Meltzer's Brian Pillman piece from 2006

[Warner2BruceTD]

In my opinion, the greatest piece of writing Meltzer has ever done, and that covers quite a bit of ground.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/alt.pro-wrestling/HPjXw87-dp4/farC1WnTeX0J

This is not the obit Meltzer wrote in 1997. This was in response to the Pillman DVD WWE put out almost a decade later, which Dave clearly insinuates was structured on his original obit (and he cites WWE using the same incorrect date of death that he accidentally used in his obit as the proof).

A few things that stick out...

-Paul Heyman, as usual, being ahead of the curve in seeing stardom in Pillman before almost anybody else, and Heyman also eerily predicting his death to Shane Douglas & others.

-I'm still amazed Pillman was able to successfully work not only Eric Bischoff, who everybody worked, but also Kevin Sullivan & Vince McMahon.

-Meltzer clearly downplays their friendship and his role in helping to manifest the Loose Cannon gimmick, something he has admitted at other times.

-Heyman has a way of always finding himself in the middle of things somehow, doesn't he? He needs to write a book, it would be the greatest thing ever if he could somehow avoid the inevitable bullshit it will be littered with. Actually, it would probably be even better if he fills it with his bullshit.

-The story with his kids at the wake. Jeez.

-The Pillman/Angle comparisons are even scarier seven years or so later.

-I was sitting ringside for SummerSlam '97 and distinctly remember Pillman limping to the ring with his boots untied. Dude's ankle must have been blown up like a balloon.

-Interesting that Pillman saw the landscape changing and knew he couldn't continue with "Flyin" Brian once the lucha flying hit the U.S. He really was the last of the old school flyers in hindsight.

-I would love to hear those loony phone calls to Mark Madden & Lou Thesz.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I haven't read that in years. Re-read it now...brings back memories.

Pillman was always a favorite of mine. One of my fondest memories as a younger fan was Pillman v. Liger at SuperBrawl. It remains one of my favorite matches. It as one of those matches that just sticks out...maybe it was right place, right time...I don't know, but I've always liked a different breed of wrestler and can't remember much of a reason why outside of a few instances that stand out when I was younger, Pillman/Liger was one of them.

Pillman was pretty tame as an on-screen character...kind of vanilla, really. He let his in-ring work be his personality. It wasn't until he and Austin formed the Blondes where he started to become something else. Pillman was definitely the star of that team and the straw the stirred the drink. Before that, as noted in the article he was definitely a workhorse. I can definitely understand the professional jealousy/hatred for Luger. They had had some matches in the late 80's that were very very good all because of Pillman, who was a superior worker, but it was Luger that was pushed to the moon.

Dude's personal life was a fuckin mess though. Which is par for the course for most of the early wrestler deaths, it seemed.

 

[s@ppisgod]

Sorry, I'm a little late to the party on this one. Never saw it before, very interesting read. Pillman was definitely a different type of guy, but with all of the familiar wrestling shortcomings. Can't help but think this full-on Loose Cannon gimmick all the time was just a way to justify him falling deeper in pills and booze. He seemed too smart for that, but why else would you want to be always wired?

Have a hard time believing he was against the Hart/Canada/USA dynamic, if just for a little bit. It was so unique and tough to bottle, you'd think Pillman would have been all over it.

Classic Nash story, although him not cutting the check was a real douche move.

Classic Bischoff giving him a legit release. How many stupid mistakes can one man make? And Pillman almost went back. Kinda crazy. He must've been crazy over the money, because mid-90's WCW was maybe the most crowded upper card in the history of wrestling. He, before you even take the Humvee accident into account, would have never made 1/4th the impact in WCW that he did in his short program with Austin. The 4 Horsemen always played 9th fiddle in Bischoff's head, and once the shine wore off the Loose Cannon gimmick, like it always did in WCW, he'd be just another guy.

The story about his ex trying to call him so she could blow her brains out while on the phone with him just to fuck with his head. Goddamn.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Luger laughing at him before shows and mocking him while he practiced moves would be your classic movie scene that looks totally made up, except it's true.

If I had a time machine, one of the places i'd go is that cable convention to watch Pillman act all loony while Vince shits his pants.

 

[s@ppisgod]

Now that I think about it, Pillman was incredibly talented to be so memorable in what were really, really short runs outside of his lower card work. It's been noted that the Hollywood Blondes were together for a very short time, but his time in the Horsemen was only what? 6 months? His time in ECW is still talked about, but he was there very briefly. His feud with Austin was almost nonexistant, but enough to make a big impact. And I want to say he was involved in the Hart Foundation for about a year, but more as an off-and-on thing. Not sure if that makes him more HOF worthy or less. Tough call.

All very memorable, but the guy's career was basically made up of incredibly short bright spots. The star that shines the brightest burns the fastest.