The FACTION Series: The Heenan Family

[It's...Baylariat!]

The Heenan Family
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Out of all the factions in pro wrestling during the Old School Era, Heenan's stable was considered the biggest family tree of them all, even bigger than the NWO. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan is considered one of the most respected wrestling minds in history. His "Heenan Family" spanned nearly 20 years! His start came in the AWA with The Blackjacks (Lanza and Mulligan) and a team consisting of Nick Bockwinkel and Ray "The Original Non-Murderer Crippler" Stevens and Bobby Duncum Sr along with Angelo Poffo (Randy Savage's father) and Ken Patera. Think about that. Heenan had the lock on the AWA World Heavyweight and AWA World Tag Team champions. Back in the late 60's, the AWA was up there with the NWA as far as promotions were concerned.


Later, Heenan made his way to the south in Georgia Championship Wrestling staying with Blackjack Lanza (One eyed Jack! HANG 'EM HIGH!) and "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd among others. His stint was reasonably short in GCW and after another sting in the AWA, Heenan moved on to the WWF where he found great success as well.

Among Heenan's clients in the WWF include a who's who in all time greats in pro wrestling. We're talking Rick Rude, Paul Orndorff, Andre the Giant, Mr. Perfect, Ric Flair, Harley Race, Haku/Meng, Big John Studd, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, and King Kong Bundy.

Bobby Heenan was a great manager and his stable of wrestlers can't be rivaled with anyone in wrestling. The Heenan Family is considered one of the all time great factions and should be, considered the longevity the Heenan Family had.

 

[PEP3]

It's hard for me to necessarily think of The Heenan Family as a pro wrestling "faction," Lariat, largely for many of the reasons you mentioned. Heenan's Family extended over generations, encompassing many different variations and frequently contained wrestlers who really had very little in common EXCEPT Heenan as a manager.

Using the Horsemen as the "gold standard" against which to judge all other factions, The Heenan Family doesn't feature some of the classic attributes. Other than Heenan, there is no defined continuity to the group. Further, there's not necessarily that group mentality either. To me, a "faction" would have to be a group that in some way acts as a unified body (basically a "gang" mentality).

Certainly there were variations of The Heenan Family who better qualify as a "faction" than others, but overall I don't think of the Heenan Family when the term comes to mind. I think of Heenan as managing a "stable," meaning a whole bunch of separate but equal entities, rather than a "faction," or a group that acts as a whole.

In the history of pro wrestling, many other managers have led incredible factions. Jimmy Hart's First Family most definitely qualifies. Paul Ellering's Legion of Doom is another great one. Certainly the Heenan Family has a hugely significant legacy in pro wrestling, I'm just not sure the word "faction" is appropriate.

 

[zone3og]

I agree that The Heenan Stable was one of if not the greatest family in history. But I never thought of them as a faction either. I just thought of them as Heenan"s boys. Just like Jimmy Hart, Paul E. and Mr. Fuji all had great families I just never seen them in the same light as the NWO or Horsemen but I would put his famaily up against anybody elses faction, group, gang or whatever you want to call them and Bobby"s boys would come out on top.

 

[The Brain]

You may have guessed by my name that I love Bobby Heenan (although I am considering a name change soon). However, I'm going to have to agree with PEP3. I don't really consider the Heenan family a faction. You can't really group Ray Stevens with Big John Studd with Mr. Perfect. Heenan's guys didn't really act like a faction. They would team ocassionally, but not for anything real significant. Once in a while they would get together for something Heenan was involved in. For example the beatdown all members of the family gave Ken Patera in 1987 or the feud with the Big Bossman in 1990/91. Other than that they were a group of guys that happened to have the same manager. I wouldn't consider The Honky Tonk Man, Greg Valentine, The Rougeaus, and Danny Davis a faction in 1988. They were just a group of guys that happened to be managed by Jimmy Hart. The only difference is because Heenan was on tv all the time with Prime Time and Challenge he would refer to his guys as his family.

I should point out that I'm speaking of the WWF days. I don't have much knowledge of the other promotions. Maybe the Heenan Family was more of a faction in those days.

 

[byrnside]

First and foremost, Brain, you can not change your name! Secondly, growing up a WWF fan in the late 80s and early 90s, for me, the Heenan Family is the be all and end all of factions. Of course now I realize the importance of factions like the Horseman. But like I said, when the Heenan Family was a faction, I knew nothing of the Horseman. Heenan controlled the majority of the top heels in the WWF and feuded with all the top face names Vince had to offer. You're looking at guys like, Andre, Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude, King Kong Bundy, Harley Race, Haku, Orndorf, and the list goes on. I never saw anything about the AWA until "recent" years, so I'm excluding all of that obviously.

edit: Just as a side note, I think I'm going to get a blazer with my initials encrusted with my initials in glitter, just to be like Bobby.

 

[fwill3]

Bobby heenan was good and his family . He had great wrestlers such as andre the giant,rick rude,paul orndorff and etc. I wish one of heenan's man would have won the title from hogan.But he had a good crew and a good line-up.

 

[byrnside]

Bobby heenan was good and his family . He had great wrestlers such as andre the giant,rick rude,paul orndorff and etc. I wish one of heenan's man would have won the title from hogan.But he had a good crew and a good line-up.

Technically, Andre did beat Hogan for the title, but DiBiase had paid Andre off to get the title for himself. At that point Jack Tunney declared the title vacant, and hence the big tournament at Wrestlemania IV.