(Friday blog lite)
Some folks say pro wrestling is scripted and fixed; still, it's a shame when a sports icon's real-life goes off-script ... and divorce starts feeling like the only fix.
Hulk Hogan asks Fla court for funds to pay bills
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Hulk Hogan's lawyers have asked a judge to grant the former professional wrestler access to some of his funds that were frozen while his pending divorce is resolved.
Attorneys for Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, filed documents Monday asking that he be given $300,000 from the frozen assets. In December, Linda Bollea was granted $400,000 to pay attorneys' fees.
Hogan claims back surgery he had last month will keep him from working for a time. The motion said he has nearly $411,000 in his bank account and his bills top $312,000.
A hearing is scheduled Thursday on the issue.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Hulk Hogan (Terry Gene Bollea), son of Ruth, a homemaker and dance teacher, and Peter Bollea, a construction foreman, was raised in Tampa, Florida.
While in high school, he revered Dusty Rhodes, and he regularly attended cards at the Tampa Sportatorium. It was at one of those wrestling cards where he first turned his attention towards "Superstar" Billy Graham and looked to him for inspiration.
Hogan spent most of his time at a local gym, where he met pro wrestler Mike Graham, the son of legendary wrestler and National Wrestling Alliance president Eddie Graham. Hogan's physical stature also caught the attention of Jack Brisco and his brother Gerald.
Together, they convinced Hogan to try wrestling. Having been a wrestling fan since childhood, Hogan agreed, and in 1976, Mike Graham introduced Hogan to Hiro Matsuda, who was among the sport's top trainers. - wikipedia
Hulkster Trivia: In an interview on both the Tonight Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Hogan claimed that the George Foreman Grill was originally offered to him, but he failed to respond in time. George Foreman was called and he chose to endorse the grill.
According to Hogan, during their first training session, Matsuda sarcastically asked him, "So you want to be a wrestler?" and purposely broke Hogan's leg.
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The Great Malenko was my all-time favorite wrestler. I still remember the TV interview from the Sportatorium ( 106 N. Albany in Tampa) when Malenko, in his thick Russian accent, informed wrestling commentator Gordon Solie, "You know what? I have to leave half my brains at the door just to come in here and talk to you."
- The Great Malenko, above
(Gordon Solie was The Dean of Wrestling Announcers; some of his "Solieisms" include: "He's not fast, he's sudden", "Five letters, two words, I Quit", "His face is becoming a crimson mask", "They're going at it hammer and tongs" and "Pier 6 brawl".
Solie was occasionally the track announcer at The Golden Gate Speedway in Tampa, too.)
I also liked bad guys Ox Baker and Sputnik Monroe. Go figure.
Ox Baker (above): "Now let's go hurt somebody!"
Sputnik Monroe, above
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