Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 48

Inside Outdoors CM CIO, cU SportFolio nfl Sunday, July 13, 1997 Scoreboard C12-15 si Jf IIP ITwl aI tfin ifiUB 21 15 World Wrestling Federation His real name is Joe Bednarski. But until his retirement in 1986, he was famed wrestler Ivan Putski. The WWF Hall of Famer will come out of retirement Monday night to tag team with his son, Scott, in San Antonio. Scott Bednarski played tough football in Crockett and TCU uniforms. But as pro wrestling rookie Scott Putski, he's a long- vf haired, mean-eyed man who slams down his father's trademark Polish hammer move and is stripped to raw emotion in growling that his sport is for real: 'We put on a show, but when I pick someone up over my head and slam him to the ground, you cant fake Any takers? 0 -II -I I I 'Me and my brothers, we'd get in the ring and kill each other, emulate what we saw.

And like any kid, you want to emulate your father. Scott Bednarski, rookie wrestler Rich FreedaTitansports In World Wrestling Federation WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today WHERE: Erwin Center TICKETS: $12, $16 and $20 WHO: Some of the WWF's top wrestlers, including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Bret "Hit Man" Hart and The Undertaker Rip off the suit and tie, stuff the office scene; football player Scott Bednarski now wrestler Scott Putski is stomping across the ring in his father's footsteps One WWF source said, "Some watch for entertainment, some for the athleticism, some for the soap-opera aspects. Some believe it's all real; some don't." Regardless, Scott, 29, is accustomed to the spectacle of sports. After all, he was at TCU in the mid-1980s when Coach Jim Wacker's program was put on NCAA probation for myriad rules violations by some alumni.

"We all took money," Scott said. Scott, a quarterback in "Ivan was tremendously popular," said Finkel. "Nobody could match him pound for pound. He meant business in the ring. But he was very lovable." Scott describes himself as a '90s version of his father.

He employs the Polish hammer and more. Finkel agrees. "Ivan had brute strength. He was a brawler," Finkel said. "Scott is also very strong, but he has a more high-flying style with the aerial agility of high school, was a fullback with good speed at TCU 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

But he was used mostly to block, carrying 139 times for 661 yards (4.75 per carry) in four years. When his pro football aspirations were dashed, Scott recalled an enjoyable childhood traveling with his father on the wrestling circuit. "Me and my brothers, we'd get in the By Mark Rosner American-Statesman Staff Scott Bednarski could never picture himself confined to a stuffy office, sitting behind a desk, wearing a suit. So instead of working in a conventional business, he entered the family business, where the work space is open air, the furniture is thrown and the dress code is ultra casual. Bednarski became a professional wrestler.

At least he was known as Bednarski to his football teamates at Crockett High and Texas Christian University in the 1980s. Now he goes by Scott Putski, adopting the last name his father, Joe Bednarski, used when he wrestled as Ivan Putski before retiring in 1986. Scott, a rookie with the World Wrestling Federation, is not on the card for tonight's matches at the Erwin Center. But Ivan Putski will come out of retirement to work with his son in a tag team match Monday night as part of a program at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio. The event will be televised at 6:30 p.m.

by USA Network. The younger Bednarski's first career choice was football. But after he suffered a torn Achilles' tendon as a rookie at the Houston Oilers' training camp in 1989, Bednarski decided to follow the path that led his father into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995. Athleticism and entertainment Scott's football background comes in handy in wrestling, but a theater major would have served him better than his degree in criminal justice. Strength and athleticism are evident in pro wrestling.

But those in the sport sort of wink or evade the question of whether results are predetermined whether wrestling is fake. "We put on a show, but when I pick someone up over my head and slam him to the ground, you can't fake that," said Scott, who weighs 240 pounds. "The bottom line is that we are successful sports entertainment," said Howard Finkel, a WWF historian who has served as a ring announcer for more than 20 years. "People can draw their own conclusions." 10-year multi-million contract with the WWF in 1996 but suffered a broken leg while training for wrestling. He has yet to appear in an event.

Former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor once wrestled in the WWF. Steve McMichael, a former Texajg Longhorn and Chicago Bear, was with the WWF but switched to WCW Current foot-ball stars Reggie White and Kevin Greene have wrestled for WCW in their spare time. Dennis Rodman, a wrestling character in basketball clothing, has brought his nose ring to the WCW ring to tag team with Hulk Hogan for a salary rumored at $2 milliop for three shows. A WCW spokesperson said she could ndi confirm that figure, but the organization, launched by Turner Broadcasting System in 1988, does have deep pockets. Turner has since merged with rich Time Warner Inc.

Football players aren't new to wrestling: Ernie Ladd and Wahoo McDaniel were big in the '60s. Russ Francis, Bill Fralic, Harvey Martin, Too Tall Jones and William "The Re-' frigerator" Perry have appeared in the ring, The Bedarskis say McMichael is aw accomplished wrestler. They are not fans of Rodman, however. Even pro wrestling haS its standards for authenticity "Rodman's a joke," Scott said. "They're making a mockery of wrestling." "You're insulting people's intelligence," Joe added.

It's enough to make a guy haul off on Rodman with a Polish hammer. today." Road warrior Before joining the WWF a few months ago, Scott spent more than five years wrestling in Japan, Mexico, Africa, South Africa and Kuwait, among other places. Often he wrestled in large soccer stadiums. "In Kuwait we sold out two days in a row," he said. Even so, Scott said no fans are as involved as those in the United States.

"People in America expect more," he said. "It's like a rock concert now with lasers and fireworks. It's part sporting event, part media event, part KISS concert." And big business, what with solid television ratings on cable and special pay-per-view events. TV ratings for wrestling on cable are better than baseball, tennis, golf and college basketball on cable. According to ESPN figures, only the NFL and NASCAR receive better ratings than does wrestling on other networks.

A few elite WWF stars such as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Bret "Hit Man" Hart and the Undertaker earn more than a few million dollars annually if they can draw fans, TV ratings and sell merchandise. The WWF and its rival, World Championship Wrestling, have angled for celebrity wrestlers with the lure of big bucks. Mark Henry, a 415-pound Olympic weightlifter who trains in Austin, signed a ring and kill each other, emulate what we saw," Scott said. "And like any kid, you want to emulate your father." Joe Bednarski had played some football himself. He was a star fullback at Southwest Texas State.

He was teaching physical education when Joe Blanchard, a wrestling promoter in San Antonio, made him an offer he couldn't refuse. "He told me, 'You'll make more money in one week than in a whole year as a said Joe, who now is a teacher's aide at Hays High School. First, though, Joe needed a new name, a marketable personna. WWF people decided on Ivan Putski, a Polish immigrant who did not speak English. Joe, who came from Poland, spoke English but pretended that he did not.

"(San Antonio columnist) Dan Cook wrote in jest that Ivan Putski graduated from Southwest Texas and couldn't speak English, which doesn't say much about Southwest Texas," Joe recalled fondly. Standing 5 feet 9 inches and weighing anywhere from 250 to 305 pounds, Joe developed his trademark move, the Polish hammer. Locking both fists together, Joe would smash opponents with a downward blow to the chest, often in sold-out arena in major US. cities, including New York's Madison Square Garden. Scott Putski file AGE: 29 HIGH SCHOOL Crockett COLLEGE: TCU HEIGHT: 6-0 WEIGHT: 240 FAVORITE MOVE: The Polish hammer TAG TEAM WITH DAD: Ivan Putski (Joe Bednarski) will come out of retirement for a tag-team match with Scott Monday night at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio.

It will be shown at 6:30 p.m. on USA Network..