Post by CandyKANE on Feb 4, 2003 17:20:12 GMT -5
credit:wwe.com
Veteran referee Tim White is a WWE agent these days, his right shoulder preventing him from putting on the zebra stripes -- at least for now, and maybe forever.
After 20 years as a referee, White is debating whether he wants to return to the ring, putting his twice surgically repaired shoulder at risk of more damage.
"At my age," he said, "I don't know if I want to chance any more injuries."
White had major surgery on his right shoulder five years ago, and again last summer after re-injuring it during the Hell in a Cell match between Chris Jericho and Triple H at Judgment Day. That day, Jericho threw him into the cage, which tore his rotator cuff and ripped out the pins that had been inserted during his first surgery.
But White had every intention of returning to the ring. He went to therapy three times a week, and rehabilitated the shoulder on his own every day at home.
By early January, "everything felt great," White said. "Strong as can be. No pain or anything." He asked for and was granted permission to make his return to refereeing at WWE's non-televised event in Trenton, N.J., on Jan. 11.
"I was so excited to put the stripes on again," said White, who got his own entrance and a nice ovation that night.
Everything was going fine until the third time he went down to administer a three-count, and he dislocated the shoulder again.
"I hit (the canvas for) 'one,' and the shoulder just let go," he said. "I had that sick feeling like I had at Hell in a Cell. I was thinking, 'Here we go again. Back to the drawing board.'"
Upon visiting the doctor, there was good news and bad news. The good news: He didn't significantly damage the shoulder, and the pins had stayed in place. But the bad news: The tissue that holds the shoulder joint in place had been stretched each time White had surgery. Once it's stretched, it stays stretched, and it has become so loose that he could easily dislocate the shoulder each time he steps in the ring.
"Anytime I pull my arm up away from my body in a throwing motion ... it'll pop out again," he said.
White said he could avoid a throwing-type motion while he counts the three, but he does not want to.
"I could cheat the count," he said. "But that'd be cheating the company."
"Cheating the count" aside, White is considering several options.
He's debating whether to have surgery to tighten the tissue around his shoulder to prevent future dislocations. Recovery time is six to eight weeks.
Jericho was pleasantly surprised when he learned just before arriving at the Garden that Foley, a three-time WWE Champion, would be on hand. Foley drove to Manhattan from his home in Long Island to be one of the coaches (a ceremonial role to be sure) of the blue team.
“I hadn’t seen Mick in a couple of years,” Jericho said. “I actually miss him. It’s nice to see him again. He was one of my favorite guys in the locker room. He’s always been there for me, ever since 1993 or 94 in Japan. He helped me get into ECW. He was a good buddy of mine in WWE when he was here. Good guy. Good to see him.”<br>
Foley even left his sweatpants and flannel shirts at home, electing instead to wear (gasp!) a sports jacket.
“I wear the jacket quite a bit,” Foley said. “You’ve got to remember, I’m an author. I speak to a lot of schools, and I’m always debating whether to go with the flannel, which the kids will expect, or maybe to hit them with something a little unexpected. Hopefully they’ll still respect me even if I’m wearing something moderately nice. Also, Kim Cattrall is my co-coach, and I’m trying to make a favorable impression on her.”<br>
Foley said his latest book, the novel “Tietam Brown,” is due in bookstores on July 31.
“It’s getting, I guess, pretty good buzz, which is important in the book world,” he said.
He’s also working on a new novel, which is set in the 1960s in the Bronx.
As far as a possible return to WWE television, Foley said Eric Bischoff’s appearance on RAW proved that “you never say never.”<br>
“Every once in a while, I see something on (WWE) TV and wish that I was a part of it,” he said. “But for the most part, the positives of being away outweigh the negatives. It would be nice to come back, but so far, the right opportunity hasn’t come up.”<br>
Jericho’s father, Ted Irvine, who played for the Rangers in the 1970s, could not attend the game today. Last year, Jericho and his father were on opposing teams and got into a much-publicized mock skirmish on the ice. Instead, Jericho’s victims this year were Leary, Boreanaz and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Jericho and Leary brought the house down at the end of the first period (the game was played in two halves) when they acted as if they were going to fight. They ripped off their jerseys and even pulled down their hockey pants part of the way. They circled around the ice glaring at each other. Then they stopped, put down their arms, and hugged.
Veteran referee Tim White is a WWE agent these days, his right shoulder preventing him from putting on the zebra stripes -- at least for now, and maybe forever.
After 20 years as a referee, White is debating whether he wants to return to the ring, putting his twice surgically repaired shoulder at risk of more damage.
"At my age," he said, "I don't know if I want to chance any more injuries."
White had major surgery on his right shoulder five years ago, and again last summer after re-injuring it during the Hell in a Cell match between Chris Jericho and Triple H at Judgment Day. That day, Jericho threw him into the cage, which tore his rotator cuff and ripped out the pins that had been inserted during his first surgery.
But White had every intention of returning to the ring. He went to therapy three times a week, and rehabilitated the shoulder on his own every day at home.
By early January, "everything felt great," White said. "Strong as can be. No pain or anything." He asked for and was granted permission to make his return to refereeing at WWE's non-televised event in Trenton, N.J., on Jan. 11.
"I was so excited to put the stripes on again," said White, who got his own entrance and a nice ovation that night.
Everything was going fine until the third time he went down to administer a three-count, and he dislocated the shoulder again.
"I hit (the canvas for) 'one,' and the shoulder just let go," he said. "I had that sick feeling like I had at Hell in a Cell. I was thinking, 'Here we go again. Back to the drawing board.'"
Upon visiting the doctor, there was good news and bad news. The good news: He didn't significantly damage the shoulder, and the pins had stayed in place. But the bad news: The tissue that holds the shoulder joint in place had been stretched each time White had surgery. Once it's stretched, it stays stretched, and it has become so loose that he could easily dislocate the shoulder each time he steps in the ring.
"Anytime I pull my arm up away from my body in a throwing motion ... it'll pop out again," he said.
White said he could avoid a throwing-type motion while he counts the three, but he does not want to.
"I could cheat the count," he said. "But that'd be cheating the company."
"Cheating the count" aside, White is considering several options.
He's debating whether to have surgery to tighten the tissue around his shoulder to prevent future dislocations. Recovery time is six to eight weeks.
Jericho was pleasantly surprised when he learned just before arriving at the Garden that Foley, a three-time WWE Champion, would be on hand. Foley drove to Manhattan from his home in Long Island to be one of the coaches (a ceremonial role to be sure) of the blue team.
“I hadn’t seen Mick in a couple of years,” Jericho said. “I actually miss him. It’s nice to see him again. He was one of my favorite guys in the locker room. He’s always been there for me, ever since 1993 or 94 in Japan. He helped me get into ECW. He was a good buddy of mine in WWE when he was here. Good guy. Good to see him.”<br>
Foley even left his sweatpants and flannel shirts at home, electing instead to wear (gasp!) a sports jacket.
“I wear the jacket quite a bit,” Foley said. “You’ve got to remember, I’m an author. I speak to a lot of schools, and I’m always debating whether to go with the flannel, which the kids will expect, or maybe to hit them with something a little unexpected. Hopefully they’ll still respect me even if I’m wearing something moderately nice. Also, Kim Cattrall is my co-coach, and I’m trying to make a favorable impression on her.”<br>
Foley said his latest book, the novel “Tietam Brown,” is due in bookstores on July 31.
“It’s getting, I guess, pretty good buzz, which is important in the book world,” he said.
He’s also working on a new novel, which is set in the 1960s in the Bronx.
As far as a possible return to WWE television, Foley said Eric Bischoff’s appearance on RAW proved that “you never say never.”<br>
“Every once in a while, I see something on (WWE) TV and wish that I was a part of it,” he said. “But for the most part, the positives of being away outweigh the negatives. It would be nice to come back, but so far, the right opportunity hasn’t come up.”<br>
Jericho’s father, Ted Irvine, who played for the Rangers in the 1970s, could not attend the game today. Last year, Jericho and his father were on opposing teams and got into a much-publicized mock skirmish on the ice. Instead, Jericho’s victims this year were Leary, Boreanaz and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Jericho and Leary brought the house down at the end of the first period (the game was played in two halves) when they acted as if they were going to fight. They ripped off their jerseys and even pulled down their hockey pants part of the way. They circled around the ice glaring at each other. Then they stopped, put down their arms, and hugged.