Johnny Valiant dies at 72 (from Wrestleline)

He was already a manager and announcer by the time I discovered him, but this in no way diminishes his significance to the wrestling world.

He managed The New Destruction Crew (The Beverly Brothers in the WWF) to their early fame in the last years of the AWA. For years, "Luscious" Johnny V. was a WWF staple as a heel manager, bringing Greg Valentine (his son) and Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake to a tag-team title victory at Wrestlemania. Now, sadly, he's gone.