Ep 380: The Lapsed Funk 'End of the Funker'

You know, good for nothing, eggs sucking dumb. We did it our way because we love it that way. We love it that way. And I have this wonderful jut feeling, and I've had it all my life. When it's time to go, I think it now, it's time to go, Time to go, boss, It's time to go. It's there, It's it's shocking, it's I can't believe we're here already. We're here a man who lived his life in service to the fan. And so let us begin yep with a letter from our good friend Jacob Bannon, who wrote to us during the course of this Lapsed Funk journey about his interaction with Terry Funk. And I think it speaks volumes about the man we're going to be toasting here on this final episode of this journey and what characterized him best. When I was a kid in the early mid to eighties, the Funk family was an enigma. I missed original Dori and Terry as I was far too young. I knew of the family name as it was mentioned in magazines and commentators occasionally. That all changed in nineteen eighty five. One day Terry appeared in the WWF and was a downright lunatic. He brought a real violence that I yearned to see with my impressionable eyes. Right away, I could tell that he was someone special, bucking against the trend of soft and cartoonish characters that were popularized at the time. He scared me in a way similar to early Piper. I loved his brand of madness, even though I didn't fully understand it. And just like that, he vanished for my television, only to be mentioned in magazines here and there in spotty Japanese wrestling coverage. The mystery was more fuel for the enigma. Fast forward to nineteen eighty nine. I was around thirteen years old watching wreussele War in WTBS. Flair Steamboat feud was coming to an end, and I was hooked. I was enthralled that there were judges this time around Terry Funk, Luthez, and Pad O'Connor, old salts that were all seemingly too old to compete. That night, Flare and Steamboat put on one of the best matches I ever saw, and both came out as faces in the end. Then the tide turned when Funk looked Flaire in the eye and mid ring interview to challenge him. There was a menacing believability in the air. He was there to perform, but more importantly, to prove a point. The tension was real. He was harnessing his frustration with the direction of the business and the crop of egg sucking dogs at the helm. When he snapped, my stomach dropped, and it was real for me in that moment as well. Funk was a man on fire, and I find finally understood him in a deeper way. A new favorite tool took a new favorite rather took hold that night, and in that lies the artistry of Terry. No one teetered on the edge of insanity and physical performance at a high level as he did. He screamed, wept, and gave everything to his chosen art, yes, standing for something magnificent yet flawed, as we all do in some way. As I aged out of wrestling, I never aged out of being a fan of Terry. In the late nineties, he made an appearance at a sports collectible shop here in Massachusetts. A few of us went to meet him. Funk predictably looked like a Toyota with a million miles on it. There was no one else there, so we took the liberty of punishing him for a bit. He never really let us in conversationally, as he had his guard up a little bit. As we were leaving, though, I shook Terry's hand and said thank you for everything. He said, hmmm, my pleasure. That felt real. I like to think that he knew that I knew he was the real deal, and that the world was finally appreciating his work in a deeper way. Boss. We started out by saying TLF stands for the lapsed fan. TLF stands for the lapsed Funk. Yes, TLF stands for the lessons of Funk. TLF stands for the life of Yes, we've marched through. It seems three lifetimes worth of experiences as Terry Funk captivated audiences from Japan to Germany to Puerto Rico to Philly, to New York, to Amarilla, to Tampa, Saint Louis to Canada, and it seems like everywhere in between. Now we must grapple with losing him and what, if anything, we can learn from his final years. How are you feeling on the doorstep here of the last chapter. I I'm feeling, you know, I have to say, I am very I've grown a whole new appreciation for the guy. And that's I think that's the goal. That's the goal whenever we do something like this is to have a deeper understanding of of the person or of the the topic that we are covering. And what I love is that we never fail. Yeah, Terry Funk won't let us fail. I mean, if the formula is let's just watch stuff, only Terry Funk's body of work could keep us this not only entertained but surprised. Right, if we watch it would be great. But by match twenty kind of run out of things to look for and to notice. Yeah, because there's there is I mean, as great as Flair is, and he is, and there is there there is something very different about Terry Funk, and that in in the way that he evolved in the in the way that he re ignited himself and he try to, you know, just be different and be relevant. And that's and it is. You know, even though I may disagree with some of the uh yeah methods and the you know, I have to say that there is certainly something notable and certainly something that is admirable in the fact that he at least was like you know what, fuck it. This is where I got to go. This is what I got to do. That's right, that's right, because if I'm going to stand on business of being a guy that wants to preserve what it was about pro wrestling that made my family what it was, made me who I was and who I am, and provided for the next generation of funks, I've got to do it in kind of the dark corners of the business where yep, there's like this perverse interest in this almost you know, seditious, No, seditious is the wrong word, silacious, kind of like interest in where can we actually take wrestling if we aren't worried about propriety, if we aren't worried about like necessarily all the rules. Though, he always kept that thread of traditional live no matter if he was getting blown up in barbed wire or playing to the hungry masses in the ECW arena. He took us so many places, literally and figuratively right as we did this whole thing. Yes, and of course among the places he took us and helped us to understand more deeply was Philadelphia in the nineties, where he defined ECW as the crowd was defining ECW. Themselves at the arena. Yep, and I believe the same city with the co chairs. On April seventh, are prepared to write the next chapter in Landmark Philly Wrestling moments, because this is going to be the first of many reminders that were coming to the City of Brotherly Love. On Sunday, April seventh, New Eastern Time, a punchline Philly. Oh yes, and we're not fucking around, are we? Boss Oh no, oh no, no, no, no, no, we we promised to have Bozo's biceps and bullshit. And if you wonder to tell you what are they going to talk about? I mean, we've seen the Vince stuff. We've seen that, have you That's just it? Have you? Have you seen the Vince stuff? Have have Have we seen the Vince stuff? That's the question. Have we come anywhere close to closing the loop. We're not going to get into it until the time is right. We're not going to get into it until to some degree. Although you can only expect so much on this front, passions to have, you know, died down, and and and the fact pattern to present itself in full well, I'd say that my passions never die down. Let's just say here as we look out to April seventh. At the very least, what we can say as we hear at TLF are exceptional of character. We will light the way. Yes, we will tell you where the puck is heading before the stick touches it. Yes, in April seventh, noontime, Punchline Philly will be absolutely no exception on that front. Tickets available now. Go to Punchline Philly, push it into Google there, get over there, go to their calendar section. Because it is several months away, type in lapsed and get your tickets. Now available. Of course is preferred seating, so you guaranteed to get front row, up close and personal with your co chairs as we take the stage. This is a This is a comedy venue of some significance. This is not one of those real, real tight venues where every seat in the house feels like you're on top of the show. No, this is one where you know, if you count on just ga tickets, you might find yourself getting there at a time that isn't necessarily convenient, because we've got to get close to the stage, because we've got some artillery that we're going to be unloading in terms of some very special friends and guests. Our friend of course, the Goot's working hard to secure a supporting cast for TLF Live here as part of WrestleMania Weekend, of course, the only WrestleMania Weekend Live show. You truly need, not even one, righte boss, that you necessarily want. I think that's always important to remind people it is. It is important to remember it's it's definitely not something you want, you know, I mean we all want things, and and the difference is is that you know there is a necessity. There are things that you need in this life. There are things that you need to get through every days. Pain is the chief thing, amoment. Are we learning that each and every day is the new cycle past? I hope? So if we don't, then then what are we doing? Is that not one of the chief takeaways things. If things don't hurt, it's not worth it. Pain is just another symptom, okay, of the of the reach and of the the the interurnal just craze for sustenance. Yes, And when you think and you feel yourself deep down, you know there is only one choice you can make, all right, because we're not again you know, this is not like choosing a restaurant. This is not like this is this is going to church. It really is as close to that as a fan of a wrestling podcast can get. I do have to say that doesn't feel like a reach when you say that, because and because everybody needs to be forgiven, especially this year, every especially this spring. Everyone needs that time of confession. You need to get into the box next to your co chairs, confess your sins and let us to tell you that the Lord forgives. Yes. And I believe that box ward the name of Punchline Philly, the Warlord forgives. I mean, if ever, there was a time to reckon with the fact that this thing of pro wrestling is what we chose to be obsessed about, yes, And how deeply pathetic that makes us, how short an introspection we must really be to have not abandoned this thing like most of the people in our lives that we respect, who may have liked wrestling when they were children, and kept it there where it belongs now here we are here, we are taking in the news cycle of the past several days and just watching the royal rumble. That's what we do about it, yep. And we continue to watch, We continue to listen, because if you love pro wrestling, it's really hard to love anything else. And that's just it, and that's it. That's a sick one. Roddy Piper talked about it before he passed away, and so many others have. In April seventh, Punchline, Philly, more than ever before, your CoA chairman called the flock together to take stock, to make an assessment of where we stand upon another, you know, decade topping wrestleming here in the fortieth year of Mania, and we help you understand why you're still watching, Yes, why you're holding your wife, but why you don't but not closing your wallet? Yes, wait, we're we're speaking to that truth and we don't look forward to it necessarily. We don't relish what it is we have to do April seventh, but it will be done. Yeah, the truth will be ascertained. And by truth we mean the larger truth, Yes, the truth of you know, our truth? What's that? Ah? Yeah. I would say we're going to deliver truth on April seventh, but I think people make it the wrong idea. I have a whole bunch of people showing up with a judgment day T shirts thinking of these fucking idiots. They said that we're going to present our truth. Remember last year in LA at the very end, we were passing out flyers to people who were going to like wrestle Cohn and they were just like, you know, your classic black T shirts, shorts, you know, wrestling fans like, oh yeah, cool, what is this? What do you guys? So, well, yeah, I'll come by. None of them showed up, of course, but second of all, like can you some of them? Some were I don't know, I didn't know, some did some some said that they got the flyer and they came. They came. Yeah, But it wasn't necessarily the people we personally handed them to, but they were all around the city. But can you imagine walking into the punchline coming up Unril seventh and being like, what have I just walked in? I thought these guys would tell jokes about wrestling. What the fuck is wrong? Masks? What the fuck is going on? So much more than just that. But you know, we'll be taking in WrestleMania two nights at Lincoln Financial Stage and we'll be able to react of course, tonight one. What a smashing bit of fun. It was last year when we took the stage in LA to not only you know, get into the truth of professional wrestling as only we can, but also recap what we've just seen at Sofi Stadium. We'll be able to do that for Night one preview Night two and just I just I'm just telling you when we went you talk about TLFX right. When we journeyed to Detroit to make sure we were where we should have been thirty years after WrestleMania three, Yes, Yes, And we found a way to gain entry to the now completely leveled and disappeared Pontiac's Silverdome and explored the catacombs and held our breath and terror as we approached dark, cavernous hallways and stepped onto the water logged field where Hogan slammed Andre and check that box off the bucket list, so to speak, when we did that on the TV news in the hotel before we set out that day, just serendipitously, there it was some reporting in the city that a deal had been reached with the city of Pontiac to finally, once and for all, demolished the Pontiac Silverdale. Yes, this is happening. As we happen to go to this city really arbitrarily in terms of date. I mean not to mention, I mean this was I want to say, this was probably the first time that we really truly experienced that lap serendipity. It was. It was unbelievable because don't forget, do you remember what room we stayed in, No room three oh three, ladies and gentlemen, Paul Cogan's wait and so that gets done. Yeah. And then last year, we take the stage in North Hollywood after WrestleMania Night two and we talk about how we're all going to be having to wish Vince McMahon well in his future endeavor quite soon. And we wake up the next morning and our phones are alive with clips from seeing NBC where Vince had emerged from hiding with a mustache to sit next to our Emmanuel and talk about the finalization of a sale of the w W E T t K to what would become t K O group. That weekend, the serendipity lands. And now as we look out April seventh, and we look out to reckoning with what it means to be a wrestling fan, the trade offs, the sick horse trading that goes on in our minds. You know what's happened. Yeah, and we're not going to say any more than that for now. I mean, let's just say, you know, if you're not convinced, just talk about how we we uh you know we we we We said during you know, during the Royal Rumble broadcast that fucking see him Punk was going to injure himself. Yeah, well we said that weeks ago. I mean, yeah, that's right. It's just it's just it's just what happens when you pay attention to the real moments when people and pro wrestling reveal themselves. Yes, when you've got a lifetime of sharpening that focus to where the only thing you see is the truth amidst all the falsity. Mm hmm, there's something about the truth that just pops out at you. After so many years doing this, studying it and put it, putting it under the microscope, as we have for ten years here at TLF, let that continue the Biceps, bozos and bullshit brunch. So again, Punchline Philly is the place. Huge thanks to all the members of the Solar System who've already bought tickets and outpouring when we made the end. Yeah, last week on the show, and so excited what a roster. I mean, we get just as excited when people buy tickets because of you know, the name recognition of some of these fans to us. Yeah, right, as we get to know them and build them up in our own minds over the years, right, And so it's like it's not just someone bought a ticket, it's oh, he bought a ticket. He's a legit. Yeah, oh shit, Like you know, I've seen all those emails. Oh my god, exactly, They're coming from all over. It's going to be yep, every bit the Lapsed Fan Convention as it is going to be, you know, a live comedy performance and stage show. But it's just it's it's gonna be the only you know, the only thing that will satiate satiate you in every conceivable way on Wrestling New Weekend. There's gonna be a ton of great stuff to do in the city. But this, if things play out the way they've been playing out so far, this this will certainly be the one. And so we need to remind you, and the announcement will be will be made later on here during the very final episode of Lapsed Funk that those who purchase their tickets to our show April seventh, by the end of February and send proof of purchase to us at the lapsed Maan at gmail dot com will be entered into a very special raffle to win a very special prize that will be proud to announce later on down the road, so to speak. On this episode, So you want to buy, You want to buy soon, you want to buy early. Pretty soon, you're gonna start hearing from members of the Solar System like we did last year, who've already bought tickets, explaining to those who might not get it, to those who more importantly pretend they don't get it. Yes, you know, that's that's most you know, why Why why make the ticket? Why book the flight? Why come to Philly? As we know several are already who aren't even going to go to WrestleMania or any of the indishs or any of that shit. Yep, lay the case bear. And unlike last year where we had all the logistical questions about getting to North Hollywood on a Sunday night after Mania lets out and right traffic and all that boat, this is this is none of that. It's like we can we breathe clear fresh filiire because it's yes, it's a brunch between two nights of mania. Everyone's in town, everyone situated, everybody's looking for a dose of truth. So do join us and we very much look forward to seeing you there and again, no matter what, send us proof of purchase to the Lapstan at gmail dot com so we can issue a very personal thank you for helping, you know, continue to prove the case that when TLF boots hit the ground, something special happens each and every time. Boss, You're damn fucking right. So among the names of people were so excited to see, most of them, of course, we know most intimately because they pledge to us on Patreon at dot com slash the Labs fan and if you're if you've been on the fence in that regard, what a time to jump on board. Twenty twenty four tlf X January. We have the Royal Rumble live call files up there. You've already made reference to our call and the Men's Rumble and under the cinemat Black Yes, Arcissus, go, oh fucking I don't even know where to begin. You tell actually, no, no, this this you you fucking go with this one because this one. This one was such a was such a treat to lay upon your feet. Yes, yeah, I mean going into like serious connoisseur cinema. Yes, and we have the tros horse of the fact this is this is Kevin Nash cinema. Yeah, Kevin Nash would definitely say Black Narcissus. To see if anybody in the room like got the reference and to figure out what kind of company's he's among the at the moment, Well, we know about it now thanks to the boss Man, and we know all about where Sabu comes from. That's right. I want to talk about lapsed funk uh Co promotion here. Absolutely. I mean that that that kind of sparked the idea. Actually, when I when when when I when I I I kind of just looked that up. That was a you know, that was kind of a recent discovery and I had a fat in the moment I saw that, the moment I saw that it was a legit thing, I had to fast track Black Nurcissist and leg there that that it was. Indeed, the actor Saboo, who the the Chikh, was a fan of the the actually you know, uh Saboo's did wrestler's uncle right, that he was a legit fan of of the the the actor Saboo and that Saboo and that's why he that's why he he he gave he gave Terry Brunk the name Saboo, yes, as a you know even before it wasn't even just as a as a wrestling thing, like he was like his nickname beforehand. So it was pretty pretty wild. They were talking about origins, right, Oh yeah, that's uh. I think it's becoming. Some of my favorite cinemat themes are the ones where it's not necessarily a wrestler is in it, although those are always wonderful, but it's this is sort of like the cultural phenomenon as expressed through cinema that inspired a wrestler to create a cast. Yes, like Cape Fear and Bray Wyatt yep, and Michael Myers and The Undertaker absolutely even or Caane even too for that matter. You know, lots of stuff like that. Yeah, I mean we've chronicled this in no small way over ten years of TLF. I mean, wrestling bookers are always ripping off movies, yep. They just can't help themselves. And so it's great to be able to grapple with the raw material that they would have used to develop their idea of their character, gimmick, how to carry themselves and what was impressed upon the film going public at that time. And yep, that contrasts and compares. You know, Sabu being from Bombay, India always threw me for a loop because Sabu, you know, because his uncle, the Sheikh, was supposed to be Arabic, was supposed to be a guy who was from right, not from India, but in fact, you know, the Middle East, and as you but sure's the wrestling vann you foun out he's actually a Lebanese guy and you're Saboo being announced from Bombay, India. Why is that right? Well, it's because Sabu was from Bombay or not from Bombay, but he was from India. And not only do you learn all about the actor from the forties known as Sabo, but you see him in action in one of the most significant roles. And really, I think one of the absolute best films we've watched the entire stage under the cinemat. Agreed, it's a it's a beautiful film. Black Nurcisses is a beautiful film. It's a. It's a deep film, and hey, you know what I mean. I think you agree it was fucking chilling by the end, and it is fucking it's it's incredible stuff. To achieve that level of chill in nineteen forty seven, yes, the thing, yes, in technically, to be able to be able to not even to be able to achieve that chill, but to be able to achieve that chill from now from a nineteen forty seven movie exactly, That's that's the power of it. That's that to me is the is the timelessness of a movie like that. So if you want to talk about the lapsed funk being eating your vegetables on the wrestling side, Black Narcissus is eating your vegetables totally on the UTC side, and it is very much sustenance that you need. It's very much nutrition for in the mind. So and we got, we got, we got a lot of fun stuff on the way we do all I'm gonna say all I'm going to say about that U TC's on fire again. We're rocketing towards the road to wrestle Mania. Of course, live calls going up all over the place. It's oh yeah, it's a remarkable time. And of course, in addition to that, for your Patreon dollar you get ad free versions of the main show podcast here. Yeah, we also get our part twos and deep dives a day earlier than everybody else, which was a nice reminder to folks because a lot of these lapsed funks have been self contained one off episodes. But last week we were able to drop a Nattitude era WWF. Yeah, an Attitude or a WCW and our patron's got the ww show a day before anybody got the got the show on the main feed. So this is the time. And if you want to throw something in the jukebox for us, if that's the way you choose, boy, support the cast. People aren't holding back Boss in terms of leveraging circumstances to get you exercised over it. Cameo, Yes, cameo dot com. Slash the lapse fan uh just today, just today, just uploaded as as we're recording pretty much someone someone. The request was, it's the Rocks first board meeting at a t KO and someone pitches an idea and Rock interrupts and changes it into whatever whatever that you know he wants to unbelievab and I like, I'm like, the rock, we never fucking do the rock. The rock is so rare and usually it's nothing more than the who whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, Like that's usually the extent of it. I'm like, Okay, I guess we're gonna go with this, but all right, and you know it is what it is at this point. Yeah, we relinquish to meddle at that point, I mean, yeah, totally. They're willing to put the cash down for a cameo Farbia for us, for beggars to be choosers. Yeah, you're telling you're telling the monkey to dance, So I'm gonna dance for you. So definitely worth considering this WrestleMania season as well. Over at Cameo and a big shout out to the Lapsed power Plant. These folks sure continue to rock on. Behalf of enterprising members of the Solar System who, in the spirit of TLFX, want to go back deep into the catalog and find those special moments that meant something to you on all the shows that we did, and the folks that at lasts the Lapse Dark Chive Transcription Service. The power plant is the group of super fans behind it continue to work hard for your benefit, and they need your donations because it's not free. It takes a lot of sweat and grunt work and dedication and volunteerism to keep that database of transcripts of all of the stuff we've done over ten years current and accurate and up to speed and ready for your search purposes. And so to get access to the Lapse Archive Transcription Service or LATS, and to support the cause, which is one thing we've established over the years at TLF. You ain't worth dick unless you're willing to support. You need to get over to patreon dot com, slash lats LATS to help those folks fund a very very worthy venture Lapse power Plant for sharping LATS strong, so proud to lay that out for everybody. And it's Terry Funk. Terry Funk. Larry Mattison wrote in his book Terry Funk, a great storyteller, once told me a terrific tale as he sat in his cubicle before a card. There's this old star who's been around forever, Terry began. He's limping and hobbling so bad nobody can tell whether his back or his knees. Heard more in the dressing room all night, he's telling the young guys how beat up he is, who he was wrestling when he got which injury, and that he doesn't think he can go one more time, moaning, groaning. The old boy is a wreck, and everybody is afraid he's going to collapse right there. Then the promoter sticks his head in and says, you're on in three minutes. Man. The old star jumps right up and runs out of the room. As soon as he gets out into the crowd, he pumps up and sprints to the ring. He has the best match on the card by a mile, comes back to the dressing room, drops on the bench and says he'll never be able to do that again until he does it the next night. Now that's what wrestling is all about. Yes, Indeed, Addison writes, Funk might have been might well have been talking about himself. M Terry Funk held court for a group of impressionable young trainees in twenty thirteen for many. Fernandez, of course, the Raging Bull, former tag team partner of many illustrious wrestlers through the course of his career, indefinitely, somebody that stood out in every territory he worked, and a West Texas boy, or at least a West Texas exponent in terms of coming through the Amilla circuit and learning the ropes under and with the Funks, and a close friend and frequent opponent of Terry Funk's. And so in twenty thirteen, Many Fernandez invited Terry to come on down I think it was in South Carolina or North Carolina, of course, it being the heart of the mid Atlantic territory where Fernandez had some of his most successful years and talk to this group of young, impressionable trainees about, Wow, some of the core tenets of the business. Yeah, the things he thinks are most important to emphasize to In this case, all young men, I believe are preparing to break into the business and get their head right about how to set their expectations, where to place their focus, what is important and isn't important when you're learning the ropes of pro wrestling in a way that is really going to give you the best shot to thrive in it, to be to bring forth the best in it, and to embody what you know. Terry Funk would consider a good example of what pro wrestling is. Sounds like a tall order, but of course he's his gregarious self. Couldn't be more personable, and fortunately for us, the whole seminar was filmed for video and was released as a DVD. Hmmm, So what we're gonna have here as we lay the foundation for the final step in the Terry Funk Journey, is a series of insights from the Funker, and we'll sprinkle them throughout the episode, but kind of front loaded here because I think a lot of the things he says are going to be echoed as we go through the final matches of his life. He speaks to the people, He speaks to these folks about how pro wrestling evolved, and man did he have a front row seat? And you think about Cal Farley, right, Ugh, think about the guy that brought his father to am Mailla to be the superintendent of the boys ranch, and sort of, you know, in many ways explained the wrestling business. Cal was a carneye calun was. He knew how to get up on the soap box and talk people into the building and leverage radio and all the other methods of communication at the time to create a buzz in the city of Amarilla, to take a Marilla really by storm and to own the wrestling conversation in that town and the way to leverage that into ticket sales. And that was just one of the hustles he had in addition to Boys Ranch. Not not to use the hustle, the term hustle in a derogatory sense as it regards the Boy's Ranch, but you kind of get my point. You kind of have to be a glinty eyed kind of huckster to pull off a business like that, to be entrusted by a community like that. And his name still resonates, does cal Farley's, Yes, it does, namesake of the Boy's Ranch in Amla all these years later. So you think about the connection to the carnival days that the Funk family would have had as realized through Dory Funk's friendship with cal Farley, and you think about, you know, the business that we talked about in the earliest episodes of this journey, the Dory Funk Senior broke into working in a you know, as a nomad, taking his family around in a trailer from from shot to shot, starting out in and around the Fred Dumont circuit in Chicago, back way, Hey, that's the business, Fred Kohler, And on the Dumont Network, we said, Fred Dumont, I think and you know, just going to all manner of territories, setting up in Amarilla, creating the idea of what it is to have a Texas wrestling style and a Texas death match and it being the family business, and being introduced to the idea of k Fabe not being smartened up until he was on in years and all of those one of a kind lessons that no other kid is ever going to learn in wrestling. You know, no other kid of a wrestling family he's ever going to oh no, you know what I mean. Be able to experience what it's like to go to the arena and think when you're five that your dad is actually being murdered in there and the people love it. And what that does in terms of creating an appreciation in you of how best to do pro wrestling because you're able to appreciate what it's like to believe that it's real in a more deep and resonant way, in a more personal way than really any fan could because it's your family that's involved, and so he's looking out on these trainees, and he's talking about how the business evolved from being presented is you know, certainly Carney's side show, but something that would have went went to the ends of the earth to maintain that it was real and that it was something that was authentic and it was something that was a showcase of actual tough guys. To the state of the business as he stood before these trainees in twenty thirteen, where absolutely no bones are made whatsoever about the fact that the business is pure entertainment and how it got to that point and where on that continuum Terry Funk sees himself, what are you now? It would run long into in nineteen hundred, in two tho thirteen had stole an entertainment? And then how's the sort? Many and nine were somewhere along the line between Hey and p I think it's nineteen's two thousand and thirteen. I don't know where the hell it was, so we were there, But it's evolved. Why did it evolve the way it has and why did they continue to be evolved? Day any of you out there though, Why does it continue to evolved? Because it's what the fans want and what the fans you mean, I'm not all bet we did certain a light. But what we do in the ring, why are we doing too much? Possibly not? I don't know. I haven't been there in a few years. Possibly not, but I still sell a ticket. I'll be goddamned if I know if I could or not. I haven't been there in that mom I love to think that I could, but maybe people wouldn't pay to see me anymore, maybe because I was not doing the right things. But I see plenty of wrong things being done in the ring and need to be corrected. Terry takes it to find himself to call one of those kids into the ring to show for the rest of the class how some of the fundamentals, like how to throw and sell a punch, for instance, is where it all starts. And I think you hear in their boss not only a reverence for the wrestling fan, the kind of fan that you know Jacob Bannon represented there in the email right off the top, but also an appreciation for the fact that he may have lost his grip on what makes the wrestling fan tick in twenty thirteen. You know, he knows it's going to evolve, and he knows that wrestling as much as we might hate the way wrestling changes, it changes because the fans demanded there would be no other reason to change it. Yeah, and I love that Terry Funk was willing to stand up in twenty thirteen and say, as complimentary as he was towards every generation of athletes to get into the business, that there are some things he sees that are wrong. Yep. And it's hard to salute Terry Funk without acknowledging that he saw the business and the way the inn ring was evolving is not necessarily headed in the right direction. And so he's talking about what the business was like when you came into a territory to these to these trainees, and what that tells you about what your job really is as a pro wrestler. You know what the deal was whenever we go I'd go into a territory because I traveled as a champion and my sole idea, my sole thing that was more was my love for my fellow wrestler, and my fellow wrestlers went all over the country as champion. I would go in there one night. I wouldn't try to cream cream the milk, take the cream off the top. What I wanted to do was. I wanted to make goddamn sure the next week that it was going to be as good as it was the week that I was there, or tried to be, try to make it back. A lot of times it wasn't because I was champion at the time and Sonora and the build for the champions for when he comes in there, and a lot of times it would drop down. But I wanted to make sure it didn't drop that much. I wanted to make sure my fellow wrestler got something out of it. You know, a lot of guys don't even understand page one of the business. You know, page one of the business is different than what you think it is. Page one of the businesses. You want to make your opponent if you're going over, you don't want to go ahead and ever try to beat him up, because you're beating a piece of shit. Anytime you go into the ring with your opponent, you want to make him as tough as you possibly can. You want to make him the future champion. You want to walk out of that ring after it's ober and say, goddam, it was a hell of a fight. I wanted to see him it was great. I love that that's what you want to do. Got that. That's awesome. What's awesome about That's awesome. It's awesome because you know, you look at these because you look at these fucking clowns out there all right, who who talk about being scared of their spot, being scared of losing their spot, being paranoid and having to fight for this and that. And he's basically telling you to do the opposite. Make your guys look good, make your opponents look good. It's about. It's about. It's about. It's a dance. Sorry, you know what it is. Ballet. Ballet is all about. Is all about trust and your partner and and and making sure you guys are working together. And it's the same fucking thing. So that's absolute money. That's some of the best fucking advice I've ever heard, and from you know, to it for wrestlers, and to approach it that way is to preserve what Terry Funk went to his grave swearing a special about pro wrestling. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's what's going to make you the most money. Is a pro wrestler. You know, he'd be the first to tell you. That's why I'm not a millionaire. Right. He said that when he didn't sign the ECW One Night Stand two thousand and five contract and did the Shane Douglas Show instead. But what he's saying is he's standing on why pro wrestling is still around because if the attitude of I need to bulldoze everybody and you know, basically find a way to make all the money I can based on destroying people in the ring, that's not gonna last very long. I think we've seen that it does create. You know, it's great for you if you can find yourself in a position where a promoter sees enough in you to kowtow to your demands to never look weak, or to do fuck finishes all the time so you never actually lose, or whatever the case might be, to give you more time than the next guy in the microphone, so you come off as the wittier or the yep, the more interesting to listen to all the little tricks you can play. Triple H is a fucking monument to the little tricks you can play to advantage yourself to look better than your opponent year after a year, in small ways, but ways that add up to where all of a sudden it's like the guy doesn't miss, like no one ever actually gets to this guy. But what do you remember about Triple A. Yeah, we can sit here and you know, drive ourselves crazy thinking about his two oh three years and four. But what do you remember most about that time period? Or what do you remember just as much as him squashing people or sarcastically burying people six feet under or taking advantage of the fact that people like Mick Foley totally gave their body away to him and just running off with with with the with the bag. You know what you remember? You remember when he actually tapped to Ben wah Right, you actually remember when he actually took the one two three against Batista. Yep, you remember the moments you remember about Hulk Hogan, not just Andre. You remember Warrior at WrestleMania six course those That's what's beautiful about pro wrestling, because you will be just as you will be doing just as great a service to the business by spreading the land. You remember, you remember when Hogan's job to uh did the job to the Genius? Well you remember that one for Yeah, I suppose for different reasons. Any loss is memorable for Ulster, don't forget it. Happened. Sure did, Sure did. And I think you know, we didn't spend enough time during the lapsed Funk talking about the fact that the Genius beat Hulkogan by d Q or count out. I think you make an excellent count out. You know what, We'll just have to do the lapsed landing next. And I think people they can't wait for journeys to end, Well, guess what the lapsed landy pafo fucking life story is next. Yeah, But I think that's that's you know, what Terry Funk is saying there is like, if you don't think about that on the front end of the business, then you come in with like this warped idea of how you can be a successful pro wrestler. And what Terry's talking about is not successful in terms of necessarily short term money made, but in terms of being somebody that when you die people say the kind of things about you that they said about Terry Funk. Good luck getting anywhere close to that. But if you don't heed that one ethic we just heard and the others we're going to hear him convey to these students in twenty thirteen, you don't have a prayer and if you want to be respected as a great pro wrestler, this is the playbook to follow. If you don't care about that, then you're basically just like most people in the world, and that doesn't make it very interesting exactly. So Terry's going to talk to these kids about taking a punch, and like he was getting at and making reference to if a guy throws a punch and you don't flinch and you don't move, and you don't register that that hurt you at all. While it served guys like I think of the Road Warriors and Warrior and others very well to come out of that way Goldburn and others, although you know they eventually all sold as well. The key thing is, if you're going to be beating this guy, m hm, does it do you any good to act like his punch doesn't hurt, because then you just beat a piece of shit, right, You gain by making the guy you're about to beat, If that's the plan that night look like he's the toughest son of a bitch you've ever run into. That's the job. That's the job is to accentuate the other guy who's losing in such a way that when you get the win. He's still strong and you're stronger for having beat him, But it means more that you beat him because you had communicated to the audience that this is a tough son of a bitch that I just found a way to defeat. I mean, there's a time, there's a time to to completely bury someone, but most of the time, you know, it's important to make them because because then when when push comes to shove, you get to make more money. That's it, people, You know, the only thing that that that'll bring people's back back to the show is that, oh my god, he almost fucking beat him. Here's the thing. You don't put that in. Like you said, there's somes you don't do it. It doesn't mean you put that into practice every single match, in every single program you have, right, but if you don't understand that about the business, you will absolutely hit a wall in your ability to survive in it. And Terry Funk knows how to survive in the wrestling business. That much is clear by now. So now let's call these kids in and talk about why it's more important to stumble around with a wide base like you're about to tip over like a scarecrow in a field like Terry Funk mastered over the years when he took anybody's punch as opposed to stand there and act like it didn't hurt. What brings me to cover by stander like a videor didn't. Oh, it doesn't make you tough. What makes you tough is when he may get people out of that audience see his punch and he sells it like you've got a goddamn don't hang up his ass and doesn't go down and stays on his goddamn feet. Now that's tough. Makes me tough? What does it do for him? It makes him have a great punch. That's where you're winning. It's a win win situation. Selling gives it a win win situation in the business. The most wonderful thing is is to be able to sell properly and when your time comes comes to your top, it's the lessons of Funk. Right there, we go, hmm. If it's in pro wrestling, if it's not a win win, it's probably not an actual win. Right It might feel like it on the night when no one really cares to see you. In eighteen months, you'll get it. Yeah, And with that said, we embark upon a journey through the final years of Terry Funk's storied, unprecedented, unmatched wrestling career. When we last left you, he was of course in WCW in the dying days, relegated to the Hardcore division and doing basically, you know, comedy pratt Fall three stooges routines every week with Norman Smiley and in a host of others. Do you know Boss that during the Russo Bischoff Nitros that Eric Bischoff wants penned Terry Funk to become hardcore Champion. I mean, I'm not surprised. It's not entertaining, right, I'm entertained by the sheer notion notion of it, right, So I'm glad to hear that. So that was the two thousand the year two thousand, if if you wanted in kind of a nutshell for for Terry Funk, if for WW writ large as we turn the calendar to two thousand and one, which, of course WCW lasted about three months into that year. Funk did work the January two thousand one pay per view, which was entitled WCW SIN. That was the show where Sid snapped his leg in half coming off the middle rope, just omen of things to come. And on that show in Indianapolis, Terry Funk took on Crowbar and Meng in a triple threat match for the Hardcore title, which I know is is a main event anywhere in the country. Yeah, yeah, main event, main event, I guess, main event anywhere in my ass. I suppose, and so and so, goodbye to World Championship Wrestling for the final time, not only for Terry Funk, but for the whole organization here in two thousand and one. And while we're saying goodbye to you know, territories, companies, organizations where Terry Funk made a lasting impact, we need to look back across the ocean, across the Pacific and look out to Japan. Now, Giant Baba, who you'll remember from our death match series Fun Lapsed Funk episodes, Terry came in to work the IWA and the FMW deathmatch circuit. This is after of course, leaving al Japan in eighty six after returning from the retirement, and Funk made note in his book about how one of those big multi promotional Japanese wrestling supercards that they were a part of sort of flying the deathmatch flag with Cactus and others. Was the last time Terry Funk saw Giant Baba. We know how significant that is considering the lifelong relationship really that are the Funks and the Bob has had. The Funks being the bookers for All Japan and getting so much West Texas bread talent into All Japan where they made their names, made incredible amounts of money and you know, built the kind of nest egg that allows Abduel the Butcher to still go out there fucking forty years later and get paid to stab people in the head. Stan Hansen still a vaunted legend, so many others, and that was just what seemed to be an unbreakable lot giants as the Funks went with Baba and the Baba Noki split and the All Japan fans, as we've established here in the Lapsed Funk absolutely falling in love with Terry Funk is the embodiment of the Texas Bronco and all they thought of was this exotic American cowboy type. But it came to an end. There was distance there and it was sort of an unceremonious last encounter between Terry Funk and Giant Baba in nineteen ninety five, and indeed, Giant Baba passed away on January thirty first, nineteen ninety nine, at the age of sixty one. With that now having happened and control of what was left of All Japan was transferred over to show Hibaba's widow, Atoko Baba, Terry Funk was ready to come on back and maybe spend a little bit more time in the All Japan ring. So it was January twenty eight, two thousand and one. This is a mere two weeks or a week. Let's take a closer gander here, This would be yeah, a week after he worked his final WCW show, the Sin pay per view. There Terry Funk returns to the All Japan Pro Wrestling ring where a country absolutely fell in love with the guy, and it's in the Tokyo Dome. This time is All Japan under Motoko was a little more ambitious and interested in running big arenas. This is just as Missawa Kawata not not Kawata, Misawa, Kobashi and others were going to break off and form Pro Wrestling Noah, which of course had the you know, the best matches anywhere. In the early two thousands, but All Japan held a show called King's Road New Century two thousand and one on January twenty eight, two thousand and one, at Tokyo Dome, and as part of the attractions on that night, Terry Funk returns to the All Japan Ring, and that would pretty much be it for the Funker in Japan. It's appropriate we take a look now at disc thirty three if you could boss, disc thirty three thirty thirty thirty thirty three thirty thirty thirty five give to say thirty thirty thirty third three thirty three third if A three thirty three O kate, where am I going to? Thirty five twenty seven thirty five thirty five twenty seven? Okay, all right, here we go. So it's the first match here on the final leg of the Lapsed Funk Journey. Terry Funk returns to All Japan, and it's not just sort of significant because of the ring he's in, but it's also a callback because it's him teeming with the guy who brought him back to Japan, who in fact built the entire promotional notion of FMW around his idolization of Terry Funk. It's at Shushi Anita Boss Chain smoking in the leather jacket on the way to the ring. Here we go three two one play Wild Thing, Tokyo Dome, January twenty oh one. Terry Funk to team but that Choo show Nita against Boss Jesus Christ. Just wait how much? I mean? The smoking? Sorry? What's that? There's something there's something very disturbing about wrestlers smoking. I don't know why. Yeah, always, It's never worked for anybody besides Anita, and many have tried, I know. I mean, I think Big Show did it best action. That was his announcement that I could give a fuck. That wasn't even a go make. That was like an attitude tamper tantrum when he did that on Nitrowl one week. It's awful. You remember you Shoeda putting his body over Terry Funks as the ring exploded in nineteen ninety three the FMW Classic. I mean, I can't not, I suppose, but Funker is already in the ring? Is Sonita traversus ring side here at Tokyo Dome. That feud brought a non all Japan, non New Japan Pro Wrestling two domes to Kawasaki stadium. Of course that's wild. So Terry Funk didn't just you know, thrive in the conventional hallways of Japanese pro wrestling. We see the Funker there there he is yep, what is now traditional headband? Oh? The things shut? What's he saying now? The Funker with the mic mans file. I started here and I want to die here, oh boy, and show it's number one? Brother? What are you? Two thousand and one Terry Funk. It's Jesus Christ. To address the all japan fans again such as they were come that point in time, it was number one, number one. Big long squeeze and embrace between Terry Funk and at Chucio Nita here before the opening bell, a little bit of misty eyed at Peters is the huckster Onnita? Yeah, Funker looks kind of misty too. Yeah, yeah, I think he knows this is probably the last time he's gonna really be in an all Japan ring. Yeah, I imagine that's true. And after Giant Baba died, it was kind of like everyone knew All Japan as we knew it was pretty much done right. Is the only thing keeping it afloat at that point, not the only thing, but a key thing keeping it afloat at that point was just loyalty to him and reverence for him, And once he was gone, it became a much more sort of transactional question of where should we work? You know? And progressing. Noah was born the opposition for Anita and Funk on their way to the ring now here at Tokyodom in two thousand and one, leading the charge, who else boss but his most storied all japan rival. Oh, there we go, Abdullah the butcher and man? Have those tits grown? That's that they have him? Did he get him done? Did you get a boob job? Is that Kamala? That is? Oh my god, that is not the Kamala we know. No, that is giant Kamala number two? What the fuck? Who got some work across the US indie scene the late nineties and early in two thousands, as well as Japan as evidence here. Yes, I believe his real name was Ben Peacock, and he was known as Oh my god, he was known as in Memphis. They gave him the Kamala look and gave him a different name. I think it was the Uganda and something I like. He thought he's basically giant Giant Kamala number Giant Kamala Giant Kamala number two aka Giant Kamala piece of ship. Yeah, emphasis on the number two. That's exactly right. As predictably, this match begins before anyone on the heel side even hits the ring. Terry Funk has grabbed Abdul the Butcher and is taking him on a tour of the front few rows here in the Tokyo Dome. Yeah, it looks like they're continuing to play the music here past the whole Jesus and the Funker is already underneath the table in three or four shoars. I don't know how that happened, but look at him. God, remember back of this those Funks Funk brothers versus Abby and She and She and they were fucking going crazy. What was he showing you? I mean, you talked about the new appreciation. I feel like that was one of the first times during the journey where it really set in. I mean, it just was. It was Jesus, fucking yeah, Abby is digging a fork and a Funks had they alreadys colors that a fork? It looks like a fucking drill. Oh man, look at the way he's getting azza. Oh my god, blood, it looks like a broken off beer bottle. Oh my god, it is. It's a broken off beer bottle. The fuck Come on. That was Terry's two thousands innovation. The only thing I've been missing from my act all these years is a fucking broken off, sharded beer bottle. Yeah, that's why we need dirty glass. And the way it drops all over the the white tablecloth and the blue ringside mats, the droplets of blood from the funker, who's now I believe, swinging a microphone at a duel the butcher's head. Yeah, what's the problem you were saying about Funker in al Japan? That that it what it was was there there. It's just like getting seeing him able to create some thing so emotional for the fans, and to be able to get people so invested in every little thing that he's doing is really where the money was. Absolutely, and you don't really appreciate the level of resonance that Terry Funk achieved in Japan until you watch that stuff and you see the people not in the Buddhicon or wherever they happen to be correct, when Yeah, just like you know, reaching for him, you know, like yep, yep, just so much passion for him. Looks like a shoesh you Needa is preparing the blade, nice tight shot of it, run of the razor. What the fuck? Seriously, that's the worst. Someone in the truck doesn't know about how works. Someone's fucking fired yep. And then we transition to Abby, Yeah, pretending to do it with the broken off beer bottle to for it. Bunker has been left for dead outside the ring. Kamala number two. Oh, Funker comes in, swing in a chair, Kamala. The shits right across Abby's back and here goes Terry going to work and they love it. Yeah, look at that blood flowing series of jabs and a left hook puts down. Thenage Funk are on display pumping the right jab. Now an Abdullah, Oh, what the hell does Kamala have in his hand? Is that a Is that a noose? Oh? He's got it around the Funker's necks, choking him. I guess it's better than a plastic bag, but not much. Yeah, he doesn't see this always strained credulity for me. I always had trouble buying into this. Why would an Abdullah the Butcher carry a fork everywhere he went. Just not believable. Yeah, I know, Like I mean, I definitely can picture Abby just like you know, he sees a piece of food on the ground, he just fucking takes out his fork. And you know that's what has to take a bite. Takes a bite, got to keep sustainability alive. You know. It's like I imagine him walking New York City and there's you know, like, uh, three week old hot dog bun on the ground. He's not going to be four weeks old. Let me tell you that. I remember all those weeks ago we got here bread on the ground. What a twist at the end there all those weeks ago talking about how all Japan needed a shot in the arm when they took away, and just when they were, you know, doing really well, they got tiger masks, they were on fire, and Funker's idea was, we need to do some hyper violent and he bladed the ship out of his arm. He had Abby, And here he is in two thousand and one doing it again as Abdul the Butcher digs the knife in the bicep yep, superplexed by Anita, the bloodied o'nda onto gian Kamala gets a nice response from the crowd. Yeh, it's right back to the old bag of tricks for an Abby and the Funker. Unreal stab and get color on things other than the forehead. That was kind of the uh yep, Abby putting Funker's face on full display for the hard side camera, digging that fork in it. Anita making the say with a series of right hands and his taped fists still menacing all these years later as Abby. Oh yeah, imagine how many plates they had to bring out for him. Oh, man, Jesus, you just think about the you know, like you know we uh you always talk about how much uh you know, we joke about fucking rocks cheats Day, cheat Day with all the sushi and shit, with like a meal for three people. Imagine like four times that much. That's where they have to bring out for Abby. Seriously, in a country with smaller portions by right in general, you know, it's like twenty four orders to get this guy. He literally orders one of everything. Absolutely, look at his tits. Look at the way they navigate on the side of his body. Oh, it's so but how they hang it's so vile, like It's amazing how you know, the the the fat just like was like, Nope, this is where I want to go. This is where I want to stay. Yes, here, I'm going to replicate here I want to I want to like he could store shit under there. I'm sure he does under the flap. Yeah, I'm sure he puts the gimmicks under there. I invite you to consider the smell when he lifts, when he lifts, well, because you know he doesn't wash there. Oh why would you? That's you know, you know that when he whenever he whenever he stumbles into a shower, he does stumble into a shower. It looks like he's stumbling in a shower right now. Is Anita takes him to the floors. It never lifts up, you know, he never lifts up the flaps ever. All right, he just fucking like you know, there's like there's mold under there, this bloody bat a spilt mold, I mean all the sweat, you know, just like oh he's got like you know, moldy bread under there. Oh on Funker crowns Kamala with a table. I'll say this for d look at the waddle over to Abby. You son him a bitch throwing hands. I'm gonna go ahead and punch in the head. I'm gonna go ahead, go ahead, go ahead, go to the head. Terry's frizzing, frizzed out in his head. I freak, Oh thorough freaking brudend Needa just wrapped Kamala up like a baby. I mean with that towel. He looks like it. He looks like he gets swaddled. Look at Abby, He's not gonna be able get up. Look at him. What you put him on the ground for is a fish out of water. He is an upside down turtle putting on the whale in so many ways. Oh, look at his face. Unk is covered in plasma. Did uh did Vicky go on Japan with Terry ord he go by himself? Oh? They were certainly there for the nineteen eighty three retirement. Yeah, I'm not sure about this big splash by Kamala on the prone Funker cover one turn him over to be really Kamala. Oh funk Wow. Rad likes that behind the funker showing heart. Bunker had the spinning tool hold on Abdullah the butcher, but Kamala broke it up. Look at that fucking but let me, have you ever had you know that much blood come out of your body at one time? Never? You know? And he does it by choice. It's like a thick mask on your face. Oh, Gihan, and Kamala's up top. He's gonna take off with a splash nobody. Oh no, no, you know it's funny. I mean outside of his you know he moves a lot better than Yeah, then did Kamala Harris? Is his name James Harris? Yes? Now, Funker Kamala Kamala reaching for Kamala Harris, I'd be just like waddling and it's over. Funk gets this admission. Wow, He gets the tap and keeps pounding away at the fucking prone Dome of Abdullah one last time. And he's like he's got like a fan of the opera type mask with all the blood in his face covering half his face. I don't know, I don't know. Pang to name and name as he keeps putting it told on whether he was helping no less double toe hold in an embrace. Wow, between the Funker and the Japanese young boy that he gave lodging to and support to, and Themilla even planning a kiss on the bloody face. Zaddy grabs a table and that won't be the first time tonight, not the last time. Oh Abby gets his hands on the Funker again and they're brawling past the belly in vintage form. Oh yeah, I guess this is probably how it should have ended for Terry Funk and all for sure kind of worse. Sure, he's laid out on a table getting a fork stuck in his fucking forehead. I don't see the problem. Look at him. It's like he's on the cry Dean did Dean Dean did little? Did hindanding left arm raised high, didn't yes, Bunker stumbling around ringside well, Anita keeps working on Kamala and the spinning toe hold theme song that drove people crazy for a decade. Oh for the funks, rings out one more time. It took it home two thousand and one. The Funker saying goodbye to he had another uh signature platform of his. We're still going to some degree. I don't see Terry Funk, but I see everybody else. There's a Funker saving Ona from Kamala. Yeah, Terry picking up a row of hip Oh my god, throw at it's just a fucking case is that he barely pick them up. Could you could you? Could you? Could you imagine like Christmas at the funks, You know, all of a sudden, he just gets in that weird zone. He starts picking up dining room chairs and just tossing them at guests and family. Oh my god, yeah, he would not. He would not have a good party rental business. Let me tell you, no, no, not at all. He yeah. Oh sh Terry celebrate with their mob of all japan fans. Hngnna buy another bunch of the damn tables Vicky vic Vic. I guess so vic Vic. These people don't even care that he is bleeding like a sieve. No, no, no, They're like, give me all the fucking diseases, the blood transfusion diseases. So many fans possible want to touch the funker here one more time. I'm sure that there are some people who have like taken that blood and stored it. I think, so ah, yeah, maybe he'll come back to life and maybe DNA experiment in thirty years. Maybe if one guy was going to come back from the grave, it would be Terry Funk. Oh yeah, because he realizes he needs the money yeah. I remember he's talking all that shit about how I needed and pay him. Yeah, and now here he is again hugging him and raising his hand. I let bog, I want ahead and let bogs, being fairly you did. They're back in the ring now or funking Nonita I Needa pouring a bottle of water in the bloody forehead. Yeah, please hear off some of that fucking juice for the love of Christ bd bdpt B de beat beating bt bdpt B beat deep beat BDBDPTP beat boom yeh All Japan. He saying all Japan, All Japan by d a as Abdul the Butcher to back wattles away day tight Anita's presenting Funk with a microphone. Funk would rather have a bottle of water first, thank you. Bunker is gonna speak one more time to the al Japan. Here we go. I hope he doesn't repeat his fucking forever forever Japan number one, All Japan Wrestling, number one wrestling organization. My god, it always will be to what's the day to this? Two thousand and one? What? What's the what's the month? Though? January? All right? Good? Pre nine eleven that's fine, right, What what what he said? What are your? What are your? What are you? Is he saying? Forever? I missed that? There it is, that's wild Thing. I'm not sure what Need has said, but I think I get it. Nonetheless, Bunker's rocking out to wild Thing, sitting on the bottom rope. Of course he is one. I hadn't took a nap on the floor in the middle of the ring. I just gotta take a little gotta take a breather, Gotta call my mom, waving to the cavernous Tokyo Dome. Is the Funker the Giant Egg allowed to come over here even though he's with w c W and they had a new japan relationship. But you don't tell the Funker what Japanese office he's working for. Vince Junior couldn't do it, and Senior couldn't do it. Jim Crockett couldn't do it. Certainly w c W management such as it was in two thousand and one, it's not gonna tell him. Bow towards the ring by Anita as the Funker two hands held high waves. Goodbye once again, wild bloodied tongue sticking out, huge smile on his face, hair thin. He is hardly the uh, the picture of youth that he was back in three seventy eight. All remember when we had the blonde hair for that match between Dori Funk and Toni and ok so wild always younger brother at ringside Donk Terry Funk. I remember the time that we went and uh have we went to? Do we do? We go to Japan? Yeah? Once, I'm trying to remember if it was Japan or Australia. Can we do it? I can tell why he gets too confused. Mhm, huh. It is a wild thing Terry Funk in Japan? Is me? Me? Me? Wow? They're tripping over each other to hug this bloodied, soaking wet leather jacket, chain smoking, gross aniac disciple of Funk that wasn't his at Shushio Nita living on today in a lot of ways in the form of a John Moxley, a little bit of Eddie Kingston. People paying trying to uh the Funk of the Onita days and the Onida of the Funk days. That one was for me, Toco boss who yeah, just one of so many was Onita. The Terry Funk gave that early encouragement to and he just sat back and watched them make millions of dollars. Yeah, one after the other after the other of people who crossed the funk transom Hogan there he is roller Onita and Funk in the back and some closing words. This is this is a world weird house. This is a house. It's a warehouse. Come si ve Yeah, yeah, yeah, buddy, we got no mutcha storm, you know, m I think Terry might be expiring there. I think he is. Juno Needa delivers another sol liquy in the tongue. He doesn't understand. Free they go, So they go. That's got trouble. What he looks like he's dying too? Did I'm not there? Did he hung up that you meet meet you the wall? I say testicles? Yeah, that was one English word that slipped in there. Absolutely, he's gonna say balls in a second to Terry said nothing sitting there, bloody, he's asleep. Look, he's tired. Be nice. If a Japanese speaking member of the Solar System could take a moment to transcribe this for us. How about what he's like looking off It doesn't even like he's looking at a person hallucinating it seems like purple monkeys floating around. That goes the dragons. Now Terry is awake again. Terry's trying to speak, but yeah, you can't get a word in edgewise with the senator here. What are the fucking the diet member that? Uh so you can tell him? Could Yeah? What? Thank god? You know how old are they? Not? I can't take you for you? Yeah? Can we let dry sock here? Oh my god? No? No, bobo bobo And a quick TLF interlude here on the lapsed funk. We we did our best boss to you know. Approximated translation of what a Shoeshi Anita says in this interview. It seemed like it had some weight to it. We put a call out to the Solar system. So hopefully perhaps some more detailed and complete translation is on the way. But using some software, this is what we're able to ascertain, at least for now. About what remarks Anita says. Seated next to a bloodied Terry Funk after the two thousand and one Tokyo don't match, Anita says something like, because of course he's being interviewed. How was it? No? I couldn't do anything, No, no, no, I knew it. Old people have their own style. He said, Wow, okay, they have their own style, their own guiding style. I could not compete with that. I fully admit that. And then he's asked a question and he says, this would still be a bad idea if a new style was introduced. The most Japanese pro wrestling remarks, I can never imagine. But it's been a while. It's been a while since I played old records. You you, and you, and you can unravel the old records and make them your own your hometown. When you get a glimpse of your hometown, don't you feel in the nostalgic when you listen to those records? I know you do too. I don't fit in with all japan pro wrestling. I know that well enough. Even Terry knows that. Brother, even Terry Funk took a different path. But that's okay. I understand the path. But that's the stance of retiring like that, he went home, Terry Funk back home, among other things. So normal normal conversation, normal talk. What people say about people, desperado and an outlaw yep Psychonneita's breaking down in tears. What what the fuck is he doing from this is just bizarre. Thank you with much and that'll do it for that piece. Okay, So no, no, no Funk saying anything, just letting him just fucking ramble on and on and on. That's actually as fitting as I can imagine for Anita. Yeah, but there you have it. The Funker says goodbye to the All Japan Ring. Another part of the world he had to say goodbye to in two thousand and one was Puerto Rico. Mm Orse spent some time there tracking his various exploits for the World Wrestling Council and just going absolutely insane and Puerto Rican baseball stadiums and climbing lighting rigs and all the crazy shit he did in that country in the eighties. And in two thousand and one, in April, he did a three day shot for the IWA, which was sort of like you know, we know of IWA Japan. Of course, the death match promotion would which was loosely affiliated or you know, sort of sanctioned by Victor Quinonez, who was the Puerto Rican promoter that was a close friend and alive Terry Funk's, and ran the IWA promotion proper in Puerto Rico, and we talked a lot about the common DNA that the Japanese death match scene had with a lot of the Puerto Rican deathmatch stuff from the late eighties, fire ropes and barbed wire in that country, a bit before it was popularized to that degree in Japan, and certainly a circuit that when at Chishio Anita came through in Puerto Rico, he was able to witness a lot of these extreme wrestling elements and incorporate them into his presentation. So the two countries have a lot of common DNAs that regards the Funker there. But it's interesting to see Terry Funk back in Puerto Rico because if you hold him to his word, after Bruce of Brodi, his good friend from West Texas State, was murdered oh Country in nineteen eighty eight, he said he would never come back. And it's really confusing because one of the things that I wasn't able to really settle in my own mind about the Funker was that his wrestling data record indicates that remember that match we saw with him against TNT Savia Vega and Puerto Rico last time, Yes, yes, if that match actually took place shortly after the stabbing death of Bruiser Brody and Puerto Rico. There's absolutely no way that Terry Funk came back to Puerto Rico that quickly after the death of Brody, and then he just has a several year absence from there. But he goes on to WCW and stuff anyway in ECW as well. But I don't know, I feel like there's something wrong about the date of that match. You can find, like you know, discussions online of people calling the Funk route as a hypocrite for going back. If indeed the date of that match is recorded online as accurate, I'd never got final on that, but I can't tell you that. In a memorial speech for Bruiser Brody when he received an award from the Cauliflower Alley Club years and years and years later, Terry Funk did take the stage to have this to say about his former All Japan brother and fellow warrior in the ring. He was not a good worker. He was a tremendous worker. He suspended disbelief so well that he died for it. He died for it. As how ridiculous that got down there in that area at that time. I have never been back to that area since that date, and I have no intention of going. I have great respect for Carlo's to home, but I don't have respect for their countries' rules and regulations and why they treat him, done the wrong things, and how they do so many other things. So just let him go, say availed reference there to Josey Estrada getting off with murdering. He didn't. You know, he's fine, he didn't do anything. So there's Terry Funk standing. He went for the Crowd of Year in twenty seventeen saying I'll never go back there, and he had, in fact wrestled in Puerto Rico three times in two thousand and one. At least. Uh, perhaps we'll give him a little bit of slack because as he further qualifies his statements, as he probably realizes what he's saying as he goes, he means for that particular promoter, not that so apparently for certain promoters the rules and regulations of the country of Puerto Rico which give him such a pause. Well, you know, I just want to go ahead and say I didn't say I never said I'd never wrestle in the country of Porto ric I just did never wrestle for a certain promoter in Puerto Rico, And I've never been back, and I will never go ahead and go back. I'll never go ahead and go back or got it? Ah? Terry Derry, Terry, Terry, What Terry? You did wrestle in Puerto Rico? I did, yeah for other guys, but I said I wouldn't go ahead and do it. Now did I go ahead and do it? I didn't? But did I go ahead and wrestle some in Puerto Rico? Derry? You did? Say you went ahead? And just say yeah, that's that's not You're out this time, Darry? Well, what do I do? Just just tell them that that you didn't wrestle for that for those people? What and where are we not Puerto Rico, Terry, So get up there and talk. Just tell them you're not going to wrestle for those people. What people? The people in Puerto Rico. Just tell them those people and you didn't wrestle for those people in Puerto Rico. Uh, I've never wrestle again for those people. They will work if they're working you and you and you they're working with he's a worker, he's a worker. Worker. It's all he is chu worker that's gonna keep giving. Seriously, is those three dates in April of two thousand and one, Terry Funk worked super crazy Ombre Dinamata and Dinamita, and I just think, I mean, that's not a surprise though he always worked super crazy. Yeah, and then he wrestled. He worked super crazy, and then he wrestled them too on the Juicia Final tour in April of two thousand and one. In fact, Hurricane Castillo Junior, the father of Pardon of Me, the son I believe of the wrestler that Tony Atlas grabbed by the belt and pulled into the ambulance to come with me to the hospital in Puerto Rico to get Bruiser Brody treated for his stab wounds so that he could run translation. Even though nobody in that locker room, according to the eyewitness accounts that we've heard, wanted anything to do with getting involved with the stabbing of Brody in the shower in that locker room, So I literally uh had to come kicking and screaming to Tony Atlas's aid as they made their way to a hospital I believe in Bayamoon. So that's that's definitely an interesting wrinkle on the Funker's journey. I'd love to get clarity on that Savia Vega match, by the way, in terms of where in his uh, where in the chronology that one took place. But nonetheless, we're here for the lessons of Funk as much as we are the geography of Funk, and less is more? Right, We know this in general? Yes, I ask you, boss, Is it especially true in pro wrestling? Um? I would say in more ways than one, because so much is big and huge in pro wrestling that less certainly is more, and forrest less it's more. Yes, yeah, I really mean that. Sometimes, try to do it with less, you guys, Just when if you're going to ring exp see if you can capture the fans imagination and their emotions by just doing less, doing less, not by doing more, not by yes, do your high spots and everything, but try to do less. Try and just try it sometimes and see what you can get away with it, you know, and it really is that becomes a very wonderful art. That whenever you can go ahead and take an arm and you can do enough to go ahead and have a twenty five to thirty minute match, go ahead and you're not. You're doing something all the time and the guy's hanging on to it. You can still hold their injuries. You can still grasp their imagination by doing wrestling. I truly believe that. I truly believe that you can. It's not it's not easy. You got to catch from their interest whatever way you do. That was something Funk would say a lot is the two thousands donned. And maybe it's because mother nature saw to it that he couldn't do much more than less right as his knees began becoming harder and harder a thing to deal with in his back and all the other injuries he suffered. But he saw a real renaissance of in the two thousands of hold for hold wrestling, of simplistic arm working and and really back to that. He saw it go all the way to the extreme, and he was right there taking the risks along with everybody else, and he saw it boomerang and a lot of ways. He was standing there to call the runs of like a Brian Danielson in a Ring of honor. That title run he had that inside the ways was predicated on just getting the people involved through hold for hold, through catches, ketch can through submission based grappling, and he called it, he really did. He saw that that now has to come back, and he saw the rise of UFC and how that necessitated a more realistic looking pro wrestling style that had more to do with kind of the give and take of what we now know to be real grappling exchanges. It's pretty remarkable, but less is more and right agreed, And again Funk would really have no choice considering the wear and tear in his body in the two thousands. But to live that ethic, he told that crowd at that twenty thirteen seminar that's selling the spot is what's important, not the spot itself. He says, go ahead and do your spot. Don't begrudge somebody for getting their spots in, But that's the filler. The spot is the filler. Mm. The meat of the match is how the spots are sold. Yes, spent so much time over the years on the cast, Boss talking about this and how we learned it. And you learned it, in particular in such a more direct way by doing the intensives that you did in a couple of wrestling sinars. You know, you just you look at pro wrestling a wholly different way when you start to realize that ninety percent of it is on the guy taking the move. Yep. So it really it changes how you perceive the whole fucking thing, and it really makes you wonder. I mean, I guess you know at some point, you know, if you if you're losing so much that you know you're not making money. But it's such a weird it's such a weird thing. But especially in kind of the modern era, Like when you look at guys like fucking you know, during the like two thousand to two thousand and four era of the underseller, you know, he just was fucking such an asshole to so many guys taking souls, you know, right, and you know it just was It's like, you know, it's so much, it's worth so much more to not only sell, but to just be able to to take the moves and to and to sell the moves and to you know, because it's so much about participation and trusting people. You know, man, it's just a it's just a fucking shame sometimes when when when guys when some of the wrestlers and old timers and guys who fucking have this this quote unquote seniority, just you know, insist certain guys pay their dues. Totally. Terry had a real dist taste in his mouth for what he saw on WCW when he came in in two thousand, because of course that was that was really his bid to just ride a gravy train, big lucrat contract. Even if he gets hurt, he's gonna collect. Everybody else is doing it. All the years I put in and the miles I put in my body, I might as well, you know, sort of a belly up to the trough as well. He was straightforward about that. And one of the things that he didn't name names, but really disenchanted him was singing, you know, separate locker rooms for the big stars in WCW at that point in time, and how little fratternization there was, which, of course, if you hear Terry Funk talk about his career is the absolute base material of the whole thing is the fraternity that the wrestlers share with each other and the shared destiny that they kind of have to create to be successful. And he's observing this new kind of this new normal, this new way of the boys interacting or not so much in the modern wrestling, and he's seeing a business where the guy with his own private dressing room is literally convincing himself that he's there for reasons other than the guys he doesn't want to be around making him And when Terry Funk came in the business, there was absolutely no way you could avoid respecting that. There was no way you could be around very long if you didn't constantly show the respect for the fact that it was somebody else again, taking that ninety percent of the match and making it look like I know what I'm doing, making myself look tough, making it look like my moves hurt, make it look like my moves actually aren't total phony, baloney contrivancies that would never get them anywhere in a real fight. You have to show deference to those guys, and you have to constantly be acknowledging the role they played and putting you in a position to make money, and you have to be prepared to be that guy yourself if circumstances dictated, and with a guaranteed money era. You know, Funk just didn't see a business that had any way of keeping that precious part of the flame lit and alive. So he teaches this crew here of trainees in twenty thirteen, teaches them how to stand tall on a lock up right when you lock up if you want to get across that you're menacing. You don't crouch down on a lock up. You stand tall on that lock up right. Give them a sense of your height. If you don't stand, you're going to be in there with someone who is standing tall over you. Terry Funk tells them, and he says there's a way to get across if you're a heel or a baby face, just in the way you tie up and break against the ropes. He spends like twenty minutes on this, just lock up to the ropes. How do you break? And what do you get across in the way you break? He talks about, how you know the kids seem to be focused on the mechanics as you watch them try to act on Terry Funk's advice in that ring, they still seem, many of them so preoccupied with all right, how do I make this move look like it's supposed to look, as opposed to reacting to the move being done to them. If it's done imperfectly, it's much more important to react like you're under siege or delivering punishment than it is to have this look on your face. And we saw it in the Rumble this year, didn't we boss? In so many instances, it's particularly in the woman's truble yep, or you have this look on your face where it's clear that you're just trying to think about how to do something correctly right, instead of letting it happen. And that's what we've lost. We've lost that being table stakes to become a pro wrestler is having that instinct that is no longer anywhere near required. That's a nice to have, that's not a must have. It's the most important right. It's always been a must have. But somehow the business is convinced itself that you don't need to have those instincts to be a television star anymore in pro wrestling. But you can see the kids, they're still like minding, Am I doing the lock up the right way? Am I? Like putting my body in the right position? Like some technical flaw is going to be visible to anybody else but a wrestling trainer like the fans. I mean maybe now because it's gotten so ridiculous in terms of how polytical the fans are about in ring. But for the majority of the history of this business, like anyone's going to notice a technical flaw more than if you don't react to something. That's what makes it look fake, not if you didn't do the move perfectly or crisply. Whenever that word crisp came in, Oh God help us at that point, because now we're rewarding clean execution instead of something looking like it's having an effect. You know, not everything wight to work. Not everything should be crisp. Stuff should be sloppy, right, I should be putting up resistance to moves. But you know, and there and there is a there is a you know, a way to do that, and you know not that not you know, sometimes it works. Sometimes it certainly doesn't work, but it usually works. A mistake usually works when you get two guys who are prepared for something not working, yeah, who are used to win the moment thinking of it in the ring. You know, like then you in making it work, making it into something as opposed to you know, when they when when they're just waiting for their move to happen, and it just comes off like a complete shit show because because they don't know how to They don't know how to adapt to that. And my impression is that's how you got better is when you're in there with a guy who you know, if you fuck up or if you make something look fake, he's gonna jump all over you, because he'll be goddamned if he's gonna let your hesitance and your lack of polish and your lack of gumption make his match look like shit. So there's that implied pressure of you know what, if I don't flow smoothly in here, if I don't react in a realistic way to what these guys, what this guy's doing to me, He's gonna really fuck me up right, and I'm gonna look like it because he is not gonna stand here and let me make him a veteran look like he doesn't know what he's doing. And people have said that about Terry Funk. They said, you know, if there's a cross up on something and something starts to fall apart, Terry Funk is going to just switch into a mode where he's gonna start winging punches. He's gonna just do what it takes to make it look like you know what you would do if a guy try to put you in a wrestling hold and failed or did it sloppily, and you just fuck you know, you just swing at the motherfucker, right, I mean, that's what you're right. The opening has presented itself, and it's those moments I feel like we really learn to be a pro wrestler where you pay a price for fucking up in the ring. And I'm not, you know, advocating, you know, like literally beating the shit out of somebody. But you're not gonna do it again, right right? Yeah? Or if you do do it again, you're gonna react a lot differently than just bring the whole damn thing to a screeching haul. You're not gonna be a deer in the headlights. That's where damn sure. And that's where the magic of wrestling is. To have that ability in your back pocket, even if you don't deploy it, even if in a perfect scenario you don't have to go to that place. It's about knowing how to react when you get there, not repeating the spot, et cetera, et cetera. I marked down as I watched Funk show these students things, there is no knowing how to do it. There is only carrying yourself like you know how to do it. Mmm. Because if you don't carry yourself like you know how to beat somebody in a wrestling match, no one gives a shit if you do do it. And he's talking about how when you do a tackle right yep. I never thought about this until I saw him teaching this kid this. You do a tackle, and so many guys now tackle drop down and they'll hit the ropes immediately after dropping the guy with the tackle because they know he's going to turn over and a stomach jump over the back right, come in the other end, hip toss, whatever it is. Yep. But to Terry, he's like, don't forget. The reason you take off and hit the ropes again is because you just knocked this motherfucker down with a shoulder block and you can tell he's going to get back up. It has to register with you that he's moving. You have to look down on him, like what, look at this piece of shit. I just dropped him cold. Yep. But you need to see a physical cue from him that it's worth hitting the ropes again, because the idea is the second tackle is going to hit him as soon as he stands up m It doesn't have time to react. And that's why it works because you know, on its face it looks so contrived. Right, this guy hits the ropes and tackles you, once, hits the ropes again, tackles you again. It's like, where did this come from? Well? How did how did this? You know, on its face absurd looking sequence of events? Yeah, sprout from wrestlers who are trying to, you know, generations ago, make it look as real as they possibly could, but still keep it action packed. Well, it's this notion that like if someone if you knock somebody down and they're about to get up, you can knock them down the second they get their balance again. But if you don't look at them down on the canvas and react and go for the second shoulder because they're getting up, then it doesn't make any sense. Why are you running the ropes again? How do you know he's going to get up? Yes? What if he doesn't? What if he grabs you by the fucking legs like you deserve, trips you and starts beating the shit out of you. And he's telling these kids this and they don't get it. They're shoulder tackling and they're immediately hitting the ropes because that's what's next. They're not looking down and waiting for a queue that allows us to believe. And he just keeps it. I never thought of that, never thought of it. He's like, what are you doing? Got to look down, it's got to emanate from you, wonderful study. It's just it's just the heart and soul of it it is. I mean, that's just you know, making it. They there, there is you know what it comes down to as well. I mean not only it's it's really about a lack of confidence in what's happening in the ring. It's about fear. It's about you know. I mean, I can I can compare it to two things. I mean, this is my experience. I I I kind of I always hate kind of harping back on on on my renaissance rumble like I'm fucking like on my phone. No, No, it's it's but yeah, I hope no one takes it that way. It's just it's just it's just what what my experience took me in those moments is that I remember my first match, there was a moment, you know, and there because we don't have the the time or the ability to really get to a place of comfort where we can you know, call it in the ring. It's they are very well, these matches are very very I don't want to say yeah, they're they're they're more or less choreographed, you know, like it's moved for move for move because we just don't have the knowledge. However, So I remember my first match, I was supposed to uh uh body slam my opponent and then go for a big splash for a two count. Well I went for the slam and the guy immediately got up and I didn't know what to fucking do because I was you know, I was in that place where I'm like, we you know, I wanted to move for move for move, and it just didn't It didn't work, and I was like, I was very confused, and I was flabberg acid and I was flustered. I mean, we got through it fine. It didn't seem like it was a you know, a really missed thing, but I didn't really know how to proceed. Yeah, so fast forward. That was something that I really wanted to learn the second time I was there, because I was like, you know, I want to be able to not be so focused on move for move, but be able to have that in the back of my mind, and if something happens, we just, you know, we just adapt to it and communicate, you know, so much of it is a communication. And so I remember I was wrestling Fred and there came a moment I forget what it was. I don't know which hole. It was definitely like either a chin lock or the nerve pinch or something like that that I was doing to Fred. And he's supposed to get his foot on the medallion or whatever the hell it was that he had to get, you know, his little power source there. Yeah, and it was just taking forever because we were just in the wrong place for it, you know, we were just we were just a little too far away. And so he's inching towards it, and I'm like, oh my god, this is fucking taking forever. And I said, I said, elbow me, you know, just hit me in the head. And he did. He was strussed back with an elbow. He fucking we just you know, and and took that moment and I, you know, just to so he could get the thing and and I could just you know, give him the give him the opportunity to get the thing, and it worked and it worked great, and we and we continued and and and everything worked out great. And I was very you know, the two things I wanted to work on miraculously happened in that I didn't want to get too gassed right at the beginning of the match. I wanted to be able to, you know, slow it down. And then also I wanted to be able to feel comfortable enough to call it in the ring if I needed to. And it both happened. And so it's like it's just that kind of awareness and and and and being comfortable with yourself and also fucking a with your partner. That's really where it was. Like the guy I wrestled the first time, he I don't know how many times he'd done it before, but I think he was. He was as green as I was, you know. And Fred, Fred's done it. Fred's done a lot of wrestling and uh even choking out pat say Jack if I or getting choked, I forget which one it is, you know. And and so they're like a different element of trust in there, and that we were able to do that together. So so much of it is that, so much of it is is just knowing that if something happens, you're gonna be taken care of, or knowing that you're going to take care of your opponent if something happens. Yeah, that's right, that's right, and that we can go out there with confidence and carry ourselves like we're really trying to win, right, right, because we know if there's a moment where we get tripped up, we can count on the other guy to fill that hole up for us and get us onto the back on track, so to speak. Yeah, to me, that's what's more interesting about wrestling than whether you're getting back don't getting back on tracked. It's getting back on tract. I mean to say that, Terry, I apologize deeply. Trust me. I apologize deeply what you said? Trust me? Dude? What what do you whoa? Whoa boy? We've got to dial this thing back. What do you mean trust you? Dude? I don't know who you are. Should I say don't trust me? That makes you feel more comfortable? Then now we're kind of getting like, where are we going with this? Brother? That's a good question. By the way. In a bit of lap serendipity, shoulder to shoulder with Dory Funk at the My God how do they let Dorry out of the house? Do they let Dory you know, anywhere? It's kind of a damn sich Terry, because you think about how I just wanted to get out there and I said, hey, I said, we got we can't get Terry funk, might as well get Terry balay. Brother, I get. What do you get, dude? What are you getting from me? Pro Terry that verbs are verbs? Well, yeah, you seem to have a problem with verbs, brother, I don't have a problem with ver dude. I didn't have a problem with vern brother had a problem with I didn't. I don't have a problem with verbs, dude. And what do you mean by have anyway? Who's got? What do you? Who has something? Brother? Yeah? I to r what Terry ballet? I mean Terry Boley such a like a like a news magazine TV show but for whole helgn re named Terry bole and they never say blat the rest of the time, so they don't bother correcting it. You know, the guy I'm talking about, John Stossel, Like if you call him Terry, give a fuck you never you never try to correct it. But I mean, there's something so perverse about gatory outliving Terry, Oh, there really is. Uh. It's a it's a remarkable thing, and it is a remarkable thing that he's still around and still popping his head his head up is is uh. I don't even understand what was happening on. Uh. You know, I went to someone and said, hey, you should go to this wrestling show. I said, okay, I said, what what is it? They said it was a rumbler, a rumbler royal. I said, okay, it sounds fun. I guess I don't know. They told me I was in they six. I don't even remember where I lived in that, he said, I you know, they they said I was in I participated in one of these in nineteen ninety six. I said, I don't even know. You know, I don't remember when when I went to the bathroom in nineteen ninety six. I don't either, actually, But anyway, I mean, Terry does the ninety seven rumble. It's in San Antonio. It makes sense, right, you call on the funker, you call right people in the market. Right. Dorry, however, basically completely shut down in terms of understanding his own past when he was told that he actually was called upon to do a rumble in Fresno, California. I don't even know where Fresno, California is emphasis on the know, but uh yeah. Just to think about Terry being ringside for the sixty five match against then Nocchi. Oh my god, that young blonde, precocious younger brother, that fireball younger brother that would come out of the territory and try to knock off challengers before Funk Junior came through to defend the NBA World Championship. And to think that he went first is is not right. It's not It's not natural. One of the things I wrote down that Terry said to the guys when you tie up, I want you to be as interesting as you can be. Mm. Out of mind folks, mm hmm. And he gives them some promo pointers. After they do their work in the ring for a couple hours, they all try out some promos and I guess and the little details that Funk points out as if it's like, of course, you have to understand this. It's like, no, Terry, no one else notices that those little nuances you're pointing out. He's talking a lot about where you place your eyes. Are you looking above the lens of the camera, because if you look above the lens of the camera while you're cutting a promo, you're being arrogant. You're not giving the people the benefit of making eye contact with them, and that makes you an asshole. These little things I never even thought about, and just how important it is to take it out of the time, and just how much more valued promo time was for his generation in terms of, like, this is your chance to say what you need to say to be able to take credit for an ass every eighteen inches, And if you can't do that when you get the chance to hit that ball out of the park, then you're not a good pro wrestler. And now it's like if a promo doesn't hit, it's like ten people's fault. Yeah, BacT, then it was your fault and your credit too. If it went very well, that's not really the case anymore. So just just just a snapshot of the way that Terry funk when his you know, body didn't allow him to do it at much of a regular clip anymore. Throughout the two thousands and into the twenty tens, UH sought to give back and to UH lecture I love that like this, So this is talking a lot from the Funker to UH to those assembled students in twenty thirteen. You guys have all guys both Sancho, and that's the truth. I hope see one of you guys out here that don and a half potential and shouldn't be about where you are, and hopefully you get making a buck in this business, and hopefully your guys will go ahead also and have a good, a great time of this develop I know you've developed with love and then I can see that I love for it and love for each other, and that's that's that's really great. You've got a great camaraderie, and that's just that's the way you want. You want to go ahead and go out there and cross seats, you know e each guy you you are working for them, you know, and that's the most important thing. And I said that earlier, you know, was who decratate Goans? And you know as the wrestler on the way is busting his ass, you know, not for himself, but for the others. That's what I think is a great one. And I think a lot of you guys here, of course you had the potential with be become a great one. Be given the right opportunity. You know, as a size oh that has no has no daring, doesn't not an amore, And you guys are fortunate for that time and then had this era in the business. You know that it doesn't matter if you're a small dirabbeg guy. You've got the opportunity to make a fortune. And uh, the lightliness of it is probably not very good for wise, but there's a lot of fun trying to get there. It's worth doing it too. And as you got guys like some obviously guys you ahead, yeah, you figure out a way to like a bucking a long or long weapon too, and then they enjoyed the handle. Guys A pus a good guys. Okay, that's okay. Lessons of Funk, that's right, passing it on the best he can. And again there's probably one kid in that in that class that's gonna remember when Terry Funk, oh, yeah, told him he had potential. Yeah, and you know, who knows what kind of success will go on to have. But it's those moments that Terry Funk impresses himself upon generation after generation of wrestlers, unlike anybody else to have somebody in that class in twenty thirteen, be a to say that about Terry Funk, just as Mick Foley would say it dating back to nineteen eighty nine, there was no one else. I don't think there's anyone else that's that's been pointed to by more generations as a deciding factor influence and pursuing this and feeling like they deserved to pursue this, they had a place in the business. Then Terry Funk, what a point there about size? He makes totally the way he put it in. It's like, it's not just that in the past, you wouldn't have been able to bet, you know, be a headliner as a small guy. That's not what he says. He says you can make a buck. Like if you were too small thirty years ago, you could not even draw a dollar from pro wrestling. You just couldn't get in the business. They would not you didn't have a job. It wasn't you weren't on top, you could not participate. And what a change that Terry Funk saw in his time in the business. Kind of went both ways. I mean, you know, there are a lot of smaller guys. His father was a smaller guy, Dorry Senior, was basically a junior heavyweight. Yeah, so he comes from a legacy of appreciating, you know, how much how full of shit you can be in equating size with drawing power. So that's Puerto Rico, that is Japan. Got to make one more visit to the Motherland, don't we, Boston, we have to go back to Germany. I think we do. I think that's very important. Twenty oh one as well. In May, it's almost like Funk and twenty oh one just does a goodbye tour to all the places that meant something to him, goes out to work for an outfit called e WP. In May of twenty oh one, he works Fit Finley and Tiger Steele in a three way match and hanover Nieder hushin neither sashen, pardon me. I don't see the problem before you go and correct me. And then he wrestled the guy named Christian Eckstein for the EWP Intercontinental title. So this is in May of two thousand and one. In April of twenty fourteen, he does his final match in the country of Germany, where he and Steve Carino, who was somebody who learned a lot from Terry Funk and spent a lot of time working with him, particularly in MLW, as we'll talk about defeated the team of her Carsten Beck and mister Shaw Samuel, a couple of local German wrestlers. And we've spent some time on the Lapstunk, haven't we Boss talking about like this last name of Funk, it just seems like us, It just seems like a fake last name. It seems like the name you give a wrestler in an idea of meeting right right right, and it's legit. It's legit, and it's a name with German origins. And as we've talked about that, particularly as we looked at his matches against Otto Vans and others in Germany, on on recent episodes of The Lapsed Funk, members of the Solar System with German roots and backgrounds, We're sure to hit us up to let us know that, Yes, in fact, Funk is a name that's decently common in the country of Germany. Carlos Stallion writing to us where I live, there are German Mennonite communities with the name Funk. My neighbors growing up were the Funks. That's wild. Historically Mennonite Funks were drawing crowds and causing trouble way back in the eighteenth century, Carl Rights. And in fact, there's a whole there's a whole group of Mennonites that were called funk Heites. Funk Heites, I don't see the problem. In German history, they splintered from mainstream Mennonites as the result of a schism caused by Bishop Christian Funk according to Wikipedia. I mean, come on, shit, I mean that's it's pretty fucking amazing. And we also got a great email from our friend Ben Plants in Germany who sent us that great package from Germany. Remember we got a Christmas came there. Yes, yes, been writing to us as well. If I can pull this up here, a little more than six weeks ago you opened my mega awesome Exmas package, including my offer to be your German correspondent. And you guys did not know when Auto Vaughans will come into play. Well he did very fast, he did very fast. Funk Ben Wrights is a very German name, not as popular as Mueller or Schmidt, but it is a name. Fume k f u n K is also a name. K fume k funk can mean many English words, but I try to explain funk wellen are radio waves f U n k W E l l e N. Maybe that's what we shouldn't called the series. Yeah, funk well, Funk is a wireless transmission in general, and sent someone in Zero's in the former you know, uh, you know, just did a thing that I had, and I did a thing that I had. Yeah, I guess I did too, Terry. I knew he had something in common. I had a thing, I did a thing, I went a thing, I went home, I went around. Funk is a wire Yes, speaking of going around a wireless transmission. Walkie talkies communicate via funk. Each Funk means I am radioing, Yes, radioing in Japan. He also writes that funk lout Sprecker are wireless speakers. You get the point I am. I am absolutely loving every bit of this. That's a part of Terry. You didn't expect to get this level of exploration, but that's what we do here, all the way back to Adam Funk coming here from Germany, he writes, when boss Man yelled that Schumann is from Kaiserslautern, he picked the next biggest city near me, so when you just say this random German stuff, there's actually people listening there, like, hey, down the street from that place. I've been to Kaiserslauben, so I can say that at least that what they're gonna call the stable. When Ludwig breaks off from Gunter, Yes, Kaiser Schlaud, nobody gave a fuck. Ben writes about c WA in nineteen ninety six. Well thanks for telling us. Now, after all that stuff we watched, we only cared, he writes, for sid fucking hbk up. Indeed, only older people knew about Vince. When ww F enter Germany big from nineteen ninety on, it went mainstream and younger people realize that we have our own crappy federation. But it took years for the word wrestling to replace ketchen Ah wow n Kraudhousen sounded like a work, but it's really a town in eastern Germany. And finally, he writes, like every big figure in history that drags Germany through the mud, Vince is from Austria and not from Germany. You're welcome. That's great. I love it so funk as German. Uh you know, I figured, you know, this might be the time to call upon chat GDP for the first time. Oh boy, in the course of the lapsed Funk, just to get a little sense, you know, because absolutely what's wrong with that. We're going to you know, we're going to get a sense. Let's get a sense. Thank you, boss, Thank you so much. If we're going to get a sense, we might as well train a model around it. You might as well present the following prompt and then I'll let you read it. Okay, because we learned so much about Terry Funk, we might as well add to the texture of the man. Assume your wrestler Terry Funk, and he is explaining how he is a Mennonite and what they believe. Use the phrase, We'll go ahead. Funk believes part of being a Mennonite is convincing people you didn't mean to insult them. Well, let me tell you something, brother, brother, what do you GPT has it out for all? Cogan, dude? I want know why use my catchphrase, Well, let me tell you something, brother, Terry Funk here and we'll go ahead and talk about being a Mennonite. Now beer generated now being a Now being a Mennonite ain't just about throwing punches in the ring. Oh I know, is it all about that interesting? It's about living a certain way, you know, you know. We'll go ahead and break it down. First off, us Menonized believe in peace and simple living and apparently throwing punches. This is actually describing Terry Funk to a t. So far. It's not about the glitz and the glamor. It's about keeping things down to earth. Now, we'll go ahead and work hard, treat others with respect and say trude to our beliefs. Now, when it comes to interacting with folks, part of being a Mennonite is convincing people you didn't mean to insult them. It's all all about finding that common brown brother, common brother. Let me let me tell you. This makes me realize Terry Funk's like he never says brother. He never does. I hear him say it once, and I've listened to probably dozens of hours of him talking for this for this series. I've never heard say brother. That brother. Wow, it's the one wrestling term. He didn't you. Now we'll go ahead and talk about it and make amends and keep the harmony rolling in the wrestling world or the everyday life. Being a Mennonite means staying true to your principles. Brother, we'll go ahead and stand firm also. It says that, but we'll also extend that hand to piece when needed. It's about understanding and respecting one another inside and outside the squared circle. So let me tell you, being a Mennonite ain't just a label. It's a way of life, and we'll go ahead and live it to the fullest. I can't possible, so thanks for letting me. There's a prominent Mennonite family called the Funks. Or a family. Isn't even the word a tribe? I guess I don't know a denomination fights I'm I'm I'm at at a loss. I'm at a loss. It's amazing. So we chronicled Terry's last stand there so to speak with Anita in the All Japan Ring, he also was able to spread his wings a bit and take some New Japan dates as well. Was Terry Funk, Although he was never really as warmly received by the New Japan fans. I feel like anytime I saw him in a New Japan context, it was more of a polite acknowledgment of his presence than like a celebration of the days gone by. He was interesting. Works Tokyo on October eighth of two thousand and one where he teams with Dori Funk, his brother on the Tatsumi Fujinami thirtieth Anniversary show, or is this is considered the thirtieth anniversary match as part of a bigger tokyom event. So Dory and Terry face Fujinami and Bob Beckland, Oh my god, two thousand and one, So it just keeps getting a weirder. But again, Bob another deep cut, like a guy who absolutely swears up and down that if wasn't for Terry Funk, he wouldn't have hit the ground running as prospect. That is why Bob Backland of all people, was really ushered into a prominent position for the first time in Amarillo in that territory. He also worked Big Japan Wrestling in Yokohama in two thousand and one in December, where Terry Funk team with Men's Tao formerly of Kayan Tai to take on Great Kojica and Milmas Garis Delmaskarus, obviously a great opponent of Terry Funk's as well over the years. And then it was back to Amarillo and we talked last time about how Funk's pair of matches against Lance Storm on WCW house shows in the summer of two thousand and one in Amarillo, where he was crowned United States Champion, as they called an audible, was such a notable thing, so as to say that the match against Brett Hart in nineteen ninety seven Funk's retirement show, so to speak, was not his last match in Amarilla, as he said it would be right, so he had that match again Storm in Amarillo. This is the first lie, the first lie, and not hardly actually, this, as far as I can tell, is the real final match that Terry Funk ever had in his hometown of m Gorilla. It was February twenty second to two thousand and two, and it was against who else but Greg the Hammer of Valentine. Of course, I mean in two thousand and two. Okay, just think about the state of Greg Valentine in the nineteen ninety Royal rumble. Okay, I try not to, and then think of him in two thousand and two. I try not to. They turned around and worked Lubbock as well on that swing rematching Greg Valentine. This is for the XWF now after WCW disappeared, there was of course a rush of different promotions that were trying to pick up the pieces and sign the available talent and try to move in on the market share that WCW sort of submitted overnight, and XWF was one of them. Hulkgan had a loose involvement. Jimmy Hart was involved as well in some of the early stages. They did a show where Hogan Russell Kurt Heading in two thousand and two for XWF. They even did a television pilot taping. It didn't go anywhere, however, Terry Funk saying in fact that the well meeting people behind running the organization and getting it off the ground were in way over their head in terms of how much money and spend it was actually going to take to be a competitor wrestling product in the scene. And this is of course where Vince McMahon completely consolidates the business to the point where it's like we lived through a whole generation. It seems like Boss Wert was just like, no, Vince's wrestling is the only wrestling until aw he was like, yeah, other guys are doing different things with different styles at a lower profile station or two. But this is the only wrestling we know it's in that drove Funk nuts that it was really just Vince McMahon's personal taste in pro wrestling that defined what pro wrestling was in this country for a good fifteen years through the two thousands, and he would rail against that and here trying to get the XWF some help bring him out to Amarillo. Didn't work out and didn't keep the Enterprise afloat for very long. So Amarillo and Terry Funk one last try. I guess you could say, I guess working Greg Valentine, of course, son of one of his father's great opponents and his brother's great opponents, had Johnny Valentine Jim Dillon, who we talked about last time, because he brought Terry Funk in sort of desperately with the phone call on Christmas Eve of nineteen ninety nine to come in as WCW commissioner for the first night tro of the ill fated two thousand, just as Russo was losing his grip on power and Dylan and Kevin Sullivan took over for a little while there. He had that allegiance to Terry Funk, as we talked about because Dylan, much like Backlan and so many others we've mentioned, looks back to Amarillo as the place that he was really allowed to find himself as a pro wrestler and develop the act and the routine and the skills that would allow him to make a lifetime of living in the professional wrestling business. And so as we look at one last match or two from Terry Funk in and around Amberilla, Texas here two thousand and two, we're going to close that part of his story as well. It feels appropriate to answer the question of what actually ended up coming of Amarillo. We talked about the Funks selling it to Dick Murdock and black Jack Mulligan in and around the time that funk had dropped the NBA World title in the seventies, and there was just too much to balance. Running the territory after their fathers untimely death in seventy three and being two of the top single stars globally and professional wrestling and traveling world heavyweight champions just just a lot of strain. Terry went through a divorce, of course, that was cited in part. The reason was because of the schedule, and so I think it's time to add a little bit more color, as provided by JJ Dillon, who was in the territory and involved and knew all the players as he passes along in his book, Wrestlers are like seagulls from McMahon to McMahon. Jim Dillon with a post mortem for the Amberilla Territory. I was very surprised when Dory and Terry opted to sell. I remember having a conversation with Terry Funk, who I always respected because of his insight into the wrestling business. He was always on the front end of the curve. When the Funk sold the territory, I said, Terry, when I come When I came into the business, I would have died to be in your position, to be a second generation wrestler and have the experience of working with my father when he passes on, my brother and I get the territory, I would have thought you were set for life. You're a promoter, You owned the towns and the tear territory. Why did you sell? Why did you get out? I had a similar conversation. I had similar conversations with Dory. Looking in from the outside, I just didn't understand the amount of work that was involved or the financial risk. They told me that at the end of the year, in addition to what they earned working in their own territory, their financial reward for their percentage of the profit was thirty thousand dollars a piece. When you consider everything that was involved, the work, the responsibility, and the financial risk, that wasn't a huge amount of money. The bulk of their income didn't come from the promotion. It came from their efforts as performers in the ring. When the United States went through the gas rationing, really, this is where we're going. Okay, well in Texas, I have to give him that. Okay, all right out there. When the United States went through the gas rationing in the seventies, you can imagine being in a territory like Amarilla, where you drove two thousand miles a week, and then being told that you could only buy gasoline on odd or even days. Gordon Nelson wanted to be sure that he had enough to get to the town. We had an auxiliary tank installed in the trunk of his car. Terry saw gas rationing coming, and even though that eventually passed, he knew the price of gas was going up. He realized that gas was not always going to be forty cents a gallon. You can say that again. Other road expenses were going up to you could no longer stay in the El Paso Holiday. Hey, you know, fucking I wouldn't I stayed at the El Paso Holiday No longer know, no longer fuck it. I was just there last week, you know I was. I want you to know, since last episode, I've walked around in my life and just said to myself, what are your dog Holiday? I mean, we called Terry funk? Wyatterup you you fucking wireeup up there? That's the dog Holiday. To call Terry Funk is just the funniest thing I've ever heard of my life. I'm sorry, fucking what is this tombstone? No, it's a celebrity fucking Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer up there. Shit fuck uh paszlehaden for two nights for eighteen dollars. Terry also recognized the dramatic changes the business had coming with the advent of cable television. Cable TV was making inroads in all parts of the country. Fans in West Texas now had access to championship wrestling from Georgia. The Hot wrestling show on Ted Turner's WTBS superstation. All of a sudden, the fans started to ask, when are we gonna see somebody new? Dick Murdoch, Dory Funk, Terry Funk, Black, Chack Mulligan, and Jim Dillon were all yesterday's news. The fans wanted to see this. Wrestlers who appeared on the superstation Wildfire, Tommy Rich, Mad Dog, Buds, buzz Sawyer, Oley Anderson, Ivan Coloff, Dick Slater, Thunderbolt Patterson, Tony Atlas, Wahoo McDaniel, and Ernie Ladd. With cable television being installed in many homes, those wrestlers were being seen on television every week, but not live in our towns due to cable television. I don't think wrestling will ever go back to the territorial system. Before cable television allowed wrestling promotions to be seen by people worldwide, most cities had one product, so there was no comparison made between two or more promotions if you live. I don't think just cable TV nowadays, there JJ, it's also Internet, oh for sure. Yeah. Well, I Cinimhon who wrote the book. I mean it was certainly the case that you know streaming Internet was a thing. I'm not sure though it was. I don't know. I'm not sure. I don't think it was. Network was out yet, you know that kind of thing, man, ear of iekeeper View. Yeah, so there was no comparison may between two. If you lived in Florida, wrestling was Eddie Graham, Jack brisco Jerry Briscoe, and Dusty Rhodes. He knew that the Funks were going to come in every so often. Terry would tape outrageous promos and Amarillo and send them to Eddie. When they came into Florida, they were the despicable villains, and the Briscos were the baby faces. And Amarillo wrestling was Dorry Funk Senior, Dorriy Funk Junior, Terry Funk, and Dick Murdoch. Every so often, the Briscos would come in from Florida and the shoe would be on the other foot. The roles were reversed and the Briscoes were hated in Amarillo. They're really astute fans and Amarilla watched the TVs show and thought, that's strange. And Georgia, the Funks are bad guys. They started to realize that wrestling was a business that was choreographed and manipulated. Yeah, I mean yes and no. I mean I would understand, like, you know, if my guys were going into another territory that wasn't their hometown. You know, it's like it's like the Patriots going into you know, facing the Jets. Yeah, but if they were acting totally different, you know, I guess that they were acting like heels, like you could see people were them not No, I mean you kind of. I mean I think that. You know, again, sports teams do that when they're in enemy territory. They want to act like heels. If you get a touchdown, if the Patriots get a touchdown at the at at MetLife Stadium, they're going to soak it up more and act like fucking bad guys and whatever. I don't know if I necessarily agree with that statement, but I digress. Terry Funks saw the writing on the wall and felt the same. The time was right to get out. Terry and Dorry wanted to get out while they could still get a little something for the territory. In time, it wouldn't be worth anything because financially it wouldn't be feasible to continue to run it. I don't think there was any malice on the part of the Funks and selling it to Dickey and Blackjack. Terry and Dorry were both upfront with them and told them where they thought the territory was headed. It's not I'mike selling someone a stock that you think has reached his peak and it's going down. If somebody else sees an upside of the stock and wants to buy it, that's a logical business decision on both parts. Dicky lived in Amarillo and owning a promotion was something that he always wanted to do. I also don't think Dory and Terry got as much of the terror for the territory as people thought they did. They were paid ten thousand dollars apiece as a down payment on the territory, and we're supposed to be paid the rest and installments, but that never materialized. Right. Amarillo was a tough territory to work, and the trips were long. We averaged more than two thousand miles a week. It's a lot of time to sit in a car. And yet of all the territories I worked, Amarillo was where I had the most fun. You were encouraged to be creative and the Funks listened to your ideas. If you had a good angle, they would do it. They also allowed a lot of the top guys to book their own angles. I have such respect for Darry and Torri, Dori and Terry Funk as workers. They made me feel special when they were couped to me to go there. They brought me back several times and told me they would always have a spot in the territory for me. They also followed through on every promise they made to me. I have nothing but great memories of the territory. Unfortunately, everything that Terry Funk predicted what happened to the wrestling business, predicted what happened in the wrestling business came true and the territory struggled as a result of those changes. Creativity was difficult because of the impact of cable television and the fact that expenses went up. Eventually, all of the territories fell by the wayside, and with that, Terry Funk leaves behind his West Texas days, but the impact of that territory still being felt throughout the wrestling business as Terry Funk ventures to other areas from his nest so to speak, in Amarilla and among the folks we've talked most about in terms of being there at that critical moment where a future wrestling star decides do I want to do this or do I not want to do this? Is merced Solis aka Tito Santana, who happened to play for West Texas and was trying to decide what to do with his life and giving pro wrestling a try. We read from his book about that moment where Terry Funk gave him the key counsel that led him to have tremendous earning years in the pro wrestling business and of course going to be a Intercontinental champion and sort of like a number two babyface for Vince McMahon for years and years. And thanks to the wonderful generosity of the Solar System, we're able to bring you some direct testimony from Chico himself here on the Lapsed Funk. Huge shout out to Zach, one of the most solid members of the Solar System, for thinking, you know what might spice the Lapsed Funk up just a little bit. Boss Mmm, Let's hear the testimony directly from one of the lenny that have Terry Funk to thank for their wrestling career. This is w w E Hall of Famer Tito Santana. Give it a shout out to Jack. This was asked of me by Zach. Obviously, Jack, you're a big time fan of Terry Funks. Well, I know Terry Funk from a different side. He played football at West Texas State. He was eight to ten years ahead of me, so whenever he was around, he would come to our practices instn you know, on the sidelines. He would come to our games. I started talking to him, but we never spoke wrestling because I was not a wrestling fan. I had no idea who he was. Because of him, I believe that that's the reason that I ended up staying as a wrestler. Because after I left BC the BC Lions, I started training in Florida. I wasn't making any money. I was just training and training, paying for it apart and wasn't making any money. Terry Funk came into town. He was a world champion. He called me into the locker room and he says, how do you like it, my boy? And I said, Terry, I like it. I said, but I don't think I can afford to keep doing this. I think I'm going to start wrestling. I started working out for football because I had time a contract to go back to the VC Lions, and he said, well, let me talk to Eddie Graham. So he ended up talking to Eddie Graham. The next morning, they called me in and I started getting some bookings and the rest is history. I stay as a wrestler. And that was the best move I've ever met, I've ever done, I've ever done, and Terry Funk was the guy that helped me the most. And I will be grateful forever. Repeat that about forty times and you've got Terry Funks. I don't know he wasn't a fan, Yeah, I don't. He just now he barely even knew what pro wrestling was when he was playing football. That's wild, wild, Yeah for a guy they're so good at it. Yeah, a guy who's one of the legendary journeymen. But you know, why does Terry take the time to ask him in particular, how it's going and if he's progressing and put in a word for EDDI grant because he can tell this kid is going to be around for a while. This kid's going to help everybody. This kid, if he gets wrestling, is going to be a player. He's going to matter. I'm sure Terry gave encouragement to a bunch of people he didn't see anything in. But yeah, it's like the amount of people that talk about him as having meaningful interactions as they were coming up at the business. I said, Hogan for Flair, Dusty, let's just keep going. And when you care about I mean, it's just remarkable. It really is his legacy in so many ways. And so while you know, impressions made upon the likes if Tito Santana are in the rearview mirror, you know, the ownership of their father's emerald, the wrestling territory is over, and Terry Funk is now a a global citizen in so many ways in a wrestling context. Still the longing for doing pro wrestling right in the state he loved never left his heart. Terry Funk till the very end, even through the two thousands, was talking about how man good old Texas is just it's just still the place where wrestling could be what it's supposed to be. If I have if I was twenty years younger, mcdod what a time to go ahead and get in the promotion in this business. In this country. Swide open, swide open. Texas is wide open, wide open right now and just there for the picking. It really is. And I see it as a very opportune time for the right promoter with the right concept to go into the right area and playing his area. You know. I mean, it's such a wonderful time. I mean, who would ever have d dreamed the fact that you've go into Texas say all right, this is mine cheeses. You know, they usually had to pay millions of dollars to buy the the the the companies and to get rid of them. And uh, it's cost you millions. Now you just walk in there and say it's mine. I'm here, It's all mine. What a great thing. Really? You know, if a millionaire came to you and said you wanted you to start a promotion, and you wanted you to run it, what would you do? And I was twenty years younger. Let's just put that twenty years younger in there. That's definitely a must. Uh, I go rite Texas, I go rite to Texas. God, you got the greatest access in the world to airplanes. You got Southwest Airlines, cheap transportation, You've got uh fifty dollars fares give people everywhere. You've got drivable distances. You've got four of the major cities in the country in Texas, you've got multiple cities above a couple one hundred thousand, you've got distance in between them. You've got the ability to get local TVs, which are necessities and forgotten things in this business other than because you can promote your towns better that way. You promote a town better that way. And it's got everything that you need, has got everything that you need. It's got the ability to go ahead and say, this is Texas Wrestling, and you can stay within your area and you can become something more important than the World Wrestling Federation because those fans in that area, God, this is Texas Wrestling. So the idea of yeah, right, the Texas territory never left Terry's heart and mind. He kept the thought alive until the very end that you could still do something. And I don't know post WCW, let's start up a Texas only wrestling company with Dallas and Antonio, Houston and Marilla Lubbock, stitch them all together. I'd like to see what happens. Yeah, certainly heritage there to indicate that that's where to take the bet yep, I kind of you know, agreed, and he's sitting there thinking gaym dag Gummett, as he would say, if I was only young enough to give it a go. So while he sold a Marilla and seemed happy to do so, according to the testimony of JJ Dillon and the like, you can still tell that Terry Funk still looked out on those Texas planes and saw some some dollar bills from the graps left on the table. And of course something else he misses is just the formative experiences in his age of driving town to town. He mentioned drivable distances as being an important characteristic of why wrestling in Texas makes so much sense. And it's those drivable distances as opposed to airline flights where you might be on one flight, I'll be on a different one. I'll see you at the town. No, it's about the four hour drive between towns that you learn to be a pro wrestler, That you learn where you came from, that you learn how it came to be the way it is, that you learn how the guys who have so much more experience than you, the things they think about when they're in the ring, the way they talk about what it is they do, that's where so much learning happens, and that's where so much the disconnect. To hear Terry Funk tell it here in this clip from his interview on Steve Austin's podcast, that that's missing now. I think, I think it wasn't necessarily the small whenever we had all of the promotions. I think that we had less drugs and the reason why. And it's a different era, a different time, of course, it is, you know, but you know, as we would drive as far as we could to a town and back, right, that's as far as you went, you know, and you were at home with your family every night, you know, or close to every night. You'd haven't one or two nights out sometimes, but you know, in a week's time or two weeks time. But basically you were in a territory where you drove and that was that territory. Though. What was so wonderful about that is because you had a school room there, and a school room was whenever you'd get into the car, and whenever you got into the car, whenever you're just starting out, you had to get into the back seat and usually there was not only two of you, but maybe three, and the seat would be pushed all the way back up against you, and you'd listen to the old timers, and you'd love every minute of it tooll you know it. It was a great education. The road was a great education to the business. Now where do you get educated? All right, let's all go to uh Chicago tonight. Well, i'll catch his fight. I'll catch that flight. You catch his flight. You're not really together, you don't really you're not in that confined atmosphere of a couple of old guys going ahead and talking bullshit to you. Had serious bullshit too. You know that doesn't happen anymore, you know, I mean, but I thought it was a great, great thing through all of those years. No wonder these guys pine for the territory so much. They can actually have a house that they went, yeah right back to and I saw and lived in. There's a home like you know, you working in territory. You you fucking lived there? Yes, yes, and you can afford to feel, even just for a second, that you're a normal human being instead of a fucking circus animal all the time. Say, it's almost like you'd have a job, you can go home. And that was what Terry Funk never he refused to let go of. As much as the national organizations courted him, and as much as he could have opportunities to be on the road every single weekend, or you know, sign a contract that put him on the road every you know, every single week for a major organization. He can only do that for so long because what he loved about the business was the component you're talking about, where even though he was he was a big traveler. I mean, he got his taste of it as world champion in seventy four and seventy five, and he was done. He was done with that element of the business. He had his taste, he did, he put his time in, he made his contribution, and that was all he needed to see about that way of being a pro wrestler. And frankly, I mean, if you were as good as Terror, anywhere near as good as Terry Funk was, and could afford to live the life he lived, that was the way to live as a pro wrestler, not the way that Vince Junior convinced everybody they had to live. And he figured it out, and he sat back and he always he always had a base to go back to when for whatever reason he fell out of favor. He never had to worry about being owned. He was never job scared. He was the Funker. Two thousand and two, in April, he makes his way over to Florida, of course, the state he tore holes in working with Dusty Roads. And remember back on our egg sucking Dog episode of the last Yes, absolutely that time in Florid against the Briscoes as well, one more time down there Davy Florida, April thirteenth, the two for a company called fow Abdullah the Butcher versus Dusty Rhodes versus Kevin Sullivan versus Terry Funk in a four way holy shit in two thousand and two. I'm sure there's a lot of standing around and punching in that one, but still it still matches promoters want to put together even as late as the two thousands. That's how much all right impact these guys had working against each other. Thirty years of impact there. Yet I don't think impact was the round yet in there. And as we know, many promotions tried to pick up where ECW left off after the promotion shuttered in two thousand and one, following bankruptcy, the ACW Arena was still sitting there as a building that even at ECW's darkest days, would be relatively full every month to see pro wrestling and a particular brand of pro wrestling that a lot of guys were w W for WW and now it's gone. Didn't pick up that were capable of delivering, and so among the organizations that sprouted up to try to fill that ECW void and take that market share. Or of course XPW, which we've talked about before, yes, was Extreme Pro Wrestling based out of California. Porn director Rob Black got that group started and did all sorts of hyper violent matches and up the ante on high risks and table crashes and intense violence. He involved a lot of the porn stars and angles his valets tried to cross the porn in pro wrestling worlds. There's a great dark side of the Ring episode on XPW if you ever want to get more acquainted with that. With that run, in that situation, the guy ended up in jail, but that's fine, that's part of the whole thing. Whatever. Three PW was another one kind of led by former ACW star The Blue Mieni and his wife Jasmine Saint Clair, the porn star that was a valet for a short period of time in ECW and stayed in the wrestling Is nothing wrong with that. That's that brother, Nothing with that. Indeed, So these organizations trying to you know, work the Philadelphia area, the Philadelphia metro area and get those ECW fans keep coming out where the next ones in line. This is where it's going to be. And so if you want to do that and you want to capture that essence, the Funker's phone is going to ring. As he joked about on the WSW episode of the Attitude Era, you know, why do they always call me when things are at their darkest. I know they're in trouble when the Funker's phone rings, because the Funker can fix it. Shane Douglas gets hired to book XPW and they're running Philly and try to make inroads there in that marketplace in two thousand and two, and Terry Funk gets a phone call to face his old chum Shane Douglas for the XPW World Heavyweight Title on August thirty first of two thousand and two. A Human Knight in Philly and of course, Terry Funk and Shane Douglas's history runs deep. It runs as deep as Extreme Championship Wrestling or even Eastern Championship Wrestling. You remember back boss to the three Way Dance the night of the line was crossed, and how how formative that post match confrontation in the fake press conference between Funk and Douglas was as Douglas with Cherry Martel on his arm, dresses down Funk as an old man verbally and kind of lays the groundwork for the dynamic between those two as they feuded in ECW's earliest days over the World Championship. So go forward to Hardcore Homecoming. This is after XPW and again Funk and Shane Douglas working together to get the band back together one more time in two thousand and five. But here at XPW in the arena, it's going to be Shane Douglas and Terry Funk for the XPW Championship. Douglas is booking and Douglas recalled recently speaking to James Romero for the Wrestling Shoot Interviews YouTube page where he hosts a podcast remembers you Know and bringing in Terry Funk to do this. Remember, Shane Douglas is the booker at the time. You know, he never recalls having to ever go over a finished twice with Terry Funk, a quick conversation about what you're going to do out there, and got on the same page and that was the end of it. But for some reason this was different this night in two thousand and two, Them's being in a tanning bed in his phone ringing over and over again. It was XPW promoter and owner Rob Black saying, hey, you got to get here right away. There's a problem with Terry. Get to the hotel. So Shane Douglas gets over there and goes up and finds Terry Funk in a room. He goes up to him, he says, looks at him, goes, well, Shane, what the hell are you doing here? I just had an idea for a finish, you know. And according to Shane Douglas, Terry Funk wanted to win the XPW title that night, oh god, And that wasn't the plan. In fact, Douglas said, the next time back, we're going to do the title switch and you can be the champion, Oh my god. And Funk was insistent on doing this spot with Lizzie Borden, who was a porn star that XPW used as a VLA, and I believe she was the real life girlfriend of Rob Black, if not the real life wife I think of Rob Black and Terry Funk was obsessed, according to Shane Douglas, doing this spot where he would take off Lizzie Bordon's panties and spank her bare ass for the whole crowd to see. Obviously a unique thing to be able to do in XPW has no other promotion actively featured. Well, what I'm thinking is, you know, I think I might go ahead and take all of her clothes off. I'm I touch your titties, I'm my toucher pussy, and I might fuck her in the ring. Is that okay? Well? You had you had me until the last one there, Terry, and then I'm as I'm banging her. I pinned the champion and get the damn belt. Well, I think I'm gonna go ahead and go over. Yes, Terry came to Philly to do business on this night. You know, I just think that, Uh, I think the finish works better this way. If I finish in her, can I finish? See if Shane Douglas agrees, well, you'll let me finish in her depends what the finish is. But no, he's saying, you know what, I love it, Terry, you know Shane, right, I love it, Terry. But let but let's save it. Right. So he's he's sort of like allowing, you know, Terry's indulgence to indulge in this idea of doing this with Lizzie Borden, but not for this match. You know, we have a particular direction we want to go for this match, and we're not going to do this on this night. And okay, that's where he leaves. It gets to the building and Terry Funk approaches Shane Douglas again and says, what was the finish again? Oh my god, it was me going over right, just keeps asking the finish are we going to I'm going over and uh and then I'm gonna I'm gonna eat out the porn God, get that one wrong. And this is a Shane Douglas that worked Terry Funk over and over again in ECW yep. And he's just noticing as he tells the story today something is just a miss. And they get out there and they have their match and they've got their plan finish, that's not to involve those spots that Terry suggested, and he starts to know, am I touching the pussy? Terry rams Shane's face really hard into a post that kind of holds up, you know, kind of like a post in the middle of the building, and it's like really like a hard way. He's like, oh, okay, that's one, Like you really fucked me up on that one. The chronology when Shane tells the story today is kind of mixed up because he he says he got his head run into the post first, but that actually came second after Terry picked up a video camera and smacked Shane Douglass in the face. He says that was straw Home two, straw number one, but nonetheless he hit it really hard with kind of like the pointed edge of their camera. Why don't they just fucking watch the match before they fucking talk about it? Oh yeah, no, wrestlers, I know, I know, they just know, like when you when you're recapping it, why don't you just fucking watch them? They just they just show up and hit record, you know. They they just think their memory is going to carry the day, unless the code, unless the host is kind enough to read them things from the observer. That's kind of the extent of it. So you know, it's starting to occur to Shine Boss in real time that the Funker is the Funker is not the Funker he's known to date here in two thousand and two, of course. So we go out the back door. Now I understand this is where the fans have been lined up all day. And so there's beer bottles and cigarette butts and junk all laying around out here. And my hand was in a cast. I broken my thumb, and Terry picks up this bottle full of backwash like piss and spit, and he's hitting it against the brick walls, going pink, pink, pink. Thing, won't break it. I'm saying, I'm already cut open twice. I'm I'm my skin's open, and I'm thinking, what the funny swings wold and it explodes and he turns around and all I can see is like shards of glass sticking out of his hand, and he grabs me gonna do that and he gouges in. I smacked it out now with my cast, and I said, cut the fucking shit. Terry and I walked up the street, fully expecting him to be with me. I'm doing the drunk sell up the street and I get to the front corner of the ECWR and I turn around. I'm by myself, the camera, the ref everybody's still at the back of the building, and Finnegan comes running up the referee and he goes, man, you better get back to here, You better get back here right away. I said, why, He said, Terry's cut. He's cut bad. I mean, how do he get cut? Like? I hadn't done anything to him yet. So I go back there and he's hold his na be stupid son of a bitch. What the fuck have you? He's screaming at me. So I pound on the door because pitch black out here. The door opens and I throw him in, fully expecting him. There's two steps there to like stagger dance something I'm gonna I gotta get him first, I gotta get to see like how bad he's cut. And secondly, I got to get him back to the ring or get the matched off, whatever we're gonna do. And when I throw him, he lays down the stairs. So the stairs are only about this wide so I'm like sort of staggering, like walking up over and I can see his arms. He is cut from here to here a straight line, a scalpel, and it is laid open like like this. It's I can see, but it's not bleeding. That's the weird part. It's not bleeding. I had a little trickle of blood here and there, but I could see his veins and his arteries and his muscles pulseitting. I've accepted medical school right before this, and I'm thinking, holy shit, we gotta get him out of here like that, wide open and this building is filthy. What is happening to Terry funk here? Wait? Wait, he went to medical school, Jane Douglas did? Yeah? Did he really? Oh? Yeah, I don't know if he uh, I don't know if he graduated. He was a history teacher. It is a history teacher, I think, to this day, which is where they came. No ship, I didn't know that. That's actually pretty cool. Yeah, yeah, he's he's a pretty learned guy, but a worker, you know, make no mistake. Of course, I don't trust him. I mean just you're in this match with Terry and you're just so used to things going smoothly, you know, a little rough of course, but all of a sudden like wow, he really that was stiff, Like did heally try to hurt me? There? Then he hits you again with the camera. Oh that can hurt into a post. Oh shit, knock it off. And then you start to think yourself, this guy losing it. And then he's coming at you with a with a broken glass bottle. Well you didn't like my finish. I want to take a look. Oh god, prepare yourselves. This is on YouTube for anybody wants to know. Oh shit, Oh my god, we're watching the full thing. Prepare yourself. Standby. Okay, I'm I'm ready. I hate XPW. I hate these fucking places. Why are you doing this to me? Why am I doing this to you? Yeah? Because it's Terry Funk? Oh three two one play xp W And there's the franchise. I mean he looks normal. Oh he looks angry though you're challenge the franchise. Shame Douglas for the XPW wild there's Funk throwing chair after chair after chair from the front row of the CW A rena. He did not learn his lesson, did he? Douglas look at him? Does he look pissed off to you? Does he look a little more animated than usual, a little bit more angry? He had an angry look on his face. Crazy say that again? Our twelve chairs in the ring. Shane is now back with no shirt on, so that's a good sign. He's got the XBW title about his waist. Launches a chair from the ring down towards the concrete, towards Douglas. That is, that is a little bit different than when he does like normally he just like kind of toss it, but he's like aiming chair after chair, hitting the floor after Douglas. Fuck, I mean, I thought you were going to show me like a close up picture of his fucking torn up arm. But we'll get there. I imagine that's coming up soon enough. He's going to give me chase. Now on the floor is the funker Shane. Douglas trying to scramble back into the ring, but Terry catches it, pulls his pants. Somebody's ass. He got somebody's ass, didn't get the porn stars ass. But not quite yet. Douglas can't pull his trunk up because he's got a cast on his arm. I guess over the rail. We have a cast in most people's ass. They didn't. They didn't invest in the riser bleachers And next PW everyone's standing flat steady. They see Lizzie Bordon in the background. Is that the love child of Rick Rude? And uh magnum t a back there security guard. Yeah, what's his name? He's kind of legendary. Yeah, list security guy like knife fetch chop by the funker and uh Shane Douglas spills deeper into the crowd and funks out after him. There's like nobody here compared tod c W. Oh not at all. No one cares anymore. Doctor over there way through, Oh yeah different. Look at the arena, kind of a tour of it. Yeah yeah. Out near the merch tables, the Funker is going to take Douglas into him. Oh Jesus Christ jumps up onto the table at cracks. He was supposed to break it, but it didn't even come close. Out there it is, let's try it again, get it again. Oh he's dump up gross empty and garbage can on the on the franchise is the funker. I heard a clang clang of a bottle there, Brother Funk is screaming he's pointing, he's he grabs the cameras the camera and this is the this is the first shot where it hits him hard. Oh him with I think it's this one mm hmm that looks like, oh that's I mean, that's a lot of money just tossed that camera. Yeah, XDW. I'm trying a lot of extras from their fucking porn shoots. But that's true, good point. It's one thing Tory funk would you have XPW credit for is good camera work? Let me go, Oh that's there's the poll shot. This one ready his head? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'd be like, fucking what's going on here? Shane Douglas staggers and falls down into the row of seats in the front row. Here are you shooting? Brother? Pretty much? If you got a can, and it's like things, I'm right in the head of the can, and it's like, this is a small show, Terry, Like, what do you like? It's the last show. You'd expect him to like power play, you know, yeah, to give give that much of a fuck. But that's the funker. You never know if he's working. So Douglas stumbles all the way. Now we see them through the back door of the ECW arena out to the street. We'rewling on the sidewalk. Here going on outside cameras following. Douglas sent into the white brick wall. The look on the white brick there you go, bottle, Terry go ahead, no no, no, no no. You see how he violently pushed away. But now the funker is leaning over. Something happened. Douglas is running up the street. Terry, I'm open, God, damn it, I'm wide open. He laid me open, the bot open with a bottle. He's blaming fuckinge mans are getting restless, and so yeah, he's Terry r back in hit the franchise right behind him along with that with security and x PW official John fitagat In, Patrick handed Terry Funk down him. Wait a minute, Wait a minute, Look at the yarn the arm of Terry fuck. It's literally sliced wide open. Oh Jesus Christ, well, Terry fuck, what the hell happened out there? And Funk's putting it on display for everybody to see. A totally and I mean totally sliced open. It looks oh my god, it looks like her muscles hanging out. Look at the funker holding that arm out. You got to get somebody out here. And Douglas is working the arnick. Why he fucking kicks him? That was a real kick too. You gotta get somebody. Get the fuck off me. Terry's medical attention right now, Terry, Oh my god, Oh, I gotta tell you. I turned away for a moment. I can't. Did you really? Yeah, So let's get this thing home, right, I mean, let's get the hell out of here. Douglas pile driving funk. He's gonna kick out of one cover kick out. Yeah, I knew that. Jane's like, come on, grabs a chair, smashes the arm. Is it's in a funk, a chair in that fit wrapped through the beat match out. Douglas forgot that part. Look at the arm, Look at the black hole in his arm. Come on, damn it, look at it. Come on. Oh Jesus, shunks are fucking coming out. Oh my god, where's they? They're handing Terry in a ray of towels. He's wrapping his arm. Oh my fucking Christ, Terry's not done. What what the fuck he's gonna get He's gonna fuck her? This for wantson with the hand with the arm bleeding. Oh my god, drive her and her head looked like it was I should know, she should know what's coming. Jesus fucking Christ. And now he's ripping off the panties. Jane's trying to stop them or at least feed him. Okay, so now her pussy is hanging out too, right m hm, he's taking off her panties and her boobs are showing xpdub and that he's choking Douglas with the panties and he's screaming in pain. Yeah, the arms still hanging there and he's just screaming like you son of a badge. And he's Douglas too, like why the fuck is he even doing this? Why is Shane Douglas letting this happen, stopping away? I mean, she looked like her head was exposed, like like like Austin's was not protected. You couldn't use one of his arms to steady her. First of all, look at the arm. Oh fuck me? Oh pause that thoughts I mean that is I mean, I'm I'm I'm flabbergasted as to why, I mean, was it. I don't know, I'm flabbering guess as to what caused him to do that. I mean, it's it's completely I mean, that's scary. It's scary. Actually it's a sided. So I thank that. I don't think many saw, but I think was definitely there. Definitely there. He could get a little psycho. Yeah, huh, yep when he saw his own blood. He didn't faint. He did the opposite. But like, but but it was but he was doing that beforehand, though he was acting crazy beforehand. What could it be? Well, I guess Shane Douglas's guess is as good as anybody else's, right, boss, Yes, let's go back to the Wrestling Shoot Interviews podcast interview he did with James Romara talking about the immediate aftermath of what we just saw from Terry Funk and the XPW ring in two thousand and two. But the first thing I said in the address room, this can be verified by everybody in the dress room. I walk in the door, I said, I need a clean towel. I need a clean towe for Terry, and Big Grimes reaches in his bag and throw at a cross the room and I grab it and I turn and Terry's coming in and I'm thinking of his arm. There are nothing else in my arm. I'm mad about the panties. I'm mad about this, and I'm mad about that. I'm concerned because he's cut badly and I haven't had time to assessly how did he get cut right? And that was irrelevant. He's hurt. So I turn around with a towel like this, and he comes from back behind and smacks me right on the ear hard and I look back at him. I said, Terry, you better cut the shit, and he reaches back and smacks me a second time. I said, throw another woman to whoop your ass. I'm confused this. I'm concerned about him now. I'm confused, like where are these taters coming from? And he thinks about it for a second. He bring the hand back and he starts to swing, and I threw with the cast, aiming right for his temple. I was aiming to hurt him as I did. Cody Michael stepped in and pushed Lizzie Borden, and so I had to throw wide to not hit them. Now Atlas is grabbing me. Everybody's pulling us apart, pulling him across the room, and now they've built a wall between me and Terry and Terry is sitting over against the wall talking to the doctor, but he's yelling out Shane Douglas stabbed me. Shane Douglas stabbed me. Now in this dressing room, you've got a bunch of guys from XPW that have no idea about me and the legend in the r that we've built around that character throwing Gary down with the head, you know, the halo and everything. I think a lot of those guys weren't quite sure how to take me, and you know, very different people dressing room and entering. But he keeps saying this. So I finally get through and I'm tell him the stand up. He won't stand up, so I grab his head and I slammed his head in the walls to stand the fuck up, and he and the doctor said to me, touch my patience again. I'll have you arrested. Now. Security circle encircles me and pushes me back, and the entire dressroom's mouths are hanging open, and except Rob Black. Rob Black thinks that this is some kind of an inside angle that we're playing, and I'm livid at this point. I had literally lost my mind now over the fact that he's killing arrest stabbed him, and the fact that he's hurt, and the fact that he did the panty spot, and the fact that the match went a different way. There were just so many things that was all swirling in my head. And even the next day at the airport, Rob Blisk will come on, come on, man, come on, and I kept tell him that I swear to you on my kid, I swear to you all my wife, I swear to you on my mother and father. There's no angle going on here. That's pro wrestling. That's pro wrestling. The whole time they're wondering and what Shane's saying there is when Terry Funk screams, Shane Douglas stabbed me. This is a locker room full of people that haven't come to trust Shane Douglas as a booker. Right they got involved with XPW in the West Coast, they don't necessarily know about this whole scene. And the reason he mentioned Gary that was the Pippull guy who they got it over huge when he got into the ring in ECW with that neck brace on his head and Shane grabbed him by the neck brace and threw him down on the mat, and everybody believed that Shane. Not everybody, but a lot of people seem to believe that Shane Douglas did that more stiffly than he should have, that even if that was a planned angle to get heat, that Shane went way over the top and how much he wrenched this guy with a broken neck down to the canvas. So in Shane's mind, they might equally be led to believe, especially if it's backstage after the show when Terry Funk, the legend, the veteran, the venerable veteran, is screaming Shane Douglas stabbed me. Is the rest of this locker room looking at me like I actually went out there and went into business for myself and tried to stab Terry Funk with a oh my god, with a broken off a glass bottle? What is going on here? And these are two guys that really got along well in ECW and put some great stuff together, and everyone's like, it's a you know, what's going Is this a work? Like to hear Shane tell it, he's in this like impossible neutral zone where like no one's gonna leave him if he says it's not a work. But he's got to Actually he's as able to protect himself because what he says is not a work, so he doesn't know how out of control the situation's going to get. And Terry Funk's a fucking lunatic. The Funk are working, right, what's the Funker doing? Oh? So, later Shane talks to his former ECW chum Chris Candido, who of course knew Terry Funk very well, and Chris has a question for the franchise. Candido would later call me and say, do you think Terry was working an inside angle? Most likely? Yeah? Uh. The problem with that was a I had never ever once dropped the ball with Terry, never failed to live up to anything we had done of anybody in that building, that Terry wouldn't have had to pull an inside angle with you. You typically do that when you're working with a greener kid or something, somebody that is not quite sure and you don't think their reaction is going to be what you need to get, and it's supposed to be extremely rarely used. And so that at the moment hearing that didn't sit to me. Didn't make sense that he would have had to try to do that with me. That's the thing, Shane. Everyone thinks they're in good with Terry Funk. Then Shane Douglas gets to think, and you know, Terry Funk was also kind of working with three p W at the time. He was kind of involved with their effort, Oh my god, to pick up RERECW left off in the Philadelphia market. And they're both you don't really you know, And we are in the state of Pennsylvania where his ECW made a lot of hay about this. There's a strong athletic commission that will come down on you if they don't think they're taking their authoritie seriously enough. And in that state, they were strongly into juice at that point in time. They were very much really not willing to sanction the purpose purposeful blood letting in a pro wrestling ring. To hear Shane Douglas tell it, and he said that the rules of the time were such that you had to post a five thousand dollars bond with the state before you could do a show. When you would forfeit that five thousand dollars bond if any wrestler on the card got color. Was Terry function elis left to wonder, oh, willing to slice his arm open to that extent so that they would lose in the war to take over Philly after ACW, Douglas concludes, my guess is that was Terry's business way of trying to get rid of XPW. Are you fucking serious? So the franchise says, Bunker just went ahead. If you ask Kim, he just want a hairh I just went ahead and did what I had to do to keep my paychecks coming. And I gotta pay for a ranch. I'm not paying for friends. Very interesting. For a long time, According to Shane Douglas, the x PW locker room was kind of trepidacious about dealing with him after this incident. They didn't quite know how to regard him and his intentions, and he and Terry Funk didn't speak for the longest time. But this is wrestling, So remember this happened before the Hardcore Homecoming two thousand and five show, where Terry Funk picked Shane's e CW reunion over w W E's right, So obviously there was some point where they got together and figured out what was truth and what was fiction about this whole thing, right. I think the first time I spoke to him after that was for the Hardcore Homecoming in two thousand and five. And you know, I knew that that Candido was still tight with him, and I knew that that Mick was tight with him, and I would say to them, I would see him, tell Terry give me a call. I wasn't going to call him. You know. That was that the onus was on his side of it. And when we when we did meet that night in the arena, but four or five years later, he he just sort of put put it on the table as let's just put that ship behind us and go on. So let's not talk about that and just move on. So I never really had any resolution from Terry on that. I you know, for me, I knew that in doing that show, you know, the performer in me woulted to say funck Terry Funk. You know, but the if you're going to have a hardcore Homecoming, you must have Terry Funk there, right, I mean, that's a necessity. And thankfully we did, and you know, I had it there, and he and I never spoke again past that about that incident. Shane's co host James Romeiro is obliged to follow up, and he asks Shane if they ever found out what caused the cut that we just saw on Terry Funk's Shane is left to draw quite the conclusion. Yes, there was a camera that later caught it. Smiley, who was the editor at XPW, would call me up later weeks later and say, I got something to show you. And as I take the gouge from the bottle and smack it out of his hand and start walking away, you see very quickly as he's turned its a real quick sliver. That's again, I mean, like man talk about commitment to the art. That was not you know, a little gig or whatever. I mean, to cut yourself, especially in the building this filthy like that that could have easily become infected, could have easily lost that arm based on that, you know, And I look back and I think a lot of this, like in hindsight, you know, for anybody's you know, most of us had a family member or somebody we know that you've seen like these weird things that suddenly they're doing stuff that these people would never do. I wonder, in hindsight, if Terry wasn't starting to have some symptoms early on of the dementia, you know, he didn't seem that way in anyway in talking with him. But this was so left field from him. I mean, like I I had, you know, Terry gimm was committed to his art, but I could not imagine cutting yourself that that severely. Do you hear there? What I hear that he the dementia that and Shane basically concluding after seeing an alternate angle that Terry Funk cut his own arm on purpose to that degree. Yeah, yeah, I mean to me, that makes that that. I mean, I thought that too. Honestly when we were watching. I didn't really think too things about it. You know, it didn't even really dawn on me as that being a thing, because Terry Funk's Terry Funk. And to show down like that when they finally came face to face again, so out of left yard, right, I mean, no, you'd never given me any sense that you know, but cordial, I mean, the Dusty said it best. Okay, you did, you're the worker. Terry Funk was asked about this incident by RF video in one of the shooting I don't remember when I went ahead and didn't even remember that happening pretty close XPW you worked for them a little bit and uh last year, Yes, sir, memories of your match with Shane Douglas in Philadelphia. Shane Douglas is nuts, wow, laughing while you think about what to say. Blame for a lot of things. But and now on my left banner and I saw I'd hate to tell you what it looked like. I saw now gate being hole down there, and I uh thought I went beyond the call of duty. YEA took like twenty eight stitches, go ahead and close the thing, and the muscle sheath was cut and bleeding all over, and uh just continued on, went into the ring, and did Shane beat me? Was a beer bottle or something? Was it a beer bottle from a beer bottle? Yeah? Yeah, I broke a beer bottle in the wall like that. I came back like that. I just broke it like at and I just I broke it onney outside of the wall there, and I had just broken while I came back. I just accident and cut back. It seemed like they say yuh for a return, but you never went back. Was that to Shane's nuts as far as booking there or just h as far as book No, I just think he's not thank you. He was mad because I was hurt. I guess all right, Oh it's mad because I was hurt. Terry, Ah, Terry a lot of you know, I've heard Funk laugh a lot in these interviews, and I've heard his interviewers laugh quite a bit. Yeah, because he's a funny guy. But that was that was a nervous laughter on both sides. Yes, that was. That was him trying to find Steve Finstein knows the story, and he's trying to see if Terry's going to go there. Terry knows fine Stein knows the story, and he ain't going there. Jesus their work. If they're working you and you and you, they're working us. He's a worker. He's a worker. Warfare, it's all. He is a worker, worker, a worker, worker, the worker. Same guys, I don't even know what a worker of that, same interviewers, by the way, who were just talking to Terry Funk right there laughing when Dusty told them to their face that no matter what, the worker worker and you know who was walking into Dusty Rhodes's house. I remember this now during the course of that shoot interview that you know, Dusty gives a quick nod to and tells the interview who who they are? Cody, get out of here, Rod. He walks into the family house while Dusty's telling our video that Terry's a worker, nothing but a worker. You know what I you know, I heard him say too. I think Cody told Dusty finish the story day right there and then and there. I mean, that's all conspiracy theories. This idea that Terry was aligned with the other group three p W and was trying to do something to bring infamy and disharmony to the XPW locker room and maybe get them in trouble with the commission. That's ridiculous. I mean, come on, It's not like Terry didn't go on the very next year to work three p W at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia starting February fifteenth. It's not like he wrestled Saboo there and then abdueled the Butcher and Dusty in a three way and then Jerry Lawler and then Gary Wolf and the Sandman to become three p W heavyweight Champion and then to drop the strap to just incredible. On August sixteenth, two thousand and three, and the aforementioned our video shoot interview, they asked Terry what he thought went wrong with three PW, which means they knew exactly what Shane Douglas's trade of thought was right as to why that may have been a purposeful bit of juice there in the arena there the venue was gone offer, and they wouldn't have a much much better chance. It's just difficult being in where they are and trying to do out of that same place. And I think that they would have been much more successful if they would have been in a different area than what they were. It was a bad choice of venues. I don't know. Maybe the ECW arena been a better venue if only if only XPW's grip on the venue could have been loosened. Anyway, we'll leave that there. Oh my god. Another territory and newly sprouted up promotion that also kind of tried to pick up the pieces from what ECW left behind that Terry Funk found employee in is Major League Wrestling. Court Pauer's outfit. Sure, YEP in a lot of ways, and especially the New York venues Court Pauer I could be wrong about this. I think he's kind of a disciple of Paul Hayman's, kind of like somebody who picked up a lot of the promotional lessons and things from him and Vision. Yeah, and was for a time. Remember the w W writing team, You'll remember Court spoke to us for our Art of war Games journey and explaining how he's able to copyright the war games thing before WW got around to it right, not realizing that it was not among the pieces of intellectual property that they purchased when buying WCW and all those assets. And so I had to negotiate a deal with Court Bauer to basically buy the rights to the name wargames back from him for a what I assume is a handsome sum one he wasn't willing to disclose to us, but so very much a smooth operator in that regard. And so they're running the Manhattan Center on September twenty six of two thousand and two, and they call the Funker and Terry Funk starts his MLW career in the two thousands as well, wrestling Chris Candido and Steve Corino and Dusty Rhodes, and he wrestled Steve Creno one time in a barbed wire match in Fort Lauderdale for f for MLW in June of two thousand and three. They even did a war games Do you remember boss I do Art of War Games Terry Funk, Doctor Death, Steve Williams The Sandman in Saboo versus Steve Carino, C. W. Anderson, Simon Diamond, PJ. Walker, and Barry Wyndham five on four handicap War Games match available in the Art of War Game series. So that's right. Put Terry through the ringer. In MLW, he worked Abdulla the Butcher in a bounty match in Orlando in the summer of two thousand and three. He also worked Terry the King Lawler in a well built up bounty match that they did at MLW in August twenty second, two and three in the Saint Petersburg Coliseum in Saint Pete, Florida, and worked his final date for MLW on January tenth, two thousand and four, in Orlando, losing to Steve Carino in a no rope barbarre match. I quit for the MLW Heavyweight Championship of the World. Terry making impact in just about every circuit that tried to like. I keep saying pick up or ECW left off, And as he's doing these things, he's just making more and more far and wide impressions on a new generation of wrestling fans. I mean, think about when we would go to ROH think about that era, oh yeah, and think about the fans that read those shows, like getting to know Terry Funk, getting to be introduced to what made him legendary, you know, really going on almost a decade after he won the ECW championship and headline their first pay per view and came to define extreme. In fact, a full decade after he showed up at ECW's first television taping as an announcer, and here he is now working for promotions that are trying to keep alive the spirit of that one of a kind indie really weird. This is the Funker that they see with the big old scar in his forearm now and for a perspective on that. Among the many pieces of great correspondence we've gotten into the inbox during the course of the Lapsed Funk, this letter from Thomas Droggy, I think puts it very well in terms of what it was like to take in Terry Funk at this unique point in his long and storied career. Boss, I wish you could share what Tom wrote to us Greeting's code chairman. I hope this email finds you well. If I could be so bold, I'd like to tell you of my chance to see the Funker wrestle at a Jersey All Pro wrestling show in two thousand and three. I was lucky enough to see him wrestle Jerry Lawler at a local Nights of Columbus hall that held around four hundred people. What are you estimating? What do you estimate? You know, because because here we you know, I you know, we we we we talked a lot about the stuff, and we heard about you know, the the the rubber checks and ship you know, in the past. I think what was it during it was beyond the map we did the rubber the rubber check thing, rubber check meaning that like he'd have Vicky look out for the for the checks that were made out of rubber. Yeah, yeah, I think that was. And so I'm just curious for a stint like this, it's a Columbus right in fucking you know, in Jersey for four hundred people, what's his payday? What do you guess? I know? Not worth it? I mean, I mean that's not I mean saying something that might be an uncomfortable truth about the last years of Terry Funk's wrestling career, that he actually needed scratch. Yeah yeah, I mean yeah yeah, But he always found a reason to come off the bench one more time. There's always easy to one more payday, you know, and that bank account gets really low and suddenly your near knees don't feel bad. Yeah, that qu oute, You can remember that one. Yeah, that one. I was a fresh faced, thirteen year old ECW mark who could not believe I was getting to see the Funker. I knew nothing of his time in the NWA, w CW or Japan, only ECW and Foley's first book. I remember actually being so naive. I was wondering why he was wrestling lawlor who I only knew as the WWE commentator. My father is no wrestling fan. He's the kind of dad who loved sports, real sports. If I had said, hey, Pop, I want to go to every Yankee game for the next ten years, he would have made it happen. Unlucky for him, I preferred my sports predetermined, that's correct. I'd drag him to miserably long ROH and CZW shows and he'd be a great sport in Grinn and Barrett, but I could sense the shame. We had front row seats for the show, my dad's very big and loud coworker, his son, my dad, and myself. There was a lovely incident during the second match when his coworker was heckling the wrestler Mike Kruel while he was leaving the ring with a very minor bloody nose. His coworker yelled, oh, he's bleeding in a condescended manner, and Cruel proceeded to blow a bloody snot rocket in our direction, some plasma landing on me. Mercifully, most of it hit the sign made out of computer paper on the guardrail directly in front of us, with the letter of our section on it. I had to cafae the blood getting on me because I knew my dad would have left immediately if he saw it. During intermission, I went to get a picture with Terry. He was really nice, but he was hard to understand and his hands were shaking badly. Wow, he was having a hard time writing. This was the beginning of my dad's shock at how broken down these guys were. After that, watching Lawler and especially Funk, stumbling around bleeding all over the place really bothered him. Being so young, I had no context of what a fifty eight year old should look and move like. Seeing my dad, who is now five years older than that, I understand just how bad of shape the Funker was. In the whole car ride home, all he would talk about was how sad and disturbing it was that they were still wrestling at their age. Years later, when reminiscing about this night, he'd mentioned how he felt like he wasn't doing his job as a parent by taking me to something like that. Back then, I couldn't understand why he felt that way. This was the second to last show we went two together. Considering this, consider this timeline. That match was six years after he was told he had zero cartilage in his knees in Beyond the Mat, and four years before I had the pleasure of seeing him bleeding, screaming, and falling through barbed wire boards on the ECW One Night Stand pay per view. I don't know if that is something to be pitied or respected. I do, however, know my father would answer that question. My father would answer that question, Oh, I do know how. I do, however, know how my father would answer that question. I've done the drive from New Jersey to Socaw many times. Wolf that's a fucking drug. Yeah, every time I've been able to, I've made sure to stop for the night in Amarillo because of the Funker. If what you say is true about the Japanese thinking about the Japanese thinking Amarillo is a big deal, I'm sure at least a few Japanese people have come to the USA just to go to Amarillo. I can't imagine how disappointed they were in that absolute dumb I hope they like what a burger? I like what a burger? I'm wearing a what Burger shirt right now or not, it's hilarious. Friend of mine who lives in Texas gave me this fucking shirt. Rest in peace, Terry. We will never see the likes of you again. When do you start working? When you start working your car, that's exactly right, when you're getting your car and driving to the rings. Oh, listen to it the second hiday, but it is, it's gonna be going ahead and get in your car. You remember that everywhere you stop, everywhere you go, there might be a lessening pan well if you have one. If you're an hout you're parting around, They're gonna go ahead and they're gonna spread the word. That guy's really a nice guy. If you're healing, especially, that guy's a wonderful guy. Don't be a wonderful guy be an asshole. And if you are a wonderful guy in the ring, you be a wonderful guy on the road. Same things. You'd be nice to those people when they come out to that car. You sign every autograph. See some dickheads today that are running around, uh, making way too much money and they think it's there something special and they're not. Remember what I said about the fan, the wrestling fan. He's so important to each and every one of us. I couldn't live the way that I am without having the fans of wrestling. They are the ones that have given me what I got. And if somebody, if you guys go well in this business, do good. Don't ever forget who's put you there. Are there any account there yet? There's plenty of them, but they're necessary, he answered, Nesitary and our fans, idiots are necessary in our business. Uncle would also work as old nemesis. Jerry Lawler or October twenty fourth of twenty and fifteen. As late as twenty fifteen in Jackson, Tennessee. We talked bit about the build up to that in our Jerry Lawler episode here on the Lapsed Funk and I sort of fibbed the Tokyoto match with that. Shushio Neda was not Terry Funk's last stand in Al Japan, though it certainly was, you know, a big goodbye moment as we saw in the post match, but he did come back for the Aljapan October Giant Series in two thousand and two. In October, he wrestled, teaming with Kaiji Muto and Masunobu Fuji to take on Junitri or Tenriyu Abdullah the Butcher and Nobutaka Ariya in a six man tag. Jesus, he would come back and do an eight man tag with Tenriyu Abdullah, Nobataka Arya and hideki Osaka taking on Terry, teaming up with Kiji Mudo, Tayokaya and Tomoki Hamna. Kji Mudo, by the way, came over to Al Japan when Motoko Baba took the reins of the organization and tried to make a go of keeping All Japan a viable promotion and worked his ass off, had a little career renaissance. There did the former Great Muda in that transitional perard of All Japan Pro Wrestling, Mark Kenne. Also in October oh two, Abby Kendo, Kashin and Grand Naniwa wrestled Terry Funk and Masanoba Fuci and Kaziyashi in a six man tag. They came back in Milwauki on October twenty third of two thousand and two, Kaiji Muto, Terry Funk, masan Nobi Fuci and Kazushi Miyamoto taking on Abdullah the Butcher, yo Jianjo, Mitsuna Guy, and Hidiki Osaka. October twenty fourth, two thousand and two, Terry Funk teamed with Johnny Smith and Jimmy Yang. I think that's the future Jimmy Wang Yang as a matter of fact, against Arashi yadiky Osaka and Reiji Hijikata. October twenty fifth, oh two, Terry Funk Satoshi Kojima, another All Japan Great turned eventual in New Japan, Great and George Hines took on yo jian Jo, Mitsuna Guy in Riji Hijikata and on October twenty seventh, of two thousand and two, Abdul the Butcher and Terry Funk teaming together in the Buddhkan to take on Tarzan Got and Tomoyuki Hanma in a hardcore match. Yu Japan hosted Terry Funk for the first time in a Wrestle king them the Big January fourth WrestleMania style New Japan event. In twenty ten, Terry Funk team with Riki Choshu, Masa Hero, Chono wow A manabanek Nishi to defeat Abdullah the Butcher, Toro Yano, Takashi a Azuka, and Tomohurriihi, and a Wrestle Kingdom special eight man tag match came back for All Japan on October twenty seventh, twenty thirteen. Where you read this right. In twenty thirteen, the same year we're hearing Terry Funk address this class of recruits, he teams with his brother in All Japan once again, Dori Funk Junior, to take on Osama Nishimura and Masunobi Fuji in a twenty minute time limit draw. Does this man ever stopped? Yes, he stopped. On December eleventh, twenty fourteen, Koreku and Hall his last JIP Japanese match at Tokyo Dream twenty fourteen for a company called Tokyo Gourdin Tai, which I think that's the name of the organization, so that must have been. Yeah. The Dorian Terry versus Nishimor and Masuobi Fuci tag match from twenty thirteen was indeed Terry Funk's last stand in the All Japan ring. So I was twelve years early and calling it in two thousand and one, please forgive me for that oversight. And his last match in Japan, according to Wrestling Data was Miil maskaariis Terry Funk and Masukatsufunaki against Nosaurungai Yoshiaki Fujiwara, our old Shooter from paying off the Pacific Boss. You'll remember him, Oh yeah, he of the Fujiwara arm bar, he of the aggressively seeking shoot submissions. Yes, and Kasi Yashi a six man tag the Funker one last time and the Land of the Rising Sun competing six man tag team action in two thousand and fourteen. Can you believe it? I cannot started talking about the many eras that Funk bridged, and as far as I could tell, the most extreme book ends you could establish would be the Luthas era, someone who and Terry Funk actually worked Luthez all the way through to the Kevin Owens era. And while Terry Funk didn't work Kevin Owens, he was involved. I think I probably could have more accurately established that bookmark at the cmpunk Ring of Honor era, because Terry Funk did work a short period of time in Ring of Honor, and he did work. Wow, are you fucking serious the current wrestler does your seem punk? That's exactly correct, Jesus Christ, And we're going to take a look at said contest by firing up the machine here and going over to disc thirty six here in the lapsed funk ESK thirty six, Oh when I had two disk thirty six, Oh when I had for my honor? Where are we going twenty fifty nine? And I do ask, Yeah, there has to be no one else who wrestled Luthez and cm Punk. I imagine that there is nobody else who's done that. I mean, I'll turn to the soldiistem. Maybe there's someone I'm not thinking of, but they can't maybe Verne Gagney. So here we go Garry Funk, September twentieth, two thousand and three, Ring of Honor at the Murphy Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Funker and the Straight Edge Superstar three two one play. Look at it. Look at Funk in there Punk. Look at the Funk versus Punk CM Funk CM Funk Jerri. This is when Punk was. We're in the baggy my basketball shorts. Yeah, and he's got is his hair blonde? Yeah, he's got the blonde hair ring. He's such a moody Chicago kid. Oh yeah. And this is the This is what Funk he's talking about when he's saying the grappling is coming back, because he goes to r O H and he doesn't. He doesn't go into the bag of tricks. He's not stabbing people, he's not bleeding, there's no sharp edges. He's just gonna wrestle. See him Punk. It's just I can't believe what I'm seeing in terms of generation. Look at that, Jesus, look at that smooth arm truck drag by the Funk to the front headlock. Funk cradles him. Wow, look at that he fucking cradles them. And Punk bales at the technical prowess here in two thousand and three of Terry Funk, Punk leaves the ring slips back in. You know, way Funk is going to be able to keep pace with him in that regard, the r O h Era with a ring was half black, half red. Yeah, yeah, I remember that. It's just really I really thought Ring of Honor was going to be it is you really what do you say that? Like like real competition. I thought it had the possibility based on what you were always telling me and what the limited that i'd seen. Well, they had all the guys that went on to headline WWE for a decade. Yeah, yeah, from him to Rollins to Joe to Dang O'Brien Middle Asian crazy is look at Funk work in the hammer lock and arm bar Jesus sitting down on it. You might have convinced yourself that he forgot to do all this stuff. Nah, I knew he'd still add it in it. I was a believer riding the bike here against ce him. Punk is the funker, yep, tell him to go ahead and top out. It's like with the whole Stu Hard has on in the basement and beyond the discipline that's correct. To the corner. They go forehead to forehead and they're digging a right to the left rather to the gut of Punk head butt up top. See him Punk in the crosshairs of the warring Funker, who hits the big Hangman's noose neck breaker to a nice round of applause from the r OH faithful. Sure this is on the other side of the post. E c W Philly Wrestling fan right now, right clean thing. One group of fans stuck with the the table's part of the e c W show. The other group of fans stuck with the Guerrero Malinko part of the show. To escape back in now, Punk goes to the gut, doubles over the funker up top of the right hands. A series of oh big one sends Funker spilling through the ropes to the outside. Funk is looking great, he's moving around. It's crazy. I mean he's told him beyond the map before his match with Brett Hart that he's no knees live. This two thousan n ninety five uh six. They were shooting at seven six. Yeah. This two thousand and three driven onto the ringside wall andmember r H just have those big stainless steel like thin signs. You could smack him a huge noise. Punk has the mic. Uh oh, that's something on the charge. Punks back dropped out of the front row a funker A r O h. I can't believe it what I happened? You know, workunk took it took a pay day to go over the wing of Honor and have the funk. And the Punk called me up. They said, you know, we got this kid, seem Punk and he's got a lot of upside. I said, he's a tremendous piece of talent. It is wonderful and I'm serious about him Punk, and I'm serious about the fact that Punk is a funk. And oh, that's what you're serious about. And he says it's a fact, which is not a fact at all. I'm like, got a dunk right after backdropping Punk into the front row, see back in and pardon me, Terry gets him back in drops him. The last I tried to tell Terry Funk that CM Punk is not a funk, that there's only a two of us. There's Jimmy Jack's time, and uh there's uh yeah, and uh there's also you know, I did tell him that, you know, CM punk might not be a funk, but funk flash is a fun funk flash or flash reading flash fun reading off roster of mains in a phone book or something to the floor reversed whip and see him punk sent into the guard rail by the funker. Well that's how they that's how they call flash funk in Japan. I don't forget that, you know, or where I I don't always remember where I am. Well that's those nuts I think I'm in Sometimes I think I'm in Japan, but I'm just in the bathroom a funk, and my mom says, I gotta get out more. It's been dead for ninety years, but oh fuck, a funk takes the table face, he fucking leans on it till it collapses. You know, He's like, I'm gonna make this work. I'm gonna make the damn spot work. Funks cracking terry funk across the back with plastic chairs. Glad that the Pepsi tattoos lasted as long as Oh yeah, that's going nowhere. See his funk, You son of a bitch, He son of a bitch. My fucking bad arm from God damn Shane Douglas your piece. Goddamn fuck you Punk? Are you fucking son of a bitch? Love it just so two thousands that like r o H like in the style funt Yeah, yeah, yeah, like almost like it's got kind of like a Japanese Yeah, definitely inspiration and the coolest thing to go see R o H shows back then. Oh, I know you're such a wrestling connoisseur back then, right, yeah, I want ahead? Yeah, yeah, yeah, can's on fire? Oh ship, oh, ship hanging upside down the road, front of a bitch, fucking doing that tailting and he's like swinging doing that in Japan. He was doing that same ship in Japan in the nineteen seventies. Or Fox saying outside in now, Funk setting up the Punk setting up the suplex Terry Dad waitson, I'm gonna go ahead and soup plex you through the table path. Oh we left to see him punk with a delay. My god, Jesus Christ see him Punk sort of over rotates, lands on his ass on the table on the outside. Yeah. Well, hey, you know, it didn't look like it didn't look like Funk was gonna get him over the top there did what do you know about over the top. Yeah, did Phil tear anything? Did he injure himself that he get his arm broken? Philip? Philip? Wow, Philip Brooks. Is that what they call him? Yes, that would be his name if he was like a chef, and he kind of he has all the tattoos, I know. Right to be a fucking modern chef, you have, you're gonna be all tatted up, you know, like this, there's such a there's such a grunge rock, no need for all sorts of like you have to have, you know, to be a good chef, you have to have lived on the street for like fifteen years. Yeah, I ate this off the sidewalk and bang come one time? Right right? So good? I fucking had I had no money, but I built a fire with some fucking you know, some some wood in the out of a dumpster and I found some some some tossed meat that was about to that was like minutes. Oh, Terry, it's two thousand and three. What do you do? Oh, he can't do that. She's in the ring punks on the canvas and Funker is climbing the ropes with his back. Oh my god, to see him punk, he's looking at the crowd like, you want me to do it, Terry, You want me to do it. You want me to get up there, You want me to go ahead and do a mown salt Yeah, yeah, two thousand and three. Fuck crashes, it burns. Why dude, on those knees too, I got no cardial drafting, and go ahead, go ahead. I can't, I can't even do it. So dramatically we collapse and of course seeing Punk immediate look at him taking away like a rabbit animal. Then damage knee, dropping elbows now on Funk, Hunks, damaged legs, wad finding the legs. Such a psychologist to see on Punk. Yes he is, Yes he is. This makes me so happy that Terry Funk can do a match like this at this stage the episode. You don't have to write them off. It's just you know, standing just right and and killing himself. Back up, Funk still in a world of hurts. So Terry is the chant Oh that was a field goal or whatever it was. From seeing Punk drags Terry to center ring steps over for come on, oh there we go, dropping the knee on Funks. Your bastard, he knows is killing him. It's son of a bitch, Oh fucky Punk with a short drop kick to the knee covers Fun. That gets two. Nah, Terry Funky losing that? That easily said it right now, seem Punk looking up Terry for a mixtuplex. Well it was his move? What was I don't even know what fun? It was like a better rope Pedagoroni Almost wow. I don't think he had gts yet. Funker pulls off a stunner stunner. Jesus went ahead, when ahead and game of stunner said, Hey, I'm going to go from one of my Texas brethren. It's exactly right. Say, hey, you know what Stone called Terry Funks, Steve, it's Terry. I had a question for you on that stunner you do? Then you go ahead? And can you go ahead and give me some advice on how to do the stunner? Do you kick him in the gut? How do you how do you kick him in the gut? Do you make it hurt? Suddenly Punk comes alive with a single leg pick on funk floors. That's on that four. He used to do that. That awful forgot how to do the figure for he forgot? Yeah, you forgot how to step over. Yeah, okay, now it's just doing a step over toe hold because he's a fucking all right Punk. You're losing me, Kyle, yeh. He locks it up. There we go. Jesus Christ walks out a figure four on Terry and that knee was hugely damaged by Funk's missed moon Salt Punk talking ship and the lack of cartilage. Terry just taps maniacally. But that doesn't count. Shoulders down doesn't count? Is that not counting? Huld? I guess Terry Funk is so old that the ref is not interpreting that as inconsisent I one. I hadn't told him. I don't understand the tap. Terry trying to swing his nowhere near Punk's face. Punk. The only tap that I understand is at the bar. That's exactly right. M h. Listen to Terry seldon knee. Oh god, damn it. With the crowd at his back. Funk's trying to turn this thing over. He's gonna reverse it, try to reverse it. He reversed it. They roll again, end up in the ropes, makes the rips rough, calling for the break. Damage has been done. More damage done, Terry Kenn even stand up one I had and I tore my knee out. I ripped it out of my body and said, hey, tomk this ship right, your dumb fuck Yes, son of them. Terry's good mid match dialogue. You mean hold back in the rain, Funk flailing on the canvas. Look at the kick point good, I'm trying to kick it out, Oh Funk, that's okay, that's a loud referee, Come on, Reugh. Repeated chair shots to the knee. That's a weapon. Harry Funk is being worn out here by the straight edge Superstar Center ring, looking to lock it out. The second City saved as he was called. It's on the figure four leg lock once again in the center of the ring, and Terry Funk could do a little bit first. That's a tap. That's a tap. That's a tap. Repeated taps from Funk. Referee refree, refree, tapping again, not acknowledging it. Funk rises out and trying to turn over that figure four, dragging himself to the ropes, fighting for it. Look at him, Look at Funk, Look at the old warrior. That's the bottom right, he got it, okay. The whales of pain from Terry Funk once again, Punk steps over forgetting grab he punched him, okay, and he can't get up as abs aren't what they used to be. Bunk picks the leg himself. Oh Punk is like poor pretend he's stuck there, trying to stand up and step over, sinking tone holds, almost losing it. Fucking lamous hole in the history of right. Do it yourself, Do it yourself. Oh no, he's going back now. He's got a different figure four that looks worse. He's tapping again. Is Terry Funk? Is Terry Funk? How many more times can Punk lock this thing out? Terry reaching for the ropes, try and turn it over one more time, keeps falling back. Goddamnd damn it. Terry got the ropes again? This good stuff? Yeah, immediately Terry Funk refusing to concede, clutching the ropes because he knows Punk is gonna drag him a certain doom if he lets him go. Punk steps over anyway, puts it on again. With Terry's hands in the ropes, ref calling for the break, Terry takes his hands off the mock That was stupid. Terry does it again, grabs the ropes, is Terry Funk rough calling for the break, he doesn't release, so so the release of but the chair didn't cause the demail. No, that's stupid. That's really fucking dumb to see, and Punk refusing to break the hold despite that got him to get the damn hold off. My god, damn leg you sent a god damn it. Who comes cold Cabana. There's a fucking thing to see. Wow, they would be longtime friends, him and Punk. Yeah, until with lawsuits? Right, of course? What do you do? All related to the twenty fourteen Rumble as Punk comes back in the twenty twenty four Rumble, of course, yeah, oh oh Old Cabana puts the figure for on Funk as well, after pretending to take umbrage with Punk holding it on too long, Punk stomping away at the Funker two on one assault and bad ship by these pieces of shit from Chicago. Raven makes the same for the Funker all these years later. I'd make no comment, Rave, and fucking what is he fucking my head? Bang? Oh? I know I thought it was Mosh when he first got in there, didn't. Yeah, seriously he did. I thought he was. So that's something to see, huh. It is indeed Terry Funk living long enough and staying active long enough to wrestle CM Punk and Ring of Honor. I can't think of a greater bookend to the run. And so after this, uh pretty much one and only Ring of Honor showing from the Funker against CM Punk, fucking Wild, fucking wild. Terry Funk had this to say in a shoot interview about the whole context in which he wrestled Punk and where the business stood at the time. And the other thing I'd like to say about this is, you know, as I've spanned such an era in this business, I really have. We're talking about thirty years, thirty five years, you know, and whenever I first got in the business, I'm telling you, we really, I think had better wrestlers. And I'm very serious that because you had to go ahead and watch yourself, you know. I mean, uh uh it was different back and you had to watch yourself in the ring more so you had to have more wrestling skills. But today we have got much much better athletes than we've ever had it in as profession before, and uh, really great and wonderful athletes. And don't misunderstanding when Ibody say better wrestlers. I'm talking about it as a whole, right because everybody as a whole had to know how to wrestle, you know. And and now now believe me, is is is we're wrestling to the form and the style of the day. Do you think the art's gonna be lost in the future in the next ten years, No, the art's gonna be gained back. Uh. I find that the hold true right now? You know, is uh starting a match with cmpunk for uh for uh roh? It was uh. You know, you get out there and and and you wrestle a little bit, you know, and and the wrestling is is coming back into it. And now guys don't even know how much it's coming back into it. And people say, whenever I wrestled Lawler, you know, as I wrestle Lawler and I go out there and do twenty minutes with him, and uh we would wrestle almost do a lot of wrestling and ring stuff, and and people would say, well, uh, the people really loved the old style, didn't they. They they they went back into that old style. They really like it old style. No, that's not it. We were feeling and groping and he is a great performer, and he has a capability to move to what the people want and to feel what they want in the ring at that time. Hopefully I have some ability to and I can drift to what they're feeling. So do we come up with We find ourselves back to wrestling again. And that is a state where it is right now, and it truthfully is you've got to go ahead, You've got to grab a hold, and you've got to and that's where the interest is in today. And the guys don't really haven't really realized that yet. You know. The other thing is just God, it's just unbelievable that the but the route is to wrestling. I feel it, I know it. And I'm not saying we're gonna be down there rolling around on the map for an hour or whatever, but we're gonna be doing a lot more holes and doing things much more properly. And we have to we have to get into more excuse me, believability, and believability hadn't line across the ring with a trashy on it and hit him. Win ahead right now? Gospel to you, boss. I'm I'm I'm, I'm I'm digging it. I'm picking up what he's throwing down. I mean, certainly the acrobatic part of the business got turned up to thirty after he said that. But I think we just heard Terry Funk call the work rate promotion phenomenon of the two thousands. Yes, for sure, essential, for sure. Now he had worked a punk clearly after this. I think this is two thousand and four he's talking, so we're well into the decade. But still, yeah, you know, this notion of people popping for reversals and submission and chain wrestling in US wrestling rings, you know, there's always been a place for it. There's always been an audience watching US pro wrestling willing to pop for it. Yeah, But the next crop of top guys that were in development and being seated at the time Funk made these remarks all had those attributes, All had that in their toolbox somewhere, not every single one of them, but he basically saw what pro wrestling was going to become after ECW took the violent part of it to its extreme, And he's right, it kind of whips ud back at ricocheted back, and the fans were much more interested suddenly, And who could make it look as real as possible? As opposed to who could make it look as wild as possible, and Terry Funk capable of doing both and seemed more than happy at that point in his career to call upon those old skills to get the crowd up for Jerry Lawler match when neither of them could do very much athletically. So Funker moves on. He actually works a couple of shots for TNA and the weekly pay per view era in two thousand and four, the Asylum in Nashville. He's on their seventy ninth and eightieth shows. It was Julio De Niro and Cmpunk against Terry Funk and the Sandman on a show in February fourth of two thousand and four, and then he came back where he and Raven teamed up to face Cmpunk and Julio de Niros. There was a very short period of time there where TNA picked up Punk from ROH and had a short lived program with him and Raven kind of replicating what was happening in Ring of Honor. There wasn't a hell of a lot of difference between the two companies at the time. Really, that's wild, yep in terms of talent. I mean that's where Styles came from, and Joe of course, and so many of the guys that went on to define TNA as they sort of grew their profile and got national television. But in those early days, it was that Punk Funk feud that we just saw play out in that match that bled a little bit into TNA, but it was a very short lived run for Punk and therefore four the Funker. He also picked up some work with his old pals, the Insane Clown Posse. They're doing their gathering of the Juggalos wrestling events, kind of like an outdoor fucking crazy ass garbage wrestling music festival combo they used to do in Ohio. In two thousand and four, he got the call to team with Shaggy two Dope and Violent Jay of the ICP to take on Jerry Lawler, Kid Cash and Monty Brown and a six man tack Wow. I mean, if you want a fucking weird alpha male, how about July eighteenth, two thousand and four, the Rude Boy. He defeats Dusty Rhoades and Terry Funk in a three way match. Rude Boy was some guy who was associated with ICP who was trained to wrestle rude boy. Yeah, these shows are like outdoors in like the middle of a forest somewhere, like you can see the tree line in the background. And let's just put it this way, black t shirts are replete. But that true. And if that wasn't weird enough. August thirteenth, twenty eleven years later, he comes back to work for the ICP to wrestle I Shit You not, Rowdy Roddy Piper and an I quit match in twenty eleven Man and Cave in Rock, Illinois, and he wrestles them again in a tag match on August thirteenth, this Piper team with Bob Orton Junior, reuniting their WrestleMania one tandem so to speak, defeating Terry Funk and Mick Foley in about three minutes. So it was quite a strange thing. We talked about how the ICP released a version of the King of the Death Match tournament from my WA on US home video with their own voice over and everything, and mark it to their fans and kind of spread the legend here of that whole thing, and Terry Funk picked up I think quite a few fans and adherents from that particular group of that particular group's you know, fervent fan base, the Juggalos or something else. And they've always kind of been at the periphery of wrestling fandom, not like one hundred percent wrestling fans, But if I tells them to care about a wrestling show, they'll show up so bizarre and so a lot of guys I have fondness for the ICP because they have a lot of money, so a lot of records, and we're able to connect him with some decent paydays. And here Terry Funk kind of delineates in his book how strange it was and how it all came together that by the mid two thousands he's going out to the middle of nowhere in a forest in the Midwest to wrestle for the ICP. Lawla approached me about doing the show earlier in two thousand and four when we both worked a show for the Insane Clown Posse. The Insane Clown Posse is a pair of rappers, Violent Jay and Shaggy Too Dope who paint their faces up like clowns. You're crow, I mean, that's not going to be an insult to them. They're also completely insane in a couple of wrestling fans. They put out a videotape where they were commenting on old matches. One of the matches had me versus Abdullah the Butcher, and they kept knocking us and laughing at us. Look at those two big goofs acting like they're wrestling. Ha ha ha. Don't that must be another tape I don't know about. But after I heard about that, every time someone told me they were going to see the Insane Clown Posse, I said, tell them, if I see them, I'm gonna go ahead, go ahead, and what Darry tell them, I'm gonna go ahead and kick their asses. Goofy bastards knocking me on a tape and using it without consent. Of course, I wouldn't have known the Insane Clown Posse from Adam and Eve if I've seen him on the street. I didn't know Adam and Eve word clown paint, Yeah, Terry, that's the next section of the video story. I sure wasn't listening to their damn music. Finally, I got a call at the ranch from Saboo, Terry. I got the Insane Clown Posse here. They want to come and see you. But they don't know if you're Madathon or not. By the way, I got a call at the ranch. How great is that? Meet at your house? Like, No, at the ram. It's like it's like a different phone number to call the ranch. I don't live in a house. I live in a raised ranch. Amazing. I don't know nothing about that lifestyle growing up in the northeast. Man. But this is something else. Well, I said, bring the sons of bitches out here. They had just finished a show in Corpus Christi and their next one was in Houston. So they took their bus all the way from Corpus Christy to Amarilla and then back down to Houston. After they met me, I told you they were nuts. And so the insane clown Posse came into the house and VICKI had some chili cooked up. Oh that's not a I couldn't have saw that one coming. They sat down in a bowl of chili apiece and talked to me. They said they were sorry if I was upset over what they said on that tape, and we buried the hatchet. Then viol and Jay said, Terry, we want to leave you some money for using that tape of you. I said, no, no, no, no, no, don't do that. Yes, Terry, We're gonna leave it under this jar on this counter here. I kept telling them not to, even though in my back of my mind I really wanted them to. You didn't say that. I wrote that head of that house to say, wait a minute. But I walked into the next room before them. They followed me in and told me they had to go. We said our goodbyes, and the insane clown posse drove off in their bus and I walked back into the other room to get the money I knew they'd left. I have to tell you, I was excited. I was thinking, oh boy, I bet they left me twenty bucks or even maybe forty, which would have just tickled me. Pink the Funker would have had two large pizzas that name, yeah right. I thought I'd have enough to pay for I thought I'd have enough to pay for the chili at least. This guy is fucking amazing, and so I was really happy at the notion of having twenty bucks. I went in there, lifted up the jar and there was four thousand dollars there. And so let me tell you people something right now, I love the insane clown Possle. Let's go, Terry. The next retirement match I have, They're gonna be in the semi final. They're the greatest band in the world. And I have all their records. I haven't got around to listen to them yet, but I have them somewhere. So fucking awesome. Oh my god, his age and his time in his career. He's like the ICP is even four grand under a cooking Oh god, for doing nothing. He didn't even fucking have to, you know, take a bump, you know, and so he's like, oh shit, they gave me money for doing nothing. New favorite pan, Vicky. I got a new favorite person, Vicky, you're out. The insane clown Posse is my new favorite person. They're gonna fuck me sideways just like you won't. Oh, Terry. I tried. I try. I put the dildo on. I don't know what I believe. My husband is fearless and that's the truth, because you know, he asked me to put a strap on on and and just penetrate him from through the butttocks. And I said, okay, if that's the way you want it. But she couldn't do it right. Those boys. Wait a minute, I thought, I thought, but you couldn't do it right? Was you picking up the text together? Later on I got a call they wanted me to work a show they were putting on, and I went and I was amazed. Vince McMahon could learn a thing or two from the Insane Clown Posse. I'm not lying. Those boys run a better show and a one than even WWE does. It was a four day event held outdoors, about forty miles from the middle of nowhere. They drew a total of about eleven thousand people, and they were charging one hundred and eighty bucks a pop just to get in. And it's the two guys, that's all it is. The Insane Clown Posse is a two man outfit. I think if a posse is twenty idiots running around with rifles, but this was just two guys. It reminded me in a way of the show my father did, where his match with Iron Mike Debiasse was the only one on the card. They paid the people who worked for them a set amount and then they split the line share of the proceeds because there's the stars. Those two goofy bastards are the smartest people I've ever met, and it was the greatest place in the world to sell T shirts. I had my Terry Funk T shirts and was selling them when I wasn't wrestling. Well, those people were so smoked up on that marijuana, that that marijuana, that marijuana. They didn't need much convincing. Someone would walk by and see me and say, hey, Terry, how you doing. I'd say, come on over here and buy a shirt. Now, Terry, I don't want to buy a shirt. Oh, come on and buy a shirt. No, I don't know, man, Oh come on and buy a damn shirt. Well, okay, this is what it says in the book That'll fucking forbade him. I didn't even wear my own damn shirt to the ring. I left my vest, my chaps and all that crap. I wore my Juggulo T shirt with the Insane Clown Posse on the front. I had to think of myself as the honorary third member of the Insane Clown Posse. Now, they had the wrestling matches on two different days, and then they then they had stuff like Vanilla Ice on one stage and someone else over here. But hell, vanilla ice isn't exactly hot these days, so it couldn't cost them that much money. How me insane clown posse would get up there with their quarter gallon bottles are great, pop, that's faygo. Yeah, and they'd shake that stuff up and undo the lids, and those bottles would fly like a rocket in the air, just squirting that sticky purple shit all over everyone. Can imagine the funker, this guy who got the who got it terrain chairs in the ECW arena, who lit Nickfoley on fire six ways from Sunday to the point they ended up in court, or who was lit on fire by Mitfoley as well, watching like purple soda fly through the air and be like, what this is the This is the dumdest thing I've ever seen. Wow, God damn, look at that. That's like a chroma slam illustration. Yeah, just squirting that. And those people, eleven thousand idiots wearing clown makeup loved it. I'm serious. The whole audience was clowns, your clowns. He's observing this like George Washington would if you just like dropped in the middle of the juggalos. Yep. And they were happy, peaceful, smoked up clowns. But they were united in purpose. One time, one band on stage tried to get the fans on one side to yell fuck you to the other side. But these people were all juggalos. They were all insane clown posse people, and they saw these guys on stage trying to split them up. Well, they weren't gonna have any of that crap. They started bowing and throwing stuff at the guys on stage. The police had to come and get those guys off the stage. Those people did not want any trying to not want anyone trying to break up their clown nation. Dusty and Lawler were at the show with me, and we couldn't believe it. This crowd was the damnedest commotion we'd ever seen. But they were all clowns. You're a clown and they all got along. They were all clowns and they all got along. Oh my god, please. There was another guy there, a crazy wrestler named mad Man Pondo. He sees himself as a combination a Cactus Jack and Jack the Ripper. He dreams about wrestling me. Every time I see him, he tells me how much he'd like to work with me. It's his dream and ambition and I think I've wrestled mad Man Pondo, and I think, once I've wrestled mad Man Pondo, no no, no, sorry, And then I think, and I think, once I've wrestled mad Man Pondo, then I can call it a career. Once we hit each other over the head with neon lightpe tubes, shot each other with staple guns, and all that other crap, then I'll feel like I've done it all because I've wrestled them all except for mad Man Pondo. The funny thing was the Insane Clown Posse were pretty damn good workers. My big match on the first show was me and the Insane Clown Posse against lawl Are and two partners. On the second show, I wrestled Dusty, but it wasn't exactly like the old times. We'd both slowed down a bit. The day before we walked to lunch together. It took an hour to get from our hotel to the restaurant, and it was only a block and a half away. Took an hour to get from our hotel to the restaurant, and the whole restaurant was in my room. Well, it did take him a while to get out of bed and beyond the mat. After my match with Dusty, I was watching the insane clown Posse against Madman pond On another psychopath, Necro Butcher. You know him, yep from us Well that and uh uh the wrestler he's right. During the match, they did a spot yet that you might not think would get over, but it sure as hell did with this cloud crowd. At one point in the match, Shaggy Too Dope was lying outside the ring, terribly hurt from the beaten he'd taken. Pondo and Butcher were in the ring with Violin j. I was looking at Shaggy two Dope trying to figure out what he was doing on the side of the ring there. Well, he took out a lighter and was trying to light up a gigantic joint. Seriously, the thing was about eighteen inch inches long. Shaggy two Dope got it lit really good and then threw it over the top rope to Violin j Violin Jay, in a great deal of pain, took a bit, took a bit of hit off that eighteen inch long joint, and he hulked up. He took another hit, and he hulked up more. He took a third hit and he was, by God invincible. He beat those guys all over the place, and the fans were just about were just going out of their minds. I've always thought the spinning toe hold was a good finisher. Terry. No, maybe I should have been keeping an eighteen inch joint under the ring all that time. Who said marrow Wana was a depressant? The smartest thing they did was they've figured out a way to make sure they weren't getting screwed in the concessions. Live event promoters have always gotten screwed on concessions because it seems a lot of the time the amount the concession people pay percentages on is less than what they actually sold. I'm not saying this goes on at every event, but it happens a lot. Well, the Insane Clown Posse figured out a way that it wouldn't happen to them. When you went through the gates at the Insane Clown Posse events, get traded in cash for Insane Clown Posse coins, and the only way you could buy concessions it was with those coins. At the end of the show, every concessionaire has to report all their sales because they have to turn in their insane clown posse coins for cash. The clowns win again. Man Funks trying to write the ending for us, isn't he? Oh, seriously, the absurdity that what the business has become compared to him in sixty five? You know ye standing in the middle of this field in Ohio, like, well, this is the damnedest thing I've ever seen. They're all clowns, Dusty, Look look at that. They're all dressing in clown makeup. Any thoughts on this, Dust? Well, you know, if I've bendatty, I fit here, baby, and I wondered at myself, what the fuck is going on? Daddy? I fit here. I'm looking around a people. They're wearing faith paint. They're looking at it from the fuck of Daddy, And I don't know what American dream is gonna do about this. Well, dust, I'll tell you, Dust, you know, they're dressed like clowns. But guess what you and I are clowns from the circus. The fuck you talking about? Dead funk? What he says we are? He says we are clowns from the circus. He has to say, from the circus phenomenal, So, oh Jesus A Funker goes international, still still crossing the Atlantic to make shots in two thousand why I know why, there's a payday to be made. November of twenty oh four, he's in Coventry, England, teaming with Paul Trevell and Paul Burchell formerly of the WW, taking Andrew McDonald Thunder and Rajah Gosh and a six man tag. This is for the f w A promotion. Then he turns around November twentieth oh four for the EPW group there catch cup in where not England but in fact Bremen, Germany. Uh Oh. Bunker returns to Germany here oh losing to Eddie Steinblock for the EPW World Heavyweight title, and then it's back over to Japan in two thousand and five for the group formerly known I believe they're still technically around called Russell One. They used to try to merge together. Nostalgic you know, old timers would like shoot style craziness, Milmaskaris and Terry Funk defeating Tomoyaki Hanma and Katsuhiko Nakajima on a card there in Tokyo August fourth five and then August twenty seventh, oh five, he comes back to the States to wrestle for the Wrestle Reunion Group in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Dennis Condrey and Bobby in the original minute Express there teaming up with Stan Lane to take on Mick Foley, Dori Funk Junior, and Terry Funk in two thousand oh five. So it's a it's a tight, wild, wacky zany schedule even into the early two thousands for the Funker, But come mid cent mid decade, I should say, it slows down quite a bit for the Funker. According to wrestling data, he has no matches between the years of two thousand and six and twenty ten, and in God that is, you know not because some of the health challenges that we'll get to that he experienced later in life begin to present themselves. But we'll try to triangulate what's happening in the Funker's life around this point in time, because he's making several significant changes in terms of where he sets down roots, what he calls home, and what's happening. It's a quick note here. It's appropriate from our listener Dan, who wrote us a quick email that I think fits in here just about as well as anywhere else. As we sort of turned to a point in Terry Funk's life that's not at long last characterized by globe trotting and wrestling every single wrestler of any significance any corner of the globe you can find. Dan writes to us my earliest memories of Terry Funk with some random episode of All American Wrestling or Championship Wrestling in nineteen eighty five. What even then I recognized was Funk was a crazy and a scary performer. I am a child, and he's yelling at people at ringside and acting crazy with his branding iron and bull ropes. Next it's March eighty six and I'm in attendance for WWF Boston Garden Show and Funk and Dorry are wrestling Hulk Hogan and Jyd. Now I'm getting to see him coming to the ring with a bull rope. Later, he is hanging Jyd with the bull rope. Again, he is scary. Later on, I'm a teen and I see Terry Funk is in ECW and now he is middle aged and insane. Terry's doing moon salts off the top rope and I'm scared for him. Is he going to cripple himself. Still later on in ECW, Funk is doing Barbarierre matches for Saboo and Shane Douglass. Now I'm scared for his opponents as he gets them all tangled in barbed wire. I am now an adult. And next Funk is in WW as part time Chainsaw Charlie, and he seems like he's still getting beat up beyond reason by the new wage outlaws and others. Then seeing Funk choke slamms out of his shoes by taker at Helena Sell, I am scared for Funk again. So when I think finally back on Funk, I'm reminded how often, watching a fake sport, he was able to bring real fear and concern to the viewer, even in the two thousands. Come two thousand and five, there's some indications in the record that tell us that the Funks may be getting their affairs in order. Now I don't necessarily know what the catalyst would be for this, but I can tell you that, according to documentation on file in the county, they lived in a register of deeds. Of course, you know, we got to look, what would a journey be without a quick scan of the registry of deeds? Right, boss, of course, hopefully it's not the Registry of misdeeds. In two thousand and five, Terry and Vicki Funk effectuate paperwork, making each other power of attorney to make decisions on you know, real property transactions and tangible and personal property transactions on behalf of the other if the other were to pass away. So that tells me that something here in two thousand and five. They did it in November, which lines up with Funk taking a hiatus from the wrestling business, as mentioned, scared them or at least you know, because this is the kind of discussion, right, you only have one Well, maybe you don't, but it's often had. Right when there's a health scare in the family, you know, what's going to happen to me? Who's going to make decisions? Yeah, not an easy conversation to have, but yeah, Terry Funk here appoints his wife, Vicky Funk, as my agent, an attorney in fact, to act for me in any lawful way with respect to all the following powers. And then Vicky Funk, let's see it's the same day. Yeah, both on November third, two thousand and five, appoints her husband, Terry D. Funk as her agent and attorney and part of apparently this this activity is a long, hard look at the Double Cross. We've talked so much about the Double Cross Ranch over the course of Lapsed Funk It's it's the spiritual home of the Funker. It's his you know, it's his north star. It's where he always seems to talk about when he's talking about comforting moments in his Life's sure, it's the scene of many famous promos. Remember when Daddy Gilbert the horse farting, Remember that, yep, the horse's ass. He cut promos from there for for WWC Puerto Rican television. They came, you know, Hugo Soovinevitch or whatever colors Carberra are, pardon me, came by and they shot things there, all kinds of stuff from the Double Cross over the years, and it was it was synonymous with Terry Funk every time he was introduced in ec W from the Double Cross Ranch and the rest. But come two thousand and six, it's time for the Funkers to no longer be associated with the Double Cross and Canyon, as the Funk family sells the fame Double Cross Ranch. According to the Observer, things started out with Terry talking about his selling of the fame Double Cross Ranch and why he had been out of wrestling for a little while. Terry responded that I'm sizing down my world a little bit. Terry also said that the nature of the wrestling scene was part of the reason for his absence. To tell you the truth, there's a big difference between the independence now and what they were before. Funk said the independent scene has certainly changed over the last couple of years. When asked if he would consider working with one of the larger organizations in a creative role, Terry joke that I used to be middle aged and crazy. Now I'm old and ornery or something. I have reasons for sizing down my world. Personal reasons. My daughter had breast cancer, and you've got to put things first, and family comes first. Wow. Double Cross Ranch was bought by Vickian Terry Funk in May nineteen seventy seven, and I think the timeline indicates that that would shortly have been after they got back together after divorcing due to the As we've explored the past, particularly during the NWA World Champion episode of the Lapsed Funk, the rigors of being the top guy in the business for the short period of time and running and owning the amoral of territory after their father died. Double Cross Ranch includes a four five and forty one foot square house on a two and a half acreor a lot five beds for bath built in nineteen seventy eight. It's actually located on what's called an FM road FM road meaning a farm to market. The designationist is opposed to street you live on two hundred FM. I was like, what is this? That's what channels? That exactly right? And why isn't it am ex call letters because sounds what it does. It sounds a lot like call letters. But what that is is, you know, in parts of unincorporated parts of Texas counties and less developed parts of cities, these designations for roadways, you know, indicate that the road at one point was integral to providing transport of farm and ranch produce to market. So to have an FM was to be a road that was understood to be important to getting goods to market from the ranch and from the farm operation. So this is the Funker is as much of a Texas rancher as you could possibly be. And I'm not entirely sure of what came of of the Double Cross Ranch. There was a there was a sketch on a sketch, like a computer generated schematic that I found on an architect's website that's based in Texas. If you want to take a gander, I just sent it over to you. I'm pretty sure this is the precise address that was the Double Cross Ranch. And man, what a plan they had for this while property. Holy shit, an architect drawing up plans in twenty ten that converts the ranch from like, you know, something with barns and acres and acres of field for grazing, yeah, to a place tennis court, basketball court, one of those big fountains, and like a circular kind of a wrestler court, wrestler court, massive house with two pools out back it looks like, and wonderful water features backing up to the waters the river there. So that's what's there today. Then the Double Cross, you know, is truly gone with absolutely no vestige left over, because that's a that's a that's a high end fucking baller, you know what I mean, multi millionaire property. Oh yeah, oh fuck yeah, as opposed to a sprawling but still relatively humble ranch that Terry Funk and the Funk family called home for decades, So the transaction happens there in two thousand and six, Terry making reference there to the health struggles of his daughter, which we don't know a whole lot more about. I believe they are both still with us, depicted and beyond the mat you get to know them a little bit, right boss? Watching the movie? Yeah, for sure, what'd you think of that whole wedding scene and the Funker in a tuxedo and stuff? You know, it was it was fine, you know, it was nice to see him, you know, somewhat normal. Yeah, you know, kind of like this, this odd patriarch of his house. So the children moved out and at sixty one years old, felt the property was too big to manage. So it goes Yeah, in in eighty six, when he was working Puerto Rico. Want to share with you a YouTube link and we'll pull it up here. Okay, one last uh tip of the cap, one last look, I guess you could say, at the inner confines of the Double Cross as they comeboy it to his house to shoot some some promos for his upcoming Puerto rican As a commercial. But okay, all right, I'm ready the Legendary. There we go. We're gonna do it, Legendary, Honorary Mayor of Bajardo Domingo roll Blitz. Well, let's just see what happens. You go when you encounter what do you got on time code B the Legendary. I'm at twelve all I just pause? Yeah, great, bad boy. We're gonna listen along here as as Terry Funk shoots shoots a promo typifying what it meant to be on on the Double Cross three two one play wrestling, mister Terry Bunk, Well, this has nothing to do with wrestling, and I don't want you show Carlos Cabrera at the front door. Oh my god, look at that fucking mullent. What do you want? Gotta be one of the daughters, Terry, Please, honey, there's some Harry out here that wants to talk to you. To wait a minute. This is embarrassed. Now you're using part of it. Get a load of this guy. Look at him in his long job. My god, earlier in the morning. I'm sorry, but the Big Day camera, yeah that's a camera. Yeah, Big Day's coming in Puncas at nineteen against Barry wind On, what are you doing here? There's a special interview with you right this Texas. This is a double Cross ranch. Did you ask for permission to come here? Did you? You did not answer the phone so I could not get in touch with you. What you are to talk about? You after? They is nothing but a drug store cowboy, nothing but an egg sucking dog. Don't you realize that I am meaner than a ridle snap, tougher than shoe leather, and I am going to win the Universal Championship. You tell everybody in Puerto Rico that, okay, take your boat back, your truck back, your lowrider back, your fat peg. My wife was right. Let me translate, well you get them Prano. But now, Rogers, I don't think this is fair because you use an interview that I read my life going into the Double Crust ranch and this this man insaulted me. His wife called me a fe o came, oh my god, what I mean? That doesn't mean he has to call me a fat pig? And looking away, he's dressed. What is he doing he's dressed or what do you expect for one of the original bad boys professional wrestling? So all of Puerto Rico is looking at me right now in my underwear. Do I care? No, because I am on my property and I don't care what a bunch of pigs and eggs sucking dogs think? What did he take minute? I can't pick. He's fair launches too. Has nothing to do with this tape. Oh god, he's taking off his underwear. Oh my god, Oh my god, take it down. Yes, I love it. Show them all, Terry, Oh my, why you're willing a bad boys professional wrestle? He's naked behind me? Well, so what you embarrased the mingo roll? Oh my god? The fuck? Clearly? It was an English language video release of Puerto Rican wrestling footage from the WWC, voiced over by a Oh also, like, did you like he's got those weird things on the windows, like like it's a fucking box office. Yeah, they're like cellophane almost, it's like with a little with a little hole. Yeah. Wow. I guess that was Vicky who entered the door. Didn't look like her, but I guess when I picture her, I think of nineteen ninety seven, right, yeah, VICKI not nineteen eighty six Vicky. But we watched a match between Terry Funk and Barry Wyndham and Puerto Rico as you will call. Yeah, yes, and that was promo setting up the match. They flew up to the Double Crossed interview him and this is of course wild, but he's trying to make it in Hollywood and you know, Over the Top is coming and Roadhouse is coming here in eighty six, so he's kind of you know, freelancing on the wrestling scene. And just for people who you know, you can find it on YouTube. Terry Terry Funk is awoken. I think it's said at the Double Cross ranch in nineteen eighty six. Just for people who don't can't see what you just saw? Boss? What? What? What? What side of the Funk or did we just lay eyes on? Uh? That comment? Wakes up in the morning wearing fucking full body fucking uh uh. Pj's yeah, like like like fucking you know Scrooge would wear. You know, he's just missing a fucking nightgown. But it's those like you know, those full body like it's a onesie. He's wearing a fucking baby onesie is what he's wearing. It's bizarre. I mean, this is full you know, this is lunatic. Uh, Terry Funk for sure. Yeah, yeah, just bizarre. It's bizarre, definitely trying to make it worth that film cruise time and effort to fly over to Canyon, Texas from Puerto Rico to get that that footage the Funker, leaving them with something to talk about and just for another piece of domestic bliss, another limbs at the Funker at home. I can't be entirely sure that this interview he did with Between the Ropes years and years ago was actually in the Double Cross or not. I like to picture that it is. I don't know. Just for some reason, he's on the phone doing this interview and his dog is insisting on being in the spotlight. Is it an egg sucking dog? That's a great question. Actually it's hard to tell, But I don't know. I just thought this was such a little slice of life as we try to get a sense of that side of the Funker here is he tries to do the interview and deal with this damn dog at the same time. And what we want to do is I want to eventually do the commentary for them and talk about him. And that's what we're talking about, is making another interest in in the world of professional wrestling. You put her brown, you idiot. Oh my god, Hey, I don't have much you can see how much of my dogs? What a horrible damn thing to happen. I trying to convince you people that I've got some sense and got the fall over my family, and I can't even make my dog do a damn thing life sound shut up? All right, guys, that's that's up. T Brown. That's it, all right, all right? Put the Talian stuck out of the Rocky chat over there down, got the bear traps you. He's a damn idiot. Damn, he's a fool, and he's just a fool. He's trying to completely blaunch my interview. He's trying to go on Shabbath the show at Redondo Beach, California. You know what I'm telling you? All right, all right, I'm I know you guys. Don't can't stand any more of this. No, I'm getting off the damn phone right now. I want to beat you. Jared Lawler is the one to put the dog up to that. You know that, Jerry Lord, Yeah, Jerry Lawler, put your dog up, Jerry Lord, that idiot. That's who I gotta get off appreciate it. Oh my god, I wonder if they ever found the noise maker that Terry kept near the phone when he wanted to get off an interview and you started exactly exactly fucking like squeeze. It's like a it's like Leslie Nielsen's fart button there thing tudor brown dog tudor brown tudor brown. Yes, So Terry Funk going ahead and you know, trying to make it work inside the four walls of the Double Cross Ranch and his year spent there, and boss, here's an article that I just passed along that I think kind of orients as well as far as where the Funker found himself. This is a glimpse in two thousand and eight of just you know, it's just a general check in on Terry Funk's lot in life, his his health, his general situation. But h for an a w interviewer, Alex Marvez, Okay, here we go. Let me let me grab that damn thing. We're gonna go ahead and pull the RT. You know I want ahead. I'm gonna go ahead, and uh no, I'm serious about this. I no, you know, no, I'm dead serious about this. Yeah. Uh, here we go I'm bringing it up now. I'm gonna just zoom in a little bit. My eyes were a little I gone ahead and stop being functional? What functional? What? Why are you talking? Cuckoo? Hold on a damn minute. What the fuck is going on here? Oh? There it is, okay, here we go. Pro Wrestling's beloved Desperado still doesn't finish his ride into the sunset. Two years since his last high profile appearance, Terry Funk is once again stepping inside the ring. He will be the guest referee for the Sabu Homeless Jimmy versus Raven Johnny webmatch that headlines an Extreme Pro Wrestling reunion show Saturday in Redondo Beach, California. I'm getting too old for it, Funk said in a telephone interview. I really feel that way. I told everyone for years that I was Middle Asian crazy. Now I'm old and sinister, but not too old. Funk sixty three is expected to get physically involved in the XPW main event, even though one of his knees was replaced and the other needs the same procedure. Funk headline two major shows for the now defunct Hardcore promotion earlier this decade, Funk's legacy is a former world champion, Japanese superstar and hardcore icon already is cemented after forty three years in the profession. Some of those moments are captured in release in releases being sold through FUNKDVD dot Com. Though dot com website, Funk isn't making this XPW appearance for money or glory. Rather, he is genuinely looking forward to spending time with returning XPW alumni like Sabu, Raven and The Sandman. Funk considers all three performers as being of the same ilk colorful violence, tinged renegades with independent streaks and or lifestyle choices that sometimes don't jive with major promotions. Now, we were guys who would give one hundred percent toward having a very physical match. We were trying to go beyond the limit. Funk spent the last two decades working predominantly for the original Extreme Championship Wrestling and independent groups like XPW and in Japan. Funk only grappled sporadically for larger companies like World Wrestling Entertainment, which purchased ECW and World Championship Wrestling in two thousand and one. Funk worked on a WWEE CW pay per view in June two thousand and six, and never returned up away from those organizations, and it wasn't hard to stay away. I love the money, but they weren't my greatest love. I can't really say I'll ever be happy away from wrestling, but I desire to have a different place in this business. At this time. It's more important that I'm with my family now. My grandfather Funk Tea's retirement so many times since the early nineteen eighties that even he admits it has become a running joke. One of his legendary rivals, Rick Flair, recently did step away after a thirty six year career. WWE's classy handling of the Flair retirement has drawn universal praise, but as the son of a pro wrestling promoter, the late Dori Funk, Terry Funk has a different view of why Flair. For why Flair was given such a ballyhooed sendoff. Now, Vince McMahon knew there was money there for his company, Funk said of the WWE owner, that is the same thing with the ww Hall of Fame, and who gets in McMahon does an exceptionally good job of cashing in on the product he's created and hasn't met people to the fullest extent he can. While he isn't a McMahon fan, Funk would welcome w Hallan a fame induction for him and the wrestling family that also includes his legendary brother Dorry Funk Junior. Because the Funks began their careers as regional stars in Texas, that distinction could be bestowed next year when this ceremony is held in Houston. If they put me in, I'd consider it an honor, said Funk, who's on again off again ww stints began in the mid nineteen eighties. If they didn't, I'm sure I wouldn't lose a minute of sleep over it. Funk isn't sleeping much anyway. Having sold his story Double Cross Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, Funk and his family have moved into a smaller home nearby that he has spent eighteen months renovating. Physically, I feel and usually feel about one hundred and five. Hahuh. I used to work out to get in shape. Now whenever I want to feel young, it is dye my hair. For more information on next PW's Union show and DVD products. Visit www. The XPW dot com. So, Terry Funk at a life crossroads, and as he talks about, you know, his time in Amarillo and you know, the idea of an anchor that the Double Cross rans represented to him and his family, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe you know, so fell in love with the idea of having a place like that that he could truly call home all those years because of how how that contrasted with his upbringing, right m Yeah, he was a kid. He hardly I mean, certainly the Flying Mare Ranch was founded by Dory Senior in Umbarger, Texas. But in the early days when Dory Funk Senior was first breaking in, it was that trailer life and one that I think Terry was kind of smitten with the idea that he didn't necessarily have to have compared to his to his dad in those early years. Here Terry Funk addresses that seminar class that we've been excerpting sound from in twenty thirteen about that part of his life. It's about love of the business, love of what you're doing. That's what I'm That's what I'm talking about. You know why did I do it? Because I love it? I love it. Never sent down four or five years old. It was a lifestyle we ho my father did back then. We didn't even have a home. Best, what did they have homes? Back then? We had traders. They went behind the cars and we pulled those trailers around and we lived in those trailers and we loved everything to do it. But we loved every trader court that we went to because there was other guys that other wrestlers. That's what it's about. It's the compassion that you had for that guy sitting next to you, for that guy and to ring with you. You have gone to have that compassion to be a great one. If you don't I have compassion, You're not going to be a great one. You don't have compassion for you. You may not You may make a lot of money, but you won't be considered a great one. The great ones. What are the credit gloves? The wrestler in the ring and space is covered with fun, swear, dust and dirt. The wrestler that does is best not only for him trail, but for his opponent and most of all, for those fans that have given up their hard earned cash to see something special and a special investors. It's the ones that really make it and are the great ones give them. So that's home. That's his memory of home. And of course I'm Marilla would become just that. And and even as the opportunity set for Terry Funk expanded so much as his pro wrestling career blossomed, does he proved his ability as not just a pro wrestler, as an elite pro wrestler, a world champion caliber pro wrestler, but also an office guy, a booker, a visionary and having a pencil for all Japan all those years as John Bob entrusted him with really running his company from so many different standpoints. As well as in concert with Dory, his brother, Funk things back to how that part of his life, what could have been as a wrestling visionary who's paid not to produce in the ring, but to you know, produce segments, produce other wrestler's ability to get over, How that just that never jibed with his sense of that anchor his sense of home. Here he is in the shooting interview that he did side by side with Tommy Dreamer for RF video, reflecting on how it just it just wasn't Amilla. So it just wasn't right for Terry Funk. If if I had a wish, you know, kind of winding this thing up, if I had a wish and uh that I could wish that would have been that way as I wish that New York City was Amberyllo, Texas and amberyl of Texas with New York City. I'm serious about that, because I I would've uh, I I would've had the opportunity to to to do things, you know. I mean at one time is uh they asked me to come up there, and I went up there, and I I never went in there, you know, to be the head booker, you know, and uh I didn't go because it was too far from home, and I just I again, geography enters into it, you know. But I wish I could have been uh wish I would have had the opportunity at that, you know, and I to That'd be my big wish is that, uh wwe was in Ambrielo, Texas with a population in New York City and Amberyllo was up here in New York. You know. But that's uh, that's one of my wishes. Uh that will never happen. You don't think a you'll ever take an office job. Uh, you know, as I just I love my family so much and UH been with my wife for forty five years, and the business has been good to me. Uh, I'm certainly well off. Uh got all the money that I need to w want for and UH need to have and got a place that I enjoy living in, and uh life has been good to me. And you know is yeah, I wish that, uh, but I know that that's an impossible dream. And uh am I upset by any of the moves that I have ever made in the business or things I've done in my life. Hey, not at all. I like the way things worked out, and it's it's been a good it's been a great, great, great run that I am so happy that I've been a part of, you know, and I'm so happy that my father brought me into the business and so thankful that he did that. It's been a great run, a great life. All the things Terry Funk achieved poss I mean even in his case, dreams deferred. Yep, yeah, totally. It's like to sit there after doing three times, would any prorest or could ever hope to achieve in their career and still be thinking what if Amilla was New York? Of course? Why? Of course, because there's always because you know what, wrestling is a business where everywhere the grass is always greener. It's correct, there is always, you know, no matter how much you talk shit about something, you know, one promotion or the other, a lot of times they just have something that you want. That's life anyway. That's not just particular of the pro wrestling business, but it's definitely it's very apparent a lot of the time that you know, and especially I think a lot of guys who had small the territories they want, they wish they had what Vince had. Yep, Nope, nope, you won't. You never will. Indeed, I think that's that's probably the root of all the enemies that Terry Funk had against Vince McMahon. Totally, I believe that. But he did get the call for that Hall of Fame. Twenty h nineks were inducted, and it took like five minutes to get them off the stage. MM the most truncated Hall of Fame thing. I mean Dusty's induction speech, which we played a bit of during the Eggsuck and Dog. Dusty Rhodes viewed part of Lapsed Funk. It was pretty much longer than both Dory and Terry's speeches. But you know, it's not nothing, and it's an acknowledgment of you know, that position from that two thousand and eight article that he found himself in visa v. McMahon. But just I was just surprised, you know, having sort of committed to this idea in my head that Terry Funk was the guy who figured it out, who who had no regrets in the wrestling business because he was he didn't allow anyone to put himself into a position to have regrets, and he authored everything that he did for better or for worse, almost always for better. That he would not be sitting there all those years later and thinking, you know, could I have been one of the great bookers of all time for the biggest wrestling organization in the world. I was just surprised to hear it, yep. And for a guy that was so beat up in the riggers of the road in this kind of career. He also didn't hear a lot about Funk from a drug perspective. You know, you never really heard of you, yeah, ever having any problems in that department. If anybody had a right to get hooked on pain killers, oh my god, I know, seriously, for what they did in the wrestling business, it was Terry Funk. Perhaps there's a glimpse into how he managed the riggers in the pain on the following here, this is from nineteen and ninety nine. For me, the undersigned authority on this day personally appeared Lane Tucker, who deposes and says that he has good reason to believe in charge that heretofore honor. About the fourteenth day of November nineteen ninety nine, and before the making and filing of this complaint in the County of Randall in State of Texas, one Terry Defunk did then and there unlawfully drive and operate a motor vehicle in a public place to win a public road in Randall County, Texas, while intoxicated. Oh I want ahead, I just want ahead. And I went backwards too to wit. The said Terry Defunk had a blood or bread breath alcohol concentration of point bad bread too. Yeah, you had bread as well. Dusty Rhodes once got arrested for bread concentration. Actually, I believe it was just bread consumption, and I the assistant criminal District Attorney to further present that Terry Defunk did then in their drive and operate a motor vehicle in a public place a public road in Rental County, Texas while intoxicated. The said Terry Defunk had lost lost, had lost the normal use of his mental and physical faculties by a reason of the introduction of alcohol or a controlled substance, or a drug or a dangerous drug, and a combination of the two and more substances into his body against the peace and dignity of the state. This complaint November twenty second, nineteen ninety nine. So probably pretty good that the phone rang for the WCW commissioners job on Christmas Eve of nineteen ninety nine because the funker was coming off catching a kid. I don't know what it was he was he was doing, but eventually it was resolved in two thousand as the funker paid it was sentenced so to speak, to two thousand dollars fine plus court costs for this instance of deadly conduct. That sounds a lot more. You can tell why I leaned into fire looking for court filings. Dairry Funk was arrested for excuse me, deadly conduct in nineteen ninety nine, I mean us in ninety nine too, Like I know, con I've been doing that for way longer than that. But uh yeah, you won't find you won't find it surprising that the Funk did it. Did enjoy hitting the bottle. I mean, Jesus, he's gulping down a bottle during Beyond the Mat with his so much blood in his throat from barely legal that he starts coughing upon swallowing that is barely legal. How much he fucking drank so that old Texas elixir certainly helped Terry Funk beat Terry Funk. This story comes to this is from Howard Brody's book Howard Brody, of course, the NWA a regional promoter of the nineties that eventually butted heads with the Todd Gordon in Eastern Championship Wrestling outfit Paul Hayman. But Funk kind of caught in the middle there, as he preferred to be in good terms, I guess with both sides, but I hear's here's the anecdote. The same camaraderie I had seen in the ECW dressing room was present at the hotel bar, and that's where I got to see the real Funker in action, Brody wrote. Terry went from table to table, finishing everybody's drink. If it had alcohol, entity drank it. What are you having, He'd ask? Whiskey sour? One of the boys answered, he picked up the drink and downed it in one gulp. What are you having, he asked? Another tequila? He answered, he picked up that drink and downed it too. He did this several times. When Todd finally asked him what he wanted to drink, Terry responded with a smirk and held up his hand motioning for Todd to stop. That's okay, he said, I'm good. The remark got a little pop from the group at the table, Shane Douglas, Curtis Hughes, Kevin and Nancy, Taz, Dreamer, sand Man, and Cherry. To me, it was the definitive Funk moment. When he worked, he worked hard, and when he played, he still worked hard. I suppose it's one of the endurable qualities that makes him a true legend. Terry Funk's sweetheart, Vicky Funk, met in nineteen fifty six of course the year he met her. They had gone to different elementary schools in Canyon, Texas, but were in the same middle school together. As Terry tells the story, I always thought she was pretty great, but we were really just friends until high school when we started dating. Terry fell in love with Vicky when they were in the fifth grade. Vicky does dispute this, according to some of the obituary stuff that came out. Yeah, the family lightings some fun with the story. Perhaps it was one way love in the elementary years. The two became best friends in high school, later married at the First Baptist Church August fourteenth, nineteen sixty four, while they were in college. As we documented so long ago now, it seems on the lapsed Funk Terry and Vickiy riven to travel the world with each other, the obituary reads, which they loved doing. They spent fifty four wonderful years together before she preceded him in death on March twenty ninth, twenty nineteen. Vicky Funk and ten Mary Funk did get a divorce. As we mentioned, it was actually April fourteenth of nineteen seventy five, according to records that the two were divorced in Randall, Texas, Randall County, Texas, and Terry you know, sort of made reference to this and some of the interviews, the one he did with Steve Austin, for example, and how they reconciled. He talks about it in his book and how they got back together. He makes it seem like they just they just picked right up and got remarried. But according to the records I found, they didn't actually remarry officially until nineteen ninety one, boss, if you can believe it. Wow. So you know, Terry made reference to Vicky getting together with some other guy and after they divorced, and here and now we know seventy five and how he uh, he greatly enjoyed fucking with that guy and definitely greatly enjoyed when Vicky just didn't find in this guy what she thought she would and came back to the Funker and they made all these decisions about, you know, coming off the road and getting the double cross set up, and that's when the family starts, and that's that fork in ther and most wrestlers go left. Terry Funk went right, yep. And it was actually in Clark County, Nevada, August twentieth, nineteen ninety one, according to records, that Vicky Ann Weaver again wed Terry Dfunk. So they went to Vegas to get hitched. It's a lovely story. Hey. You know, sometimes you just got to go to Vegas. Don't know when, don't know why. I just felt like, I said, hey, Vic, Vic, you want to go to Vegas? Now? Seems to be one of those times I'm feeling Vegas. You want to get hitched, you want to marry this old dumpster? That was good. That That was really cute. I like that. I could see him saying that. So credit to Terry Funk for working his way back into the heart of his middle school sweetheart. We'd like to think that's the only way he worked, Vicky Funk, wouldn't we Boss? Yeah, but I just couldn't get out any way. A story that dutch Man Telle told on his podcast. After the podcast, Terry Funk speaking Yes co host James Romero about the unique domestic bliss that Terry Funk shared with Vicky. Terry did tell me a story at one time that his wife what was her name, Vicky, I think his wife caught him with another woman. Yes, and you ever hear the story. I think he told me not too long ago. Someone told it me not too long ago. Yeah, say it again. If he was his wife caught him with another woman pussy, and Terry immediately started that he didn't know his wife, he didn't know the woman, he didn't know anything. And for it took him about a year or more, but he convinced his wife that it didn't happen. He guests lit her so much, yes, that he got it into her head that she made it up and it didn't happen. Now, I don't know if that happened. Nice, we're joined to their Dutch thoughts, Boss, I am. I mean, listen, listen. It's it's just too easy for him to be just a good guy with his family. Okay, it's just too easy. You can be the most wonderful pro wrestler we've ever laid eyes on. Yes, but you're still a pro wrestler right there, working and working with He's work, work, the worker, worker. You know that song by Shaggy, It wasn't me what but you find me on the counter. I said it wasn't me, It wasn't me, thick, she found me in my long red underwear, wasn't I said, No, that wasn't my ass heard the screams getting louder. Oh it wasn't me. Oh oh, oh, Ship, I think I'm gonna come. I mean, if I heard that, or you gonna come, or you're gonna go ahead, I think I'm gonna go ahead and come. Oh you knew as you knew was gonna have it talk about oh ship, I went ahead and splosh suggest that that all over the bed there, that's the real Double Cross ranch. That's my lass. So if I heard the story right, just shot a lasso out of my cor What Dutch is saying there is that Terry convinced Vicky that he didn't know what he was doing, that he didn't even recognize her Vicky when he was caught, and that over time it worked. I mean, this is like that neutral ground we carry fun. But ye, yep, it's like he always kept the mystery alive. You thought he was leveling with you at all times. But everybody from Shane Douglass to Mick Foley to Rick Flair to Dusty you know, they always had this. You always eventually, this lingering suspicion always surfaces. If like, is this guy really leveling with me? Is this guy really my buddy? No, Funk was no stranger. Don't have to sexual humor, that's for sure. Do you remember the story from the over the Top party? Yes? I do. Uh that's another story he decided to tell the twenty thirteen seminar class that he lectured to. Of course he did. And so now we present you with Funker in song regaling this group with the filthy uh Diddy that he presented to abject silence, and at the roadhouse party, repeated here for this group of wrestling hopefuls, you know, and who is uh Lucy? Was a scale I knew down in admalin detetions, and I'd like to sing a song about I said, oh, okay, everybody, oh yeah, sing it? Sing it. So when I head started singing, you know, it was what is everyone to study? And I said, oh, oh, oh Lucy's got a pushy like I have Elena. H Lucy got her Johanna our own oh Lucy Juicy on happy ride across the desert on a rhino was horn will the beach woman farks like a frog, breaks jam like a shot down, and strews like a dog. Old Lucy got it. Oh, Lucy got it like a h lean home and I finished it. Nobody said a word. I don't just look at me like you idiot guy, I was gonna get over like a million dollars. That's a god out of truth. That's the true story. This guy, this is a treasure. This man is Oh, I mean, who sings that song? Terry Funk not above lying? I thought. I thought back to his comments, uh about the trial that he found himself testifying in over the fire incident at the ECW reena of course an ECW program section of our program. We talked a lot about that and even reached out to fully via Cameo to get some recollections on the whole thing. Yes, but it goes here because it comes after that story from dutch Man tell about how there wasn't a person in Terry Funk's life that he couldn't work. And does that include a civil court in Pennsylvania where he in ECW and Mick Foley or defendants for burning a fan. Yes, better believe it. And when the Funk gets away with it on the other side, he's not bashful about telling it. Just listen to the Frank Way he diagnoses what happened in that case to Steve Austin, who actually was just beginning in ECW the night that incident happened, and so couldn't wait to ask Terry Funk about what came of all that when he was on his podcast years ago. But I don't want to start right from the beginning. I want to jump right into something that's been on my mind ever since the day had happened. And as I was reading the book, I was like, holy shit, I was there on this occasion. I want to take you back to ECW, the E CW Arena right there in Philadelphia, that little wonderful shithold building with great atmosphere. It was my first night in the territory. I was hitting up from a triceps injury. Eric Mischeff, shit, Candy Paul League gives me a call. I show up. It's you and McK foley in the ring. There's a there's a flaming branding iron, and then there's a flaming chare and the next thing I know, there's a there's a fan burning at ringside on the front row, and I'm thinking, what the fuck did I getting myself into? I got sued. Nick came out of the dressing room to my surprise with a flaming share. I don't know where he got the damn thing, but it was flaming. It had three foot flames on it. He ran around the ring, came into the ring, hit me with the damn chair. I was burning up. I rolled out of the ring. He threw the chair at me, and somehow I got sued and I was the one that was in trouble that had to go up there. I think the guy suit us for like twenty million dollars. So what happened out of it? We went ahead and light our way out of it. They found us not guilty. We lied that sorry son of a bitch didn't get a nickel. God dang man, he's got burns for life. Oh oh, want ahead? We went ahead and live like fucking candy apples. This guy is just too He's a nut. He's a fucking nut. I think Adam put it well on Patreon, he wrote simply, much like the excellent Bruno tribute, I hope the end of the Funk series ends with him being verbally humiliated and destroyed. He was a legend way out of his time. Innovator, trailblazer, friend of stallone horse whisperer, but he was still a Carni bitch and deserves to be treated as such. RSP Funker. Yes, Terry wasn't done working. Terry wasn't done working himself into a shoot or working a shoot to look like a work or whatever. There was an incident that took place that we must also talk about in twenty fourteen up in Canada. He took a shot for the Great White North Organization, which is the promotion at least operated, if not owned by Hannibal who does all those shoot interviews, you know him, Devin Nicholson, And they came up with an idea to do some business. And the fact that Terry Funk is still in the market in two thousand and fourteen to be doing this kind of shit is just a testament to how far he took it and how he just couldn't He just couldn't stop. This is just like unbelievable that he's still involved in something like this. So we're going to watch an incident basically an angle they shot at a press conference okay, to build interest for his appearance on the show, and a feud with Devin Nicholson. So let me just get this set up here and we'll take a listen in and take a look in. Get your thoughts now. This is This is Hannibal going absolutely fucking crazy during this angle, and it's just it's in a context where they're trying to do like a press conference before actual press so you know how that goes wrestling, right, yes, you know the unique atmosphere that can create. And for no reason, Lanny Pafa was like, Wale, where's Waldo in the background. It's just, oh my god, fucking something else. So here you go. This is It starts with Terry Funk sort of receiving an award, which I fully believe I guess was kay fabe uh from like the local community when all hell breaks loose? Three two one, play all right next, guys, put your hands together, Guys and girls, Mister Terry Funk any better than that, guys. Actually, mister Funk, is a surprise here before we get started. Mister James Murray would like to come up from thirty one at juneot for presentations for you. That's that is a surprise to me. I don't think this thing is doing any good, but I'm I don't know what kind of surprise it is. I want to say, go ahead, sorry and honor and a pleasure because that guy is not a pervert. Award and he's done a picture of you, you know, a while, and he asked that we present this to you as just a token of our esteem for your long and story career. I just want to thank you for coming out well. I want to thank you all for giving me this award, and I just want you all to know that R. Terry, it's a very nice We got some recharge from Otto. I wrote that for you. It looks very nice. Actually, you look better in that than you do in person. I don't like this guy calls himself a champion. You're talking about this guy calls him self a champion, a world champion. Look how he's dressed, sweater, dance, tennis shoes and this just like your typical person from thunder Bay. No class to dress. Oh wow wow, oh you want to you ain't nothing? Ken laugh at this guy. The photographers like, beat the crap out of you, laughing how just like he reminds me of everyone from Thunderbeg a yat Earth, You're he cracked the picture for you over animal's head slapping the ship out. Here we go. What's he saying? He's screaming like an animal always busted open. The screeching is bizarre, say Michaels. Did he say Michael's that? Oh? No, does anyone want to hear a poem? Big deal? Wow? It really got fucked up in that thing. Yeah, he got paint brushed hard. He's bleeding out of the year. I mean, how old is he in twenty fourteen? Do we really need to be doing this, Terry? No, We're like four people in thunder Bay. The match was Hannibal vers Kevin Nash with a Terry Funk as special ref. And Hannibal has a video upright like describes all the background to it if you want more. But basically it was it was something they came up with try to spark last minute interest. There was some kind of like late last minute like shake up to what the plans were, and they thought they had to go hard with an angle like this, And I don't know, I just when I saw that he was still doing stuff like this and taking slaps across the face like that. Yeah, to try to sell a few more tickets for an Indie Show Canada in twenty fourteen. I'm like, there's something wrong here with this guy. There really is. I mean, well, there's also just probably some fear and desperation. He was on blood thinners at the time, according to Hannibal, and so the thought was, you know what, if you see those massive bruises on Terry Funk's face after Hannibal slapped him several times, don't don't don't be so mad at me, because when you're on blood thinners, you bruise much more easily. Okay, So I should be mad at Terry. So I guess I guess those slaps didn't land as hard as they appeared to I guess that's what I'm supposed to do, Okay. I just I can't. I just that was just ridiculous, and it's just it just didn't see my fault. Well, you know, things happen, ah, and they happened again. Sometimes that's a good point. Actually, yeah, we haven't made that clear enough. What was that point again? Just driving home for people that sometimes things happen, and sometimes they happen again. And they happened again for Terry Funk in the House of Hardcore Promotion. That Tommy Dreamer had set up kind of like a spin off of that Shane Douglas Hardcore Homecoming reunion promotion in two thousand and five that Funk came back to work for and as a Dreamer keeps doing these sort of ECW reunion things. He gives the Funk recall in twenty thirteen because they've got a shot coming up at the mid Hudson Civic Center and Poughkeepsie, a long time wrestling stronghold building in one I think that ECW used to come through. I'm not sure. They certainly did work in and around Poughkeepsie back in the day. And we talked about this show because when Lance Storm on the WCW Attitude or episode was reflecting on working Terry Funk, he had that whole story remember about seeing Terry at that indie show and taking the photo kneeling to him and all of that. Well, that was here in the House of Hardcore, okay, And it was a shot that Terry Funk probably should not have made, as we found out in retrospect. This is from the Observer. He had been in poor health ever since surgery for hernia in twenty sixteen. This is Terry Funk. He had been told by the doctor to rest in bed for two weeks after the surgery, but he had promised Tommy Dreamer that he would appear at some show for Dreamer's House of Hardcore promotion later that week, so right after surgery he flew to the Northeast. It was a terrible decision and he would later regret it, but explained that he loved Dreamer and didn't want to let him down. His instincts from childhood about loyalty to the business that he was in and around since childhood when his father was a top star, and his loyalty to those he considered friends and Dreamer was one of those people, caused him to ignore what the doctor told him. He was an excruciating pain when he arrived, a different level from the excruciating pain he often lived with. That excruciating pain, of course, brought to really visceral reality in the Beyond the Mat scene where the Funker visits his doctor. This is in nineteen ninety seven, okay, and this is what Terry Funk was told then about his knees. And think about how many years later we're talking about here in twenty thirteen and he's still making flights after hernia surgery. Jesus. On your good knee, your left knee, you have modern to severe de Jenners arthritis. You don't have a good choince space in here. You have some narrowing of the space arthris arthritic spick heels in there, and it's not gonna function very well. It ought to be able to get by the rest of your life, just hurting all the time on your bad knee. On the right knee, you have no joint space. You have severe degenitive arthritis. You have worn that knee out. It's going to hurt too many times, and you are going to need a new knee. You need a new knee. Now, let me ask you one thing. If I don't have an operation or or if I don't have a new knee put in there, can I go ahead and live comfortably? Can I get around comfortably? You shouldn't be able to get around comfortably? Now, this ought to give you pain chronically. It ought to be disabling too, and that is a problem. There's not a whole lot we can do when we get to that point and chronic pain for the next thirty or forty years. In a real fun thing to think about, and what do you do? Oh, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta do it. I gotta work. I don't have time. I gotta go. I mean, I gotta make the towns. And the doctor looks at you and says, you should not be able to be getting around now, like you don't understand there's no medical reason that you're able to walk. And he's like, well, hell, can I get around comfortably a doctor if I go ahead? And it's like, what, you shouldn't be good and doing that now? A bit of a mix up. So the twenty thirteen match with Landstorm involved the House of Hardcore. That wasn't the one that Terry Funk went to after the hernia surgery. That was another shot he made in twenty sixteen for the same promotion. So he did work that show in twenty thirteen, teeming with Tommy Dreamer against x Pock and Lance Storm, and that's where land Storm's whole story comes from, about the photo and all the rest that we heard. But he did come back after hernia surgery in twenty sixteen for House of Hardcore, and that was the ill advised flight, but he made it. He got to the venue, and he did step into the ring after the match had taken place, and you got the sense that this time for real, I Thunk is saying is goodbyes. Well, I want you all to listen to me. I don't I don't love you tell me here tonight. I don't want to get out of this damn right. I want to say that because I'm known, and if I get out of here, you know, on the heir or I won't be back. And I want you all and no, that's very important to me that I have my people, Hammy and all of the guys that I've been around out here there, they're my family. I'm hear so soonious, and I'm getting out of here where I'm gonna go ahead way a few more guys, and I love the engine, every one of the other. Hm. I don't want to leave that ring because he won't see you again. I'm surprised he didn't start just saying forever. I know you probably had to resist the temptation, honestly. So it's time to look upon Terry Funk's actual last match. This is according to wrestling data. I think there is another match where he was kind of announced as participating but it wasn't actually a match, kind of like that hul Cogan match in TNA where he never came out, but he was like, oh yeah in the match, so to speak. But this is for all intents and purposes, the last time we truly see the Funker step into the square circle. It was for BTW. Boss. You know Big Time Wrestling, I do know. Big Time Wrestling, a circuit that in the twenty tens got quite a budget together to hire you know, a lot of guys from the eighties the nineties and get a lot of guys to no show as well. Yes, it was always a risk when you put together the kind of cards they did. But it was Raleigh, North Carolina September twenty second, twenty seventeen that the Funker made a pair of shots for BTW. It was North Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina, Spartanburg actually South Carolina on the second front. There. First match was a Ricky and Robert the Rock and Roll Express teaming with Terry Funk to face Brian Christopher. Of course, Jerry Lawler's son Doug Gilbert, brother of Eddie Gilbert, who, of course Terry sure has tremendous history with and Jerry Lawler and the rematch the last match September twenty third, twenty seventeen, and Boss I didn't come into watching this match expecting moments of poignancy because that you know, hmm. It's one of those deals where Terry Funk didn't necessarily know what's going to be his last match. It just ended up being you know how those things go. Yep, yep, it's just all of a sudden, like you know, Hulk Cogan never would have guessed his last match would have been a TNA shot in twenty thirteen in England. Yep, that's been here. We were hoping it would be an a w ring and the royal rum right didn't happen. Yeah, that would have been quite a deal if we had to revisit that TNAH conclusion on the last match. But but this turned out to be it, and my god, does it turn out to be perfect. It's a small venue, it's not a you know, it's obviously an indie. It's intimate, to put it kindly, but I don't know, I don't know. There's something heavenly about it. So we're gonna watch it. If you can pull up that video and go to five minutes in five seconds, so we can skip straight to to Terry Funk's entrance. This is twenty seventeen. This is they get the mix. Sure. I can't even bring myself to say this. Yes, twenty years after that clip we just heard where the doctor's telling him he has no knees left. Twenty years later, that's absurd. When you were five oh five were ready to rock. I got an ad here a problem to those who might be looking forward. It's Terry Funk's last match with Rock and Roll Express for Jerry Lawler, Brian Christopher, Doug Gilbert on YouTube three four five. They got fucking Ricky Morton with his hands up. Oh yeah, t shirt on great yep, you know the switch yep. So here we go one last time for the Funker in the squirt circle that was his sanctuary three two one play. It's a better venue than the one I saw them inn. Yes, run out looking more like Dunk every day. Jesus, I don't know, boss, he's absolutely walking to the ring like someone who knows something. Yep. Oh, it's so true. Of course. Desperado, the theme that they set those Terry Funk tribute videos to to E C w Yeah, and a song that so many associated with the Funker because of those videos. They went to that well a couple of times, including to build up. It just doesn't work for me as a wrestling theme. Yeah, it's too fucking slow. Yeah, it's not supposed to be. No, but the lyrics, you'd fucking idiot. Ryan Christopher, He's such a fucking and to think we're looking at a Brian Christopher here who passed before Terry Funk, I know. And of course how fitting Jerry Lawler is U is the referee Elliott Gould? Yes, yeah, he was moonlighting all right, No eyebrows, plastic, smooth face. I'm the king absolutely baby. Who a Memphis Mafia? Oh God, very fitting that. Actually I think it's Sasha Baron Cohen. Actually, who's the referee? Yah? You know, does look like him? You know, Ricky Morton looks a little disturbingly like Terry Funk in certain angles. This Funk hats to be this age. You can actually see Dory in his profile, you know. All of a sudden, I was saying, I don't think you heard me, but I was saying that it doesn't like Dory when he was coming into the ring, it comes Funk, not me, Moore, not Memore. He tore six pounds his final le Oh boy, m hm oh ship. I got a commercial breaking me up the fuck known as Funk and Roll Boss. Yeah, I had a commercial. What's your time code? For sure? I'm at nine to twenty five? Paused nine five? Okay, I hate adds a break in the middle of the thing. Okay, I'm ready, three, two, one play. So here we go. So again, his last match in South Carolina. You could have left off the South Carolina I know, right, they didn't know that at the time. Just one more uh incremental step towards an actual retirement. Terry Funk was never going to retire from professional wrestling, folks, Yes, we all knew this in our heart of hearts. Is that your brother ringside taking photos? No, I don't think so. I don't think he's ever been to South Carolina. I've been in South Carolina. There you go. That was an exciting story, I know. Yeah, yeah, I just I couldn't wait to follow up. Yeah, with all due respect to that beautiful state. Yeah, it's a nice state. Actually, it's very pretty. Get Myrtle Beach in there, or what Charleston oh sure, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful town. Oh Funker's rare to go left handcocked. Very fitting that Jerry Lawler is sharing the ring with Terry Funk for his last match. Yes, I agree, I agree, I agree. Two gentlemen who very much defined each other in rings like these. Yeah, circuits like these. Terry Funk in the Rock and Roll Express versus Jerry Lawler, his son, Brian Christopher, and Doug Gilbert. Bell sounds and the Funkers starts out Gilbert, Wow, the hair is so much dinner. The oh, I know, hair is barely there. Look at the look at what we want, Boks. Look how he walks. He's like he can barely stand up. He's kind of like crouched now he's sort of yep, fucking Brian Chrisper looks like he's such a dufus. Like from the neck up, he looks like somebody that would pay pay Scrooge a visit. You know, yes, yeah, totally totally. God's still doing the two cool glasses. Of course, that's the dogs best gimmick. He's gonna dance too. Look at that here he goes. What an idiot. He's such a fucking buffoon him and like he's got like a weird pear shape too. I never noticed that before about him. I think that's probably at this point in his career as opposed to Yeah, so look at look at the punches. Move he can. He's barely making contact a guy too. He doesn't even know what he's punching at. Oh, Edbud looked all right, down goes. Bro're selling the crowd even fucking it is like what the fuck am I watching? It's like, Oh, this is what we're in for. He's gonna send him off the He's not gonna sendhim off the ropes. See no sign up with the Funkers. Doug Gilbert Funker throws a hand bright again, good headbuts look all right because you can stomp on him. Yeah with those punches, man, he's trying to get the jabs going. Look at him. The crowd's dead. Yeah, the crowd is not reacting to Terry Funk at all. He shouldn't have started this match. I agree he should have been the hot tag. It would have been really hard for him though, to enter the ring like a house of fire. He probably have tripped over the ropes or something. Yeah, they could have done a tease thing where where like you know, one of them tags in Lawler and then they make the hot tag to Terry funking and Lawler stands back and lets him come in sliceeing that before we do that. You know here it is Terry funk and Jerry Lawler locking it up again. Unbelievable. Twenty seventeen. Jesus, the Mtbrena match was what nineteen eighty something like that? Eighty two? I think, okay, okay, those those fists are getting a little bit better in the corner as the rock and rolls hit the floor with Oh, that's fucking gifts, It's like, how Terry funking the outside already? That's not him, that's Robert Gibson. The hairline is strikingly similar, and they're wearing the same fucking shirt. They're both going ahead at the moment as well. Hey why don't you Hey, I'll tell you what, Jerry take the bomb. I'm gonna moan saw look drop Jesus Christ is after he had that fucking the heart attack on raw. Yeah, the fuck is that? Oh Funkers hit the floor and oh my god, look at it. He looks man. He looks like a he looks like a fucking dead dog. Oh all that wraps the oh son of a bed cord around the Funker's neck, choking him here at ringside, like the crowd, I don't think they really realized it was gonna be this depressing. I think that's what it was. Oh fucking Lawler, it says, after he flew in the hernia and was told not to fly. You know this is still making towns, still still work in the perimeter of the ring, throwing chairs at Jerry Lawler is Now he's gonna throw it like mister Burns. I mean we got some distance there. Not bad. He couldn't put his hips or his legs into it. No, it's all armed because he would fall over. I know he'd fall apart, like breaking half. Every step he takes is so intentional. It's like a Every step is labored from the funker here, every right, every step just thing. Oh oh fuck me, Gilbert jabs into the face of the bat brittle his fucking bones are. It's like he goes steps the wrong way and he's gonna, Oh is he gonna He's not gonna fucking jew is he He's gonna juice, I gotta good color? Is he hold on me? Bend down. He's in the position he fucking folded his arm yep, hold on, let me get the razor. I gotta get color. Let me get a good mask going. Oh, I got another fucking ad. Let me know? Why do I have three ads? Like? Yeah, you at home, probably will too. I'm on the premium. Oh good for you? Yes, what's your time code? Fifteen nineteen? Okay, As a chair is resting artfully on Jerry Lawler's head, I'm ready to go. It's a Funker chair shot in twenty seventeen for you three to two one play. I haven't seen Funk's head yet since it appeared he did that the business just like walking around with a guy's head in his hands. The morbid part of me like, who wants to see him? Just oh, he didn't. He didn't, Juice. I mean probably like die if he'd fucking lost that much blood. He's on blood thinners. Remember we learned a right exchanging right hands at ringside like the old Mid South Coliseum days. Ye, Jerry Lawler and Terry Funk, you know, And I'm gonna go ahead and go home. He just wanders into the darkness. There's not a well literally, that is that Dick Cheney there, fucking Doug Gilbert idiot? They're getting a future is now? No, I don't think so, pal. All those shirts said that. Yeah, I'd say it's the past is now. Past is very much now. Brawling in the concession area and the merchandise area are Jerry Lawler and Terry Funk. What what did she say? Rock and roll? Oh? God, yeah, you know this part of the country, this is rock and rolls country. I mean, Terry had a very impactful mid Atlantic run right before he won the NBBA title in the seventies, but that was really it. He came through a bit in the early eighties. He was a United States champion. It is kind of funny that, how, like, you know, Terry Funk does have that like regional appeal. Yeah, only to certain Jesus. What the He's got to crouch through this guardrail because he can't put one leg over the top of it to get over the guardrail. Oh, is that Jeff Town there? He's moving like Jefftown probably probably South Carolina's version of it. While it's throwing water on Funk's face. Funk laying on the on the floor shades of Jerry Lawler versus Jake Roberts at Summer Absolutely Jack Daniels standing on the Funker's face. Now, is the King got a baseball bat? Which uh, I'm trying to pick out the girl that all went home with this. I can't see her. She's yeah, because she's too short, too small. Funk uses a chair to guard himself from a baseball bat shot from the King because her, the girl's dad is probably you know, holding her up, trying to get her to go to go to sleep on his shoulder. He bought her up pop, yeah, Jerry did, and a cotton candy, sweetheart. Why don't you go get a hot dog and a coke and meet me at the car? Look at him, Oh, it's just you know, standing around like because they can't do anything. Half Funker rolls in under the bottom rope. I'll tell you what, though, it's way better than rick Flair's last match. Sure is amen to that. Bunker can go to his grave saying that pile driver and Ricky Morton. Look at Ricky Morton selling I know he's still had it. It's that time period where like New Japan came to the States and like the Rock and Rolls are on the show doing like suicide dives, Like what what is wrong with you guys? Oh? This match is completely broken down and they're just walking around like choking each other. Yeah, yeah, it's just there's no tags anymore. Pass down one two, NOPs in with the save. Very light tap on the back of Lawlor that makes him who oh, there we go work in the arm now is is a substitute chemistry teacher, Doug Gilbert, Funk are coming alive? Dropping folks with lefts well, if only for coming alive is a strong statement. Robert Gibson looking like such a heart throw out there, toxic Avenger, more like a heart attack. Throb Bunk being held open for Brian Christopher to come off the middle road with the bat side step. Doug Gilbert eats the bat shot and puts himself in a position to be covered by the Funker. I'm sure Doug Gilbert there is Yes, Doug Gilbert's taking the fall. Definitely not Jerry Lawler. Jerry Lawler right losing an old Jerryatric fucking Terry fund lay out for the Funker. Can he even stand up? Yes? He can uh postmatch angle between Brian Christopher and Doug Gilbert, because that's what we need. Gilbert turns on Brian Christopher and pile drives and we can fucking the ship. Brian Christopher's dad just watches it happen, I know. And that'sn't not a bit, guys, he's stepping to him now. Oh kicks Gilbert and Jerry Lawler pile drives Doug Gilbert. Uh, and you want to call that a pile driver. I would not call that a pilo driver. But and they all raised Jerry Lawler's hand, not the Funker, but not Funker. Terry Funk can't even fucking raise his own hand. He still what happened? Kind of facing off with his where are we lifelong? Yeah, Nemesis, what are you doing? Waller and Funk staring a hold at each other. Hey, I thought you said it was going to be empty arena. This arena's full, it's it's it's almost empty. Terry really, realistically, he worked me in one of these empty arena gimmicks again. Fuck that, I'm not doing that shit. I didn't even know where what and after all the history between these two, Jerry Lawler grabs the wrist of the Funker and raises his arm. What funks looking at him like, you goofy son of a bitch, You stupid son of a bitch. Are you going completely insane, you fucking Memphis idiot. Yes, he's a lover of chickens. I love chicken, so I don't love those little chick lips so you like to fuck around with? How bizarre was it the Terry Funk called Jerry Lawler a lover of chickens, but he never called Abdul the Butcher that well, Jerry Lawler's a lover of chickens, whereas Abdul the Butcher's a lover of chicken. Big different, doesn't, doesn't you know? Fucking Brian Christopher, look at this guy, moron, think I have an idiot. I can't stand his face, Jerry Lawler face. It's such an like it's just I mean, he just looks like an asshole rest in peace, hung himself in a prison cell. I know, I know, and it's tragic, but he is such a fucking idiot looking motherfucker. What do he do to get go to prison? It was drugs, almost positive, drugs and memory serves. Look at this Funk steps to Lawler and Christopher and raises their hands forgrudgingly, but he does it. And this was a few that Funk rarely let any daylight into. This is one where he would talk shit to Jerry Lawler anywhere he saw him anytime. Yeah, they hit Desperado one more time here as the Funker shares the ring with one of his great career rivals and his son, Funk is, I'm gonna go put something in my most Yeah, he means he wan's a microphone. I got a corn dog and anyone got a corn dogs Terry his final match in South Carolina. Fucking commercial pause A people saidst find you start to be very true. They want you know and be here. Oh my god. When he started to hearing us, even the sewing households hut start start start another old man yellow, that's nice. Huh a lo century what a lot centy brother, very what very nice, even fellow have a farewel sees you just see very year just to a dido did toe did to Lawlor? That's all did t I'm gonna go ahead and I'm gonna go ahead and did a mm hm bought a toe Oh ship dumbling up the aisle away and they hit the song again. Wow, time there's final legends. So the legend hm hm h. He essentially walked off into UH into the darkness. Yeah, he did. The way that arena was he figured it was like he disappeared. It was quite poetic. So the funk it is the whole the whole thing actually was quite poetic. It was really, you know, in a weird way. That's a great that's a great UH final tribute. Yeah, what makes you say that? Well, I mean, yes, it was rough watching him in the ring, but you know, all things considered, he handled himself about as well as he could. He It was fitting that it was lawlor. It was you know, the song. Although it's not a great entrance theme, it was it was nice as a tribute. Yeah, and again like he just the way he wrote off. He gave some some final waves and then went through the curtain and that was it. That's right, kind of floating away. It's almost like he floating in and out of this match on a cloud. You don't get many you don't get many wrestling finales, career ending finales like that. And if there were two hundred people there, that actually works for Terry Funk. You know, he doesn't have to have a full stadium. All those are the hardcore fans, just the fans, you know, just people who showed up because they love pro wrestling. There's nobody in that building who's dragged there, you know what I mean. There's somebody that building. Oh yeah, cared about wrestling for two years and moved on to something else. It makes sense. And the lyrics, to your point, rather fitting the song by the Eagles among Them, Desperado. Why don't you come to your senses? You've been out riding fences for so long. Oh you're a hard one, but I know that you got your reasons. These things that are pleasing you can hurt you somehow. Don't your feet get cold in the wintertime. The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine. It's hard to tell the night time from the day. You're losing all your highs and lows, ain't It's funny how the feeling goes away. You better let somebody love you before it's too late. We're talking about winter in that song, And as I saw it, and I kind of considered how that song was always associated with Terry Funk. I I looked out myself boss on a snowy, fridgid day here in January, and I thought about how to encapsulate Terry Funk as our journey comes to an end. It just didn't seem like Desperado fit. Perhaps perhaps it had just been too used in association with Terry Funk over the years. The song as possible, you know, the song had taught us what it could about the man. What I found myself thinking about, what I found my mind floating to, was not Desperado, but actually to a song. Mick Foley said that he was playing in his headphones as he and other wrestlers huddled around a kerosene heater on a freezing January nearly thirty years ago before he and Terry Funk went out there for the iwa in front of a sparse parka wearing crowd and set the tone of fire and wire and blood that would define the last quadrant of Terry Funk's sprawling career. At is Mick Pace backstage, waiting to welcome Terry Funk to their first one on one death match. If you were McK Fuley played a song in his headphones by Tory Amos from the early nineties songs called Winter. I don't Know. Do you know the song? Hmmm, I might? I don't know. Amos wrote the song about her father, Dad, Dad being the title that perhaps Terry Funk wore most proudly, and the song is about making someone proud about how quickly things change and the gning truth that in adapting to that change, we leave roads unnavigated that could have led to a different life, and risk disappointing those who brought us up and perhaps saw something different for us. And I think about Terry Funk and his family story and what happens and what doesn't happen when you choose dreams over family, or family over dreams, money over principles, or principles over money, pride over pragmatism, or pragmatism over pride, shoot over work, or work over shoot. Torri Amos once explained that the song Winter is about how magical thinking is so at the forefront of our hopes and dreams when we're young, and how gradually our belief in that magic fades and has less and less of an influence on who we're becoming, and how as the years pass we find ourselves gravitating to those old souls among us who as whether it is their bodies may appear still somehow have that glint of magic alive in their eyes, like Terry Funk did. The song Winter makes repeated reference to white horses and Torriemo's once told Rolling Stone, the white horses are your dreams. That doesn't really say it. Opportunities, roads that you thought you would go down and haven't experienced, and all these potential experiences are gone. Now those doors are closed. An imagination, the belief that your imagination can take you to place, is the magical world having gone from your world, which to me, there's nothing more painful than that when you can't access your magical world. There was a moment, Torriemo said, when I thought I was too young to not be able to access that anymore. But I've noticed over the years that a lot of teenagers feel locked out of that world. They don't know how to get back anymore, because in trying to become an adult, you feel like you have to circumcise the magical world. When I hear these lyrics from this song through the story of Terry Funk, I think of all his fans that he allowed to believe still in that magical world, a man who in fact considered it his life's calling to keep that magic alive, and in doing so, all the great wrestlers we told you about that he inspired to become wrestlers or become better wrestlers, most of whom he actually ended up eventually sharing a ring with. From Hogan to Flare, to Foley, to Onneita, to Punk, to Tito Santana to Backland, to Brett, to Eddie Guerrero, to Dusty Rhodes, to Jumbo Shruda, to Abdullah the Butcher, to Saboo, to Stan Hansen, to Chris Candido, to JJ Dillon, to Greg Valentine to Landstorm, and to Tommy Dreamer and too countless others working today. And as I hear the song, I almost see the Funker as that father figure that Torriemos imagines encountering in the song, that father figure facing all the wrestlers he's influenced and conveying these lyrics to them. The white Horse is representing dreams of a wrestler that Terry Funk, so long as he was alive in working, allowed them to believe were achievable. As Amos wrote, I hear a voice. You must learn to stand up for yourself, cause I can't always be around, he says, When you're going to make up your mind, mum, when you're going to love you as much as I do. When you're going to make up your mind, cause things are going to change so fast. All the white horses are still in bed. Then the voice of the song shifts to Tory as daughter speaking as opposed to her father speaking. Hair is gray and the fires are burning, so many dreams on the shelf. You say, I wanted you to be proud. I always wanted that myself. When you're going to make up your mind, when you're going to love you as much as I do, When you're going to make up your mind, because things are going to change so fast, All the white horses have gone ahead. M I tell you that I'll always want you near. You say that things change, my dear, never change all the white horses. And then torri Amos doesn't say a word exactly, but simply lets out a melancholy hmmm that without her having to say it makes one realize that all those white horses, well, they're now gone. Times up. The legacy is set as Roddy Piper, and his book said Terry Funk told him once, I was building the legend. Now it's time to go. Let history be the judge for wrestlers and wrestling fans. Perhaps all the white horses have gone ahead, and you better believe their Texas Broncos m h After the Funks sold a Double Cross, we don't really get much of into much of a glimpse into how it all went for the Funk family, Vicky and Terry in particular. There was no apparent you know, like real estate listings or Zilla listings or anything like that about the Double Cross Ranch changing hands, no publicity in the local papers even about new buyers for this to wrestling fans at least legendary property in Amarilla. Even in Japan, they know Amarillo and the Double Cross Ranch. The Funks moved into a smaller home and canyon, a section of it called Lake Tanglewood, right up against a lake. It's a waterfront property with a dock and a swim platform and just a wonderful little, you know, downsized unit for for Terry and VICKI, large living area, fireplace, Florida ceiling windows. And we know all this because there was a listing. There was a listing for the home after the passing of a Vicky and Terry, And so we can get a glimpse. And I'd like to share with you, Boss some of the some of the the pictures that we have of kind of where Terry Funk lived out his days. And it's a rare glimpse for us looking at a wrestler's life story because we don't always, you know, have the opportunity to to see a wrestler in his and his private habitat you know, it's for sure, it's always the it's always the public facing stuff that we see. But I just want to picture the Funker in here appears to be his office. You see here as I share my screen, a picture of him at dorri yep posed appropriately some plaques kind of sparse though it's not you know, see app here Funk m h. I'm I definitely pictured wall to wall carpeting. Yeah, well here you go. You want to up a right corner. Oh wow, your your windows in the wow yeah yeah, Paradise Alley sign. Look at that. So this is the house being prepared for listening. So it's I'm sure there was a lot more of a Funk memorabilia, but I didn't expect to see any. When I saw that the house was listed, I was like, Oh, there's not going to be anything in here, you know, there's not going to be any mementoes of who he was. But sure enough, all the wall hanging stayed up. And it's just fascinating to see that this was, you know, post Double Cross. Look at this room, Wow and amazing. I don't know if this is his office or what, but look at that Erican flag is a backdrop. There he is with Dory saying goodbye in nineteen eighty three the Forever promo in All Japan cradling. I think it's Terry Gordy for the one two three Champion Carnival, but you got that right, yeah, plaque him and all manner and parts of his career. That must be him on the fo that's him on the football field West Texas State as a young man. Here's a poster from the House of Hardcore show that he did, the Hardcore Homecoming Show in two thousand and five, the one that ran against the WWF pay per view Memento's Japanese characters on the sash. Here he's got he's got like statues of Geisha and Shoulin. It looks like UH warriors or or what should we say, you know, Japanese uh a little wrestling post warriors. Do you look at this home home drawn picture? I can only assume that's Vicky. A single cross on the wall, yes, yes, not a double not that we can find yet. Look at these pictures. What an amazing array. Mm hmm. A gallery to the Funker's history. So gratefully didn't take those down. What a picture of him and his father and brother in their early days. Picture of Brett Brett, Yeah, there's him as Swayze Debs Yep. Why does he get a picture? Why does he have a picture of him and say in a picture of him and breath in front of its signed picture from Deebes, Who's of course father died in his ring, right. I mean, let's not forget Iron Mike, all of these mementos, all of these I survived, Joe Kerbel what it says? That's what that's on the back, zooming again by picture of him and Vicky. I survived Joe kerb mind looking up Joe Kerbel for me, I'm seeing what that is. It's got to be something something Texas. Yeah, something quintessentially Texas football coach. Okay West Texas. Yeah, I got I thought that name came up at some point during the research. I'm glad you look that up, thank you. And we got an even closer look because in addition to the listing of the home for sale where Terry and and Vicky lived out their days, there was also they also did like a you know, one of those estate auctions. Mmm. Look at these items that they had still at the house. That is a bust Paradise alley bust. That's Frankie the Thumper there. Oh shit, that amazing. Yes, I don't know what what it's made out of. But isn't there like a monkey that follows them around in Paradise Alley? Yeah, yep, yep, there is. So it's the monkey with his hand on one of their heads. Which one's Frankie the Thumper the one here? I think I think it's going to be the big one. Oh they both could. I mean, I think it's going to be the right one. Yeah. You can tell a ton of reverence and m for his film career. You know, we talked so much on the Lapsed Funk about how he really really would have liked to have made it all the way in Hollywood. Oh yeah, oh yeah, but how we're just left with these mementos to guess. So that's uh that was auctioned off as well. That's the the hardcore homecoming poster that we just saw hung up, as well as the uh the wall sign. Here we see a poster of the nineteen twenties and WA Champion nineteen thirties Everett Marshall. Know what that was? It must have been some keepsake dating back in the family. A portrait of Everett Marshall and Meil Mascaris wrestling mask as well, amongst the I never told anybody but Everett Marshall and Mil miss cars from my real parents. To hell of a way to find out in an auction listing all these books here look at the classics Tennessee Oh, Henry Wrath hit Man, and the Brett Hart book and a tape of looks like Puerto Rican Wrestling compilation and yeah, Brett's book, the Vance Nevada book about I think It's Canadian wrestling. What else he had in the class for auction the leather chaps and the the duster vest whatever that thing is that leather, it's what he wore in a w w F. Right, I think, right, I need another payday? Oh yeah, well this is the family. This is oh yeah, this is just the estate trying to you know, liqud a. Look at that jacket. Wow, him and door on horseback double cross ranch Funkers forever. Hey, uh, you know Terry Funk, I don't remember riding horses, Dunk. Do you know how to conduct an auction? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I've I've conductioned, I've what are well let me ask you what what are our options? All right? I guess you haven't done it before? What I have? I have? I uh going once twice? You've never seen this before? Dunk? What what's going? Where's Terry? What's where's Terry? Did Terry Funk make it? Look of those boots? Wow, Terry Funk wrestling boots. I remember seeing those on him in WWF, I think. And then these newer fangled ones. It's a pair of Adidas just like elongated. That's very funny. Yeah, you know there's a straight pair of Adida sneakers, but they have like and they have Adidas like logos on. It's almost like Adidas made wrestling per wrestling boots, which or at least they did some custom work for Terry Funk. Yeah, yeah, it must must be custom ones. And look at this, wow tapes give me the tape. I always wonder like because everything we just saw, there's you know, pictures everywhere, right and the brand the branding iron. Look at that you see the branding iron? Are there? Branding iron? They are in the house, just left as a memento more wrestling fans. More importantly, the paper shredder that we've all wont the Terry Funk paper shredder. Yeah, I would have had a nut. I want to suggest to you this this leading gourmet paper shredder. I'll tell you you know, sometimes I just sit around and uh and just put paper in the shredder and watch what happens. Yeah, remnants of Funk, right, buss you see his his bible there presumably, And is that like, what what is that hanging there? Are those seashells? Looks like seashells? Yeah? Wasn't it your for seashells or garlic or something? I threw this in here because it was, like, you know, we see obviously the nicely framed photos and mementos that were well preserved of Terry's time in wrestling. But after all this time doing this, I still don't have a real good sense of what in his wrestling career Terry was most proud of, you know, like, what are the things that he thinks are most representative of what he did in the business. And so I was so glad to see this because it's it's tapes. You know, he kept something. But what does he keep? I mean I created a zomed in version of it here. What did he keep? Right? He kept Paradise Alley on DVD. Yes, he kept of course Roadhouse looks like on VHS. Two copies of Roadhouse on VHS. Quantum Leap there. This is this is a oh my god, this is what this is it? This is he preferred this wild size. This keeps saying wild Side Paris Alli on VHS there with a polaroid thing there. Yeah, take take him off television, I guess, yeah, or at least copy the VHS or something. It's wild There are Yeah, there are some custom vhs is there, but you can't really tell what's what's on them because they're just you know, just labeled. There was one I assumed inn on one of the pictures and it said like great Terry interview and it was clearly a wrestling takem and said Dick Marknock on it, and I was like, okay, so there is there is There is an interview you know that he that he thought at least was worth keeping because he doesn't have I mean, if this auction was any indication he didn't. He didn't save an awful lot on that front. But just so, I don't know, just so evocative to me just to see like the habitat you know, like, yeah it does. It doesn't feel well, it doesn't feel like creepy, you know, because it's like it's already in the past, right right agreed, Just to see the things he held on to and how he what he chose to surround himself with from his life and times in wrestling, but man to know like what he decided to save on those tapes, you know, of all the stuff we've watched, what do you think, what do you think he would like isolate from all these matches and promos. I mean, I gotta think I feel like I feel like when when push comes to shove, the stuff that he would be most proud of would be the ECW stuff. Yeah, yeah, it's probably a good guess. That to me is a I mean, I would disagree with that, but to me, that's what I think he would do. That's your feeling having gone through this. Yeah, yeah, well, boss, guess what what? I won? The auction? Get the fuck out of here, and I pulled out the tape. I put it in v c R. Oh my god, and this is what I heard? H Did he make a tape of a tape footage from Florida? Mike Pretendo, Kevin Sullivan, Rory Funk Junior in Action, Terry Funk at ringside. What matters isn't the match. What matters is the promo. I'm sure, being the wrestling fans that you are, you are well aware of the NWA, the largest wrestling conglomerate in wrestling today with over two hundred and twenty syndicated stations. And I'm sure you're also familiar with the AWA and a WWF. These are all multiime, million dollar organizations. But yet there is a new one on the Sunrise on the Sunrise in Florida, And do you know what that organization is? That is the f f and f Funk Funk and Florida. Believe me, the Funk Brothers have come to Florida. And now we don't have millions of dollars, We don't have money to draw around, We don't have two hundred and twenty syndicated stations. From what are we? We are individuals and we are the best athletes and professional wrestling today. Now, aren't you the Casements? Aren't you Cubans? Aren't you crackers? So fortunate to have the Funk brothers around. Dory and Terry Funk. Now what this happened to black Jack Bulligan? When he's become when he wants he was before. He is a chicken plucking chicken back in Sweetwater, Texas because he realized that if he's stayed around the state of Porta, then he wouldn't be able to compete to be on the main events because he is a lesser caliber wrestler than what the fund So he is not a has been. I hate to inform you people Leaf that the old prune face wrangled up black Zack Mulligan. It's what I have always said. He was his an never was. Now we have got my rotundle, Oh my darn't you so pretty? Aren't you so handsome? Look in yourself in the mirror, and there is a last time that you will ever get to see yourself looking like that because the money up the dollars, there's silver dollars money on the line that you will be putting out of wrestling. Now, let's get down to Kevin Sullivan. Is this all that you have left as Kenvin Sullivan? And he's crying that he has not black Jack Boygan anymore. Well, he's begging for the American dream, don't you real? Dusty Roads will not have it? And help you Sullivan, do you know what? Because he is nothing more than over bearing up notious, futred eggs sucking dog that wouldn't come in here and take a chis because he's yellow like his hair. He won't take a chance being your partner, Sullivan. No, he wouldn't take a chance with a fox with a Sherman tank. He wouldn't take a chance with a fox with a battleship. He would not take a chance with a fox in the ring with Holly North. And neither would Holly nor take a chance of getting in the ring with mine. Brother. Strikes me that's all the greatest hits right there. Boss. That's that is amazing. I can't tell you how much my heart jumped into my throat when that box came to the house. Ah, and I peeled it open and cracked open books that I only can presume were book Club of the Month for Vicky. It says Vicky Funk nineteen sixty whatever on the inside of some of the jackets. It's got little handwritten notes for bookmarks. It's got, you know, the Jack brisco book, the Brett Hart book underlined, and it's got this tape and what it said in the spine is let me see if I can find it, says Junior Slater, And it says great Terry interview. M So, whatever the case might be, that's the one that Harry wanted to hang on to. And I think it's fitting. It's got the dusty stuff in there. Ex second dog, it's Florida and this is Florida Championship that Dusty tried to get started after the WWF in the late eighties. This isn't prime Florida, right, This is the last attempt to keep alive the circuit that Terry Funk epitomized and created immortal memories in one last try to get that eighties territorial band of misfits back together down there in Florida and see if it could work again. And Terry Funk, sure as well, sure as hell, I should say, when that red light was on, was going to do his damnest to try to make it the case. And he's screaming about many folks. He's screaming about black Jack Mulligan, his fellow Texan who he sold the Emerylla territory to. He's screaming about Kevin Sullivan, whose paths he crossed in so many ways across the country over the years. He's screaming in the state where he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He's screaming the state where he had classics and as well as his brother with Jack Briscoe and Dusty Rhodes. And he's screaming about Mike Rotundo, whose son Bray Wyatt, died the very same week that Terry Funk did. The tape also had footage of Funk dropping the NWA World Championship to Harley in Toronto. It had dory matches with Rotundo and Dick Slater, Dick Slater always thought to be basically a carbon copy of Terry Funk that went ahead and tried to like Buddy Landel the Rick Flair you know, yeah, right, See if there wasn't a way to be his doppelganger and make a living in pro wrestling, and Terry Funk was good enough that there was a way in fact to do that. A lot of his Flare WCW stuff was on the tape, all those promos on the Flare episode that we talked about he appeared to be proud of. But more prominent was as you just saw, Paradise Alley taped off of television. He was on like TVs. He taped it, Quantum Leap, the episode of Quantum Leap, he was on Tequila and Bennetti, the episodes of that show that he was on, all that shit that's unbelievable. Swamp Thing, he was on an episode of Swamp Thing. He taped that. Yep, he wasn't an episode of Swamp Thing. Yes, And there's just more along those lines than there were pro wrestling. Now, maybe there were a bunch of wrestling tapes that got unloaded and were never listed in the auction I don't know, but I couldn't help. But notice, you know, of his movie and wrestling career, which was the more represented and what was I mean also to the wild Side or whatever? Yeah, the TV the Western TV series he was on. Yep, that that. Hey, you know, maybe maybe maybe down the line, maybe you got all those you got those tapes, yes, and I and I might look forward to turning them over to you for preservation because that might be uh, that might be a cinemat special. Well. We pushed into this category to creative to make sure we did Terry Funk's legacy proud. When I saw that there was a chance to actually own a piece of as Terry Funk, what he left behind at the same time we were doing this journey, I had to act. But look forward to turning it over to you and then hopefully the Solar system for preservation, because a lot of this stuff I don't think you can find. I don't think his appearances on particularly the TV mini series are very easy to find. No, I don't think. So maybe we'll put them up and they'll be taken down. I don't know, but it's if Terry wanted to preserve them on hard tape here on physical media. As beautiful as it is, I think the least we can do for the Funker is make those digitally available as well, as long as the copyright gods allowed, I guess. Yeah, but that's for another day. But I also got the branding iron. Now, this is the branding iron that I think at MLW and much much later in his career. When I look at all the pictures of the branding iron, Wait, did you get the paper shredder? Yeah? Yeah, I did. Oh my god, that's fucking ridiculous. It's I don't think it works. I got a fucking uh. I got two like lamp things like for the for the deck, like lanterns with the you had to take the log What a weird what a weird fucking like a lot thing? Yeah, exactly. I don't think they knew what was in that one, because it's like there's a fucking branding iron there, like you don't do you now know what that means to wrestling fans? I know, right, And again I've looked at pictures of the ones he used in w w F and it's it's almost definitely not it's almost definitely not the one he used in WWF because you can tell by by the grooves on the X that there's like, I don't know how to put it, there's more grooves that are visible to the I on the w w F one. I don't think this is the one he used n c W either. I mean, it would be incredible if it was. But I'm pretty sure in a short period of time when he did a couple of branding iron deals in MLW, you know, and it would make that would be hanging around because that's much more recent. It's that one. But can confirm that this is a branding iron used by Terry Funk from the Home of Terry Funk, and we're here to announce that those who buy tickets by the end of February to the Lapsed Fans Live show in the city that Terry Funk made such a widespread impact and lasting impact in the city of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, a co chairman take the stage noontime April seventh. It's part of WrestleMania Weekend Punchline. Philly is the venue. As you heard earlier in this episode. Those who buy tickets and submit proof of purchase to us at the Lapsed Fan at Gmail dot com by the end of February, will be entered into a raffle to win Terry Funk's branding iron because it's the last funk fucking No, we don't fuck around. We never have, Nope, and ten years run in TLFX. We're not about to start fucking around. We might start funking around. Yes, we're not fucking around, So consider that the sweetener on the deal, even if you don't know who the fuck we are or give a shit about us, if you want Terry Folks branding Higron, Yeah, right, exactly. So the way it's gonna work is mentioned. If you buy Premium preferred seating, that higher price tier seating, you'll get two tickets into the raffle. If you buy by the end of February and get the proof of purchase off to us. If you buy a single general mission ticket, you will get a single ticket into the raffle. We will draw the winner on stage April second, pardon me, April seventh in Philadelphia, and you need to be there to collect your prize. We ain't pulling a winner and then shipping it, and shit, we're going to keep pulling until someone in the building can can vouch and we know your faces and we'll look for your proof of purchase, so it'll end up in the in the right hands. I think you can all trust that. But I feel on Philadelphia it makes a ton of sense. I mean, this is where it does. That's it. That's that's where you know he built the built DCW. That's that's where it all happened. And it over this office here. Terry Funk did give a tour of it to an interviewer I believe this name is Jared Cheek in twenty eighteen, before of course the passing of a Vicky and selling the property, and the interviews available on YouTube, and it's a nice guide to all we just saw. It's Terry taking us into what this all means to him, what this sort of you know, shrine to what he's done in the business means, and where he stood in life in twenty eighteen. Let's listen in all right, come in here sometimes and sitting down in the chair and just where shit, I could do it all over again, but we can't and we never will be able to. And to have done it was very important to me and continued to be as good of a person as I can be. And that's very important to me at this point in my life, because I definitely want to go to Heaven, that's for sure. In some ways, the worst was still a heditary Funk, his wife passed away March twenty ninth, twenty nineteen. Vicky Funk left the earth at the age of seventy five, Meltzer wrote, And all the conversations I had with the Funk over more than forty years, the one I remember the clearest was two days after the death of his wife, Vicky. He doesn't say why he remembers it, but I think we can assume. Vicky and Funk, seventy five of Van Morello, passed away on Friday, March twenty ninth, twenty nineteen. Services will be at two pm Tuesday, April second, twenty nineteen at the First United Methodist Church at Canyon, with Reverend Rick Annis, pastor of First United Methodist Church in ted d Base, officiating. Doctor Roger Hubbard will be officiating the private grade now Brave Side service Family received friends. Vicky was born on February twenty fourth, nineteen forty four, in Brady, Texas, to Daniel and Annie Scott Weaver. She graduated from Canyon High School, where she played basketball and was a cheerleader. She was also a cheerleader at West Texas State University, where she received her bachelor's degree in education in nineteen sixty five. Vicky married Terry Funk on August fourteenth, nineteen sixty four, at the First Baptist Church in Canyon. Vicky was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Canyon, and after moving to Lake Tanglewood, became a member of Lake Tanglewood Community Church. She dearly loved horses, rodeoing, and the outdoors and was the very best of ranch hands. According to Terry, Vicky was the Ramrod of the Funk family excuse me, Ramrod of the Funk family, and will be lovingly remembered as a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Vicky was preceded to death by her parents, her brother William Weaver, sister in law sh Sharon Weaver, nephew Scott Weaver. Survivors include her husband of fifty four years, Terry Funk, two daughters, Stacy Clanny and Brandy Dungan, three children, Daniel and Champion. Clanny and Bella Dungan. Had numerous extended family and friends, as I mentioned boss in winning that auction, I also got in the lot several books that were inscribed with Vicky Funk's name, volumes of classic literature, poetry, historical fiction about the American West, books written by friends with notes written on the inside page with thanks to the family, thanks to the Funks. Tucked into one of them was a quote on Radison Hotel letterhead. There is like a notepad, you know, that you would get at the hotel. And if I can find did here? Yep, I put the son of a Bitch you're uh and my god, I can only assume is Vicky Funk's handwriting. She made a note that seems to be a quote from the book that this was tucked into. Yeah, Terry and VICKI this book is one of my favorites. It always reminds me of stories of your own past. That's why I thought you would love to have a copy that you can read while barbecuing wild boar of Tom who Tom was Wow? And this is what Vicky wrote down. I think from the book why it takes so many years to forgive one's parents their failures and sympathize with their disappointments. I cannot explain, nor do I know why that sympathy comes so much harder than the tolerance one summons easily for friends or strangers. Terry Funk had been intoclining health. His family kept secret about his condition for the most part what his ailment was. Dave Meltzer noted, but some of those closest to him were aware that he went into hospice care a few months ago. This is written at the time of Terry's passing, and the Observer he had been an assisted living prior to that. It was known at the time that he didn't have much time left to live. I'm pretty confident to say that the Funker had Parkinson's. It's clear for some late video that emerged that he had big time shakes and and you know, car carried a lot of those symptoms. And he had been battling dementia as well for some time, and it had gotten worse in recent months. Here's a snippet from an article where Don Morocco had said in June of twenty twenty one that Funk had moved into an assisted living facility after being diagnosed with dementia, and a Rick Lair said that Terry fun can moved back home from that assisted living facility and was doing well as of December of the year before he passed away. Now it's sad to think of Parkinson's as something that flows downstream from head trauma. You know, it's always a very controversial thing to say that Muhammad Ali, for example, had Parkinson's because he got punched in the head for fucking decades. You know, where's Michael J. Fox? Why does he have it right? If it's if it's not traumatic, if it's not a traumatic intrigue caused in its entirety. But I don't know if we've done enough reckoning with the role that the style that Terry Funk found himself throwing both arms into in the end of his life accelerated a decline. You look at Dori, right, who I'm sure is his reputation was. He was always a little spacey anyway, you know, so maybe there's not much of a difference talking to him now versus twenty years ago. But I haven't heard anything about him and you know, severe cognitive decline or anything like that. And he's older than Terry and still living. So we do have to accept that when Terry takes these big fucking slaps when Terry takes these big chair shots in the head in Philadelphia, when he yeah, you know, covers his ears for conclussive explosions in FMW to please the people, to give him a spectacle, to give him a show that we might be watching. Contributions to that condition, Yeah, you have a shout out earlier to our friend Zach, who is kind enough to commission a cameo from Tito Santana reflecting on the role that Terry Funk played in his life. He also reached out, did Zach on our behalf, to mikey Ripreck, who of course shared an ECW locker room with Terry Funk and knew him as well. And the ask was simple, you know a Terry Funk story maybe that you could tell that you haven't told before, that people haven't heard. And I just was pretty surprised to hear ripret go in a direction that you know, he doesn't. It's not like he gets drawl about it or down in the dumps about it or anything like that. He's peppy about it. But it fits right here in this part of the story where we wonder, hmm, what was happening in the Funker's brain towards the end of his life. But yeah, buddy, Zach asked me to reach out if I had Terry Funk's stories that you haven't heard. I have a Terry Funk story. My phone rings at home, like three in the morning before cell phones, and I don't answer the phone. Say they'll call back. Well, yeah, we called back. Five minutes later. Still don't answer it. Third time, calls back again. I look at it. Call ide unavailable, So I pick it up. I go, Hello, eh, whippy, goddamn it, how are you doing sunny? How are you? How things going? And I'm like, Terry, Hello, how are you? I'm doing good. I'm doing good, I said, Terry, you realize it's three in the morning. He goes, well, god damn it, we be I knew you'd be home. I gotta go and he hung up. That was it. Never called back I saw on that weekend like nothing happened, Like the call never happened. But that was Verry Fund in a nutshell, untpredictable and fucking awesome and perhaps struggling. Mm. I also got a copy of that Bible. Boss. You notice that cross on the wall. Yes, I was happy to hear that, and unlike the notepad from the ratison that I just read, I didn't have to wonder if it was Vicky or Terry who took possession of this Bible and perhaps took comfort in it and highlighted it, because on the inside page it read, this Holy Bible is presented to Terry Funk July seventh, twenty twenty one, two years after BICKYI had passed away, and I have to think it was given to him to provide some degree of comfort. He said there in that clip you heard it, I want to go to heaven. This is sitting in his office after it was all said and done, twenty eighteen, and he said it, you know, with a smile on his face, but not with a hearty laugh, not like it was sarcasm. I think I think Terry did indeed Texas style, Yeah, turn to the Lord. And he highlighted several verses or someone highlighted several verses in this Bible that was presented to him. And I think I know why several of these verses were highlighted when you look through them. And although Terry, you know, joked about how the double Cross was, it was named after his father, who wrestled as the Outlaw up in Canada Vancouver. During that period of time when Dorry Funk Senior traveled to Canada to work and as the Outlaw, Dorry was billed as being from the Double Cross Ranch, Terry recalling it was a great name because it had that double meeting, both as a brand to exercide by side and in the sense that the outlaw would double cross you. It's a name that stuck with me. I have lived on the parcel of land known today as the Double Cross Ranch. These days, when I go to church, Funk wrote, I tell people it represents two crosses. And I can see why these passages would speak to him. From Philippians Philippians, beware of dogs, I wrote in Princess egg Sucking, Beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation, for we are the circumcision, wasn't it Terry Funk who said, if I had a face like that, I'd have it circumcised. Yeah, who worship God and the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Not that I have already attained or am already perfected. But I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I pressed toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God and Christ Jesus, and finally from revelations. As I read this, my mind does wander to those many references that Terry Funk made to the memory of his late father, who drove him to do everything, from whose memory drove him to do everything from pommel Rick Flair to win the EACW title. Standing in fact this Terry Funk get over his father's grave, not far from Boy's Ranch, which was inscribed the gravestone was, do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there. I did not die. My mind wanders to that headstone as I read one more highlighted verse in Terry Funk's Bible. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne as I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. Benny Fernandez, who shared the ring with Terry Funk and that seminar we've excerpted extensively on this episode, did pay Terry Funk a visit in twenty twenty one. He wanted to present him with a Hall of Fame plaque presented to the Funker on behalf of all the wrestlers that he trained over the years and in recognition of his excellence. It's not an easy look, but it is a glimpse where the Funker stood in twenty twenty one. So, Boss, if you can fire that up and give me a second, mm hmm, there we go. Are you ready? Yeah? Three? Two one? Play to present someone that means so much to me from the International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame is beautiful, bringing from Seth Turner to the greatest that ever lived in my book, the best that ever walked down the island in the square circle, who made me the man I am today. I appreciate everything he's done and his ring is beautiful and presented to you, Terry full Man, mollank you many, thank you so much, you know many, and I go back to long Way, all the way back to West Texas, played a little football together and if we had. I'll tell you, this is such an honor to me to get this ring presented by him to me and from the organization that it's coming from. This really means something. This is a very special thing. It's something that I to exert it. Well, it's something in my heart just it's just takes my heart away, it does just well, you've done so much, so many there's so many people you put on the mat and made their career, especially mine that Joh've never forgotten. You know what you did for me in Florida, and I'll never ever forget that. Well many there is. You know, a lot of boys came out of West text Yes, or a whole bunch of them did, and a whole bunch of good ones, a bunch of guys that uh they they took care of their profession and they loved it. And I think that we should have the College of West Sensus presented some kind of award same time in the future. I agree because for all the boys they put yes there and put it into the world of wrestling. Yes, they're an all accompass and came top workers and all come with the West Texas state background, as did they did a lot of nutty guys, not the nutty guys, a lot of nutty boys. Tell An, I did sure tell a few on you. I know you all right, Wow, I saw the handshakes there, and yeah, it's very clear, and he just, you know, he stopped dyeing his hair. So it's I it's it's it's kind of amazing, how you know, he seems so much more deteriorated. You know, when was that that last match we saw four years probably? Yeah, I've been to twenty seventeen and this was twenty twenty one. What you just saw, Yeah, Like, it's it's wild how quickly he deteriorated from that. And he would always joke about how, you know, I had my issues with Hogan over the years, but we got over it and you know, would learn to learn to be buddies again. And I'm sure to some degree that's true. But I just couldn't help. But look at this last birthday party photo from the Funk. Or take a look at this boss and look at the cake. Oh look how awful he looks. Sorry, but he does He's gaunt. He looks like he's so much like Dory now he does. He does someone who never looked like his brother. I even wondered if they were related. I know, he's like fucking stomping on. He's got the Hogan eighty five figure on with the and with the belt. To look at that, he's got the fucking belt, He's got the title, and he's got the branding iron stuck up Hogan's ass. And what a great birthday cake for the funker. There. That's about the last picture, the last picture of him, I think there is. Now he looked at his last match. I suppose we can look at what's considered his last promo for an indie promotion called a Battleground. Bubbara A. Dudley was working the show, and if you want to go ahead and click that, well we'll get a sense. Let me know when you're ready. I'm good, ad here. So this is okay. I don't know. I don't know the backstory as far as like what what promotion this is or what Bubba's doing there. But Bubara Dudley, who of course shared the ECW locker room with Terry Battleground Championship Wrestling it says in the bottoms in the ring with a barberre bat in his hand, and he's cutting a promo on his opponents that he's about to wrestle. And ECW is clearly part of the theme going on in this promo because of what they turned to the Funker to say. And the Funker is not in attendance. This is something clearly recorded in his home and played on the big screen in this in this indie promotion. But I think quote unquote big screen. Yeah, but it really is a stark view of Funk in his in his last days and the closest thing approximating a promo that we would get escaping the lips of the Funker one last time. So let's hit play in three two one play Hmmm, what doesn't exist? He's gone, And I want to thank you for returning again and again to the arena. And I mean, from the bottom of my heart, he's he is the iconic time war very far. You may not a tough watch. Yeah, what did you see there? I mean, he's just I mean, all I can say is he's deteriorated. These beautiful what's the king? Mm hm, he's hurting. He looks it's just amazing. You know, throughout all of his even that last match, he doesn't look as old as he does did in that in that video. Yeah, not even know. It's it's how quickly he his body and everything deteriorated is shocking, really in the space of like four years, five years. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, I'm sure that's the extent of what he could get out for the promo, just thanking the fans for again, like you called it, right, be an ECW thing. Yeah, that he would cling to and and there he is kind of one way or the other, getting out the sentiment that he appreciates those fans for coming back time and again. And this is just something to listen into. It's it's Terry Runnel's paid a visit Terry Funk. I don't know if it's in Texas. I think it's in Texas. Yeah, I'm almost positive it's in Texas. And and it's you know, it's on it's on social media and YouTube and stuff as kind of like the last thing of Terry Funk. But it's not it's it's it's clear that his deterioration from just that clip alone, I think post dates this, but I thought it was. I thought it was kind of touching. You have Terry Runnel's paying a visit to the Funk or one, you know, from what she sure told herself was one last time. And they're just out there on the open plains and nature, and and you can tell Terry doesn't have all his faculties necessarily in terms of you know, but she's taking kind of like a selfie video with with Terry cheeked cheek with him, and and just I don't know, it's just it's just touching to me. The way you can hear Funk kind of express himself in a way that's not not a promo, just just trying to be human while he was still here on earth, called pay this is beautiful. What's the canyon called? It's beautiful? Do we see the moon up there? Yeah, we can see the moon behind us. It's up there, it's behind it. Yeah. Anyway, this is gorgeous. Thank you Terry, all right, this is that's funk h. Terry Defunk, seventy nine of am Maillo, passed away on August twenty third, twenty twenty three. Memorial services held Friday, September one, twenty twenty three, at the Hillside Christian Church, a Mailla West campus. Terry Defunk was born June thirtieth, nineteen forty four. According to his obituary and Hammond, Indiana Dorifunk Senior and Dorothy Matt Locke Funk. He graduated from Canyon High School and attended West Texas State University, where he played football. Terry fell in love with Vicky Weaver when they were in the fifth grade. Vicki disputed this. The two became best friends in high school and were later married at the First Baptist Church August fourteenth, nineteen sixty four. While they were in college, Terry and Vicki were able to travel the world with each other, which they loved doing. They spent fifty four wonderful years together before she preceded him in death on March twenty ninth, twenty nineteen. Terry was a professional wrestler for over fifty years. He was predominantly known in the US and throughout the world. During his professional career, Terry was inducted into multiple Halls of Fame and received numerous accolades. Terry also had a career in film, where he was an actor in multiple movies. When Terry wasn't wrestling or acting, He enjoyed going, scuba diving and fishing. He was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, and mentor to many who loved his family dearly. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Dory Funk Senior and Dorothy Mattlocke, and his beloved dog Tudor Brown. Survivors include his daughters Stacy, Lenny and Brandy Duncan, grandchildren, brother Dori Funk Junior, numerous nieces, nephew's cousins, a plethora of extended family, and his professional family, including wrestlers and fans throughout the world and back home in Amarilla, where his dad pitched his tent on the ask of cal Farley all those decades ago. Anyway, did you say where his dad pitched his tent on the ass of cal Farley on the ask? Oh, but I appreciate the catch there, I may have said, ass by mistake, I doubt it, on the ask the request, if you will, of cal Farley, and took the funks from a nomadic existence to panhandle legends. Terry was in fact saluted. This is the market that Terry, you know, knew so well that he thought he could still do a territory, and until his dying day, it seemed like a market that he knew the newspapers, he knew the radio station, knew the television station, he knew the city, He was the city, and he he always felt like Amilla was a place that he had, you know, a unique beat on and that he could could access in a way that he was that he was proud of. And on KDFA Channel ten, Amarillo, there was here some discussion by a local sports anchor in personality by the name of Ali Allison, who pointed out that in fact, they used to have studio wrestling and Amarillo right in the studio that they were broadcasting this show and all these years later, but upon the passing of Terry Funk, because I think he would have liked Amarillo Pace tribute, we have to start with Terry Funk. It has just been on my mind all last week, all this week, and I wanted to show you just a big man with a big heart, and you know, we talked about this. He passed away on Monday last Monday. Services are today at the church on Sancy. He'll side and seventy nine years old. That is a look at this great picture. I just these are some pictures that probably folks have never seen before. That's my favorite. I have a T shirt of that one. Yeah, I love that one. I love my Terry Funk T shirt. But look at that one. Just so that smile and there was his last birthday celebrated this summer. But that's a young Terry Funk. Look at that. Look at that smile. I love it so much. So, you know what, we were talking about it earlier on the Early Show, and he just to me, he seems like one of those guys that he'll mess you up in the ring, but like just talking to him in person just seems like a super lead back, super cool type of guy. We'll hug your neck, he'll mess you up in the ring, and then afterwards hug you. Yeah, you know, I just really I just love it so much. I wanted to tell you this a bit big part of Boys Ranch. His father, Dory Sr. Helped cal Farley a lot and helped the ranch with discipline and helping some boys with tough love. But he was an international star and he just was larger than life. His beautiful daughters Stacy and Brandy, good morning to you. Their mother Vicky. She passed away in March of twenty nineteen, and she was just a beautiful, little cute, really good looking mom really and a cowgirl and just the whole family. So I know Stacy and Brandy and their children and Dory Funt Junior. He is in Florida and is still mentoring guys and girls with wrestling and lives in Florida. So I just had to stop for a second and just say, thinking of you, just another reason why the Panhandle is just a great place Terry made it. We're just so sad, but I'm going to tell you News Channel ten we reached out to Terry about twenty nineteen and he said I would love to talk to y'all. He had a shoulder surgery and shortly after that, Vicky passed away, and we talked again this past March, maybe February, and he said, listen, I really am tired. And he said, my voice is not as strong as it was. And he said, you know, I don't know exactly what an interview would look like, but he said I would love to take you to lunch. There you go basically, yeah, I mean, that's that's the kind of guy, so very nice. So many fans, so many friends. Legacy for sure, totally and in this studio News Channel ten, we still have the indentions of whenever we had wrestling here, happened right in this room in the early days, so our our thoughts and memories with so many fans. Of course, he's like our guy. There you go. Yeah. Among those who attended the services, cool, yeah, yeah, that's really cool. I'm sorry to step on you there. Yeah, lovely to see that. Among those who attended the services of Terry Funk from the wrestling community were Dori Funk Junior, Tommy Dreamer, ted Di Biassi Senior, Cmpunk, Chris Hero, Tully Blanchard, Mandy Fernandez, Dan Spivey, Joe Malenko, Don Frye, Stan Hansen, Mark Youngblood, and Beyond the Matt producer Barry Blaustein. According to The Observer, take a look at the photo here, boss, Yeah, Terry Funk. It's buried next to Vicki and Dreamland Cemetery and Randall Ken. I didn't know she was older than him. Yeah, born forty four by four months four months. Yeah, good call. Many early pioneers I understand of Randall County, Texas who are mostly farmers and ranchers, are buried here in the Dreamland Cemetery, along with Terry and Vicky Funk. And right under the name Boss. What is that right there? What do you see inscribed on the headstone? Right under the last name together Forever? Right there in the middle is a double cross? You see that? Yeah, I do the branding of the double Cross. Terry Funk didn't leave behind any children who will be in the wrestling business. It doesn't seem like Dorry Wisely, Amen, A fucking men. Okay, coming off the lamentamal tragedy, Are you kidding me? Amen? Doesn't seem like Dory did or will either. You know, we've spent so much time on the lapsed fan over the children. Yeah, he does. He has sons. In fact, one of them is a doctor. Yeah. You know. I I didn't even know I had children, but somebody told me I did, and I said, Okay, well, I guess i'd better leave him something. We just broke the news. Ah. But you know, I'm just glad that I I'm just glad that I'm here and I'm awake. You know what, I am too, Dunk. Boss. We've spent so much time on the laps fan over the years, grappling with the darkness of this business. Yath Terry Funk, though he was a source of light. Sure, and it was in the final analysis wonderful. There just weren't many warts on this story. And for a pro wrestler of his vintage, that's as remarkable of an accomplishment I can think of as any we've talked about. And whenever there were whiffs of scandal or vice or duplicity and Terry Funk, I just picture his smile, picture him winking at you, sparkling eyes. Sure, Terry's a worker, as Dusty Rhodes told us, And thank God for that, because when you picture that wink, you realize that sometimes not being able to tell work from shoot and being okay with that can be your salvation in a cruel world. Terry Funk used pro wrestling. Pro wrestling didn't use him. That's worth celebrating. With the loss of Terry Funk, perhaps we can no longer access that magical world that Tory Amos writes about in the song Winter. Hell Amos says, when you become an adult, you feel like you have to circumcise the magical world and we know what Terry Funk said about that, and we know about Dorris Pecker two. It's all very well. I don't know biblical. Terry didn't die on the cross, but he died at the altar of the double Cross. And isn't that about as close to holy as a pro wrestler can get. It's all archives. Now. They won't have a new Angle, or another moon Salt, or another exploding ring or another too close to the bone promo to spark their discovery of this crazy man named Terry Funk anymore and what he means to wrestling and wrestlers. They'll have to discover him on their own. I'm confident they will. And if they don't get Terry Funk, they don't get much. And when the time comes that those future fans and wrestlers discover this guy, Terry Funk, this guy who never seemed to die and seem to have a piece of influence, abject or subtle on anything in wrestling that stands the test of time, when that day comes, they'll find this journey we've been on these past several months, and it will have all been worth it. I can't imagine us doing anything like this for anyone else in pro wrestling history. I don't think so. Bosst We started out by saying TLF stands for the lapsed Fan, TLF stands for the lapsed Funk because they're synonymous. TLF stands for the lessons of Funk. TLF stands for the life of Funk. Let's also hope that TLF stands for Terry lives forever, always in pursuit of what's next, never being defined by the past and the death that that portends, always well going ahead. Terry Funk wasn't one to try to rank order his accomplishments or moments. He took greatest pride, it seems, in being able to see what was around the corner, not what was in the rearview mirror, and that's what makes him an inspiration, even if he didn't see himself that way. He was talking to RF video about getting out of the dumpster at WrestleMania fourteen, despite taking a lot of damage and working through the next night and taking part in a landmark angle, and the interviewer said it was inspiring, and Terry's response to that said it all. I don't know if he's hitch profraasonal, but it's sure as not a a that it was, yes, that he was on both counts. What did we lose when we lost Terry Funk? I'm afraid to say the magic. We probably had more time with it than we had any right to expect. So I guess with that it's it's time to go. Not sure where our next compass and wrestling will come from. That compass we can rely on to see what's coming next and judge with clarity what's good and worthy and timeless. But wherever that compass is, it's not going to be an Amarilla anymore. Goodbye, Terry Funk, Goodbye to the pro wrestling you knew, and goodbye to the pro wrestling we loved you, no good for nothing egg second down. We did it our way because we love it that way. We love it that way, and I have this wonderful gun feeling that I've had it all my life when it's time to go. I think it's now it's time to go.