Jay, here.
Well, I think I’ve learned a lesson: don’t mention “Sea Bass” and not expect a response from “Sea Bass”.
Here’s Josh.
Wilcox Over The Top: Jack Youngblood, Ric Flair, & The Dead
By Josh Wilcox
DSN Contributor
While spending some relaxing time down in Phoenix, taking in all of the Super Bowl activities and the PGA, I was going to update you on the entire goings on down there. But it would have made no sense and I can not remember that much of it, anyway. Damn Budweiser family. I guess I had too much fun. Is that possible?
However, one morning I was lucky enough to accompany, more like taxi, my father and Jack Youngblood to a Gridiron Greats golf tournament. There I sat down and ate some breakfast with those two and Dick Butkus. Here I am sitting with three of the toughest people ever to play the game, and all I can do is sit back and realize that is why I played the game. Not very easy when your hung over by the way. All the stories they were telling, laughing about other players, and more. Those three guys are not only Hall of Fame football players, but guys you want on your side in life; they are Hall of Fame people. Someday some people will realize it is not about stats and contracts but about the relationships and memories.
Another reason there were no updates, was due to the fact my media credentials did not get to me on time. I worked diligently with Duck Sports News on getting media passes, but at the end of the day a Hooters napkin with DSN written in lipstick did not get me through the final gate. And I thought I was a journalist.
Last week there was an article about a smackdown at the U of O on DSN. Finally, I thought, a real journalistic website writing about a sport which does not get the credit it deserves (Frankly, my favorite sport behind football, and maybe beer pong.):Pro Wrestling!
I was duped; it was all about the current athletic department versus faculty debate. Crap! Got all excited for nothing. But then a 10 watt light bulb went off in my head and I decided to use my journalistic expertise and my past experiences to touch on the subject.
I have always been a fan of Pro Wrestling. Why? The athleticism, the story telling, the characters. It was cool. Those guys were bad, tough, and mean. They were beating the crap out of each other. Wrestling Superstars, Portland Wrestling, Saturday Night’s Main Events, and Jim Crockett on TBS. I can vividly remember going to friend’s houses to watch those, and staying up late trying to make sure I could see my heroes triumph.
These are examples of memories that just wont leave me no matter how many brain cells I have killed through out my life playing football: living in Amsterdam, New Orleans, San Diego, LA, going to a few Metallica concerts, a Grateful Dead show at Autzen, and attending the U of O. Going to the Lane County Fair Grounds and watching Buddy Rose vs. Billy Jack Haynes, driving to Portland to see the big Don Owen mega event when the Road Warriors beat the Russians, Nikita and Ivan Koloff in a cage match. Going to Fred Meyer and getting Pro Wrestling Illustrated, begging my parents to let me go to Wrestlemaina 2 closed circuit TV, the scaffold match between the Road Warriors and Midnight Express on TBS, Magnum TA and Baby Doll, the AWA on ESPN, and Ric Flair telling everyone “to be the man you have to beat the man”. And this is just the start.
In fact the night Rich Brooks made his home visit to our house when I was getting recruited, I was watching wrestling until he showed up. I found it on the old KEVU UHF channel from the Eugene area. Not bad with rabbit ears, tin foil, and no cable.
Check back tomorrow for Wilcox Over The Top: Part Deux.
Tags: Football, Josh Wilcox, oregon, Rich Brooks, Sea Bass
Nate Says:
February 19th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
In order to be the man, you have to beat the man.
Ric Flair was the man. Great blog entry Josh.
Snap out of it Says:
February 19th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Dude,
Now its all coming back to me. You talked about wanting to be a pro wrestler back when you were playing football at Oregon. I gotta say I wish you hadn’t said that. I want to like you. I really do. But the Pro Wrestling thing drops you down several notches. I wouldn’t have such a low opinion of pro wrestlers or fans of pro wrestling if it were not for…. well…..the fans of pro wrestling and the wrestlers. Someone please explain the appeal to me. Every fan of pro wrestling I’ve ever come across has been a major, major tool. Talk about your lowest common denominator. Whoo hoo!! Steroids are cool!!
Hopefully you’ve found another dream to chase since your roid induced, homosexual fantasy has expired. Word to the wise - you listed several cool things above: living in Amsterdam, going to dead shows……..but wrestling is about as uncool as it gets.
threefooter Says:
February 19th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Lighten up Francis! It’s ENTERTAINMENT!
You do not understand wrestling, but you understand a burnout in a VW bus traveling around the country selling hemp dog leshes, ballons of nitrous, and collecting cans for that next hit?
I must be a homosexual because I sat on YouTube and watched old Portland Wrestling video’s for 6 hours this weekend…. I am a class A loser!
My first match - the Portland Sports Arena - Dutch Savage and Stan Stasiak vs. The Von Stiger Brothers. I was 8 - clearly born with homosexual tendancies!
Remember the old lady in the front row at Portland Wrestling every Saturday night — Ringside Rosie, you got it… She was gay too.
Have you turned on ESPN in the last month?
I would venture to say steriods were more prevelent in Baseball than Wrestling? Maybe not, but who died and made you a saint?
Josh, you never sold out, and that is what makes you Josh Wilcox.
Francis, I can certainly tell you that more people are interested in Wrestling, Budweiser and Jack Youngblood as oppsed to the dead, Amsterdam, and Snapping it…. or whatever you called yourself.
Reggie Says:
February 19th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I guess Josh in order to please mister,”Snap out of it”, you should have checked with him to see what was “cool” and not. Or I should have checked with him as well. It is hard to check with a no name guy.
Yes, wrestling today has gotten old and a little out there, but back in the day there was a story line and there was a good vs evil aspect. I got sucked in as well. I had the ring and the action figures who didn’t move. I to this day remember finding out the real story of wrestling. It was a sad day. But I still watched and managed to graduate for college. Maybe that was uncool too.
I guess Josh you should have liked golf, wait I remember when that was uncool, or hunting, fishing.
Like I have always said to Josh, screw those who judge and make blanket statements. It must suck having to stay up with what is cool and changing teams or sports or whatever because Paris Hilton said so!
George Says:
February 20th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Threefooter -
If you watched 6 hours of Portland Wrestling over the weekend I think that pretty much speaks for itself. I agree with mr. Snap on this one. Sure wrestling is entertainment. Lots of things are entertainment. What the heck point does that prove?
You guys go ahead and knock yourselves out with the wrestling stuff. In my book that whole genre is up there with male cheerleaders. I don’t swing that way either.
Understanding your audience 101 Says:
February 21st, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Yawn.
Josh - No offense but what gives? Your writings used to have some relevance to this site. Hopefully, if you take the time to post here in the future you’ll take a moment and consider your audience.
Jay Says:
February 21st, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Understanding Your Audience 101 -
The reason Josh is contributing to the site is because DSN is about Oregon and Duck sports culture. Josh, and the Wilcox family, is part that culture.
Plus, he’s got good stories and he’s funny. It doesn’t have to be strictly about football, recruiting, and basketball all the time.
If you want to read something from Josh about football, check out the first part about his combine experience.
Jay