Well, it's a day late, but I thought I might as well talk about it here.
Every year on this day, I do go back to watch some of the Eddie moments that stick out in my mind. Mainly, of course, they focus on his last Main Event face run.
Ultimately, this period of WWE just seemed to have so much of an aura of positivity and hope. This was a guy that was liked by nearly everyone in the locker room. A lot of things have happened since then. Rey Mysterio won the World Heavyweight Title and later the WWE Title. I think Vicky's now been with the company longer than Eddie was now. Chavo had a point in leaving when they were jobbing him out to Hornswoggle. But he's now just relying Eddie's memory and can't seem to come up with anything original on his own. And WWE just isn't what it used to be.
Still, though, those good times will still exist. We all still miss you Eddie.
John "Bradshaw" Layfield, aka "JBL", on Eddie Guerrero and the Lawler heart attack angle: + Show Spoiler +
I've written a lot about Eddie Guerrero and I never get tired of talking about my friend, this is the 7th anniversary of his passing.
Eddie was a groomsman in my wedding and I did part of his eulogy at his funeral, we were good friends-I really miss Eddie and so wish he were still around. We had so much fun together, and he meant more to my success than anyone.
The JBL character wasn't working and Eddie and Chavo Sr came up with the idea for the 'heart attack' of his mother on Mother's Day in his hometown of El Paso. I literally had a police escort out of town for my own safety that night, talk about heat.
This angle with CM Punk and Heyman faking a heart attack last night, I loved it-this is something Eddie would have loved also. People get worked up, and it is their choice to be offended by whatever they choose. I thought it was awesome, I just wish JBL could have done it!
Eddie did as much for me personally as he did professionally, he was a truly amazing guy.
The story of Chavo and Eddie getting into a heated argument backstage over the mother angle when Chavo started ribbing Eddie that Mrs Guerrero should take the clothesline was hilarious-it's just that no one saw it but me.
The match we had at Judgement Day set the attendance record at the Staples Center at the time, all off the heart attack angle. Again, if you are offended by the CM Punk story-it's your choice, but I got a guy wishing I was dead and several profanity filled Tweets over it. Really? Over a TV show, some have zero class when they can be keyboard warriors anonymously.
Also, the filming of Jerry as he was receiving medical care got some really nasty comments. If that was an NFL game or any event that had a ton of cameras around, do you think that a guy who has been told to film everything who has a camera on his shoulder would not film it. I thought it was all done very well and was one of the best Raws I have seen in some time.
I thought the welcome back of Jerry was great, I love Jerry and he is one of the best of all time. A true Hall of Famer. We share a birthday though his year is many decades ahead of me.
Here's highlights of the Judgement Day bloodbath, Eddie had to be taken to the hospital after this-I didn't realize at the time how much blood he was losing. Seeing the tape I am shocked.
I miss Eddie, would be great to have him around now after all these years and laugh and talk.
“First time I met Eddie in August of 2003 at a Smackdown show in Detroit. Alex Shelley, Chris Hero and I were there working out in the ring before the show. Eddie stopped and took the time to watch us all wrestle, then to come up to us afterwards and compliment us.
I can probably say working on WWE Smackdown with him was one of the best experiences in my life. The thing I thought was really cool about him, which I also thought was really cool about Chris Candido (God rest his soul too), was that for a guy who has been there and done that, for a man who has main evented Wrestlemania as the world heavyweight champion, he treated me as an equal. I was a 21 year old kid just happy to be getting work, and he acted as though I were on par with him. Just to show you my experience with this - not to totally kill the business -but that day when I found out I was working with Eddie, I went up to him and said, "Hi. I'm Jimmy. I think we're working together tonight." The first thing Eddie did was apologize. "Jimmy. I want to apologize for the match. I would love to have a competitive match with you, but tonight this match needs to be 100% me. Please understand this is just business. I'm truly sorry, and I want to thank you for your professionalism. God willing, we'll work again under better circumstances."
It really struck me that he would do that. I mean, seriously. I was happy just to have work, just to be getting paid, just to be on the show, just to be working for WWE, just to be in the ring with him, yet he was apologizing to me.
As the day went on, almost every time we talked, he apologized, thanked me, and was almost trying to sell me on the fact that it'd be ok to get squashed by him, as if I was doing him a favor. Before the match, one of the agents for our match came up to me and said, "Jimmy, now, you know this is going to be a stiff match, right?" I said "Sure." But Eddie never touched me. Even on the finish when he gave me the brainbuster on the chair, he took total care of me.”
Oh man I remember when he died, has it really been that long, I don't really follow the scene anymore, kind of grew out of it, but man, Eddie was a real entertainer!
I still remember his last hype video..
What makes an hombre caliente? Always high flying, always low riding, always on top!
JBL on Eddie Guerrero and the Lawler heart attack angle: + Show Spoiler +
I've written a lot about Eddie Guerrero and I never get tired of talking about my friend, this is the 7th anniversary of his passing.
Eddie was a groomsman in my wedding and I did part of his eulogy at his funeral, we were good friends-I really miss Eddie and so wish he were still around. We had so much fun together, and he meant more to my success than anyone.
The JBL character wasn't working and Eddie and Chavo Sr came up with the idea for the 'heart attack' of his mother on Mother's Day in his hometown of El Paso. I literally had a police escort out of town for my own safety that night, talk about heat.
This angle with CM Punk and Heyman faking a heart attack last night, I loved it-this is something Eddie would have loved also. People get worked up, and it is their choice to be offended by whatever they choose. I thought it was awesome, I just wish JBL could have done it!
Eddie did as much for me personally as he did professionally, he was a truly amazing guy.
The story of Chavo and Eddie getting into a heated argument backstage over the mother angle when Chavo started ribbing Eddie that Mrs Guerrero should take the clothesline was hilarious-it's just that no one saw it but me.
The match we had at Judgement Day set the attendance record at the Staples Center at the time, all off the heart attack angle. Again, if you are offended by the CM Punk story-it's your choice, but I got a guy wishing I was dead and several profanity filled Tweets over it. Really? Over a TV show, some have zero class when they can be keyboard warriors anonymously.
Also, the filming of Jerry as he was receiving medical care got some really nasty comments. If that was an NFL game or any event that had a ton of cameras around, do you think that a guy who has been told to film everything who has a camera on his shoulder would not film it. I thought it was all done very well and was one of the best Raws I have seen in some time.
I thought the welcome back of Jerry was great, I love Jerry and he is one of the best of all time. A true Hall of Famer. We share a birthday though his year is many decades ahead of me.
Here's highlights of the Judgement Day bloodbath, Eddie had to be taken to the hospital after this-I didn't realize at the time how much blood he was losing. Seeing the tape I am shocked.
I miss Eddie, would be great to have him around now after all these years and laugh and talk.
What's all this about? I haven't watched wrestling since 2003.
Two months ago Jerry Lawler collapsed at ringside during commentary after suffering a massive heart attack. This past Monday's Raw he returned to announce the show. C.M. Punk and Paul Heyman interrupted Lawler's return speech, and then Heyman faked a heart attack. It did exactly what it was intended to do, like JBL said, it got a ton of heat on Punk.
That said, I was a gigantic Eddie Guerrero fan. Definitely one of the best the business has ever seen, and probably will ever see.
JBL on Eddie Guerrero and the Lawler heart attack angle: + Show Spoiler +
I've written a lot about Eddie Guerrero and I never get tired of talking about my friend, this is the 7th anniversary of his passing.
Eddie was a groomsman in my wedding and I did part of his eulogy at his funeral, we were good friends-I really miss Eddie and so wish he were still around. We had so much fun together, and he meant more to my success than anyone.
The JBL character wasn't working and Eddie and Chavo Sr came up with the idea for the 'heart attack' of his mother on Mother's Day in his hometown of El Paso. I literally had a police escort out of town for my own safety that night, talk about heat.
This angle with CM Punk and Heyman faking a heart attack last night, I loved it-this is something Eddie would have loved also. People get worked up, and it is their choice to be offended by whatever they choose. I thought it was awesome, I just wish JBL could have done it!
Eddie did as much for me personally as he did professionally, he was a truly amazing guy.
The story of Chavo and Eddie getting into a heated argument backstage over the mother angle when Chavo started ribbing Eddie that Mrs Guerrero should take the clothesline was hilarious-it's just that no one saw it but me.
The match we had at Judgement Day set the attendance record at the Staples Center at the time, all off the heart attack angle. Again, if you are offended by the CM Punk story-it's your choice, but I got a guy wishing I was dead and several profanity filled Tweets over it. Really? Over a TV show, some have zero class when they can be keyboard warriors anonymously.
Also, the filming of Jerry as he was receiving medical care got some really nasty comments. If that was an NFL game or any event that had a ton of cameras around, do you think that a guy who has been told to film everything who has a camera on his shoulder would not film it. I thought it was all done very well and was one of the best Raws I have seen in some time.
I thought the welcome back of Jerry was great, I love Jerry and he is one of the best of all time. A true Hall of Famer. We share a birthday though his year is many decades ahead of me.
Here's highlights of the Judgement Day bloodbath, Eddie had to be taken to the hospital after this-I didn't realize at the time how much blood he was losing. Seeing the tape I am shocked.
I miss Eddie, would be great to have him around now after all these years and laugh and talk.
What's all this about? I haven't watched wrestling since 2003.
Well, Eddie was a great wrestler, but you probably missed out on a lot of his good WWE stuff if you stopped watching in 2003. You probably only watched his WCW stuff, if even that, if you stopped watching in 2003, even if his WCW stuff is still good. He died in 2005 due to his body giving out from the damage that it had accrued from wrestling, drugs, and alcohol, though he had been clean for years before his death. It was a big thing at the time. He was really well-liked in the locker room.
For the Jerry Lawler stuff, well. A few months ago, Jerry "The King" Lawler was actually involved in a feud with current WWE Champion CM Punk. Punk had recently turned heel (bad guy), and they were looking for ways to get the crowd to boo him. They thought having him feud with Jerry Lawler was a way to do so. To the point where they actually put him in a cage match. And the match was surprisingly good when you consider the fact Jerry Lawler is 62.
2 weeks later on September 10th, there was a RAW taking place in Montreal. Heck, Bret Hart was there to cut a promo. Well, during this night, CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler decided to double team Randy Orton. Lawler, not being a fan of Punk, intervened, and a tag team match was made. After the match, while commentating a different tag team match Jerry Lawler suffered a real-life heart attack on the air. You can actually witness the events here:
He was actually clinically dead for several minutes. Fortunately, WWE events have a lot of medical personnel on-hand. They were able to stabilize Jerry and brought him to the hospital. Naturally, all of Jerry's friends and family were shocked to see this, and were relieved when they learned a few days later that he would be able to make a full recovery.
Last night on RAW, Jerry Lawler actually made his return. However, CM Punk then interrupted Lawler's return speech. Still playing the heel, Punk made fun of Lawler's heart attack. To the point where he had Paul Heyman fake a heart attack. You can see the full promo here:
During a phone interview with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin today promoting WWE ’13 and Redneck Island on CMT, I asked “The Rattlesnake” for his thoughts on the controversial moment on Monday night’s Raw involving Paul Heyman faking a heart attack (in case you missed it, detailed info can be found in my Raw recap here).
Austin, the most popular superstar from WWE’s Attitude Era -- an Era that prided itself on pushing the envelope and creating controversial situations that would have fans talking -- had an interesting response:
"I believe in pushing the envelope in an aggressive fashion. But when a guy damn near dies at ringside, let it go. You look at all the contributions Jerry Lawler has made in this business: from a work standpoint, a promo standpoint and then as a broadcaster. I think that's pushing the envelope in the wrong direction. There's better ways to go get real heat than that."
Austin’s opinion matches many fans who watched the segment. However, many of Austin’s colleagues in WWE have a different viewpoint. I reached some for comment:
Chris Jericho (@iamjericho): I think it was pretty obvious, don’t you? I kind of expected it. Punk’s promo was awesome. It’s wrestling so you knew it would end up as an angle sooner or later. I got the same complaints when I did the alcoholic angle (earlier this year with CM Punk). It would be like being mad at "Breaking Bad" because the dad was a drug addict or something. It’s just a TV show, after all.
Gregory Shane “Hurricane” Helms (@shanehelmscom): I can see how it might bother some, but it didn't bother me. I almost severed my spinal cord and I wouldn't get offended at a neck injury angle. At the end of the day, it's a television show meant to entertain. And part of that entertainment is to invoke emotion, both good and bad. That segment was designed to make people hate CM Punk and Paul Heyman and it obviously worked. Medical issues are used weekly on "House" -- do people get offended at that? Hell, even Lawler poked fun of himself moments later when the ambulance arrived for the Ryback-Maddox segment. If that segment made you hate Punk, good, now maybe you'll cheer a little louder for Ryback or Cena at Survivor Series. It's basic storytelling. I was more offended at William Regal wearing Moolah's old ring gear. :-)
MVP (@the305MVP): I’m not opposed to it. It’s WWE. If someone recreates a heart attack on a TV show or movie, no one’s offended! King is ALIVE! If he died ...
Brian “Blue Meanie” Heffron (@theebluemeanie): Honestly, I didn’t get to see it but I will say that heart attack angles are nothing new in wrestling, whether in front of the camera or in the locker room, where the promoter will fake one because he realizes he doesn’t have enough money to pay the (wrestlers)! I’m sure Jerry (Lawler) didn’t have a problem with it because he knows it would have an impact. I mean, Eddie Gilbert once hit him with a car for wrestling! So why not let Heyman mock his heart attack if he knows it will get heat for Punk since Punk is so over it’s almost impossible for fans to hate him at this time? Assuming Jerry is fine with it, then I see no harm.
Lance Storm (@storm_wrestling): Thought it was poor. Both he and Punk are capable to get real heat, no need to sink so low. Also thought it was out of character for Punk so it hurt. Punk is about Best in World and himself. Why bother joking about heart attack it goes nowhere. Interuption was okay and in character. Fake heart attack was cheap and pointless
Current Smackdown commentator John “Bradshaw” Layfield experienced a similar angle during his time wrestling as JBL in a rivalry with the late Eddie Guerrero. He wrote about it in a recent Facebook blog.
"The JBL character wasn't working and Eddie and Chavo Sr. came up with the idea for the 'heart attack' of his mother on Mother's Day in his hometown of El Paso. I literally had a police escort out of town for my own safety that night, talk about heat.
"This angle with CM Punk and Heyman faking a heart attack last night, I loved it-this is something Eddie would have loved also. People get worked up, and it is their choice to be offended by whatever they choose. I thought it was awesome, I just wish JBL could have done it!"
There is also a large contingent of fans who felt the moment was a throwback to “the good ol’ days.” Goaltender for the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes and long-time pro wrestling fan Jason LaBarbera summed up those fans’ thoughts when reached for comment:
“I thought it was great! Obviously people may find it a bit shocking, but I think that’s what they were going for. Lawler obviously was OK with it. I loved it, though, because it was kind of old school. Hopefully with Linda (McMahon) done with (the Senate race) they can get over “PG” and get back to where wrestling angles should be.”
Naturally, I also side with Steve Austin and Lance Storm. It was bad exploitation of a terrifying real-life event designed to just give Punk some more cheap heat. Because WWE creative can't seem to be tactful or think up more creative ways to get Punk heat.
JBL and others offer a different viewpoint and think that it was alright to do so. Don't know if Chris Jericho's ever even watched Breaking Bad, though.
On another note, despite the fact that I thought it was a shameful thing for WWE to do, I laughed at Punk's interactions with Foley.
"How 'bout you respect Paul Heyman. This man just had a heart attack, okay? And I brought him back to life!"
And Mick Foley shouting "HE WAS DEAD!" was also a really unintentionally funny moment.
I agree it was a tasteless promo, and they probably could have found another way to get heat on Punk/Heyman without it. I agree with the people against it, but I also agree with the people for it. In the end, it had to have come down to Lawler as to whether it was allowed to go ahead as planned, so if he okay'd it then there's really nothing else that needs to be said on it. In the end it did exactly as intended, it got them a ton of heat.
EPT
