An "old school" opinion of Superstar Billy Graham

[King Blitzkonic]

I say this out of pure respect for The "Superstar" and everything that he's accomplished in the wrestling world, but I do believe he can go screw himself. He knew full well that the WWE HoF isn't really a hall of fame so much as it is Vince's selections. Admittedly there should be no place in there for Pete Rose when true wrestlers like Owen Hart, Bruno Sammartino, and others aren't in there, BUT it's disgusting that Graham doesn't believe that Abdullah the Butcher deserves that spot in the Hall. The Madman from the Sudan, one of the pioneers in hardcore wrestling and a legitimate badass, just recently retired at age 70 and was still going hard all the way to the end of his career. Let's see Billy Graham have done that... Oh wait, he couldn't do it.

It just seems to me that Billy Graham has become nothing but a bitter old man that has made it his mission to try to discredit the McMahon family at every turn, forgetting that they helped his name become commonplace. He wants out? I say let him out of the Hall and never mention him in any top superstar list or DVD. Give him the Chris Benoit treatment.

So you, Superstar Billy Graham, make me sick.

Add your thoughts in here.

 

[Dr. Mantis Toboggan, M.D.]

I read that article this morning and thought to myself "wow, what a piece of shit". Billy Graham wasn't special. I've watched his matches and they put me to sleep. I don't think he should have any say on who is in the Hall or not.

 

[yur_momma]

i agree with the OP...and Im old enough to remember him wrestling! he abused steroids so bad that he became unusable and then tried to stay in the limelight by appearing on Donahue and other shows to trash the very business that made him. he hasnt done anything in the 30 years since wrestling and he would have been a bitter nobody without it.

im assuming you havent watched this yet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKnqPI-ujPU

enjoy.

 

[It'sMyYard]

I like Billy Graham. And I like his matches too but is 'unsportsmanly' of him to rant like he has. At first I thought it was some kind of weird in character interview... Turns out he's just bitter...

 

[VABurghman]

He's telling it like it is. The WWE Hall of Fame is a joke. He is in the Hall legit. He was a contributor to the success of the WWE. If you contributed to the success of your organization and they put people like Drew Carey and Pete Rose in because they are celebreties and make an appearance or two you might be a bit bitter about that too.

 

[It'sMyYard]

He goes over the top, Jericho video is a good example.
He knows what the HOF is, if he doesn't like it, he should've been "out" a long time ago...

 

[jobesukulele]

Before I join in with bashing Billy Graham; which I will. I'd just like to say...

There are legitimate reasons why neither Bruno or Owen have been put into the WWEHOF..
Reportedly Bruno demands a significant payment and insists on having another run in the WWE (which; if true, is ridiculous). And Owen has stayed out because of his Wife's attitude towards Vince and the WWE.

Personally, I agree with Abdullah not having a place in WWE's HOF but only WWE's. NWAHOF.. Sure, it makes sense.
If it's true though, and Abdullah did spend the latter half of his career knowingly spreading HepC to young potential future stars then everything changes. If that is the case then the man should never have any HOF nods from anywhere and ultimately deserves a terminal sentence.

Finally.
On to Billy Graham. I couldn't agree more. He's just another name in the list of Honkey Tonk Men and Larry Zbyszkos in the wrestling world, throwing his "opinions" around in an attempt to garner some acknowledgement from a world that's passed them by..

..and it's worked, to some extent. We're talking, even if it is just to call him an idiot.

 

[Blade]

As much as I respect Graham, those comments were ridiculous. He and other older wrestlers have to get over the fact that hardcore wrestling did a lot for the wrestling industry. Hell, it was a catalyst for the attitude era, arguably the most profitable era of wrestling. He doesn't have to like hardcore wrestling, I don't care for it much myself, but to say one of the pioneers of such a big part of wrestling should never be allowed into the Hall of Fame is moronic.

 

[Ding_Dong_#2]

I do agree with a lot of points the OP says.

The "Superstar" was without doubt the catalyst for modern professional wrestling - Hogan (and Jesse Ventura) stole everything from him; he has a right to be bitter because he missed out on the worldwide explosion that was the WWF in the 1980's.

He doesn't have the right to criticize the Abdullah the Butcher who has every right to his place in the Hall of Fame, as does The Sheik & Killer Kowalski, who were all gimmick-based, "Hardcore" wrestlers; you can't enter people by style and grace alone - this is professional wrestling, full of the wonderful and the weird and it's always been that way. Vince McMahon also said that the WWE are now "carrying the ball" and responsible for the history of professional wrestling in general, which is why we have legends in the HOF who have spent little or no time there.

Billy Graham's autobiography shows him to be honest and humble about his drug-taking and steroid abuse. Why he chooses to be occasionally controversial is, I think, a need to stay relevant and in the public eye - If I was Billy, I would count my lucky stars that I am still alive and spend time with the wrestlers today to try and teach them the lessons that weren't avaliable in his day. He has very little ground to criticize others after the many mistakes he made.

 

[SinCityBlitz]

He's telling it like it is. The WWE Hall of Fame is a joke. He is in the Hall legit. He was a contributor to the success of the WWE. If you contributed to the success of your organization and they put people like Drew Carey and Pete Rose in because they are celebreties and make an appearance or two you might be a bit bitter about that too.

No he's not, he's acting like a spoiled child. He knew about the WWE HOF when he accepted his invitation in. The guy had done nothing but bash wrestling even though he was getting perks from the McMahon's.

Let's face it he's not pissed off about the HOF at all. He's pissed off because Jericho called him out.

Graham is better off riding into the sunset never to be heard from again. I respect what he accomplished but enough is enough already.

 

[The Hardcore Kid]

I'll never get why people get so upset that celebrities are inducted into the HOF. They have a CELEBRITY WING! It's always, "Here's 5-6 wrestling greats, headlined by one amazing one, and also here's a celebrity who had some fun with us". It's never "Please join us April 2nd where we honor the vaunted Drew Carey, WWE Superstar and most important member of the 2001 Royal Rumble, and a few other wrestlers". Nobody gets snubbed or "misses out" because a celebrity gets inducted. It's just something extra.

Pro wrestling is not a pure sport, it really is sports entertainment as much as that is a dirty phrase around here, celebrities have been involved with WWE since the beginning, get over it.

 

[boomhauer20055]

I am a big Superstar fan. He should have left it alone after WWE put him in the hall of fame. The WWE for once showed some class and forgave him after he lied about them many times. His legacy would have been one of recognition and forgiveness if he had left it alone. His recent actions have left him looking like a piece of crap. Enough said

 

[yankees-flair]

The WWE Hall of Fame IS a JOKE !!
Just like the Rock & Roll Hall is a joke too !!
GrandMaster Flash & Blondie belong in that like Sunny & Pete Rose belong in the WWE HOF.
I also find it hard to believe that Bruno wants to get paid in order to get inducted. I think he basically just feels that Vince Jr. ruined the industry (which he did) and just wanted a bunch of steroid freaks (we he also did) !!
I''ll take old school and TNA over WWE crap anyday !!
Superstar may be bitter, but he did more for the industry than most others did. He was Hogan before Hogan was !!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!

 

[TheMaskedNewton]

You bash WWE for using Steroid freaks.

And you support TNA and prefer it over WWE? Do you have any idea how bad the condition of wrestlers and their drugs-abuse is in TNA?

What are you, the living example of irony?

 

[ahoyhoy]

"GrandMaster Flash & Blondie belong in that like Sunny & Pete Rose belong in the WWE HOF."

Flash and the Furious Five are arguably the best and most important musicians in that list.

The HoF is history as told by the winning side. If they want to include wrestlers from other territories and companies that they now own the rights too - hell, why shouldn't they?

Superstar may have been great one day but no-one becomes so great that they can escape ridicule for talking like a fool. Vince has done a large amount of legitimate things to bring down wrestling worldwide and anyone with half a brain could name them and discuss how they could be improved. Chris Jericho having opinions and being in a band, or 1 guy making it or not making it into the HoF is not one of those legitimate gripes to throw your toys out the pram for.

Also what the hell is going on with his facial hair? Want to be taken seriously, don't look like a down syndrome child has drawn a cartoon of Hollywood Hogan.

 

[SyndicateSaint]

You bash WWE for using Steroid freaks.

And you support TNA and prefer it over WWE? Do you have any idea how bad the condition of wrestlers and their drugs-abuse is in TNA?

What are you, the living example of irony?

This times 10. I think that Superstar SHOULD be out of the HoF...because he requested it. I think that if someone doesn't want to be honored for their work, then they shouldn't have to be.

But on the other hand...what made him become such an ass lately?

 

[Kingofthedeathmatch]

The WWE Hall of Fame IS a JOKE !!
Just like the Rock & Roll Hall is a joke too !!
GrandMaster Flash & Blondie belong in that like Sunny & Pete Rose belong in the WWE HOF.
I also find it hard to believe that Bruno wants to get paid in order to get inducted. I think he basically just feels that Vince Jr. ruined the industry (which he did) and just wanted a bunch of steroid freaks (we he also did) !!
I''ll take old school and TNA over WWE crap anyday !!
Superstar may be bitter, but he did more for the industry than most others did. He was Hogan before Hogan was !!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!

Concerning Billy Graham, I think the steroids must've ate away at his brain also after hearing that rant on Chris Jericho. I don't believe this man to be completely stable mentally and therefore do not take him serious. I hope he situates himself appropriately for his age in the near future and try to refrain from making himself look like an asshole, as hard as that may be.

 

[Gman35]

Before I join in with bashing Billy Graham; which I will. I'd just like to say...

There are legitimate reasons why neither Bruno or Owen have been put into the WWEHOF..
Reportedly Bruno demands a significant payment and insists on having another run in the WWE (which; if true, is ridiculous). And Owen has stayed out because of his Wife's attitude towards Vince and the WWE.

Personally, I agree with Abdullah not having a place in WWE's HOF but only WWE's. NWAHOF.. Sure, it makes sense.
If it's true though, and Abdullah did spend the latter half of his career knowingly spreading HepC to young potential future stars then everything changes. If that is the case then the man should never have any HOF nods from anywhere and ultimately deserves a terminal sentence.

Finally.
On to Billy Graham. I couldn't agree more. He's just another name in the list of Honkey Tonk Men and Larry Zbyszkos in the wrestling world, throwing his "opinions" around in an attempt to garner some acknowledgement from a world that's passed them by..

..and it's worked, to some extent. We're talking, even if it is just to call him an idiot.

If that is the case with Abdullah the buthcher, than why did Bob Armstrong get in??? I never recall him doing anything for WWF/WWE. a few years ago, he was involved with TNA. If i am wrong about him being in WWE, than I'm sorry, but dot think it happened. Also, People arguing about Bruno getting in, he also has said he didn't want to get in the HOF. I will agree that Owen needs to be in, but again that is up to Vince!! They have the NWA HOF, lets see if they induct Vince for what he has done in wrestling, not going to happen.

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

I read Billy Graham's "opinion" of both Jericho and The Butcher and I was very much NOT shocked by his words whatsoever. He does this ever so often when either Vince stops giving him money or he becomes an afterthought in the wrestling business. Perhaps Billy Graham's issues have been that he hasn't been featured on Raw when other WWE Legends have. If so, that has NOTHING to do with Abdulah or Chris whatsoever. Everyone knows the HOF is shotty sometimes, but I believe they do the best with what they have (honestly, nobody knows why certain stars are NOT apart of it while other people are i.e. Drew Carey, Pete Rose, etc etc). But for Superstar to be like "take my name off the HOF" makes people be like, "hey, Vince did YOU a favor pal, not the other way around.

Here's the thing that gets me though: If we're going to assume that the WWE HOF is a REAL HOF, then let's consider the criteria of almost every other sports HOF. Let's take Major League Baseball. Billy Graham is an admitted steriod user, right? This means that under the rules and guidelines of ANY OTHER Hall of Fame, his ass shouldn't have ever been inducted, let alone even considered into a Hall of Fame since he "cheated" in his "sport" (that is, if he still wants to take the thought process that wrestling is REAL & so is the WWE Hall of Fame). Why would McMahon induct a known drug user if it were REAL? I could care less what he did in the ring, he did it under false pretenses, right?

Also, to attack The Butcher makes it seem like he has some sort of issue with The Butcher being apart of the HOF. Sure, it shocked the hell outta me that the big man made it, but I was like hey, at LEAST a mainstay in Jim Crockett promotions made it in, perhaps this will pave the way for men like Magnum T.A. Nikita Koloff, and maybe even STING, to someday make it in. Who knows? You gotta start somewhere. I mean, I could see if Billy was NEVER inducted and year after year he's passed over for others (quite like, let's say Owen Hart) but he's not. He's in. That's like Michael Jordan having a problem that Dennis Rodman made it in. Who cares? Michael Jordan made it and that's all he cares about & should care about...BUT again, THAT'S a REAL Hall of Fame.

Superstar, stop it. Vince could care less about you. Ever notice you're not apart of ANY video games? I haven't seen a Superstar Billy Graham Day on Raw. I haven't seen a Superstar Billy Graham action figure in I don't know how long. I haven't seen another Superstar Billy Graham DVD featuring his best matches. I mean, he did have that one DVD but that was like 5 years ago. Vince will certainly do you a favor by putting you not only out of HIS Hall of Fame but out of your misery and you, my friend, will only have yourself to blame. Stop trying to take shots at people (and yourself, if you know what I mean) and just be happy your ass is alive with a new liver, since you wanna wish death & hell on other people. Oh, by the way, I thought he was a Christian...Opps, never mind.

 

[Aotearoa (Bushwacker)]

Nevermind him wanting to be out of the Hall, WWE should kick him out. Ungrateful. WWE can put whoever the hell they want in their Hall. Piss of Billy Graham. I used to like his old school stuff and yeah Hogan ripped him off and took wrestling mainstream but the superstar always did the gimic better. He's just old, bitter and twisted and without making these comments most people probably wouldn't even know who he is so he has to keep making these comments to stay relevant in peoples minds.

Also just a quick bit of trivia. The Butcher did work for WWF back in the day. He did a few house shows, so you can't say he never worked for them. He has worked in WWF in the 1970's. Look up http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/71.htm buffalo 1971 http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/72.htm 9-29-72 and 10-20-72 11-10-72

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

Oh 1 more thing. If this is about people who never worked for Vince or the WWF/E at ANY portion of their careers, then let's remove the following names shall we:

Bill Watts
Bob Armstrong
Gordon Solie
Eddie Graham
Stu Hart
The Sheik
The Von Erichs (Fritz, Kevin, David)
Verne Gagne

So THESE men were ALL pioneers and deserved to be in the Hall of Fame, right? Right. So Billy Graham can DX' it and suck it because those names never worked a day's time for Vince (as far as anyone knows) and yet they made it...So what makes The Butcher so damn different?

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

This times 10. I think that Superstar SHOULD be out of the HoF...because he requested it. I think that if someone doesn't want to be honored for their work, then they shouldn't have to be.

But on the other hand...what made him become such an ass lately?

I'm sure Vince has other things to attend to other than a grumpy old Superstar Billy Graham whinning about who's in and who's not. Vince will probably not even care whether or not Superstar's in, and while it would be completely humorous for Vince to publically embarass Superstar, what good would it do? Superstar Billy Graham is certainly a has-been, he's been a has-been since 1987 if people want to be honest with themselves, that's why Vince let him go so many years ago. I think what McMahon will do is priviately discontinue his service with Superstar and his name will be removed & no mention will be made about it. I think that's what needs to happen.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

It's unfortunate that Superstar Billy Graham acts the way he does and this is coming from a big fan of the guy, the guy had so much character, charisma, and mic and promo skills it was crazy how far ahead he was of everyone else at the time in these areas.

Billy Graham sounds like a long line of wrestlers who are just bitter and like to bitch and complain about every wrestler and promotor that ever pissed them off in any way. I say this about Billy Graham not so much based on his recent comments but on the fact that he has been trashing the WWE for years, before his HOF induction (which BTW was the same class as Pete Rose so obviously he wasn't blind what the HOF was when he was inducted) and afterwards. He calls the WWE and all the McMahons out on their integrity as a business and as people but really he just comes off as a sad, pathetic shell of his former self. Bruno at least sticks to his guns unlike Billy Graham who flip-flops constantly, even though Bruno obviously doesn't like Vince he at least has an opinion and stands by it, he doesn't believe in the current product and doesn't waiver on it.

Not only that I haven't heard a real good reason why Billy Graham hates the WWE so much. He sold his HOF ring because they told him they were making an actual hall of fame in a building, and from what I've heard the WWE ARE making an actual HOF and its in the planning stages right now, so that would completely negate Billy Graham's argument.

I really don't get why he is so pissed at the WWE, its not the product (or he wouldn't have went into the HOF in the first place), the product has actually gotten a lot cleaner and family friendly (which he should like because he is so religious), the WWE did a great job after the whole Benoit incident IMO, they made drug testing more stingy, constant physicals and they are even paying for rehab for ANY wrestler that wants it, what more can a company do to make things better? They obviously have made some HUGE strides to making wellness for wrestlers much better and that's all you can ask for. Sure things could be better but you can say that about ANY company in history.

All in all I think Superstar is in the same boat as the Billy Jack Haynes of the world who constantly bitch about everything being wrong when really its just one incident from 20 years ago you cannot get over so you do everything you can to drag someone else through the mud. I don't know what it was Billy Graham, just get over it and move on, we all know the WWE HOF is a joke so thanks for telling us nothing.

 

[Fenris]

This times 10. I think that Superstar SHOULD be out of the HoF...because he requested it. I think that if someone doesn't want to be honored for their work, then they shouldn't have to be.

But on the other hand...what made him become such an ass lately?

Lately? This is just Graham being Graham. Don't get me wrong, I love his Superstar character, love what he did for the business. Great, great character that has been imitated for three decades now.

But Graham has been bitter for a LOOOONG time. It all goes back to his WWWF World Champion run. He wanted to turn babyface and be the guy and thought that Vince Sr. should have tried it. Vince Sr. said no, i'm going with Howdy Doodey. That is where it started. It escalated when Vince Jr. brought in Hulk Hogan from the AWA and ran with a face version of Superstar Graham. He's never gotten over the fact the guy he mentored borrowed from him and became the biggest star ever.

He's been bitter ever since with flare ups every now and then. His side of the story has long been Vince Jr. promised to take care of him and that he would always have a job in the WWF, which Vince didn't honor in his view. He buried the hatchet some years ago and again, he was under the impression that Vince was going to give him a job or at least do more with the character. That didn't happen and the bitterness is back. Supposedly he is dying again and can't get a 2nd transplant and according to recent news reports he's living in a rundown hotel in the ghetto and only surviving off of autograph signings and selling artwork on Ebay.

The whole thing is a tragic story and it is unfortunate he now wants out of the HOF and is on the outs with the WWE again. If that's what he wants I would I guess give it to him.

 

[Docwhitley]

People are acting like this is the first time Billy has voiced his disapproval of the HOF... Come on he Sold his Ring! So if he wants out let him out. I personally agree with him. Especially if Abbie will not provide any negative blood test! There are wrestlers out there walking around with a death sentence right now and do not even know it. If Abbie knows that he is Positive and he still continued to blade either himself or other wrestlers.... Well then he is no different then Chris Benoit, Juana Barraza, Verne Gagne, Jose Huertas Gonzales and I am sure there are others.

I agree it is not real but if you are going to turn a blind eye to one killer...Why not do it for all of them?