COWBOY BILL WATTS TO BE INDUCTED INTO WWE HALL OF FAME
By
Mike Johnson on 2009-01-12 17:23:21
A very special thanks to our friends at
www.wrestlingfigs.com for altering us to the news that former wrestler,
Mid-South Wrestling and UWF promoter and one time WCW head Cowboy Bill Watts
has accepted an invitation to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Jim
Ross this April over Wrestlemania weekend.
Watts sent the following email out today to his friends:
Friends...
Got a very surprising call yesterday...from the offices of the WWE...(which is
Vince McMahon's pro-wrestling company)...the 'flagship of the
industry'....world-wide...and the 'caller'... told me 'they' had chosen me to
be 'inducted into the WWE Wrestling Hall of Fame'...on the next Wrestlemania
(which is their biggest annual event on pay-per-view)... Saturday...April
4th...and 'would I consent and be available to attend the festivities in
Houston on that date'...and for that weekend... and I can 'assure
you'...anything the WWE does like this is 'first class and then some!'
First...what an honor... to be 'recognized by one's peers'... and
this...doubly so...because Vince Jr. and I have been on the 'opposite sides'
of this business back when I was still active...(although his father and I
worked extremely well together during his life)...
But when Vince's idea for 'his vision' of pro-wrestling was launched... it put
him in an adversarial position to all other promotions here in the US... and
eventually he was the 'winner'... and has built a true financial empire with
'his brand'...and changed forever the sport and industry...
Now...he and I did work together for 3 months some years back (my last active
participation in the industry)...
and I gained 'huge personal respect for him'...and as a visionary...and a
person...his creative genius flowed in great lock-step with me during our
'creative sessions'... he truly was one I could 'do booking with' in the same
far reaching way I was taught by another true genius of our business...Eddie
Graham...And everything Vince did...and how he interacted with me...was
complete class... he is a detailed work-a-holic...with great
self-discipline...who lives and breathes this business and his vision of it...
So...I respect him completely... even if we are 'not on point' on everything
philosophically...;>)
Thus...I never 'envisioned being asked by his group' to be inducted into their
Hall of Fame...so...it was 'a surprise'... a very 'pleasurable one'... and I
accepted with a 'whole heart'... and look forward to this...btw...I am also
going to their World HQ this month to do a 'round-table discussion' in two TV
tapings...not-related to the HOF...which should also be interesting and fun...
So...I just wanted to share this with you...
I am also asked to 'choose my presenter into the HOF'...and one of the great
honors I personally experienced was to be chosen by Ernie Ladd to be his
presenter into this same HOF years ago...and I still grieve his fairly recent
loss as he transitioned to his Heavenly home... and there are many who have
contributed so damn much to my career...*(sadly also...too many that have
transitioned out of this life)...
in fact...in reflecting as I write this...my 25 plus years in the
industry...there were so 'damn many' true 'characters'...'unique
individuals'... both in the biz and out...that contributed so tremendously to
my life...that as hard as it may be for any of you to accept...'I am humbled
by them...and their contributions'...and even moreso...for those who impacted
me in such a major way... at a time when I did NOT take the time to even truly
realize it...or value it so tremendously... to each of them... thank you!!
But without a doubt... if it is agreed to by them (WWE)...there can be 'no
other'...than Jim Ross...(their JR)...as he has been with me since he was a
young man...and worked his way up to my 'right hand man'... by becoming a
great contributor and force in so many aspects of this business... and even
now...is a VP in WWE...and one of Vince McMahon's trusted advisors...and Jim
has always 'been a supporter of mine'...sometimes even to the detriment of his
own career momentarily... because you just cannot hold a good man back for
long...
like at WCW... when I left that operation and they 'appointed a guy named
Bischoff to run it'...which in my opinion was the final straw that begin the
process of totally destroying that wrestling division in Turner
Broadcasting...who no longer is involved in wrestling...and in that
process...Jim was 'let go'... much to his chagrin... because he had given so
much of himself to them... and earned his position...and was the most talented
-- and trustworthy person they had...but it became a blessing as Vince McMahon
recognized his value...and hired him...and he has been with Vince ever
since... while wrestling at TBS is 'no longer'... and I don't believe Bishoff
has ever been more than someone's 'gopher' since...which suits his 'no-talent
self'...in my 'humble opinion'...;>)
Thus... I will choose Jim to be 'my presenter'...'also hoping I can still
gently influence him into writing a favorable speech about me'... and not
revealing the 'few flaws' that someone so close for so many years may think
they have perceived'...;>)Of course now...as JR...he wears
the 'black cowboy hat'... which sometimes also signifies being a
'villain'...;>) ...and I'm sure some of you also see him on the sidelines at
every OU football game... which is his heart's delight now too... but even
there he is wearing that 'black hat'...
But myself...with my 'pure heart'...I wear a white cowboy hat... a true 'babyface'...
a hero...handsome and trustworthy... and all that other stuff so associated...
and after all...as Sputnik Monroe used to say... and now I have plagiarized:
"I am the women's pet and the men's regret!"...;>)
and 'not now'...just a 'legend in my own mind'... as some may have
somehow thought...;>)
But a Hall of Famer...
Yours truly,
Cowboy Bill Watts
www.cowboybillwatts.com
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