Added on October 8, 1997

• Last night on Cincinnati's "Big One" 700 WLW-AM radio, Bill Cunningham dedicated a substantial portion of his evening talk show to discussing the death of Brian Pillman. Over the phone, he also spoke with former Dayton Daily News sportswriter Alex Marvez and Melanie Pillman.

  Melanie was on the show first, and pretty much went over the same ground she did during RAW. She revealed that 50% of Brian heart was found to be diseased, and that heart problems actually ran in Brian's family (his father had died of a heart attack when Brian was still a baby). Also, she said that she is six weeks pregnant with Brian's sixth child.

  Alex Marvez, who now writes for the Denver Rocky Mountain News, was primarily critical of the role the WWF may have played in Brian's death. He said that they were probably aware of Brian's problem with prescription pain-killers, but turned a blind eye to it. He also said that Brian's need for those drugs was probably enhanced by the fact that the WWF rushed him back into the ring before his ankle was fully healed. His final criticism of the WWF was that he felt it was inappropriate to hype an interview with Melanie Pillman throughout the early portion of Monday's RAW.

  Alex said that Brian Pillman will long be remembered for the "bookerman" incident with Kevin Sullivan, an incident which Alex credits as being the inspiration for the recent trend towards "reality" booking in the Big Two.
  

• Funeral arrangments have been announced for Brian. A private service will take place on Thursday. However, a Friday service will be open to the public.

  The service will be on Friday at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Walton, Kentucky. To get to the church, take Interstate 75 to the Walton exit. If you are coming from the north (Dayton/Cinci) on South 75, turn left off the exit; if you are coming from the south (Louisville) on North 75, turn right off the exit. When you get to Route 25, turn left. The First Baptist Church will be on your left.

  I'm currently unsure if I will be able to attend, but encourage all other fans in the southwest Ohio (or northern Kentucky, or eastern Indiana) regions to make the effort to pay their respects.

  By the way, thanks to Rob Cornelius for passing along the directions.
  

• An AP Wire story (which is currently posted on Bob Ryder's 1Wrestling.com) includes mention of the fact that Melanie was aware of Brian increased reliance on prescription pain-killers. In fact, because he refused to get help with his problem, the story says that Melanie actually started divorce proceedings as a form of "tough love."
  
• WCWWrestling.com has an extremely classy and well-done Brian Pillman Tribute Page posted on their website. Included are touching reminisces from Mark Madden and Colin Bowman.
  
• Criticism that the WWF's inclusion of an interview with Melanie Pillman on Monday night was inappropriate appears to be misguided. SCOOPS says that Melanie was actually the main force behind the decision to do the interview, as she wanted to quash as many inaccurate rumors as soon as she possibly could after Brian death.
  
• Information on any sort of trust fund for the Pillman family is still yet to be announced. It should be noted that Jim Ross has made a statement on the WWF Hotline that Titan will "take care of" the Pillmans.
  

   

Added on October 9, 1997

• As the shock of Brian Pillman's death fades, the inevitable backlash against anything and anyone in sight has begun.

  Many within the industry are upset that Melanie Pillman was trotted out for an interview on live TV just 24 hours after Brian's death. They considered it a smarmy attempt by the WWF to garner ratings from a tragedy.

  If everyone's gonna weigh in with their opinions on how the WWF handled things on Monday night, then I might as well toss mine in, too. Personally, I'm of the opinion that when something like this happens, there are no good ways to handle it. This is a terrible thing that has happened, and we simply have to hope that things get handled in the least bad way. With that in mind, I don't think there's any room for criticism of the WWF's handling of things on Monday, be it from Eric Bischoff or newsletter writers or whoever.

  Let's face it: something had to be done on Monday. Something more than just a 10-bell salute or a 2 minute video package. Brian Pillman was a "heel" in a business where the heel's job is to make people hate him. In life, it's probably something he was very proud of; in death, he deserves to be remembered in a better light. As smart as we all think we are, let's keep in mind that the majority of people more or less believe what they see on TV; they all still thought Brian Pillman was a bad guy.

  So somebody had to say something that would change that. Yeah, maybe a shoot interview with a guy like Owen or Bret Hart would have been able to convey a sense of the real Brian Pillman. But in some fans' eyes, that still would have just been part of "the show." When you talk directly to Brian's widow, that's not show, that's real; and the effect is amazing. In the span of 10 minutes, Brian is totally humanized, and all fans everywhere have no choice but to realize that the world has lost an actual person, not just a character.

  There is still the question of whether putting Melanie on TV so soon was necessarily appropriate. But as far as that issue goes, I say if she was willing to do it, it's not any of our damn business to tell her otherwise. Was she poked or prodded or cajoled into doing it? I don't know, and neither do you.

  The end result certainly wasn't "good TV," but I really do think it was "necessary TV." And it was probably just about as well handled as it could have been under the circumstances.
  

• Everybody's least favorite pontificator, Phil Mushnick, also weighed in with his thoughts on Brian Pillman's death. It didn't take him but two or three lines of token grief and sympathy before he started using this tragedy as further evidence for his on-going thesis that professional wrestling alone is the root of all evil in the world.

  It's my general stance that Phil Mushnick's babblings aren't worth your time to read, and aren't worth my time to comment on, so I usually leave them out of the NFD. This time, I just want to make the point that I don't think that I've ever seen anybody miss the point in such a cosmically bad manner as Mushnick did here. Brian Pillman really did love this business; I bet it would annoy the hell out of him to know that he's somehow being used as an argument for how that same business sucks. He didn't blame the industry for his problems, and neither should Mushnick.
  

• If you missed them yesterday, public funeral service arrangements are discussed below in yesterday's updates, complete with directions for getting to the First Baptist Chuch in Walton, KY. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend, though I encourage all other fans in the area to make the trip and pay their respects to the memory of Brian Pillman.

Added on October 23, 1997

• Dallas Page issued a statement to internet fans yesterday regarding the death of Brian Pillman. Since you've probably seen it at one of the numerous websites that have picked up the story, I won't duplicate the entire message here (you can read it at 1Wrestling.com is you haven't already).

  Page has set up a second trust fund for the Pillman family, and also promised fans that he'll keep us up to date as to when WCW's planned Pillman video is available. Just as importantly, Page vehemently denied that Brian's death was anything other than a terrible ACCIDENT resulting from his use of prescription medication combined with a heart condition he never even knew he had.

  The WWF had also announced a trust fund being set up for the Pillman family, as well as saying that a Pillman magazine and t-shirt were going to be produced with proceeds going to Pillman's family. There is also a lot of talk about Brian Pillman Tribute Shows being held, possibly with talent from all major US feds holding different shows (we probably won't see a card with WWF and WCW competitors together).

  Any further info about the video, magazine, t-shirt, or tribute shows will be posted in the NFD Weekly or NFD Daily Updates as it becomes available. If you're interested in the Pillman trust funds, these are the addresses:

Brian Pillman Memorial Fund
1-B Quaker Ridge Road Suite 144
New Rochelle, NY 10804

Brian Pillman Memorial Fund
PO Box 10
Union, KY 41091

• With this, it seems that the "Brian Pillman" chapter in the big book of pro wrestling history is closed. Further changes or additions to this page seem unlikely at this point. Here's hoping that the memory of Brian Pillman will be as vivid in our minds in the future as it is today. Somehow, I think it will; we may miss him, but we'll always remember him.

Your Tributes

In the week following Brian's tragic death, scores of NFD Readers sent in their heart-felt condolences and fond memories of a man who will go down in history as one of the sport's finest athlete's and most charismatic personalities.

 
Brian Pillman...what can be said about this man that hasn't been said already? Many have spoken of his time in Stampede, of his early time in WCW as "Flyin" Brian, about his title history, about his time in ECW and all the rest. How when he was a face, he was one of the best faces out there, and when he was a heel, you couldn't help but hate him. I'm not going to rehash all that again.

It isn't much, but I want to tell you what I will remember about Brian Pillman the most. The night where he came close to whipping it out on ECW? That's a great memory, but that's not it. His springboard clothesline from WCW when no one in WCW or the WWF had ever done anything like that? It's up there, but that's not it either. What I'm going to remember most about Brian Pillman was his flair, his ability to be human as well as a superstar. "Smart" or "Mark", those terms really don't fit when you speak of Brian Pillman. Because whether you want to admit it or not, when you watched Pillman wrestle, you marked out, and I mean MARKED OUT!!! You didn't have a choice! There are and were very few wrestlers that can pull that off, but Pillman could do it,and did it for years. What I'm going to remember the most about Brian Pillman is that no matter how much of a "Smart" you are, when you saw Brian Pillman, or talked about him, you marked out. That's what I'm going to remember about Pillman, the way that he could make us all love the sport again, and suspend our disbelief, and Believe again.

Will there ever come another person that can make us Believe again? Perhaps...time will tell. Will anyone ever fill Brian Pillman's boots? Never, and that's why he will be remembered to me. Rest In Peace, Brian. You raised hell on Earth, and may you continue to do so in Heaven. Liven up the place, it needs it. We won't forget you here, and I'll be happy to see you there.

RockoRok

 

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I just wanted to say that Saturday, October 4th was the first live WWF I was ever able to witness, and unfortunately it would come to be the last time I would see Brian Pillman wrestle.

My memories of Brian go back to when he was teaming with Tom Zenk in WCW. To be honest, it was the Pillman / Zenk team that kept me watching WCW. One of my favorite angles that Brian Pillman was involved in was the Yellow-dog gimmick. For the most part I was awaitiing the day "Flyin" Brian was to arrive in the WWF.

I lost interest in wrestling for a few months, and during that time Brian moved on from the WCW. Around the time I began watching again, Brian was set to make his debut in a press conference at the WWF offices. The "Loose Cannon" gimmick struck me odd. Brian had grown up from his "Flyin" days. He soon proved to be an interesting (or shocking may be a better word) character in the WWF.

Now those days have ended, and it is truly a shame. For guys like Brian Pillman enter a ring only onnce in a great while. Brian had many matches and fueds which he had yet to be involved in. I think I could imagine what some of those fueds may have been, how some of those matches may have ended, and unfortunately, that is what I'll have to do.

Thank you for the memories Mr. Pillman.

Todd Weinzierl

 

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I realize that this is a bit late, but I would like to give my own thoughts on Brian Pillman...

It always seemed to me that Pillman was the type of guy who really loved the buisness and he was probably the ultamite innovator of the last 6 years. Lets just look at what he has done for the sport...

WCW wants a Light-heavyweight division, who's the first champion? Brian Pillman..

Will Japanesse-style wrestling work with the common american fans? Let's bring Jushin Lyger over and put him in the ring with Pillman, the result? One of the first truly great American Light Heavy matches on PPV(Pillman-Lyger from SuperBrawl II, I believe)

So Pillman is LTH champ awhile, turns heel, loses the belt, and WCW decides to team him with a relative newcomer from the Texas indies named Steve Austin(yes I realise Austin was WCW for a while and had a TV belt but, be honest, he didn't have much heat). THe Hollywood Blondes go on to become probably the last new great tag team of the 90's.

Then came a bit of stagnation in wrestling in general, the big stars of wrestling were not becoming the mainstream stars like the mid-80's, so someone realized that this had to change. So what do they do? Well, lets try making the "smart" fans think for once, and the Loose Cannon was born. I really don't think that anyone will ever forget the infamous Bookerman incident, and I don't think anyone ever saw it coming. If it was a work(which I believe myself), it was flawlessly done by all parties, for I don't think anyone who saw it live thought he wasn't shooting, hell some people still think he was.

One other thing about the Loose Cannon angle that I'm not sure people picked up on. I remember reading somewhere that part of teh angle was that Eric had "fired" Pillman and that it was a work, so does that mean that Pillman would have been an "Outsider" interfering in WCW and causeing havoc? DOes this sound like anyone that is currently in wrestling? Just something to think about next time you think WCW can't build their own wrestlers.

But this the way I'll always remember Pillman, as an innovater and as a part of the reason that I enjoy Japanese style wrestling as much as I do today. He will be sorely missed.

Thank you,

Brien Aronov

 

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In the world of wrestling, where the real and the imaginary often collide and the fans often debate what falls into what category, Brian Pillman lived. He was a man who could make you believe what he did, what he said, what he thought. He was a master of the fan.

Who can forget the bookerman incident, the rogue horseman times, the ecw visit, the list goes on and on. Brian Pillman, a man who wasn't the prototypical wrestler, was the one wrestler that could and would do the unimaginable. He would do the controversial angle. He would make the fans hate him. He would live life.

Brian Pillman has been taken from us the fans, but most of all, he has been taken from his family. We have the memories of him, the angles he was in that we all wondered about sometimes. Wondering if he was "shooting" or not. He appealed to us, and he played to us and we loved that part of his persona, but the family he left behind, know Brian Pillman, the Brian we don't. If he was living on the edge or not, he was a man, a husband, a father, whatever you will say to his family, and that is the people that we should be thinking of. Not ourselves.

I send my sympathies to his family. They know the man he was and they know how he loved the wrestling business. He would give his all and it appears as if he did. There will never be another Brian Pillman. The complete package of dedication, drive and desire coupled with the problems he had and overcome. Only one who goes through so much, and learns so much about themself, can achieve the control over people and the ability to mesmorize as Brian did. We will miss him, we will remember him, we will pray for his family. In the world of wrestling, where everything must be questioned, there is no question, Brian Pillman was a star.

Rest in Peace Brian, may you get the peace you always were denied and prayers and well wishes to the family, you are in our hearts.

Freddy McCowan

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Along with sympathies to the family of Brian Pillman, I send regards to the friends he had in both WWF and WCW. Close friends such as Steve Austin, Bret Hart and the Hart family in general can take comfort in remembering that as long as Pillman's spirit stays alive, he hasn't died at all. As often as that's said, it's something we often need to be reminded of.

Walter Frith
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

 

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It is a sad thing to lose someone,and the lose of Brian Pillman is going to effect the wrestling world more than we will know. I was not the biggest fan of him but I was a fan.He was "THE LOOSE CANNON".

The angle of the dress was not the best of angles,but he did his best and as far as i know he didn't complain. He was what every wrestling fan wants to be. He gained respect from both his peers and the fans.From his early years to the final days he was the "LOOSE CANNON".

Being a ECW fan I was glad to see him in that organization.He had what it took to be a top star in ECW. As for his short stint in WWF,I think that they never really let him bring his potenial to the surface. He will be missed by all his fans and even those who learned to hate him.

Bob Mooney

 

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Hello ,

i would just like to say that i am shocked and saddened by the news of the passing of one of the greats in the wrestling world. i have been a wrestling fan for nearly 25 years and i must say that Brian was without a doubt one of the all time greats in the business. he was a natural entertainer , whether he was playing the good guy or the heel role he commanded attention with his riveting interviews and of course his amazing natural ability.

i remember back when the gulf war started , the wcw was holding a big card in phoenix called wrestle war. i live in los angeles ca area but did not think twice about making the long drive to phoenix to see how brian would do locked in one of two cages packed with dozens of menacing opponents. he was amazing and well worth the long drive. he was actually injured during the match and left in a ambulance. he always gave his all. whether he was in a small town or big city he wrestled his butt off and thats something i will always remember.

My heart goes out to his wife and children. and my prayers are with them. We cant always understand the reason tragic things happen in our lives. All we can do is trust in god and try our best to keep going. Brian is gone but his memory will live forever with his family and friends and all the fans around the world this man has touched with his grace and his style and his dedication to the great sport of professional wrestling

God bless Brian and his family ,

John

 

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I'm from the Philippines, and I first saw Brian Pillman's name on those old PWI Magazines i used to buy before wrestling was shown on TV here. He was then part of the Top 10 in Calgary Stampede list. I saw him next a few years later on the NWA programs being rented out in the local video store. He was already a heel then, teaming up with Steve Austin as the Hollywood Blondes. Seeing both men wrestle for the first time, I definitely saw the potential of both. But Pillman made me say to myself then that he would become a superstar with the right push. Since we only were able to watch the WWF here at the time, i lost track of him. Until the WWF Press Conference was aired.

Man, i saw a different Pillman. One whose potential I was sure would be maximized in the WWF with the Ticking Time Bomb gimmick. One that would become one of my favorite wrestlers ever. Sadly, the time never came. Most of his time in the WWF were spent as part of the Hart Foundation, which was a good move, I would say, but not enough. What's more unfortunate is that at the time of his death, the WWF had apparently been headed to give Pillman a huge push... a push that never arrived.

Here's to Brian Pillman, who I'm sure was a good family man just like Melanie Pillman says so. He will forever be missed.

Niles Chong
Manila, Philippines

 

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I was stunned and sad to hear about the death of one of my favorite wrestlers, Brian Pillman. I remember the classic feud he had with Jushin Liger in 1991-1992 for the WCW World Light Heavyweight Championship. Their encounter on February 29, 1992 at SuperBrawl II was a great opening match! In some ways, Pillman made a much better heel than he did as a babyface. It was nice to see both WCW and the WWF pay tribute to him on RAW and Nitro. Pillman had established a credible reputation in both companies and was respected by many wrestlers in the business.

What really makes me sad is the abuse of painkillers in the pro wrestling business. It was really sad to see Pillman's life end this way. Then again, considering the life he lived and all the personal trials he went through with his family, I'm not too surprised. I pray he found the peace he was searching for.

Rest in peace, Brian. You will always be remembered for your intensity and willingness to work 110% in the ring.

Brian Westcott
Meridian, Idaho

 

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As so much of the internet wrestling fans all across the country mourn the loss of Brian Pillman, I will for one say that we have saw a light of talent darken. I remember so times over the years, watching WCW and the WWF and seeing Pillman appear, as he went from tag team member to single champion. From one wrestling stable to another, we will never ever see such an accomplished wrestler or career ever again.

Over the years, not one wrestler has been able to impact the Big 3 in such a manner as Brian Pillman did. The wrestling world has not only lost a wrestler, but the lost one of the Grestest Wrestling Superstars that never got to reach his peak. No matter how many speed bumps life threw at him, he was always able to bounce back, but unfornautely we won't ever be able to see what Brian would do after this speed bump. How ironic is it that after Brian was breaking up the Runnels, that god was able to break up Mr. Pillmans biggest break. But with death, Brian will never get to see the one thing that he probably wanted, and that was to reach Superstardom.

"The Loose Cannon" "The Ticking Timebomb" Mr. "Flying" Brian "Fn'n" Pillman Will be sorely missed. From a Bengal to A Horseman . .to a Hart Foundation Member . .and now to a Wrestling Legend. Brian, Rest in Peace . .and make heaven as enjoyable as you made wrestling to for all the fans of the world. Good bye old friend . .

Jose Bautista

 

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My lasting memory of Brian Pillman will be from the only match that I have truly ever marked out over due to pure wrestling. At Fall Brawl '95, Pillman and Marc Mero (then Johnny B. Badd) fught to determine the number 1 contender to Sting's US Title (Sting was in the WarGames later that night). What was orginally a 20-min time limit quickly turned into the greatest thirty plus minutes of pure wrestling I have ever seen, with both men pre-injury and at the top of their game. While Mero got up from a top rope spinning DDT delivered by Pillman, Pillman survived two Tiger Bombs, and the "devastating" Tutti Frutti, as well as a top rope hurricanrana. The match ended when Badd and Pillman both attempted cross body blocks, and collided, knocking Pillman out, enabling Badd to get the win. Although Pillman lost the match, he still played a major role in the card, distracting Ric Flair so that Arn Anderson could score a victory in the first match ever between the two, and setting the groundwork for the new Horsemen. It was perhaps Pillman's greates show in terms of both wrestling and angles. He will be remembered.

Scott Isaacs
Syracuse, NY

 

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Just wanted to make my mark here, in case any of Brian's friends and family are reading, and say that I really dug Brian a lot, and on the opportunities I had to meet him I found him to be one of the most centered, "real" people that I have ever met in the entertainment business. You could tell that he genuinely enjoyed his work, and his fans, and he always impressed me as a true professional. I'll miss seeing you the next time through, Brian. Peace.

John Henry

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I will always remember Brian Pillman as a man who went out and performed and worked his heart out night after night. I never saw a Pillman match where he didn't pull his share of the match. He was an electricifying high flyer ( something we didn't see much of after his accident in 1995), a great performer, and he gave one hell of an interview. At times I felt he went too far ( daring to pull out his "johnson" on an ECW telecast, the whole Marlena-Goldust-Dakota angle) but I always saw him giving his all to every angle. The first time I saw him wrestle, he was the fresh faced "Flyin' Brian", about six months before the failed "Yellow Dog" gimmick. I saw when he won the Light-heavyweight title, tag with Steve Austin, join the Horsemen, and become a member of the Hart Foundation. I used to wonder, "What's he going to do next?", "Who's he going to piss off now?". I'll never get to think about that again. I had the opportunity to see him wrestle live the day after SummerSlam:Hart and Soul, but my car broke down on the way. I regret never having been there live to see him perform. My condolences go out to his widow, children, and family. In a small way, he touched every fans' life. Whether you loved him or hated him, he made sure you'd always remember him. I think that both the WCW and (especially) the WWF did a good job honoring Pillman. He will be missed.

Rest In Peace, Brian Pillman.

Steve Salomonsen

 

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I thought I should include my thoughts on Brian Pillman. Wrestling has been a favorite of mine for a long long time. I have continued to be a fan while constant critizism has been thrown at me. News of Pillman death made me very sad but strengthened my love for this sport. I had a chance to meet him and he was a very nice man. I can't say that I knew him very well but I watched him for so many years and feel like I lost a very good friend. He was one of the first cruiserweights to really make his mark and he was such a promising wrestler. I believe he could have been even more of a star in this business if given more time. Its a devastating lost and I send my condolences to the Pillman family in this time of need. God Bless!

Chris Ford

 

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It's funny... the day before Pillman ded, a friend of mine was telling me how he had run into a whole bunch of wrestlers at a local bar after the house show here in Winnipeg. The only one he wished he had met and didn't was Brian Pillman (at the time, we didn't know he had no-showed). "I just wanted to walk up to him and go, "You! You're Brian Pillman! You're a madman! I love you!" my friend said.

I wish he had that chance.

I've watched Pillman since he sarted in Stampede Wrestling. I remember his memorable maches as Badd Company with Bruce Hart, when they had some incredible (as they seemed to me at the time) matches with the Karachi Vice, or Jason the Terrible and The Zodiac. I remember one match where they punked Pillman in the parking lot before the match... as Bruce Hart was getting destroyed, Pillman comes racing in, his head bandaged and bloodied, and cleaned house with a chair. He then gave one of the most emotionally-charged interviews I'd ever seen. That was how I remember Pillman.

I remember watching him in the NWA/WCW.... his feud with Sid Vicious, who was easily TWICE his size. He never gave up... even after taking three powerbombs on his injured shoulder and being stretchered out.... he kept coming back. I remember when they started the L-H division, and the matches he had with Liger.

Unfortunately, I never saw his ECW phase.

But, it was with great relish that I watched his return to the WWF. Even though you could tell he had lost more than a step from his accident, he still went out there and busted ass every night. I think his XXX-Files were some of the most hilarious moments on the WWF lately.

Say hello to Heaven, Brian.... and I hope they mark out for you up there.

Matrix
Canada

 

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My memories of Pillman has nothing to do with his great ring skill, his seemingly psychotic persona, or the tragedies that befell him many times. In 1992, WWF's Wrestlemania was being held in my then-hometown of Indianapolis. I was in the nosebleed seats underneath the broadcast booth. The main events involved Flair v. Savage, Hogan v. Sid, and Piper v. The Hitman, three of the greatest matches I've ever seen live. But what I remember most of that spring afternoon was a curly haired blonde guy in the seat in front of me. My friend said he looked familiar. That man got up for a beer and it was Brian Pillman. We said hello and he sat back down when he got back and he was one of the nicest persons that I've met. He signed autographs for us, introduced us to Bryan 'Adam Bomb' Clark (who was seated with him and then a relatively unknown WCW mid-carder), and invited us to meet with them after the show for dinner.

I wasn't a big WCW fan at the time and I had only vague images of him wrestling, but my friend and I, to this day, still talk about what a 'real' and 'cool' guy he was.

So, Brian-Flyin'-Yellow Dog- Hollywood Blonde-F'n- Pillman, may you find the peace in Heaven that eluded you so much on Earth. Fly High, We'll miss you!

Rob

 

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I will always remember Brian Pillman, whether he was "Flyin", a "Hollywood Blonde", or the "Loose Cannon". When I was just 9 or 10 years old I remember him starting out in the NWA with his orange and black trunks. He was a great high flyer and his matches were awesome. He was an excellent tag teamer as well as a singles competitor. No matter where he wrestled, what gimmick he was under, he always worked hard and I appreciated that. I met him once in Dallas, Texas and he is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. Brian, May you rest in peace and know that many people have mourned the loss of you.

Arnold Jin

 

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What will I remember about Brian Pillman? Unfortunately, not a whole lot. I stopped watching wrestling for a while around the time he turned heel, and when I heard about him as the "Rogue Horseman" I thought "He's such a complete and total babyface. He'll never work as a heel." I didn't think that he could pull off the role, simply because I couldn't picture him being so evil, especially when my enduring memory of him from his days in WCW is still when Sid Vicious punked him in a Wargames match, and he had to be rescued by the King of Workrate, El Gigante.

When Pillman came to the WWF he played the heel role so effectively, almost as if he'd been born to play it. It fit him just as well as the young, innocent "Flyin' Brian" role fit him in WCW in the early 90's.

Brian had a special gift. If he wanted you to like him, you liked him. If he wanted you to hate him, you hated him with a passion. But above all, you respected him for his abilities, both athletic and theaterical. The fact that he overcame so much adversity to get to the level he was at when he died is even more amazing.

While it's obvious that Melanie Pillman is going through hell right now, I hope she finds comfort in the fact that Brian left behind so many great memories for so many wrestling fans over the years, from Stampede to the WWF.

Don Becker

 

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I was on vacation in New Hampshire when I just happened to turn my motel's TV on and hear about the loss of Brian. My first reaction was that it was some kind of horrible "work", but just seeing the dates near his name drove the point home to me.

I recalled a PWI article that wished him "many safe landings" in a year end issue. I remembered seeing him do a body press from the top rope (and the ring that he did it from was part of a 2 ring setup) and telling my wife that "This kid has wings!" Then I thought about seeing his Rouge Horseman tee shirt during a recent ECW show, and thinking about the people buying it even though he wasn't part of that Federation. One of my personal favorites was when he was getting in trouble as a Horseman and Arn Anderson ends up giving him a slap across the face. Brian's expression at that moment was near perfect, and he ends up saying "I got you into this, and I'm going to get you out of it!". That may be a legacy that he can carry.

He showed us that he can bring people to appreciate the art of professional wrestling, and he also showed us the tragedy of real life affecting the "outside world."

Rest in peace, Brian. You will be missed.

Dave

 

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Brian Pillman will be missed by us all, he was a ninties wrestler with bags of tatlent and enthusian, he wil be missed by us all.

So long Brian, you will always be in your hearts.

Allan Blackstock

 

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As a wrestling fan, it's easy to remember Brian Pillman as one of the more talented athletes and most charismatic personalities the sport has ever seen. But Melanie Pillman's request that Pillman be remembered as a great father is something that drives home the humanity of the man, and makes us all remember there's more to a wrestler's life than what we see on TV.

I didn't think anything of it at the time, but after hearing Mrs. Pillman talk about Brian in that light, one of my most striking memories of Brian Pillman will now be the most recent time I was lucky enough to see him perform at a live show. It was late May in Dayton, OH, and Pillman was on hand to cause the disqualification finish to the Owen Hart and British Bulldog vs. Undertaker and Steve Austin main event. I had noticed at intermission that seated next to me in the front row was Melanie Pillman, along with a couple of the kids. I recognized her from her brief appearance on TV during the ill-fated gun angle. Not being one to encroach on someone else's personal time and space, I didn't say anything at the time, other than maybe an "excuse me" or two when I was leaving to go get beer.

As the main event match went on, I still remember Mrs. Pillman telling the kids to get ready to see daddy, and them looking on with rapt attention. When Pillman did run in to cause the DQ, the rest of the crowd was busy booing, and didn't notice Brian come over to our side of the ring to share a quick wink with his family. Like I said, it wasn't much, and I didn't make anything of it at the time. But when Melanie Pillman exhorted us to remember Brian as a family man, it came back to me, and made me realize that in that one brief moment, I probably saw more of the "real" Brian Pillman than I have out of any other performer in this business. And now it's something I'll probably never forget about the man, just like his memorable matches against Jushin Liger or the infamous "bookerman" incident. I think that's a good thing.

And of course, the truly important thing is that in this difficult time, my own thoughts and best wishes, as well as those of the thousands of NFD Readers, go out to Melanie Pillman, her kids, and all of Brian's family and friends. Brian will be missed on so many levels.

Rick Scaia
Dayton, OH

 

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I send my heartfelt condolences to Melaine Pillman and their children. I have never met them, and I probably never will meet them, but they have my best wishes at any rate.

I have two memories involving Brian Pillman. One of the is very minor: at a house show in Pittsburgh a couple of years ago (the show the Warrior no-showed and got fired over), a giy in the front row had a "Brian F'n Pillman" sign, and I cheered like mad. A bunch of the kids around me didn't know who Brian was, so I told them about his WCW/NWA career, and by the end of the night, they cheered for the sign, too.

When I remember Brian Pillman, I'll remember the night he formally debuted as a member of the Hart Foundation. He kneeled in the ring, and he prayed. And he read a script that would have been mediocre and cheesy coming out of the mouth of another wrestler. But he acted the part with his entire body and heart.

At least twice more that night, he reappeared and prayed again, for his comrades Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith. That was the night that Owen beat Rocky for the title, and that was the night the Bulldog and the Foundation punked the Undertaker. Just before Raw left the air, they showed Pillman, praying silently, and then he lifted his head and gave the camera his trademark, wild-haired, bug-eyed look that sent shivers down my spine. For that one moment, he was the most powerful wrestler in any fed. Brian Pillman was the last performer who really made me mark out.

I'll miss that. And I'll miss Brian.

Max Chittister
Pittsburgh, PA

 

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I've been a fan of Brian Pillman since his days in WCW. I have ambitions of becoming a pro wrestler, and he's always been someone I've wanted to work with. Brian Pillman will be missed by us all among the fans. I offer my deepest sympathy to the Pillman family. R.I.P., Brian Pillman.

Jim McAfee
Hazleton, PA

 

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"You dont know what you've got till its gone"
           - song by Cinderella

That phrase is just so damn true its unbelievable, just like Brian Pillman was in every facet of the wrestling business

James McCullough

 

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Brian Pillman was a man who suffered a lot, throughout his life. Now, he doesn't have to suffer anymore. No more pain, agony or defeats. I wish that a wrestling organization (ECW, WCW, or WWF) would make a special "BRIAN PILLMAN MEMORIAL" card, like some promoters did for the late Kerry Von Erich. It would be great to see all of Pillman's Cincinnati teammates, coaches, high school coaches, promoters, relatives and friends there. All of the profits should go to a Brian Pillman Memorial Fund--to help the Pillman family in their financial crisis.

Kevin

 

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Well, where to start about this man?

I've watched wrestling for around 10 years, and I remember Brian Pillman for most of them. I remember when he was teamed with Tom Zenk and won the US Tag Championship in WCW. I remember them challenging the Steiners to matches to see which team was better. I remember the Hollywood Blondes. I remember the Light-Heavyweight division matches. I remember him joining the Horsemen. I remember him getting The Brain to say "fuck" on live TV at the Clash. I remember the "bookerman" incident. I remember his infamous ECW apperances, trying to urinate in the ring, and beating up the "fan" at ringside. I remember his WWF press conference. I remember his face at the end of the RAW when the Hart Foundation was formed. And finally, I'll remember the 10 bell salute for him.

Where am I going with all of this? Brian may be dead, but for me I have many memories that will live on with me for as long as I live. I feel this is the best way we can help his now growing legend to live on. Remember the times he gave us.

Mickey Lenhardt

 

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Well, I sit here, feeling sorrow for a man I did not now but through my tv, yet I know I will miss him. There were times when I hated the sight of Brian Pillman coming on my tv screen (anyone remember the California Brian phase?). But as time went on, I grew, and so did Pillman's character, as he became the loose cannon who took so much delight in breaking down the fourth wall between all of us and him.

Those of us who are "smart" fans often seemed to take a special pride in him, as though he spoke to US first, then the marks, and in return we cheered him madly, regardless of his actions, not that they weren't more and more often worth those cheers. As a member of that group, I felt I knew him somehow, even though I didn't.

So now, as I read Mark Madden's very good tribute to Pillman (good to see all sides stop the games for a moment and pay respect to a good man in a hard business) I find myself feeling very sad, and slightly teary. As a wrestling fan, we've heard the words "rest in peace" used so many times that sometimes they lose their meaning. Well this time, I do hope and pray that Brian Pillman can truly rest in peace. Goodbye Brian.

Sean Flynn
Chicago, IL

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Although I live in Georgia, I was in Missouri this weekend on business and went to both the St. Louis PPV and the Raw show in Kansas City.

There wasn't an announcement made to the live crowd in St. Louis so no one knew why the Pillman/Golddust match didn't take place. The announcement by Vince McMahon was kept off of the video screens in the arena, too

In Kansas City, McMahon's announcement in the ring was taped about 10 minutes prior to the show going live. It was played back on the TitanTron in the arena when the show went on the air. They added the "Pillman" chant because it certainly didn't happen in the arena. In fact, I was disgusted by the lack of respect that alot of the fans showed while McMahon was in the ring. There were many .hecklers showing their lack of decency by shouting various things while the 10 count was ringing.

Fortunately, there was less of this when Melanie Pillman was on later in the show and there was some light applause as that segment ended.

I thought it was a tremendous gesture by the wrestlers and the company to have everyone gather on the stage to show their respect for Brian. Mrs. Pillman also gained my respect for coming on the show to talk about Brian's death. I'm not sure of the reasons behind why it was done, however I, too, hope it will do some good..

Gary Vanicek
Georgia

 

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What I remember about Brian Pillman...

• His early run as one half of Bad Company (with Bruce Hart), the Stampede tag champions. I remember going to a Stampede house show, not too long after Pillman had departed for the NWA. Disappointed as I was that Pillman wasn't there and Bad Co. was no more, I still wanted to buy one of the souvenir Bad-dannas they had. As I recall, I didn't...
  
• A NWA four corners match against Cuban Assassin, Eddie Gilbert, and Wild Bill Irwin. Pillman managed to defeat all three opponents (Assassin easily, Irwin with some difficulty, Gilbert on a fluke) without tagging out. Now, I'd recognize this as a major push. Back then, I just thought it was impressive.
  
• A Stampede Reunion show, honouring Stu Hart. Despite working for a rival promotion (Pillman was the rogue Horseman at the time), Pillman (as well as Chris Benoit) came to a mostly-WWF show to pay tribute to the man who helped train him. The match was Pillman & Bruce Hart victorious against Terry & Dory Funk by DQ; match of the night, by all accounts.
  
• The attack by Steve Austin that "refractured" Pillman's ankle. It was the first time in months that I'd marked out like that.
   
• His mic skills, especially his sense of comedic timing and false sincerity that made his interviews among the best. This includes the WWF contract signing press conference, King Of The ring 1996 ("Listen, you stupid son of a bitch" to Jim Ross, for no reason in particular), recently on Raw ("Marlena's going to have to swallow... everything I give to her, and then she's going to have to bring me her sweet little box... of chocolates" etc - the funniest interview I'd ever heard), or a recent house show here in Saskatoon ("Shut that faggot's music off!" before a losing effort against Goldust).
  
• Mainly, I remember an entertainer. After his ankle was shattered in that car accident, he simply could not wrestle as well as he did before. But with his mic skills and personality - which seemed to improve after the accident - it didn't seem to matter.

I was thinking that in Pillman's memory, the WWF might want to put together a tribute videotape of Pillman, with the proceeds going to his family. I'm sure some ECW and Stampede footage wouldn't be too hard to acquire (and though I'm surely dreaming, some WCW matches and/or interviews might be nice too). It's something I'd like to see, and I think a lot of Pillman's other fans would too...

James Kalyn
Saskatoon, SK

 

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I feel that Brian Pillman was one of the few wrestlers in the past decade who gave his all in the ring. Whether it was against a fellow high flyer like Jushin Liger, a power wrestler like Lex Luger, or as a tag team champion with Steve Austin, you knew that Flyin Brian would do whatever it took to satisfy the fans. He didn't pose like Hogan. It's just too bad that he never got to reach his full potential in a sport where he gave 100%, and I guess that his extra effort eventually led to his death. His ability and his personality will be sorely missed.

Marshall Berke

 

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When I first heard the news of Brian's death, I thought to myself, "Some idiot is making up dumb stuff on the internet", but when it was confirmed, I was crushed. I started watching wrestling because of Pillman. When he turned heel and joined the Hollywood Blondes it was tough to watch a man I cheered for chanting against fans. For that reason I stoped watching WCW and began to watch WWF more often. Then "The Loose Cannon" appeared. I instantly began to love Brian Pillman again. He was as fierce as he had ever been, and when he signed with the WWF later on, I was so fired up! Here was a ledgend coming to my favorie organization to do what he does best. At first he was just loud, but to the point. He made Steve Austin as popular as he is today. Just as he was truely recovering from his accident, and showing us the talent he possessed, God desided to take him from us.

Thanks for the memories Brian, thank you for everything.

Brian Christopher Knight

 

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I can remember one of the first times I got see Brian Pillman perform. He had just broken in with the NWA and was being hyped as the next "big thing". They (Tony Schiavone and crew) made reference to his football past with the Cincinnati Bengals - heck, Pillman even came out with these orange and black trunks on that resembled the Bengals helmet logo. When he did that leap off of the top rope, the fans and the announcers went wild.

"Flyin'" Brian Pillman was almost immediately over with the TV audience. His pretty-boy good looks and his high-flying style got peoples attention. When WCCW was putting together their Light heavyweight Division, Pillman was of course listed as one of the 'favorites'.

His whole persona was that of the all-American, boy-next-door - and the fans (myself included) at it up.

And I think as time goes on, it'll be that sunny-faced, innocent, blonde-hair, blue-eyed kid who looked like he was just having fun in there .... that'll be what I remember most about him.

Will Beakley
Las Cruces, NM

 

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Rick, Hello, I'm a 21-year-old student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. For starters, I want to thank you for putting out my favorite wrestling site on the web. Over the past year or so, you've helped turn me from a semi-mark into a fairly knowledgable fan of the sport we love. It means a lot.

Anyways, since Brian Pillman is on the minds of wrestling fans everywhere, I thought I'd tell you a short story about him. On Sunday, Sept. 28th, the WWF put on a show at the Brown County Arena in Green Bay. I'm sorry I didn't send results of the show but it was the run of the mill house show we've been reading about with the UT/Hart main event, Cactus Jack/HHH falls count anywhere, Pillman/Golddust, etc. matches with the same results so I figured you didn't need them.

As it turns out, it wasn't a regular event. My tickets were in the upper corner of the arena where the wrestlers come out of the locker room. All that separated the entrance from the locker door were a few thin blue curtains spread around the back area.

Early on in the night, the Patriot snuck out behind the curtains not knowing that we could see him. The few of us in that area (the show was only about 3/4ths full and I was in the crappy seat section) that saw him started yelling at him and he quickly ran back behind the curtains. I'm assuming that this was a combination of Del Wilkes being shy and not wanting to be seen wandering around before his match (that Kayfabe thing).

About 1/2 hour later, who wandered around the same curtain but Pillman, wearing his tights and a sweatshirt. A guy sitting beside me screamed "Pillman you suck!!!" Pillman looked up at us and started laughing his ass off. Then he grabbed his crotch and started jiggling it around before waving at us and getting back behind the curtain.

Now I know that to many this would be considered a lewd and disgusting gesture, but I've seen a hell of a lot worse out of friends and total strangers so I laughed hard when I saw it. This showed me that Pillman was a fun-loving guy who enjoyed the fans.

On a side note, naturally when the WWF comes to Green Bay the heels are going to insult the local fans about the beloved Super Bowl champ Packers and Pillman didn't disappoint in this category either. Before his match he grabbed the mike and said something like "the only thing I like about this damn town is the word 'Packer' because that's what I'm gonna do to Marlena after the show tonight!!!" What a great heel. The crowd went crazy against him. He proceeded to drop the match to Golddust in about 5 minutes. I consider it an honor to have seen one of his final matches.

I'm sorry this message ended up being so long but I thought you might want to hear one person's final account of a great wrestler. I also found it to be an interesting comparison between the way Wilkes and Pillman reacted to the fans seeing them when the weren't supposed to be seen. Overnight, this show went from being just another house show to being something special for the wrong reason. I thank you for your time and hope this was somewhat interesting to you. Keep up the great work.

Erik P.
Stevens-Point, WI

 

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Brian Pillman was always one of my favorite workers in the business. One of my favorite Pillman angles was back in late 90 early 91 when the Horseman were on top. I remember when I heard Pillman was gonna be in the cage at WarGames and was shocked. I thought to myself this is a big break for Pillman and then he got destroyed by Sid. Later in the year I saw Sid-Pillman at the Meadowlands and Pillman carried the green Sid to a good match. Pillman will be greatlym issed by all wrestling fans

 

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I just want to say a few words about Brian Pillman.

First off, for those of us who consider our selves "smarts" he was an inspiration. He was one of those people who had to bust his ass and work for his success. As someone who is trying to shed a few, (dozen) pounds, in order to enter the wrestling world, I look to Brian Pillman as a rolemodel. For although he was undersized, and was a longshot at best, he succeeded. He proved that hard work and determanation pay off. I will remember him for that.

I will remember Bad Company, his tag team with Bruce Hart in the waning days of Stampede Wrestling.

I will remember him rushing to the ring to the sounds of Def Leppard's Rocket, wearing those silly tiger striped trunks.

I will remember him winning the Lightheavyweight title, and the great matches he put on with Jushin Liger for it.

I will remember him as a student of Ric Flairs, including his adoption of flairs trademark knife edge chop.

I will remember him as a Dude with Attitude, as well as the Rouge Horseman.

I will remember him for his "bookerman" comments.

I will remember him for the instant heat he drew in ECW, which is hard to do with the desensitized fans of that organization.

I will remember the heat he created during his first year in the WWF, where he drew more heat than anyone, without wrestling a single match.

I will remember him having the guts to run controversial angles, including the gun incident, wearing a dress, and the Marlena angle.

I however will mostly remember him as a man who busted his butt every night that he performed, to send the fans home believing they got their monies worth.

And rest assured, that he will be remembered.

Rest in peace Brian, see you in heaven.

Brian Sullivan