Goodbye To Another "Friend"

The following piece was submitted by long time friend of Tha O Show, David "Gordo" Strickland. Not to be confused with our other friend, The Wizard of Id, Gordo was responsible for recording and mixing a good portion of my See No Evil, Hear No Evil album in 2003 and has been my bredren ever since.

Gordo now works predominantly in New York lending his skills to albums by such hip-hop icons as Redman, Method Man, Keith Murray and the legendary EPMD. All the while, Gordo has remained a die-hard wrestling fan, and like the rest of us, continues to feel the hurt of yet another loss within our world.

Tha O Show thanks Gordo for his contribution and looks forward to many more.

There is something about the death of a loved one or a friend that brings out the truth in a lot of people. This is the way I am feeling today as I mourn the loss of another friend.

Now, in all honesty, I never knew Andrew “Test” Martin personally, BUT I will still refer to him as a friend. Knowing and judging him only as I saw him at work.

I say this because it is the passing of my friend Test that I come to this realization after so many wrestlers have disappeared before our very eyes. The realization that I have is that these “superstars”, these “wrestlers” are more than just performers to me.

Now non-wrestling fans or non die-hard wrestling fans might laugh at me. Laugh all you want. Real and true wrestling fans will understand this. These performers are like my bredrens, my family.

I say this because myself personally, I have been watching wrestling and going to shows practically my whole life - since I was two years old. I’m 35 now. It's now become my number one favorite sport over hockey and baseball. My employers even know not to bother me on a Monday night between 9pm and 11pm or on a Sunday. And I’m in the music business and work with a lot of serious rappers!

Some of these wrestlers are a part of your life weekly, yearly. So I realize with the passing of Test - no matter the cause of death - that I have lost another friend.

Now maybe I haven’t seen Test in a while or we weren't best friends, ya dig. It don’t matter. He is still gone and that saddens me and reminds me again about the fresh scars that have not yet fully healed from the deaths of some of the Greats. Eddie and Chris and Curt and Andre and Moolah. The list is ridiculous, especially lately.

Now I understand we all die. But at 33? I’m 35. That means I woulda been dead two years already. B.I.G. and Pac were 24 and 25 respectively.

This is yet another reminder to us all of how short life is and how we should cherish each moment. With this realization, I have made a decision. A decision that is mine and that affects no one else but me.

I have decided that from now on - not only because of how much of themselves they put into it or how great a performer they were or how much of a fan I am - from now on, whether I know the man/woman or not when a wrestler dies, I am going to fully, fully take it as the passing of a dear, dear friend.

That’s how much I love wrestling and that’s how much I love my friends.

Test may not have been the greatest wrestler of all time but he was talented and most importantly he was my friend. And because of that, I am saddened by his passing and I feel a loss.

Rest In Peace my friend. And may God bless your soul where ever you are.

R.I.P. Andrew “Test” Martin

1975 – 2009


Your Friend and Fan

David Strickland

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