RIP Bill Fralic

All-American linemen at Pitt and all-pro in the NFL, dead at 56. He'd been in declining health for a while.

Bill Fralic, Pitt All-American and Penn Hills football great, dies at 56

 

Holy shit, really?

This hits home in a couple ways.

First, he's younger than me.

Second, I covered the Falcons while he was there and he was always a go-to -- funny, sarcastic, irreverent and just a lot of fun to talk to. And of course a really good guard.

 

Also was one of the NFL players along with Refrigerator Perry who participated in the battle royal at Wrestlemania II. He actually cut a couple of promos beforehand that weren't half bad. RIP

 

I started to really get into football just as Fralic was peaking as a player with the Falcons and as a big kid who knew he was destined for the line, fralic became one of my favorites.

Also, I forgotten how outspoken he was on steroids later in his career. Good to see that in the story.

 

He was among the first football linemen that I remember who looked more like a body builder than a football player. Now they pretty much all look like that.

 

You beat me to it.

 

I had just started getting into pro wrestling when Wrestlemania 2 came around (they had an edited version of it on Showtime). I remember seeing that clip with Fralic and Studd and thinking, "Boy, if Fralic wanted to, he could make a good career at this wrestling thing after his football days are over."

Looking back, I'm guessing he realized how prevalent the steroid culture was in WWF at the time and didn't want any part of it.

 

There are still a few throwbacks.

 

I remember the promo that Fralic cut and thinking it was hilarious. Was almost Lance Stormish in how straight laced it was and I popped huge when he talked about not being a fat lineman.

 

Damn
RIP

That’s when Pitt was Pitt.

 

“If I could be serious for a minute”