David Von Erich or Magnum TA: long term champ prospect?

[horsemen4ever]

Of these two NWA World Champions that never were, who had more prudential as a long term World Champion to get the torch from Flair, etc. but out side the ring tragedy stops that from happening? David Von Erich or Magnum TA.

Well I always though the narrative David Von Erich would have been a long term World Champion was strictly from the Von Erich family and fellow WCCW people like Michael Hayes who knew, respective, and loved David but couldn't see from an outside objective, did people from the other territory think the same way? But remember when David died it was early 1984, Ric Flair just started his second reign in November, his first reign didn't work out, so people have the expectation that Flair was going to fail again and when that happens, maybe David take his place.

Magnum on the other hand, I totally see him as a prudential next World Champion, and being what Sting became. Weather he would be a big enough success that Flair would never get the belt, I don't know, and we never will.

[petef3]

Wait, who's saying that Flair's first reign didn't work out?

I don't think either guy was ever going to be a long-term champion.

[Triangle Lancer]

David was on the NWA Board of Directors at the time of his passing. He wasn't getting anything aside from a short reign. The others on the panel wouldn't allow it.

[Tiger Millionaire]

Dusty having another Babyface be the top guy while he was booking would have been hard to see. As much as TA was over, I think Dusty ends up Road Warrioring him, turning him heel, and killing his heat.

[schiavonecuckscole]

Jul 4, 2021 9:42:50 GMT -5 Triangle Lancer said:

David was on the NWA Board of Directors at the time of his passing. He wasn't getting anything aside from a short reign. The others on the panel wouldn't allow it.

I had never known that fact. I always thought Fritz was the WCCW Rep.

But why would being on the board mean the other reps would not vote for him?

Wouldnt any NWA champ have to be from someone's territory? Is being the on the Board the problem? Or could the rest of the board got to know him personally & decide he IS the one.

[schiavonecuckscole]

David Von Erich or Magnum TA: long term champ prospect?

Now THAT is one of the more thought provoking wrestling questions I have run across.

Both said to have been a not too long away NWA Champ only to be cut down in their prime.

A Big part of the answer is are we talking about an Old School NWA Title with living out of a suitcase going all over the world. Or a Later years reign with way fewer territories & being more attached to the Crockett Region?

If it was old school I would have say David. He was starting traveling ( Japan & Florida for starters). I think he would have no problem doing a 2 year run. I think he most likely would have been a 1 time champ with a 2nd run if the NWA Needed a 6 month-1 year placeholder if the then next champion pick fell through.

New school less traveling champ Magnum would have hit it out of the park. Only problem would be if Dusty got jealous getting overshadowed as the top face. I could see Dusty turning Magnum heel so he could take the belt off him.

[Triangle Lancer]

Jul 4, 2021 12:29:41 GMT -5 schiavonecuckscole said:

Jul 4, 2021 9:42:50 GMT -5 Triangle Lancer said:

David was on the NWA Board of Directors at the time of his passing. He wasn't getting anything aside from a short reign. The others on the panel wouldn't allow it.

I had never known that fact. I always thought Fritz was the WCCW Rep.

But why would being on the board mean the other reps would not vote for him?

Wouldnt any NWA champ have to be from someone's territory? Is being the on the Board the problem? Or could the rest of the board got to know him personally & decide he IS the one.

David was added in 1983, Fritz still had pull as a former President.

Some of the others on the Board: Ole Anderson, Shohei Baba, Victor Jovica & Carlos Colon. Yes, in a way 3 of the 4 did "win" the title (haven't seen if Ole had one of those flips that ultimately was washed away; none of the title history sites mention it), but they wouldn't vote a fellow board member long term, which is the subject at hand.

[Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!!]

Magnum for sure. I see David as being more like Barry Windham where he was a solid hand and worked great as a transitional champ but I don't see the NWA ever keeping the belt on him for more than a couple months here and there. Magnum on the other hand probably would have had the spot they eventually gave to Sting.

[nisidhe]

I think David was tbe better worker and, as a heel, would have been more favoured by the board as a long-term champion in due course. However, the business was beginning to shift from an aesthetic standpoint requiring more telegenic types to sell the product. Kevin might have been more over in a high-profile spot like that than David would have been (Kerry even more, but I think he was too young for that kind of position). David was going to be up there, but likely not for long and more likely would have been asked to put over one of his brothers.

While Magnum TA absolutely could work and had a look that would have made him a household name, I'm not sure how far he would have gone or what might have been but for the accident. I think there is a bit of a myth that's been created, in part by the Apter mags, but TA's potential. I think he could have held down the US title at least as long as Tully did. Whether he'd ever get to hold the big belt, I'm not so sure. Perhaps he could have become like Edge and racked up a bunch of singles and tag titles; maybe a cup of coffee with Flair's belt, but not much more. Plus, Magnum TA's gimmick was not going to last much longer than the TV series did (it did for a while), but translating that to a persona that was evocative of the private eye but not close enough to get C&D letters would have largely kept him out of WWF.

[petef3]

I don't see any scenario possible where David gets a reign that's appreciably longer than the one Kerry got.

[Toilet Paper Roll]

Jul 4, 2021 22:45:26 GMT -5 petef3 said:

I don't see any scenario possible where David gets a reign that's appreciably longer than the one Kerry got.

Kerry was an unreliable drug addict.   That is what cut his run short, and he only got that because Fritz putup money to give him that short run.

I'm not sure David actually ever gets there, he was deserving but it wouldnt have been a grave injustice if he never made it.

Magnum TA was ready and I think would have seen multiple runs as world champ.  Terrific athlete, way over and movie star good looks

[Mozenrath]

David would have been champion. Longterm? Harder to say for reasons stated by other people, but he'd have won it, especially since, wasn't Flair wanting to put him in that spot?

Magnum would have been interesting in that he was obviously being groomed for the spot. I feel like Magnum TA obviously had the look and well-wishers, particularly if Dusty sticks around during.

[petef3]

Jul 4, 2021 22:58:44 GMT -5 Toilet Paper Roll said:

Jul 4, 2021 22:45:26 GMT -5 petef3 said:

I don't see any scenario possible where David gets a reign that's appreciably longer than the one Kerry got.

Kerry was an unreliable drug addict.   That is what cut his run short, and he only got that because Fritz putup money to give him that short run.

And David died of a pill overdose in a hotel room. Who's the unreliable one?

(Also I think the belief is that David's death is what really started to f' Kerry up in regards to drug use and unreliability.)

[Toilet Paper Roll]

Jul 5, 2021 0:28:34 GMT -5 petef3 said:

Jul 4, 2021 22:58:44 GMT -5 Toilet Paper Roll said:

Kerry was an unreliable drug addict.   That is what cut his run short, and he only got that because Fritz putup money to give him that short run.

And David died of a pill overdose in a hotel room. Who's the unreliable one?

(Also I think the belief is that David's death is what really started to f' Kerry up in regards to drug use and unreliability.)

David died of an intestinal disorder, and wasn’t no showing events.

[petef3]

David died of multiple things, but pills were a part of it.

[hulksmash87]

Jul 5, 2021 12:54:31 GMT -5 petef3 said:

David died of multiple things, but pills were a part of it.

I agree with this intestinal issues were part of it but not the whole issue. But David would have made a better long term champion I feel at the time of magnums accident his look was becoming dated I mean magnum pi went off the air in 1988 I believe. Had Magnum changed his look and I mean a complete overhaul he would have been a great champion but David I feel would have ended up in the wwf. He would have brokered a deal between wccw and wwf he may not have been wwf champion but he would have had a stellar career.

[petef3]

Neither would have made for a better long-term champion than Flair, though. Which is why David's upside was a reign of 18-30 days.

[schiavonecuckscole]

Jul 4, 2021 14:03:59 GMT -5 Triangle Lancer said:

Jul 4, 2021 12:29:41 GMT -5 schiavonecuckscole said:

I had never known that fact. I always thought Fritz was the WCCW Rep.

But why would being on the board mean the other reps would not vote for him?

Wouldnt any NWA champ have to be from someone's territory? Is being the on the Board the problem? Or could the rest of the board got to know him personally & decide he IS the one.

David was added in 1983, Fritz still had pull as a former President.

Some of the others on the Board: Ole Anderson, Shohei Baba, Victor Jovica & Carlos Colon. Yes, in a way 3 of the 4 did "win" the title (haven't seen if Ole had one of those flips that ultimately was washed away; none of the title history sites mention it), but they wouldn't vote a fellow board member long term, which is the subject at hand.

I always laughed at the 1 week Baba Reigns that always mysteriously happened when a champ visited Japan.

So was David going to be running the territory? Wonder how that would have worked if he got the power over the brothers or was it going to be a WCCW Board with the brothers?

Love wrestling history especially the behind the scenes.  Thanks for the info & reply!

[schiavonecuckscole]

Jul 5, 2021 17:32:30 GMT -5 petef3 said:

Neither would have made for a better long-term champion than Flair, though. Which is why David's upside was a reign of 18-30 days.

Was Flair Considered "FLAIR" at the time David would have received the belt?

Nobody could foresee what Flair would become at the time.

We dont know how a David run could have been if he was over. Not taking into account his being a board member precluding him from a long reign as Triangle Lancer mentioned.

The one thing in Flair's favor at the time was working as a heel when the NWA Usually favored Heel Champs.

[petef3]

Jul 6, 2021 6:23:52 GMT -5 schiavonecuckscole said:

Jul 5, 2021 17:32:30 GMT -5 petef3 said:

Neither would have made for a better long-term champion than Flair, though. Which is why David's upside was a reign of 18-30 days.

Was Flair Considered "FLAIR" at the time David would have received the belt?

100%. He'd been a top drawing card in his area for 5 years with no signs of slowing down. The promotion had built an entire closed-circuit card around him winning the title for the second time. He had as much to do with the explosion of World Class as the Von Erichs/Freebirds program did--that program doesn't take off without Flair first. He had shown that he could handle the insane schedule of a World Champ.