Another variable is the weather. No rain was being predicted at press time, but it was expected to be a chilly night, high 40s and low 50s. Bumps and chops hurt a lot worse in cold outdoor weather, and its tougher for crowd reactions as well.
WWE HALL OF FAME
When: Saturday, 4/6 8 p.m. (Airs on Tuesday, 4/9 on USA Network 10 p.m.)
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York
Lineup: Bruno Sammartino, Donald Trump, Trish Stratus, Mick Foley, Bob Backlund, Booker T
Notes: Billed as Bruno Sammartino 188th Madison Square Garden sellout, which is the new 93,173, this is one of the most star-studded Hall of Fame classes ever. The 77-year-old Sammartino returns to the building he headlined legitimately 138 times, more than anyone in history, and also wrestled in more times than anyone in history. The event is not without late controversy due to the decision to put Stratus as one of the three main eventers, ahead of Foley, or at least that was how it was advertised on Raw. According to a WWE source, they were not aware of the commercial (it was a USA Network commercial) and that they were 90 percent sure Foley will be part of the broadcast. In the past, everyone gets cameo time, but usually only two inductees, three max, are featured. Stephanie McMahon wanted to induct Stratus. As noted last week, Stratus had on her web site put up a poll asking who should induct her, and the results according to her, came up overwhelmingly for Lita. She then said she agreed with the decision, meaning she didnt know any better at the time. According to those in WWE, a lot of the talent was upset when the commercial aired, not at all as a knock to Stratus, but just that Foley deserved better than to be treated as a prelim guy in the Hall of Fame. Many were even more upset about Trump getting top billing, but its WWE tradition at the Hall of Fame to put the celebrities ahead of all but the biggest star each year, and theres no way Trump would appear if he wasnt featured. We heard from a few people who were shocked when it appeard Foley was relegated to the off-TV grouping, and werent mincing words about it. Even I, who have been told time after time that the Hall of Fame is simply a vehicle to sell a DVD, felt Foley deserved a lot better, but it does appear hell get at least more than cameo time. With all due respect to Stratus, her career was not in the ballpark of Foley or Bob Backlund. Backlund headlined 67 times in Madison Square Garden and sold out 41 of them, and was the second longest reigning champion in history behind Sammartino. At press time, it has been announced that Sammartino will be inducted by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who unlike some combinations in the past, the two really were friends and had trained together dating back to the 60s, although of the wrestlers, Schwarzenegger was actually closer to Superstar Billy Graham during that period. Foley will be inducted by Terry Funk. Backlund will be inducted by Maria Menounos of the TV show Extra, who has wrestled at WrestleMania before, done well and is legitimately a big fan. It is rumored Booker T will be inducted by his brother, Stevie Ray, but WWE officials would not confirm that. Nothing also was said about Trump, although one WWE official suggested to us that Trump was going to insist on Vince McMahon because nobody else would be considered good enough for him.
Its would be difficult for anyone who knew Ric Flair to write or discuss the death of his youngest son, 25-year-old Richard Reid Fliehr, who had been wrestling and training the past few months with All Japan Pro Wrestling.
I dont think there could be anything worse in this world than to lose a young child. In this case, the tragedy can be magnified. In this case, father and son had an unusual bond, as frequent training partners and in son trying to emulate the father.
Worse, in the absolute worst nightmarish situation, it was Ric Flair and girlfriend Wendy Barlow (formerly Fifi the Maid), who had the door opened in Reids room at about 10:35 a.m. at the Residence Inn in Charlotte on 3/29, when Reid didnt answer a call as they needed to head to the airport.
They found him blue and unresponsive. Ric called 911 in a panic. EMTs arrived within five minutes, but he had already passed away.
Ric and Reid were scheduled go to Maryland, where Ric would do autograph signings for Big Time Wrestling in Hagerstown, MD and Altoona, PA the next two nights, while Reid would wrestle. Then they would head off to WrestleMania, where Reid would see his older sister wrestle at the Fan Axxess.
I cant imagine how Ric Flair could ever be the same, not just having to witness what he did, but having to do so while being helpless to do anything.
Reid Fliehr had a major problem, one that he never could fully overcome, which came out publicly in 2009 when he crashed his car and police found black tar heroin inside. Heroin is arguably the most addictive drug there is. Reid was not a typical addict in the sense the belief was he was often clean from the hard drugs for long periods of time, but then, the nightmare would came back, often with dire consequences. Reid had a best friend who overdosed and died. Reid himself was lucky to be alive on more than one occasion. He was sent to expensive rehab, but it remained a constant battle. Hed win the daily battle more often than not, but on the days he didnt win, he lost big.
One would think that, given the track record of pro wrestlers, particularly those whose fathers were big stars, that the worst thing for someone who was already battling those issues to do would become a pro wrestler. Many who have never drank or did drugs before getting into pro wrestling become messed up. And the general rule is whatever vice people do come in with, becomes magnified through the pro wrestling lifestyle. Ironically, this was the rare case where it was the best thing for him, or at least it was with All Japan, since he was far away from his bad influences.
Reid loved pro wrestling, his girlfriend and his family. Ric arranged for him to be sent to All Japan, where he was originally supposed to train in the dojo. He did well enough the first night, in late January, when he replaced his father, whose leg had swollen badly from the blood clot, teaming with Keiji Muto, against Seiya Sanada & Tatsumi Fujinami. From that point on, they didnt just train him, but also had him wrestle in prelims every night.
He got nothing but positive reports as far as his behavior, his training, and his progression in the ring. On 3/15, he was given a singles win over Yasufumi Nakanoe, which showed how much All Japan felt he had progressed. Two days later, in what ended up being his last match, on the big show at Tokyo Sumo Hall, he wrestled in the second match, teaming with Kenso against older veterans Osamu Nishimura & Masa Fuchi, who were there to help teach him. He was a good athlete, but still raw. Even though it had been four years since he had started, Japan was the first chance he had to ever work on a full-time regular basis.
He flew home on 3/24 for the Easter holidays, and WrestleMania. Those close to him were very concerned about him coming to Charlotte, because he had bad influences around him, most notable being the son of a pro wrestler who was the worst influence possible.
He had talked of moving out of Charlotte with his girlfriend, who had taken a job in Charleston, SC. He was looking at starting up a personal training business there while at the same time pursuing pro wrestling.
On his first day after he arrived back in Charlotte, he called up friend Jose Rodriguez, a local independent wrestler, and they trained the next two days even though it was supposed to be his down time. He told friends he was worried about his father, who was hospitalized with a blood clot that hed apparently had for a couple of months. He took the next day off because he wanted to spend it with his father, who was recovering from a hospital visit for a blood clot.
He and Ric were together on Thursday until about 1:30 a.m., when Ric went to sleep. Evidently, instead of going to sleep, Reid evidently went back out. At this point, the autopsy hasnt revealed anything, other than no foul play was involved. It may be weeks, or even months, before all the testing comes back, and the actual answer of what happened later that night will come out.
For the past two decades, I would guess that 70 percent, at least, of the conversations Ive had with Ric Flair have included a discussion of how Reid was doing. It was his favorite subject to talk about, no matter how pressing issues were with him, the business or the world.
Ric Flair had four children. The two oldest, Megan and David, were born and mostly raised in Minneapolis by his first wife, while he was running around being Ric Flair. It was a conflict, because he felt guilty when he wasnt there for birthdays and holidays, but in those days, being the top star in the Carolinas, and later NWA world champion, was a 365-day a year job of travel, main events and parties.
By the time his two youngest children, Ashley, who is now working for WWE, and Reid, were growing up, the schedule was lighter and his kids were raised in his house with him there. Ric Flairs life revolved around his own wrestling, but just as much, perhaps more, raising his kids and attending their sports events. Ashley was a top athlete, particularly in volleyball, while Reid was at one time among the best wrestlers in his age group in the country.
He said he was trading in his wrestling trunks for hospital scrubs. Apparently Haas has just taken a regular well-paying job in the medical profession at his home in Texas and even if this blow-up didnt happen, was probably not going to be around much longer.
