We always found this induction a little curious.  Not because we think that they don’t belong in the Hall, but we think they may have been better off to be inducted separately as they certainly had a longer career apart than together.  Collectively, they captured the WWF World Tag Team Title in 1974 and would win other belts nationally.  Individually, Johnny Valiant would become a successful manager in the WWF; While Jimmy Valiant would adopt the “Boogie Woogie Man” name and become a popular mid card face in the NWA.  Regardless of our opinion on the matter, The Valiant Brothers made history as the first tag team inducted.

The first ever Intercontinental Champion was a huge star in the AWA and San Francisco before he made his mark in Stamford.  Pat Patterson was a great wrestler, but it was his work behind the scenes for the WWF that made him virtually indispensable to the organization.  This is one of the few inductions that made their mark in spades both inside the ring and out.

There are few wrestlers who have more legendary heel lore than Killer Kowalski.  From the time (though accidentally) he ripped the ear off Yukon Eric to terrorizing fan favorites across North America with his vicious demeanor and imposing size, few were feared more than Walter “Killer” Kowalski.   He was a constant contender for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, and though he never captured it, his legend was secure with out it.  Late in his career, he did capture the WWF World Tag Team Title with his student, Big John Studd, though few knew it was them as they were masked as the “Executioners”.  Kowalski continued training wrestlers after his in ring career was over; in fact Triple H was first trained by the imposing Polish-Canadian legend.

Do not go by won/loss records when judging this induction.  “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz was with the WWE as an in ring competitor for almost twenty years, and though he was almost always in opening matches, he was an excellent measuring stick to see if up and coming talent had what it took to make it in the North East.  Rodz also trained many future stars (including the Dudley Boys and Taz) and certainly gave back to the business after he ceased competing in it.  This was an exceptional talent who knew his role and did it well.