Random Acts Of Wrestling: Reflections On The Original Villain – Roddy Piper

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Growing up, I was never a big WWF fan.  I didn’t like it.  It was too cartoonish, and to be honest, if you were Southern and choose that Northern promotion over Crockett, you lost redneck points.

But, there was something about Roddy Piper.

He was a bad guy.  Never let anyone forget it.  But, he was always so happy about it.  You hated him, but you loved him at the same time.  He drew you in.  He made you believe.  Of course, a coconut exploding on someone’s skull may have had something to do with the believability factor….

Rod was one of those guys that never needed a championship belt to get over.  He didn’t really even need wrestling ability to get over.  Hand him a live microphone, and he captivated the world.  Quick witted, scathing, snarky, sarcastic, brutally honest, and funny to boot, Hot Rod was something we’d never seen before.  And, we could never get enough of him.

Who else in the whole wide world could get away with playing bagpipes and wearing a kilt in the world of pro wrestling?

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This was a man who spoke his mind and didn’t care about who he pissed off in the process.  He went after his peers, the promoters….pretty much any and everyone he could.  He was ostracized and became an outcast on more occasions than I can remember, but the fans, the people that really counted to him, loved him all the same.

He could leave to make a movie or escape to his quiet mountain in Oregon for years, but as soon as those bagpipes hit during a show, we knew who it was, and deafening cheers blew the roof off whatever arena he was in.  One of the most reviled men in the business easily became one of the most beloved as his in-ring career waned.

Without Roddy Piper, there wouldn’t be an Austin, a Pillman, a Rock, a Punk, an Ambrose.  He paved the way, making mic skills and charisma as important as technique in the ring.  He was never at a loss for words, and we hung on each and every one of them.

It’s odd to think that we will never see another Piper’s Pit on Raw.  It’s difficult to imagine never being surprised by the bagpipes blaring through an arena to announce his latest return.  It’s hard to believe he is actually gone.

Heaven got another hell raiser tonight.  Let’s just hope there’s a steady supply of bubblegum up there….

What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts, opinions, feedback and anything else that was raised.

You can find me on Twitter @AbbeyBrooke2121 and at abbeyarthur.wordpress.com. Until next time….