How would Andre be remembered if he were still alive?

[Deleted]

Would he be mythologized in the WWE the way he is today?

Would he and Vince be on good terms?

Would he still have any kind of role within the company?

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

A bully and an unruly drunk. He was also on the outs with Vince, f*** he even went to a wcw event.

[Deleted]

Apr 19, 2019 12:26:01 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

A bully and an unruly drunk. He was also on the outs with Vince, f*** he even went to a wcw event.

It gets harder and harder to find that line between "product of the business at the time" and "absolute psychopath" as time passes from the older days of wrestling.

I'm glad a few of them that are still around (Jake, as an example) have gained some degree of self-awareness.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Apr 19, 2019 12:35:35 GMT -5 @hedm2005 said:

Apr 19, 2019 12:26:01 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

A bully and an unruly drunk. He was also on the outs with Vince, f*** he even went to a wcw event.

It gets harder and harder to find that line between "product of the business at the time" and "absolute psychopath" as time passes from the older days of wrestling.

I'm glad a few of them that are still around (Jake, as an example) have gained some degree of self-awareness.

Well when you drink your own piss on a crack induced binge the only way is up.

[Deleted]

The problem with Andre is that they exaggerated everything about him in order to make him appear even more impressive than he really was, which was already pretty damn impressive. Andre died right before Giant Gonzalez, Kevin Nash and Big Show gained prominence... all guys who ranged from Andre's height to being much taller. So, would they try to protect Andre's true height from being exposed or would they use Andre's stature to put over how big the other guys were? Pretty hard to maintain his image as the alpha giant unless they just made a point to keep him away from those other guys.

[jason1980s]

If he hadn't died I see him coming back to WWF very soon into 1993. Vince was probably pretty busy setting things straight with Macho, Flair and Bret in the HW title scene and the following month with Warrior and Bulldog leaving the trying to figure out the main event scene at the time. But I can't see him letting go of Andre in his mind and him being on a WCW show especially with Andre's health and it may have been his last appearance in the states (and it was). It just happened that he didn't get to Andre quick enough.
If he had come back to WWF he would get a Babe Ruth role with almost exclusively doing special appearances, most likely backstage. With his limited mobility I can't see Vince McMahon wanting him the ring and completely destroying his aura. At least with the Earthquake "injury" it allowed Andre to mask his problems using the crutch for storyline purposes.

[GuyOfOwnage]

I feel like that man was in so much pain, especially towards the end, that keeping him around any longer would've been outright cruel.

[jason1980s]

Apr 19, 2019 14:23:49 GMT -5 GuyOfOwnage said:

I feel like that man was in so much pain, especially towards the end, that keeping him around any longer would've been outright cruel.

But the problem was, he wanted to keep going. It was like 1988 Billy Graham but worse. Vince McMahon did everything he could to keep Andre going with the limitations that Andre had and he just couldn't do it any longer. Andre was performing in Mexico in late 1992 because he wanted to keep going. He accepted the WCW clash invitation because he wanted to be a part of wrestling and Vince no longer had a part for him.

[GuyOfOwnage]

Apr 19, 2019 14:50:41 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

Apr 19, 2019 14:23:49 GMT -5 GuyOfOwnage said:

I feel like that man was in so much pain, especially towards the end, that keeping him around any longer would've been outright cruel.

But the problem was, he wanted to keep going. It was like 1988 Billy Graham but worse. Vince McMahon did everything he could to keep Andre going with the limitations that Andre had and he just couldn't do it any longer. Andre was performing in Mexico in late 1992 because he wanted to keep going. He accepted the WCW clash invitation because he wanted to be a part of wrestling and Vince no longer had a part for him.

I mean, can you blame the man? The wrestling business was the only place he'd ever felt any kind of comradery or acceptance. I get that Vince couldn't keep going on with him but I also get why Andre couldn't just walk away from it.

[The Heenan Family]

Andre probably didn't save much for retirement since his doctors told him he would die young. So when Vince stopped booking him, I can see where he felt abandoned. Not only would his drinking or self medicating budget decrease, but he wouldn't be able to see his friends on the road anymore. The 1990s were not looking to be kind to Andre physically, mentally, nor financially.


If Andre kept living, his only hope probably would have come from WCW and Hogan. I could easily see the Dungeon Master role going to Andre. If Savage could get Lanny a sweet sit at home deal with WCW, it's possible Andre could have ended up with something similar.




So Andre basically would have been remembered as a guy who jumped ship. When Hogan was gone, WWE tried to use Andre as the symbol of past WrestleManias. If he had lived and gone to WCW, I am guessing WWE would have ignored the past entirely.


Once WCW folded, Vince would try to put Andre under a Legends or consulting deal. It's unlikely Andre would be able to travel to Mania every year or attend conventions though.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Apr 19, 2019 14:18:45 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

If he hadn't died I see him coming back to WWF very soon into 1993. Vince was probably pretty busy setting things straight with Macho, Flair and Bret in the HW title scene and the following month with Warrior and Bulldog leaving the trying to figure out the main event scene at the time. But I can't see him letting go of Andre in his mind and him being on a WCW show especially with Andre's health and it may have been his last appearance in the states (and it was). It just happened that he didn't get to Andre quick enough.
If he had come back to WWF he would get a Babe Ruth role with almost exclusively doing special appearances, most likely backstage. With his limited mobility I can't see Vince McMahon wanting him the ring and completely destroying his aura. At least with the Earthquake "injury" it allowed Andre to mask his problems using the crutch for storyline purposes.

Prichard claims, take it for what it’s worth, that they wanted Andre back for either wm 6 or 7 but he was too far gone.

[wildojinx]

Apr 19, 2019 15:24:39 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

Apr 19, 2019 14:18:45 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

If he hadn't died I see him coming back to WWF very soon into 1993. Vince was probably pretty busy setting things straight with Macho, Flair and Bret in the HW title scene and the following month with Warrior and Bulldog leaving the trying to figure out the main event scene at the time. But I can't see him letting go of Andre in his mind and him being on a WCW show especially with Andre's health and it may have been his last appearance in the states (and it was). It just happened that he didn't get to Andre quick enough.
If he had come back to WWF he would get a Babe Ruth role with almost exclusively doing special appearances, most likely backstage. With his limited mobility I can't see Vince McMahon wanting him the ring and completely destroying his aura. At least with the Earthquake "injury" it allowed Andre to mask his problems using the crutch for storyline purposes.

Prichard claims, take it for what it’s worth, that they wanted Andre back for either wm 6 or 7 but he was too far gone.

He was at both shows, and even wrestled at 6.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Apr 19, 2019 15:35:03 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Apr 19, 2019 15:24:39 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

Prichard claims, take it for what it’s worth, that they wanted Andre back for either wm 6 or 7 but he was too far gone.

He was at both shows, and even wrestled at 6.

Oh ok then that he was supposed to have a match at 7.

[Milkman Norm]

It's nearly impossible to say. He would be a legend but the way the economics of wrestling changed as Andre's career was ending means that it would have been impossible for him to be as big a deal as he had been as a touring attraction. So he would have been one giant among many in wrestling. And that pretty much kills his appeal.

[Allie Kitsune]

Probably more for his negative personality traits than for his impact on the business.

[Mozenrath]

I think it'd have been largely the same. Maybe a few more acting roles, but if he didn't die right when he did, I don't really know how much longer he could have potentially lived, anyway. He was very ill.

[Crappler El 0 M]

If he were still alive, we'd have 26 extra years to judge him by, though his health would not have allowed him to do much in the public eye. He never had the surgery to treat his acromegaly. Realistically, he would have been unable to walk and certain parts of his anatomy and glands would continue to grow. If pics of him got out or if he was seen in public, it would probably be sad to see.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Apr 19, 2019 18:49:49 GMT -5 Allie Kitsune said:

Probably more for his negative personality traits than for his impact on the business.

After learning of how he essentially bullied Big John Studd out of the company, I was happy Akira Maeda broke the Andre myth and embarrassed him in the ring.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Apr 19, 2019 16:05:30 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

Apr 19, 2019 15:35:03 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

He was at both shows, and even wrestled at 6.

Oh ok then that he was supposed to have a match at 7.

The rumour I have always heard was they wanted Taker vs. Andre at Mania 7.

[The Thread Barbi]

Apr 20, 2019 0:49:34 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

Apr 19, 2019 16:05:30 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

Oh ok then that he was supposed to have a match at 7.

The rumour I have always heard was they wanted Taker vs. Andre at Mania 7.

Taker said it himself during the recent shoot interviews with his pastor. Andre was looking forward to getting healthy enough to work with Taker.