In a thoughtful column at Pro Wrestling Insider, long-time wrestling industry veteran Les Thatcher pays tribute to the recently passed Don “The Skinner” Jardine and Anne Bowman, and also talks about the Armageddon ladder match from December 17. On Joey Mercury’s injury during the see-saw ladder spot:
Everyone is raving about the match being a four star, match of the year candidate, and that it is and well should be. However, as Bret Hart so aptly put it a number of years ago. No matter how the fans accept a match or how technically sound it may have been, it wasn’t good unless all the participants arrived back in the locker room in one piece.
Besides Joey I have heard that both Hardys were limping around and Kendrick has sore ribs. The downer is that Mercury was just getting back in the groove, and now will be out once again for at least two months. What was bad enough as is could have been far worse and even life threatening for Joey, as that ladder could have done even more damage. He is a talented young man, and the gimmicks and props weren’t necessary for him or that matter, any of his opponents to have had a damned good match.
As the title of this column implies this is a wrestler’s eye view. Too often I get the feeling these days of a Roman Coliseum featuring Christians versus Lions and the Romans/fans giving the thumbs up or down. Someone will say for the money these guys can take it, and the truth is that Joey or none of the other seven athletes in this bout are anywhere near the top of the industry pay scale. Even if they were, and his nose had been torn from his face as it could have been; that money couldn’t have replaced the trauma of disfigurement or loss of occupation.
For more on this topic and the complete column, click on the above link.
