Just when we all thought we knew the answers, The "Rowdy One" goes and changes the questions! The tragic and heart breaking event of his Passing has sent the world that knew him onto the ropes and with good reason. A man who was not just a Fantastic professional wrestler or a man who was not just a wrestling personality, But a man who adored his wonderful family and gave more than he received in his well spent sixty one years on this earth.
The price that one takes for living the life of a pro wrestler is a heavy one, but Roddy Piper never let it get him down, he rose above it and he sent pain packing! His Hard, Tragic and Unimaginable childhood was a stepping stone in life for Roddy, A huge one but he overcame it and made himself into the greatest villain that pro wrestling has ever witnessed. Had Roddy Piper not have existed, Its a safe bet that WrestleMania would have never become the phenomenon that it became for over three decades, And his Persona and his work made Hulkamania a success that it became by making the crowd hate him so much that anyone who stepped in-front of him in the ring instantly got cheered, and if that is not a great baddie in pro wrestling, I don't know what is. His actions and attitude made the character of the "Hot Rod" so well rounded that he made anybody who was watching him instantly booed him and wanted to wipe the arrogant smirk he wore off of his face whilst casually walking to the ring. When he turned Face and became a goodie, He didn't even do it intentionally, He just became the original man the people love to hate because of his controversial actions and his pioneering talk show, The Pipers Pit!
The Piper's Pit became so popular it was hard to not watch him as he made a fool out of whom ever went on the show as a guest, It also gave the victim on the show a boost of popularity due to Pipers mass audience. The "Cousin" of Roddy Piper, Bret Hart, says that his match with Roddy at Wrestlemania 8 made the career of Bret Hart, and that is one of the greatest honours a wrestler can receive, The knowledge that your ability's and your talents made another wrestler's career and set him on the path to greatness which Bret ultimately did. The "Hot Rod" never won a world heavyweight championship during his career, but Just like Davey Boy Smith, He didn't need it to prove how talented, of how popular and of just how loved Roderick George Toombs, otherwise known globally as the one, and the only Rowdy Roddy Piper was and always will be.
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