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Under The Ring Exclusive Interview With Jake "The Snake" Roberts

Posted: Aug 15th 2010 By: CMBurnham

Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

That name will probably elicit a reaction from any wrestling fan you say it to. Some remember him positively. Some don't.

Either way, you'll get a reaction. And that's probably what Jake wants.

Jake "The Snake" Roberts traveled to Poughkeepsie on Saturday for an autograph signing at Collector's Realm on 44 Raymond Avenue in Poughkeepsie. TNA Knockout Velvet Sky was also at the event. I had the opportunity to chat with Roberts just before the signing began.

Phil Strum: What are you up to nowadays? What have you been doing?

Jake Roberts: Whatever I want. Basically, a few matches here and there. I still like to wrestle. This is my last year I'm doing it. I'm going to step out. I dread it. I dread walking away from it. I don't think I'll ever be completely away from it. I can't help it. It's something that's in my heart and in my blood. I'm not looking forward to that day, actually. Other than that, raising grandkids.

PS: What do you like about still stepping in the ring? What do you still enjoy about actually getting in the ring and performing?

JR: Being able to (manipulate) people's emotions is one of the most wonderful things you could ever do. To go out in the ring and be able to take them on the ride of their life, make them forget about what they are and where they're at and what they're doing. Bring a little joy or sadness, whichever I prefer to give. They'll either love me or hate me. It's a wonderful feeling.

PS: People always say that Jake "The Snake" Roberts is the master of ring psychology. Do you see anybody nowadays in the modern day that can do what some of the guys in your era were able to do?

JR: No. No. I don't I don't think they have the opportunity, number one, to learn. I don't know if you ever heard the old saying, when you lay with pigs, you might smell like a pig? Well, there you go. You get lazy when you don't have somebody in the ring who tests you. Your mind. And test the people's minds. It gets boring. Once you get bored, you should get out of the ring. I've always felt that. You quit working, then the best thing to do is take your tights off, take your boots off, put in a box and burn those (expletive).

PS: Over the course of your career, who did you learn the most about that aspect of the game.

JR: Buck Robley, Bob Sweetan, Eddie Graham and even Bill Watts. I can admit it. He taught me a lot.

PS: Do you still get a chance to follow the current product. I know you were blogging about it on myspace for a while. Do you still watch it?

JR: Only if I've been bad. If I've been bad, I've been punished to go watch it.

PS: Your battles with addiction are well-documented...

JR: You know why they're so well-documented? Because I stood up and said, don't wind up like this. Isn't it amazing that none of the guys that have died of overdoses ever stepped up and said that? So I guess I'm an honest (expletive) or a fool because by me stepping up and saying addiction, alcoholism is not a fun trip; step away from it if you can because it's hell, I've labeled myself and cost myself a lot of money. A business manager would tell me, keep your mouth shut and keep going. Instead, I thought that it was the right thing to do. As far as my problems today, I have problems every day. Once you step on that bus, you don't get off.

PS: You're doing well right now?

JR: Oh yeah.

PS: On one of your blogs, I was reading that you said WWE had helped you out with rehab. How's your relationship with that company now?

JR: It's all good. How could it not be? They were kind enough and I was fortunate enough to go to rehab. Extensive rehab. Four months. It helped immensely. I'm not going to say the war's over because the war's never over. The mind's a funny thing, man. It can get you into a lot of damn (stuff). I've been in my share. They also stepped up ? I have a grandchild who was very ill ? or was. Thank God for all the help that everyone gave. I was quite surprised the WWE stepped up and donated quite a bit to her cause.

PS: How's she doing now?

JR: She's out of the hospital, man. You know. She was in there from December 25 to the middle of May. Had five very big surgeries. She pulled through. I feel sorry for the boy that falls in love with that girl. She's gonna kick his (butt). She's got the will to live and the will to survive, man. She's a beautiful little American Indian child. I've so proud of my children for stepping up.

PS: Still doing any fishing? I saw something online about that.

JR: I haven't been fishing lately. I moved back to Texas out of Florida. My father (Grizzly Smith) was very ill. He's since passed. My mother's not doing too well. I moved back home to spend a little time with them.

PS: Interesting that you brought him up. In the business now, there's a ton of second-generation wrestlers. Everybody that's coming up, it seems like every third one is second generation. You're a second generation wrestler yourself, why do you think that is?

JR: We start learning at a young age. Basically. The kids that are coming up now, second generation, they're so damn lucky because most of their fathers, there are some exceptions, knew what the hell they were doing.

PS: Any of them impress you?

JR: I like Randy Orton a lot. I think Ted DiBiase's got a lot going for him. There's others.

PS: I was going to ask you about Orton. Lately, it seems with his persona that it's a little bit of Steve Austin and a little bit of you. The Viper that's gonna strike at any time.

JR: Why in the hell would you throw that mold away? It's a proven product.

PS: Definitely. Anything else you want your fans to know who are reading this?

JR: Check out my MySpace. Check my page out. Be careful. You never know what I'm going to do next.

(Jake said he is soon starting a wrestling school outside of Dallas. The information is also in his MySpace blog).

Thanks to Joe Sinforoso and the staff at Collector's Realm for their help and Jake for doing the interview. Thanks to Eileen at Collector's Realm for taking the photo.

Tags: Jake Roberts, TNA, Buck Robley, Bob Sweetan, Bill Watts, WWE