Playboy Buddy Rose has changed as much as the face of wrestling
has over the past couple of decades.
No longer a portly fellow working with Pretty Boy Doug Sommers
in the old AWA, the much slimmer Rose lives in Parkersburg, W.
Va., works a full-time job "turning wrenches" and helps a small
promotion called Southern Championship Wrestling, based in
Lancaster, Ohio.
He's become a proud grandpa, but Rose still gets heat with a
crowd. Even with his mom seated in the front row at Evers Arena
in Marion, Ohio, Rose knows how to work the fans.
"I wrote the book on flamboyancy. Basically I've been doing that
for 20-plus years," said the 46-year-old.
Wearing pink tights and working with tag team partners Precious
Paul and Mr. Passion as The Love Connection, Rose can make fans
"sit up and take notice. It takes a whole lot of guts for some-
body to do this."
Rose says he's never had an ego problem, unlike many in the
business.
"Some guys forget what we do is for the fans. It's to entertain
the fans, not to stroke our own egos. Anybody can be beaten.
It's not about who wins."
Like many stars of yesterday Rose thinks the direction of sports
entertainment leaves something to be desired.
"I get irritated with it. (I) wish they left it at what it
was founded as. It came from the carnivals during the De-
pression. Old-style wrestling is what these smaller promotions
do and fans seem to enjoy it," Rose said.
Rose was trained by Gene Anderson, a tough taskmaster who has
schooled hundreds of stars.
"Gene taught me a lot. He was tough. I worked my (behind) off
for a year and a half training before I worked in front of a
live crowd. We went over moves time after time until he knew
I was ready.
"Once he had me doing back drops in the ring over and over and
wasn't even watching me. I asked one of the guys later what
that was about and he told me Gene was listening. I said
'listening.' He said, 'Yes. He can tell if you're doing it right
by the sound you make when you land on the mat.'"
Rose thinks some of today's stars lack that work ethic.
"Juiced up, muscle-bound wanna-bes is what they are. You can
only get your arms so big naturally. Then it's chemistry."
He thinks Rob Van Dam is a great worker.
"What he does in the ring is tremendous. If he was 50 pounds
heavier, he'd be pushed as a world champion. No doubt about it."
Rose also admires the Japanese wrestlers for "their ability to
absorb pain."
In Japan, the sport is a national pastime, but in this country
promoters like Vince McMahon often "insult the intelligence of
John Q. Public. Superheroes are in comic books. They're not in
wrestling.
"I'm often asked why do I still do it at my age? I love the
sport. I want to help young guys who have drive and dedication
be able to work in this business."
Rose, who used to be billed as weighing 217 pounds despite
being more than a hundred pounds above that, has dropped the
extra baggage.
Rose has been to the apex of pro wrestling, holding numerous
titles in the AWA and other national and regional promotions.
"I been to the dance. Now I just want to help some of these
kids learn what they need to in order to make it.
"That's what I'm trying to do here," he said, without a hint
of flamboyance.
***enf history***
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