Terry,
Bam Bam, Gordy, was special.
By: Bill Watts
Buddy,
Often to reflect on the death
of someone that was in your life, is very hard----especially if you
go very far beneath the surface to examine it.
Terry, Bam Bam, Gordy, was
something else! He reminds me of a bigger Ray Stevens. He was a complete
"natural."
No one could do the things
in the ring that Ray Stevens did in the 60's, but the "natural" ability,
and "feel" was the same.
Dick Murdock too was one of
those great "naturals."
They just could do anything
in the ring. It was their "canvas" as they "painted the picture" they
wanted to let the fans see.
It is part of the "lost art"
of wrestling, that will never be seen again, or recaptured. (And I do
not say that in a demeaning way, like "an old timer" who is "putting
down today's sport," because I believe the athletes are bigger, stronger,
and have more developed ability in many areas.)
But to see totally "unscripted"
(by today's standards) matches between two wrestlers, or a team, and
to see the interaction and reaction-------without every single move
being "talked over and planned almost "by the numbers" as they do today,
in their quest for quantity of acrobatics; to see what I got to see
so many times in my career, was truly awesome-------and a work of art
so totally spontaneous and expressive-----that it captured and controlled
the emotions of the fans------and so often of the "boys" (the wrestlers)
who also watched to see those so talented.
Today's fan, being so "hep"
to where wrestling has "gone," is only "entertained." In the era that
I am referring to, the fan was also mesermized and emotionalized by
the event and the participants. They "felt" what the wrestlers went
through.
In today's world, it is totally
"for the show" and thus, they never experience the emotion of a crowd
reacting to the drama. They haven't seen a riot in a small town due
to the fans getting so emotionally involved because their favorite was
being mistreated by the bully. They haven't seen or felt an entire arena
truly "hate" the "bad guy"--------not a "feigned" or "go along with
the crowd" booing, but a deep, angry, totally consuming hate of the
"bad guy."
They do hear the cheers for
the favorites, but in today's world of wrestling, the same cheers for
the "supposed bad guy" are barely separated, and really of the same
tribute.
Most of today's stars in recent
times have not had to "fight their way to the ring, and fight their
way back to the dressing room"------because to the fans, it's just a
"show."
Well, when the Freebirds were
"born" in this business, it was still in the era where fans "took their
wrestling seriously."
And Bam Bam, along with Michael
Hayes, and Buddy Roberts, were a fantastic team. I was privileged to
work with so many: The VanBrauners, with Sol Weingroff; Ray Stevens
and Pat Patterson; Pretty Boy Larry Hennig, and Handsome Harley Race-------were
teams that really "rose above the rest" in so many ways.
The Freebirds were another.
I remember we found Terry Gordy
and Michael Hayes working in small shows in Mississippi. Michael loved
being "in the ring" as a wrestler, but his true talent was his being
"the manager" (at least in my view.) So we got Buddy Roberts to be Terry's
partner in the ring, with Michael managing, and the team was born. And,
they went on to become true Super Stars in the business.
At this point, I am saying
things that are strictly "my opinion" and "observation." I am not saying
Terry died because of a direct overdose of drugs--------because I do
not know that. But to die so young, is certainly questionable as to
it not being the result of a history of self-abuse, and substance abuse-------starting
with alcohol, which we all abused ourselves. I guess you'd say this
just lead to the next steps for some: grass, cocaine, pills, crack,
and whatever.
I am not demeaning Gordy-------I
truly loved that big guy. But I am saying what needs to be said, so
maybe just one person "wakes up" and starts taking "personal responsibility"
for their own life. (As we grow old, all we really can offer is our
perspective on life because of our experience in it. There is a value
there, though in today's society it is generally ignored.)
Now to the tragic aspect. Terry,
as gifted as he was in the ring, had so little personal discipline.
He then became a substance abuser, and battled that the rest of his
life.
We knew so little about that
"process then" and to tell you the truth, just tried to work around
it as best we could, until, as a promoter, you just got to the point
where you no longer could "trust" the person to "show up" and be "responsible."
So, the downward spiral often
took years------especially as the business changed. We all abused alcohol,
and "it was just a part of the business to run hard and play hard."
Most of us drank huge quantities of beer, and drove our late night
trips at high speeds, and drinking beer.
And then as "they came into
vogue," drugs and steroids became the "norm" and were really "accepted"
or as I said, "ignored" by the companies that controlled the sport,
unless one was just so "blasted" that it couldn't be.
I fought them, the steroids-----the
cocaine, the pills, the crack--------as best I could-------but when
someone is an "addict," first "they have to want to "get off" and "clean
themselves up" or it just doesn't happen.
In fact while I was at TBS,
we instituted a drug testing policy, and it caused a lot of problems.
And we had several test positive------so the policy got "derailed" and
"never made policy" while I was there-------which was really frustrating
to me. (Two of the people that were there then, and involved in this
problem, are now dead, and died at an extremely young age,--------and
from all indications, there was a mitigating factor from this very thing.)
I am not saying "I was an angel" but I certainly experienced dealing
with the athletes who were abusing themselves this way, and all the
personality extremes that go with it. (Too, as athletes, we seldom considered
the long term effects.)
And, once addicted, whether
they want to admit it or not, they are addicts for life, so they must
fight the urge daily.
So many people tried to help
Terry. I remember Dr. Death, Steve Williams saved him once in Japan,
and then got him to going to the gym, and "in shape" and he really straightened
out for awhile.
Connie, his wife, tried so
hard too-------until finally she was "worn out with it."
Michael Hayes, tried too, in
his way. (Michael was a huge influence on Terry.) But Michael too "walked
the edge" when he was young, so that was hard for him to truly influence
an addicted person in a really positive way.
And again, in Michael's defense,
we lived in that era not understanding how we were "enabling" our peers
in this respect. We were ignorant. Michael was and is so talented, but
as we all did, lived fast and hard. So it is, and then there are those
who "go over the edge" and that is the visible tragedy------and then,
we lose them too soon.
And, Bam Bam was right there
in Texas, working for the Von Erichs, and saw the drugs and their devastation
on that family as tragedy after tragedy occurred, and "was covered up"------but
everyone in the business knew. He was there when Gino Hernandez OD'ed
too.
But see, an athlete always
thinks "I can handle this!" And that "pride" whips him. (That and generally
a lack of any real spirituality, or connection with God.)
I have now seen so many great
ones who got "hooked" on drugs or steroids or both, pass away-------and
the tragedy is such a waste.
So, I cannot think of Terry
without thinking of "his self-destructive side."
But, I can also reflect on
his "talented side" and that was huge. But that will be written about
often and featured.
But when you lose the Eddie
Gilberts, Gino Hernandez's, David Von Erich, Mike Von Erich, Chris Von
Erich, and Kerry Von Erich---------so young--------that is when we need
to really focus on "what may have contributed to that."
And, as much as I enjoyed Bam
Bam, he was like a gentle giant, but also a "loaded gun" in that he
might "go off" and get "blasted" and then "not show up," or "show up"
but not be able to perform to his own standard.
But, we as promoters, in our
greed, would "look the other way"-------to a point, and try to go ahead
and "work around it."
That is the tragedy.
Bam Bam will be remembered
as an awesome performer in the ring--------as well he should be.
But, he died too young!
So, I am not "demeaning Terry,
or anyone I've mentioned. But, as I grow old, I weep for the memories,
and think of the waste for such a loss.
And that too is the way I see
it.
I would like to thank Greg Oliver for being so
nice to me, and letting me use text and photos from SLIM! Wresling.
Copyright © 2001, Canoe Limited Partnership. All rights
reserved.
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