I hate hearing about another young wrestling death. Jerry Tuite, aka The Wall and Malice, died in Japan of an acute heart attack. Maybe instead of a debate about how things need to change (since that arguement has unfortunately been posted a lot as of late), we can focus on memories of his ring work and such.
I never got to see him in TNA, but I was impressed at the small program he had with Bam Bam Bigelow over in WCW.
The worst part about this for me, and what makes it just seem so awful, is that right before I came over here I was looking over at FLEA's web site and the "Dead Pool" list for the first time.
Too ironic, and too horrible.
He broke into WCW with Berlyn right, as his bodyguard? And then the higher ups gave him a bigger push and Berlyn disappeared to who knows where.
He was a fun big man to watch. It's a shame he never truly caught on anywhere, even at TNA.
OFB: I really never understood why McMahon never gave him a job. He seemed right up his alley.
From Various newsline obits...
Following the purchase of WCW by the World Wrestling Federation, Tuite was sent to the WWF’s developmental territory. While waiting to be called up to the main roster, Tuite was given his release so he could deal with personal issues and was told once he had dealt with them, the door was open to come back down the line. Tuite was later given dark matches by WWE, but at the time noted he was rusty and didn’t give a good showing.
"In our business there are so many different types of personalities, it's a shame that the drug use is very frequent. Some guys have some major injuries, have chronic pain, but it becomes habit forming... Some people get hooked." said Tuite on an appearance with Long Island, New York radio show Get In The Ring in May 2003. "I didn't have to, if I utilized my chiropractor right, and I took Ibuprophren I could have kept the pain down. You are thrown into that lifestyle, everybody has it and 'When in Rome.'"
GRL: The worst part about this for me, and what makes it just seem so awful, is that right before I came over here I was looking over at FLEA's web site and the "Dead Pool" list for the first time.
Yup...
FLEA
Demonstrations are a drag. Besides, we're much too high...
Whoa...quite sad...how many more? I liked the Wall in WCW, and the program with Bam Bam was good. The chokeslam he gave Crowbar from the set was awesome and i thought they were going to make him into a monster...unfortunately, Bischoff and Russo had a new beginning for WCW, which was like the 123970987th new beginning. So sad though, hey, let's hope 2004 is better...
Well, I can't really say that this death shocked me. However, it is incredibly sad that yet ANOTHER wrestler has died too young. Thirty-six years old is way too young for someone to die.
I hope amonst hope that this is the last wrestling-death of 2003. However, I wouldn't be suprised if it's not.
You know, it has to be pretty sad when you're not even sad about a death anymore. From what I've seen of him, he wasn't offensive, so my usual condolences to the usual folk.
After a quarter of a century on this planet, there's three things I know for sure... 1)I'm smarter than I was a year ago. 2)WWE isn't. 3) I'd make a fine Mrs. HHH II. 1300 bitches and counting....
It must be taken care of fairly well, for it even had Wall on it.
Naoto Morishita, The Sheik, Ox Anderson, Curt Hennig, Michiaki Yoshimura, Tony Altimore, Sailor Art Thomas, Kodo Fuyuki, Bruiser Brian Cox, Les Kellet, Ray Mendoza, Babs Wingo, Jackie Nichols, Kurt Von Poppenheim, Miss Elizabeth, Fred Blassie, Core, Jack Curran, Danny Johnson, Mickey Gold, Tug Wilson, Giant Ochiai, Marva Scott, Great Antonio, Pitbull #2, Frank Zela, Stu Hart, Road Warrior Hawk, Floyd Creatchman, Mitsu Hirai, Crash Holly, Dick Hutton, Joey Rossi, Moondog Spot, The Wall
Many of them were elderly and had lived full lives, but we all know that some of the more notorious passing were far, far too early. Some of the names that stand out are Hennig (drug overdose), Elizabeth (alcohol/drugs), Pitbull (drugs), Hawk (heart), Crash (possible suicide), and now Wall (heart).
Bummer. Thank God Eddie Guerrero and William Regal saw the light.
Wow. I'm suprised the WWE never got ahold of him. I thought I remember them picking him up at the end of WCW, but he never made it to TV. This seemed to be the type of guy Vince looks for. RIP Malice.
As someone who never knew The Wall's work very well, I still find it disturbing. Another guy who had serious drug problems, and - what, two years after this become fairly public - he's gone?
How sad. This is just a 20-20 special waiting to happen.
On the bright side, there's only a couple of weeks left of 2003.
(edited by CANADIAN BULLDOG on 6.12.03 1354) Steven Richards tells all!!! Is Curt Angel done for good? Yes!!! All this plus an excerpt from Rocky-O and Juliet in the latest Inside The Ropes!!!
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I came across this sad news this morning when I went to puroresupower.com, incidentally, just to see what was going on in Japan's scene, and gosh, I just got that bad feeling again-- that same type of bad feeling that has come about when reading about all of these untimely deaths. Good grief. It's just sad.
I really hate to say this, but what really bothers me is the possibility that, due to how wrestling has evolved over the last generation, this may be a very tragic and frightening side effect that will only progress in the future(I really hope not).
By my observation, it seems like the premature passing away of a lot of the younger stars in wrestling (relatively speaking, as opposed to those who had long lives like Freddie Blassie) correlates with their rise to any degree of stardom during the 1980s and 1990s.
I know this fact might seem redundant, but we haven't seen this with the stars of the 1970s or before that. I mean, does this relate to a fastlane-lifestyle that some of them had? The amount of days they spent on the road? The injuries they had to endure? The stress they went through to be able to make a decent career out of the mat game? How did all of this differ to wrestlers back in the 1970's, '60s and beyond? WHERE IS THE SAFETY NET FOR WRESTLERS WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN DIRE NEED FOR HELP?!?
All of us fans have endured seeing ring heroes of ours pass away over the recent years. We're talking about Rick Rude, Curt Hennig, Brian Pillman, Crash Holly, Road Warrior Hawk, Davey Boy Smith, Louie Spicolli, Miss Elizabeth and others- and now 'The Wall' Jerry Tuite? Man, that's just sad.
Rest in Peace, Malice. And Godspeed to all of your loved ones and friends.
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Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoHow old was the Wall?
I believe Tuite was 36.
I can't believe it. Another guy. Where does it all end?
To those who suggested Vince should've signed him, Vince did have him at one point. He was one of the guys that came in the WCW buyout. He was in development (I forget if it was HWA or OVW) but was let go due to his drug problems.
As far as drug problems go, I think the WWF has a sort of unofficial policy of "Well, go get help and your job'll be ready when you get back". Look at Jeff Hardy, Scott Hall & The Wall as sort of examples of that. Of course, they didn't go back. Guerrero & Regal did, thankfully.
Damned shame. I liked the Wall, he was pretty entertaining when used right.
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I feel crappy for missing it last night. I read that it was awesome. I only seem to catch the OK episodes of TNA, and miss all the good ones. I heard a lot about the intergender matches too. Ringmistress