Ugh! I just vomitted a bit in my mouth. This is worse than the WWE following Eddie Guerrero's death. All of thest guys stayed wiffed-up and drunk in FCW. I bet they had a couple of gallons of Southern Comfort underneath that interview table.
show me anything mike graham has EVER done on his own. the only things that i or the rest of the wrestling world have seen him ever accomplish was in his father's company, his father's friends' "doing eddie a favor", or by using "do you know who my daddy is??!!" he's a spoiled little daddy's boy who never had to grow up.
Before the Four Horsemen, before D/Generation X, even before the NWO.... you had The Fabulous Freebirds. The worlds toughest, all balls, no BS group who would take on any and all comers who stood in their way.. or were just in their way in general ;) Legends, the three of them!
@Bladejob123 Rhodes had split several months before. it's why they were desperate. This is Mike Graham and Michael Hayes booking this. I think it was Graham's idea, but I believe Hayes was the main booker at the time.
I don't like the Freebirds but Mike Graham was outta line on this one. Plus he had been sitting at home crying like a baby, there's no excuse for that. And shame on Brian Blair, you don't don't turn on your boys like that.
I don't see anything tasteless about this angle either, in fact, I think it worked pretty well. It turned the face Freebirds into heels & got them heat and it got sympathy for the rather bland Graham and built him up for a run at the world title. I think that Eddie Graham himself would have approved of the angle.
3:54 is the best part (Mike holding the blade in plain sight - classic!) I still say Eddie Graham would compliment the creation of this angle. Tasteless to some, but from an entertainer's standpoint, I thought it was genious (especially if this was Mike's idea).
Mike Graham was always a great "junior" heavyweight wrestler, and could keep up with the heavyweights, but lacked the draw of Flair, Dusty or any of the others of the time. He spent too much time in Florida.
I don't think its really tasteless either being as it was Mike Graham's idea and all. He's using his dad's death to draw money and in a strange way that's a perfect tribute for a wrestling promoter. Freebirds were some of the best heels ever, btw...
Honestly I didn't see anything that tasteless about this angle after hearing all the stuff about it over the years I thought it was pretty well done. Only problem is Mike Graham just could not pull off being sympathetic in this light.
About his father dying the fans could have rallied behind him, but they weren't about to buy him as a legitimate contender to the title above Flair and that's where they hit the huge roadblock.
As for the set up angle, good in theory poor in execution.
Awesome angle--whether you're offended or not I guess is a matter of personal choice. But seeing 3 guys beat on one guy (a guy whose father has just passed) with their boots SURE makes me not like them.
I never understood why Verne never gave his son at least one World title run. Greg was a pretty good wrestler, but Verne mainly kept him in tag teams.
@mangamegs On the failure of the AWA, many have blamed Verne Gagne's nepotism of Greg, along with the moment they stripped the AWA title from Jerry Lawler when he wanted to defend it against any and all comers when the AWA wanted him to be a company champion.
bmeister316 ssshhhhhhhhh You know this is real at least wellllllllll I just dont see him taking Rick Flair Micheal Hays is masterful in this Dont you agree
Graham comes off like a crybaby a pussy and an asshole. He says, "I seen fat guys like you..." what the fuck? They never said anything to him and he is cutting in on their time. Gordie Solie caused this by cutting into the birds time and douchebag midget should have shut his fucking mouth and got the fuck off the set and gone and cried in the back. Bitch.
Thanks for the info, too. I had no idea the Freebirds were faces at this point. The overall feeling of the thing makes more sense if everybody is supposed to be a good guy.
Nothing says heel like beating the crap out of a guy right after his father died. That's almost as bad as posing as Santa Clause and beating up some Von Erichs!
Can somebody please post the episode where Kendo Nagasaki stomps on Eddie Graham and he starts bleeding from the mouth? Although I knew wrestling was a staged show, that was the one time where i was genuinely scared!
Everybody gets real polite about their interview time. "Sorry, is this not our scheduled time?" "Am I in the way? I can leave if..." Very odd.
I agree it just didn't seem like this was working from any angle. The wrestlers seem uncomfortable, Solie seems uncomfortable, the fans don't seem very enthusiastic. As someone else mentioned, Mike was not the top guy in Florida, so it was probably hard for anyone to believe he would be able to fulfill that promise to win the title.
He was being sarcastic. It IS the Freebirds interview time, but Graham is out there talking. That is why Hayes is asking those questions.
Also, the Freebirds are baby faces. That is why everyone is uncomfortable. It is SUPPOSED to be that way. Hayes is trying to keep his composure about his time being interrupted, but he's getting madder as Graham talks. The Freebirds were basically the top babyfaces in the area at the time (Hayes was booker), though they'd only been around a month or two.
First off, Mike Graham was a legit tough and strong guy. And, unlike other sons of great wrestlers he didn't get a monster push. He was never THE top guy but he was over in Florida. He and Steve Keirn made one of the best if not THE best tag teams in Florida during the late 70s and early 80s.
Was this angle lacking in taste? Yes, but that is/was pro wrestling. It was shocking but a way to get the Freebirds over as heels.
Mike Graham was a legit tough guy? Bullshit. Bull-fucking-shit. He was 2 feet tall and the promoters son. People kissed his ass for years and said he was a 'legit tough guy' for years cause they worked for his dad. It is just like everybody saying Shane McMahon is one of the toughest guys in the WWE locker room. Horseshit. He was a midget and a tiny little guy and he might have beat up some drunk marks but a legit tough guy? BULLSHIT.
LOL. You must be one of those stupid marks that actually believes that you have to be a big, jacked up 'roid freak to be tough. I'm sure you think Hogan is a legit tough guy too. I think most wrestling fans know that Mike Graham was a decent shooter who could hold his own.
As for Shane McMahon, I don't think that anyone would say he is a locker room tough guy, like 'Taker, but give that kid some credit for taking some insane bumps that shows toughness & heart.
Agreed. Mike Graham was similar to Greg Gagne in the AWA in that he was never the top guy in the promotion even though his dad owned it. Mike's ring skills were solid but he lacked mic skills & charisma so his dad only used him in midcard roles.
Graham wasn't great on the mic but was good in the ring. The Florida promotion continued for several years after this but losing Eddie Graham really hurt. I think Dusty booked there for a while after this. His booking helped suck the life out of Jim Crockett promotions in the Mid-Atlantic area.Eddie Graham is the man that gave Richard Blood the ring name Ricky Steamboat, billed him as Sam Steamboat's nephew and started him on the path to being the greatest babyface in the history of wrestling.
phuck you have an interesting view but Graham does suck in this this is probly why Fla.wrestling sunk because it ran pretty strong. I dont think Micheal Hays was bad at all In fact he did great. They must have been try ingto pump some life by bringing in the Birds If Graham is the best they had at that time no wonder they fell
Everything about this seemed wrong. Mike Graham came off real bad in this and the crowd didn't seem really into this - everyone looked a little uncomfortable including the Freebirds. I can't believe Mike Graham was involved in this (his idea?!) so soon after his father's suicide. Bad move all around. There didn't seem to be much outrage to the Freebird attack or sympathy for Mike, just a feeling of wanting to move on. Florida was past its last legs at this point - proven by this desperate angle
freebirds used that gimmick of coming into an area as a good guys pals, then turning on them. Mike was provoking the freebirds, the freebirds were great. Hayes was a great talker. lol how Blair comes out to stop the freebirds and then the freebirds beat him down with their cowboy boots.
I just saw a wrestling "shoot" where it was stated Eddie Graham shot himself "twice" in the supposed suicide. Huge debts from gambleing caused him to kill himself.
I don't know about gambling but according to at least Billy Graham-he worked CWF during their last push to stay on top-he stated that Graham was going to be indicted for real estate fraud that involved the IRS and was looking at prison time (possibly). I do know that court documents under their legal surname Gossett indicated that Graham and Rhodes both had to settle issues with the IRS. Is it the same case? That I don't know. E. Mike Graham later sold the CWF to WWE for a cool million!
Terry Gordy: Well U can all see what III have here engraved on da side of my boot. It says "DADDY!!!!" And I'm gonna give U da whoopin yo Daddy shoulda gave ya a looong time ago!!!!
It is not tasteless, it's plain ol mike graham, running his mouth to the freebirds, the birds were scheduled. Mike shouldn't have put his hands on buddy.
I loved the wrestling that was shown back then. They tried so much harder to make it look real, and that made it so much more entertaining. They also had the good vs. evil element that is missing in today's wrestling.
This was almost as good as Kevin Sullivan throwing ink in Dusty Rhodes sister's face. There was another angel where the Assassin, in the guise of El Santo, Pearl Harbored Rhodes at the desk while getting a phony award from Mexican orphans. How Mike Graham could do this, knowing his dad blew his brains out for real, I don't know.
i didn't get to see much of florida either and i grew up in the mid-south territory also. it surprised me to see "hacksaw" jim duggan, who was a mid-south regular, in florida. the only exposure i got to florida wrestling was the stories in the wrestling mags and tapes my cousin from miami would bring to me.
those were the only NWA sanctioned territories i knew of besides the wrestling NWA had in the st. louis area. what were some of the others? i grew up on the old mid-south region myself.
There is actually a list on wikipedia. At one time all the big shows-WWF, AWA, Mid Atlantic, Florida, Georgia, three in Canada, New Zealand, All Japan, World Class (TX), WWC (Puerto Rico), West Texas, New England, West Coast... they were in all regions of the North America and elsewhere.
Ambition, pent up hostility, envy, jealousy; Solie hit the nail on the head, Mike Graham was clearly feeling all these things towards the Freebirds. I love Bam Bam and Hayes laugh at the very end. The Bird's were awesome.
the freebirds wre the ultimate bad guys with the confederate flag painted in their faces ,facing the road warriors in the awa ,the even made it to the movies.
Every time I see this I am shocked at Mike Graham's lack of manners. He is taking the Freebird's time, whining his way to a title shot (he could never pull off), he talks over Michael Hayes, he insults Bam Bam and somehow he thinks he's the victim. What a rude man. Even Solie had to admit, there was nothing he could say. No wonder the Freebirds laughed when Buddy Jack said Mike Graham and his pappy were a couple of loosers.
In Ric Flair's autobiography, he remembered a time in Florida where Eddie vanished and JJ Dillon was made emergency booker. Flair took on Charlie Cook in some main events. Now how many people remember him, I wonder.
Eddie and Dusty were mad about Flair becoming champion and they wanted Florida to tank. As a heel champion, you are supposed to escape by the skin of your teeth. Flair was forced to work with Cook and make him look good. I remember him from his stint in Georgia. I liked Charlie Cook, but I knew that he would never really make it big. His interviews were bland, unlike, say Tony Atlas.
oh this shit was tight!! tight angle. you don't need to do much to get the birds over heel or face. they know how to make people hate them. i remember reading about this incident in the magazines and this is the 1st time i've ever seen it. well done on all parts. the birds would always come into a territory face and then turn all of a sudden,they were masters at that shit. dope post gshea but i have to disagree,i don't see this angle as tasteless,it's right on the money.
Somebody shoulda told Mike Graham bout Badstreet USA!!!! It was too long comin', the Freebirds were way to patient with that whining baby Mike Graham. I loved when the whupped up on him with the boots.
First of all when Eddie Graham took his life, the entire CWF crew and the wrestling biz kayfabed it.
Secondly Eddie Graham was struggling with the bottle (one of the reasons you rarely saw him outside the locker room), his business was dying esp. after Rhodes left as the booker and finally rumors were he was about to be indicted for real estate fraud. His son was left a mess with his estate and the IRS.
This angle probably tried to accomplish two things, maybe three. The first being to maintain the image that Eddie Graham was a pillar of the community (which he was) and to avoid any nasty facts coming out that would have broken kayfabe. The second was to bring some shock to the organization so they could stay relevant in the wrestling biz. Finally this was probably rooted in getting more heat over for the Freebirds.
Also with Vince Sr. passing away and his son taking over probally scared him as well. The Brisco's were also investors in Fla and Georgia, also taking off to the WWF. Vince Sr. and Eddie were pretty tight in copromoting WWF and CWF. It was a steamroller events in the wrestling world that troubled Eddie as well.
Mike graham was a loser. The Freebirds did him a favor by beating some sense into his thick skull. Bam Bam was clearly the more classy man, Michael Hayes was a true gentleman. He was forced to teach this fool a lesson he neaded learnin'!!!!!!
You have to understand that wrestling promoters are of a completely different minset. Guys like Vince, Fritz, Eddie Graham etc. will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to sell out a building. Taste is IRRELEVANT to that end.
great work by all parties. Looks like the blade came out as the first slam into the table occured. A classic clip, Hayes is good as ever, putting up a believable piece of heel work.
"The clearly using a blade," part Meltzer was refering to was the way he passes it from one hand to the other when cutting the promo after he got the juice instead of just dropping it...
Oh, OK. I did not even think about what Meltzer was saying. I always try to see if I can spot the blade job. Some of these guys are so good, it is hard to tell when they bladed....Flair comes to mind. Peace.
Ugh! I just vomitted a bit in my mouth. This is worse than the WWE following Eddie Guerrero's death. All of thest guys stayed wiffed-up and drunk in FCW. I bet they had a couple of gallons of Southern Comfort underneath that interview table.
palmettoparrots 4 weeks ago
Flapjack Flannigan quit wrestling in Florida because of stuff like this from Mike and company.
niteholler 2 months ago
show me anything mike graham has EVER done on his own. the only things that i or the rest of the wrestling world have seen him ever accomplish was in his father's company, his father's friends' "doing eddie a favor", or by using "do you know who my daddy is??!!" he's a spoiled little daddy's boy who never had to grow up.
bladestormviking 2 months ago
this is pathetic! just as awful as todays sports entertainment
aginghipster 3 months ago
Before the Four Horsemen, before D/Generation X, even before the NWO.... you had The Fabulous Freebirds. The worlds toughest, all balls, no BS group who would take on any and all comers who stood in their way.. or were just in their way in general ;) Legends, the three of them!
ScyberPsylock 5 months ago
at 9.23 after the freebirds called graham and his dad losers
Hayes to Solie "Oh you agree"
LOL
gannable 8 months ago
yea even before the nwo,the freebirds were a heel group that you wouldnt wanna cross paths with unless you wanted to get your ass handed to you.
tommytrixter 9 months ago
1st boot party in wrestling
captcharisma419 9 months ago
tasteless? it's called desperation....this smells like a last ditch rhodes idea
Bladejob123 10 months ago
@Bladejob123 THIS WAS SO TASTELESS USING YOUR DADS SUICIDE TO DRAW TICKETS MIKE GRAHAM IS AN ASSHOLE!
oldschool6804 7 months ago
@Bladejob123 Rhodes had split several months before. it's why they were desperate. This is Mike Graham and Michael Hayes booking this. I think it was Graham's idea, but I believe Hayes was the main booker at the time.
mamacornettesmoney 7 months ago
tasteless? it's callewd desperation....this smells like a last ditch rhodes idea
Bladejob123 10 months ago
I don't like the Freebirds but Mike Graham was outta line on this one. Plus he had been sitting at home crying like a baby, there's no excuse for that. And shame on Brian Blair, you don't don't turn on your boys like that.
mbp7060 10 months ago
Bugsy Malone?
bcushing 1 year ago
@bcushing
Bugsy McGraw actually. It would have been really funny if Bugsy Malone had run in!
TuDoDude88 1 year ago
I can't remember the name of the guy with the hat and broom, can someone help me?
kimbaptise 1 year ago
What tasteless angle did WCCW do?
mrbluto3 1 year ago
@mrbluto3 On Christmas Day 1987, they did an angle where Fritz Von Erich suffered a heart attack in the ring after a fight with The New Freebirds.
mkl62 10 months ago
I don't see anything tasteless about this angle either, in fact, I think it worked pretty well. It turned the face Freebirds into heels & got them heat and it got sympathy for the rather bland Graham and built him up for a run at the world title. I think that Eddie Graham himself would have approved of the angle.
Lfdjake91 1 year ago
Is it me or does the host look like Bill Cullen?
SimplyKevTV 1 year ago
@SimplyKevTV There was a Sports Illustrated article not too long ago comparing Gordon Solie to Bill Cullen...well done.
dablommer2010 1 year ago
Poor Mike was trying to be kind & generous
Ivor356 1 year ago
3:54 is the best part (Mike holding the blade in plain sight - classic!) I still say Eddie Graham would compliment the creation of this angle. Tasteless to some, but from an entertainer's standpoint, I thought it was genious (especially if this was Mike's idea).
maskedmusician2002 1 year ago
frebirds are perfection
BiffaBacon 1 year ago
Fat fuks with gay haircuts.
.
The dumbing down of America is almost complete.
MACKATTACK1970 1 year ago
wow original boot party
captcharisma419 1 year ago
Always love me some 'birds!
bitchslap666 1 year ago
This still isn't even remotely close to the tastelessness of the "Living Miracle" garbage in World Class.
WillIsSoAwesome 1 year ago
lol yeah real good idea to bad mouth terrry gordy....
arlichar11 1 year ago
yep, pause at 3:55 and you can see the razor blade between his thumb and finger....
PJPSHELBY 1 year ago
beautiful stuff ... great memories.
golfsmoore 1 year ago
I love how Blair comes out to stop it & he gets beat up too
hillhill68 1 year ago
There's nothing tasteless about this at all. Michael & Terry didn't really bring his dad into it, this was an issue about the World Title shot.
mrhollister09 1 year ago
a boot beating
JoeyPencils 1 year ago
Graham always looked like a porn star to me :)
meekrob 1 year ago
@meekrob Thats likely what he does now
stevemtc1 1 year ago
Mike Graham was always a great "junior" heavyweight wrestler, and could keep up with the heavyweights, but lacked the draw of Flair, Dusty or any of the others of the time. He spent too much time in Florida.
skizz624 1 year ago
@skizz624 I agree. Good assessment.
Lfdjake91 1 year ago
Mike Graham winning the world title? Fat chance.
ubangistomped 1 year ago
I don't think its really tasteless either being as it was Mike Graham's idea and all. He's using his dad's death to draw money and in a strange way that's a perfect tribute for a wrestling promoter. Freebirds were some of the best heels ever, btw...
da1prophet 1 year ago
Honestly I didn't see anything that tasteless about this angle after hearing all the stuff about it over the years I thought it was pretty well done. Only problem is Mike Graham just could not pull off being sympathetic in this light.
About his father dying the fans could have rallied behind him, but they weren't about to buy him as a legitimate contender to the title above Flair and that's where they hit the huge roadblock.
As for the set up angle, good in theory poor in execution.
CombatSportFan 2 years ago
Mikes not boring,he's one of the all time greats.
1977SOUTHERNBOY 2 years ago
Awesome angle--whether you're offended or not I guess is a matter of personal choice. But seeing 3 guys beat on one guy (a guy whose father has just passed) with their boots SURE makes me not like them.
Mp25DIII 2 years ago
Whats funny about this feud is it didn't last. The "heel" Freebirds ended up getting cheered at the house shows over "babyface" Mike Graham.
RSXemperor 2 years ago
classic freebirds here, i love the particle board desk
c0uchsl0uch 2 years ago
Some baby face. Graham dumps on the Freebirds first and calls Gordy a fat guy.
DavidFullam 2 years ago
good angle right here badass shit to make a boring guy like mike graham that makes him a real face
thefriendsociety 2 years ago
the freebirds are greatness
santos102078 2 years ago
freebirds are greatness
santos102078 2 years ago 2
gotta love bugsy mcgraw's headpiece
DrAKOBADAGETH 2 years ago
bugsy mcgraw was always just plain bad*ss.
tcmneuroevol 2 years ago
is he holding a blade in his hand at 3:55?
DrAKOBADAGETH 2 years ago
i loved gordon solie
DrAKOBADAGETH 2 years ago 2
im the real mike graham motha fucker
bullrider118 2 years ago
This angle was really not needed.
HorrorUniverse 2 years ago
I never understood why Verne never gave his son at least one World title run. Greg was a pretty good wrestler, but Verne mainly kept him in tag teams.
anakincane 2 years ago
The other promotors in the AWA threatened to leave if Greg got a title run, cause they didn't think he could wrestle.
mangamegs 2 years ago
@mangamegs On the failure of the AWA, many have blamed Verne Gagne's nepotism of Greg, along with the moment they stripped the AWA title from Jerry Lawler when he wanted to defend it against any and all comers when the AWA wanted him to be a company champion.
jbird11368 1 year ago
This was stupid and tasteless until Brian Blair got into it...then it got ridiculous. It was like they were beating him with big wet socks!
gus767 2 years ago
I remember reading about this controversial angle in the wrestling mags back in the day, but this is the first time I have seen it.
The Freebird came into Florida as faces feuding w/ Krusher Khruschev & Jim Neidhart but after they left the'Bird turned heel again in this angle.
Lfdjake91 2 years ago
Growing up in Tampa in this era, I agree, it was a pretty tasteless angle.
But, there is NO denying that Gordon Solie was the man. Especially when he said such lines as "Hold on a minute..." or "A real Pier 6er!"
The Freebirds looked like they needed help in the wardrobe department. And Terry Gordy needs to learn the meaning of the phrase "aerobic exercise"!
GodOfDetailing 2 years ago
@GodOfDetailing Jim Ross may be the best announcer today, but there will never, ever be another Gordon Solie.
jbird11368 1 year ago
Mike Graham=Tom Selleck mini-me. Good wrestler though.
MrDeray5 2 years ago
Bigdumbdinosaur, it's all fake, it was a script.
bmeister316 2 years ago
bmeister316 ssshhhhhhhhh You know this is real at least wellllllllll I just dont see him taking Rick Flair Micheal Hays is masterful in this Dont you agree
stevemtc1 2 years ago
Graham comes off like a crybaby a pussy and an asshole. He says, "I seen fat guys like you..." what the fuck? They never said anything to him and he is cutting in on their time. Gordie Solie caused this by cutting into the birds time and douchebag midget should have shut his fucking mouth and got the fuck off the set and gone and cried in the back. Bitch.
bigbluedinosaur 2 years ago
You are aware that Mike's father had just committed suicide about a month before right? Or are you just always this compassionate?
Lfdjake91 2 years ago
Mike Graham was a 2 foot tall little douche. I am glad the birds beat his ass. Fuck Crimson Mask.
bigbluedinosaur 2 years ago
haha! Solie just sits down and comments when Graham is getting beaten.
dmfalc 2 years ago
Thanks for the info, too. I had no idea the Freebirds were faces at this point. The overall feeling of the thing makes more sense if everybody is supposed to be a good guy.
nwajoe 2 years ago
I guess that would definitely explain why they weren't acting very heelish at first.
nwajoe 2 years ago
I love how Terry Gordy just totally blows off that guy at the the 8:00 mark. "Get lost man" Hilarious.
eeshelton 2 years ago
Nothing says heel like beating the crap out of a guy right after his father died. That's almost as bad as posing as Santa Clause and beating up some Von Erichs!
piercdbruh 2 years ago
this is funny... terry gordy is the man... mike graham is a nobody , his dad is only reason why hes even in wrestling.. give the title to gordy.
arlichar11 2 years ago
Can somebody please post the episode where Kendo Nagasaki stomps on Eddie Graham and he starts bleeding from the mouth? Although I knew wrestling was a staged show, that was the one time where i was genuinely scared!
TheMarcusMarcs 2 years ago
Everybody gets real polite about their interview time. "Sorry, is this not our scheduled time?" "Am I in the way? I can leave if..." Very odd.
I agree it just didn't seem like this was working from any angle. The wrestlers seem uncomfortable, Solie seems uncomfortable, the fans don't seem very enthusiastic. As someone else mentioned, Mike was not the top guy in Florida, so it was probably hard for anyone to believe he would be able to fulfill that promise to win the title.
nwajoe 2 years ago
He was being sarcastic. It IS the Freebirds interview time, but Graham is out there talking. That is why Hayes is asking those questions.
Also, the Freebirds are baby faces. That is why everyone is uncomfortable. It is SUPPOSED to be that way. Hayes is trying to keep his composure about his time being interrupted, but he's getting madder as Graham talks. The Freebirds were basically the top babyfaces in the area at the time (Hayes was booker), though they'd only been around a month or two.
mamacornettesmoney 2 years ago
First off, Mike Graham was a legit tough and strong guy. And, unlike other sons of great wrestlers he didn't get a monster push. He was never THE top guy but he was over in Florida. He and Steve Keirn made one of the best if not THE best tag teams in Florida during the late 70s and early 80s.
Was this angle lacking in taste? Yes, but that is/was pro wrestling. It was shocking but a way to get the Freebirds over as heels.
samsdaddy0525 3 years ago
Mike Graham was a legit tough guy? Bullshit. Bull-fucking-shit. He was 2 feet tall and the promoters son. People kissed his ass for years and said he was a 'legit tough guy' for years cause they worked for his dad. It is just like everybody saying Shane McMahon is one of the toughest guys in the WWE locker room. Horseshit. He was a midget and a tiny little guy and he might have beat up some drunk marks but a legit tough guy? BULLSHIT.
bigbluedinosaur 2 years ago
No, he was a legit tough guy who could tie up people into a pretzel.
Since when did size have to do with how tough someone was?
He was a top powerlifter when younger, excellent amatuer wrestler who knew how to fight.
samsdaddy0525 2 years ago
LOL. You must be one of those stupid marks that actually believes that you have to be a big, jacked up 'roid freak to be tough. I'm sure you think Hogan is a legit tough guy too. I think most wrestling fans know that Mike Graham was a decent shooter who could hold his own.
As for Shane McMahon, I don't think that anyone would say he is a locker room tough guy, like 'Taker, but give that kid some credit for taking some insane bumps that shows toughness & heart.
Lfdjake91 2 years ago
Agreed. Mike Graham was similar to Greg Gagne in the AWA in that he was never the top guy in the promotion even though his dad owned it. Mike's ring skills were solid but he lacked mic skills & charisma so his dad only used him in midcard roles.
Lfdjake91 2 years ago
Graham wasn't great on the mic but was good in the ring. The Florida promotion continued for several years after this but losing Eddie Graham really hurt. I think Dusty booked there for a while after this. His booking helped suck the life out of Jim Crockett promotions in the Mid-Atlantic area.Eddie Graham is the man that gave Richard Blood the ring name Ricky Steamboat, billed him as Sam Steamboat's nephew and started him on the path to being the greatest babyface in the history of wrestling.
litehouse6 3 years ago
What is so bad about this? The Freebirds were the best.
kirkoa 3 years ago
phuck you have an interesting view but Graham does suck in this this is probly why Fla.wrestling sunk because it ran pretty strong. I dont think Micheal Hays was bad at all In fact he did great. They must have been try ingto pump some life by bringing in the Birds If Graham is the best they had at that time no wonder they fell
stevemtc1 3 years ago
Everything about this seemed wrong. Mike Graham came off real bad in this and the crowd didn't seem really into this - everyone looked a little uncomfortable including the Freebirds. I can't believe Mike Graham was involved in this (his idea?!) so soon after his father's suicide. Bad move all around. There didn't seem to be much outrage to the Freebird attack or sympathy for Mike, just a feeling of wanting to move on. Florida was past its last legs at this point - proven by this desperate angle
phukoffnow 3 years ago
Very well said. I was really uncomfortable just sitting here watching it - I had heard of the angle but never saw the actual interview.
Oof.
ccie12933 3 years ago
freebirds used that gimmick of coming into an area as a good guys pals, then turning on them. Mike was provoking the freebirds, the freebirds were great. Hayes was a great talker. lol how Blair comes out to stop the freebirds and then the freebirds beat him down with their cowboy boots.
battlestarmarc 3 years ago
battlestarmarc,
i love the fabulous freebirds
luv4piggy 3 years ago
mike graham is gay
hoppusbassplayer 3 years ago
this is awesome.
killerdugong 3 years ago
blade in his hand whole time
spenben 3 years ago
....gordy had a perm, and was STILL a bad dude to deal with....the original "big worm"...rip bam bam
BigStash 3 years ago 2
I just saw a wrestling "shoot" where it was stated Eddie Graham shot himself "twice" in the supposed suicide. Huge debts from gambleing caused him to kill himself.
Fruth37 3 years ago
I don't know about gambling but according to at least Billy Graham-he worked CWF during their last push to stay on top-he stated that Graham was going to be indicted for real estate fraud that involved the IRS and was looking at prison time (possibly). I do know that court documents under their legal surname Gossett indicated that Graham and Rhodes both had to settle issues with the IRS. Is it the same case? That I don't know. E. Mike Graham later sold the CWF to WWE for a cool million!
Infinitespeculator 3 years ago
Terry Gordy: Well U can all see what III have here engraved on da side of my boot. It says "DADDY!!!!" And I'm gonna give U da whoopin yo Daddy shoulda gave ya a looong time ago!!!!
bmsingleton 3 years ago
Mike using his Dad's suicide to gain simpathy for a world title push. Well that never happened.
phobos271 3 years ago
It is not tasteless, it's plain ol mike graham, running his mouth to the freebirds, the birds were scheduled. Mike shouldn't have put his hands on buddy.
RedCoalridge 3 years ago 11
dude what are you talking about . Mike Graham was one of the best wrestlers I ever saw back in the day.buddy roberts had issues
bigwillietheb 3 years ago
He shouldn't have called Bam Bam "a big fat guy" either. Also, Bam Bam would wipe the mat with Mike Graham.
mamacornettesmoney 3 years ago 2
I loved the wrestling that was shown back then. They tried so much harder to make it look real, and that made it so much more entertaining. They also had the good vs. evil element that is missing in today's wrestling.
thimoneus 3 years ago
having a blade clearing out is trying hard to make it look real? yell
BOX5 3 years ago
I never saw that.
thimoneus 3 years ago
Man, what awesome memories. I grew up on this stuff.
Even Vince McMahon and all of his money can't recreate the greatness of those days.
Huge thanks for uploading the video.
Validar 3 years ago
Florida is where I first read of Barry Windham, Luger, etc.
CadillacL 3 years ago
This was almost as good as Kevin Sullivan throwing ink in Dusty Rhodes sister's face. There was another angel where the Assassin, in the guise of El Santo, Pearl Harbored Rhodes at the desk while getting a phony award from Mexican orphans. How Mike Graham could do this, knowing his dad blew his brains out for real, I don't know.
Fruth37 3 years ago
wow...I remember watching this when it first aired on channel 6 tv in Miami for the first time. Thanks for sharing.
flaglerbob 3 years ago
Unfortunately, I never got o see Florida wrestling, I also grew up in Mid-South.
CadillacL 3 years ago
i didn't get to see much of florida either and i grew up in the mid-south territory also. it surprised me to see "hacksaw" jim duggan, who was a mid-south regular, in florida. the only exposure i got to florida wrestling was the stories in the wrestling mags and tapes my cousin from miami would bring to me.
soln4suh 3 years ago
oh the part of 0.43
7704155 3 years ago
i like the part 0.45
that'' and the^
7704155 3 years ago
Yeah, I don't know if Mike should have thought this, and I appreciated him, he was a great wrestler in the day.
MeAndMyRC 3 years ago
those were the only NWA sanctioned territories i knew of besides the wrestling NWA had in the st. louis area. what were some of the others? i grew up on the old mid-south region myself.
soln4suh 3 years ago
There is actually a list on wikipedia. At one time all the big shows-WWF, AWA, Mid Atlantic, Florida, Georgia, three in Canada, New Zealand, All Japan, World Class (TX), WWC (Puerto Rico), West Texas, New England, West Coast... they were in all regions of the North America and elsewhere.
Infinitespeculator 3 years ago
What is & isn't tasteless aside. The strongest territories in the old NWA system were Florida, Georgia, Mid-Atlantic, and World Class in Texas.
worth66 3 years ago
Stuff like this is what made CWF one of the best wrestling TV programs of all time!
smoothpants 3 years ago
Ambition, pent up hostility, envy, jealousy; Solie hit the nail on the head, Mike Graham was clearly feeling all these things towards the Freebirds. I love Bam Bam and Hayes laugh at the very end. The Bird's were awesome.
Upstatebound 3 years ago
the freebirds wre the ultimate bad guys with the confederate flag painted in their faces ,facing the road warriors in the awa ,the even made it to the movies.
martinaq65 3 years ago
Every time I see this I am shocked at Mike Graham's lack of manners. He is taking the Freebird's time, whining his way to a title shot (he could never pull off), he talks over Michael Hayes, he insults Bam Bam and somehow he thinks he's the victim. What a rude man. Even Solie had to admit, there was nothing he could say. No wonder the Freebirds laughed when Buddy Jack said Mike Graham and his pappy were a couple of loosers.
Upstatebound 4 years ago
In Ric Flair's autobiography, he remembered a time in Florida where Eddie vanished and JJ Dillon was made emergency booker. Flair took on Charlie Cook in some main events. Now how many people remember him, I wonder.
mkl62 4 years ago
I remember Charlie Cook. And old nigger with a George Jefferson afro and pork chop side burns.
DrAKOBADAGETH 2 years ago
Eddie and Dusty were mad about Flair becoming champion and they wanted Florida to tank. As a heel champion, you are supposed to escape by the skin of your teeth. Flair was forced to work with Cook and make him look good. I remember him from his stint in Georgia. I liked Charlie Cook, but I knew that he would never really make it big. His interviews were bland, unlike, say Tony Atlas.
mkl62 2 years ago
oh this shit was tight!! tight angle. you don't need to do much to get the birds over heel or face. they know how to make people hate them. i remember reading about this incident in the magazines and this is the 1st time i've ever seen it. well done on all parts. the birds would always come into a territory face and then turn all of a sudden,they were masters at that shit. dope post gshea but i have to disagree,i don't see this angle as tasteless,it's right on the money.
mindbeyond 4 years ago
I thought the acting banter back and forth between Graham and Hayes was incredible and very believable.
terps2703 4 years ago 2
Somebody shoulda told Mike Graham bout Badstreet USA!!!! It was too long comin', the Freebirds were way to patient with that whining baby Mike Graham. I loved when the whupped up on him with the boots.
Upstatebound 4 years ago 2
WOW!!! Someone should really do a Freebirds DVD featuring: Blinding JYD, Piledriving DiBiase, the Dallas stuff and this...classic wrestling angle
krushvelvet67 4 years ago
First of all when Eddie Graham took his life, the entire CWF crew and the wrestling biz kayfabed it.
Secondly Eddie Graham was struggling with the bottle (one of the reasons you rarely saw him outside the locker room), his business was dying esp. after Rhodes left as the booker and finally rumors were he was about to be indicted for real estate fraud. His son was left a mess with his estate and the IRS.
Infinitespeculator 4 years ago
This angle probably tried to accomplish two things, maybe three. The first being to maintain the image that Eddie Graham was a pillar of the community (which he was) and to avoid any nasty facts coming out that would have broken kayfabe. The second was to bring some shock to the organization so they could stay relevant in the wrestling biz. Finally this was probably rooted in getting more heat over for the Freebirds.
Is it low rent and just bad taste? Absolutely!
Infinitespeculator 4 years ago
Also with Vince Sr. passing away and his son taking over probally scared him as well. The Brisco's were also investors in Fla and Georgia, also taking off to the WWF. Vince Sr. and Eddie were pretty tight in copromoting WWF and CWF. It was a steamroller events in the wrestling world that troubled Eddie as well.
VolumedMusicMan 4 years ago
why is it shutting down abuptly
excelsior34 4 years ago
eddie graham was already dead when this angle took place
bmeister316 4 years ago
Wow. Good selling on all sides. I don't really see this as totally tasteless.
larrystarstruck 4 years ago
Mike graham was a loser. The Freebirds did him a favor by beating some sense into his thick skull. Bam Bam was clearly the more classy man, Michael Hayes was a true gentleman. He was forced to teach this fool a lesson he neaded learnin'!!!!!!
Upstatebound 4 years ago 3
You have to understand that wrestling promoters are of a completely different minset. Guys like Vince, Fritz, Eddie Graham etc. will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to sell out a building. Taste is IRRELEVANT to that end.
zaius316 4 years ago 4
Now thats the truth.
rudedog4b 4 years ago 2
watched live micheal is god in this spot at that time biggest face masterful and yes eddie would approve
robbp1 4 years ago
What tragedy, Eddie Graham's death
Julius121081 4 years ago
great work by all parties. Looks like the blade came out as the first slam into the table occured. A classic clip, Hayes is good as ever, putting up a believable piece of heel work.
volstar88 4 years ago
"The clearly using a blade," part Meltzer was refering to was the way he passes it from one hand to the other when cutting the promo after he got the juice instead of just dropping it...
hackmyers 4 years ago
Oh, OK. I did not even think about what Meltzer was saying. I always try to see if I can spot the blade job. Some of these guys are so good, it is hard to tell when they bladed....Flair comes to mind. Peace.
volstar88 4 years ago
The Show Must Go On But Damn.............
phillymak 4 years ago
I've waited forever to see this!
ArnoldOldSchool 4 years ago