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Submitted by Wevv Mang on Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 8:38 PM EST
Ridin' With The Bossman – Grieving For Eddie Greetings! Welcome to another edition of Ridin' With The Bossman. It’s going to be another somber column this week. Soon enough (like next week) the wacky hijinks will begin again. So buck up campers. A Thanksgiving episode of Kane’s house is on the horizon. It’s also going to be another edition of Ridin’ With The Bossman Audio Show. It’s going to be two for one! Isn’t that special? But this column is going to be about the recent tragedy that has occurred. The passing of Eddie Guerrero. Well, inspired by the tragedy would be more appropriate. But first, I think it would be a good idea to point out all of the fine tribute columns on Lords Of Pain. The Nosebleed Section – Viva La Raza -A Great work by Random. The Wrestling Menu by Daveyboy The Wrath Of Tito Take Up Thy Wrestling Boots and Walk by Pt2 Catch a Bad One by Rick Stallion Rick talks about meeting Eddie Guerrero WFS – (Words From The Stro) The New Joint by Zuma Saying Goodbye to Eddie by Chad Matthews A Special Polarized : A Fallen Hero by LordFrieza The Eddie Guerrero Tribute Thread As you can see, the emotions are flowing heavily, as many fans from around the world are sharing their memories of Eddie. I highly encourage you to check them out and take part. WWE TV – The Series Raw and Smackdown were joint brand shows dedicated to the memory of Eddie Guerrero. The Smackdown recap can be found here: Smackdown recap courtesy of Chad Matthews Chad also offers his thoughts and tribute to Eddie. I’m going to skip the review for the shows. The shows were very personal. Individuals gave their thoughts and comments on the passing of Eddie and what kind of man he was. They would know, they worked with Eddie. There were no angle driven matches, simply matches put together and allowed to happen. Some were great to see, like Benoit and H, Rey and HBK, Angle and Benjamin, and some were eh, like Simon and Eugene. But all had heart, and effort. I enjoyed them all, and the comments between the matches added the right touch. A few were very personal, and for once, Shane McMahon was allowed on TV, and allowed to do more than just show up, and man, he really punched home his emotions. Each segment gave something to the viewers, emotion was unchecked and allowed to flow. It’s amazing to see how much one man can touch so many lives and leave something to be treasured behind. For myself, the show was fantastic. It was great to see classic Eddie moments, He will be truly missed. So, the show reviews are going to be left alone, and left to stand on their own for what they were. A paying of respect to a legend. Over-Analyzing Wrestling Today’s Topic: Grief and Coping Maybe it’s too soon to do this segment. Maybe I should wait a while to start thinking about this. It’s been only a week since the Eddie passed on. But then again, when should the questions start being asked? Now, before folks start flying off the handle and the hate mails start flowing in, before folks read any further, let me just say that this is just me struggling to find meaning in Eddie’s death. These are just questions I asked myself. And these are the answers I came up with. These are just my opinions and thoughts. Everyone grieves in his or her own way. Some handle grief better than others. Some grieve longer than other. Some feel it more than they thought they would. People are different and few react the exact same way. There are five stages of grief. The stages were named after Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. They are a guide to the five emotional stages for some one going through loss of dying. They are as follows: Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance It’s been one week since the news hit the IWC that Eddie passed away. The outpouring of emotion has begun. Soon, the shock will wear off and folks (Not just a few in the IWC, but those who do not consider themselves wrestling fans) will start asking questions beyond the circumstances of Eddie’s death. It’s not forgetting the legacy of Eddie. Eddie’s death was a shock. These known facts will prompt them. Eddie was 38 years old. Eddie had a drug problem Eddie had been clean for four years. Let’s go by stages. Denial When the news hit the wire Sunday, it was shocking. There was some hearty disbelief. Eddie was dead? Was it a hoax? Some one’s idea of a bad joke? Sadly, it wasn’t. Would it really be beyond belief that WWE would pull a stunt faking the death of a wrestler? After the JR skit, necrophilia, racism, Hassan, and so forth, WWE has shown, nay, flaunted, it’s tasteless side. If WWE was willing to put on a phony Gay Wedding, and let the media run with it, and then say “Ha Ha! We fooled you!” , well kinda of says it all, doesn't it? The Matt Hardy incidents suckered a lot of folks as well. The quick and easy answer is no. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that WWE would fake a wrestler’s death. At least to the IWC. In fact, given WWE’s love of soap opera storylines, it’s more surprising that it hasn’t been done. It’s a classic cliffhanger in TV land. But there’s more to consider than the fact that WWE is a TV show. The death of a wrestler is a serious business to WWE. It’s one thing that hasn’t crossed the line of bad taste. OK, very rarely. And long after the fact. Well, 99% of the time. But, if you can’t believe a thing WWE says, then there’s the respectable media to consider. They have covered the story. Far and wide, which shows how respected Eddie was, and still is. The story was confirmed and made into a fact. It becomes almost impossible to deny. I’m sure some still will deny that Eddie has passed on. But then again, some folks still believe Jim Morrison and Elvis are still alive. Anger Grief is still strong, but as it wanes, there is a possibility that anger will replace it. Once regular TV resumes, it may come sooner than later. Dissatisfaction was strong before Eddie’s death. It hasn’t gone way; it’s simply been replaced. The period of mourning may be a long one, or it may be short. What form this anger takes depends upon the individual. There’s a lot of little stuff to get angry about. “Why wasn’t Eddie pushed more?” or “Why wasn’t Eddie used better?” Well, as a fan of Eddie’s I can agree that Eddie should have been used more. The highlights on the tribute shows, while giving fans fond memories, also reminded fans of how things played out in the past. Not every outcome of those feuds was good, at least to some fans. Yet, there is one favorite moment that really sums up how Eddie was used by management. Wrestlemania 20. Eddie and Benoit in the middle of the ring, to end the show. Both with belts. That was the highlight of the show, and one that will symbolize the event. It just didn’t get any better than that for this fan. In recent months, Eddie and Rey were the highest rated segment on Smackdown. It had it’s down moments, but in the end, the feud was one of the best. The end result will vary from fan to fan. But the fact is, the segments and matches were considered good, and ratings grabbers. Bargaining I don’t think the name of this stage is really applicable, but I do think another word will take it’s place. Blame. That seems to be more accurate. This is the one that I think will cause the most controversy. Feeling anger after the loss of Eddie, some folks will start placing blame. Eddie was a young man. Eddie’s past will play a factor, as an admitted drug abuser, even though that may no longer be the case. Once the final results of Eddie’s death are published, and time has passed, blame creeps in. Many wrestlers have died. Some may say too many. The business does grind folks up and spit them out. It’s a tough gig. There are too many places to put the blame, rightly or wrongly. Blame Vince Blame the drugs Blame the business Blame Eddie Blame Creative Blame the fans To me, they’re all connected. Each shares a part of the blame, but how much depends on what you think of the wrestling business. To me, some of it is so small, it’s not even a factor. I think it can be broken down even more, and that may help shed light on what I’m trying to say. PERSONAL Eddie did have a drug problem. He fought to overcome it. Yet the years of abuse seem to have caught up with him. Should Eddie have known better? Yes, but then again, doesn’t everyone know better than to abuse drugs? Define drugs. Alcohol is a drug, but so is aspirin. Caffeine is a drug. Without going into the semantics and clinical definition of the word “abuse” and “drugs”, Eddie did abuse drugs. They were a problem for him. He knew it, and took steps to manage his addiction. He took the hardest step and admitted to himself that he was an addict. He let others know he was an addict. It wasn’t a secret. Eddie was a performer. He drove himself to give his fans the best he could. Eddie showed up for work regularly, week in and week out. He worked through injuries, and he worked through exhaustion. He tried to be the best. He succeeded most of the time, and while every match wasn’t a classic, he kept his level of work high. Eddie was a professional. The fans expected no less from him. Maybe the fans demanded too much. Can you blame the guy for wanting to be the best? Can you blame the guy for putting on some fantastic matches, cutting some of the greatest promos ever? Can you blame the guy for being a dedicated worker and consummate athlete? No, you can’t but to those who feel the loss the most, no matter what kind of profession their loved ones did, the work, the job, anything that kept them from being with their loved ones can take the blame easy, it’s such a big part of their lives. It makes no sense, but it happens. When he was given a bad idea to use, he made it work. I’ve seen it countless times, and man, it was amazing to see. Eddie made it look easy. In his matches, he made his matches look natural. Not effortless, as he let you know he was putting up a great fight, but that’s part of what makes wrestling matches good. It’s a struggle and the bigger the struggle the more emotion is involved, and that’s a good thing. So, how can you say that he’s working too hard? Eddie wanted to keep wrestling. After his feud with JBL, I remember reading that there were rumors that Eddie was burned out, that he needed a break. Eddie wanted to keep going. Eddie kept going. He put on some great matches. He cut some great promos. Week after week. Now, it’s easy to paint Vince as a heartless bastard, but I firmly believe that if Eddie asked Vince for some time off he would have gotten it. No problems. There’s a bit of a folklore saying that goes along the lines of “only you can tell yourself how you really feel, others can only guess”. If Eddie said he was fine, and was respected as a professional, it’s a tough call to make to say “Go home”. Could it have been done? Yes. And that takes us to the next segment. PROFESSIONAL Eddie loved wrestling. It was a huge part of his life. It helped define him. Wrestling is a tough sport. It’s not for everyone. There is no off season. The pace is constant. Every week there is a show. Every week, there are demands on one’s body and mind. Every week, there is a constant demand for an individual’s best effort. Every week there is a demand from all sides, from the wrestler himself, from management, from the fans, for quality. For excellence. The pressure is unbelievable. Some wrestlers make it through and others don’t. Eddie did. How, I have no idea, but he did it with style and grace. Eddie was on TV almost every single week, in some shape or form. He was a main eventer. He was a name. Folks paid to see Eddie. Eddie made sure that they would get their money’s worth. Fans loved Eddie and Eddie loved his fans. Was it too much for Eddie? Should management have seen danger signs and taken steps to protect Eddie? Did management expect too much from Eddie? Again, these are questions that only those who were there know the answer to. Management does have a responsibility to look out for their employees. But how is the big question. Do they force wrestlers to take breaks? Should they make a decision on the severity of an injury and give an ultimatum? Should they take over the roles of doctors and psychiatrists? How much say should wrestlers have in the matter? If a wrestler says he’s ready to go, should management believe him? Some can work through fairly serious injuries, at least enough to wrap up an angle, while others can’t. Accidents can happen. Even a fairly light injury can lead to serious complications. It’s a risk, but if the wrestler is willing to take it, should they be allowed? Some injuries can’t be seen on the outside, or fall outside of the common variety. Mental issues can’t be seen with the naked eye. In some cases they can, but judging a mental problem without a doctorate can lead to even greater problems. What could be simply a bad day could be diagnosed as something that will take years to overcome. On the other side of the coin, physical and mental injuries can be dismissed as not being that serious, as there is a long history of wrestlers working through serious injuries, and the perceived notion that doing so gains one more in the long term than the discomfort in the short term. It comes from both sides. Management should respect the wrestler’s wishes, but the wrestlers themselves have their own brand of management. Management may grant a wrestlers request to not perform if the wrestler suffers from tennis elbow, but the “boys” will call that guy a pussy. To his face even. Yet working through an injury can cause more serious long-term effects. Sometimes taking it easy in the ring can be enough to overcome the nagging injuries. DRUGS Drugs are in wrestling. In some way shape or form, drugs are being used. It’s a part of being a wrestler. If you wrestle, you take drugs. What kind of drugs being used is the big problem. You bang a shin, you take an aspirin. Aspirin is a drug. But it’s one thing to take an aspirin, and another to shoot up with moose hormones. Dietary supplements are needed, as appearance plays a big factor, but again, it’s one thing to stop by GNC and pick up some bulk gain 3000, and another to smuggle some unknown substance from secret government labs in China up your ass to get across a border. Some steroids are legal, some aren’t. Cortisone is a steroid. The shit is a science all it’s own. But it’s not just about using drugs to enhance your physical abilities. There are the myths about bodybuilding and then there’s the stuff you know is just plain wrong. While there may be some one, some where, who believes that smoking dried rhinoceros penis will add an inch to their biceps, I doubt that there’s some one willing to believe that smoking crack is good for you. Recreational drugs are a factor of everyday life. To do them or not, well, that’s an age old debate that isn’t getting any clearer, now is it? Drugs are bad, because they make you feel good, and feeling good is bad, and it could kill you, but it might not, but they are illegal, but then only some are and yadda, yadda, yadda. Make a choice. Only you can make the final decision. Drugs can be bad. Keep it simple. Stay out of it. Don’t do drugs. But the thing about Eddie is, he was a drug user who was given a second chance and made it count. Eddie succeeded. Hugely, immensely. Eddie was a success story. An inspiration. But where drugs are concerned, his past will always shadow him. Taint his legacy. WWE used his past as angle fodder. They made mention frequently that Eddie used drugs, and while it was rarely positive, it did show that sometimes all that’s needed is another chance. It won’t work for everyone. But it did for Eddie. If it weren’t for WWE giving Eddie a second chance we would never have seen that moment with Benoit and Eddie. Holding both belts. At the same time. In the same ring. On the biggest night of the year. Indeed, one of the best so far this millennium. Drugs will play a part in wrestling. Steroids will continue to be associated with wrestling. Now that Steroids are news in sports all over the place, another untimely death will be added to the list. And I’m sure that the cause will be taken up again. It’s news. Depression The personal loss of Eddie is immense. The professional loss of Eddie is also large. But the worst part is fearing that there’s still more left to loose on the professional end. We’ve all seen how WWE loves controversy. There is controversy to be tapped in the death of Eddie Guerrero. Manufacturing information under the guise and excuse of “It’s just an angle. It’s not real.” is no excuse what so ever. But it happens. The outpouring of emotion for Eddie is something that is hard to ignore. Ratings went up. People reacted to matches in a way they might not have under different circumstances. Angles are already being changed, so what’s a little more tinkering? Why not try and capitalize on the situation, you know, make a negative into a positive? You know, like giving Chavo a drug problem, since his Kerwin White gimmick is now done, and Chavo needs a little something extra… It’s that line of thinking that depresses me. It’s what WWE has trained me to expect from them. Nothing good, just more bad ideas. Just more crap like Batista starts seeing the ghost of Eddie Guerrero and takes advice from beyond the grave. Just goofy stuff, in a cheap attempt to gets some ratings. That Eddie’s death is just something to be thrown into a promo around Summerslam to get some goof some cheap heat. Another thing I’m not looking forward to is the crusade against drugs in wrestling. As I mentioned, the fact that Eddie was an inspiration is all too easy to lose. The fact that drugs are to blame for the death of Eddie, no matter when he took them is likely to be the forefront. That battle is going to be messy. For everyone, but they are steps that need to be taken in my opinion. Acceptance Eddie is gone. His legacy lives on in his body of work, in the lives he touched, in the family he left behind. Eddie will be remembered. One of the hardest parts about moving on, is that the positive energy that grew in the wake of tragedy will fade away and leave no lasting impression. That this could have been a wake up call in more ways than one. That the angles that WWE keeps putting on my TV will be second-guessed before just being thrown on TV. That a new era of respect instead of degradation could be born. That class will replace tasteless. I mean really, the Eddie tribute was excellent. It was done in a classy way, with respect freely given, and the matches that were put on had nothing behind them other than a desire to put on a good match. Could it be done every week? No, but it could be the basis behind many feuds. A desire to be the best. Not a contest to see who can be embarrassed or degraded the most. Highbrow instead of lowbrow. That maybe the death of Eddie should mean something. Finding a reason to justify the death of some one out of turn, and a good man, gets into realms of philosophy and religion. Murky waters at best. But finding the good in the actions of those who were inspired to acts of charity, to pull together, well, that’s easy enough to see. I’m not talking about a “cause”. Causes too quickly become trends or worse. Another object to find a cause against the original intent of the first cause. Eh, it’s hard to explain, but I’ll try again. When WWE takes the high road, it usually is well received. For example, the Christmas shows in Iraq. Something done because it was a good thing to do. It wasn’t done to wake up the press to their presence. That was a side effect. The show didn’t try to garner controversy. A sensitive side was in place. When Owen Hart died, a tribute show was held. The response to that show still gives people a warm, if sad, feeling inside. Again, no attempts were made to garner controversy during that show. Genuine emotions were allowed to take the place of the artificial ones WWE tries to force on their viewers. Eddie’s death was a shock. A real one. Not a made up angle that tried to shock. A real life tragedy. Real will always trump artificial. Because in the end, “it’s only make believe” is the quick and easy excuse behind manufactured reality. Death is a real thing, and there’s not always a quick and easy excuse for reality. That’s about it for today. Quick Plugs and then one last thought. PLUGS! LOP FORUMS LOP Columns Forum LOP Merchandise! LOP's very own PWA. Best E-Fed on the net. Period. Ridin' With The Bossman Audio Show DVD Fanatic, for all your DVD reviews In the coming days ahead, it will be hard. The holidays are right around the corner and those are the toughest times to deal with loss. It’s not going to be easy for the family and friends of Eddie Guerrero. For the extended family, it will be hard as well. Still, there’s this thought to keep in mind. Eddie was a man who made mistakes. He overcame those mistakes. He was given one more chance and he made the most of it. He was an inspiration to those that knew him and those that didn’t know him personally. Eddie gave us many hours of quality television and shared his personal life with we the fans. He did so to show that life’s obstacles can be overcome. That there is always hope. Thanks For Readin' and Thanks For Ridin' Wevv Mang CLick Here to send feedback *NEW GALLERY* Must See! McMahon FAMILY PHOTOS! Shane's Wife & More! Very Rare!
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