Piper Sleeper

One of the best things about Roddy Piper — besides his ranting, insulting interviews; his boyish, tousled good looks; his kilts worn over too-tight blue trunks — was his incessant use of the Sleeper Hold.  You gotta love a wrestler who loves the sleeper, and Piper was head-over-heels.

He never seemed happier than when he wrapped his meaty arms around some other wrestler’s neck, pressed his free hand possessively on the victim’s forehead, bent the poor dude’s head at a sick angle (a Piper specialty), and almost lovingly coaxed the victim off to dreamland.

Fans were enthralled by Piper because of his wild-card, loose cannon insanity.  He was a bit frightening, and you just never knew what he’d say or do next — something shocking no doubt.  Maybe pile-drive someone on the concrete, maybe smash a coconut in someone’s face, maybe bash himself in the face with a bottle.

So everyone was a bit concerned for the opponent’s safety when this lunatic circled his thick arms around the victim’s throat and started twisting the neck and applying pressure, with that excited rabid squirrel look in his eye.  Could this hold really knock someone out cold? Was Piper some kind of serial killer?  Back then, we liked to think it was all for real, and you’d better respect this man or suffer the consequences.

Now that Piper retired from wrestling, he’s been promoting other products and appearing at conventions and events.  I keep hearing and reading about fans at these events nervously asking Rowdy Roddy to put them in the Sleeper.  How do they know he won’t break their necks or hurt them?  They’re willing to accept that risk to feel this legend’s strong arms constricting around their head.  Or they can sense he’s a cool guy, not the dangerous psycho he always portrayed.

Piper can’t seem to get enough of the Sleeper either, and is always more than willing, possibly even eager, to slap it on them.  Always the entertainer, Piper gives these wanna-bes the thrill of their life.  According to their stories and the clips I’ve seen, he really pours on the pressure.  Apparently Piper and his unstoppable Sleeper Hold ARE for real!

Is it possible to be addicted to applying Sleeper Holds?  If so, Piper may have that.  Is it possible to be addicted to watching Sleeper Holds?  If so, I may have that.

So if you ever get the chance to attend some event or autograph session and Piper is there, I’ll bet you can easily convince him to fulfill your pro wrestling fantasy and show you how it feels to be sleepered.