RIP Pat Patterson

[DMJ]

I read Pat Patterson's biography this year - or maybe in 2019? - and would say, if you haven't yet, its a good read and feels honest. I know he had a co-writer/ghostwriter, but like Rocky Johnson's book, its still in that top 10% of wrestling books to me that is worth checking out, full of good stories, and feels like it was written without bitterness, anger, or "in kayfabe" (and, at least where I am in Cleveland, 100% free to read just by ordering it through your friendly neighborhood library). 

[SirEdger]

Yeah, Bertrand Hébert was the ghostwriter for Pat's biography. And given his past work with wrestling books, no doubt that he must've done a fantastic job with it.

[FMKK]

2 hours ago, El-P said:

Kevin "shittiest director ever" Dunn says hello. 

How could I forget?

[El-P]

2 minutes ago, FMKK said:

How could I forget?

Visual trauma denial ?

[FMKK]

Fucking Bruce and Kevin Dunne as the last men standing.

[flyonthewall2983]

I remember in The Last Dance, Michael Jordan saying "whenever they talk about Michael Jordan they should also talk about Scottie Pippen" in terms of how much they helped each other in what they became. I get the feeling, from how much he was talked about being in Vince's ear, that Vince feels the same way. 

[Memphis Mark]

Pat Patterson was a great in ring performer . Patterson and Ray Stevens were the foundation of Roy Shire's Northern California territory . Those guys use to sell out the Cow Palace on a regular basis. I don't know how much footage  from that era survived . When I hear  Patterson 's name  , his Bay Area run is the first time  that pops in my mind.  The guy had a great career before he went to NYC in the late seventies .

[SteveJRogers]

On 12/2/2020 at 4:18 PM, C.S. said:

Anyway, I've never believed the Pat Patterson allegations - not for a single split second. There is an ugly history of homosexuality ignorantly being equated to interest in underage boys. I wish I could say that was a relic of the past, but there are still people who think that way. Yes, in 2020. Plus, Superstar Billy Graham admitted to lying about the whole thing, so there's that...

People still sneer at priests of any denomination based on the abuse scandals over the decades.

Also they all are still targets of snide remarks and assumptions that they only went into such an occupation solely to act on their predatory desires.

 

[sek69]

Again I would say Pat is culpable in the sense he was the #2 person in a company that clearly knew this shit was going on and did little to stop it until it became a legal/PR issue. If you look back at the allegations of the time, it very much came down to people assuming Pat must have been involved because he was gay rather than the proof they had for someone like Mel Philips. 

It actually distracts from how institutionalized the abuse was,  focusing on how he was assumed to be directly involved because of his sexuality rather than being part of a leadership structure that allowed it to continue to the point they'd make joking references to it on their TV shows.