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2021 Wrestling RIP Thread


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1 minute ago, hammerva said:

My biggest problem is that her family said over and over again to stop doing it and they still it.  They can say they are doing it for "awareness" but at this point it is mostly you are doing because you get off on the attention 

Ah, yknow I missed that part on my first read thru.

Yeah, fuck that guy.

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I'm gutted. Always enjoyed Daffney as a performer and loved that she really developed into a capable and respected wrestler. And from various interviews and wrestlers, she was a sweetheart too. Prayers and thoughts for her family 

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3 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

Just real quick because I wouldn't feel right not addressing this: some person on Twitter is keeping that video up against her family's wishes. He's kinda doing it under the guise of "it may help someone" but it's pretty gross to me, I dunno. I won't link it here but it's pretty easy to find if anyone feels like they want to report it. I wasn't sure myself if I was going to, but I felt like it was the right thing to do. For one thing, I think it's pretty exploitative, and for another, I think it's messed up to show someone at their absolute lowest moment - that's notwithstanding the fact that this literally *just* happened. 

Fuck that guy.  Reported his ass but wonder if Twitter will actually do something about it. 

I can't help but wonder if it's possible for her family to go after those involved in the match against Rosie.  Considering the damage it did if it's proven it led to this then it might be worth a try. 

Edited by NikoBaltimore
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Quote
REMEMBERING DAFFNEY
Our wrestling world was dealt a severe blow today, with the news of the passing of Shannon Spruill, aka Daffney Unger, following the release of a disturbing video in which she talked of doing harm to herself. Once I became aware of the video, I did what I could to reach out to her – but like everyone else who tried calling, my attempt went straight to voicemail. I heard from several of her friends who told me they too were unable to reach her. Today, I woke to the terrible news that Daffney was no longer with us.
It’s a dark day for anyone who saw Daffney in WCW from 1999–2001, in Impact from 2009-2011, or on any independent events that were fortunate enough to have her. Daff was a breath of fresh air, an original, with a unique look and persona that was far ahead of her time. Her work with crowbar and David Flair in WCW was so much fun to watch, and when she arrived in Impact, I felt she was truly one of the most intriguing characters in the business. She was able to get her foot in the door with the “Governor” character, a take off on former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, but eventually, had a chance to shine in her own indelible way - as Daffney, the scream queen, with the look commentator Tazz labeled “Zombie hot.” Here was how I wrote about Daffney, back in 2009:
Daffney’s got it going on. That’s what I think whenever I see her on TV, doing promos, in the ring, etc. Which is my way of saying that she’s really hit her stride; everything seems to be coming together simultaneously. I’ve always thought that anything that’s different is good, and man is this woman different. I try to give feedback when I see something I like, and it seems that I’m always saying something to her about what I see. “I love the outfit, Daffney, it’s creepy, it’s you.” Or, “great promo, I like how calm you are.” She slithers like a snake, she’s got a cool walk, all her stuff in the ring looks good, and like all good characters, she makes you wonder where the character ends/where the person begins. I’ve been around her for a while now, and I don’t really have a clue. Plus, she’s read one of my novels like 4 times, and that’s a little scary.
Daff really did have it going on, and I was so glad to have her by my side for my feud with Abyss, and in particular, the “Bound for Glory” PPV, which unfortunately saw Daff suffer serious injuries - a broken arm, and a severe concussion. I think we all bought so much into her persona that we failed to realize she was merely human beneath it all. She was never really the same after that match, and I am so sorry that I was part of something that expedited the end of her in-ring days, and which also may have exacerbated the mental health issues with which she struggled until her death.
I just took a look at YouTube, hoping to track down a specific match of Daffney’s, and instead saw that almost every entry concerned her disturbing video or news of her death. It’s really important that we try to learn from her death – coming just a little over two years since Ashley Massaro took her own life. In the aftermath of that tragedy, the WWE women banded together and promised to be there for each other and support each other should any of them fall into despair.
I know Daffney had some really good friends, people who really cared about her – who would have done their very best to help her, had they known just how much she was hurting. If anyone you know is thinking of harming themselves or taking their own life, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (800) 273-8255. In the tiny little bit I saw last night’s video, I heard Daffney talking about being all alone. Had she only known that she was not completely alone, that there was help out there, and people loved her, she might still be with us.
It’s going to be very hard to think of Daffney without thinking of the incredibly sad way she left us. But I do hope that we will all do something to remember the way she lived, as well - not only the ingenuity and spirit with which he inhabited her character, but for the kindness and compassion she displayed to others.
The specific match I was looking for on YouTube was Daffney vs Vicky Lyons - and to this day, I think it’s the most remarkable match I have ever seen. Vicky Lyons had been left for dead in a parking lot, after being run over by a truck at the age of four. Despite being told by the experts that she would never talk, let alone lead a normal life, this amazing young woman went on to train for several years, just in the hope of having that one wrestling match. Daffney was her best friend, and took it upon herself to do the favor in the ring, to the surprise of Vicky, who thought for sure she would be on the losing end of that match.
I was so inspired after watching Daffney and Vicky that I reached out immediately to Daffney. It had been a few years since we had been in touch, but sometimes that’s just the way the business goes. But we talked for a couple hours that night, and I invited Daff to be my guest at the taping of my “20 Years of Hell” show in Pittsburgh, where I told the story of that match, and how I considered it to be something of a miracle.
May God Bless you, Shannon, and may you rest in peace. You were such an important figure in wrestling, ahead of your time, giving more to the wrestling business than it ever gave to you, inspiring others who didn’t look like the women of the day to follow a path you helped pave. But you were more that a wrestler...you made miracles happen. #RIPDaffney
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https://www.facebook.com/RealMickFoley/posts/380479383447938

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I have a confession to make and I don't feel good about it.

I saw the video.

Yes, I still say fuck the guy who put it up.  Yes, I feel like a hypocrite.  But for some reason I did.  And I regret every bit of that decision.  Her cries, her psyching herself up to do it, everything that was clipped into 1:30 was in there.  And it's haunting the crap out of me, mainly when she is trying to do it.  I shouldn't have seen the clip and I hate myself.  So yeah, definitely don't see the video.

But as much as that haunts me I remind myself of moments I remember her from.  In WCW especially she really stood out in a great way.  And I have really fond memories of her TNA run.  So I'm going to try and focus on that and not what I regrettably saw.

I guess the one reassuring thing is that it seems more people are willing to talk about mental health and their struggles.  It's never going to prevent these incidents but I'm hoping that the more it gets talked about the more it helps.  Big E for example mentioned in his tweet that he overcame those thoughts which for some reason surprised me.  But I'm glad he felt comfortable saying it.

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8 hours ago, NikoBaltimore said:

I have a confession to make and I don't feel good about it.

I saw the video.

Yes, I still say fuck the guy who put it up.  Yes, I feel like a hypocrite.  But for some reason I did.  And I regret every bit of that decision.  Her cries, her psyching herself up to do it, everything that was clipped into 1:30 was in there.  And it's haunting the crap out of me, mainly when she is trying to do it.  I shouldn't have seen the clip and I hate myself.  So yeah, definitely don't see the video.

But as much as that haunts me I remind myself of moments I remember her from.  In WCW especially she really stood out in a great way.  And I have really fond memories of her TNA run.  So I'm going to try and focus on that and not what I regrettably saw.

I guess the one reassuring thing is that it seems more people are willing to talk about mental health and their struggles.  It's never going to prevent these incidents but I'm hoping that the more it gets talked about the more it helps.  Big E for example mentioned in his tweet that he overcame those thoughts which for some reason surprised me.  But I'm glad he felt comfortable saying it.

The Jamie Senegal video is a good replacement.  Watch that one when you get a chance, esp when the ghosts of the other one pop in.

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@NikoBaltimoreI had to see some of it because it auto-played when I reported the tweet, and I feel very much the same way you do. But definitely don't beat yourself up for being curious, you're only human and it's completely understandable. My anger was more directed at the guy for posting it and for Twitter for still hosting it (no idea if it's still up, and not going to check for obv reasons). If you feel like you need to talk about it in a judgment free way, my inbox is always open for you (and anyone else reading!) I always feel very cornball saying that but now is as good a time as any.

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Thanks.  I think between the Jamie video and just seeing people showing love for her I'm fine now.  Thankfully I forget his handle which is for the best, but am just hoping something's actually done.

Edited by NikoBaltimore
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Longtime Southeast indy wrestler and trainer Steve "The Brawler" Lawler (Steve Kyle) passed away from COVID-19 complications last week at the age of 56.

Southern wrestler Steve 'The Brawler' Lawler dies of COVID - Slam Wrestling

Steve had a hand in training Buff Bagwell and Disco Inferno, among others.

Recall his name popping up a bit on "Pro Wrestling This Week" whenever they showed indie matches from Georgia. 

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25 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

I turned on Raw last week for a minute only to catch Kofi wearing his Razor Ramon/Scott Hall tribute gear.  Out of the loop because I don't watch WWE, I immediately had to look online to see if Hall was still with us.

Scott Hall and Jake Roberts along with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards will probably outlive all of us and survive a nuclear catastrophe. 

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3 hours ago, Technico Support said:

I turned on Raw last week for a minute only to catch Kofi wearing his Razor Ramon/Scott Hall tribute gear.  Out of the loop because I don't watch WWE, I immediately had to look online to see if Hall was still with us.

You missed Kevin Nash being funny then.

 

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NFL Legend Roger Brown died over the weekend.

Only I reason I am bringing it up here is because he wrestled a few offseasons in the late 60s.

Meltzer spent like 5 minutes talking about him on the radio show this morning (though it was like 30 seconds about wrestling and the rest was his football career)

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