playoffs 2011

As we approach June, there are two champions about to be determined: 2011 NBA champion and 2011 Stanley Cup champion.  Each sport is down to the conference finals, so there are only a handful of teams remaining (hence the reason I broaden my attention to include basketball since there are so few hockey games remaining).

Tonight, the NBA Eastern Conference championship is ready to begin with the mutli-time champion Chicago Bulls against the odds-on favorite Miami Heat.  Under normal circumstances, I would expect Miami to win, but after the #1-seeded San Antonio Spurs were eliminated by #8 Memphis Grizzlies and defending NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers were upended by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round, it would only be fitting to see Miami Heat eliminated in the conference finals.  Regardless, I will let that upset upset me when (if) it happens.  I expect the Miami Heat to win in 6 games or less.

Conversely, the Western Conference championship has not even been determined yet, although based on the way Oklahoma City Thunder performed in the Ford Center earlier this week, I am going to declare Memphis Grizzlies dead on arrival.  This assumption would leave Dallas Mavericks against OKC Thunder.  Since arriving to the heartland from Seattle, Thunder did not capture many sports headlines (even less attention) until they beat the LA Lakers in two of the six games, truly holding their own against the team that would eventually win last year's playoffs.  This wanning success would be solidified if they had the honor of losing to Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Unfortuantely, Dallas cannot be overlooked and they will have had plenty of rest since the series with LA to get enough wins to take the series (especially if Game 7 with the Grizzlies goes past regulation time).  Admittedly, the Grizzlies are statistically just as likely to beat Thunder in Game 7, which would result with the team that eliminated San Antonio Spurs against the team that eliminated LA Lakers.  Regardless, I am going to defy the odds and predict OKC Thunder will beat Dallas in 7 games.

Back on ice, the Boston Bruins are looking like a completely different team than they were when the third period ended in Game 2 of the first round to put the Montreal Canadiens up 2-0 in the series.  If anything, the Canadiens taught Bruins how to be a winning team.  Their series went into overtime in Game 7 and Boston Bruins.

However, my prediction for the Stanley Cup finals at the outset was Vancouver against Tampa Bay, so I am sticking with that prediction.  I just hope Canucks have a relatively easy series against the Sharks, and if not, then I hope it is at least injury-free for the team.