Post by Agent P on Jan 2, 2008 11:10:02 GMT -5
From WrestlingObserver.com
Dear Dave,
I attended both of the NYC ROH shows this past weekend, and was a little disgusted with the events surrounding Nigel McGuinness's injury. I don't know if you're interested, but I wrote this note to whomever may take notice. I already posted it at the ROH forum, but it seems to be going over people's heads there. If you print it, please withhold my name. Thanks.
Yesterday, for the second time in as many months, I attended a Ring of Honor show at the Manhattan Center in which ROH Champion Nigel McGuinness could not defend his title in a previously scheduled match. Before I go any further, I wish to make one thing perfectly clear: I wholeheartedly applaud the decision to pull Nigel McGuinness from the 12/30 show after his concussion suffered on 12/29 (at a show which I also attended). However, the circumstances surrounding the injury have left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
McGuinness’s title match against Austin Aries on 12/29 was outstanding. However, it would have been just as outstanding had McGuinness not taken two headfirst bumps onto the steel guardrail. The pops would have been just as loud for the false finishes if McGuinness hadn’t slammed his head against steel off an Aries suicide dive only a few minutes into the match. As Nigel came up bloody and seemingly loopy, I immediately suspected that he had suffered yet another concussion. Needless to say, I winced when he took a brainbuster on the guardrail later in the match.
This should have come as no surprise to me, though. McGuinness willingly concussed himself last year during a match with Bryan Danielson, taking gruesome, unprotected headshots into the ringpost. I supposed I just hoped that, in a post-Chris Benoit world, a less cavalier attitude would be taken about these things.
As alluded to earlier, this concussion comes on the heels of Nigel missing his match at Glory By Honor, Night Two. At the time, he was nursing a torn bicep, most likely injured performing the same lariat that both broke Jimmy Rave’s jaw and concussed Johnny Fairplay earlier this year. As a trained professional wrestler myself (one who was trained by a talent who has worked for Ring of Honor), I find it offensive that the man has done so much damage to his own body and to the bodies of others.
What I also found offensive, though, were the promos an injured McGuinness came out and cut at both Glory By Honor and Final Battle. Both times, he was heckled by fans who, for whatever reason, weren’t happy to see him, and both times, McGuinness made some very odd statements. At Glory By Honor, in reaction to fans who he felt did not appreciate his sacrifices, Nigel told the crowd that, to paraphrase, maybe he should just quit, and get a job where he can still walk when he’s fifty years old. What is my reaction, as a fan, supposed to be to that? Should I cheer? Should I boo? Should I feel guilty? All I could really think was that he’s right; he should retire right now if his style of wrestling leaves him in danger of ending up like "Dynamite Kid" Tom Billington. At Final Battle, he told the crowd he was keeping the title to spite the fans who booed him, and in appreciation of the ones who supported him- the ones, he told us, who love wrestling and respect the wrestlers. Silly me; I thought I respected the wrestlers because I care about their health. Apparently, Ring of Honor, via a statement given by an employee at their show, would rather I cheer rabidly for more and more action at whatever the cost. This sounds incredibly selfish.
Well, if Ring of Honor wants me to be selfish, so be it. I cannot purchase tickets to a show where I know I may very well not see the scheduled main event. Until Nigel McGuinness loses the ROH Championship, I won’t be at any more shows. And hopefully, this diatribe will strike a chord with someone, be it McGuinness himself, other wrestlers risking their bodies beyond the standards of reason, or promoters looking to put on shows featuring such athletes. Six months ago, we experienced the greatest tragedy in wrestling history. Today, we have not learned from it.
Dear Dave,
I attended both of the NYC ROH shows this past weekend, and was a little disgusted with the events surrounding Nigel McGuinness's injury. I don't know if you're interested, but I wrote this note to whomever may take notice. I already posted it at the ROH forum, but it seems to be going over people's heads there. If you print it, please withhold my name. Thanks.
Yesterday, for the second time in as many months, I attended a Ring of Honor show at the Manhattan Center in which ROH Champion Nigel McGuinness could not defend his title in a previously scheduled match. Before I go any further, I wish to make one thing perfectly clear: I wholeheartedly applaud the decision to pull Nigel McGuinness from the 12/30 show after his concussion suffered on 12/29 (at a show which I also attended). However, the circumstances surrounding the injury have left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
McGuinness’s title match against Austin Aries on 12/29 was outstanding. However, it would have been just as outstanding had McGuinness not taken two headfirst bumps onto the steel guardrail. The pops would have been just as loud for the false finishes if McGuinness hadn’t slammed his head against steel off an Aries suicide dive only a few minutes into the match. As Nigel came up bloody and seemingly loopy, I immediately suspected that he had suffered yet another concussion. Needless to say, I winced when he took a brainbuster on the guardrail later in the match.
This should have come as no surprise to me, though. McGuinness willingly concussed himself last year during a match with Bryan Danielson, taking gruesome, unprotected headshots into the ringpost. I supposed I just hoped that, in a post-Chris Benoit world, a less cavalier attitude would be taken about these things.
As alluded to earlier, this concussion comes on the heels of Nigel missing his match at Glory By Honor, Night Two. At the time, he was nursing a torn bicep, most likely injured performing the same lariat that both broke Jimmy Rave’s jaw and concussed Johnny Fairplay earlier this year. As a trained professional wrestler myself (one who was trained by a talent who has worked for Ring of Honor), I find it offensive that the man has done so much damage to his own body and to the bodies of others.
What I also found offensive, though, were the promos an injured McGuinness came out and cut at both Glory By Honor and Final Battle. Both times, he was heckled by fans who, for whatever reason, weren’t happy to see him, and both times, McGuinness made some very odd statements. At Glory By Honor, in reaction to fans who he felt did not appreciate his sacrifices, Nigel told the crowd that, to paraphrase, maybe he should just quit, and get a job where he can still walk when he’s fifty years old. What is my reaction, as a fan, supposed to be to that? Should I cheer? Should I boo? Should I feel guilty? All I could really think was that he’s right; he should retire right now if his style of wrestling leaves him in danger of ending up like "Dynamite Kid" Tom Billington. At Final Battle, he told the crowd he was keeping the title to spite the fans who booed him, and in appreciation of the ones who supported him- the ones, he told us, who love wrestling and respect the wrestlers. Silly me; I thought I respected the wrestlers because I care about their health. Apparently, Ring of Honor, via a statement given by an employee at their show, would rather I cheer rabidly for more and more action at whatever the cost. This sounds incredibly selfish.
Well, if Ring of Honor wants me to be selfish, so be it. I cannot purchase tickets to a show where I know I may very well not see the scheduled main event. Until Nigel McGuinness loses the ROH Championship, I won’t be at any more shows. And hopefully, this diatribe will strike a chord with someone, be it McGuinness himself, other wrestlers risking their bodies beyond the standards of reason, or promoters looking to put on shows featuring such athletes. Six months ago, we experienced the greatest tragedy in wrestling history. Today, we have not learned from it.
