1 00:00:06,316 --> 00:00:08,402 At the dawn of the 1980s, 2 00:00:08,402 --> 00:00:11,488 Magnum T.A. burst onto the wrestling scene. 3 00:00:11,488 --> 00:00:13,491 With his athleticism, charisma, 4 00:00:13,491 --> 00:00:15,993 and movie star good looks, he quickly became 5 00:00:15,993 --> 00:00:18,579 a top star for Jim Crockett Promotions, 6 00:00:18,579 --> 00:00:20,540 and a valuable weapon in the company's 7 00:00:20,540 --> 00:00:22,333 war against Vince McMahon. 8 00:00:22,333 --> 00:00:24,043 All the big guns come here when they want to 9 00:00:24,043 --> 00:00:27,088 get it done, and that's why Magnum T.A. is here. 10 00:00:27,088 --> 00:00:29,424 At that point in time, Jim Crockett Promotions 11 00:00:29,424 --> 00:00:31,801 was the only other wrestling promotion in the country 12 00:00:31,801 --> 00:00:35,346 that had the ability to compete with Vince McMahon. 13 00:00:35,346 --> 00:00:37,182 There's only one Hulk Hogan, daddy. 14 00:00:37,182 --> 00:00:39,893 I believe that Magnum could've been for Crockett 15 00:00:39,893 --> 00:00:43,021 what Hulk Hogan was for WWF. 16 00:00:43,021 --> 00:00:44,898 There's only one Magnum T.A. 17 00:00:44,898 --> 00:00:46,900 There will ever be only one Magnum T.A. 18 00:00:46,900 --> 00:00:48,360 It was like being a rock star. 19 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,529 I was given the keys to the city. 20 00:00:50,529 --> 00:00:52,448 The sky is the limit. 21 00:00:52,448 --> 00:00:55,868 But Magnum's meteoric rise to fame and fortune 22 00:00:55,868 --> 00:00:57,870 would end in an instant. 23 00:00:57,870 --> 00:00:59,497 The blow took me right into the roof, 24 00:00:59,497 --> 00:01:02,083 and my C5 vertebrae exploded. 25 00:01:02,083 --> 00:01:06,087 Throwing his life and career into tragedy and chaos. 26 00:01:06,087 --> 00:01:07,505 He is in the intensive care unit at 27 00:01:07,505 --> 00:01:09,299 Charlotte Memorial Hospital. 28 00:01:09,299 --> 00:01:11,885 Terry Allen was the future. 29 00:01:11,885 --> 00:01:15,513 You put all your cards in that basket and, 30 00:01:15,513 --> 00:01:17,974 the basket was turned over. 31 00:01:17,974 --> 00:01:19,642 This, you know, devastating thing 32 00:01:19,642 --> 00:01:21,561 changed everyone's reality. 33 00:01:21,561 --> 00:01:23,981 Healthy, wealthy, wise. 34 00:01:23,981 --> 00:01:27,151 All of a sudden, boom... gone. 35 00:01:27,151 --> 00:01:29,028 The story of Magnum T.A. is 36 00:01:29,028 --> 00:01:31,030 the story of what might have been... 37 00:01:31,030 --> 00:01:33,199 not just for the man, himself, 38 00:01:33,199 --> 00:01:35,701 but for the entire wrestling world. 39 00:01:35,701 --> 00:01:38,454 He was told he would not walk again. 40 00:01:38,454 --> 00:01:40,748 ♪ 41 00:01:48,507 --> 00:01:49,925 This is WrestleMania. 42 00:01:49,925 --> 00:01:53,011 This is the thing of today. Hulkamania is running wild. 43 00:01:53,011 --> 00:01:55,680 In the early 1980s, professional wrestling 44 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,267 explodes in popularity, dominated by Vince McMahon, 45 00:01:59,267 --> 00:02:00,936 his star, Hulk Hogan, 46 00:02:00,936 --> 00:02:03,647 and his powerhouse promotion, the WWF. 47 00:02:03,647 --> 00:02:05,899 This Vince McMahon is a genius. 48 00:02:05,899 --> 00:02:08,527 But down south, a rival wrestling company 49 00:02:08,527 --> 00:02:11,697 stands in defiance of the growing McMahon empire. 50 00:02:11,697 --> 00:02:14,784 They know that Jim Crockett... 51 00:02:14,784 --> 00:02:17,995 the wrestling network is the best thing going! 52 00:02:17,995 --> 00:02:20,623 That's why they're here! Yeah! 53 00:02:20,623 --> 00:02:23,626 As smaller companies across the country fold, 54 00:02:23,626 --> 00:02:26,420 Jim Crockett Promotions represents one of the last 55 00:02:26,420 --> 00:02:30,883 lines of defence against the WWF's nationwide takeover. 56 00:02:30,883 --> 00:02:34,721 But where the WWF showcases kid-friendly cartoon personas, 57 00:02:34,721 --> 00:02:37,266 Crockett's brand of pro wrestling is a world of 58 00:02:37,266 --> 00:02:39,893 blood, grit, and glamour. 59 00:02:39,893 --> 00:02:43,480 Soon to appear on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, 60 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,024 Mr. Jim Cornette! 61 00:02:46,024 --> 00:02:48,277 Woo! 62 00:02:48,277 --> 00:02:49,444 I'm Jim Cornette. 63 00:02:49,444 --> 00:02:51,488 I've been involved in wrestling for over 40 years, 64 00:02:51,488 --> 00:02:54,741 but in the 1980s, I was one of the managers that led 65 00:02:54,741 --> 00:02:57,871 many of Magnum T.A.'s opponents to the ring. 66 00:02:57,871 --> 00:02:59,664 Crockett, in the Carolinas, 67 00:02:59,664 --> 00:03:02,500 had a tremendously strong base of fans. 68 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:04,502 And also, that roster- 69 00:03:04,502 --> 00:03:07,088 from Ric Flair, and Dusty Rhodes... 70 00:03:07,088 --> 00:03:09,299 The Road Warriors, The Rock 'N Roll Express... 71 00:03:09,299 --> 00:03:10,925 It went on and on. 72 00:03:10,925 --> 00:03:14,721 That was the gathering place now for all the top wrestlers 73 00:03:14,721 --> 00:03:18,850 that were going to oppose Vince McMahon. 74 00:03:18,850 --> 00:03:22,730 Crockett Promotions, around 1985, 75 00:03:22,730 --> 00:03:24,398 we are on the rise. 76 00:03:24,398 --> 00:03:27,651 We were clicking on all four cylinders. 77 00:03:27,651 --> 00:03:29,987 My name is David Crockett. 78 00:03:29,987 --> 00:03:31,989 Jim Crockett is my father. 79 00:03:31,989 --> 00:03:34,325 I'm Tony Schiavone joined by Mr. Jim Crockett, 80 00:03:34,325 --> 00:03:37,036 President of Jim Crockett Promotions. 81 00:03:37,036 --> 00:03:39,997 You had Vince McMahon, WWF, 82 00:03:39,997 --> 00:03:42,374 that was wanting to take over the country. 83 00:03:42,374 --> 00:03:43,667 It is well documented in the official 84 00:03:43,667 --> 00:03:45,503 World Wrestling Federation magazine that 85 00:03:45,503 --> 00:03:49,174 Mr. Hogan's popularity is, indeed, worldwide. 86 00:03:49,174 --> 00:03:52,093 And, we liked what we were doing. 87 00:03:52,093 --> 00:03:55,555 So, we said, "Nah, that's not gonna happen." 88 00:03:55,555 --> 00:03:57,641 We had a great staple of wrestlers. 89 00:03:57,641 --> 00:04:00,644 Nobody can beat the American Dream! 90 00:04:00,644 --> 00:04:03,939 But, we needed that special something. 91 00:04:03,939 --> 00:04:06,483 Crockett needed somebody for the future. 92 00:04:06,483 --> 00:04:10,237 And if you had a character, kickass babyface over here, 93 00:04:10,237 --> 00:04:12,323 and a legend over here, you always needed 94 00:04:12,323 --> 00:04:14,158 the matinee idol, the movie star 95 00:04:14,158 --> 00:04:16,410 right there in the middle of everything. 96 00:04:16,410 --> 00:04:18,454 Who would be the good guy? 97 00:04:18,454 --> 00:04:21,123 ♪ 98 00:04:21,123 --> 00:04:23,292 Earliest memories of television, like 6, 99 00:04:23,292 --> 00:04:25,795 7 years old, were watching professional wrestling 100 00:04:25,795 --> 00:04:27,296 with my dad. 101 00:04:27,296 --> 00:04:29,965 And it evoked all these emotions of watching guys 102 00:04:29,965 --> 00:04:33,220 that were like real live action superheroes. 103 00:04:33,220 --> 00:04:36,014 So, as a little kid, you start thinking, maybe, 104 00:04:36,014 --> 00:04:38,850 maybe this is something I could do. 105 00:04:38,850 --> 00:04:43,647 And, I was the most unlikely guy to be doing this 106 00:04:43,647 --> 00:04:45,982 'cause I had no athletic background. 107 00:04:45,982 --> 00:04:50,195 My name is Terry Allen, better known as Magnum T.A. 108 00:04:50,195 --> 00:04:52,406 I started out wrestling in the 9th grade, 109 00:04:52,406 --> 00:04:56,536 and I applied myself to it like nothing I'd ever done. 110 00:04:56,536 --> 00:04:58,830 So, as I worked my way up the ranks, 111 00:04:58,830 --> 00:05:00,415 by the time I'm a senior, 112 00:05:00,415 --> 00:05:02,083 I end up winning the state tournament. 113 00:05:02,083 --> 00:05:04,335 Magnum is from Norfolk, Virginia. 114 00:05:04,335 --> 00:05:07,171 And, he was working at a bar in Virginia Beach, 115 00:05:07,171 --> 00:05:10,883 and that's where tons of the Carolina wrestlers would go, 116 00:05:10,883 --> 00:05:12,719 because that was kind of a... 117 00:05:12,719 --> 00:05:14,262 a vacation spot. 118 00:05:14,262 --> 00:05:16,472 When you were up in that part of Virginia for the weekend, 119 00:05:16,472 --> 00:05:19,059 the guys would go party in Virginia Beach. 120 00:05:19,059 --> 00:05:21,645 In the 70s, I was in college, 121 00:05:21,645 --> 00:05:24,940 and I was working security in nightclubs and bars, 122 00:05:24,940 --> 00:05:27,151 and the wrestlers would come down to 123 00:05:27,151 --> 00:05:29,486 the place where I worked. 124 00:05:29,486 --> 00:05:31,071 And you know, they're, you know, 125 00:05:31,071 --> 00:05:33,949 ribbing with me because I'm a big guy. 126 00:05:33,949 --> 00:05:36,160 There was a guy there that saw me, 127 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,954 and his name was Buzz Sawyer. 128 00:05:38,954 --> 00:05:42,333 Buzz Sawyer was one of the most talented in-ring 129 00:05:42,333 --> 00:05:44,169 performers in the history of wrestling, 130 00:05:44,169 --> 00:05:45,754 and was one of the most obnoxious, 131 00:05:45,754 --> 00:05:47,338 crooked, surly, and... 132 00:05:47,338 --> 00:05:50,884 discontented son of a bitches in the world outside of it. 133 00:05:50,884 --> 00:05:53,386 So, Buzz Sawyer sees me. 134 00:05:53,386 --> 00:05:55,221 He's like all buddy-buddy. 135 00:05:55,221 --> 00:05:57,182 Said, "Look, you know, it's really hard to get 136 00:05:57,182 --> 00:05:59,976 into this business, but I can help you." 137 00:05:59,976 --> 00:06:02,854 I feel like this guy is really gonna help me. 138 00:06:02,854 --> 00:06:06,650 So, now I see this as a potential career path. 139 00:06:06,650 --> 00:06:08,736 So, he comes even to my parents' home and 140 00:06:08,736 --> 00:06:10,780 talks with all of us. 141 00:06:10,780 --> 00:06:13,949 Tell us, you know, how tough the business is to get in, 142 00:06:13,949 --> 00:06:16,494 but he has these inroads, and he can help me. 143 00:06:16,494 --> 00:06:20,748 And he tells me a wrestling license costs $10,000. 144 00:06:20,748 --> 00:06:22,082 10 grand. 145 00:06:22,082 --> 00:06:25,377 And, my mom and dad are like, "Phew, 10 grand." 146 00:06:25,377 --> 00:06:27,463 10 grand, might as well have been 100 grand in, 147 00:06:27,463 --> 00:06:31,343 you know, 1979. 148 00:06:31,343 --> 00:06:34,846 My mom believed in me, and she went to her dad, 149 00:06:34,846 --> 00:06:39,476 my Granddaddy Smith, and... 150 00:06:39,476 --> 00:06:41,561 he gave me the money. 151 00:06:41,561 --> 00:06:45,690 Gave me the money. He said, "I believe in you." 152 00:06:45,690 --> 00:06:48,610 And, so... 153 00:06:48,610 --> 00:06:50,570 we give him the money and, you know, 154 00:06:50,570 --> 00:06:53,241 so I'm gonna get in. He's gonna get, get me in the door. 155 00:06:53,241 --> 00:06:56,702 The next thing I know, Buzz has left the Carolinas. 156 00:06:56,702 --> 00:07:00,248 "Psh!" Mind blown. 157 00:07:00,248 --> 00:07:03,751 Buzz was just trying to bilk an aspiring young man out of 158 00:07:03,751 --> 00:07:05,878 some money, and saw where he could get it. 159 00:07:05,878 --> 00:07:07,380 He was an asshole! 160 00:07:07,380 --> 00:07:10,508 Wrestling licenses are still a real thing, 161 00:07:10,508 --> 00:07:12,051 and were a real thing at that point, 162 00:07:12,051 --> 00:07:14,595 in states that have athletic commissions. 163 00:07:14,595 --> 00:07:16,598 If they have an athletic commission, 164 00:07:16,598 --> 00:07:19,143 you have to be licensed to be a wrestler, a manager, 165 00:07:19,143 --> 00:07:20,519 an announcer, or whatever. 166 00:07:20,519 --> 00:07:23,856 They generally cost between 10 and $25. 167 00:07:23,856 --> 00:07:26,483 [Off-screen] [Laughing] [Jim] So... [Laughing] 168 00:07:26,483 --> 00:07:27,818 So, there was no- Buzz Sawyer 169 00:07:27,818 --> 00:07:29,027 wasn't gonna sell Magnum T.A. 170 00:07:29,027 --> 00:07:30,654 any kind of wrestling license. 171 00:07:33,615 --> 00:07:35,659 No. 172 00:07:35,659 --> 00:07:40,206 So, one night, I tell Jimmy Garvin my Buzz Sawyer story. 173 00:07:40,206 --> 00:07:41,666 Jimmy knew Buzz. 174 00:07:41,666 --> 00:07:44,502 He knew all too well what was going on. 175 00:07:44,502 --> 00:07:47,922 Garvin does not lose his cool as quickly as Sawyer. 176 00:07:47,922 --> 00:07:50,425 I encouraged him to go find Buzz and 177 00:07:50,425 --> 00:07:52,886 ask Buzz to hook him up. 178 00:07:52,886 --> 00:07:54,762 And I literally believe he left the next day, 179 00:07:54,762 --> 00:07:57,140 and drove to Oregon. 180 00:07:57,140 --> 00:07:59,267 I found out what his apartment number was, 181 00:07:59,267 --> 00:08:01,978 and- [Clicking tongue]- Knocking on the door. 182 00:08:01,978 --> 00:08:05,232 He opens the door, kind of surprised to see me. 183 00:08:05,232 --> 00:08:08,068 So, he takes me down to the ring the next day, 184 00:08:08,068 --> 00:08:10,654 and I work out for two solid hours. 185 00:08:10,654 --> 00:08:13,032 I learn how to tie up, hit the ropes, 186 00:08:13,032 --> 00:08:16,952 do some spots, take a backdrop. 187 00:08:16,952 --> 00:08:19,371 It wasn't uncommon, in those days 188 00:08:19,371 --> 00:08:23,000 if a guy saw some young perspective talent 189 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,960 that wanted to train or wanted to be taught: 190 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:27,088 "Yeah, I'll take this guy. He's an idiot. 191 00:08:27,088 --> 00:08:29,007 We'll run him off, whatever." 192 00:08:29,007 --> 00:08:30,967 But in this case, it came back to 193 00:08:30,967 --> 00:08:32,552 bite him because Magnum turned out to be 194 00:08:32,552 --> 00:08:34,721 a bigger star than Buzz ever was. 195 00:08:34,721 --> 00:08:35,972 And, the next night, 196 00:08:35,972 --> 00:08:37,682 I wrestled Buzz on television. 197 00:08:37,682 --> 00:08:40,060 They all think, "Hey, he did a pretty good job." 198 00:08:40,060 --> 00:08:41,561 They think I've been in the business. 199 00:08:41,561 --> 00:08:43,647 They think I'm trained. They think Buzz trained me. 200 00:08:43,647 --> 00:08:45,482 Well, he did. He trained me for two hours. 201 00:08:45,482 --> 00:08:48,109 And then, I got booked 7 nights a week. 202 00:08:48,109 --> 00:08:49,986 I knew Magnum from the get-go. 203 00:08:49,986 --> 00:08:52,240 He burst onto the scene, man, and he was... 204 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,200 a breath of fresh air to watch. 205 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:58,913 Jake "The Snake" Roberts! 206 00:08:58,913 --> 00:09:02,250 I am what's left of Jake "The Snake" Roberts. 207 00:09:02,250 --> 00:09:03,501 He was no sucker, man. 208 00:09:03,501 --> 00:09:06,504 He was just so hungry and wanted it so bad. 209 00:09:06,504 --> 00:09:09,548 Terry's unrelenting drive and raw talent 210 00:09:09,548 --> 00:09:11,717 earn him admiration from promoters, 211 00:09:11,717 --> 00:09:13,552 fans, and fellow wrestlers. 212 00:09:13,552 --> 00:09:16,390 His hard work pays off when a single phone call 213 00:09:16,390 --> 00:09:18,976 propels his career to new heights. 214 00:09:18,976 --> 00:09:21,395 Eddie Graham, that owns Florida Championship 215 00:09:21,395 --> 00:09:23,939 Wrestling, so he, boom, picks up the phone, 216 00:09:23,939 --> 00:09:26,400 gives me a call, and he said, "I got a spot for you." 217 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,444 And so, again, I packed up all my belongings and 218 00:09:29,444 --> 00:09:33,115 off I go back across the country, and head south. 219 00:09:33,115 --> 00:09:36,868 That's where the true education of the 220 00:09:36,868 --> 00:09:39,914 wrestling business really started, the day I 221 00:09:39,914 --> 00:09:42,625 stepped foot in that territory of Florida. 222 00:09:42,625 --> 00:09:44,335 From Virginia Beach, Virginia, 223 00:09:44,335 --> 00:09:47,672 weighing in at 240 pounds, Terry Allen! 224 00:09:47,672 --> 00:09:50,425 So, when I first came to the territory in Florida, 225 00:09:50,425 --> 00:09:53,261 the booker, the creative development guy... 226 00:09:53,261 --> 00:09:55,179 American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. 227 00:09:55,179 --> 00:09:56,514 Never met him. 228 00:09:56,514 --> 00:09:59,517 I've seen his pictures on the cover of magazines. 229 00:09:59,517 --> 00:10:01,395 Well, Dusty Rhodes was one of the 230 00:10:01,395 --> 00:10:03,063 greatest wrestlers ever, man. 231 00:10:03,063 --> 00:10:05,691 The best showman ever, without a doubt. 232 00:10:05,691 --> 00:10:08,235 He was our Muhammad Ali. 233 00:10:08,235 --> 00:10:11,989 The booker of a major wrestling promotion is like 234 00:10:11,989 --> 00:10:14,992 the major motion picture director in Hollywood. 235 00:10:14,992 --> 00:10:18,037 He decides the final say on the actors, 236 00:10:18,037 --> 00:10:19,455 who's gonna play the parts. 237 00:10:19,455 --> 00:10:21,665 How they're gonna do it, what their demeanour is, 238 00:10:21,665 --> 00:10:23,417 the way that the thing is shot. 239 00:10:23,417 --> 00:10:25,086 So, the booker was the director. 240 00:10:25,086 --> 00:10:27,922 And Dusty Rhodes saw in Magnum T.A. 241 00:10:27,922 --> 00:10:29,924 his next movie star. 242 00:10:29,924 --> 00:10:31,926 [Cheering] 243 00:10:31,926 --> 00:10:36,639 Dusty had the potential to see talent and charisma 244 00:10:36,639 --> 00:10:39,976 within people that didn't know how to bring it out. 245 00:10:39,976 --> 00:10:42,103 Right here is the global 246 00:10:42,103 --> 00:10:45,774 tag team champion, Terry Allen! 247 00:10:45,774 --> 00:10:49,153 And he became the most influential guy on my career, 248 00:10:49,153 --> 00:10:51,739 of anybody that I ever came in contact with. 249 00:10:51,739 --> 00:10:54,116 Dusty pushed Magnum T.A. 250 00:10:54,116 --> 00:10:57,119 to the heights of pro wrestling. 251 00:10:57,119 --> 00:10:59,246 He believed in him, he teamed with him. 252 00:10:59,246 --> 00:11:01,082 They were personal friends. 253 00:11:01,082 --> 00:11:02,958 Hello, everyone, this is Bill Apter. 254 00:11:02,958 --> 00:11:07,046 And I am the most recognizable journalist and 255 00:11:07,046 --> 00:11:10,341 independent broadcaster in the world of pro wrestling 256 00:11:10,341 --> 00:11:13,303 for the past 51 years. 257 00:11:13,303 --> 00:11:16,223 People used to say that he looked like Tom Selleck. 258 00:11:16,223 --> 00:11:18,934 And Andre The Giant thought so much about that, 259 00:11:18,934 --> 00:11:21,520 that he said to Magnum, "You look like Tom Selleck. 260 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,481 You should call yourself Magnum T.A." 261 00:11:24,481 --> 00:11:25,816 And that's how it happened. 262 00:11:25,816 --> 00:11:28,735 Back in the 80s, there was a TV show with a star 263 00:11:28,735 --> 00:11:31,113 named Tom Selleck, and it was about a detective, 264 00:11:31,113 --> 00:11:33,448 and his name was Magnum, p.i. 265 00:11:33,448 --> 00:11:35,242 So, Andre looks over at me and he says, 266 00:11:35,242 --> 00:11:36,577 "Boss," he said, "you're ready." 267 00:11:36,577 --> 00:11:37,870 And I said, "What do you mean, I'm ready?" 268 00:11:37,870 --> 00:11:39,372 He said, "You're ready for something." 269 00:11:39,372 --> 00:11:41,290 He said, "But you need a handle." 270 00:11:41,290 --> 00:11:43,960 So, he tied it all together and took the Magnum and 271 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:48,714 the Terry Allen, "T.A.", and put that name together. 272 00:11:48,714 --> 00:11:52,051 After just over a year in Florida, Magnum T.A. 273 00:11:52,051 --> 00:11:55,471 returns to the road, this time joining the high-octane 274 00:11:55,471 --> 00:11:58,141 wrestling circuit known as Mid-South. 275 00:11:58,141 --> 00:12:00,144 Magnum T.A.! 276 00:12:00,144 --> 00:12:03,438 Action continues now the popular star, Magnum T.A. 277 00:12:03,438 --> 00:12:05,399 Here's Buddy Nichols to tell us about it. 278 00:12:05,399 --> 00:12:06,984 He's really a very personable young man, 279 00:12:06,984 --> 00:12:08,652 one with a lot of wrestling talent. 280 00:12:08,652 --> 00:12:10,362 And as we mentioned last week, 281 00:12:10,362 --> 00:12:13,782 one with a lot of desire and an opportunity to go 282 00:12:13,782 --> 00:12:16,952 a long way in this wrestling business. 283 00:12:16,952 --> 00:12:20,789 So, I come to Mid-South as Magnum T.A. 284 00:12:20,789 --> 00:12:22,792 I don't know what Magnum T.A. means 285 00:12:22,792 --> 00:12:24,919 at this point in time. It's a name. 286 00:12:24,919 --> 00:12:27,922 I don't know how this translates into me. 287 00:12:27,922 --> 00:12:31,342 And, nor do the people that have brought me in. 288 00:12:31,342 --> 00:12:34,929 So, one week they're telling me to wear suits and ties. 289 00:12:34,929 --> 00:12:36,931 And, we do that for a couple weeks and they say, 290 00:12:36,931 --> 00:12:38,725 "You don't really seem comfortable in that." 291 00:12:38,725 --> 00:12:41,478 Oh, then they say, "Well, maybe..." 292 00:12:41,478 --> 00:12:42,979 you know, punk rock was kind of a thing, 293 00:12:42,979 --> 00:12:45,315 they wanted me to wear like some punk rock clothes. 294 00:12:45,315 --> 00:12:47,610 I'm not comfortable at all in this, 295 00:12:47,610 --> 00:12:50,196 but we go through all these little things 296 00:12:50,196 --> 00:12:54,158 they're trying to do. Nothing's clicking. 297 00:12:54,158 --> 00:12:55,743 So, I call Dusty up. 298 00:12:55,743 --> 00:12:57,203 I said, "I need to do something else. 299 00:12:57,203 --> 00:12:58,579 They don't know what to do with me." 300 00:12:58,579 --> 00:13:00,915 He said, "I got it, baby. I got it, it's all good." 301 00:13:00,915 --> 00:13:03,042 He said, "Well, I'll tell you what you do." He said, 302 00:13:03,042 --> 00:13:07,213 "You go down and buy you a brand-new Harley Davison." 303 00:13:07,213 --> 00:13:09,674 So, I bought a motorcycle jacket when I bought the 304 00:13:09,674 --> 00:13:12,344 new bike, and I ride that bike into town with 305 00:13:12,344 --> 00:13:15,347 that jacket on, and everybody looks, 306 00:13:15,347 --> 00:13:18,099 and it changed the whole perception, 307 00:13:18,099 --> 00:13:21,102 immediately, of who I was. 308 00:13:21,102 --> 00:13:23,438 Clint Eastwood, and Charles Bronson, 309 00:13:23,438 --> 00:13:25,315 and Bruce Lee, and John Wayne 310 00:13:25,315 --> 00:13:27,651 all wrapped up in one package in a leather jacket. 311 00:13:27,651 --> 00:13:31,029 He had the perfect look for professional wrestling. 312 00:13:31,029 --> 00:13:33,866 The perfect size, the physique, the face, 313 00:13:33,866 --> 00:13:35,243 the whole nine yards. 314 00:13:35,243 --> 00:13:39,455 This incredible "it" factor that I had not seen in 315 00:13:39,455 --> 00:13:43,251 a lot of pro wrestlers, he had it. 316 00:13:43,251 --> 00:13:44,877 He was going up the ladder, man. 317 00:13:44,877 --> 00:13:46,420 He had it all. 318 00:13:46,420 --> 00:13:48,256 He was burning it up there for a while. 319 00:13:48,256 --> 00:13:50,925 But, of course... 320 00:13:50,925 --> 00:13:52,802 not very long. [Sighing] 321 00:14:00,143 --> 00:14:02,354 Magnum T.A. is a rising star and 322 00:14:02,354 --> 00:14:05,023 a fan-favourite in the Mid-South territory 323 00:14:05,023 --> 00:14:07,109 when he receives an offer that will 324 00:14:07,109 --> 00:14:09,528 change the course of his career. 325 00:14:09,528 --> 00:14:11,530 I get the phone call, and Dusty says, 326 00:14:11,530 --> 00:14:13,365 "I want to introduce you to Jim Crockett." 327 00:14:13,365 --> 00:14:15,617 He puts Jim Crockett on the phone with me, and says, 328 00:14:15,617 --> 00:14:18,328 "Look, I will promise you if you come here, 329 00:14:18,328 --> 00:14:22,000 I will give you the greatest opportunity that anybody 330 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,877 could ever ask for in the business." 331 00:14:24,877 --> 00:14:27,088 I first met Magnum T.A. when 332 00:14:27,088 --> 00:14:29,048 he walked into the office. 333 00:14:29,048 --> 00:14:31,301 You know, here's this tall, what- 334 00:14:31,301 --> 00:14:33,678 6"1, 6"2- very well built, 335 00:14:33,678 --> 00:14:35,722 blonde hair coming down. 336 00:14:35,722 --> 00:14:40,226 These piercing eyes. And this husky, raspy voice. 337 00:14:40,226 --> 00:14:42,895 Looking at the women in the office, they all- 338 00:14:42,895 --> 00:14:44,565 you know, they do that. 339 00:14:44,565 --> 00:14:47,401 So, that is the total package. 340 00:14:47,401 --> 00:14:51,947 The camera, who is the main judge, loved him. 341 00:14:51,947 --> 00:14:53,824 All the fans have been waiting for this man, 342 00:14:53,824 --> 00:14:56,243 Magnum T.A.! And here he is! 343 00:14:56,243 --> 00:14:59,163 You didn't have to put lights on him to make him look good. 344 00:14:59,163 --> 00:15:01,498 He just, he glowed. 345 00:15:01,498 --> 00:15:03,459 Magnum T.A.'s coming for one reason, 346 00:15:03,459 --> 00:15:04,585 one reason only. 347 00:15:04,585 --> 00:15:06,378 Coming for the US heavyweight championship. 348 00:15:06,378 --> 00:15:08,923 Almost immediately, Crockett goes and 349 00:15:08,923 --> 00:15:12,594 barters a deal to go on TBS, on the SuperStation. 350 00:15:12,594 --> 00:15:14,721 The moment we went on the SuperStation, 351 00:15:14,721 --> 00:15:15,972 everything changed. 352 00:15:15,972 --> 00:15:18,641 They territory started popping immediately and, 353 00:15:18,641 --> 00:15:20,477 we blew the roof off the place. 354 00:15:20,477 --> 00:15:22,520 ♪ 355 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,939 My name is Tamara Howell. 356 00:15:24,939 --> 00:15:27,817 And, I was married to Terry Allen. 357 00:15:27,817 --> 00:15:31,238 We were together from 1981... 358 00:15:31,238 --> 00:15:33,824 until 1988. 359 00:15:33,824 --> 00:15:37,620 He got this raincoat jacket. 360 00:15:37,620 --> 00:15:41,248 He loved it. It was his Jesse James look. 361 00:15:41,248 --> 00:15:44,210 We did talk about having a family, 362 00:15:44,210 --> 00:15:46,712 but we were waiting until he became 363 00:15:46,712 --> 00:15:50,341 the world championship title holder. 364 00:15:50,341 --> 00:15:53,260 Here, we were at the baptism of 365 00:15:53,260 --> 00:15:56,056 Dusty and Michelle's son, Cody. 366 00:15:56,056 --> 00:15:58,016 That's pretty special. 367 00:15:58,016 --> 00:16:00,852 The minute I make the emotional decision that 368 00:16:00,852 --> 00:16:03,063 I'm gonna settle down and I'm gonna get married, 369 00:16:03,063 --> 00:16:06,024 immediately, my career path says, 370 00:16:06,024 --> 00:16:08,318 "We want to promote you as a sex symbol. 371 00:16:08,318 --> 00:16:10,779 We want you to be our superstar. 372 00:16:10,779 --> 00:16:14,074 We want you to be the- the people, everybody, 373 00:16:14,074 --> 00:16:16,535 tear their hair out and want to get a hold of." 374 00:16:16,535 --> 00:16:19,997 [Cheering & match bell ringing] 375 00:16:19,997 --> 00:16:21,624 He was the rock star. 376 00:16:21,624 --> 00:16:24,961 The cheers for Magnum were the squeals of 377 00:16:24,961 --> 00:16:26,879 the women in the audience. 378 00:16:26,879 --> 00:16:29,257 It was hysteria. 379 00:16:29,257 --> 00:16:32,301 [Terry] It was just absolute insanity. 380 00:16:32,301 --> 00:16:34,095 And it was the wild, wild west from 381 00:16:34,095 --> 00:16:35,513 the partying standpoint, 382 00:16:35,513 --> 00:16:37,974 the girls in every port, in every place. 383 00:16:37,974 --> 00:16:39,517 It was bad. 384 00:16:39,517 --> 00:16:41,895 You know, it was like Animal House, 24/7. 385 00:16:41,895 --> 00:16:45,149 And more than any red -blooded male can handle. 386 00:16:45,149 --> 00:16:47,025 They were getting the motel key and 387 00:16:47,025 --> 00:16:49,069 panty treatment every night. 388 00:16:49,069 --> 00:16:50,279 It was insane. 389 00:16:50,279 --> 00:16:51,613 They had more sex on the way to the ring 390 00:16:51,613 --> 00:16:53,198 than I've had in my life. 391 00:16:53,198 --> 00:16:55,325 [Off-screen] [Laughing] 392 00:16:55,325 --> 00:16:57,119 You always play to the audience, 393 00:16:57,119 --> 00:16:58,412 whether it's male or female. 394 00:16:58,412 --> 00:17:00,247 I mean, the women crying? 395 00:17:00,247 --> 00:17:02,708 They'd want to get close to him after the match and 396 00:17:02,708 --> 00:17:04,752 get blood off of him. You know, 397 00:17:04,752 --> 00:17:06,713 "Oh, I'm never washing my hands again!" 398 00:17:06,713 --> 00:17:09,757 [Laughing] 399 00:17:09,757 --> 00:17:14,095 Well, I definitely could see his popularity. 400 00:17:14,095 --> 00:17:15,889 We were in a mall. 401 00:17:15,889 --> 00:17:18,516 We were in a boot store, and this girl 402 00:17:18,516 --> 00:17:20,977 just fainted, seeing him. 403 00:17:20,977 --> 00:17:25,565 She got all flustered, and turned red, and fainted. 404 00:17:25,565 --> 00:17:28,986 So, I think if everyone thinks you're the 405 00:17:28,986 --> 00:17:31,238 best thing since sliced bread, 406 00:17:31,238 --> 00:17:34,700 you might start believing that. 407 00:17:34,700 --> 00:17:37,203 I didn't work outside of the home. 408 00:17:37,203 --> 00:17:40,498 I always would unpack his dressing bag 409 00:17:40,498 --> 00:17:42,333 from the night before. 410 00:17:42,333 --> 00:17:46,629 And, when I was doing that, he had pictures in there. 411 00:17:46,629 --> 00:17:49,298 I had taken out the pictures, 412 00:17:49,298 --> 00:17:51,509 and I just was flipping through them. 413 00:17:51,509 --> 00:17:53,553 And, then I stopped, and I was like, 414 00:17:53,553 --> 00:17:56,723 wait a minute, I don't have that bag. 415 00:17:56,723 --> 00:17:58,934 I thought it was me in the picture, 416 00:17:58,934 --> 00:18:01,728 but she had a different handbag than 417 00:18:01,728 --> 00:18:03,605 I would have carried so, 418 00:18:03,605 --> 00:18:07,192 and I realized that wasn't me. 419 00:18:07,192 --> 00:18:11,363 And I hadn't been wherever they were, so... 420 00:18:11,363 --> 00:18:14,616 As Terry's rising fame pushes his marriage to the brink, 421 00:18:14,616 --> 00:18:18,621 a powerful opponent emerges, a Soviet era strongman, 422 00:18:18,621 --> 00:18:21,290 bringing the Cold War to the wrestling ring. 423 00:18:21,290 --> 00:18:23,251 Was I intimidated by Magnum T.A.? 424 00:18:23,251 --> 00:18:26,170 Ah, ah, I think it was the other way around, ah... 425 00:18:26,170 --> 00:18:28,965 I think he was intimidated by me. 426 00:18:28,965 --> 00:18:30,841 I am Nikita Koloff, 427 00:18:30,841 --> 00:18:33,344 better known to the wrestling fans as... 428 00:18:33,344 --> 00:18:36,055 "The Russian Nightmare". [Speaking Russian] 429 00:18:42,771 --> 00:18:45,107 I hail from the great state of Minnesota. 430 00:18:45,107 --> 00:18:47,025 Not from Russia like I portrayed 431 00:18:47,025 --> 00:18:49,444 back in the wrestling days. 432 00:18:49,444 --> 00:18:52,114 Well, in the 80s, the United States 433 00:18:52,114 --> 00:18:54,491 and Russian political situation- 434 00:18:54,491 --> 00:18:58,537 here you have Magnum T.A., American made. 435 00:18:58,537 --> 00:19:00,455 So, you had the Russian might 436 00:19:00,455 --> 00:19:02,207 against the American made. 437 00:19:02,207 --> 00:19:03,668 Magnum T.A. or- 438 00:19:03,668 --> 00:19:04,878 [Russian accent] "Maga T.A.", 439 00:19:04,878 --> 00:19:06,504 as I used to call him, 440 00:19:06,504 --> 00:19:08,923 he had that whole look of that all-American. 441 00:19:08,923 --> 00:19:10,508 I'm like, man, this is, you might say, 442 00:19:10,508 --> 00:19:12,176 a match made in heaven. 443 00:19:12,176 --> 00:19:14,887 And they had this incredible series, 444 00:19:14,887 --> 00:19:17,807 the 'Best of 7' series. 445 00:19:17,807 --> 00:19:19,767 It was one of the greatest feuds in 446 00:19:19,767 --> 00:19:21,519 pro wrestling history. 447 00:19:21,519 --> 00:19:23,354 Between the number one challenger, 448 00:19:23,354 --> 00:19:25,231 who is Nikita Koloff, 449 00:19:25,231 --> 00:19:27,610 and the former champion, Magnum T. A. 450 00:19:27,610 --> 00:19:30,946 There's gotta be a clear-cut winner for 4 matches. 451 00:19:30,946 --> 00:19:33,490 And Nikita Koloff, there's never gonna be a day 452 00:19:33,490 --> 00:19:35,784 in my life that I'll look up to a Russian and 453 00:19:35,784 --> 00:19:38,996 call you a superior athlete. 454 00:19:38,996 --> 00:19:43,375 Match #1, I have set myself to be this physical specimen, 455 00:19:43,375 --> 00:19:45,794 and so, to go up one-nothing. 456 00:19:45,794 --> 00:19:49,423 So, the way we just built the story and how each match 457 00:19:49,423 --> 00:19:51,176 was finished, you know, whether it was a, 458 00:19:51,176 --> 00:19:53,678 a dominating victory on my part. 459 00:19:53,678 --> 00:19:55,513 Going up two to nothing. 460 00:19:55,513 --> 00:19:58,224 And then to go up three to nothing. 461 00:19:58,224 --> 00:20:00,769 And then he catches me by surprise, 462 00:20:00,769 --> 00:20:02,771 and he wins that first. 463 00:20:02,771 --> 00:20:04,105 Three to one. 464 00:20:04,105 --> 00:20:06,858 And the winner of match #4... 465 00:20:06,858 --> 00:20:10,236 Magnum T.A.! 466 00:20:10,236 --> 00:20:12,572 He slips by and wins, three to two. 467 00:20:12,572 --> 00:20:14,408 Oh, my gosh, there's hope. 468 00:20:14,408 --> 00:20:17,161 There's hope for America. 469 00:20:17,161 --> 00:20:21,874 Match #6, and he squeaks out another victory, 470 00:20:21,874 --> 00:20:24,001 and now it's three to three. 471 00:20:24,001 --> 00:20:28,047 And it's gonna come down to that final match, #7. 472 00:20:28,047 --> 00:20:29,173 [Cheering] 473 00:20:29,173 --> 00:20:31,384 The man standing before you right now is 474 00:20:31,384 --> 00:20:33,135 the man that's gonna take it all home. 475 00:20:33,135 --> 00:20:36,180 Bring it home right here, United States of America. 476 00:20:36,180 --> 00:20:38,308 It couldn't have been set up any better. 477 00:20:38,308 --> 00:20:41,687 [Cheering] 478 00:20:41,687 --> 00:20:45,315 And Nikita Koloff gets the 1, 2, 3. 479 00:20:45,315 --> 00:20:46,566 [Match bell ringing] 480 00:20:46,566 --> 00:20:47,901 Man, I want to tell you, 481 00:20:47,901 --> 00:20:52,114 the fans were not happy that night, boy. 482 00:20:52,114 --> 00:20:54,241 Talk about heat. 483 00:20:54,241 --> 00:20:57,452 The heat on me elevated 484 00:20:57,452 --> 00:20:59,996 to a whole 'nother level. 485 00:20:59,996 --> 00:21:03,334 And so, of course, Magnum, now he's got to chase and 486 00:21:03,334 --> 00:21:05,795 get back that US title that, by the way, 487 00:21:05,795 --> 00:21:07,880 sets you up as #1 contender for the 488 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:10,466 world heavyweight title back in those days. 489 00:21:10,466 --> 00:21:13,970 Now the chase is on. 490 00:21:13,970 --> 00:21:17,557 1986 was pretty much the culmination of a 491 00:21:17,557 --> 00:21:20,643 long-running rivalry between Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair 492 00:21:20,643 --> 00:21:22,228 for the world title. 493 00:21:22,228 --> 00:21:25,065 And next in line, whenever that trigger would have 494 00:21:25,065 --> 00:21:28,110 been pulled, was Ric Flair and Magnum T.A. 495 00:21:28,110 --> 00:21:30,320 Into '87, '88, that would have been 496 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:31,363 the direction they were going. 497 00:21:31,363 --> 00:21:32,781 Who's gonna be the world champion? 498 00:21:32,781 --> 00:21:34,700 Who's gonna be the dominant guy in the NWA- 499 00:21:34,700 --> 00:21:36,452 Ric Flair or Magnum T.A.? 500 00:21:36,452 --> 00:21:38,328 In the 70s, 80s, 501 00:21:38,328 --> 00:21:40,289 the National Wrestling Alliance World's 502 00:21:40,289 --> 00:21:43,459 Heavyweight title is the most coveted wrestling title 503 00:21:43,459 --> 00:21:45,127 you could go after. 504 00:21:45,127 --> 00:21:48,715 That 10 pounds of gold belt was an amazing thing. 505 00:21:48,715 --> 00:21:50,300 And he was gonna get that... 506 00:21:50,300 --> 00:21:51,551 no doubt about it. 507 00:21:51,551 --> 00:21:55,930 Because, the powers that be loved him, you know. 508 00:21:55,930 --> 00:21:57,599 And they trusted him. 509 00:21:57,599 --> 00:21:59,601 The "powers that be" are the promoters of the 510 00:21:59,601 --> 00:22:02,687 National Wrestling Alliance, the governing body of the 511 00:22:02,687 --> 00:22:05,565 majority of the nation's regional territories, 512 00:22:05,565 --> 00:22:08,109 including Jim Crockett Promotions. 513 00:22:08,109 --> 00:22:10,278 There was a meeting that Dusty, and I, 514 00:22:10,278 --> 00:22:12,364 and Jim Crockett had, 515 00:22:12,364 --> 00:22:13,866 where we flew up to New York, 516 00:22:13,866 --> 00:22:15,493 went out to dinner. 517 00:22:15,493 --> 00:22:18,412 And, they told me that the decision had been made, 518 00:22:18,412 --> 00:22:21,332 the NWA had blessed it, and that I was gonna be 519 00:22:21,332 --> 00:22:23,584 the next world's heavyweight champion. 520 00:22:23,584 --> 00:22:25,169 ♪ 521 00:22:25,169 --> 00:22:28,881 The trajectory was to take the next step, 522 00:22:28,881 --> 00:22:31,133 move away from Nikita so I could 523 00:22:31,133 --> 00:22:33,302 move back into that chase. 524 00:22:33,302 --> 00:22:35,806 But in the meantime, we've got this new, 525 00:22:35,806 --> 00:22:39,101 brash, fresh, smack-talking heel 526 00:22:39,101 --> 00:22:41,520 named Jimmy Garvin that comes in. 527 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:43,855 And we got this great new opportunity. 528 00:22:43,855 --> 00:22:48,193 This is "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin! 529 00:22:48,193 --> 00:22:50,195 And this angle with Terry, and Patty and I 530 00:22:50,195 --> 00:22:52,155 was gonna be huge. 531 00:22:52,155 --> 00:22:55,158 And I have confidence because I know that I'm the greatest 532 00:22:55,158 --> 00:22:58,161 athlete in the world, and nobody can beat me. 533 00:22:58,161 --> 00:23:00,623 But, you know, I had that match with him in 534 00:23:00,623 --> 00:23:02,416 Greenville, South Carolina that night... 535 00:23:02,416 --> 00:23:03,459 [Thunder] 536 00:23:03,459 --> 00:23:04,460 ...heck of a match, and we were 537 00:23:04,460 --> 00:23:07,129 getting ready to blow the territory wide open. 538 00:23:07,129 --> 00:23:08,673 It just never happened because that was 539 00:23:08,673 --> 00:23:10,466 the night of the incident. 540 00:23:17,139 --> 00:23:19,350 And now, here's your host, senior editor of 541 00:23:19,350 --> 00:23:23,522 Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Bill Apter! 542 00:23:23,522 --> 00:23:25,274 Last week's show with Magnum T.A. 543 00:23:25,274 --> 00:23:27,109 got such a great response, we've asked the 544 00:23:27,109 --> 00:23:30,237 US champ, Magnum T.A., to be with us again this week. 545 00:23:30,237 --> 00:23:33,574 Magnum, 1985 was a darn good year for you. 546 00:23:33,574 --> 00:23:35,617 What's '86 have in store for you? 547 00:23:35,617 --> 00:23:38,036 Well, '86 will be a continuation of the quest 548 00:23:38,036 --> 00:23:40,539 that I started in 1985, which was for the world's 549 00:23:40,539 --> 00:23:42,583 heavyweight championship held by Ric Flair. 550 00:23:42,583 --> 00:23:44,501 He was going right to the top. 551 00:23:44,501 --> 00:23:47,630 I could not see any road taking him 552 00:23:47,630 --> 00:23:50,091 anywhere else except to the top. 553 00:23:50,091 --> 00:23:51,926 We had everything... 554 00:23:51,926 --> 00:23:55,889 sunk into him. Terry Allen was the future. 555 00:23:55,889 --> 00:23:58,266 As Magnum T.A. closes in on 556 00:23:58,266 --> 00:23:59,851 the heavyweight title, 557 00:23:59,851 --> 00:24:02,604 he begins living the life of a world champion. 558 00:24:02,604 --> 00:24:04,647 At that time, I had more money than I had sense. 559 00:24:04,647 --> 00:24:06,107 I walked in the Porsche dealership, 560 00:24:06,107 --> 00:24:08,610 and they had a brand-new 911 Turbo sitting out 561 00:24:08,610 --> 00:24:11,155 on the floor, and that was the Mac Daddy. 562 00:24:11,155 --> 00:24:12,615 "Write me up, I'm taking it." 563 00:24:12,615 --> 00:24:14,325 It was quick and it was cool, and... 564 00:24:14,325 --> 00:24:15,492 [Screeching tires] 565 00:24:15,492 --> 00:24:19,038 I had the need for speed, like Top Gun. 566 00:24:19,038 --> 00:24:21,665 You know, it had a combustion engine in it, 567 00:24:21,665 --> 00:24:24,960 and it was loud, and it was fast. I liked it. 568 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,047 My plan was to have a run with the belt, I'm 27. 569 00:24:28,047 --> 00:24:29,715 By the time I'm 30, out of it, 570 00:24:29,715 --> 00:24:31,508 and then go drive NASCARs. 571 00:24:31,508 --> 00:24:33,720 I didn't want to be running around in my underwear 572 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:35,597 in front of people at 37 years' old. 573 00:24:35,597 --> 00:24:38,058 I thought that was ridiculous. 574 00:24:38,058 --> 00:24:40,894 On October 14th, 1986, 575 00:24:40,894 --> 00:24:43,271 after defeating Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin 576 00:24:43,271 --> 00:24:45,607 in front of a roaring crowd in South Carolina... 577 00:24:45,607 --> 00:24:46,942 [Thunder] 578 00:24:46,942 --> 00:24:48,944 Magnum T.A. hits the road in his 579 00:24:48,944 --> 00:24:51,404 prized Porsche 911. 580 00:24:51,404 --> 00:24:53,323 I'm 5 minutes from my house. 581 00:24:53,323 --> 00:24:55,533 I'm on a two-lane road that 582 00:24:55,533 --> 00:24:56,953 I've driven hundreds of times, and it's like 583 00:24:56,953 --> 00:24:58,579 the horse turns the corner and knows 584 00:24:58,579 --> 00:25:00,706 the barn's right there, and I'm on the track. 585 00:25:00,706 --> 00:25:03,793 [Thunder] 586 00:25:03,793 --> 00:25:06,045 It was raining so hard, you know, coming back, 587 00:25:06,045 --> 00:25:07,463 you could barely see. 588 00:25:07,463 --> 00:25:10,257 The road that I was traveling on that night had a little, 589 00:25:10,257 --> 00:25:12,760 slight bend curve in it. 590 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:14,387 Right in the middle of the curve, 591 00:25:14,387 --> 00:25:17,723 was a little divot in the road where water had 592 00:25:17,723 --> 00:25:20,769 gathered probably 2, 3 inches of water 593 00:25:20,769 --> 00:25:22,270 all the way across the road. 594 00:25:22,270 --> 00:25:24,273 When I went around the corner and that dip 595 00:25:24,273 --> 00:25:26,108 right in the middle, the car hydroplaned. 596 00:25:26,108 --> 00:25:29,278 When a car hydroplanes, it means your tire patch 597 00:25:29,278 --> 00:25:32,447 loses contact with that road, so my tires were 598 00:25:32,447 --> 00:25:34,992 actually floating on top of that water. 599 00:25:34,992 --> 00:25:38,203 So, I did what I had done before to counteract 600 00:25:38,203 --> 00:25:40,664 something, and I made the situation worse. 601 00:25:40,664 --> 00:25:42,124 [Screeching tires] 602 00:25:42,124 --> 00:25:44,711 The car spun violently the other direction, 603 00:25:44,711 --> 00:25:47,255 and I broadsided a telephone pole 604 00:25:47,255 --> 00:25:49,215 so hard that it cut it in half. 605 00:25:49,215 --> 00:25:50,550 [Impact] 606 00:25:50,550 --> 00:25:53,511 It happened so fast, it was violent. 607 00:25:53,511 --> 00:25:58,016 And the blow was like I had been hit by a freight train. 608 00:25:58,016 --> 00:26:02,228 ♪ [Horn blaring] ♪ 609 00:26:02,228 --> 00:26:05,940 I didn't know I was not okay until I couldn't move. 610 00:26:05,940 --> 00:26:09,570 And I was so big in the car that my shoulder was 611 00:26:09,570 --> 00:26:11,155 right up against the door. 612 00:26:11,155 --> 00:26:14,116 And I had just maybe an inch of headroom, 613 00:26:14,116 --> 00:26:16,410 so the blow took me right into the roof. 614 00:26:16,410 --> 00:26:18,746 The emergency crew came, and one of them 615 00:26:18,746 --> 00:26:21,707 grabbed me by my jacket to try to pull me up. 616 00:26:21,707 --> 00:26:24,752 And the other guy stopped him and said, "No, don't." 617 00:26:24,752 --> 00:26:27,546 I can't move, so they use the jaws of life, 618 00:26:27,546 --> 00:26:29,006 cut the whole top of the car off, 619 00:26:29,006 --> 00:26:30,842 peeled it back like a tin can. 620 00:26:30,842 --> 00:26:33,511 And, stabilize me, they couldn't air lift me out 621 00:26:33,511 --> 00:26:36,431 'cause it was raining so hard, took me by ambulance. 622 00:26:36,431 --> 00:26:39,142 It changed my life, it changed the people 623 00:26:39,142 --> 00:26:41,186 I worked for, it changed my family. 624 00:26:41,186 --> 00:26:43,354 It changed everybody in a nanosecond. 625 00:26:43,354 --> 00:26:47,609 [Thunder] 626 00:26:47,609 --> 00:26:49,486 The police called me. 627 00:26:49,486 --> 00:26:52,113 They were taking him to the hospital. 628 00:26:52,113 --> 00:26:54,408 On my way to the hospital... 629 00:26:54,408 --> 00:26:55,951 [Thunder] 630 00:26:55,951 --> 00:26:58,621 I was behind the tow truck that 631 00:26:58,621 --> 00:27:00,539 had his Porsche on it. 632 00:27:00,539 --> 00:27:03,834 And, to see the Porsche the way it was, 633 00:27:03,834 --> 00:27:06,212 was very frightening. 634 00:27:06,212 --> 00:27:08,506 The roof was off... 635 00:27:08,506 --> 00:27:10,508 It was a mess, it looked like... 636 00:27:10,508 --> 00:27:13,094 he probably was dead. 637 00:27:13,094 --> 00:27:17,139 Well, they took me aside and they told me that 638 00:27:17,139 --> 00:27:20,644 he had fractured his vertebrae. 639 00:27:20,644 --> 00:27:24,272 They needed to get him into surgery, quickly. 640 00:27:24,272 --> 00:27:26,900 My first view of a medical professional that's giving me 641 00:27:26,900 --> 00:27:30,028 a diagnosis, you know, he would use the words, 642 00:27:30,028 --> 00:27:34,449 "C5 quadriplegic," and, "neck-down paralysis". 643 00:27:34,449 --> 00:27:38,328 Million to one shot of ever attaining any level of 644 00:27:38,328 --> 00:27:41,414 mobility beyond sitting in a wheelchair and being 645 00:27:41,414 --> 00:27:44,752 taken care of by someone for the rest of your life. 646 00:27:44,752 --> 00:27:46,546 Matter of fact, they were just trying to figure out 647 00:27:46,546 --> 00:27:47,755 how I was gonna breathe. 648 00:27:47,755 --> 00:27:49,132 They said my lungs were paralyzed. 649 00:27:49,132 --> 00:27:50,424 I mean, they were saying things to me like, 650 00:27:50,424 --> 00:27:52,051 "Well, maybe you might be able to be on 651 00:27:52,051 --> 00:27:54,971 an iron lung instead of a ventilator." 652 00:27:54,971 --> 00:27:56,973 A guy's in intensive care, 653 00:27:56,973 --> 00:27:58,683 they've got him all hooked up. 654 00:27:58,683 --> 00:28:00,726 They keep him sedated. 655 00:28:00,726 --> 00:28:06,024 You just fear for the worst. You know, and it was... 656 00:28:06,024 --> 00:28:07,901 you know, is he truly gonna make it? 657 00:28:07,901 --> 00:28:10,404 You know, what was going through his mind? 658 00:28:10,404 --> 00:28:14,491 They're shooting me up with morphine every time I blink 659 00:28:14,491 --> 00:28:16,076 because they can't communicate with me. 660 00:28:16,076 --> 00:28:18,203 If I try to communicate anything, 661 00:28:18,203 --> 00:28:19,705 they think I'm hurting. 662 00:28:19,705 --> 00:28:22,457 So, I'm in such bad shape, they're just zapping me 663 00:28:22,457 --> 00:28:24,710 with the moon and stars. 664 00:28:24,710 --> 00:28:26,920 ♪ 665 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:30,383 My brother came in, and he just said... 666 00:28:30,383 --> 00:28:33,261 "He'll never, ever... 667 00:28:33,261 --> 00:28:34,971 get in the ring again." 668 00:28:43,021 --> 00:28:44,689 According to the police report, 669 00:28:44,689 --> 00:28:46,774 Allen was going south here on Sardis Road, 670 00:28:46,774 --> 00:28:48,902 away from town, when his car went off the road 671 00:28:48,902 --> 00:28:51,279 on the far side back there, about 200 feet. 672 00:28:51,279 --> 00:28:53,657 He apparently tried to correct and bring it back 673 00:28:53,657 --> 00:28:55,409 onto the road, but it was slippery, 674 00:28:55,409 --> 00:28:57,119 and he ended up on this side, 675 00:28:57,119 --> 00:28:59,163 slamming into this telephone pole 676 00:28:59,163 --> 00:29:01,832 with enough force to break it in half. 677 00:29:01,832 --> 00:29:04,710 ♪ 678 00:29:04,710 --> 00:29:06,462 Memorial spokesperson, Cecily Newton, 679 00:29:06,462 --> 00:29:09,173 explained that Magnum has a spinal cord injury that is 680 00:29:09,173 --> 00:29:11,926 localized to the 5th cervical vertebrae. 681 00:29:11,926 --> 00:29:13,677 And, it exploded. 682 00:29:13,677 --> 00:29:15,679 It sent the bone fragments back and created 683 00:29:15,679 --> 00:29:17,933 compression on the spinal cord. 684 00:29:17,933 --> 00:29:20,143 [Jim] It was on every news channel. 685 00:29:20,143 --> 00:29:22,270 You saw the pictures of that car. 686 00:29:22,270 --> 00:29:25,649 And it's an absolute miracle that anybody was alive. 687 00:29:25,649 --> 00:29:28,318 It was completely destroyed. 688 00:29:28,318 --> 00:29:31,279 It was the front page of The Charlotte Observer. 689 00:29:31,279 --> 00:29:34,241 It's a type of situation where you don't believe it 690 00:29:34,241 --> 00:29:36,159 has happened until you actually see him, 691 00:29:36,159 --> 00:29:37,744 and no one has been able to see him so, 692 00:29:37,744 --> 00:29:39,037 we're still kind of stunned. 693 00:29:39,037 --> 00:29:42,625 Radio, newspaper, we really didn't have internet. 694 00:29:42,625 --> 00:29:45,419 So, it was all word of mouth. 695 00:29:45,419 --> 00:29:46,921 I'm sorry, ma'am, that's the only thing 696 00:29:46,921 --> 00:29:48,839 I'm permitted to release at this time. 697 00:29:48,839 --> 00:29:51,801 Memorial Hospital has fielded some 8 to 10,000 698 00:29:51,801 --> 00:29:53,427 phone calls about Magnum T.A. 699 00:29:53,427 --> 00:29:55,513 since the wrestling star was admitted. 700 00:29:55,513 --> 00:29:58,307 The hospital lobby looks like a florist convention. 701 00:29:58,307 --> 00:30:01,686 I think he received the most letters of anyone there 702 00:30:01,686 --> 00:30:03,397 at their hospital. 703 00:30:03,397 --> 00:30:06,483 I do have the newspaper clippings and bags, 704 00:30:06,483 --> 00:30:09,903 and bags of mail we received. 705 00:30:09,903 --> 00:30:12,406 The hospital got so many calls, 706 00:30:12,406 --> 00:30:14,324 they had to shut the switchboard down. 707 00:30:14,324 --> 00:30:18,495 There were candlelight vigils of fans outside the hospital. 708 00:30:18,495 --> 00:30:21,498 We love you, Magnum! 709 00:30:21,498 --> 00:30:25,210 A lot of people held him close to their heart. 710 00:30:25,210 --> 00:30:28,423 Marion Allen has been with her son since the accident. 711 00:30:28,423 --> 00:30:30,967 This afternoon, she wanted to thank all of the people 712 00:30:30,967 --> 00:30:33,177 who have sent prayers and cards. 713 00:30:33,177 --> 00:30:35,638 It has been rough in a lot of cases, 714 00:30:35,638 --> 00:30:38,099 but I just don't think I could have gotten through 715 00:30:38,099 --> 00:30:40,768 this time without all that love and positive energy that 716 00:30:40,768 --> 00:30:42,854 I felt flowing around me. 717 00:30:42,854 --> 00:30:45,315 Back in the day, like, we didn't go to the hospital 718 00:30:45,315 --> 00:30:47,984 'cause kayfabe, you know, I was a heel, 719 00:30:47,984 --> 00:30:49,986 he was a babyface, so... 720 00:30:49,986 --> 00:30:53,615 didn't go to the hospital. We just didn't do it. 721 00:30:53,615 --> 00:30:57,119 In the 1980s, wrestlers and promoters still go to 722 00:30:57,119 --> 00:30:59,955 great lengths to maintain the illusion that wrestling 723 00:30:59,955 --> 00:31:04,168 is real, a practice known as "keeping kayfabe". 724 00:31:04,168 --> 00:31:08,005 So, Flair and the Horsemen or any of the heels couldn't... 725 00:31:08,005 --> 00:31:10,799 go to the hospital and see Magnum. 726 00:31:10,799 --> 00:31:12,968 So, what they did was, one of our people that 727 00:31:12,968 --> 00:31:14,220 worked at the office was also 728 00:31:14,220 --> 00:31:16,222 a Charlotte City police officer, 729 00:31:16,222 --> 00:31:19,684 and he arranged with the hospital to sneak Flair and 730 00:31:19,684 --> 00:31:22,812 some of his guys up a back stairway and into the room 731 00:31:22,812 --> 00:31:24,439 in the middle of the night so that nobody would 732 00:31:24,439 --> 00:31:28,401 see 'em so they could go and see Magnum. 733 00:31:28,401 --> 00:31:31,071 Flair came to my room with the 10 pounds of gold, 734 00:31:31,071 --> 00:31:33,990 laid it on my chest, said, "I'm giving you this one. 735 00:31:33,990 --> 00:31:35,450 I'm waiting 'til you come back in the ring and 736 00:31:35,450 --> 00:31:37,578 get the other one." 737 00:31:37,578 --> 00:31:40,206 When Magnum had his accident, he was, 738 00:31:40,206 --> 00:31:42,750 obviously, automatically without income. 739 00:31:42,750 --> 00:31:44,627 And in this case, all of the guys 740 00:31:44,627 --> 00:31:47,254 on the roster got together and said, 741 00:31:47,254 --> 00:31:50,341 "We will donate whatever from our cheque 742 00:31:50,341 --> 00:31:54,095 per week to Magnum," and Jim Crockett, 743 00:31:54,095 --> 00:31:57,056 as the promoter, would match the total of everything that 744 00:31:57,056 --> 00:31:58,349 was collected by the wrestlers. 745 00:31:58,349 --> 00:32:01,186 So, whether it was $25 a week or $50 a week, 746 00:32:01,186 --> 00:32:04,815 out of everybody's cheque, but there were 30 guys... 747 00:32:04,815 --> 00:32:06,400 and then he'd match it. 748 00:32:09,778 --> 00:32:11,196 I was there every day. 749 00:32:11,196 --> 00:32:13,198 I went to the hospital every day. 750 00:32:13,198 --> 00:32:15,992 And I helped feed him, bathe him, 751 00:32:15,992 --> 00:32:20,956 helped him with everything that he needed. 752 00:32:20,956 --> 00:32:25,002 So, I don't really get to have real soul searching 753 00:32:25,002 --> 00:32:28,172 moments about all of this for about 30 days. 754 00:32:28,172 --> 00:32:29,841 When things cleared a little bit, 755 00:32:29,841 --> 00:32:32,176 I got out of the ICU, got in a room- 756 00:32:32,176 --> 00:32:34,846 people were able to start relating things to me 757 00:32:34,846 --> 00:32:36,431 that was going on in the outside world that 758 00:32:36,431 --> 00:32:38,891 I was pretty oblivious to. 759 00:32:38,891 --> 00:32:41,477 I love Magnum more than I love everyone else. 760 00:32:41,477 --> 00:32:42,979 Sad what happened to him, man. 761 00:32:42,979 --> 00:32:44,647 So talented and in good shape. 762 00:32:44,647 --> 00:32:46,858 Don't want it to end his career or nothing. 763 00:32:46,858 --> 00:32:49,278 Immediately I felt horrible. 764 00:32:49,278 --> 00:32:52,030 Not for me, but for my friends- 765 00:32:52,030 --> 00:32:53,991 for Dusty, for Jimmy- 766 00:32:53,991 --> 00:32:56,326 because I knew everything they had built around me. 767 00:32:56,326 --> 00:32:58,287 Their whole future, and plans, 768 00:32:58,287 --> 00:33:00,372 and everything is built around me. 769 00:33:00,372 --> 00:33:02,624 There was no Plan B. 770 00:33:02,624 --> 00:33:06,462 Magnum T.A. was this shooting star that 771 00:33:06,462 --> 00:33:08,380 we attached ourselves to. 772 00:33:08,380 --> 00:33:11,300 We were flying high with him. 773 00:33:11,300 --> 00:33:13,470 There was nothing to stop us. 774 00:33:13,470 --> 00:33:16,598 But then, that shooting star went dark. 775 00:33:16,598 --> 00:33:19,142 And with that, we went dark. 776 00:33:19,142 --> 00:33:20,977 We were trying to find our way, 777 00:33:20,977 --> 00:33:24,272 just like Magnum was trying to find his way. 778 00:33:24,272 --> 00:33:25,982 I'm on a tour in Japan. 779 00:33:25,982 --> 00:33:28,276 My first night back is in the 780 00:33:28,276 --> 00:33:31,488 city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. 781 00:33:31,488 --> 00:33:35,618 Dusty and Jim Crockett pull me into an office- 782 00:33:35,618 --> 00:33:37,912 and it took 'em a few minutes, as I recall, 783 00:33:37,912 --> 00:33:41,248 to really convince me, like, "No, we're not kidding." 784 00:33:41,248 --> 00:33:43,083 Like, "This is for real. 785 00:33:43,083 --> 00:33:45,586 He's lying in a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina 786 00:33:45,586 --> 00:33:48,839 right now, fighting for his life." 787 00:33:48,839 --> 00:33:50,341 He's Dusty's guy! 788 00:33:50,341 --> 00:33:52,176 He's his bread and butter. 789 00:33:52,176 --> 00:33:55,721 He's groomed to be the next world heavyweight champion, 790 00:33:55,721 --> 00:33:59,226 so obviously this leaves a void. 791 00:33:59,226 --> 00:34:01,394 The last two weeks have been very difficult for 792 00:34:01,394 --> 00:34:03,647 Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream. 793 00:34:03,647 --> 00:34:05,482 Because Magnum T. A. and Dusty Rhodes 794 00:34:05,482 --> 00:34:08,860 made their own rules. 795 00:34:08,860 --> 00:34:11,154 We loved fast cars and fast times, 796 00:34:11,154 --> 00:34:13,406 and that's the way we lived, on the end of that lightning 797 00:34:13,406 --> 00:34:18,078 bolt that crashes through this vast earth of ours. 798 00:34:18,078 --> 00:34:20,539 So, Dusty and Crockett and everybody else 799 00:34:20,539 --> 00:34:21,998 was faced with, well, what do you do when 800 00:34:21,998 --> 00:34:24,585 you're still making a movie, but your star is gone? 801 00:34:24,585 --> 00:34:26,504 You gotta find a new star. 802 00:34:26,504 --> 00:34:30,466 At that point, there was no major wrestling name that 803 00:34:30,466 --> 00:34:33,386 was just floating around waiting for a phone call, 804 00:34:33,386 --> 00:34:36,347 so Dusty looked within his own roster, 805 00:34:36,347 --> 00:34:41,143 and said, "Who can possibly not take Magnum's spot and 806 00:34:41,143 --> 00:34:43,271 look like him, act like him, 807 00:34:43,271 --> 00:34:45,022 and do the same thing that will be seen as 808 00:34:45,022 --> 00:34:47,860 a copy of him, but who can take that spot and 809 00:34:47,860 --> 00:34:49,695 do it in a completely different way?" 810 00:34:49,695 --> 00:34:53,574 And I have a new partner... 811 00:34:53,574 --> 00:34:56,118 And that's Nikita Koloff. 812 00:34:56,118 --> 00:34:58,787 I'm like the #1 most-hated guy in wrestling right now. 813 00:34:58,787 --> 00:35:00,747 I mean, the fans love to hate me. 814 00:35:00,747 --> 00:35:03,292 And I'm Russian. At this juncture, 815 00:35:03,292 --> 00:35:05,961 I'm only two and a half years into my career. 816 00:35:05,961 --> 00:35:07,588 [Cheering] 817 00:35:07,588 --> 00:35:09,674 With the new plan in place, the challenge 818 00:35:09,674 --> 00:35:12,510 becomes selling the story to the fans. 819 00:35:12,510 --> 00:35:14,512 Jim Crockett called me, and he says, 820 00:35:14,512 --> 00:35:18,099 "Would you be willing to come up to the hospital? 821 00:35:18,099 --> 00:35:20,101 Magnum's asking for you. 822 00:35:20,101 --> 00:35:22,687 He needs to talk to his fans, nationally, 823 00:35:22,687 --> 00:35:25,690 about what's going on, and you guys' magazines 824 00:35:25,690 --> 00:35:27,525 are the only way to do this." 825 00:35:27,525 --> 00:35:29,694 Reporting from Magnum's bedside, 826 00:35:29,694 --> 00:35:32,697 Bill Apter helps to engineer Nikita's transformation 827 00:35:32,697 --> 00:35:34,783 into a babyface hero. 828 00:35:34,783 --> 00:35:39,830 Bill Apter was the only- from the magazine side- 829 00:35:39,830 --> 00:35:42,750 that I had built a bond with, and I trusted. 830 00:35:42,750 --> 00:35:46,920 The story that was worked on was so heartwarming 831 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:49,632 'cause Nikita Koloff- and we had a picture of this 832 00:35:49,632 --> 00:35:51,592 in one of the wrestling magazines- 833 00:35:51,592 --> 00:35:55,512 it was a tear coming down Nikita's eyes for the cover, 834 00:35:55,512 --> 00:35:58,975 and he said, "I cry for Magnum T .A." 835 00:35:58,975 --> 00:36:02,103 And for the fans, for the very first time, 836 00:36:02,103 --> 00:36:05,482 "Oh, my gosh, Nikita really does have a heart." 837 00:36:05,482 --> 00:36:08,902 There was literally millions of people 838 00:36:08,902 --> 00:36:11,946 like watching from the sidelines now, 839 00:36:11,946 --> 00:36:13,823 that they were looking at this man, 840 00:36:13,823 --> 00:36:16,034 that's now fighting this real-life battle, 841 00:36:16,034 --> 00:36:17,410 and they're all pulling for me. 842 00:36:17,410 --> 00:36:18,536 "How's he gonna handle it? 843 00:36:18,536 --> 00:36:19,955 What's he gonna do?" 844 00:36:26,212 --> 00:36:28,297 Despite being partially paralyzed and 845 00:36:28,297 --> 00:36:30,758 confined to a hospital for months, 846 00:36:30,758 --> 00:36:33,302 Terry Allen refuses to give up. 847 00:36:33,302 --> 00:36:34,303 We all love him, 848 00:36:34,303 --> 00:36:36,222 and we hope he gets better so he can wrestle. 849 00:36:36,222 --> 00:36:37,932 If not wrestle, at least, you know, 850 00:36:37,932 --> 00:36:39,850 be a part of the NWA still. 851 00:36:39,850 --> 00:36:42,228 In April of 1987, 852 00:36:42,228 --> 00:36:44,898 Crockett hatches a plan to bring Magnum T.A. 853 00:36:44,898 --> 00:36:47,651 back at one of their biggest events of the year. 854 00:36:47,651 --> 00:36:49,695 Baltimore Arena. 855 00:36:49,695 --> 00:36:52,280 Terry Allen, aka, Magnum T.A.'s gonna 856 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:56,410 make his first appearance back in an arena. 857 00:36:56,410 --> 00:36:59,788 And to see him again in person, was just something... 858 00:36:59,788 --> 00:37:02,249 it's hard to put into words. 859 00:37:02,249 --> 00:37:06,503 Magnum... T... A! 860 00:37:06,503 --> 00:37:09,424 [Cheering] 861 00:37:09,424 --> 00:37:13,428 For me, watching Terry Allen walk down that aisle, 862 00:37:13,428 --> 00:37:17,348 that shows me that you can overcome almost anything. 863 00:37:17,348 --> 00:37:18,766 And never give up. 864 00:37:18,766 --> 00:37:22,395 I mean, for a guy who was supposed to be lifted 865 00:37:22,395 --> 00:37:24,480 out of a bed and fed the rest of his life, 866 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:27,483 and bathed and all of that, to be able to walk under his 867 00:37:27,483 --> 00:37:31,864 own power was an absolute miracle in and of itself. 868 00:37:31,864 --> 00:37:33,157 I mean, I got choked up, like, 869 00:37:33,157 --> 00:37:36,660 for real 'cause it was a surreal moment. 870 00:37:36,660 --> 00:37:40,539 I can remember the moment, the emotion and the feel, 871 00:37:40,539 --> 00:37:42,458 and the fans, and... 872 00:37:42,458 --> 00:37:43,459 just like it was yesterday. 873 00:37:43,459 --> 00:37:45,794 It was one of the most emotional moments 874 00:37:45,794 --> 00:37:47,546 I've ever experienced. 875 00:37:47,546 --> 00:37:50,090 They saw me come from, you know, death's door, 876 00:37:50,090 --> 00:37:52,676 to never gonna walk again, to my gosh, 877 00:37:52,676 --> 00:37:54,512 he walked to the ring. 878 00:37:54,512 --> 00:37:56,639 Despite his enduring popularity, 879 00:37:56,639 --> 00:37:58,933 it's clear that Magnum's wrestling days have come to 880 00:37:58,933 --> 00:38:02,854 a permanent end, leaving his future uncertain. 881 00:38:02,854 --> 00:38:05,607 It makes you have to adjust your thinking. 882 00:38:05,607 --> 00:38:10,278 You try to find a way to, to fit back into the industry. 883 00:38:10,278 --> 00:38:14,157 I was an intelligent guy. I was still well spoken. 884 00:38:14,157 --> 00:38:17,660 So, I worked as a colour commentator for a while. 885 00:38:17,660 --> 00:38:18,996 I'll be working with you, Magnum. 886 00:38:18,996 --> 00:38:20,039 I really look forward to that. 887 00:38:20,039 --> 00:38:21,207 I know all the fans in Chicago look forward to 888 00:38:21,207 --> 00:38:22,166 seeing you again. 889 00:38:22,166 --> 00:38:24,293 It's gonna be great, and I can't wait. 890 00:38:24,293 --> 00:38:29,340 Magnum finding his niche in wrestling after his accident 891 00:38:29,340 --> 00:38:32,968 was very hard because, being around it, 892 00:38:32,968 --> 00:38:35,930 you always want to be back in it. 893 00:38:35,930 --> 00:38:39,934 The hard times continue for Magnum behind the scenes. 894 00:38:39,934 --> 00:38:42,479 We settled into a normal life. 895 00:38:42,479 --> 00:38:46,817 I thought our marriage was doing well, but... 896 00:38:46,817 --> 00:38:50,237 We stayed together for about a month 897 00:38:50,237 --> 00:38:52,405 after I got out of the hospital. 898 00:38:52,405 --> 00:38:54,825 There was some infidelity 899 00:38:54,825 --> 00:38:56,952 past the accident. 900 00:38:56,952 --> 00:39:01,832 I felt like I had given pretty much everything I had. 901 00:39:01,832 --> 00:39:06,629 I just couldn't do that anymore. 902 00:39:06,629 --> 00:39:10,049 And it was so overwhelming for her 903 00:39:10,049 --> 00:39:12,552 because the realities of all the things 904 00:39:12,552 --> 00:39:14,846 that had taken place on the road, you know, 905 00:39:14,846 --> 00:39:17,348 she becomes aware of because I'm forthcoming. 906 00:39:17,348 --> 00:39:21,602 And I feel bad about it. This is a bad deal. 907 00:39:21,602 --> 00:39:23,646 I loved him very much. 908 00:39:23,646 --> 00:39:25,940 It was hard for me to leave him. 909 00:39:25,940 --> 00:39:29,403 But, I think at some point, you're just like, 910 00:39:29,403 --> 00:39:32,030 once something is done again, 911 00:39:32,030 --> 00:39:35,075 you know, how many times... 912 00:39:35,075 --> 00:39:38,287 can you let that happen? 913 00:39:38,287 --> 00:39:40,581 As Terry's relationship ends, 914 00:39:40,581 --> 00:39:43,959 the once mighty Crockett Promotions implodes. 915 00:39:43,959 --> 00:39:47,337 At this point, nobody on either side of the 916 00:39:47,337 --> 00:39:49,715 wrestling war or any of the fans or the observers 917 00:39:49,715 --> 00:39:52,802 realized exactly how crucial this was gonna be 918 00:39:52,802 --> 00:39:54,387 a point in the wrestling business. 919 00:39:54,387 --> 00:39:56,806 All of a sudden, they had to start from scratch. 920 00:39:56,806 --> 00:40:00,226 In 1988, Crockett makes a deal with media mogul, 921 00:40:00,226 --> 00:40:02,353 Ted Turner, leading to the birth of 922 00:40:02,353 --> 00:40:04,188 World Championship Wrestling, 923 00:40:04,188 --> 00:40:07,150 and the end of an era for wrestling fans. 924 00:40:07,150 --> 00:40:11,029 If Terry Allen had never been in the accident, 925 00:40:11,029 --> 00:40:16,160 the future of the NWA, Jim Crockett Promotions... 926 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:17,786 the sky is the limit. 927 00:40:27,338 --> 00:40:31,091 I do. I totally would've been satisfied being 928 00:40:31,091 --> 00:40:33,177 recognized as the world's heavyweight champion, 929 00:40:33,177 --> 00:40:35,471 having my run, having my time in the sun, 930 00:40:35,471 --> 00:40:38,057 and pass it off to the next 20-year-old 931 00:40:38,057 --> 00:40:39,976 that thought he could do it better. 932 00:40:39,976 --> 00:40:44,356 If he never had the accident- movies, commercials, 933 00:40:44,356 --> 00:40:48,193 lifestyle, the world heavyweight championship. 934 00:40:48,193 --> 00:40:49,444 When they see Magnum T.A. come 935 00:40:49,444 --> 00:40:51,071 out there to defend the United States heavyweight 936 00:40:51,071 --> 00:40:53,323 championship, they know that I'm the man that they can 937 00:40:53,323 --> 00:40:56,368 stand behind because I'm always out there 100%. 938 00:40:56,368 --> 00:40:59,829 You know, he was right at the brink of 939 00:40:59,829 --> 00:41:02,040 becoming the world champion. 940 00:41:02,040 --> 00:41:03,084 No doubt. 941 00:41:03,084 --> 00:41:05,962 For it to be gone in the blink of an eye, man... 942 00:41:05,962 --> 00:41:08,756 It should be a lesson for everybody. 943 00:41:08,756 --> 00:41:11,384 You know, that life can change- [Snapping]- 944 00:41:11,384 --> 00:41:13,094 that quick. 945 00:41:13,094 --> 00:41:15,096 [Terry] One time, I remember Dusty and I, 946 00:41:15,096 --> 00:41:17,556 we were in Columbia at the Township Auditorium. 947 00:41:17,556 --> 00:41:19,266 We're sitting on the back steps, and he said, 948 00:41:19,266 --> 00:41:22,770 "Can you imagine how successful we could be as 949 00:41:22,770 --> 00:41:25,898 something else if we worked as hard at it 950 00:41:25,898 --> 00:41:29,569 as we are at this?" And, he was right. 951 00:41:29,569 --> 00:41:33,740 I used the same commitment with the new opportunity 952 00:41:33,740 --> 00:41:35,617 as I had done all those years, 953 00:41:35,617 --> 00:41:39,037 and attacked it with the same ferocity that 954 00:41:39,037 --> 00:41:42,374 I had when I was chasing the world title. 955 00:41:42,374 --> 00:41:46,503 He is an individual that will not give up. 956 00:41:46,503 --> 00:41:50,341 Here's a man that is classified as a quadriplegic. 957 00:41:50,341 --> 00:41:53,011 He's not gonna let it slow him down. 958 00:41:53,011 --> 00:41:56,055 Terry decides to leave the wrestling world behind and 959 00:41:56,055 --> 00:41:57,849 sets his sights on a new career 960 00:41:57,849 --> 00:42:00,184 far from the squared circle. 961 00:42:00,184 --> 00:42:04,313 Along the way, he also finds another chance at love. 962 00:42:04,313 --> 00:42:07,150 My name is Courtney Blanchard-Allen, 963 00:42:07,150 --> 00:42:09,777 and I am Terry Allen's wife. 964 00:42:09,777 --> 00:42:12,655 I first met Terry Allen in 1997. 965 00:42:12,655 --> 00:42:14,658 Both of us were going through divorces. 966 00:42:14,658 --> 00:42:17,828 And, we became really, really good friends, 967 00:42:17,828 --> 00:42:20,122 and leaned on each other a lot for support 968 00:42:20,122 --> 00:42:21,623 during that time. 969 00:42:21,623 --> 00:42:23,625 And, through that friendship, 970 00:42:23,625 --> 00:42:27,629 developed an intimacy and a relationship. 971 00:42:27,629 --> 00:42:29,715 He's my best friend. 972 00:42:29,715 --> 00:42:32,092 For me, it's another miracle. 973 00:42:32,092 --> 00:42:35,179 I was given a chance to have a family. 974 00:42:35,179 --> 00:42:38,141 So, I've done my best to be steady, 975 00:42:38,141 --> 00:42:42,020 make a secure home and loving home for all the kids. 976 00:42:42,020 --> 00:42:44,022 Make sure they're all provided and well taken 977 00:42:44,022 --> 00:42:48,276 care of and loved, and it's been an amazing ride. 978 00:42:48,276 --> 00:42:49,819 It was the end of Magnum T.A., 979 00:42:49,819 --> 00:42:52,363 but it wasn't the end of Terry Allen. 980 00:42:52,363 --> 00:42:55,075 You can be sad for what could've been, 981 00:42:55,075 --> 00:42:56,618 what the wrestling fans could've seen that 982 00:42:56,618 --> 00:42:57,702 they would have enjoyed, 983 00:42:57,702 --> 00:42:59,287 and what he could have accomplished. 984 00:42:59,287 --> 00:43:03,000 But you can't be sad overall because he came back 985 00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:05,836 from the wreck, he's lived a long life. 986 00:43:05,836 --> 00:43:08,255 He's been successful in other things, 987 00:43:08,255 --> 00:43:10,174 and he's had a family and fans that 988 00:43:10,174 --> 00:43:11,801 still care about him. 989 00:43:11,801 --> 00:43:14,261 Magnum T.A.! 990 00:43:14,261 --> 00:43:17,056 [Cheering] 991 00:43:17,056 --> 00:43:18,390 -That's a pin. -That's it! 992 00:43:18,390 --> 00:43:20,267 That's gotta be some kind of a record! 993 00:43:20,267 --> 00:43:22,812 He pinned him, it had to be less than 15 seconds! 994 00:43:25,649 --> 00:43:28,485 Oh, you know, it's gotta be, yeah. 995 00:43:28,485 --> 00:43:31,321 Yeah. He'll never tell you that. 996 00:43:31,321 --> 00:43:34,825 He had just a small percentage chance of survival. 997 00:43:34,825 --> 00:43:39,287 And, his ability to overcome absolutely anything has 998 00:43:39,287 --> 00:43:42,249 proven true every day since that accident. 999 00:43:42,249 --> 00:43:44,793 If he wasn't at peace with how it ended, 1000 00:43:44,793 --> 00:43:47,254 it wouldn't be so inspirational. 1001 00:43:47,254 --> 00:43:49,549 There are so many people out there 1002 00:43:49,549 --> 00:43:53,010 that want to know more about his story, 1003 00:43:53,010 --> 00:43:56,389 to be able to do the things that he can do now. 1004 00:43:56,389 --> 00:44:00,476 I lived the dream most people only dream of, 1005 00:44:00,476 --> 00:44:03,354 and never getting to see come to fruition. 1006 00:44:03,354 --> 00:44:05,273 The other "What if?" is, you know, 1007 00:44:05,273 --> 00:44:07,024 "What if I hadn't woken up at all?" 1008 00:44:07,024 --> 00:44:09,443 And I am so thankful that I did.