For the past 16 days the wrestling world has been buzzing about the now infamous "Drunk Jake" match that took place during an Indy show this past friday in Cleveland, Ohio. In a city known for rock & roll and party heights of debauchery, Jake "The Snake" Robert apparently was able to top even the most over-the-top acts found in even Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.They call the Cleveland Brown's onfield play the past two weeks criminal? After this past Friday the Brown's are Superbowl champs when compared to what happened in Robert's Match.
But before I talk about the video which has been circulating on YouTube (which you can watch below) I must first add that Roberts’ assistant issued a statement Monday suggesting that someone drugged Roberts when he asked for a cold drink. More about that statement in a minute.
Now it is a well known fact that Roberts has had his issues with drugs and alcohol in the past. Roberts even discusses those issues in the wrestling documentary "Beyond the Mat". But after viewing this video I can only describe what I viewed as bizzare.
The video begins with Roberts standing outside of the ring mumbling incoherently about what sounds like the referee. He then sits down outside of the ring and continues to ramble. He then, I believe, tells his opponent, who is already in the ring, that he is going to "kick your ass" and "I feel sorry for you" before making a rough attempt to enter the ring. The opponent then pummels Roberts a few times and then while being pulled out of the corner, Roberts drops face first and just lies there. The opponent then goes for the pin a couple of time, Roberts kicking out of both, before Roberts is pinned on the third attempt.
As Roberts is kneeling in the ring his opponent is announced as the winner and leaves to theme music to which the guy cuts short. He then addresses Roberts by saying "Listen, I've been in this business 16 years. I've wrestled drug addicts like Tommy Rich, Jimmy Snuka, you are a piece of sh**t Jake..." before the guy's buddy jumps in the ring and starts attacking Roberts which has little to no affect on The Snake. Roberts stumbles around the ring for a few minutes then the video shows Roberts being berated by another wrestler outside of the venue surrounded by a crowd of people. Despite the insanely bad match one person has only one thought: "This sh**t better go on YouTube".
Later on Chris Yandek's radio show Roberts comments on the incident by saying: “I don’t remember anything up until the next morning whenever I called Shannon [Jake’s assistant] and did not know where I was at, what I was doing there, what I was supposed to do. Anything. I am still very foggy. I can’t think. I can’t put things together. I can’t remember anything. First off, I just want to say I am terribly embarrassed. I am hurt. I know how many people I’ve let down. I am scared to because I’ve never felt this way in my life.”
Roberts then says that he woke up the next day with his wrestling gear on and was told later later by his assistant that he wrestled and that he was taken to the hospital but refused treatment.
When asked by Chris Yandek the last thing he remembered Roberts responded by saying, “Going to the show and eating a McDonalds. That’s a horrible thing to remember isn’t it? Eating McDonalds.”
Later Robert's assistant Shannon sent Yandek the following statement, "We have a witness to the effect of who MIGHT have made a direct attempt to do Jake great harm at the show. WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE. One of the men IN THE RING with Jake is somebody we are going to take a much closer look at. Somebody saw this man with an envelope with some powder in it at the show. Somebody saw what happened here. We now are very SURE Jake was in fact drugged. More details will be forth coming as soon as we can get permission from this fine individual to offer them."
The Wrestling Mole has to wonder about the validity of this statement. On one hand I would have to believe that not to many people would find this type of behavior odd when it comes to The Snake. On the other hand, Roberts is known to be openly candid about drug or alchol related incidents. He is usually the first to admit when he screws up.
What is even sadder is that the crowd was greatly entertained by the entire spectacle. EVEN sadder is that Robert's opponent had the bad taste to berate Robert's in front of the audience when he could have just walked straight to the back. And what of the other guy who went after Roberts AFTER the match?!?!?! That guy is a Class-A pie hole who apparently can't even take down a chemically-induced individual. If Robert indeed showed lack of judgement by wrestling while under the influence of something, then these two bozos showed any lack of viable character traits by acting like a couple of irresponsible teenage punks.
What is for certain is this-Roberts, at one time one of wrestling's most gifted performers, still finds himself slowly sinking in the quicksand that is now his wasted and tarnished legacy. It seems that the time limit on regaining his once glorious career and past glories has now passed him by.
Jake we are begging you, please leave the wrestling ring behind and leave us with the memories and footage of The Snake we so love and remember before it is too late.
Ror even more interesting reading check out Nickla "Baby Doll" Robert's MySpace. Baby Doll posted a blog about the incident complete with a written explanation taken from Robert's opponent as well as an extended statement from Robert's web team.
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