#Tommy rich

[wrestlingarsenal]

[hart-on-my-sleeve]

11/22/1980 - Memphis Wrestling

Tommy Rich is talking about something but for the life of me I cannot focus on whatever the heck he is saying- I'm so sorry, Tommy.

Snuggly boi??? SO SNUGGLES AND TOUCHY???

And then Jimmy can't stop laughing. And it's not his regular purposely obnoxious one, he's just laughing his whole ass off.

I haven't seen him this way before??? I- hUh-

🫠

[blueonwrestling]

Insanely huge pop from me for Deonna Purrazzo joining the full blooded italians at the Mark Hitchcock memorial show to counter Los Boricuas having a female member.

[blowflyfag]

Wrestler ANNUAL: Winter 1983

A young blond wrestler trotted down the aisle, hurrying from nerves and awkwardness. This was his first pro match and he fumbled keeping the perspiration from dripping into his clear, alert eyes. As he neared the ring, a chant exploded from the crowd. “Tommy, Tommy,” fans shouted. Already, you Rich was a crowd favorite. He beamed and waved to the fans. After the match, Rich patiently signed autographs. Over the months, he always answered his phone, always stood outside the dressing room entrance talking to the fans, no matter the hour or weather. He loved his fans. And his fans loved him. 

HIS FANS’ FEAR: SUCCESS WILL SPOIL TOMMY RICH

With each success comes a price. Few greats maintain their sense of perspective and continue to view their accomplishments as simple specks upon the world plane. Big heads and overblown egos are common and somewhat understandable. Has the same happened to Tommy Rich?

PHOTOS BY BILL APTER

AT HEART, TOMMY RICH is kind, decent and relatively unassuming. But success demands a certain price, often reflected in the altering of a personality. Rich isn’t immune to such changes. He has been substantially changed by his success and the adoration. The question becomes has it permanently spoiled him?

“I was outside the arena last Friday night.” recalled Art Detore, of Macon, Georgia. “And I was waitin’ for Tommy to come up, heck, I remember Tommy’s first match ever. I remember how I waited and got his autograph ‘cause I knew it’d be worth a lot someday.

“So there’s a bunch of us waitin’ out there, dunno, maybe 20 or so, somethin’ like that, jus’ hard to tell sometimes. Gettin’ off the subject, huh? So Rich comes out an everyone starts hootin’ and hollerin’ and wavin’ their pencils know, that kinda shy smile he got, and signs a couple and says he’s gotta go. Wasn’t nasty, mind you, not in the least. But he wouldn’t sign autographs. Gotta wonder why.”

[Tommy Rich stomps the head of Harley Race as the NWA champion lay across the ring apron (above lest). Race grabs a handful of Tommy’s hair and slams his head back to the canvas (above right).]

Another fan recollects a similar incident. 

“I got Tommy’s pictures all up my room, gosh, my momma wants to tear my rear if I don’t keep some order. Keep a scrapbook, too,” said Tammy Winters, Atlanta. “And I’d do anythin’ for Tommy. Every time I go to the matches, I get his autograph. Must have ‘bout 60 of ‘em.

“But last time, Tommy only signed one or two before leavin’ Made me mighty hurt, you know what I mean? Mighty hurt.”

Actions beyond the squared circle do not fully convey the extent of Rich's change. A new ferocity, perhaps unleashed by the broken leg inflicted by Harley Race, alarms some of Tommy’s friends. 

“Tommy’s toughened up a lot since he first broke in,” said a fellow scientific wrestler who requested anonymity. “I don’t say that’s bad. You gotta develop a hide, both in and out, to survive in this sport. 

“But I worry Tommy doesn’t know how to check his rage, that it’s gonna ruin his game. You gotta channel your anger and not let it control you. I don’t think Tommy understands that yet. He hates Harley Race so much he can’t handle it. I’ve been watching Rich and he isn’t as solidly in control of his strategies like he once was. In one way, he’s better because he’s more aggressive, but on the other hand, he risks blowing his cool by not harnessing all those hostile and violent emotions.

[Race takes aim and drives his knee into Rich’s chest (above). Race has Rich tied in a small package, but Tommy is able to get part of his foot through the ropes (top right).]

Rich appears both angry and confused by reaction to his recent matches.

“Heck, what do people want from me? I’ve never refused a fan or been nasty. Darn, I owe everything to my fans, everything. They come before anything in my life. I’d never turn my back on my fans. Never.

“But I’ve been so busy lately. My matches take me all over the area and sometimes I have to rush from the arena to catch a plane. It isn’t that I don’t want to sign autographs and talk, it’s just I don’t have time.

‘As for my aggressiveness, heck, I want Race to pay for what he did, and I’m determined to blast his face across the state. I know what I’m doing. I’m able to handle my hate. But Race won’t. He’ll lie in a million little pieces.”

Perhaps Rich doesn’t realize the fundamental changes. Perhaps he can never return to the innocence of a rookie. No one can ask that of him.

[chazraps]

I interviewed Killer Mike of Run the Jewels about his new album 'Michael,' his new tour and how it's a Revival, the biggest misconceptions about him, the influence of Atlanta wrestling on hip-hop, his favorite moment hearing his own music in a video game and more!

[nickmaniwa]

Wrestling shirts of 2023 -

2/12 - #43 - Not much on sports ball but I got my Eagles zubaz beanie on for my homie Ruff (RuffFigures.com) and got the FBI repro from the homie at 2800studio.com. Not pictured, my red/green/white zubaz. #ManiwaShirts2023

See all my past shirts on IG/FB/Twitter @nickmaniwa

[extreme-warfare]

Shitty new belts that they were given in the lead-up to the first PPV. Why would you want to use a fucking IC title ripoff, knowing it would just make you look bush league? The original ECW tag team belts looked badass.

[littletroubledgrrrl]

[grayblurcards]

Tommy Rich (CWA)

2023 Wrestling Authentic Signature

[classicprowrestling]

Tommy Rich vs Kamala - 1983

[riberajacket]

[redlettermediathings]

[noxious-fennec]

He's focusing guys let him focus on his art

[beelittle]

Taking months-long sketches and finally colouring them lmao

[sp0o0kylights]

obsessed with your latest steddie au! steve’s relationship with his parents is so emotionally abusive and manipulative and my heart is breaking that nobody seems to recognise that

Thank you!!

I really wanted to focus on how Steve's parents are abusive in a way that is a lot harder to clock.

They're not out there screaming and kicking him out of the house. These people want you to like them, and they lie like they breath.

These are the adults who downplay serious issues, who make you doubt yourself, who smooth things over or even apologize on your behalf as a way to control and isolate you.

If everyone thinks you're terrible, and your amazing, doting, angelic parents are once again swooping in to save you, then your escape routes close up rapidly--which is of course, the whole point. They want their victims to rely on them and them alone.

For a lot of the Party, that's just not an evil they've encountered yet.

Throw in the fact that Steve does in fact, have a head injury, and things get muddy FAST.

It makes for delicious, angst-ridden scenarios and I am delighted everyone's happy to come along for the ride.