Comeback stories. Everyone loves them and at some point in time everyone has experienced one, maybe even more than one. Hollywood especially loves a great comeback story a scenario that has often played out in different films over the years, usually based on true stories. But as enjoyable as Hollywood stories can be and as much we love them I and I’m sure many others, believe that professional sports is the measuring stick by which all comeback stories are truly measured. A prime example and perhaps most obvious would be when Michael Jordan returned to professional basketball after eighteen months of trying his hand at minor league baseball for the Birmingham Barons. Jordan, went on to lead the Bulls to a second three-peat before retiring a second time in 1999, seemingly for good. However, we all know that his Airness would return to the court in 2001, and play two seasons with the lowly Washington Wizards even though he had already cemented his legacy. While Jordan’s comeback, or rather comebacks are the most recognized two (almost three) weeks ago in Augusta, Georgia at Augusta National Golf Course site of the Masters golf tournament, a new chapter was written by one Tiger Woods, who claimed his fifteenth major championship, 81st career victory, and his fifth green jacket in what many are calling the greatest comeback not just in golf, but in the history of professional sports.
Woods, who dominated the golf scene until a professional scandal derailed his game and life in 2009, has also endured four major back surgeries, including spinal fusion surgery two years ago, achieved a feat that no one saw coming, Woods himself included. But on this Sunday at Augusta National Woods wearing his traditional Sunday red mock golf shirt, “plodded” his way around the course as the patrons in attendance thundered with ovation after ovation. Woods trailed entering Sunday’s final round and had never won a major championship without a 54 hole lead. Basically to put that in perspective Woods had never won a major when trailing going into the final round without leading after 54 holes. In fact, he’s only lost one time his entire career when leading by more than one shot after 54 holes and that was back in 2009, during the final was round of the PGA Championship when Yang Yong-eun was two strokes behind Woods and rallied to defeat him by three shots. Woods record when leading after 36 holes? A staggering 38-11 in Tour events, that includes an 8-3 record in major championships. On a day when six players had at least a share of the lead, Woods remained cool, and confident from the first tee onward. He had to. Three birdies and two bogeys over the first eleven holes Sunday kept him in or near the lead. Perhaps one of the most telling statistics, is that Woods had not made a single eagle or double bogey across four days. Chewing calmly on his gum Woods endured whatever Augusta National threw at him as players approached Amen Corner which made its presence felt. On a day when six players had a share of the lead, the script flipped on then par-3 12th-hole when not one, not two, not three, but four of those players in or near the lead including overnight leader Francisco Molinari, hit his tee shot into Rae’s Creek and went on the make double bogey. Those miscues opened the door for Tiger who played the and 12th-hole safely to make par and what happened over the next six holes was something not even the great impresarios of Hollywood, could’ve thought up.
After a great drive at the 13th Woods went on to make birdie to keep himself in the lead, while a birdie on 15 gave him the outright lead, followed up by a birdie at the 16th that gave him a two-shot cushion that was enough to get him to Butler Cabin. Even Tiger’s caddie Joe LaCava was elated. “It’s been a long time,” said LaCava. “A lot of question marks, all the injuries, this might be the hardest one he’s won. On the first tee I told him be intense but loose. Don’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. And he didn’t. I’m very excited inside, very happy for him. Very impressed with the quality of shots he hit late starting with the drive on 13. He really didn’t miss a shot. From 13-18 it was phenomenal.” Coming to the dangerous final tee with a two-stroke advantage, Woods hit a cut 3-wood – “a trap squeezer” that flew 276 yards off the 18th tee. His second shot, an iron shot from 189 yards got around the magnolias and pines but never sniffed the green. After missing birdie and par attempts Woods’ tapped in his bogey then raised his arms into the air as the crowd roared in adulation, Tiger Woods had just secured green jacket number five.
It wasn’t just the golfing world that took notice of Woods’ achievement other athletes in sports chimed in with congratulations and praise. Even former president Barack Obama and current president Donald J. Trump (the ONLY time he will ever be mentioned in one of my posts) commented on Woods’ victory. And while Woods’ triumph was like olden times for many of us we also have to realize that the player, the man who won four green jackets from 1997 to 2005, the arrogant fist pumping version of Tiger Woods, appears to be long gone replaced with a balding father who after his victory found his 10-year-old son, Charlie, and 11-year-old daughter Sam, hugged them both before promptly taking his victory lap to the scorer’s room. Woods’ son Charlie was born just one year after he won his 14th major on a near broken leg at Torrey Pines. For Tiger Woods’ the golfer this victory puts him just three majors shy of tying Jack Nicklaus the Golden Bear, also has one more green jacket than Woods which is rather remarkable considering Woods thought his career was truly over and he would never play the game of golf again. For Tiger Woods’ the father however, to have his children present was a wonderful moment. “To have both Sam and Charlie here, they were there at the British Open last year when I had the lead on that back nine, and I made a few mistakes, cost myself a chance to win the open title,” Woods said. “I wasn’t going to let that happen to them twice, and so for them to see what it’s like to have their dad win a major championship, I hope that’s something they will never forget.”
I honestly don’t think anyone ever will and with the PGA Championship taking place this month on another course where Woods has won in the past, the No. 6 player in the world golf rankings is currently the odds on favorite to win his 16th major title. Can it happen? Is it a possibility? In sports you never say never and anything is possible and if I were a betting man I would say not only does Tiger win major No. 16 at some point in the future, but he also ties and surpasses Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors before it’s all said and done. I know that’s a rather tall order given the preparation Woods has to go through just to get his body ready to play a round and his age of forty-three years but I believe he can get it done. He’s a legend and that’s what legends do. I encourage all of you to cherish, relish, and celebrate this moment because we may never see the likes of it again.
How do you define greatness? There are certainly a variety of definitions but is it determined by the accomplishments of one individual? Or do we define it based on how that particular individual does in a team environment, showing leadership while leading them to victory in their chosen profession? A number of athletes in different sports would qualify as our definition of greatness. However, in the NBA the word greatness is often thrown about in regard to a number of different players some of whom in this bloggers opinion don’t live up to such a lofty moniker. The ones that do are names familiar to many of us: Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan (The greatest as far as I’m concerned), Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and others. I’m sure it’s quite obvious that I’ve left a name off this list which may or may not outrage a number of you. If it does I’m okay with that but I can promise you I’ve done it for a good reason and that’s because this particular individual in my eyes doesn’t belong in the upper tier with the all-time greats professional basketball has blessed us all with. By now you’ve probably figured out that I’m referring to Lebron James, an incredible athlete with supreme talent, but perhaps one of the most polarizing figures in sports today and not because of what he does on a basketball court. No James is a polarizing figure due to always having to control the narrative no matter what the situation might be. Yes, it’s common knowledge athletes often like to control their own narratives but no one does it quite to the extent that Lebron does though.
When the Los Angeles Lakers signed Lebron to a four-year $36 million dollar contract last summer there was little shock over James’ decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the bright lights of Hollywood. It was a smart move business wise and appeared to be a smart move basketball wise too. Magic Johnson the current president of basketball operations, even met with James’ personally to go over details for the four-year plan, a plan that would surround James with a bevy of playmakers, savvy veterans and a talented young core that would hopefully make a deep run into the playoffs. The roster was constructed in a way to compete with the Golden State Warriors a team Lebron knows all too well and a team that he had no chance in hell of beating if they had met in the playoffs. No one expected a title it simply just wasn’t going to happen not with the Warriors ruling the basketball world and a stacked Western Conference continually getting better. But making the playoffs? Maybe, even a matchup with Golden State in the conference finals? Many touted that seemed like a real possibility despite the skepticism of the roster choices Magic and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, had made. With everything seemingly in place things got off to a rocky start, but by Christmas Day the Lakers found themselves sitting in fourth place in the West and they had even managed to beat Golden State during the annual NBA Christmas Day game, a game where Lebron would go down with a groin injury and once that happened everything started to quickly unravel. James would go on to miss the next 17 games the most he has ever missed in his career after playing all 82 games last season, there were also a myriad of trade rumors that popped up revolving around the team wanting to package several members of their young core for New Orleans Pelicans star forward, Anthony Davis (that deal didn’t bear any fruit), teammates criticizing Lebron’s leadership abilities and body language as losses piled up, and coach Luke Walton being scrutinized not only by players but by Magic as well. It seemed turmoil surrounded the Lakers at every turn. Even when James eventually returned to action it was evident to most that he was not himself. Sure he was averaging 27 points a contest while putting up his usual assist and rebound numbers, but he was not moving the same especially on the defensive end of the floor where on a number of occasions he missed multiple assignments and allowed players to simply blow by him with considerable ease. I mean, and I saw it myself, there were times where he was literally just standing there and after getting beaten on defense James would proceed to berate his teammates like it was their fault that he didn’t guard his man. Who the fuck does that? Last I checked, if you perceive yourself to be an all-time great and you make a mistake you hold yourself accountable not others. But this has always been a pattern with James who is always quick to point the finger at others before himself.
Fast forward and now we’re in the month of April, on the cusp of the playoffs the Lakers have been eliminated from contention six years straight and James who had made thirteen postseason appearances, including trips to the finals nine times in a row, will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2005, when the world was a very different place. It seems almost surreal to fathom James not being apart of playoff basketball when we’ve been so accustomed to seeing it year after year. Now, that reality has come to pass. At 37-45, the Lakers did finish a game better than a year ago which I suppose is a slight positive if you want to look at it that way. There’s one problem with that however, we’re talking about Los Angeles! This isn’t some second rate city this is Hollywood, La-la-land, a place that has lofty expectations and anything short of a championship when you’re a franchise the caliber of the Lakers is absolutely unacceptable! So, that being said how important is this off-season for not just Lebron James but also the Lakers? Under these circumstances I’d wager to say it’s extremely important, especially since things have gone from bad to worse behind the scenes that have only added to the turmoil. What do I mean by that? I’m so glad you asked. In the weeks the season has dwindled there have been a number of reports which have emerged about just how truly serious James’ groin injury actually was. According to a Lakers physician (not James personal physician) the name of this physician escapes me at the moment, according to them however, James injury should have kept him out longer than the four to six week timetable. How much longer? Try the whole season! Yes, that’s right you heard me the injury should’ve kept him out for the whole year, but instead he came back after missing 17 games risking potential further damage to his groin and then was shut down for the rest of the year so he could heal properly. The question: Why did we hear about this report so late? And why did the Lakers not shut James down earlier so he wouldn’t have to play in meaningless games with playoff implications out of reach by that point? It’s a simple answer: He was trying to get them into the post season and as long as he felt like he could play he was going to play. I understand that logic hell, I even respect it to a certain degree, but playing when there is nothing to play for? I have a problem with that. I have a major problem with it especially if a player even a player such as Lebron James who I don’t like, is putting himself at greater risk. It’s not just James’ healing from injury over the summer that will be vital they also have to figure out their head coaching fiasco. I mentioned earlier about Luke Walton being scrutinized by players, mostly because his rotation of players wasn’t consistent from game to game but also the players Lebron in particular, were not buying what their young, optimistic head coach was selling. All season long Walton was in the hot seat his job security being constantly called into question and there were plenty of whispers that Walton wasn’t meshing with his superstar athlete. James has been labeled a “coach killer” and I for one can’t believe he finished out the season, though I suspect that Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, might have had something to do with that. After all, Buss wouldn’t let Johnson (I’ll get to Magic in just a few minutes), or Pelinka fire him despite the fact neither of the two men had any hand in hiring him. Do I think Luke Walton is a good coach? Yes, I do. Is Walton a good fit for this particular squad? I think that point is debatable.
You might think after everything this group has been through all year that things couldn’t possibly get much worse, right? Well, you’d be wrong given the events that just unfolded this past Tuesday. Remember, how I said I’d get to Magic? That’s another issue the team will have to deal with over the summer now that Magic Johnson has effectively resigned his position as president of basketball operations! For many it came as an utter shock! Magic resigning his post? Why? At first concrete answers were hard to come by, though plenty of speculation was running rampant. Was it Magic’s decision? Did Jeanie Buss hand him his walking papers? Or was this another situation where Lebron pulled a power move because he ultimately wasn’t getting his way? Scuttlebutt over the last few days seems to point to it being Magic Johnson’s decision and his decision alone. I believe there is some truth to that. I mean, it was reported that even Lebron was shocked and stunned at Magic stepping away and I’m not denying he was, or might have been, but there’s another part of me that believes he may have also played a role in the outcome and we just haven’t heard anything about it quite yet. In fact, I’d venture the biggest drama may not be what unfolds in the various storylines during this years’ NBA playoffs rather it might have more to do with moves the Lakers make this summer and if any top free agents decide to join Lebron next season and the health of King James. “The Chosen One” as he’s been dubbed will be 34 going on 35 and playing in his eighteenth season. His body has a lot of mileage and as much of a specimen as James is, father time is always undefeated no matter who you are or what kind of shape you’re in. Will a full off season to get his body right help? I suspect it will and Lebron will be determined to show the basketball world it was premature to write him off. Does that mean the Lakers will finally return to post season glory next year? The answer to that question will be predicated on James’ overall health and if a major free agent is willing to join him in the end. I’m not so sure that’s going to happen given everything that unfolded this season, everything that was found out about Lebron’s injury after the fact, and most importantly I think Magic’s departure will have a lasting impact, one that prevents free agents from joining James in the purple and gold. But, hey I’ve been wrong before so maybe we’ll all end up being pleasantly surprised and Pelinka will pull off a major move before the start of the 2019-20 campaign. For the record, I doubt he does since he apparently isn’t well liked by other NBA executives. That shouldn’t fill anyone with confidence.
We’ll see what happens. The summer is going to be mighty, mighty interesting and in the end this will either be another defining chapter in Lebron’s overall legacy, or the worst failed experiment in the history of professional sports. One thing I can say though is that James’ first season has been nothing short of a disaster and if major changes aren’t made the Lakers could wallow in obscurity more than they already were before the supposed “best player on the planet” arrived. Hold onto your butts!
Greetings, everyone! Fanboy here with you, again. My apologies for having not being able to write in a while. I’ve taken a few extra shifts at work that have kept me rather busy as of late. There have been a lot of things going on, things which have been percolating to the surface that I’ve wanted to write about for the last week, but as I said I’ve been a little busier with my full-time job. Now, that I’ve gotten the explanation of my absence out-of-the-way, this particular post will be a special one. Special because, my darling wife had the idea for us to do a couples, or a his/hers post and I loved the idea so much I wanted to make it the feature for my next post. However, the struggle for me was thinking about where I should begin? What can I say about someone like my wife, Sarah that I haven’t already said millions of times over? Well, the best thing to do is to always start at the beginning. My relationship with my wife began at a time when I had just come out of a shall we say, difficult period having had a previously relationship that had ended on a snowy March morning via a text message. Immediately, after the events of the heartbreaking break-up, I spiraled into a deep, deep depression, a depression I didn’t believe I would ever emerge from. Emotionally, I was a wreck dealing with feelings of sadness, rage, isolated myself from my friends, really kept my family at a distance, while also being employed full-time and doing my best to finish college courses so that I was able to graduate toward my degree.
My personality completely changed. I was no longer the same man I was, I had become a cruel individual who didn’t care if he had hurt other people. To put it bluntly, I was a piece of shit who didn’t recognize himself when he looked in the mirror. Of course, my family really wasn’t aware of who I had become, but my friends certainly did, even going to lengths to point it out to me. At that time I was also working at the local newspaper as a sports writer and while earning that position gave me brief joy, it turns out it wound up only adding to my misery level, not because it wasn’t a good job (far from it), rather it was a job that just wasn’t the right fit for me and the state of mind I was in. However, despite everything going on personally, a silver lining peered out from behind the storm that had swallowed me whole, but at the time I could not foresee anything, or anyone quelling the storms rage until one day by a sheer stroke of luck and a giant leap of faith, I started talking with someone, someone who profoundly changed my life. Now, understand at this time I was still in the process of moving on from my previous relationship and had convinced myself I was better off alone. I believed I would live alone, die alone a reality that I had come to accept and one which I was fine with. As I said, I began talking with someone via an app I had been using at the time and immediately felt an instant connection with this individual. We had loads in common and one of our very first conversations, I can remember sitting outside of my parents house in my car and just talking for what seemed like hours, telling stories, learning about each other, discussing hobbies, interests, things of that nature and it was the first time in two years, (that’s how long it took me to put my previous relationship to bed), I recalled smiling, or feeling any sort of happiness. My depression started to lift, we ended up exchanging numbers began texting each other and the change in my demeanor was noticeable not just to my friends/family, but myself as well. No matter what kind of day I wound up having being at work, or dealing with the issues of a college student who had been in school for far too long, whenever I would get messages from this person, everything in my complex life ebbed away. Eventually, as time bore on our feelings towards one another blossomed and I could sense it was only going to be a matter of time before things elevated to a relationship. We both knew it (Sarah actually knew before I did), but she understood my reluctance given what had occurred in my past and as we ventured toward this territory I was terrified and found a series of questions coming to light. After a long period of consultation mostly with myself, I surmised I was ready to commit to another person again, thus I began a new chapter in my life with Sarah.
Perhaps, the moment I knew I was ready was one night after a particularly long day at work. After making my way back to my car I noticed a message on my phone from Sarah, a message I was not expecting. Sitting in the parking lot I opened a video message and it was then that my wife first uttered the words; “I love you,” to me. A wave of emotion suddenly hit me, tears streamed down my face and I was blubbering like a small child however, I repeated those same words despite my initial fears and after returning home the realization struck me that I was happy for the first time in a long time and found myself being able to smile. Eventually, we got our own place, I got down on one knee fumbled a proposal, she said yes and the rest as they say is history. Fast forward and next month in April it will be three years we’ve been a happy couple with our seven month wedding anniversary following just five days later. Until I met Sarah, I had never truly met someone who I felt truly completed me in not just mind and body, but also soul. I could go into any number of cliché’s that describe our relationship many of them which fit the scenario perfectly especially for two people such as ourselves who had such a fairy tale wedding and an even more magical honeymoon in Disney Word; literally the most magical place on planet earth. Instead of cliché’s I will instead leave you with words my wife eloquently wrote to me in a letter she gave me on the day our marriage became a reality, a letter that I still cry reading even now: “I still remember that night in our apartment when you got down on one knee, pulled out that red ring box and fumbled with your words as you realized it was upside down (yes, this really happened folks as I explained earlier). You may be embarrassed by that detail sweetheart, but I really mean it when I say that it made it just that much more endearing. It was just so…human and really perfect summation of our relationship perfectly imperfect. For that’s what we are – two imperfect souls simply trying to make it by in this crazy, chaotic life. Two imperfect souls that, by fate’s will or sheer happenstance, stumbled upon each other and realized that life was so much better with this other imperfect soul who somehow made what was imperfect seem rather perfect. Two crazy kids who are just so wildly madly in love.”
Two imperfect souls. Wildly madly in love. Fate’s will or sheer happenstance. The imperfect seeming rather perfect. This is who we are. This is us and I can’t think of anything better than that, better than my love, my life, my friend Sarah Anne Padden!
Be sure to stay tuned for the second part of this post which my wife will be contributing for the first time on this blog. You won’t want to miss out! She’s quite the wordsmith, even better than yours truly.
Professional sports often is an ever-changing entity. One moment things may seem relatively normal, the next a major story breaks about a team, coach, or player that is gobbled up by every major sports news outlet known to man and nearly every hour, every day it seems like any new wrinkle that’s added gives the story an entirely different perspective from what was originally reported. For example, look what happened just a few weeks back in the NBA with New Orleans Pelicans forward, Anthony Davis and his demands to be traded. When the story first became public knowledge, it was shocking, but in the business of professional basketball, not really surprising especially given the era which we live and the fact that athletes seemingly have more power today than they did ten, maybe even twenty years ago. However, what was shocking was that Davis’ preferred trade destination (at the time) was that of the Los Angeles Lakers, though a number of other teams have emerged since then as potential landing spots for the man they call, “the brow.” We’ll table that discussion for another time, but I’m sure you’re asking, what’s the point? What am I getting at? Well, my point is that much like the NBA, professional wrestling is also an ever-changing landscape, one which is always evolving with the times in order to stay relevant. I’ve been a fan of pro wrestling specifically, WWE for eighteen years now and during that time, I can attest the sport is very different than it was during the boom period of the late 90’s and 2000’s. Now, there are people far more knowledgeable about wrestling than I am and I’m also a fan during an era when some may not consider it to be cool, but I wouldn’t change it for the world, because I’ve been fortunate enough to see some of the greatest performers in WWE history, come and go. Men like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, Triple H, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair and a handful of others. Though most of these names I’ve mentioned are no longer actively competing in the ring (with the exception of Triple H who competes on occasion and Rock who appears from time-to-time), there is one name, one performer who until recently was as active as a part-time in-ring performer could be. This is a man considered by many myself included, to be the conscience of World Wrestling Entertainment, a man whose career has spanned thirty years, a man who had the distinction of holding the most vaunted winning streak in WrestleMania history. Of course, I’m talking about the immortal, the legendary Undertaker!
Yes, the Demon of Death Valley, a seven time world champion, hardcore champion, multiple time tag team champion, a man who debuted all the way back at Survivor Series in 1990, a man who has dominated the wrestling industry for the better part of three decades and has had great rivalries and matches with all of the men listed above. Undertaker is a character that much like WWE, has evolved over the course of time, from a dark western mortician, to a badass biker, to a hybrid of both those persona’s, the Deadman is arguably the biggest star in the wrestling business, but as everything does all good things must eventually come to an end, which begs to question; have we seen the last of the Undertaker in WWE? I’m not sure I can answer such a question, honestly it tends on who you want to believe and how much stock you take into “dirt sheets,” as they are called in the business. Though I may not be able to provide an accurate answer to this question and can only give my opinion, there is some evidence to possibly back up the claim that Taker perhaps has ridden off into the sunset. First, Taker who usually only wrestles one match a year, worked more events in 2018, than he has in a number of years. Those events included: WrestleMania, The Greatest Royal Rumble, Crown Jewel and two of those were singles matches, while one was a tag-team match. Next, given that he’s in the twilight of his career, Taker has been willing to grant more interviews about his time in the wrestling industry, something he rarely if ever did while he was a full-time performer, because he was so notoriously protective of his character. Last but not least and what may serve as the most compelling piece of evidence that the Phenom’s time in the squared circle has come to an end, he has removed all references to WWE from his Twitter and is now taking appearances for bookings (interviews, autograph signings) outside of the company and also, his contract with WWE has expired. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean he couldn’t, or wouldn’t sign a new one, but folks we’re on the road to WrestleMania and as of this writing, Undertaker is not figured into any plans for a big match this year. If something like that were going to occur it would need to do so sooner rather than later as we are in February and WrestleMania is two months away. How is that possible? I mean, WWE is two months away from the “showcase of the immortals,” and a man who has been synonymous with WrestleMania, isn’t going to have a profile match? It seems almost unheard of simply because it wouldn’t feel like a Mania without the inclusion of the Undertaker. As a fan, part of me would be disappointed not to see him compete or even appear at the event, the more logical part of me however, realizes that Taker is 53 years old and will be 54 when this years’ Mania rolls around and has earned the right to do as he pleases. Taker is also a husband, father and given his part-time schedule, travel is not something he may not want to do much of so he can spend more time with his family. How can I, or anyone else blame him for that decision? Is it a selfish one? Hell no! I’m not a father myself (my wife and I do want to start a family of our own, though), but while I may not have children of my own I can certainly see from Taker’s point of view, why family would be an important factor in his decision to step away.
Another factor? Money. In this day and age of athletes, money is always a factor and consideration. Has Taker been reckless with his money? From everything I’ve ever heard, or read he’s actually been financially responsible with his decisions, so I really don’t think money is a driving factor. However, those bookings I mentioned earlier? The phenom is charging upwards of $25,000 a pop for his appearances and that is a very hefty price tag. Is that selfish? In my opinion, it isn’t if promoters and venues have money to shill out to book Undertaker for signings, appearances, meet and greets, etc. At such a high asking price does that potentially turn fans off from wanting to have a chance to meet the legend himself? For some, maybe, but for most I would sincerely doubt it merely due to the fact, Taker who has made regular appearances at comic-cons, is making more and more appearances as his career draws to a close. For many they would find a way no matter what the cost may be. Those may be some major factors, but that brings forth a question: Has the Undertaker really wrestled his last match? While my heart tells me no, my mind tells me that it is a possibility and one that myself and others will have to ultimately accept. Again, I go back to age. Father time is undefeated and it doesn’t matter how well you take care of your body, what nutrition plan you have, how much yoga you do, if you are an athlete and compete night after night, eventually your body is going to break down once your prime has come and gone. It happens. It happens to all of us, even those of us that aren’t athletes. Given the wars and physical punishment Taker has put his body through over 30 years, it would be no surprise he would have significant wear and tear/mileage on his person and those wars have exacted a toll. I would hate to see Taker unable to walk, or play with his children, because he got out of the business too late. That scenario has happened quite often with a number of different athletes in other professions, mostly due to their own stubbornness. I would hate to see it happen to someone of Undertaker’s caliber, someone who has given millions of fans, myself included a number of superb matches in the last five years or so (see his Mania bouts with Shawn Michaels, Triple H, CM Punk, as some examples), because it wouldn’t be worth it for his physical health. If Vince McMahon came to Taker and asked him to compete because WWE was in need of some star power, or if the money was right would he wrestle? Yes, I think he would. Taker is fiercely loyal to Vince and if asked, the situation was the right situation then I believe he would wrestle, even if was to put over a younger talent to help springboard their career. Just being in the ring with Undertaker would be a sign to any young superstar in the wrestling industry that you’ve made great strides, even if you lost the match. So, is he done? I say, maybe, but in my time as a wrestling fan I’ve learned that anything can happen in the WWE and if he were to return, I wouldn’t be at all surprised. I will however, say that no matter what happens Taker has earned the right to do whatever he chooses and that is something we all need to respect even if it’s a choice we may not like.
With all that said and if Undertaker is officially retired, what could be next for him? Who knows. Obviously with his loyalty to McMahon I don’t see him wrestling for another promotion at his age and I think the most logical choice would be an induction into WWE’s hall of fame. There’s no argument to be made that he is a first ballot hall of famer and would lead the class of hall of famers that were inducted when the moment came. Perhaps, a backstage role? Maybe, as a talent advisor, road agent? I could see that and certainly any young wrestler would benefit greatly from the experience and knowledge of the business that Taker could offer. Hell, he could even help train young talent in one of WWE’s performance centers, teaching them the craft of building their characters, ring psychology, cutting promos and getting over with the audience. Whatever happens, very few in the wrestling business have had the storied career the Undertaker has had and I’m just glad that even though I came into the game late, I managed to be a small part of the incredible ride. There are so many memories and moments I have of wrestling provided by Taker that my heart will cherish forever, a handful of his matches also rank as some of my all time favorite bouts. I may not speak for all wrestling fans, but I certainly speak for myself when I say there are truly no proper words that can express my profound thanks, for the body of work Undertaker has produced inside the squared circle. There is nothing in wrestling that got me more excited than Taker wrestling, because I knew even if wasn’t going to be the best match on the card, it was always going to be must see no matter what. My biggest regret is that I never got a chance to see him compete live in-person only being able to watch from my television screen, but that’s a minor regret compared to what he has given me and countless other fans across the world. He will forever have my respect and as far as I’m concerned, he will always and forever be the absolute greatest and deservedly so. Perhaps, one day in the not to distant future that bell will toll again, the lights will go down and the Lord of Darkness will make that long walk to the ring, the crowd will go absolutely insane as Undertaker claims another soul. Here’s hoping!
Until next time, fanboy out!
Minor Update: Read something on Facebook yesterday, from Jim Ross who is one of the few sources I legitimately trust when it comes to wrestling news, considering he is friends with many of the talent. According to good ol’ J.R., Taker is still under contract with the WWE and some of the biggest factors about why we haven’t seen the Deadman around lately are the fact he’s focusing on being a husband/father and money. Ross did not say that Undertaker is officially retired in any capacity.
Major Update: After browsing the inter web, yesterday I learned that the previous report I read above that Jim Ross stated, does have some truth to it. According to what I read, money is a primary factor in why we haven’t seen much of the Undertaker wrestling. WWE will be getting new television contracts that are expected to be worth big money and several superstars have been positioning themselves to get better deals within the company. Apparently, Taker is trying to make “money moves,” and receive a better deal himself, deservedly so in my book. This would mean that he is still under contract with the company and is not retired. However, I also learned that WWE’s head honcho Vince McMahon, is also legitimately furious with some of the outside business decisions Taker has made, particularly as it relates to an event known as Starcast, where the Deadman will be signing autographs. In other words, since Taker hasn’t gotten a new deal offered to him yet he needs a way to pay the bills and taking bookings outside of the company is his way of currently making a living. What does that mean for a potential WrestleMania appearance/match? You’re guess is as good as mine on that one, folks. If anymore details emerge I’ll be sure to let all of you know either on this blog, or in a different a post updating the situation.
Greetings, all! Fanboy here, back with you after a short absence. I’m glad to be back and as the title of this post suggests, this year marks the eightieth anniversary of a character that is one of if not the most popular superhero’s of all time, a pop culture icon, global phenomenon, Batman! I’ll be honest I may not really be the best person qualified to write on this subject, because despite being a fan for nearly thirty years, there are those out there far more knowledgeable on the subject than myself. That said, I will do my best to eloquently state how I feel about what Batman means to me as a fan and what it means to know he’s been in the public eye for the last eighty years. Let’s take a trip, a trip back in time to the year of 1938. Joel Siegel and Jerry Shuster had created the character of Superman, a physically powerful hero who debuted in Action Comics #1 in April 1938 (Siegel and Shuster actually dated the issue for June in order to keep it on shelves longer, clever right?). The issue sold for ten cents, but perhaps what was most striking was the cover which showed Superman lifting a car with his hands. Despite the publisher of Action Comics alleging the cover at the time to be “ridiculous,” as we know all know Superman has gone on to have a rather lengthy publication career (he’s been around for 81 years and still going strong) and the rest of course, is history. Fast forward a year later to 1939, editors at DC or Detective Comics, were keen on adding more colorful characters to their pages and thus scrambled for more such heroes in the same vain as “The Man of Steel.”
Enter Robert “Bob” Kane, a young cartoonist from New York, who in response to the popularity of Superman, conceived the character of “the Bat-Man.” Taking influences from actor Douglas Fairbanks’ film portrayal of Zorro; (another hero who fought for justice while also wearing a mask), Leonardo da Vinci’s diagram of the ornithopter, a flying machine with huge bat-like wings; and the 1930 silent film The Bat Whispers, Kane crafted his vision. However, Kane wasn’t the only man responsible for shaping the dark knight’s creation. Writer Bill Finger who had joined Kane’s nascent studio in 1938, had met Kane at a party and Kane later offered him a job ghost writing scripts for other strips Rusty and Clip Carson. According to Finger, Kane’s original drawings of Batman looked very much like Superman complete with reddish tights with boots, no gloves, no gauntlets, with a small domino mask swinging on a rope. Kane had also included two stiff wings sticking out that resembled bat wings. Hard to believe that, that could’ve been the version of the character we wound up with, isn’t it folks? Luckily Finger offered suggestions such as giving the character a cowl, a scalloped cape instead of wings, adding gloves; leaving eyeholes in the mask blank to connote a sense of mystery; and removing bright sections of red from Batman’s costume, opting for a gray-and-black color scheme that fans have come to know and love today. Much like Kane, Finger’s suggestions were influenced by Lee Falk’s The Phantom, a syndicated newspaper comic strip character that Kane was also familiar with. It wasn’t just costume changes Finger was responsible for, he also devised the character’s civilian name of Bruce Wayne and wrote the first Batman story while Kane provided the art. Batman debuted in May of 1939, in Detective Comics #27 and a legend was ultimately born.
Detective Comics #27, May 1939. The debut of Bob Kane’s creation, the Bat-Man, in “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate.”
Unfortunately, many of Finger’s early contributions to the character were not recognized as Kane who had already submitted the proposal for Batman at DC and held contract, was the only one of the two given an official credit for Batman’s creation (though now, Finger has gotten his due for his contributions, getting credit along with Kane). The character of the dark knight proved to be a breakout hit with readers. He was a total opposite from Superman. While Clark Kent had been sent to earth from planet krypton to be a champion for all of mankind and had the luxury of being raised on a farm in Kansas by Jonathan and Martha Kent, Bruce Wayne witnessed his parents gunned down before his very eyes in an alley way when he was only eight years old. Born from tragedy, Wayne went on to be raised by his faithful butler Alfred Pennyworth, vowing to spend his life warring on all criminals. Both characters couldn’t have been more different. Superman was a bright beacon of hope. Batman was a dark, brooding vigilante that stalked criminals from the shadows. Kane and Finger may have been responsible for the creation of Batman, but like any character a number of other writers and artists were brought on board to help shape the character’s legacy; men such as Jerry Robinson, Dick Sprang, Gardner Fox, Sheldon Moldoff, Steve Engleheart, Marshall Rogers and a myriad of others. But, a hero is nothing without villains, right? The dark knight boasts perhaps the most colorful rogues gallery in all of comic book history! Villains like the Riddler, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, the Mad Hatter, Two-Face, Bane and of course, in my opinion the one character who serves as Batman’s greatest nemesis, the diabolical and depraved clown prince of crime, the Joker. Villains are one thing, but the caped crusader also holds the distinction of being the first character to have a sidekick in Robin, the Boy Wonder, who was introduced in the pages of Detective Comics back in 1940 and was on the cover of Batman #1. As our hero has evolved his villains and sidekicks have done the same (we’ve had four different versions of Robin, we’ve had Nightwing, Batgirl, Batwoman and Batman even became a member and one of the founders of the Justice League). While the initial wave of popularity for Batman was high in the early and late 1940’s, things were a bit of a struggle in the 50’s and a lot of the caped crusader’s adventures saw him traveling to distant planets, or dealing with science fiction scenarios that were rather bland in terms of storytelling. However, the next and perhaps (at least at the time) biggest wave of Batmania, was about to arrive.
Let’s jump ahead to 1966! I wasn’t even a gleam in my parents eye, but while I may not have yet been brought into this world, I am still old enough (or in my case, would it be young enough?) to remember the Batman television show. We all remember the show, don’t we? The bright colors that popped, George Barris’ batmobile (which was flat-out awesome!), fight scenes that were punctuated with w,ords like POW! ZAP! WHAM! SOCK! great actors like Frank Gorshin, Cesar Romero, Burgess Merideth, Julie Newmar, among others to star as the guest villains of the week and of course, the campy and comedic tone. Adam West and Burt Ward played the title roles and to their credit, the show actually did match the comics that were being written. DC had decided to change up Batman’s look in 1964 by adding a yellow oval around the bat symbol and West’s costume on Batman, mirrored that look. West played the character absolutely straight! His Batman with the bright blue cape and cowl, grey spandex was dubbed the “bright night,” and he actually came out in costume during the day. West’s Batman was also very polite, often greeting citizens, or police officers. Ward’s Robin was a bit of the “aw shucks, gee whiz,” type. Very wholesome, but perhaps taking things a bit too seriously at times. When the show debuted on January 12th 1966, in primetime mind you, I don’t think anyone expected it to become the hit it became. A hit it was. The kids watched the show for the action and adventure, while parents enjoyed the humor. Batmania reached a fever pitch! It was everywhere! The show managed three seasons, totaling 120 episodes including a theatrical release which dropped between seasons one and two, but sadly the camp fad ultimately faded and like someone turning out a light Batman’s run ended in 1969. I actually have the entire run of the show on Blu-Ray, which is a pretty big deal considering that Warner Brothers didn’t actually own the rights to the show. When it was announced the show would be getting a Blu-Ray release like many other fans I was excited, but I can remember when I was younger that I actually despised the old Batman show. Why, you ask? Because no one took the character seriously! In my opinion the show did two things: First, it ushered in a wave of Batman fandom that hadn’t been seen before. Second, the show made the character a joke! It was a far cry from the dark, brooding vigilante Kane and Finger had created. However, now that I’m older I have come to appreciate the show and the Blu-Ray set serves as a cornerstone of my Batman collection.
Opening title sequence to the Batman television series. It debuted on January 12th, 1966 in primetime.
As we transition out of the campy era of Adam West’s Batman, we now come to the Tim Burton and Michael Keaton era, where the character was finally done proper to a certain extent. Batman and Batman Returns, hold very special places in my heart. In fact, Returns was the very first Batman film I saw when I was just a mere five years old. I can remember sitting in that darkened theater with my parents (yes, just like Bruce Wayne’s parents took him to see a rousing adventure film, mine did the same. Quite a parallel, eh?) and being in awe of what I saw on-screen. The world of Gotham City was full of gothic atmosphere, Keaton who was the subject of controversy when initially cast, filled the part of Batman so well (he still ranks as one of my favorites to this day), with his square jaw, scowl, the suit looked great, the batmobile was a force of nature and it was totally different from the television show. In Burton’s films, Batman was a true creature of the night. Jack Nicholson was a perfect foil as the Joker to Keaton’s portrayal of a dark Batman and a consumed and driven, Bruce Wayne. Nicholson stole every scene he was in, with the right balance of humor, fun and a touch of menace. Returns upped the ante in with Danny DeVito as the gruesome Penguin, Michelle Pfieffer was a different take on Selina Kyle and her alter ego of Catwoman, Christopher Walken is delightfully chilling as business tycoon, Max Schreck. Plus, one other thing Returns has going for it, is that it’s actually a Christmas movie and welcome anyone to challenge me on that fact! I owned both of these films on tape and I can’t even begin to tell you the numerous times I must have viewed them. I wore out the tapes! I think I watched the 89 Batman so many times a second copy had to be purchased. Of course, I own both films on Blu-Ray and Returns is a tradition I watch every year at Christmas, a tradition which my lovely wife is kind enough to oblige. In addition, to being some of the first true serious takes on Batman, the films particularly Batman 89, draws inspiration from a number of graphic novels that came out during the 80’s era. Classics such as; The Dark Knight Returns, and The Killing Joke, which Tim Burton touted as his favorite work. Just as the comics in the 70’s and 80’s returned Batman to his dark roots, the movies followed suit and the vision was far closer to Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s original take.
Michael Keaton as the dark knight in Tim Burton’s film, Batman. Jack Nicholson also starred as the Joker.
Keaton returned as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Burton’s follow-up film, Batman Returns.
Batman The Animated Series was another important show in the character’s history and ranks by many myself included, as the absolute definitive version of the character. Everything from the animation, to Shirley Walker’s dynamic score, stellar writing from the likes of Paul Dini (Heart of Ice, anyone?) and others, Bruce Timm Eric Radomski producing, to Andrea Romano heading the voice talent that brought us the dulcet tones of Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill delivering a sublime take on the Joker (his laugh is chilling), to a handful of other great casting choices, it was just an incredible show on every level. Were there some bad episodes? Yes, there were (I’ve Got Batman In My Basement comes to mind), but overall the show has more than stood the test of time and recently just celebrated its 25th anniversary! As a matter of fact, Sarah got me the entire run of the show remastered on Blu-Ray and it felt like it was 1992, all over again. I was just as enthralled watching the episodes now as I was back when I was coming home from school and I would sit in my living room every day at precisely 4:00 p.m. and watch the episodes when they aired on Fox Kids. Later when the show became The Adventures of Batman and Robin, and The New Batman Adventures, I still tuned in, because though the titles may have changed the quality of the show overall as well as the sensational voice work, didn’t. B:TAS was its own entity. An entity that gave way to what would be known as the DCAU. Out of B:TAS, we got Batman Beyond, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. Each subsequent show was connected in some way and each featured incredible, dynamic stories, superb animation and of course, stellar voice acting. Those shows meant so much to me as a kid, when I was going through my teenage years, but now as an adult they mean far more to me for the simple fact that I’m able to share the memories I have of certain moments, or episodes with my wife and knowing I’ll be able to enjoy them with our children when we have them. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are and always will be Batman and Joker to me. Those are the voices I hear in my head every time I read a Batman comic, or graphic novel and whenever a new project is announced, my first hope is that they always ask Kevin and Mark to come back and reprise the roles they have been synonymous with for nearly thirty years. I’ll admit, if they aren’t part of a certain project I do find myself getting disappointed, but there’s also an excitement too, an excitement about seeing what someone else can bring to the table. Also, Mark and Kevin’s work in the Arkham games? Well, what can you say? Without them and the incredible team at Rocksteady Studios the games wouldn’t be as awesome as they are!
Title sequence to Batman The Animated Series. The show premiered on Fox Kids, in 1992 and featured the vocal talents of Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker, among several others.
Batman returns Joker to Arkham in the 2009 video game, Arkham Asylum. Conroy and Hamill returned to the roles of Batman and the Joker.
The Joker as depicted in the video game, Arkham City. Mark Hamill returned to voice Batman’s arch-nemesis.
As we near the end of this post I just want to thank all of you for sticking around. I know this has been a rather lengthy read and I appreciate all of you who have read it all the way through. I’m going to sort of gloss over the Joel Schumacher era and not really talk about Batman Forever, or the train wreck that was Batman and Robin. All I’ll say is that while Forever wasn’t the best film when it came out in 1994 (yes, I did see it in theaters), it does have some good points and is at least not as cringe inducing as its sequel. That doesn’t mean Forever, isn’t flawed. It is. The bright aesthetic, somewhat campy tone and even some of the performances are a little too over the top. However, Forever is miles above the dumpster fire that was Batman and Robin. As a Batman fan I can state without question, I utterly loathe this film. Yes, I realize they were trying to make something a little more kid friendly, maybe they were even attempting to recapture some of the nostalgia that was the 60’s television show, but Batman and Robin, ranks as one of the worst films of all time. Unfortunately, I saw this giant steaming turd when it came out in 1997 and needless to say, my viewing habits as it relates to this movie are pretty much non-existent. When you have one of my favorite actors in Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, spouting off ice puns every five minutes or so, it grows tiresome. Spoiler alert! The puns were fucking horrible! (Please, forgive my language). Clooney was horribly miscast as Batman, but was rather charming as Bruce Wayne, Uma Thurman did have a certain sensuality to Poison Ivy, while Chris O’Donnell who returned as Robin, was just sort of there and Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl, was meh. I honestly felt sorry for Michael Gough who along with Pat Hingle, were the only two actors who returned to their respective roles as both Alfred and Commissioner Gordon. Oh and the whole bat credit card scene? Yeah, you all know what I’m talking about. As it pertains to that scene, I’d just like to say; Joel Schumacher, fuck you! This movie was so terrible, it made the Batman movie franchise go into limbo for ten years! Hell, even George Clooney admitted that he killed the franchise. With that said, Warner Brothers finally learned from their previous mistakes and in 2005, the ship was finally righted with Christopher Nolan’s first film in what became a trilogy of films, Batman Begins. Begins gave us a proper origin story, exploring the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents, his travels around the world that gave us a look at his training and how he wound up using his childhood fear of bats, to create the persona of Batman. Christian Bale brought an intensity we hadn’t seen yet displayed as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, Michael Caine was a perfect choice for Alfred, Gary Oldman gave us the first great depiction of James Gordon, we also got to see Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, who had yet to appear in any other medium outside of the comics and the Animated Series. I also loved the fact Nolan used different villains in Begins. I thought Cillian Murphy while underutilized was a good Scarecrow and of course, Liam Neeson killed it as Henri Ducard/Ra’s Al Ghul, who was both mentor and foe. Everything from the explanation of how Bruce developed the batsuit, to the Tumbler (it was never called the batmobile), being an actual military vehicle that Wayne and Fox adapt for Bruce’s nocturnal adventures, had plausible reasoning that was grounded some way in the real world. I remember seeing the film and when the final scene on the roof of the GCPD plays out, where Gordon presents Batman with the Joker playing card, I leaped for joy. I leaped for joy because for the very first time I felt like WB had gotten Batman right in live-action, but also because if there was going to be a sequel we were going to get Nolan’s take on the Joker. Something as a fan I couldn’t wait to see!
Christian Bale in his first outing as Batman in Christopher Nolan’s 2005, film Batman Begins.
This brings us to my personal favorite of all of the live-action Batman movies, The Dark Knight. To me, TDK is an absolute masterpiece! It’s one of Nolan’s crowning achievements and the best of the live action films, because it didn’t feel like a comic book movie, it felt more like a gritty crime drama. Yes, you had a man dressed in a batsuit, but you also had mob bosses much like you did in Begins, you had a narrative that made you think about the consequences to choices our heroes and villains made, you had great ensemble acting by all parties involved and of course, the action sequences were stunning not just visually, but also in execution. The cast Nolan managed to get for this film, I’m not sure I can put into proper words how great each and every performance truly was. You had your returning players of Bale, Cain, Oldman and Freeman bringing their best, there were a few new additions like Aaron Eckhardt as crusading District Attorney, Harvey Dent, Eric Roberts as mob boss Sal Maroni, Maggie Gyllenhall as Rachel Dawes (she was an upgrade from Katie Holmes in the first one) and you had Heath Ledger’s masterful tour de force as the Joker, which elevated the sequel to a whole new level. I went to see the movie on opening night. It was a packed theater and for two and a half hours, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. Ledger weaved a tapestry that made Nicholson’s performance look rather silly in comparison. Ledger’s take on the Joker was less clown, more psychotic terrorist who wanted to do nothing more than bring utter chaos to Gotham. He challenged Batman on a psychological level, making Bruce walk the fine line between masked hero and vigilante, he took Gotham’s shining beacon of hope in Harvey Dent, who has been proclaimed the city’s “white knight,” tore him down, destroyed his reputation and everything Dent stood for, which caused Dent to become Two-Face. Ledger gave us a psychotic, mass murdering clown with zero apathy as the ace of knaves, while Eckhardt gave us a portrayal of a determined, but haunted Harvey Dent/Two-Face. It was a nuanced performance. Ledger got the recognition he deserved winning a posthumous Oscar for his efforts, but everyone deserves major credit for making TDK the godfather of superhero films.
Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Ledger’s performance netted him a posthumous Oscar.
The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan’s final film in his trilogy was equally as impressive. It tied back to many of the themes Begins had established, presented Bane as a fearsome adversary, rather than a dumb, boorish brute the way he was in B&R and gave us a more accurate take on Catwoman. One of the most important things Rises managed to do, was show that a hero can be anyone and showed that Batman above all things, was a symbol, a truly incorruptible symbol. I was fortunate enough to see Rises in theaters for my twenty-fifth birthday with a group of friends, an experience I still remember vividly to this day. I was honored to see have seen Nolan’s trilogy come to a close in a satisfying way and as a fan, there is no way I can thank him enough for what he did for Batman. Last but not least, we come to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League, two films that were supposed to be apart of the now dead DCEU. I was in the minority that enjoyed both films despite the backlash both received from critics and thought that Ben Affleck’s portrayal of an older, wearier caped crusader who had been operating in Gotham for twenty years, was the most comic accurate on screen to date. Were the movies perfect? Far from it, but there were moments that I thoroughly enjoyed and still do.
Batman battles Bane on the streets of Gotham City in The Dark Knight Rises.
Batman and Superman square off in Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice. The film featured Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Henry Cavill reprised his role as Superman.
Batman atop a gargoyle in Justice League.
All of these interpretations, every single one, each has merit in their own way and all of them have molded the legacy of the Batman, helping make him a legend that continues to grow and grow as time passes. I’ve been privileged to have had a love of this character for almost thirty years, shared and seen experiences I will one day tell my children about. Bob Kane and Bill Finger created an indelible pop culture icon and I can hardly believe its been eighty years, already. I’m just lucky I’ve been able to be along for a portion of what continues to be a great ride. Batman means more to me than anyone knows. He’s someone who inspires me to do the right thing and never give up no matter what the odds are. So, Bruce to you I’d like to say here’s to 80 more years of being an awesome bad-ass and I hope they will be filled with just as much adventure and excitement! Thanks, for letting me be a small part of the ride and I look forward to continuing the journey for as long as I’m able! Happy Anniversary!
Hey, all fanboy here! Sorry, I’ve been away. My page has been getting a makeover courtesy of my talented wife, Sarah who designed a rather awesome layout that will hopefully add a great visual appeal that compliments my writing. I owe her a big thanks. As I said, I’ve been away due to work and haven’t had much time to really crank out another post, but I’m hoping that they will be more frequent in the coming weeks and months. That being said, let’s get this post started. Fair warning however, it will not be for the faint of heart. I’m not going to sugarcoat it folks, this topic will be a very personal one for me, because it deals with a subject matter that might be difficult for some to talk about (myself included) and it comes from a time in my life where I was dealing with a lot, emotionally. To give you the full story I need to wind the clock back about three or four years. I had just come out of a relationship, one that I had desperately tried to salvage not once, but twice and it was long before I ever met my wife. This relationship had taken a lot out of me. I was depressed, moody, isolated myself from others, a little cruel and full of a rage that I hadn’t experienced before. In short, I wasn’t the person I wanted, or even needed to be. Things were so bad that I just wanted a way out and for the first and only time in my life, I actually nearly went through with committing suicide. Now, I realize this may be a humdinger of a topic to write about, honestly though I haven’t ever really discussed it in any kind of forum. The only person I’ve ever told about this are my wife and a couple of my friends.
Suicide is not a joke. In my opinion, I believe it is an alternative, a way out in hopes of putting an end to any sort of pain and misery one might be feeling. Suicide to me, means someone has fought so hard for so long to be strong, but they reach a moment where they just can’t be strong anymore so they think the world would be a better place without them in it. There are many factors that attribute to suicide. Depression is definitely one of them, but it could also be that things in a person’s life are just complete and total shit, one thing after another is piled on constantly. An example, I can think of is the death of the great, late Robin Williams, a man who brought joy and laughter to so many, but ultimately was battling demons of his own that very few knew about. When I learned he died in the summer of 2014, I was on vacation with a now ex-girlfriend and to say I was numb, wouldn’t be an accurate choice of words. Robin Williams, dead? I didn’t want to believe it. Except it was true and when I learned the cause of his death, it was a difficult pill to swallow while also serving as a jarring reminder that even someone who was perceived as one of the happiest people on the planet with an amazing spirit, just couldn’t be strong anymore. Fast forward a year later and I would find myself in the same position. Suicide is something that had crossed my mind over the years, but though there were moments I contemplated ending things, I never actually wanted to go through with it, because of what I would be leaving behind. However, after coming out of a horrendous breakup with my ex and trying to put myself back together (I really thought this person truly loved me, turns out it was all a lie), I found myself one night unable to be strong any longer. So, late one evening when I was still living at home and my house was silent, I sat in my room lost in my own head, tears in my eyes, feeling so bleak that I was ready to leave the mortal plain. How would I do it? Would I hang myself? Slit my wrists and slowly bleed out? Maybe overdose? Take a loaded gun, point it to my head and pull the trigger? No, I opted for something that in my mind would be less cruel. I decided to throw myself off the roof of my parents house thinking it would a quick and painless way to go. I rose from my bed opened the window, closed it behind me and actually stepped out onto the roof. Peering out over the edge my mind was racing at the thought of what I was about to do, what I was going to be leaving behind, but I felt like I had no other alternative, at least at the time. As I prepared to jump, I gave one last glance back into my dimly lit bedroom and caught my dog who had been asleep on my bed, staring back at me, panic in her eyes.
In that moment I had a moment of clarity, realizing what I would be leaving behind if I did this. I would be leaving my parents without a son, my friends without a friend, my brother and sister without a brother and a pet without its master, (there also may have been a voice much older, much wiser that was ringing in my head too.) I couldn’t do it. I went back inside, sat on my bed, hugged my dog tight and broke down, but with a new resolve to put myself back together and not let what happened destroy me. In a way, my dog saved my life. It was because of her that I am here today, that and that voice. It was a very frightening moment for me and I had never come so close to something that drastic before. I had so much to live for. No one ever knew about that night. In fact, until I started dating Sarah, I had never told a single soul. She was the first one to know and when I did tell her, it was hard. We had only just started dating, but I felt comfortable enough to tell her so I did. All I can remember is us both crying as she held me in her arms and told me that it was okay. We really haven’t spoken of it since that day mainly due to the fact that I don’t like talking about it. The point is I got through it. Oh, it took some doing make no mistake, yet here I am in a much better place. That day still does cross my mind from time to time, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve gained a new perspective on what happened and that’s mostly due to understanding how devastating suicide can be if you decide to do it. In addition, I know I’m not the only one who has probably contemplated it. Remember, how I mentioned what happened to Robin Williams? Well, I would learn that it’s not just people like myself and the great Mr. Williams, who have had these thoughts, but so have great fictional icons.
I’ll give a little context. Tom King who is currently the writer for DC’s Batman title (he’s a superb writer and I’ll delve deep into his run on the book in a future post), has been crafting a narrative one rarely sees these days in comics. One of the graphic novels in my collection is Vol 2. of Batman titled, I Am Suicide. In part four, Bruce is battling his way through Arkham Asylum giving a monologue of a letter he had written to Selina Kyle, the Catwoman. He mentions a time shortly after his parents death, where he at the age of ten, also contemplated suicide. His method was a little more crude than my own, using one of his father’s razor blades to slit his wrists and essentially bleed out. But, in that moment on his knees, staring up at his mother and father the blood and blade between his hands, he in that moment decided not to give up. Rather, he made a vow. A vow to spend the rest of his life warring on all criminals. Thus, he became a creature of the night, he became a legend, he became the Batman. When I first read this I found myself utterly shocked! Batman, Bruce Wayne had actually considered suicide? How could this be? But, upon learning his reasoning I understood that like the rest of us fictional or not, Bruce Wayne is human too. The fact he would want to end his life due to his parents being murdered in front of him made sense and I wouldn’t have blamed him. Bottom line, he didn’t do it and channeled that pain he felt into a way to help others. After reading this particular volume the memory of that night came flooding back. It also solidified that I had made the correct decision to continue to live my life, because much like Bruce made a vow to spend his life warring on crime, I made a vow to make sure I never allowed myself to get to that point again and if able, help others in the process. Things like this are always hard to revisit, but as difficult as it is, I’m glad I was able to share the experience in this environment. I’ll leave you with this: If you know someone who is dealing with depression and thinking about suicide, do all you can to help them. Be there for them, turn them on to the suicide hotline if they need someone to talk too, do anything and everything you can to make sure they’re okay, because they may be fighting battles no one knows about and need all the strength they can get. Don’t just brush it off! Help them, reach out to them, check on them. Remember, tomorrow isn’t always promised.
That’s all for now.
Tune in next time. Same blog post, same blog site.
Hello? Is this thing working? Splendid! I’m glad it is. Please, forgive me if I’m a little rusty, I haven’t written anything in four years and this is my first attempt at blogging of any kind. Goodness, where are my manners? Permit me to introduce myself, my name is Will and this is my blog. I’m just your average guy with a regular job (I work at a hotel, it’s hardly a glamorous lifestyle), I drive a normal car just like everyone else, I put my pants on one leg at a time just the same as the rest of you, I live in a mundane town in the mountain state of West Virginia and I’m lucky to have a great apartment that I share with my dog and my darling wife of four months, Sarah. My wife is great and believe me when I tell you all, I’m a very lucky man, luckier than any of you could realize. In addition to being your friendly neighborhood average guy, I’m something of a nerd. I enjoy watching television (perhaps, I’ll get into some of my favorite shows in another blog entry), movies, playing video games, I have an extensive graphic novel collection, I do some very amateur cooking (my wife is the true chef) and I’m a Batman fanatic.
Now, that I’ve gotten a good portion of my introduction/hobbies out the way, let’s get down to brass tax about this blog. These will be my musings ladies and gentlemen, my musings about life, sports, music, pop culture and whatever else my unique mind can conjure up. I’ll give my opinions on a variety of subjects, but I will do absolutely everything I can to not make this blog a political platform for two reasons; number one, because I am a political novice and number two, I don’t wish to offend anyone who reads these blogs. My intention is for everyone to enjoy what I write and maybe, even be amused by some of my musings. With that being said, all of are invited to join me on what I’m hoping will be an exciting, fun filled and most importantly, enjoyable journey on this roller coaster of a ride that like any good story will have twists and turns with thrilling adventure, gripping moments, interesting characters, exotic (alright, not so exotic), locales and a writer who can set a tone that keeps all of you coming back for more. Unfortunately, I have to end things on this first post, because work is calling and I may not be able to write for the next few days due to the responsibilities of my job. I thank all of you out there, all of you who are reading this first post and I promise to do my best to improve the quality of my content as we embark on this journey together.
That said I will leave you with the words Bruce Wayne, said to Terry McGinnis in the very first episode of Batman Beyond, entitled “Rebirth,” and which also happens to be the title to this very first blog entry…
adventresoffanboy.wordpress.com 