Know your role jabroney!

Factual Questions
1

I read the New York Times. I think The Simpsons is the funniest thing on TV. I can read the encyclopedia for fun. But God help me, I’ve fallen for professional wrestling all over again.
My favorite, and many others’ favorite, The Rock, is known for a variety of sayings like, “Can you smelllllll… what The Rock… is cookin?” and “Know your role jabroney!”
My question is: What the hell is a “jabroney” and why did it become his catchphrase. Is the WWF so powerful now that it can just make up words out of nowhere with no clear root?
Admittedly, I have not read The Rock’s book, and the explanation might be in there. But I’m lazy. After all, I watch professional wrestling. :wink:

2

geez. you need to pay more attention. it’s on the same page ‘n’ everything.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=27195

3

I must look like a total newbie now. And to think I had a log-in before this one about a year ago.
Have mercy on my soul.

4

hey, it’s not like you asked the gry question.

5

So what is the gry question? ::ducks and runs::
Keith

6

I asked the question already, so stop being a slapnut and read what ohers posted! (wink)

7

Okay, I’m sorry, got carried away there.

The other posters put me in my place and said that a ‘jabroni’ is a variation on the word jobber, one who is supposed to lose and lose often. The Rock got it from his grandfather Pete Malvia. It’s not an italian word as I thought it was. Now you know why the other wrestlers got really upset when they were called jabronis.
All wrestlers for a period of time have a jobber stage. Some wound up being winners, while others wound up being jobbers for virtualy their entire careers. Some of the most famous jobbers were/are Frankie Williams, Steve King (who became a ref), Barry Horowitz, Steve Lombardi, and the
Mean Street Posse.

Funny thing is, jobbers, or jabronis are not unique to wrestling. In track and field, you have ‘rabbits’, middle-distance specialists who are there just to set the pace for the elite runners in a prestigious long-distance race. Also, in the Tour de France, the cyclists on a team are supposed to help out their elite biker by chasing runaways, those who break from the pack, and establishing good time trials. But they are not supposed to win, as a young Greg LeMond was so rudely reminded during the middle of a race that he was leading. The team car came to him and he was told to subjugate himself to his teammate and winner Bernard Hinault.