With the Royal Rumble pay-per-view taking place Jan. 29, it's a fitting time to take a look at the man who created the Royal Rumble match -- WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson -- and also offer my thoughts on his revealing autobiography, which was released several months ago.
For younger fans who are unfamiliar with Patterson or older fans who know him only as the first Intercontinental champion or one of the Mr. McMahon character's "stooges" during the Attitude Era, his creative contributions to WWE cannot be overstated.
The Royal Rumble has been one of WWE's biggest annual events for nearly 30 years (second only to WrestleMania), but as Patterson wrote in his memoir, Accepted: How the First Gay Superstar Changed WWE, WWE chairman Vince McMahon initially dismissed Patterson's fresh spin on battle royals as a "stupid idea."
