Not to kick a guy when heâs down, but I believe there is more to say about Jake Roberts. After reading the reactions from the readers of The WZ and the wrestlers who shared the bill with âThe Snake,â there is a different perspective that bears mention. A point of view beyond demons, addictions, and train wrecks.
Jakeâs blatant disrespect for the wrestling business and the wrestlers who bust their ass night after night in arenas both small and large.
Yes, heâs an addict. I get that. But he made a conscious decision before he wrestled to suck down teeny bottle after teeny bottle of vodka. Oh yeah, and a cold drink with magic powder. He knew that he would be wrestling that night. Another man â” specifically JT Lightning — would put his health and safety in the hands of him.
As a longtime veteran of this business, Jake Roberts, addict or no addict, should have known better. He knows that when you face a man in a wrestling ring, a bond of trust exists. He violated that bond on that night as he has for many other nights. He impaired himself with booze. He could have hurt someone or ended a career. Maybe even a life.
His defenders are numerous. They have put a great deal of heat on JT Lighting and J-Rocc, the wrestler who did a run-in after the âmatch.â He was trying to send the fans home happy with Roberts executing his famous DDT. But to no avail. After the show, he confronted Roberts outside the building and laid into him with a harsh and very justifiable verbal tirade. A tirade that failed to make an impact on Jake or the fans around him expressing their love and support.
My advice to Jake is to retire. Now. No more matches.
Realistically that wonât happen. Primarily because there are plenty of scumbag indy wrestling promoters who will hire and enable Jake. Give him the big payoff that takes away from the local wrestlersâ compensation. They will probably adhere to his unofficial rider of airline vodka bottles in his corner of the locker room. And maybe, just maybe, theyâll find some magic powder.
I get no pleasure out of saying this. Jake Roberts is a disgrace to the wrestling business and should not be allowed into a wrestling ring anymore. Yeah, heâs a name. Yeah, heâs a Hall of Famer. But he continues to make a fool out of himself. Okay, thatâs been done before by wrestlers working past their prime. But Roberts is a danger. A hazard. An embarrassment.
How many times are we going to have to watch it? Hear about it? Read about it? Yesterday, I referred to Jake Roberts as a train wreck. That train will wreck at some point. My fear is that others will be hurt. Wrestlers and fans. And no amount of magic powder will excuse it.
