----New column by Downtown Bruno!
I think it is a tragedy what happened to young Jeremy Wood earlier this year in Arkansas. I think it is even more tragic that the state of Arkansas has declined in all of its infinite wisdom that wrestling training should not be regulated licensed or even dealt with in any manner by the state. What is even more alarming is the fact that no long after the tragedy, I contacted the Arkansas Athletic Commission personally and after listing my credentials to them. [I must admit are as long as my arm.] I even told them of various resources available to verify my [valid] credentials in this business. I proposed to them to give me a job in the state overseeing these operations and weeding out the fraudulent and incompetent ones. You have Ken Wayne, Harley Race, Duane Gill, Brian Christopher, Kevin White, Dutch Mantell, Steve Keirn, Danny Davis, Jimmy Valiant and dozens more are valid and appropriate schools. I have the knowledge to be sure the ones who would want to operate in the state of Arkansas would be up to the standards of the ones I just mentioned.
I left out, however, and it’s a big HOWEVER…the commission NEVER even bothers to reply to my proposition to say, “yes, no, maybe or kiss my ass.” NOTHING!! This is after a freakin DEATH!! And here I am, even people who may not like me or may be pissed off at me for things in the past would have to admit that I know what the f**k I am talking about. I, at least, deserved a response. Maybe the commission just wants to take people’s money like almost every other commission in the country – all of them. Nothing for the business it pretends to protect. Just another leech, just another finger in the pot – taking money they do NOTHING to earn. I guess in the real world, the good guys don’t always win and the leeches fasten themselves to every nickel they can find and give the promotions especially the valid ones – NOTHING – ZERO – ZILCH – in return.
Hey Little Rock – I’m waiting and wondering who has to die next before me or somebody else of equal or greater qualifications gets to finally set this matter straight. Yes, even a first class operation such the ones I mentioned earlier could have a tragic injury or death under their watch, but it would be a freak accident or from an equipment failure – NOT from ignorance. Yes, experienced and decorated airline pilots have been in fatal crashes, but that doesn’t mean that any jerk that ever watched Top Gun should be able to pilot a plane or teach something how to do it. Accidents DO happen – even to the best of us – but incompetence isn’t an accident or mistake! It’s a correctable problem that isn’t being corrected and I pray nobody else gets hurt or dies.
