• Free at last!  Free at last!  Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

• And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you;
  ask what you can do for your country

I'm a fan of great speeches. I appreciate the fine art of skilled public speakers and story tellers. When common words are strung along together in a way that flows it can really move you. This man's speech has left an indelible mark on me, and this past Monday, April 9, 2007, I took a page out of his book... but we'll get to that later

On Saturday night, April 1, 2006 -- Tony Atlas entered the WWE Hall of Fame. Below is a recreation of that tremendous moment....

Known for his incredible strength and astonishing agility, Tony Atlas is one of the most impressive physical specimens in the world of professional wrestling. A former Mr. USA, Atlas is one of the 1st body builders to ever enter the wrestling industry

In the mid 1970s, Atlas made a name for himself in the NWA. After Atlas muscled his way through the NWA, it was on to the World Wide Wrestling Federation. It was there that Mr. USA became a nationally known superstar, competing against legends such as Rowdy Roddy Piper, Mr. Wonderful, Big John Studd and Sgt. Slaughter. Atlas also had memorable matches against Hulk Hogan, even press slamming the immortal one. Tony takes pride in the fact that he was never pinned by the Hulkster

The highlight of his career came in 1983. Tony Atlas and his partner, Rocky Johnson, made history. By defeating the Wild Samoans, Mr. USA and Rocky Johnson became the first superstars of African American descent to win a tag team championship in the World Wrestling Federation

Tony Atlas is a leader in the world of power lifting, an icon in the world of body building, and a legend in the world of professional wrestling. Tonight we are proud to welcome in the WWE Hall of Fame, Mr. USA Tony Atlas

The emcee of the evening's festivities was legendary Hall of Famer Jerry "the King" Lawler. Here's what the King had to say following the video package...

King: In this business, you're lucky if you find that special tag team partner. Here to induct Tony Atlas tonight is his former tag partner and best friend, Special Delivery Jones!

The crowd rises to greet SD Jones

          SD "Special
          Delivery" Jones,
          tag team partner
          of Tony's, and
          his best friend

Tonight I'm here to induct my best friend, Tony Atlas

Tony Atlas and I met
1980, in Allentown, Pennsylvania... long
time ago. We talked,
we became very close
friends, and we decided
to talk to office, maybe
we could become tag
team partners. Finally,
they turned us wide
open. Tony Atlas and I
became one of the best
tag teams, that time,
around Pennsylvania,
New York, Baltimore,
Maryland -- all the way
around Maryland.
Anyway, let me get
there...
I'm getting excited, excuse me

Tony said to me, "SD, we need the straps." I said, "OK, we have to wrestle Ciato and Mr. Fuji"

We tried and we tried and we tried. I could not do it. I was the one that killed the tag

So, I had to step aside. When I stepped aside, Rocky Johnson came to town. They became the first African Americans to ever win the WWE Tag Team championship

I think I did the right thing, because I couldn't carry the load and Rocky Johnson was a better partner... BUT... I made a mistake. It didn't last 3 weeks. They fought, they fought, they had mistakes, they had problems. And I had to push Rocky away and I went back to Atlas. We became partners again

We traveled the world. Tony and I were in Spain at one time. I saw some body builders doing some stuff in a gym. I asked them where is the gym where all the power lifters are? They told
us it was in another town, I can't remember the name right now but anyway...

We flew all the way to Barcelona... listen to me, Barcelona -- JUST to meet those guys

Tony Atlas and I flew there, six hours it took. When we got there they brought the Olympic lifters to meet us. They say they wrestlers they suppose to be strong

Tony Atlas says to me "Bossman," he calls me Bossman, "I'm hungry." I said, "We not gunna eat, we have to do this, we have to represent WWE." He said, "OK Bossman"

We got in there and I did my little five hundred and ten pounds think I was a big shot, that's what I thought. They pushed
me aside, Tony says, "Bossman, stand behind me." When Tony got on the bench ladies and gentlemen, he lifted SIX HUNDRED AND SIXTY pounds and all the guys -- they took off

*crowd claps*

I didn't stop there. We went on to Vienna, Austria. I found out where they were lifting also.
I went in, I said to them, "I have a man here who can outlift everybody"

They said, "No wrestlers can outlift us. We are olympic"

I said, "OK my brother."  I brought in Tony. I said, "Tony sit down, rest yourself."  Tony went
up again. He started off with four hundred pounds, went all the way up to SIX HUNDRED and
TWENTY POUNDS. And one of the guys said, "He IS an olympic lifter"

I didn't stop. We
went on to Egypt
for WWE; those
are the places that
we went for this
office

When we got to Egypt one guy told me that we have to go to Cairo, on the other side of the river, which they say is the Nile. I said we are going to do it. I got a bus, I pay the guy, we went over

Rocky Johnson was with me, he said "You're crazy"

I said "No, I want to show the world that Tony Atlas is one of the best we ever had in this business"

When I got there there were lifters, lifters from the olympics, one of the guys looked at us and said, "I saw this guy in a book some place, they call him Mr. USA right?"

Tony went on the bench and Tony did SIX HUNDRED and THIRTY-FIVE pounds, walked away. He said "Bossman, I'm hungry"

He's always hungry I don't understand, he's always

*crowd laughs*

I didn't stop there. He said, "SD, when are you going to stop?  Bossman stop it."  I said I'll stop, but I didn't

      We went to Norway
      for this office, this
      WWE office, those
      are the places that
      we went together,
      doing what we love

We were pioneers. "Tony just call yourself a pioneer for WWE" -- that's what I told him

In Norway I met some guys. They said they weren't too good, we got a gym and all. One guy went up to six hundred pounds and stopped. I told Tony, "Please don't do it, please don't. He
has all his family here............"

Tony said, "I don't have my family here..."

*crowd laughs*

   Tony did six hundred
   and forty pounds and 
   we walked away. He
   looked at me, "You
   gunna stop. If you
   don't stop, Bossman,
   I'm gunna pop you
   one of these"

We were very very close friends, we are still very close. We call each other like 3 times, 4 times a month, talking about LIFE. Tony is one of the greatest in our business. He won the Atlantic championship, he won tag team championship. He won the championship in Puerto Rico, he is one of the best we ever had in our business

And he did not stop
there. He went on to do bodybuilding and won the Mr. USA contest. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I'm honored. Tony, tonight your name will be with the best of the best in our business and the Hall of Fame. Congratulations my brother, and God Bless you

Tony Atlas makes
his way out to the
sold out capacity
crowd at the huge
Rosemont Theatre
in Rosemont, Illinois

The big guy with the glasses is Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes "The American Dream" -- the man who has wine and dine with kings and queens, ate pork and beans, if you wheeel

The two best friends embrace

The World's Strongest Man, Mark Henry, gives Tony Atlas a nudge nudge wink wink

... and Atlas plays along

                                                                  Henry shows his appreciation

Atlas soaks in the moment, before the crowd hushes down

    WEEELL...

    First of all, I like to
    uh.... I like to thank..
    the wrestling fans

    *crowd cheers*

Because, without you fans, there be no Hulk Hogan.... *crowd cheers*

There be no Ric Flair.... *crowd cheers twice as loud*

There be no Tony Atlas.... There be nothing. You guys -- I have been to arenas where the snow is up to my hip -- wrestling fans come out to see it

I been down in Florida with one of the greatest wrestlers and a very good friend of mine by the name of Dusty Rhodes the American Dream  *crowd cheers*

I been in mid-Atlantic with another great wrestler by the name of Ric Flair -- the Nature Boy

*crowd cheers*

I had the honor of wrestling olympic champion Ken Patera  *minor applause*

I had the honor of
matching STRENGTH
with the man that HAD
the twenty-three inch
guns -- SUPERSTAR
Billy Graham!

*crowd erupts*

You KNOW...  what I gunna say right now is from the heart, because it's probably my last time for saying anything to such wonderful people

But my mother, Beatrice James White, gave birth to nine kids. Worked TWO jobs, they called it a SPLIT SHIFT, she got up in the morning went to work at 7'o clock, work until 2 went back at 4 worked until 11. I'm from Virginia, raised up in the SLAVE SHACK where we didn't have wooden floors, we had dirt on the floors. I got up and scrubbed dirt floors. We didn't have dishes in the house, my mother bought home newspaper dumped food on the newspaper we sat there and ate.... with no dishes in the house

I graduated from high school with the same pair of pants I started school with. We were DIRT POOR. But I was BLESSED. Because, regardless of if you born in a mansion on the HILL, or you born in the SLAVE SHACK in Virginia...... I was born in the greatest country in the history -- the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

The crowd
goes crazy

And EVEN THOUGH --
even though they say
that Mr. USA represent
body building, when the
people WAVED 'EM
AMERICAN FLAGS,
when the people
hollered U-S-A U-S-A
U-S-A U-S-A, I feel 
PRRROOOOUD to be
an American!

*crowd cheers*

And if you APPLY yourself, if you work hard, keep your nose clean and do as you're told, and really really put forth a good effort, in the United States of America I don't care where you was born, or how you came up, or what color you are, or what race you are, or what GENDER you are, you can make it because YOU ARE... in the UNITED States of AMERICA!

*crowd goes absolutely nuts*

And IN THE UNITED States of America I met a very good friend by the name of SD Jones, Blackjack Mulligan, Bobby Heenan, Dusty Rhodes, and the list go on and on and on but right now I want to give a special thank -- y'all folk don't know this but I don't mind telling you because I AM in America and I
AIN'T ASHAMED OF NUTTHIN'!

*crowd cheers*

I want this lady right here to stand up. Stand up, Monica, please darling

                                                           *Monica stands up from the crowd*

Now, in 1989 I found myself homeless...

I made a lot of money
but as the old timers
say "It ain't what you
made it's what you
saved." I shoulda listen

*light laughter*

Because my mother
always told me, "A
hard head makes a
soft behind."  I shoulda
listen to mom...... 'coz
she always say "Don't
lemme tell you again
BOY!"

*crowd laughs*

This lady took in a homeless man...... fed him, didn't know who I were

*crowd claps*

She took in a homeless man; fed him, built him back up, and educated him. Now I'm a Certified Personal Trainer because of this lady here

        
       *The crowd cheers
       Monica loudly*







                                     

SD Jones claps approvingly

And I'm gonna say something else I DON'T CARE who don't like it.
3 months later Vince McMahon called me.... and made me some money, get me back on my feet. Thank you Mr. McMahon I don't care WHO DON'T LIKE IT

Vince McMahon's wife, daughter and son-in-law feelin' the love

Being a professional wrestler was the greatest thing that ever happened to a poor ole Virginia boy, raised up in the sticks of Virginia, with nothing to eat

But I'm not complaining now, because I love my ham hock and beans. Moreso than them steaks and them lobsters -- what them little snails y'all guys eat -- that S. Cargo stuff? Now if y'all be eating that then don't be makin' fun of MAH BEANS

*crowd erupts*

And one day somebody asked my wife "Why you marry Tony Atlas?"  She said, "He makes good pork chops"   *blink blink while crowd laughs*

Anyway, I don't want to take much more time. From the bottom of my heart, I love all the people in the wrestling business. I love all the great fans that made the wrestling business, because without you fans there would be none of us

And all I got to say is God Bless each and every one of you. And always remember, you live in the greatest country in the history of the world -- U-S-A U-S-A U-S-A U-S-A! Thank you

MONDAY APRIL 9, 2007

On this day, who knew, but I pulled a page out of Tony's book. Little did I know, going to class that day, that I would bust out parts of his great speech to my classmates. I really hadn't acted since the summer of 2006. It's been a while, for sure (for more on my acting excursions, see Playback)

Anyway, I'm in class and suddenly my professor says today we'll see who the thespians are

[WOO HOO! -Ed.]

Um, thespian means actor; derived from Thespis of Icaria, the legendary first actor

[*grumble grumble* -Ed.]

I perked up when I heard my professor mention the word "thespian." It had been too long. We got in pairs to share our piece, and if our partner liked it they could nominate us to go up to the front of the class to do it in front of all

I did my thing, and my partner Steph was impressed (same Steph from Spring FEVER). The girl sitting next to me heard me and also started teasing me, about how she had to nominate me. Finally, my professor asks for nominations. Steph and the other girl shouted out:


"WE NOMINATE STEVE!!!"

My professor said, "There is definitely a clamor goin' on here about Steve's acting ability"

I used some of Tony's words. The looks on their faces were priceless as I really let loose

They clapped loudly and my professor made mention that I deserved an Oscar! Ha! It was loads of fun to let my thespian side out once again... reminded me fondly of ole times. No one wanted to follow my act  *chuckles*

After class, several girls came over to pay me compliments. Sometimes, I'm really thankful
of my so-so acting experience and knowledge. Maybe I don't shine with the big boys, but in a
room of non-actors I'm pretty damn good. And that's not being cocky or anything, but rather the
truth. I love the power of holding people's emotions in the palm of my hand. I love great, moving
speeches as well. The art is definitely very very cool when done right...

Hall of Fame plaque, good looking chick, Saturday night's definitely all right!