Cup of coffee in the big time: A sad start to the new year

It’s one of those days with a few topics I’d like to write a little about, so we’re going that direction rather than one larger topic.

“Mean” Gene was perfect - Deaths in wrestling are something we’ve all had to grow used to, with a large number of them sadly coming far too soon. So it’s shocking the death of a 76-year-old man has struck many of us so hard.

“Mean” Gene Okerlund was a staple of so many of our childhoods. He stood as an ordinary man with an extraordinary voice in a land of giants and wildmen, a professional among the psychotic.

I think I needed men like Okerlund as a child just getting in to wrestling. The presence of “regular men” grounded the brightly-colored, cartoons come-to-life world of the WWF.

No one could have done it like Gene.

On Toni Storm - Sean covered the general spirit of what I wanted to say about the situation resulting in Storm leaving social media over harassment following a nude photo leak.

But I wanted to clarify that, in addition to not harassing women (or men) when such situations happen, you also do not need to be one of the jerks asking why anyone takes potentially compromising photos.

There’s no value in rambling about how smart you are to know better. Relationship dynamics are different for everyone and what an individual chooses to do with their body is not anyone else’s business. And when that trust is violated — or when they are hacked — they are victims, not someone needing a lecture from a self-righteous ass on the internet.

Also, don’t do what this guy did:

• It’s worth checking out the two articles on the wrestling world’s memories of “Mean” Gene. Part one is here, part two is here.
• It’s Impact Wrestling go-home show day. So check out our preview of tonight’s show.
• Any surprises from All Elite Wrestling?
• John Cena had some big advice for Becky Lynch.
• Raw’s ratings were predictable on a tricky date.
• The first NXT UK TakeOver card is almost complete.
• Finally, make sure to get into this preview of Wrestle Kingdom 13.

Wrrrreeeeestling...