I’m going to show my age here.
Back when I was a kid, there was an event that aired on Channel Ten. I’d been waiting months to see it – the advertisements had footage of the actual event, I later realised, but bloody Channel Ten sat on it for ages – it was the first Wrestlemania. By today’s standards, it was a pretty ordinary show, but back then, I was glued to the TV. I’ve watched it dozens of times since, as well.
On commentary, a man by the name of Jesse Ventura (former Navy Seal and soon to be Governor of Minnesota) used his gravelly voice to add to the spectacle, often supporting the underhanded tactics of the bad guys and calling out the beloved heroes when they did something even remotely outside the rules. One of his lines in relation to one of the “bad guys” has always stuck with me.
“You may not like him, but you still have to respect him. A dangerous man.”
He then added, “I personally do like him”, just to make you acutely aware of where his allegiances lay.
Jesse was referring to the great Rowdy Roddy Piper with that line.
Boos rained down on Piper as he walked to the ring, and as they did, Piper smiled. It was more than just a fake smile in a fake world. It was a genuine smile. He wasn’t just part of the show – he was THE show. He knew that as much as people loved their heroes, they needed a great antagonist to oppose them. The theatre required a villain. That was him, and he seemed happy to play that part.
It is not an easy role to own.
And as we work into 2026 season, it seems as though the AFL has identified its newest villain. With a rub of Harrison Petty’s expanding bald patch and a crying gesture towards the same player, everyone with a voice has decided to use it to put Voss back in his box.
The remainder of this article is for our members. They support me, and I provide for them. It’s a good deal.
HB writes several articles per week at The Mongrel for our members. He owns the place, y’know? This is one of them, and he believes work such as this is worth a mere pittance per day. If you don’t, that’s fine. You’re welcome to join and keep reading if you do.
