Friday, January 14, 2000

Alex Marvez's weekly look at professional wrestling
Scripps Howard News Service
By ALEX MARVEZ

Middle aged? Sure.

Crazy? Definitely.

But there's also no doubt that 55-year-old Terry Funk remains one of the most entertaining performers in the wrestling business.

After it appeared his legendary career was winding down, Funk has re-emerged as the new figure-head commissioner for World Championship Wrestling.

Funk, who had previously worked with WCW scriptwriters Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara in the World Wrestling Federation, was hired when Ric Flair refused the commissioner's role. In the span of two weeks, Funk has emerged as one of the promotion's top babyface performers while leading the “Old Age Outlaws” group of Larry Zbyszko, Paul Orndorff and Arn Anderson against the New World Order.

“I'm going to bust my (butt) to do a hell of a job,” said Funk, who is facing Kevin Nash for the commissioner's job on Sunday's Souled Out pay-per-view show.

“I'm very serious about that. I'm going to go out and really do whatever it calls for. If I have to break my neck, I'll break my neck because I love what I'm doing.”

It's surprising Funk hasn't already done that considering his reckless style. He still executes moonsaults from the top rope despite knowing a knee replacement is inevitable.

Funk returned to Extreme Championship Wrestling last year, but was then sidelined for six months after contracting hepatitis A. His family has urged him to retire as documented in the soon-to-be-released movie Beyond the Mat but he can't get wrestling out of his blood.

Funk won't reveal the length of his WCW contract, but he hasn't dismissed an eventual return to ECW for a feud with Dusty Rhodes.

“I think it's a good possibility down the road,” said Funk, who had a legendary feud with Rhodes in the late 1970s and early 1980s in Championship Wrestling from Florida. “I'd love to get back in the ring with that egg-sucking dog.

“People have asked me who is the most charismatic wrestler I've been in the ring with. I said without a doubt it was Dusty Rhodes. He still carries that with him. People can say what they want about him, but he's still something special.”

REGULATION NEEDED? — The in-ring death of Gary Albright raises the issue about whether pro wrestling needs regulation by state athletic commissions.

Albright, 36, died of a heart attack Jan. 7 during a match for an independent promotion in Hazelton, Penn. Although he never found a niche with WCW or WWF, Albright was a top star for All Japan Pro Wrestling.

Most states, including Pennsylvania, don't have bylaws requiring wrestlers to undergo physicals before performing. Considering the rash of older wrestlers being used by WCW and the WWF — including 70-something Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah — one can only hope a similar tragedy doesn't occur.

ETC. — Like Funk, “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka is another 50-something performer who deserves praise for his recent WCW debut. Snuka did his legendary Superfly splash from the top of a steel cage onto Jeff Jarrett on this week's WCW Monday Nitro. WCW would be wise to sign Snuka to feud with Perry Saturn, who performed an even more suicidal leap from the bleachers onto Rey Mysterio Jr., earlier in the show ... Bill Goldberg is expected to make his WCW return from an arm injury March 19 on the Uncensored pay-per-view show emanating from American Airlines Arena in Miami ... Steve Austin is scheduled to undergo neck surgery Monday in San Antonio ... Hulk Hogan's in-ring return is slated for Feb. 14 on WCW Monday Nitro, which is the same night rival Monday Night Raw will be moved to a late-night start time on the USA Network because of the Westminster Dog Show ... Ken Shamrock will be out for at least another month following arthroscopic knee surgery.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: Is Kane going to take his mask off? — Rob Neff, Lakewood, Colo.

A: With Kane's character remaining successful in its current form, don't expect Glenn Jacobs' face to get exposed any time soon. That's good for wrestling fans, so we don't have to see the tears shed when Kane eventually gets dumped by Tori for X-Pac.

(More on Terry Funk can be found at www.wrestlingobserver.com. Questions can be sent to Alex Marvez c/o the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33301, or e-mailed to amarvez@sun-sentinel.com. Please include your full name and city of residence. Because of volume, no phone calls will be accepted and letters will not receive a written reply.)

(Alex Marvez writes this for Scripps Howard News Service.)