Memories of the Macho Man

It's hard to process today's death of Randy "Macho Man" Savage. He started his wrestling career here in Lexington Kentucky. He had a Saturday show on local television that usually starred members of his family, like his brother "Leaping Lanny" and an assortment of local talent. They worked a lot of small towns in Kentucky with tiny and passionate audiences.

He and I belonged to same run down gym in Lexington. If not on the road, he was there all day, every day.

In the days before the WWF became a powerhouse, most southern cities had local wrestlers on television and in the Lexington market, the Macho Man competed against a bigger circuit from Memphis, who had stars like Jerry "The King" Lawler. Both started struggling when cable became popular and they had to compete with Georgia Championship Wrestling on WTBS, who had mega stars like Ric Flair.

Somewhere along the way, I remember that Savage and Lawler became rivals in the ring and the next thing I knew, Randy was a huge star in New York, competing against, and with, Hulk Hogan.

You don't see many wrestlers living to an old age. It's a hard life and especially was hard during that era. However, it was a thrill to see a local boy make it to worldwide stardom and to have his own action figure doll.

Randy died young but it was a long way from the small gyms, in small towns, in Kentucky.

Don McNay, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, CSSC is an award winning, syndicated financial columnist and Huffington Post Contributor.

You can read more about Don at www.donmcnay.com McNay founded McNay Settlement Group, a structured settlement and financial consulting firm, in 1983 and Kentucky Guardianship Administrators LLC in 2000. You can read more about both at www.mcnay.com

McNay has Master's Degrees from Vanderbilt and the American College and is in the Eastern Kentucky University Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

McNay has written two books. Most recent is Son of a Son of a Gambler: Winners, Losers and What to Do When You Win The Lottery

McNay is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Round Table and has four professional designations in the financial services field.

 

 

 

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Comments

[BraveWarrior]

12:04 AM on 05/27/2011

He was a childhood hero who thrilled us with his caricature of a classic American archetype. We thrilled at his flying body slams from the top rope, landing with his big arms and powerful elbows. Of course many of the old timers have passed away, many victims of steroid use, to build incredible bodies. Looking back it is hard not to laugh at the naivete of child watching these large behemoths visciously battering each other, often without any blood. Despite repeated beatings, they could come back the next week fresh as a daisy.The classic tale of good versus evil, while the referees almost always missed the fouls and cheating. As we yelled at the TV for the idiot to turn around and catch the bad guy. It is hard not to expect that with our knowledge of brain trauma and hidden concussions, and chronic steroid use- that they shortened their life spans. Who can forget Randy, and my favorite the classic bad guy, the 'Classy Freddie Blassie' the dirtiest wrestler in the world at that time. All of them wearing elaborate, flamboyant-pre- Gay costumes. They truly made our childhood fun. Great athletes and actors, I remember the story lines, and outside the ring plots were even better than the action itself. Back in the days when we were still innocent. No wonder we miss them.

[Roadgeek]

01:09 PM on 05/21/2011

Randy Savage was a tremendously gifted wrestler and was phenomenal during interviews. His match against Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat at Wrestlemania III in 1987 is perhaps one of the greatest of all time. While he often played a heel in the ring, outside the ring, he was regarded as a low key, but reliable guy.

[BraveWarrior]

12:08 AM on 05/27/2011

Don't remember that far back. But I do remember an announcer named Dick Lane, with thick spectacles- who would yell when the action grew intense, 'Ole Nellie!'

[ChinaCat]

12:01 PM on 05/21/2011

Sadness... Randy Savage always seemed like a decent dude (unlike that Hulk guy)...
Peace and serenity to Macho Man's family and friends.

[Zadoc]

01:04 AM on 05/21/2011

I used to watch this guy every weekend hoping he would win. Him, Hulk, and Andre were my favorites. So, to all of my fellow Macho Man fans, I have this question:
Poll: Will you eat a Slim Jim today in honor of Randy Savage?
Link: http://www.wepolls.com/r/477697

[BraveWarrior]

12:11 AM on 05/27/2011

Sometimes they were good guys, sometimes the bad ones. We loved them anyway with the innocence of children. Of course the refs were unforgivable stooges, always.

[BraveWarrior]

03:04 AM on 05/27/2011

We drove our teachers crazy in grade school. During recesses we would put each other in head locks, leg locks and full nelsons, and call each other 'pencil neck geeks'. For us ethnics, it was great to see people of color, sometimes good guys and sometimes bad. Often in ethnic costumes. They made all of us feel like we all belonged. Great memories of life in the 50's as impressionable children.

[HenryOh]

08:28 PM on 05/20/2011

Thank you for this moving tribute to a Legend.