Karelin has at least three nicknames I've heard: The Siberian Tiger... The Experiment... and King Kong. ;-)
Continuing with BIG men...
In doing research for an article about NCAA heavyweight champs from Oklahoma State, I had to chuckle that there were a manegerie of Cowboy big guys: Moose (Earl McCready, 1928-1930), Pig (Lloyd Arms, 1942), and The Bear (
Steve Mocco, 2005). And there was Gene "Ninety-Second" Nicks (1952, '54), so named because of his ability to pin foes fast. (In his senior year, most of his matches were barely a minute in length.)
At University of Oklahoma, lean-and-lanky '56 NCAA heavyweight champ Gordon Roesler was "Goose."
At Ohio State, the Buckeye big men have been nicknamed George "the Dreadnaught" Bollas (300+ lb NCAA champ in '41)... Dr Bill Miller (1950-51 Big Ten hwt champ was in the veterinary program)... and T-Buck (Tommy Rowlands)
At Ohio University, 1940s heavyweight Fred Schleicher was nicknamed "Superman" presumably because of his muscular Man of Steel physique (or maybe because he looked good in tights?)
Mark
Moderator, NCAA Heavyweight Champs
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group...weight_Champs/
PS Of the attached pics, all are of these guys as college wrestlers EXCEPT possibly the tOSU Miller -- it may be when he turned pro.