Magnum TA

[8.0] "Magnum TA had "it" -- the look, the fire, the connection with the crowd. You could tell he was being groomed for something big before the car accident cut everything short. His matches with Tully Blanchard and Nikita Koloff still hold up today. One of the biggest "what ifs" in wrestling history, for sure."

[8.0] "One of the 1st, if not the 1st anti hero characters that I remember watching. Because in his time, the way that he dressed with the leather waist coat, the cowboy boots, and the tight jeans. Coupled with the fact that he had the tom selleck movie star esque good looks and rode around on a harley davidson motorcycle would make you think he'd be one of the biggest heels in the territory. However, he had an every man relatability about him that made him one of the most likable. A lot of the male fans had a reason to cheer for him and respect him, and all of the female fans were absolutely in love with him. And T.A. was from Richmond, Virginia, so he had that southern intensity radiating from him every single time that he graced a television set. He carried that same intensity inside of the ring for all his matches as well as in to his promos. That to me is what made him believable, what made him a credible challenger to anyone he worked with, and why post his car incident that ended his career he became one of wrestling's biggest "What if's". Also, something else that I don't think T.A. gets a lot of credit for is he was one of the guys who could give you whatever kind of match you wanted when called upon. He could wrestle Ric Flair for an hour, he could brawl with Nikita Koloff or Tully Blanchard, he could have a technical wrestling match against say Arn Anderson, or he could just go out and put on a solid squash match ( which was his usual)."

[10.0] "I'm rating him a 10 anyway even though he never fully realized his stardom. He had everything, the look, the in ring ability, decent promo, he was destined to be the number 1 babyface in the NWA. If he had his accident even in the 90's there was a chance he could've come back because the medical technology was there. It's a shame his career was cut short but the matches he had were outstanding."

[10.0] "TA could bring it in the ring, was totally credible and believable as a tough guy babyface or even pulling sympathy when he needed. He was terrific and believable with his promos, spitting fire with intensity. He had the potential to be a top heel (he was gonna stab a guy in the eye with a stake for crying out loud, also watch out Bob Geigal! ), as some of those fired up promos weren't your prototypical babyface pleas, but in his short career already had made himself the #1 babyface. Legendary matches, legendary feuds - Tully, Nikita, Wahoo, Flair. It wasn't hard to get classics when wrestling Flair, but this guy was making magic with everyone. And that was just the last couple of years of his career. It's easy to imagine and think about "what could have been" but looking at "what was" was still a hall of fame caliber run. He launched like a rocket in Crockett, and found his way in Mid South. Also seems like a heck of a guy outside the ring. He may not have had the in ring longevity, but what he did have was more than enough to make him a legend and get a top score from this fan."

[9.0] "Let's not mince words, he was celebrity level handsome. One of the most attractive wrestlers to ever lace the boots, until he covered his forehead with wounds 6 inches long. He was fiery, compelling and had an instant connectivity with the fans. There was something so many forget to mention though: He was a closet US champion who almost never defended the title, I can't help but notice and I don't like it. Tully Blanchard pretty much "made him" in Crockett and Magnum squandered it. The vehicle incident with his reckless habits (pavement velocity addiction) killed a career that DID have southern promise. The Mid South era is excellent, the Crockett stuff barely exists outside of promos. Recommended with an asterix. 8.5"

[6.0] "Man, so many people in the database that fall into the "lost talent" category. Magnum's case was different. It wasn't drugs or bad personal life or habits that did him in, it was a car accident that could have happened to anyone. This guy should have had a career going forward into the mid 90's as a main eventer at the very least. But while he had the look, could cut the promos and was great in the ring and the fans were into him, he wasn't around long enough for me to go higher than a 6 out of 10. His career ended just about the time when the national expansion was starting to peak so he missed out on the big part of the late 80's wrestling boom."

"Had a nice belly to belly suplex. Was super over with the crowd. To bad his career was cut short because of an autoaccident. I wonder how far he would have gotten. if not for the accident."

[10.0] "One of the best wrestlers form the 80's. His career was great but very short. Sadly his career ended in a car accident. Best remembered in Mid-Atlantic feuding with Tully Blanchard. Would have been interesting where he would have gone if his career did not end so quickly."

[8.0] "Probably one of the biggest "what if? " stories in all of wrestling. This guy was a total package. The look, the ability, the charisma. Unfortunately we'll never know."

[8.0] "Magnum had limitless potential. Sadly, his career was cut short by a tragic car accident. What we saw of him before his accident was awesome. He was by far one of the most over wrestlers of his time. He definitely would have had a run with the ten pounds of gold if not for the accident."

[7.0] "Magnum TA saw his career infamously cut short, and he never reached the potential that everyone saw in him. How big he would have become is something we'll never know, but Magnum TA still managed to become a major babyface."

"Can't rate him as his career just did not play out. Played his dues as Terry Allen. Caught fire as the in ring Magnum PI, with the Magnum TA gimmick. Crowd loved him. Worked all the time. Good performer. Would have been as world champ or a serious long term contender. It's a shame what happened."

[8.0] "Dude is one of the biggest what if? in wrestling, he was very over, like Stone Cold level over until a car crash ended his career. At least he will always have his classic steel cage I quit match with Tully Blanchard."

[7.0] "Good wrestler. Came along toward the end of the NWA prime. Was a good foe to Flair, just never over came flair. Good guy and good character at the time."

[7.0] "Even though he was on the fast track to stardom due to a very favorable look... His overall ring work was only slightly above average for the standards of his time. His interviews were also only slightly above average. If he had another 10 years to work and had a chance to shine in many main events on pay per view with a guy like ric flair or even in the wwe then I feel he might warrant a 9 or even 10 rating but based on the couple of years I watched him in Crockett I can only rate him 7 at a slightly above average heavily pushed guy"

"I've seen Magnum TA wrestle in person at the old Philadelphia Civic Center. Stiff, an unathletic I never got him. They say he would've been the successor to Flair . I have a feeling his title reign would be short. It took top athletes like Tully Blanchard to make him look half way decent."