Keith Elliot Greenberg - WWE Legends - Superstar Billy Graham: Tangled Ropes

Tangled Ropes
Keith Elliot Greenberg

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Graham, Billy, 1943

WWE legends : Superstar Billy Graham : tangled ropes / Superstar Billy Graham with Keith Elliot Greenberg.

p. cm.

1. Graham, Billy, 1943- 2. WrestlersUnited StatesBiography. 3. Doping in sports. 4. World Wrestling FederationHistory. I. Greenberg, Keith Elliot, 1959- II. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

GV1196.G73A3 2006

796.812092dc22

[B]

2005049170

This Pocket Books hardcover edition January 2006

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FOR VALERIE

Who sometimes I believe was doomed to love me. She was an innocent young girl and my sweet virgin angel. Valerie knows about loss, has seen pools of tears beneath her feet along with shattered dreams. But through it all she remains by my side, and I know if the flesh fell off of my face she would still be here to care. She is my soul mate and true companion, my covenant woman. Not only do I dedicate this book to her, but my life as well. It was destiny that brought us together.

eISBN-13: 978-1-439-12179-5

ISBN-13: 978-1-416-50753-6

www.SimonandSchuster.com

It was August 24, 2003, a normal Sunday afternoon in Phoenix, where it was about 100 degrees and I was sweating Crisco (dry heat, my Oklahoma backside!). It was WWEs annual summertime extravaganza known as SummerSlam, headlined by an Elimination Chamber match for the paying customers. But behind the scenes a very different kind of main event was going down that scorching day in Arizona. After years of exile, years filled with controversy and near-death experiences, that was the day that former WWE Champion and future WWE Hall of Famer Superstar Billy Graham physically returned home to rejoin his WWE brethren and to slowly begin to mend fences and establish new relationships within the company he helped build.

But not everyone was overjoyed to see Superstar.

Some people have long memories, and to old school wrestling people, forgiveness, in their eyes, has to be earned. Right or wrong, thats just the way it is.

This was the first time I ever personally met Superstar, even though I had heard a truckload of stories about this colorful character from many of our mutual friends and acquaintances from my over thirty-plus-year career in the business. I had no issues with Billy, no grudges, no bad experiences or memories. He didnt owe me money, he had not no-showed an event I was involved with, and while I did not know him personally I felt badly for him that day. While many of the WWE Superstars embraced Billy like a returning brother who had been absent from the family for years, others gave the former WWE Champion the cold shoulder. I felt uncomfortable for Billy because of how some were snubbing him, but I dont know if Billy was even aware of it that day. Superstar Billy Graham was back as the center of attention and receiving accolades from wrestlers, many of whom he had never met, and loving every minute of it!

You see, Superstar Billy Graham isnt Switzerlandhes not neutralon any subject. Superstar is a guy who has always been a lightning rod of controversy, and as a peer or coworker you either liked him or you did not. There was no gray area when it came to Superstar and how people felt about this man, who could arguably be considered the first sports entertainer EVER. (In all due respect to Gorgeous George.)

But, cutting to the chase, Superstar Billy Graham is simply lucky to be alive today.

He should have died several times, but he was always able to get a foot on the rope before the fatal three count went down. Its funny how that works. Billy won the WWE title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino in 1977 in Baltimore by using both feet on the ropes to rob the Living Legend of the coveted championship. Ironically, when Billy lost the WWE title to Bob Backlund, a little less than a year later, once again Billy had his foot on the bottom rope as he was pinned by Backlund. It almost seems like God has put Billys feet not only to the fire a few times but near the ropes, as well.

I respect Superstar for many things, but especially for the innovative stylings he brought to the business. Superstars physique was freak of nature material, but he has paid dearly for how he attained his twenty-two-inch pythons. Superstar was one of the very first wrestlers to fully grasp the psychology and importance of how to verbally communicate with the paying customers and with wrestlers, who to this very day utilize this art form Billy perfected. He influenced the careers and in-ring personas of Hulk Hogan, Jesse The Body Ventura, Dusty Rhodes, Austin Idol, Big Papa Pump Scott Steiner, and another lifelong fan of Superstars, Triple H, to name a few. Thats a helluva legacy.

Billy Graham has been many things in his life, albeit none of them were of the low-key, Ward Cleaver variety. He has been, among other things, a competitive bodybuilder, a contestant in strong-man contests, a bouncer, a pro football player, an evangelist, a motivational speaker, and a pro wrestler of worldwide stature. He has run afoul of the law, has been physically abused by legendary wrestler and trainer of wrestlers Stu Hart, has clashed with the businesss biggest and most powerful promoters, went on Donahue to rant on Vince McMahon, and probably attempted a thousand times to get rich quick. He has had issues with exes, his children, and, as I have mentioned, has almost died more than once.