Welcome to CheapHeatRadio.com!

I wanted to write this as a bit of an introduction to the all new website.  If your here there's a good chance you've already heard all this on the radio show or read about it in the final days of RasslinRiotOnline but just in case you stumbled onto us by accident, here's what's up.

My name is Gene Jackson, I'm the host of Cheap Heat Radio and the writer of the 'Cheap Heat' wrestling column that has been around since about 2002.  I started this website to promote my radio show while also writing columns for Brian Tramel's RasslinRiotOnline.com.  Brian however has taken on some new responsibilities in his life and has shut down the RRO site leaving a void for the fans and workers of the Southeast who got their news and views on southern wrestling there.  Upon finding out that RRO would be shutting down I decided to expand CheapHeatRadio.com.  I've now added the 'Cheap Heat Indy Newz' page that will feature news, upcoming shows, results, as well as exclusive original columns from our team of columnists here at CheapHeatRadio.com.  For background on the columnists check out our 'Meet the Staff' page.

We also have a 'CheapHeatTv' youtube channel which will feature both past and present Indy wrestling. If you have a match you'd like featured you can send me a link to the video and we will post it to the newsboard and favorite it on the youtube page, or if it's not online you can upload it to a file share site and send me the link.

As another part of the 'Cheap Heat' brand, we'll be starting up 'Cheap Heat Entertainment'.  C.H.E. will offer professional grade DVDs to independent promoters and wrestlers.  We can take your raw video and add in commentary, menus, and design a cover (or use one you have designed) and make you dvds to sell on your website or at your shows.  The DVDs are professional grade and are cellophane wrapped and come with a UPC barcode.  The cost on these are very low and are great way to promote yourself or your promotion.  In the future we  are looking at adding a service where we will come video your show with an HD camera as well, depending on the interest shown in the service, this of course would require an extra fee.

Perhaps the feature of the site I'm most excited about will be the "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert: Pro Wrestling's Uncrowned King.  This portion of the site will be online book on the life of Eddie Gilbert.  Originally intended to be published as an actual book, due to some conflicts we won't discuss the book will now be published a chapter at a time over the course of the next few months.  I'm very proud of this book and thankful to all those who helped me put it together which were many.  There will also be a TON of pictures included as well....many never before seen by the public. We will be begin posting the book in July of this year.

We will be adding more features as time goes on, perhaps a forum. We would love to have your feedback on the site, what you like....what you don't like....what would you like to see added.  If you have an upcoming show you'd like to featured on the news page, or results posted, a news story, or a question...please email the webmaster at webmaster@cheapheatradio.com.   Thank you for visiting the site....please check back daily!!

Gene Jackson

Goodwill Gesture for Wrestling Shows

The weather caused havoc in the South on April 27, 2011. Many people are hurting, many people have lost everything. I was thinking what every wrestling show that decides to run this weekend should do to help out others and maybe grab some good karma in the process.

Wrestling shows, I suggest that if you have a website or use social media to pimp your show, immediately ask your fans & staff to bring donations to your show. If your area was not affected I am sure there is someone close that is accepting donations for others.Let them know that these donations came from your wrestling show and its fans.Community goodwill can help your show out down the road.Doing nothing, shows you have no regard for anyone but your little "Rasslin" show.Do not expect sympathy if you show no empathy to others.

I don't know if this little blog will make any owners be proactive in their community.Maybe it's my training in management and understanding community relations that think it would not only be the RIGHT thing to do, but with wrestling shows needing better public relations, I don't see why this is not done more. I do know there are shows out there that do such things and to those I honor you. I am sure that little bit of help keeps your show just a tad bit stronger than those feds that have a myopic view, where it's only about their show and heaven forbid helping others.You reap what you sow.

Do the right thing, give wrestling a better name. Be better than other shows.A moment of silence is nice, I beseech all feds to find opportunities to help in the community and in other communities.

The old blog restored!

I'm proud to announce that we will be revitalizing this old blog with news, youtube videos, upcoming shows, results, columns, and various other things here on this blog as a part of the all new cheapheatradio.com! Check back daily for updates!

Cheap Heat has moved again.....

All future postings from me will be posting on www.rasslinriotonline.com So make sure to come check it out!

Another great article from Scott Hudson

(this is taken from 1wrestling.com written by Scott Hudson, as he did at the passing of Jill Jarrett Hudson's comments are both timely and insightful, IMHO)

SCOTT HUDSON: CHRIS BENOIT'S FOURTH VICTIM
By: Scott Hudson
6/26/2007 3:44:44 PM
Not a human victim. As the beautiful Nancy and the young Daniel lay dead and dying in their new home, Chris was slowly suffocating another victim as he ended his own life. He killed what shred of innocence was left in wrestling. I know that's akin to lamenting the loss of integrity in the legal profession - but there was a little bit left.

The innocence was found in the locker room, in a backstage handshake and embrace between two athletes, in ribbing among the members of the fraternity. As kayfabe went the way of the dinosaur, the wall of insulation constructed from the inside out by those in the business grew higher. One knew that any casual hotel lobby conversation with a fan or radio show guest shot would be on the internet in mere minutes. Nothing wrong with that. But we knew that the only people you could trust - albeit very little - were those in the locker room with you. They knew. They understood. The pain. The travel. The pain. The loneliness. The pain. The frustration. That common thread linked everyone. They knew you and you knew them. Maybe not personally - but you just knew. Everyone around you began in small buildings with even smaller pay-offs and much larger aches and bruises. We were all on the same team - no matter what.

Suicide is an awful thing. Whether it's the coward's way out is a matter for the bumper sticker writers. That person is still just as dead. Wrestling has had its share of intentional and unintentional suicides. Insert the word murder in place of suicide and that statement rings just as true. But murder/suicide? Of a child? Like he has so often - Chris Benoit raised the bar.

Double-crosses occur in every profession without exception. Salesmen, attorneys, entertainers, bureaucrats - makes no difference. Wrestlers included. But like the old saw dictates regarding families, "We may fight among ourselves but God help the outsider that fights one of us. You fight one of us - you fight all of us." That was a strong bond among wrestlers. That was part of the innocence.

The biggest marks in the building are backstage. We believed that we knew - as much as we reasonably expect - those in there with us. We put our lives in each others hands and trusted them not to injure us. We believed. We knew.

George Carlin noted, "People say 'sometimes you just don't know.' That's not true. Sometimes you do know. You just don't want to say it out loud." Now we know. The guy you're in the ring with; the man you're working out spots with; the guy next to you in the rental car - he could kill his family. What? That won't happen? You just know it couldn't happen. How do you know that?

Nancy and Daniel will be forever mourned as the victims of a mad man and a madman. Their memorial service will be tearful pageant celebrating their lives. As well it should be. The man who killed them was working out spots with Elijah Burke three nights previously.

We can no longer assume that just because we're in the same biz and have paid the same dues that we are all hard-wired the same way. We are not. Chris, the son of a bitch, killed that, too.

R.I.P. Chris, Nancy, and Daniel Benoit

I didn't hear about this til later this evening when a friend called and told me (ironically the same one who told me about Eddie Guerrero's death) Needless to say like everyone else I was shocked to say the least. I didn't get to watch RAW til just a few minutes ago I skimmed through it on my DVR box and listened to what everyone had to say about him. Prior to watching RAW there were no details online anywhere of what could have happened. Afterwards, I got online intending to do what I'm doing now and that's post a blog entry about my feelings on this situation. However before typing this I thought I'd look and see if there was any new details on the story and I was very saddened to see this on all the news sites, here's the A.P. story that's making the rounds.

Wrestler Chris Benoit, Wife and Child Found Dead

Last Edited: Monday, 25 Jun 2007, 11:16 PM EDT


AP) -- WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife, and son were found dead Monday and police said they were investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide.

Detective Bo Turner told television station WAGA that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide, but said that couldn't be confirmed until evidence was examined by a crime lab.

The station said that investigators believe the 40-year-old Benoit killed his wife, Nancy, and 7-year-old son, Daniel, over the weekend, then himself on Monday. A neighbor called police, and the bodies were found in three rooms.

Lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, told The Associated Press the deaths were being investigated as homicide, and that the causes of death awaited autopsy results on Tuesday. Pope said the bodies were discovered about 2:30 p.m., but refused to release details.

The house is in a secluded neighborhood set back about 60 yards off a gravel road, surrounded by stacked stone wall and a double-iron gate. On Monday night, the house was dark except for a few outside lights. There was a police car in front, along with two uniformed officers.

Benoit was a former world heavyweight and Intercontinental champion. He also held several tag-team titles during his career.

"WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the federation said in a statement on its Web site.

Benoit was scheduled to perform at the "Vengeance" pay-per-view event Sunday night in Houston, but was replaced at the last minute because of what announcer Jim Ross called "personal reasons."

The native of Canada maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling.

The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast.

"My relationship with Chris has extended many years and I consider him a great friend," Carl DeMarco, the president of WWE Canada, said in a statement. "Chris was always first-class -- warm, friendly, caring and professional one of the best in our business."

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Now I'm not gonna jump to any conclusions cause it could come out that their theories aren't the way it went down and I really hope to God it isn't. My first reaction when reading it was, "There's no way Benoit did this", but truthfully none of us REALLY KNOW these people we watch on tv and what goes on in there personal lives. I really hope this isn't what happened cause it will forever tarnish the legacy of one of pro wrestling's greatest atheletes (no not SUPERSTAR, ATHELETE) Whatever happened the end result remains the same, three people lost their lives, one of them being a seven year old child and regardless of how you feel about Nancy or Chris that is perhaps the most tragic aspect of all, a kid with his whole life ahead of him is now gone as a result of tragic circumstances that regardless of what evidence tells us will never TRULY be explained.

R.I.P.
Benoit Family