WWE Byte This Report: Heenan, Race, Funk

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411's WWE Byte This Report: Heenan, Race, Funk

Posted By Ashley Nicholas on 05.06.04

 

Say it ain't so Tommy, say it ain't so!

 

Bobby Heenan anecdote number one: the toothbrush was invented in Kentucky, every other state uses the ‘teethbrush’

 

Hosts are Tommy Dreamer and Howard Finkel on a special Legends Edition of Byte This!

 

Str8 to Droz, who’s kickin in his two cents

 

Segment One: Droz

 

Who were the legends who Droz watched while growing up? Although he wasn’t such a fan of the WWF he remembers Junkyard Dog and Bobby Heenan. Droz points out how the art of the manager has died out, although is beginning to come back with guys like Teddy Long and Paul Heyman. On whether he ever wanted a manager himself, he says that with the Legion of Doom his manager was Sunny, but he would have loved to have had Paul Ellering. Hopefully the manager days will come back properly, as they add a lot to the wrestling industry. They mention that Fink managed the Bushwhackers for a night and that Dreamer would love to wrestle Paul Heyman!

 

Droz’ thoughts on the match between HBK and Benoit? It was a great match between two of the best in the business. Although he was glad to see Benoit win, it was a shame to see a loser to the match, but in the end the fans were the winners. Dreamer believes that at the moment, the best in the business are holding the title belts, and with both HBK and HHH vying for the title, the main event scene is at the top of its game and makes RAW very enjoyable.

 

Eric from Indiana congratulates Dreamer on becoming a father and asks what it was like being in OVW. It was a great experience and we should be seeing a lot of the guys called up to RAW and Smackdown shortly.

 

As for when Tommy is returning to the ring – he delivers a Byte This Exclusive in that he has been informed by management that his in ring services will no longer be required, and that his contract expires in July. But he is being kept on in a management role and is excited about his new endeavours.

 

Bobby Heenan anecdote number two: he’s been hit with so many chairshots that the top of his head smells of ass.

 

Segment Two: Terry Funk

 

He’s just trying to survive. It was a great experience for him being back in WWE, and the way the boys treated him was wonderful. Fink was impressed with the fact that a lot of guys made an effort to introduce themselves to ‘Mr. Funk’. It was an honour for Funk to be there,

 

He is very impressed with Chris Benoit as the World Champion, and thought his match with HHH was great. Peter from Ontario asks if Terry Funk would commit himself to a reformation of ECW. Funk says he would love to see a reformation, and would love to be a part of it.

 

His thoughts on today’s business as compared to when he was in his prime? Funk says that the wrestlers today are not necessarily better at wrestling, but are certainly better athletes. He also thinks that the recent emphasis on actual wrestling is a good thing for the business, and as long as you have the top guys, there will be nothing but good things for wrestling.

 

Mike from Florida asks about Funk’s relationship with Flair. Although he won’t discuss his personal relationship with Flair, you won’t find a better performer, according to Funk. They discuss Funk losing a piece of his ass at WrestleMania 14, and if Funk was in his prime now, he would like to fight Benoit, HHH, HBK or Kurt Angle. He points out that he has faced 3 generations of the Rock’s family, and thinks Randy Orton could be a big star in the future.

 

Funk thinks it was phenomenal that Tommy Dreamer got to where he did; he busted his tail end and worked harder than most people he knows. Funk doesn’t rule out a return to WWE, and Dreamer wants to book the match of himself, Funk and Mick Foley vs. HHH, Randy Orton and Ric Flair.

 

Bobby Heenan anecdote number three: the ugliest thing on a woman is Gene Okerland.

 

Segment Three: Harley Race!

 

Harley believes that it can’t get much better than being honoured by your peers. Dreamer remembers that he hated Harley Race when he was younger, and paid a lot of money to see him get his ass kicked, but it didn’t happen much. Harley was a mainstay at the old NWA, and believes although many wrestlers say that you haven’t hit the big time until you wrestler at Madison Square Garden, for NWA wrestlers it applied to St. Louis. Eat that Fink! However, Harley thinks anyone who doesn’t believe MSG is at the top of the ball.

 

David from St. Louis asks Harley if he ever wrestled Dick the Bruiser. He wrestled him more times than he can remember, including when he wrestled both Dick the Bruiser and the Crusher in AWA. As soon as he has back surgery, Harley will come after Orton and deliver a left hook. His favourite opponents were anyone who he won the Championship Belt off, including the Funks, Ric Flair and Bob Backlund.

 

Fink remembers Harley coming into the WWF with great credentials, leading to his coronation. Harley remembers chills coming over him at WrestleMania III, as it couldn’t get better than walking out in front of 93,000 people. Bobby Heenan was the only manager who Harley would allow near him, as he was one of the shrewdest. If you needed a break, you could role out of the ring and the Brain would keep the attention of the crowd.

 

Thoughts on today’s industry? Although he believes there isn’t much difference in the ring, he would have liked to not have to wrestle every night and have a little more conversation in the ring instead. Harley believes that as the whole package, Ric Flair brought out the best in him as a wrestler, although wrestling wish, it was either of the Funk brothers. His longest match was 2 hours and 11 minutes. At Harley’s training school you begin from the beginning, learning how to mat wrestle before you take bumps. He has a camp coming up in August (9th-13th), and runs more events than any other organisation except for WWE.

 

Bobby Heenan anecdote number four: calling the Royal Rumble in 1992 was easier than saying his vows.

 

Segment Four: Bobby Heenan

 

Greatest manager in the history of the wrestling business, according to Fink. One of the highest points in his career was being at the Hall of Fame ceremony; he liked the fact that a lot of the wrestlers up there were managed by him at one point in their career. The Brain joined the company in the mid 1980’s, although it wasn’t very straightforward. At the time the company was run by Vince McMahon snr, who told Heenan that the WWF had enough managers, and that although his services weren’t required at that time, Vince would use him sometime in the future. When Heenan found out that one of the WWF managers had passed away, he gave Hulk Hogan a call, who directed him to Vince jnr, who now owned the company. He says that everybody wanted to work for the WWF as that was where the money was to be made.

 

The Brain likes the British fans, as they are always polite, and know just as much about wrestling history as American fans, although they may not understand the American humour. He had a great relationship with Gorilla Monsoon, as it was very natural and not at all forced. He never had any problems with any of the guys he managed, although he preferred to manage ‘real people’ and not wrestlers with unnatural gimmicks. He credits his success to those wrestlers he managed, as if he had ‘ham and eggers’, he wouldn’t have had anything to work with.

 

Heenan isn’t so keen on the female managers of today, as if they cause a good guy to lose a match, the crowd doesn’t want to see them destroyed like they would with a Heyman or a Heenan. He never tried to steal anyone’s ‘heat’, and worked like a manager, but managed like a wrestler.

 

He’s feeling good at the moment; although he’s still having problems with certain words and he needs a new knee. He had fun doing the skit with Mae Young at WrestleMania XX and enjoyed the professionalism of WWE.

 

Heenan doesn’t rule out a return to WWE, as long as the money, the time and the role are right. He believes everyone should get cancer for a year, as it is a humbling experience. Heenan is also impressed with Randy Orton, but would like to manage Vince McMahon on a return to WWE as that way he would never get fired. He thinks Randy has the same stuff as his dad, who was the most underestimated wrestler in the WWF.

 

The Brain preferred broadcasting to managing, as there is no slamming, or getting touched with sweaty hands. He also got to work with Monsoon as a broadcaster, who made his introduction to the announce table easy. Dreamer mentions that he has been doing announcing work recently, and has looked back at old Bobby Heenan tapes, especially the 1992 Royal Rumble.

 

Heenan never really hung out with the other managers, there was no group atmosphere, and everyone was out for themselves. If you were hurt, people would act concerned, but they would want you position.

 

Heenan tries to watch the product as much as possible, although he doesn’t generally make it past 9 o’clock unless he plans to.

 

Bobby Heenan leaves.

 

Dreamer announces a Smackdown spoiler! He will not be challenging Chavo for the Cruiserweight Championship. He believes that although Eddie has a lot of problems, he will triumph over Bradshaw at the Pay Per View.

 

Next week is has the special guests of Bradshaw and Renee Dupree, plus the return of Dr. Tom and Josh Matthews!

 

End of Show.

 

Bobby Heenan anecdote number five: he liked working with Mean Gene as long as he didn’t have to touch him as no one knew where he had been.

[Guest wildpegasus]

The Randy Orton love knows no bounds! The WWE were probably just drooling at the mouths waiting to ask everyone what they thought about Orton.