Unlike the previous two entries on my list, Number Three is an athlete in only the broadest sense. In his profession, one is less an athlete and more a performer, a dancer, a showman, or in his case, Greek Chorus. While certainly capable of holding his own in a physical capacity (by cheating), in his heyday he was more famous for his strategic and vocal contributions to his sport, and his ability to incite a crowd to madness.
He is simultaneously one of the most beloved and reviled representatives of his sport.
Ladies and Gentleman, I give you... Bobby "The Brain" (or "The Weasel") Heenan!
Confession time: I grew up watching wrestling. I loved wrestling as a kid, when my dad, brother, and I would sit around watching AWA Wrestling on TV. Eventually, the WWF/WWE supplanted the AWA, but I remained a fan well into my twenties. Even now, I find myself tuning into a match, or watching old ones on YouTube.
Bobby Heenan was always one of my favourites. You could always count on his doing something underhanded during a match to propel his charge to victory, and the hilarity that would ensue whether or not the trick was successful. His pre- and post-match interviews were always something special.
Sadly, I may never get the chance to have a drink with The Weasel, as he isn't in the best physical shape these days. But if we could, I'd love to have a few beers and reminisce about the old days of the AWA and the early days of the WWF/WWE.
I'd also like to find out if we have a distant familial connection... I used to remark, as a kid, that, at certain angles, The Brain sort of looked like my paternal grandmother. I found out later that my granny's maiden name was Heenan... that would be odd. But cool.
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