ALL-PURPOSE COVID-19 SITUATION THREAD

[monster mafia]

Insider

Ring of Honor has put plans to produce an empty arena TV taping in the Baltimore area next month on pause due to the spiking of COVID-19 cases around the country. There is a chance they may attempt to tape in August but nothing is anywhere close to confirmed at this moment.

ROH has an empty arena bout featuring Bateman vs. Brody King that was filmed several weeks back in California for use on a future episode of ROH TV.

This weekend's ROH TV will be focusing on former TV and Tag Team Champion Kenny King.

[supersonic]

WWE’s positive cases include Renee Young, Adam Pearce, and in her second time, Kayla Braxton.

[supersonic]

Jamie Noble is among WWE’s positive tests.

[Reaper G]

There's a fair amount of debate in the Cauliflower Alley Club regarding the annual Reunion taking place in Las Vegas. It was already pushed from April-May to September, and President Brian Blair is sticking with the plan. But with so many regular attendees being in their later years, they're more susceptible to the Coronavirus, and many honorees and vendors have said they won't go (so many being unable to travel from Canada doesn't help). And personally, with so many friends bowing out, my own enthusiasm wanes. Put it off until 2021, I say.

[Reaper G]

There's a fair amount of debate in the Cauliflower Alley Club regarding the annual Reunion taking place in Las Vegas. It was already pushed from April-May to September, and President Brian Blair is sticking with the plan. But with so many regular attendees being in their later years, they're more susceptible to the Coronavirus, and many honorees and vendors have said they won't go (so many being unable to travel from Canada doesn't help). And personally, with so many friends bowing out, my own enthusiasm wanes. It remains to be seen what happens from the governor and the Gold Coast, but I say, put it off until 2021, I say.

[supersonic]

https://twitter.com/ToddMartinMMA/statu ... 88843?s=20

Last week's Smackdown featured multiple individuals, including Renee Young and Kayla Braxton, who later tested for positive for COVID-19, interacting with other wrestlers on the show. Producers also tested positive and presumably more wrestlers based on absences this week.

Today's Smackdown was within the recommended time period to quarantine people who interact with COVID-19 positive individuals. Not only were wrestlers like Jeff Hardy, who did a face to face interview last week with Young, not quarantined, they were featured in large groups.

The beginning and the end of this week's show featured practically all the wrestlers on the show out there together for no good reason. In between those there was an 8 man tag and a 4 person match with 2 more wrestlers at ringside, maximizing interaction at the worst time.

Meanwhile, WWE continues to be totally tight lipped to talent and the public about what's going on. The lack of information gives the appearance of an overt cover up. This goes beyond simple negligence to reckless indifference to their talent's health.

Wrestlers ought to band together *immediately* and demand at the very least transparency and independent representation at each show who are there to protect their health. It's obvious at this point the company does not have their backs or the backs of their families.

[supersonic]

"How the Pandemic Defeated America" - https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/ar ... re/614191/

This is a very detailed, coherent recipe of how this nation has gotten its asses totally kicked by COVID-19.

Full synopsis from Twitter:

Here’s the big piece I’ve been promising: an Atlantic cover story about the US’s catastrophic mishandling of the pandemic. It’s a full autopsy of what went wrong, every unattended weakness & unheeded warning, every festering wound & reopened scar. 1/

I know these times are hard, that we’ve frayed and maxed out on bad news. If you’re wondering if you can cope with a big piece on this topic, I don’t know. But fwiw, I don’t write these to stoke fear or drain hope. I hope to clarify and embolden. 2/

Across these months, I’ve been repeatedly struck by how foreseeable everything seemed—how every vulnerability that the pandemic tore open was predictable & preventable. We had built a world “ever more prone to a pandemic but ever less ready for one.” 3/

This is about Trump, obviously, but also America’s legacy of racism, neglect of public health, devaluation of expertise, & devotion to individualism. “COVID‐19 is an assault on America’s body, and a referendum on the ideas that animate its culture.” 4/

This story, then, is about prisons & hospitals, social media & supply chains. It's about virology, psychology, sociology, architecture. It's about how we built a world "ever more prone to a pandemic but ever less ready for one.” 5/

We long to return to normal, but **normal led to this**. To avert the future pandemics we know are coming, we MUST grapple with all the ways normal failed us. We have to build something better. I hope this piece, in showing what went wrong, helps. 6/

This is the culmination of months of reporting, those other big pieces, & 100+ interviews. I hope even people who’ve followed the pandemic closely will find fresh perspectives here, and a sense of coherence. I hope it provides clarity and purpose. 7/

This is one of 2 cover stories for this month’s issue & Ibram X. Kendi's piece on America’s racial reckoning will be out Wed. For now, check out this stunning cover. HOW DID IT COME TO THIS? Well, here’s how: https://t.co/568JBktc7M?amp=1 /8

[cgstong]

Bandido tested positive

[kovs27]

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/roh-pull ... ion-322751


https://twitter.com/DanhausenAD/status/ ... 8753115137

[monster mafia]

So Gresham and Danhausen out of the tapings..anyone else?

[kovs27]

So Gresham and Danhausen out of the tapings..anyone else?

Eli Isom, Tony Deppen and Alex Shelley....not that I expected Shelley to be there considering he can't be away from his day job that long.

[BurningHammer]

Sounds like there could have been a few fresh faces in for these tapings. Overall if talent knows they are heading into this situation they should not be taking bookings so close to a taping/live show for any of the big four, Careers or futures could be determined by these events depending on how ROH feels about the professionalism of these decisions.

O’Shea Edwards, will likely be one, there are a couple of others, not major names generally, those that work ring crew right now, who were also there. Nicole Savoy is a possibility, while others like Alex Zayne, Blake Christianson who were in talks to be used at some point could have been. Will be interesting to see if ROH did send Gresham home that may have changed a lot of things.

Thankfully for the most part a lot of the ROH talent weren’t involved.

[Montana]

Can't say i'm surprised about the collective at this point. Don't blame ROH one bit for excluding wrestlers at the tapings.

It sucks; especially if Gresham just won the Pure belt; but i'm sure they can record some home footage if so. Great time to use some new talent though; and see who makes sense to add to the roster.

[monster mafia]

Ring of Honor, in conjunction with the Maryland State Athletic Commission, has perfected a very stringent bubble for talents to enter before they are allowed to perform for the company. As we discussed with former ROH Champion Matt Taven (who is currently inside the ROH Bubble in Baltimore) in the Elite section of PWInsider.com earlier today, those steps include:

*Talents giving themselves a COVID-19 test under supervision of a nurse watching via Zoom so that an initial test result can be determined as they travel to TV.

*Taking a second COVID-19 test upon arriving at ROH's hotel one week before TV tapings.

*Sequestering themselves in a hotel room for seven days, not interacting with anyone from ROH or outside the company.

*Having all food deliveries dropped off outside of their room by hotel staff.

*Being allowed a scheduled time at a workout room once two negative COVID-19 test results are confirmed. No more than two talents are allowed in the workout room at the same time and they must socially distance.

*Talents must undergo a third COVID-19 test the morning of their scheduled match.

*Despite negative test results. talents must remain sequestered from all other talents until they arrive at ROH TV, brought via van at a specific time.

*Talents must have their temperature taken before entering the ROH venue. If the temperature tops 100 degrees, they are not allowed to enter and perform.

*Putting together their match privately with their opponent(s) and then taping that bout with no staff beyond camera crew and someone at the gorilla position to provide entrance cues. Not even ROH Executive/Creative staff, such as Hunter Johnston, are present at the tapings.

*Wearing facemasks at all time unless they are being taped for TV.

*Returning immediately to the hotel after their match via van and returning immediately to being sequestered in their hotel room.

*Talents are not allowed to interact with each other or even exit their hotel rooms until the ROH tapings have concluded AND they take a final COVID-19 test before being released from the ROH bubble rules.

*At that point talents are free to travel home.

Ring of Honor declined to comment on whether any additional talents have been sent home but the following statement was issued by ROH Head Joe Koff:

"While Ring of Honor does not publicly discuss specific internal decisions, ROH is taking every measure to preserve the integrity of its rigorous health and safety protocol for the upcoming tapings."

[cgstong]

PCO and Sledge are inside the ROH bubble currently for the next set of ROH TV Tapings.

[Chrisvegas27]

Ian was teasing surprises and new faces for this set of tapings

[Montana]

While i'm all for keeping the talent as safe as possible.... these guidelines seem a bit excessive...especially compared to say.... The Baltimore Orioles. I'm pretty sure the Baltimore Orioles didnt need to spend multiple days in a hotel ; prior to their baseball game... pre-post multiple testings.

WWE & AEW isn't doing a fraction of this; and i realize it's Florida vs. Maryland... but seems like a bit much.

[monster mafia]

excessive??? is a pandemic, people are dying..wtf?

[BurningHammer]

While i'm all for keeping the talent as safe as possible.... these guidelines seem a bit excessive...especially compared to say.... The Baltimore Orioles. I'm pretty sure the Baltimore Orioles didnt need to spend multiple days in a hotel ; prior to their baseball game... pre-post multiple testings.

WWE & AEW isn't doing a fraction of this; and i realize it's Florida vs. Maryland... but seems like a bit much.

Nothing is excessive for keeping virus, which has killed millions of people, at bay.

When you look at how both major companies has love had multiple outbreaks, and for a country that has a high rate of infection that America has ROH doing what it is doing is fucking awesome and every company should follow suit. Much like I the sports should look to the NBA which manage a grand total of zero positive infections compared to the NFL, Baseball which has seen multiple positive tests.

The less you do with regards to this the more you should be held accountable and considered culpable. You are dealing with peoples lives and don’t give me this there athletes, young etc look at Bandido he’s having serious and hopefully none permanent issues. Every wrestler should look at his situation and go ok I need to take this more seriously.

Let me guess that 5g is to blame......

[famicommander]

ROH should be commended for how they've handled every aspect of this pandemic. MLW as well. Put all the other major promotions to shame.