Paul Heyman Tells Some Wild Road Stories About Captain Lou Albano

Paul Heyman was the owner and creative force behind Extreme Championship Wrestling. He was the head writer for what many people believe was the best period ever for WWE Smackdown. Using the name "Paul E. Dangerously," he was a notorious wrestling manager for the likes of Brock Lesnar, The Big Show, Kurt Angle, Ravishing Rick Rude, and Austin Idol. He's one of the more controversial figures in pro wrestling history.

And long before any of that occured, he was President of the Lou Albano Fan Club. That's right, the outspoken and always-in-trouble Paul Heyman was a teen insider who had access to some of the greatest minds in pro wrestling history.

So when the word got around that Captain Lou Albano had passed away today, I thought it would be interesting to see what Heyman posted on his "Heyman Hustle" website.

Here's a select highlight from Heyman's road story about Albano:

There are so many "Albano" stories to tell, from the time he ran in his shorts and flip flops up 8th Avenue in New York City when his car broke down during a snow storm, and had hundreds of people following him to what was then known as The Howard Johnson's Hotel where everyone stayed; to the time he got into a drinking contest with Andre The Giant at the hotel bar, took a Ric Flair-esque face bump into the top of a stool, cracked his head, and was knocked out cold ... only to wake up when Don Muraco and Greg Valentine helped peel Lou off the floor. Lou ran outside, threw up all over the sidewalk (with half the remnants of his dinner prominently remaining on his hairy chest), came back inside, ordered another 3 rounds, turned to Andre and said "I get a 3 drink handicap for that bump!"

Heyman also tells a story about being in the backseat of a car driving by a terrifyingly drunk Albano, with Fred Blassie's passenger seat commentary involved as well. There is also a picture of Heyman with Fred Blassie, The Grand Wizard, and Albano from 1981, where the 15 year old poses with The 3 Wisemen of the East in the Madison Square Garden dressing room.

Albano was a major force on Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWWF television show, and was the most hated pro wrestling manager in the Northeast for many years.

You can read Heyman's entire blog at http://heymanhustle.craveonline.com/articles/news/22266-rip-captain-lou