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Tampa-area wrestlers share their Andre the Giant stories ahead of HBO documentary

Tampa-area wrestlers share their Andre the Giant stories ahead of HBO documentary

Posted: Feb 16th 2017 By: Paul Guzzo

Two dozen years after his death, Andre the Giant remains one of the most memorable stars in the history of professional wrestling.

HBO, World Wrestling Entertainment and Bill Simmons will now add to this renown through a documentary on the oversized grappler that they announced this week will soon begin production.

If they need stories on the French man whose real name was Andre Rene Roussimoff, there are plenty to be found in the Tampa Bay area, which has long been a popular spot to live for professional wrestlers.

Tampa's Nicole Alonso, now 41, was 4 the first time she met the giant.

Her father, Michael Gossett, otherwise known as wrestler Mike Graham, oversaw the promotion Championship Wrestling from Florida and often hosted parties for the entertainers whenever they were working in Tampa.

Due to his size, Andre — billed at 7 feet 4 and more than 500 pounds — had to ride on the floor in the back of the full-sized van that took him to Gossett's home.

When he climbed out of the vehicle, his shoulders were even with top of it. A beer in his hand was hidden behind just two fingers.

And as he entered the home, Alonso ran screaming from what she thought was a real-life monster and hid under her bed until her mom coaxed her out.

"My mom said he was one of my dad's friends and was really a sweet man," Alonso said. "She was right."

A "gentle giant" is also how Indian Rocks resident and retired wrestler Lanny "The Genius" Poffo remembers Andre.

"He never physically took advantage of people, but he could have if he wanted to," said Poffo, 62, the recipient of one of the giant's head butts during a Battle Royal televised on NBC in 1987. It was a maneuver that could have severely injured Poffo had Andre not protected him properly.

"He was careful with everyone," Poffo said. "He didn't want to hurt people."

Of course, he laughed. To sell the effect of Andre's power, Poffo discretely sliced his own forehead open with a razor blade.

Among Poffo's favorite Andre tales occurred on Dec. 28, 1985.

They had a show in Buffalo and Andre forgot to bring a deck of cards to kill time in the locker room for the few hours before it started.

"Playing cards was his one of his favorite things to do in life," Poffo said.

So, Poffo asked a girl he knew to go buy a deck. When Poffo surprised Andre with the cards, a tear trickled down the cheek of the giant.

"He took his big hand, put it behind my neck and gave me a kiss on both cheeks," Poffo said. "From then on he called me 'boss man.' I was like the mouse that took the thorn out of his paw and we were friends for life."

The relationship between Poffo's brother Randy Poffo — ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage — and Andre was not as good. The reason: Andre thought the "Macho Man" lathered his body in too much baby oil prior to every match.

"Andre hated baby oil," Poffo said. "But Randy wouldn't stop wearing it. He stubbornly said Andre's gimmick is being a giant and mine is baby oil. He never backed down from Andre and they never got along because of it."

Then there are Andre's legendary drinking exploits.

Brian Blair, 60 and a world-famous professional wrestler before turning to Hillsborough County politics, often travelled with the giant.

For a long car ride through Mississippi around 1980, Blair purchased for Andre "two of the biggest bottles of Crown Royal you could get" and a case of Budweiser plus a Styrofoam cooler to be used as a urinal so they wouldn't have to pull over for bathroom breaks.

In a fit of laughter in which he was rocking back and forth, shotgun-sitting Andre broke his seat. It crashed backward and knocked the nearly full cooler into the lap of back-seat passenger Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr., who in the wrestling world was known as Dusty Rhodes.

"Dusty was so mad," Blair said with a chuckle. "Andre just kept laughing."

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1971 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
  • 1978 Jose Lothario def. Assassin 1 for the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 1985 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 2008 Michael Barry def. Angel Williams for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 2009 Jermaine Johnson def. Ky-ote Joe for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 2013 Mike Foxx def. Tim Storm for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 2013 Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) def. The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 2013 The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) def. Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 2014 Kevin Morgan & became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 2014 Jordan Jacobs def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 2014 Claudia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 2014 The Brotherhood (Kyng Benjamin & Akuma Jones) def. A. C. Slaughter (Aaron Anders & Clint Cassidy) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 2014 Fuel def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE Heavyweight Champion

Week of Sun 09-15 to Sat: 09-21

  • 09-15 1969 The Medics (Medic #1 & Medic #2) def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 09-15 1980 Junkyard Dog & Terry Orndorff def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 09-15 1986 Black Bart def. Chris Adams for the WCCW World Champion
  • 09-15 2007 Sudden Impact (Sudden Impact 1 & Sudden Impact 2) def. Texas, Inc. (Bernard Funk & Tim Rockwell) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 09-15 2007 Anthony Jackson def. AWOL for the ComPro Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-15 2007 Shane Morbid def. Justin Lee for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 09-15 2012 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-15 2018 Chavo Guerrero, Jr. def. MVP for the WCR Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-15 2019 Chaz Sharpe def. James Southard for the ASP Inter-County Champion
  • 09-15 2023 Jastin Taylor def. Sam Stackhouse for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-16 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-16 1988 Michael Hayes & Steve Cox def. The Samoan SWAT Team (Fatu & Samu) for the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
  • 09-16 2005 Lily McKenzie def. Chiquita Suzuki for the SRPW Womens Champion
  • 09-16 2006 Michael Barry def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-16 2006 Ryan Davidson became the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 09-16 2017 Paige Turner def. Erica for the IZW Womens Champion
  • 09-16 2017 Skyler Fayden def. Riker for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-16 2017 Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter became the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-16 2022 Shane Taylor def. Johnny Bedlam for the TexPro Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-16 2023 Red James def. Ozzy Hendrix for the EPW Internet Television Champion
  • 09-17 1979 The Spoiler & Mark Lewin def. Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Champion
  • 09-17 2004 Bobby Dalton def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Hardcore Champion
  • 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCB Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCB Dual Kombat Champion
  • 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCBW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCBW Dual Kombat Champion
  • 09-17 2010 Dane Griffin def. Cody Jones for the NWA-OK Texoma Champion
  • 09-17 2010 Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Montego Seeka) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 09-17 2010 Michael Faith def. Dane Griffin for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-17 2016 Mr. Nasty def. Brian Breaker for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-18 1967 Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma def. Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 09-18 2005 Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch def. The Hurricane & Rosey for the WWE RAW World Tag Team Champion
  • 09-18 2005 Ric Flair def. Carlito for the WWE Intercontinental Champion
  • 09-18 2015 Sons of Texas (Moonshine Mantell & Killer McKenzie) def. The Imperialists (Charlie Haas & Griffin) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 09-18 2021 Thrash def. Jermaine Johnson for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 09-18 2021 Reed def. Thrash for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 09-18 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-18 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Apex Champion
  • 09-19 1979 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Mike George for the MSW Mississippi Champion
  • 09-19 1982 David Von Erich def. Bill Irwin for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. Michael Hayes & Steve Cox for the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
  • 09-19 2014 Simply Irresistible (Matthew Palmer & James Johnson) def. The Dark Circle (Mace Malone & Apoc) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 09-19 2015 Loaded Guns (Jon Cross & Brandon Walker) def. The Rising (Riker & Abel) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-19 2015 Brian Breaker def. Clint Cassidy for the UWE United States Champion
  • 09-19 2015 Zakk Sinizter def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2015 Jon Cross became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2019 MVP became the WCR Imperial Champion
  • 09-19 2020 Pastor Brent became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Maui Mike def. Thrash for the ASP Mid-American Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Brixton Barricade def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Malik Mayfield def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP Livestream Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Double D def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP 5-Star Champion
  • 09-20 1971 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
  • 09-20 1978 Jose Lothario def. Assassin 1 for the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 09-20 1985 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 09-20 2008 Michael Barry def. Angel Williams for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-20 2008 New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2009 Jermaine Johnson def. Ky-ote Joe for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 09-20 2013 Mike Foxx def. Tim Storm for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-20 2013 Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) def. The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2013 The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) def. Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2014 Kevin Morgan & became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2014 Jordan Jacobs def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 09-20 2014 Claudia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 09-20 2014 The Brotherhood (Kyng Benjamin & Akuma Jones) def. A. C. Slaughter (Aaron Anders & Clint Cassidy) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2014 Fuel def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-21 1954 Johnny Valentine def. Joe Christie for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 09-21 2002 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
  • 09-21 2012 Tim Storm became the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-21 2012 Kyra Maya became the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 09-21 2013 Nasty Swag (Robert Lee & Ace Archuleta) became the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-21 2019 Slice & Kill (Skylar Slice & Killista) def. The Proclamation (Ethan Cole & Reed) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
09-20
  • Justin Lee Sep 20th Today!
  • Joey Stixx Sep 20th Today!
  • Boz Sep 20th Today!
  • Pepper Martin Sep 20th Today!
  • Ethan Page Sep 20th Today!
  • Chuck Singer Sep 20th Today!
  • Jason Simon Sep 20th Today!
  • Greg Valentine Sep 20th Today!
  • Randy Rhodes Sep 20th Today!
  • Ricky Morton Sep 21st
  • Connor Jones Sep 21st
  • Jack Brisco Sep 21st
  • Mike Chacoma Sep 22nd
  • Doug Somers Sep 22nd
  • Harley D Sep 22nd
  • Cole Crittenden Sep 23rd
  • Rocco Valentino Sep 23rd
  • O'Malley Sep 23rd
  • John J. Bishop Sep 24th
  • Kai Fayden Sep 24th
  • Jason Bruce Sep 24th
  • Clayton Bloodstone Sep 24th
  • Joe Jones Sep 24th
  • Connor Crunk Sep 24th
  • Len Rossi Sep 24th
  • Angel [2nd] Sep 25th
  • Toots Estes Sep 25th
  • Jimmy Garvin Sep 25th
  • Chief Mike Sep 25th
  • Chris Matthews Sep 26th
  • Clifton Clinstock Sep 26th
  • BB Sep 26th
  • Lone Eagle Sep 26th
  • Kendo Nagasaki Sep 26th
  • Angel Camacho Sep 27th
  • Alec Bisogno Sep 27th
  • Tyler Cordingley Sep 27th
  • Tommy Prince Sep 28th
  • Kamille Sep 28th
  • Scott Lee Sep 28th
  • Billy Ray [2nd] Sep 28th
  • Rip Tyler Sep 28th
  • David Sammartino Sep 29th
  • Ann Casey Sep 29th
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  • Cold Blooded Chris Oct 2nd
  • Don Fargo Oct 3rd
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