Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 16:19:56 GMT -5
Before Nagurski, the big name football player turned wrestler was Gus Sonnenberg. Gus beat Strangler Lewis for the World title, and introduced the flying tackle to wrestling.
Another was Leo Nomelli, who had a run with Lou Thesz as a disputed NWA title claimant.
If he counts, Kevin Greene; a surefire NFL HOFer someday. (He only quit when the NFL required that "no wrestling" be a part of contracts. Never knew that.)
|
|
NOwave
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,735
|
Post by NOwave on Oct 2, 2015 16:27:26 GMT -5
That team (’85 Bears) may have been the best team in NFL history for a single season. Their average winning margin was over 20 points, even in the playoffs. They started using 320 lb Defensive tackle William “The Refrigerator” Perry as a running back almost as a joke, and they still beat almost every opponent in a blowout.
Here’s one not many people even here will know-Baseball-American Dream Dusty Rhodes was the best shortstop in West Texas University (now A&M) history, and was offered a professional contract. Oldtimers at WT still remember Virgil Runnels as a “vacuum cleaner” on ground balls, who could easily make the long throw from deep in the hole at short to 1st base. In addition, Dusty was a standout Tackle on the WT football team who got offered by the Detroit Lions.
Here’s another you might not think of: Basketball: Karl Malone, NBA HOF, and surprisingly good pro wrestler. Watch his tag team matches with Diamond Dallas Page. Malone admitted to being a huge fan of wrestling back in his home in Louisiana, where he saw Ernie Ladd wrestle in Shreveport for Mid-South promotions. Karl was such a good overall athlete that he could pull off the moves he’d seen for years without much training.
|
|
|
Post by Super Nintenjoe KBD on Oct 2, 2015 16:45:09 GMT -5
That reminds me I was for some reason watching the XFL the other day (well, mainly to see if it was as cringeworthy as I imaged) and was pleasantly surprised to see Adamle as some sort of interviewer or pitch side reporter. And I later learned that Ricky Ortiz played in that league which would make him the biggest XFL/Sports Entertainment crossover star in history!!
|
|
Woo
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 5,279
|
Post by Woo on Oct 2, 2015 16:50:01 GMT -5
Bob Holly was a big star in NASCAR racing!
|
|
|
Post by Joe Neglia on Oct 2, 2015 19:07:27 GMT -5
Joe Louis became a pro wrestler after his boxing career was over, as well as a wrestling referee. If he's not the winner of this contest, I don't know what to tell ya.
Otis Sistrunk got into wrestling for a while after his Super Bowl-winning football career ended, teaming with Michael Hayes.
When Alex Karras was on the outs with the NFL (and during off-seasons), he did a lot of wrestling. His NFL career kind of never quite peaked though because of the controversies.
|
|
|
Post by Mister Pigwell on Oct 2, 2015 19:36:39 GMT -5
Does Danny Hodge count? I mean the dude has an award named after him.
|
|
|
Post by Toilet Paper Roll on Oct 2, 2015 21:05:15 GMT -5
does Lawrence Taylor count? id guess not, because it was a one off match, but a guy considered top 5 all time at his sport would seem to be a strong choice.
|
|
|
Post by Joe Neglia on Oct 2, 2015 21:13:50 GMT -5
Guys...Joe Louis. Joe. Louis.
|
|
Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
|
Post by Crappler El 0 M on Oct 2, 2015 21:23:59 GMT -5
Wahoo McDaniels had an nice career in the AFL. Not the best career but its worth noting. Much bigger star in wrestling. He would have had some notoriety, ironically enough, in the New York area. I say ironically because he had successful runs in many places, but not New York.
|
|
Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
|
Post by Crappler El 0 M on Oct 2, 2015 21:32:26 GMT -5
Bill Kazmaier, Ted Arcidi, Paul Anderson, and Tom Magee.
|
|
Chainsaw
T
A very BAD man.
It is what it is
Posts: 90,480
|
Post by Chainsaw on Oct 2, 2015 21:34:28 GMT -5
Guys...Joe Louis. Joe. Louis. I didn't know that. Huh.
|
|
|
Post by RowdyRobbyPiper on Oct 2, 2015 21:36:24 GMT -5
Angelo Mosca
|
|
Reflecto
Hank Scorpio
The Sorceress' Knight
Posts: 6,847
|
Post by Reflecto on Oct 2, 2015 21:38:37 GMT -5
When Alex Karras was on the outs with the NFL (and during off-seasons), he did a lot of wrestling. His NFL career kind of never quite peaked though because of the controversies. Yeah, but Karras's NFL career not peaking makes it closer to him being more successful as an actor, and not one of the more successful football players to do so. Also seen as: Mongo only pawn in game of pro wrestling.
|
|
Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
|
Post by Crappler El 0 M on Oct 2, 2015 21:42:12 GMT -5
Kazushi Sakuraba, Sylvester Terkay, Dan Severn, Don Frye, Ken Shamrock, Mark Coleman, Bob Sapp, and Josh Barnett,
|
|
|
Post by RowdyRobbyPiper on Oct 2, 2015 23:15:26 GMT -5
Ken Patera, Verne Gagne, Mad Dog Vachon, Iron Sheik, Jack Brisco
|
|
Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
|
Post by Crappler El 0 M on Oct 2, 2015 23:18:22 GMT -5
Ken Patera, Verne Gagne, Mad Dog Vachon, Iron Sheik, Jack Brisco You're right. I should have listed him with the weightlifting/strongman wrestlers from my previous post, but I left him off because he is one of the ones who did have success in wrestling, though he was more successful in weightlifting (Olympics, Pan-American Games). Mark Henry, Patera, and Doug Furnas are among the more successful wrestlers to come from either the strongman, weightlifting, or powerlifting worlds.
|
|
|
Post by Feyrhausen on Oct 2, 2015 23:30:07 GMT -5
Not one mention of Monty Brown?
|
|
Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
|
Post by Crappler El 0 M on Oct 2, 2015 23:40:19 GMT -5
Not one mention of Monty Brown? Uhh, sure. Not that his NFL or college careers were off the charts, but realistically, he didn't end up doing much in wrestling. He was a solid prospect who was getting over in TNA, but ultimately he didn't become what some thought he would.
|
|
|
Post by StormanReigns on Oct 2, 2015 23:50:17 GMT -5
Lesnar/Angle.
Angle did the entire press circuit after he won his gold medal.
Lesnar was regularly all over ESPN, but you can argue that was because of his WWE career.
|
|
Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
|
Post by Crappler El 0 M on Oct 2, 2015 23:53:58 GMT -5
Angle and Brock have been so successful in pro wrestling that I'm surprised they're being mentioned as much as they are. How do you decide if they have had more success in their legitimate sports or in the worked entertainment industry? It is true that Brock was a bigger box office draw in MMA. His MMA career was much shorter, but he did reach the top of that sport. You could make the case that he was more successful in MMA, but there's a strong case for WWE getting him to the level where he would be an MMA draw, plus he's had more years in wrestling and he's the biggest special attraction for WWE for the past few years.
|
|