Pat Patterson

This is a little different from the recent questions…

Is Pat Patterson the most underrated contributor to wrestling in history? Of note:

– Part of one of the greatest tag teams in history (with Ray Stevens)

– The first IC champion after winning a grueling tournament in Rio De Janeiro (which happened)

– Fantastic feuds with Backlund, Slaughter, etc.

– The creator of the Royal Rumble and one of the most creative minds with finishes

– A hilarious parody of himself as a stooge.

This guy was important in wrestling for 30 odd years, yet it seems like he really gets no credit. I’d hate to say that the reason is because people think his sexuality trumps his talent, but for whatever reason he’s never really gotten his just due in the history OFDISBIZNESS.

Thoughts?

– Rob

I give mad props to Patterson, but his problem as far as legacy goes is that he really peaked before the Hulkamania era and thus got washed out of history except as a footnote, and then peaked as a creative force before the Attitude era and thus got washed out of history again. Every shitty Rumble we get now makes me wish he was booking them again, but apparently Pat is happy to be away from the business, so I’m glad for him. He was a legendary finish guy (another thing lacking in the “music hits, heel gets a rollup” era), but really it’s not like someone couldn’t just call him up and ask for his advice if they wanted it. I wish someone would.