First off let me just say again I'm saddened by the news of Trae Keller's passing. For those that remember several monthes ago I gave Trae a hard time in one of my 'Cheap Heat' columns in a 'Where are they now?' piece. I wrote some pretty hateful shit about him and was shocked a week later to recieve an email from him. As I clicked on the title I fully expected for him to go off on me and challenge me to some sort of "shoot match" at a show somewhere. Instead, he explained some of the things I took issue with in my column and apologized for "being a prick" at some of the shows I worked with him on. After that he continued to read my column and we swapped emails from time to time. Regardless of what I had thought of him before I gained a tremendous amount of respect for the man because that email was one of the most professional things I've seen in this business. Very rarely does anyone ever acknowledge any shortcomings or wrong doings in this business or even consider apologizing for anything, but he did it when he really didn't have to. Deaths have become a frequent thing in wrestling and we kinda become numb to them especially when they are guys we've only watched on tv, but when it's someone you've worked with and is close to your age it's really disheartening. Again I just want to say after getting to know him away from wrestling that regardless of what anyone thought of his gimmicks, ring work, or any of that other petty stuff, Trae was a class act and will be missed.
Local Legends?
Well after taking up for JD's last column I have to sorta take issue with his newest one. No disrespect to anyone he mentioned in that column but I think we're getting pretty free and easy with the word "legend". Here's an excerpt from that column:
"So what I am saying is that longevity and name recognition is two minor qualifications for being a "local indy legend" in my opinion. Again let me stress I am not talking about how good or bad they might or might not be, I am merely talking about how well known they are by fans and other wrestlers."
"So when I grab that microphone and call myself a real "Mississippi wrestling legend", that is what I mean. I ain't really trying to say I'm that great (but if the fans in the seats want to understand it that way, then more power to them), but really only that YOU know who I am."
Again not a knock on anybody but that's some pretty BROAD criteria. As for people knowing who they are, everyone knows the crazy son of a bitch wearing a sailor har that stands outside the local Wal-Mart and begs everybody for change, but that doesn't make him a "legend" and just because he's hard headed enough to continue to do it for 10-15 years doesn't make him a "legend". Just means he doesn't have a clue... Again I'm not knocking any of the guys you named or you for that matter, but the criteria you are going by simply makes them "known" rather than "unknown" not nessecerily "legendary".
Anyway just my 2 cents on the topic, not saying I'm right. Just my opinion.
"The 28 Year Old Living Legend"
Gene Jackson
(Hey, some folks know who I am..........)
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