If you've never been a wrestling fan, you probably won't understand this blog entry. Most people can't understand my interest in wrestling, as so many people see it as sheer stupidity aimed at children and dumb people. And while it can certainly be lowbrow, at its best it really is an artform. At its best, it can be more than just stupid, mindless entertainment.

The reason I bring this up is that Eddie Guerrero died last Sunday at just 38 years old. Eddie was one of those special wrestlers who made wrestling smart and fun and creative. When I became a wrestling fan for the second time as an adolescent, he was the biggest reason. He was a brilliant performer who seemed to really love what he did. His death makes me so sad.

The other reason I bring this up is because the number of wrestlers who have died at youn ages is just staggering. Rick Rude, Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig, Owen Hart, The Big Bossman, The British Bulldog, Miss Elizabeth, and many many more have died well before their times. The combination of constant travel, long nights, constant physical abuse, and an inability to put down roots is truly a deadly mix.

I don't know if there's a point to any of this, but I just have to say that Eddie's death is really a tragedy. He holds a very special place in my heart, a place of youth and innocence, and that place is gone forever.