Is it me or does it seem as if there have been more deaths in the wrestling industry this year ... Hawk, Stu Hart, Big Dick Dudley, Freddie Blassie, Curt Henning ...
who else?
Ralph Wiggum: "We're going to Africa; land of lions and giraffes and Santa and balloons ... "
Actually, its seems like a slower year than usual. Blassie and Stu Hart were old; and its a sad thing to say but its true, old people die. Guys forgotten are half of Public Enemy (or was that last year) and half of the Pitbulls. Compared to other years, it seemed like there was a 4-5 month lull between wrestling deaths of guys under 80. Still not good, but compared to other years where you'd have a few guys active in one of major companies dying, not as blatantly bad.
Was it this year that Billy Joe Travis passed away?
"I wasn't surprised at all. In fact, I thought, why stop there? Why not add the Big Show, or Chris Jericho, or the whole state of Nebraska for that matter? And don't you think a wrestling ring is a little old school, Lilian? Why not put the match in a shark tank, with real live sharks? Hungry sharks! And the only way to beat your opponent is to stuff him down a shark's throat, and pin the shark. Wouldn't that be a hoot?"
Of all the gizmos forced upon us by the modern world, is any more melancholy than the leaf blower? The device is manifestly useless. It blows leaves from one place to another, and then the wind blows them back again. -- Roger Ebert
Watching that movie was like watching a young child be repeatedly punched in the face.-- my friend Dave after watching Bad Boys II
Your children will laugh when you're dead!-- Jason Robards in "A Thousand Acres"
I can tell you with no ego that this is my finest blade. If you should encounter God, God will be cut.-- Sonny Chiba in "Kill Bill: Volume 1"
I would gladly pay $10.00 to see a kangaroo kick the shit out of Jeff Jarrett.-- Bubblesthechimp
Here something to think about. Picture 20 years from now or 30 and think who might pass away then. I mean there alotof older wrestler that we grew up on that are getting up there.
Great Muta is a wrestling GOD!! praise the Great Muta.
Sailor Art Thomas as well. I think that happened around the same time as Hennig.
You know what? I think Mayhem is right. This is probably a higher-than-normal year for wrestling-related deaths. As has been pointed out, many of them like Blassie, Hart and Shiek were due to old age. That's unfortunate, but there will come a time when the Jerichos, Bookers and Angles of the world pass on as well. Hopefully for them, it will be in their 80's and 90's, though.
As for the others, people like Hawk, Hennig, Pitbull and Elizabeth who passed on way too young, it's just sad and reflective of the problems that are still in this business.
Go back to a time when wrestling DIDN'T SUCK with a special 'retro' edition of Inside The Ropes!!!
------------------------------------------------------------ The official Inside The Ropes archive!!!