NittanyFan

April 10th, 2018 at 11:31 PM ^

An amazing story and a never-to-be-even-close-to-duplicated life.  That is for sure.

Wrestlemania 3 (I was there, 2 days after my 9th birthday, what a great birthday present) - still has to be the biggest Wrestlemania moment of all time.  Has to be.

Vince McMahon actually comes off like a human being in this.  That's remarkable in its own sense.

GBGene

April 11th, 2018 at 9:46 AM ^

and how just how bad physically Andre was at that time.  And to allow Hulk Hogan to body slam him showed how unselfish Andre was.  His story comes off as tragic but he did get to lead a pretty awesome life all things considered.  

ST3

April 11th, 2018 at 12:07 AM ^

I am a little behind on my HBO documentaries. I taped this one while watching the recent one on MLK. I was crying at the end. "Free at last, free at last. Thank God, Almighty, we are free at last."

They discussed MLK, Sr., in the documentary. He was wailing inconsolably at his son's funeral. That would absolutely devastate me.

MLK talked about his dad. They were co-pastors at the same Church. MLK said he was the co-pastor and his dad was the pastor. I laughed.

trueblueintexas

April 11th, 2018 at 12:28 AM ^

Wrestling must have been paying pretty well back then already to afford a $200+/night drinking habit. That or he never had to pay for a drink, and by drink I mean case/crate or two.

Jasper

April 11th, 2018 at 6:35 AM ^

Worth seeing, it seems ...

Even in a world where heights are routinely exaggerated, five inches or so (as Andre was probably more like 6'10" or 6'11") is an extreme variance.

In reply to by ijohnb

ckersh74

April 11th, 2018 at 12:36 PM ^

Hulk Hogan was billed to be 6’8”, but reports were that he was more in the 6’4 to 6’6 range. Even so, Andre still cleared 7’ with some room to spare.

GRBluefan

April 11th, 2018 at 8:58 AM ^

i never understand why they don't just get massive dudes to basically squat in the crease.  With all of the padding it seems like the open areas to shoot at would be miniscule, and if that person had any athletic ability or reflexes even better.  I'm sure it has been tried and doesn't work (maybe the net is much bigger than it seems), but damn I'd like to see someone try it in the NHL for one game.

laxmangl29

April 11th, 2018 at 9:10 AM ^

Sports Science did a bit on this where they took a Sumo wrestler, put him in goalie pads and had an NHL player shoot on him. The NHL Player roasted him. It works at lower levels, but at the highest level of the sport, the players are too accurate.



That being said, If someone who could LITERALLY cover all 4'x6' net, you'd be in business. If anyone could come close, Andre would be the guy.