Bob Lurtsema
Robert Ross Lurtsema is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Seattle Seahawks. He played in two Super Bowls with Vikings. Lurtsema played college football at Michigan Technological University where he also led the basketball team.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Lurtsema could often be seen in TCF Bank TV commercials. He formerly owned Benchwarmer Bob's Sports Cafe, with two locations in the Twin Cities. He pitched for a season with the Minnesota Norseman semi-pro softball team. He was also seen playing the part of a blatantly biased referee in the American Wrestling Association during its last year, most famously in a match between The Trooper and Mike Enos. His character states he is in the Trooper's corner and repeatedly helps the trooper during the match, and the bias is discussed by the announcers after the match. At one of the final AWA shows, AWA Twin Wars '90 on May 5, 1990, Lurtsema teamed with Brad Rheingans and the Trooper and defeated Tully Blanchard and the Destruction Crew.
