RIP Mean Gene Okerlund

It was just the other night that I was watching a DVD of Survivor Series, in this DVD Hulk Hogan lost the belt to the UnderTaker. Awile after this Mean Gene Okerlund went down in to the catacombs to interview thr new Champion the UnderTaker. Throught the whole DVD I was pretty much sat going to my daughter oh this is The Mountie, this is the Beserker and going on to give her mini histories of each individual including things such as how long there careers went on, what there highlights were. Then like the very next day I was reading through stuff on the internet and I was very sad to learn that good old  'Mean' Gene Okerlund had passed away.

WWE posted the news of Okerlund's death on their official website but no cause of death has been given as yet, Mean Gene was 76. The man had a career within the wrestling industry which spanned over five decades, I dont think I would be wrong in saying that within the wrestling industry Mean Gene was one of the finest ever interviewers and presenters. Yes the wrestlers have always done a great job in providing entertainment but people like Mene Gene were always there to add a layer of polish and professionalism to procedings, if it wasnt for Mene Gene then the WWF/WWE would not have been as enjoyable as it was for kids like me, if it hadnt been for the work of those around the ring in none wrestling roles such as Mene Gene, Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby the Brain and various others then we all proberbly would have been a lot quicker to realise that what we were essentially watching was a bunch of oily men performing pantomime slap fighting. Mean Gene made not only mine but so many other peoples childhoods just that little bit more magical.

Mean Gene was Born Eugene Arthur Okerlund on the 19th of December in 1942 in Sisseton, South Dakota. Originally he started out as a radio broadcast journalist before becoming an interviewer forthe AWA (American Wrestling Association). When Vince McMahon began purchsaing the territories in the mid-'80s, he ended up being Okerlunds new employer. As an announcer Mean Gene  would turn out to be one of McMahon's most valuable employees. Mean Gene would stay with the WWF for nine years as their top interviewer, and was also the host of various WWF shows. In a world full of cartoon wrestlers Okerlund was the perfect touch of class brought to procedings, and his presence would be much appreciated on shows such as Prime Time Wrestling and he would appear in some capacity at pretty much every major PPV, he even sang the national anthem at the first WrestleMania. Stupidly WCW failed to offer Okerlund a new contract and so he was snapped up by the WCW in 1993, something which I think really helped lend the WCW as a company a real sense of legitimacy.

Okerlund would return to WWE at WrestleMania X-Seven for the 'Gimmick Battle Royal' following the WWE's purchase of WCW, he was given a contract from there on and would sparodically appear, in 2006, he was very rightly inducted into the WWE's Hall of Fame.

Rest in Peace Mr Okerlund you will be very much missed