Author Topic: R.I.P., Rowdy Roddy Piper: (Read 152996 times)

Montague · « **on:** August 02, 2015, 05:26:28 AM »

Roderick George Toombs, a.k.a "Rowdy" a Roddy Piper, passed away some time Friday.

Man, this one really bums me out.

** I wanted to post this approx 36 hours ago when I found out, but was unable due to the site being offline.

ritch · « **Reply #1 on:** August 02, 2015, 05:28:51 AM »

RIP.

But I think it was a good time for him as he lived out his career to the max, not sure how much further he could have taken this.

Montague · « **Reply #2 on:** August 02, 2015, 05:36:06 AM »

I haven't read or heard many details other than cardiac arrest in his sleep. He was 61.

While 61 is is not as young as many of Rod's deceased frat brothers, it's still not "old" by most average people's standards. Like a lot of guys who were big in the 80's, it sounds like Roddy partied pretty hard at times.

Taffin · « **Reply #3 on:** August 02, 2015, 06:15:40 AM »

'He came here to kick ass and chew bubblegum.

And now he's all out of bubblegum...'

PIP

Montague · « **Reply #4 on:** August 02, 2015, 10:46:47 AM »

Quote from: Diablo N on August 02, 2015, 06:15:40 AM

'He came here to kick ass and chew bubblegum.

And now he's all out of bubblegum...'

PIP

Roddy apparently handed John Carpenter a notebook with many of Rod's promo ideas. Carpenter allegedly saw that one and liked it so much, that he had it worked into the script!

Hulkster · « **Reply #5 on:** August 02, 2015, 12:27:55 PM »

i'm from Canada and had no idea he was Canadian until now.

go figure.

RIP Hotrod. saw him live at WM 6 (against Bad News Brown)

famous half black interview before hand lol

Thin Lizzy · « **Reply #6 on:** August 03, 2015, 06:03:48 AM »

RIP Hot Rod

My main memory of him during his glory days is that he never lost, not in the Spanish Wrestling where I first saw him, not in Georgia Championship Wrestling, and not in the WWF, until finally he was pinned by Bret Hart.

Montague · « **Reply #7 on:** August 03, 2015, 02:27:45 PM »

Quote from: Thin Lizzy on August 03, 2015, 06:03:48 AM

RIP Hot Rod

My main memory of him during his glory days is that he never lost, not in the Spanish Wrestling where I first saw him, not in Georgia Championship Wrestling, and not in the WWF, until finally he was pinned by Bret Hart.

Yes, there was a lengthy period of years during which Rod refused to lose by pin-fall. He also refused to take any kind of dive in his inaugural Wrestlemania match against Hogan & "T." That's why Orndorff did the job.

Roddy convinced Vince that would keep him hot, as well as lengthen his feud with Hulkster, which was drawing insane money.

gmflex · « **Reply #8 on:** August 03, 2015, 06:53:17 PM »

One of the greats ..
He was smooth on the mic..
Pipers pit was something I looked forward while I was growing up in the
Late 70's ..

Thin Lizzy · « **Reply #9 on:** August 03, 2015, 07:15:39 PM »

Quote from: Montague on August 03, 2015, 02:27:45 PM

Yes, there was a lengthy period of years during which Rod refused to lose by pin-fall. He also refused to take any kind of dive in his inaugural Wrestlemania match against Hogan & "T." That's why Orndorff did the job.

Roddy convinced Vince that would keep him hot, as well as lengthen his feud with Hulkster, which was drawing insane money.

I heard Hogan, awhile ago, on a Podcast, I believe Jericho's.

Hulk had a different take. He felt that had Piper been willing to do the job, he could've been champ all the times when Hogan was in Hollywood doing movies.

Ronnie Rep · « **Reply #10 on:** August 04, 2015, 05:55:27 AM »

RIP Hot Rod.

Montague · « **Reply #11 on:** August 06, 2015, 03:29:57 PM »

WWE aired a nice trubute this week. It's on YouTube.

Sorry, it's a PIA to imbed on my tablet.

calfzilla · « **Reply #12 on:** August 07, 2015, 02:04:16 AM »

His funeral will be in Portland next week. WWE will also be in town for Smackdown which I plan on attending. Should be a good show.

Montague · « **Reply #13 on:** August 07, 2015, 12:02:41 PM »

Quote from: calfzilla on August 07, 2015, 02:04:16 AM

His funeral will be in Portland next week. WWE will also be in town for Smackdown which I plan on attending. Should be a good show.

Stan Efferding posted some comments about Piper on his Instagram last week, accompanied by a classic pic of Rod and Buddy Rose. Apparently, "The Rhino" was a big fan of Don Owen's Portland wrestling show!

calfzilla · « **Reply #14 on:** August 07, 2015, 06:07:03 PM »

Quote from: Montague on August 07, 2015, 12:02:41 PM

Stan Efferding posted some comments about Piper on his Instagram last week, accompanied by a classic pic of Rod and Buddy Rose. Apparently, "The Rhino" was a big fan of Don Owen's Portland wrestling show!

I used to see Buddy Rose around town when he was alive. Billy Jack Hanes too. Never seen Piper though.

Portland wrestling was good back in the day, I remember watching it on tv. My parents would go to the matches when they were kids. Lonnie Mayne was their fav, also Tony Bourne.

Thin Lizzy · « **Reply #15 on:** August 08, 2015, 04:42:26 AM »

I vaguely remembered a Piper promo from when he was feuding with Buzz Sawyer.

What made the promo so crazy and memorable was that it ended with Piper hanging from a tree with a dog collar around his neck:

Lo and behold, it's on YouTube:

Montague · « **Reply #16 on:** August 08, 2015, 06:02:39 AM »

There's another famous one from around that time, in which Rod smashed a beer bottle on his head. Many years later, he admitted it was a a bit of a stupid idea, but he did it to further get himself over.

Playboy · « **Reply #17 on:** August 10, 2015, 04:11:29 AM »

Quote from: Montague on August 02, 2015, 05:36:06 AM

I haven't read or heard many details other than cardiac arrest in his sleep. He was 61.

While 61 is is not as young as many of Rod's deceased frat brothers, it's still not "old" by most average people's standards. Like a lot of guys who were big in the 80's, it sounds like Roddy partied pretty hard at times.

I heard he was also battling Hodgkin's Disease and yes, he partied very hard even showing up to the Zahorian drug trial half in the bag apparantly.

Montague · « **Reply #18 on:** August 10, 2015, 03:20:04 PM »

Quote from: Playboy on August 10, 2015, 04:11:29 AM

I heard he was also battling Hodgkin's Disease and yes, he partied very hard even showing up to the Zahorian drug trial half in the bag apparantly.

His "performance" at that trial remains historical!!

Thin Lizzy · « **Reply #19 on:** August 10, 2015, 05:52:56 PM »

I caught a Podcast that had, as a guest, Johnny Fairplay, who worked as Piper's Personal Assistant, for a year.

He told a story about Piper describing his drug use by pointing to his nostrils and saying that the right one had 1 million up it, but the left wasn't as good. It only had 750k.

Montague · « **Reply #20 on:** August 11, 2015, 02:56:54 AM »

Quote from: Thin Lizzy on August 10, 2015, 05:52:56 PM

I caught a Podcast that had, as a guest, Johnny Fairplay, who worked as Piper's Personal Assistant, for a year.

He told a story about Piper describing his drug use by pointing to his nostrils and saying that the right one had 1 million up it, but the left wasn't as good. It only had 750k.

It seems Piper went through quite a number of personal assistants over the years.
I'm not implying anything by that; it's merely an observation.

I was told that David Penzer was "a real pain in the ass" to so business with. This was probably around 2001/2002.

Montague · « **Reply #21 on:** August 18, 2015, 04:28:50 PM »

Wrestlemania III was his apex.

The "retirement" match... the loser has his head shaved clean...the birth of Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake...

He was still "Rowdy," but a fan favorite by then. Same with Macho.

Man, that remains my FAVORITE period in pro-wrestling history!!!

The "Attitude Era" was good and all, but...

calfzilla · « **Reply #22 on:** August 21, 2015, 11:37:14 PM »

So I went to Smackdown in Portland a couple weeks ago. Not sure if it made TV since I didn't watch it, but Pipers family was there and we all had a moment of silence for him. Kinda annoying because at first when we were supposed to be silent a bunch of idiots kept yelling "whoo!" And "we love you Piper"... Finally they were silenced and we payed our respects in silence with his family.

Montague · « **Reply #23 on:** August 29, 2015, 07:40:29 PM »

Steve Austin has apparently been catching some heat from different people placing indirect blame on him and Vince McMahon for Roddy's death.

Billy Jack Hanes has been very outspoken since Piper's passing. He alleges that Austin was hot over Piper having a Stone Cold impersonator on his podcast, so he went crying to VKM and threatened to leave the Fed (again) if the old man didn't can Hot Rod.

Vince fired Rod from his legends contract. Hanes maintains that it was the stress of losing his job that lead to Roddy's heart attack three days later.

calfzilla · « **Reply #24 on:** August 29, 2015, 09:20:33 PM »

Quote from: Montague on August 29, 2015, 07:40:29 PM

Steve Austin has apparently been catching some heat from different people placing indirect blame on him and Vince McMahon for Roddy's death.

Billy Jack Hanes has been very outspoken since Piper's passing. He alleges that Austin was hot over Piper having a Stone Cold impersonator on his podcast, so he went crying to VKM and threatened to leave the Fed (again) if the old man didn't can Hot Rod.

Vince fired Rod from his legends contract. Hanes maintains that it was the stress of losing his job that lead to Roddy's heart attack three days later.

Quite a stretch. I would take whatever billy says with a grain of salt. Good guy but has issues.

Also I remember the piper Austin podcast feud and as I remember they both addresses it and squashed that there were any hurt feelings.