Superstar Billy Graham - Hero or Villain?

[THTRobtaylor]

I just watched the old Documentary on Superstar from 2006 and it was one of the most visceral and honest WWE docs I can remember seeing...

It told the story of a guy who it can be said legit blazed a trail in the business, but who has a history of throwing it away.

Arguably the most painful moments in there were when Vince McMahon was involved... you could tell even then how much he clearly loved and respected Billy Graham since his run in the 70's and that had things gone just a tiny bit differently, it might have been he not Hogan who became the biggest star. Vince clearly believed in Billy Graham... but he also was the guy burned the most...perhaps more so than any other of the famed "betrayals" over the years as this one seems to have kept happening again and again. If anything this one put the Randy Savage story in perspective... if Vince could let Superstar back, having lied to the Federal Government and nearly getting him jailed... What the hell did Randy actually do to be persona non grata...(shudders)

The doc ended with the Hall of Fame induction, ironically the HOF that Graham sold his ring of and demanded to be removed from...

I went and read a little on this and I actually came out on his side... I hate too that Abdullah the Butcher is in the HOF...a guy who has shown little to no respect to opponents over the years and has shown no regard for his blood borne disease and who it might infect... In Graham's case, this is a guy with Hep C.. he'd get it more than anyone and while blading was not expressly blamed for his condition, indeed a used needle could easily have done it it was heavily implied that he got it through juice in the ring.

Of course prior to this, Graham had had yet another WWE falling out over Linda's campaign, apologised...so it seems a bit of a serial issue...like the kid who repeatedly gets caught drinking and vowing never to do it again or the husband who swears he'll never hit his wife again... the guy seems to just keep having issues.

Recently the tales of Billy's illnesses again hit the news, this guy probably isn't gonna be around much longer. But does his ring career and influence eclipse the negativity of his outside the ring shenanigans? Or is this one guy who should get his wish, be removed from the HOF and consigned to the scrapheap of history along with Benoit?

I think it's a tragic tale of a guy who seemingly has had mental illness throughout his life, has side effects from endless and self admitted abuse of steroids but who like him or not is the template of what we see today... Dusty stole his "rap", Hogan and Ventura stole his look, Vince stole his image and idea and made it the focal point of his expansion and seemingly drugs have stolen his health and possibly at times his sanity.

What do you guys think... rather than wait till the guy goes and it become a morbid thing, let's do it now... Is The Superstar a hero or villain of the businesS?

 

[FromGlasgow]

He probably does come across as bitter in some of his recent interviews that I've heard which is a shame as the guy does deserve more recognition as I think his style was very innovative and he clearly influenced a lot of wrestlers over the years.

 

[rmp0012002]

Hero or villain? I don't know if I can answer it that way but the guy was a legend. He just had that charisma and was one of a rare few like Flair and Savage that as a heel could connect with the fans. Without Superstar Billy Graham there never would have been a Hulk Hogan as he stole his entire persona from SBG. He might have stolen his character but Hogan couldn't come close to Graham as a talker. Also, without a Hogan, the WWF would had never been more than a regional company.
That said, a lot of Graham's issues were brought on by himself and while he seems like a good guy he just seemed to find some kind of trouble. Having gotten to see him at a NJ house show in '82/'83 is one of the highlights of my 35 years as a fan. He fought Gorilla Monsoon oddly enough.

 

[stingray11214]

As someone who watched Superstar Billy Graham as a child, I can say he was hated with a passion by many fans. But, one cannot deny that he was a great performer in the ring. He was great on the mic. He also looked like a chiseled superman. Under the tutelage of The Grand Wizard, he was the transition between Bruno and Backlund. Backlund would have won it earlier, but he was just not ready at the time.

And, that was his problem. He beat Bruno for the Belt.

He was booed universally while he had the belt, Graham begged to become a face. Problem was that we were dealing with Vince Sr., not VKM. In Vince Sr.'s eyes, and in the eyes of many promoters, Graham was a heel, case closed. Furthermore, a handshake deal was made with Backlund to put the strap on him.

His third sojourn in the WWF was not good. He went into his "bald" era, and tried to kill Backlund. Failed miserably.

In closing, Graham was universally recognized as a heel. So, kayfabe commands him to remain a villain. However, if he came around 5 years later, you might not have had a need for Hulk Hogan, whose own WWWF debut was a disaster. But, VJM Sr. was too "old school" for Graham to be anything else but a heel. And, a heel he remained. Furthermore, a lot of his problems after retirement were self inflicted with massive steroid abuse during his career.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

Whilst I admire the man for standing up for his beliefs (regarding Abdullah the Butcher and the Hall of Fame), I disagree that a person can choose to be removed from the HoF. So I'm glad WWE haven't fully acquiesced to his request. If he chooses to disassociate himself, then that's up to him, but a Hall of Fame is not something to be dipped in and out of depending on how you feel. Whether people thing the HoF is legitimate or not (I treat it as such), nothing contradicts legitimacy like people withdrawing from it after being inducted.

As for Billy Graham himself, his influence is still seen in WWE, and indeed throughout wrestling, today, whether directly or indirectly. Clearly he influenced the likes of Hulk Hogan, and Hogan in term influenced a lot of the wrestlers over the last decade. It isn't a stretch to suggest that we might not be watching wrestling today if not for the likes of Billy Graham, so for that, plus the fact that I personally believe that every WWE champion should be inducted, the 'Superstar' belongs in the Hall of Fame.