It's The Twentieth Anniversary, But I Don't Feel Like Celebrating #Coronavirus #SpeakingOut

On June 19th 2000 The Two Sheds Review debuted online. This year marked it’s twentieth anniversary, but at the moment I really don’t feel like celebrating.

I could go on about everything I did from that day until I stopped reviewing wrestling shows a few years ago. There’s a lot I could mention, but going on about past achievements in this day and age just doesn’t seem right, especially with everything that’s gone on in the past few days.

#SpeakingOut hasn’t brought the professional wrestling business to it’s knees, but it’s certainly left it with life-changing injuries from which it may never recover. Men and women have spoken about being sexually, physically and emotionally abused by those in the business. Names are being thrown about left right and centre, and some of those volleys have been lobbied to some of those I used to work with, people that I myself have spoken out about in the past.

Football Manager 2005: The Badgers Made It to League One. Then Disaster Struck!

Some of you may remember when the coronavirus lockdown began I started playing old versions of Championship Manager, taking control of Norwich City (to mixed results) in various games before moving on to Football Manager 2005 and cheating a little, changing the game so I could manage to Soccer AM Badgers, giving them an unlimited budget and putting them in the Conference South division.

Well, my superstar big budget line-up made it from that division through to League One in consecutive seasons, winning each division by massive margins and winning a few lower division knockout trophies on the way.

#SpeakingOut Again....About The Knight Family

In 2011 I wrote a piece about the verbal and emotional abuse I went through at the hands of the Knight Family after I left WAW in 2005. The UK Fan Forum had a field day with me back then. Now there's a big thread about #SpeakingOut. Here's my reply.

You know, I wasn't going to say anything here, but screw it, I've got nothing to lose.

A few years ago I wrote about the verbal and emotional abuse I had recieved from the Knight family and their associates after I left WAW, about all of the lies and the rumours that were floating around about me back then. Nobody believed a word I said. Nobody in the business, none of the so-called friends I'd made supported me when I left and when I wrote that piece. All I got was even more abuse.

The Two Sheds Review Podcast Episode 10: #SpeakingOut, Coronavirus & Football's Return

In this episode Julian gives his thoughts on the men and women who are #SpeakingOut against abuse in the professional wrestling business, as well as looking at how the easing of the lockdown restrictions has affected his hometown of Cromer, and the return of professional football.

Speaking Out Again

I've been watching the growing #SpeakingOut movement for the past day or so. It's now reached the point where it contains both women and men, with people not just speaking about the sexual abuse they've gone through but also the physical, emotional and verbal abuse they've had to take from those in the wrestling business.

I did consider adding my own experiences to this list, but I said my piece a few years ago, and even though there were some things I could have added I think it's best to shine the light on the brave men and women who have shown the courage to speak out against their abusers.

The fact is that there are many practices in the professional wrestling business that date back decades, and while some may think it's okay to continue with these they forget that times have changed and that we've moved you. If the Black Lives Matter movement has taught us anything recently is that you can't continue to put people in the business down, no matter what job they do. It doesn't matter if it's someone coming into the business for the first time or if it's someone whose been in the business for decades, everyone should be treated with the respect they deserve.

To the people who have spoken out, once again I applaud you. Stay strong, and as the old saying goes don't let the b*****ds grind you down.

Speaking Out

It's sad and shocking to read some of the allegations that have been flying around the British wrestling business in the past few days. What these women have been going through is extremely distressing, and I commend them for their bravery in standing up and telling their stories.

And to the people in the business who are touting the "innocent until proven guilty" line, and those who are staying silent, shame on you. Stop protecting "the boys" and offer support to those who need it now more than ever.

The Two Sheds Review Podcast Episode 9: Are We Easily Offended?

With statues being toppled and films and television shows being deleted in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests Julian wonders if we're now easily offended, and if we couldn't learn from our past instead of trying to erase it.

(Please note that this podcast was being recorded before UKTV announced that they were restoring the offending Fawlty Towers episode to their streaming service.)

Excuse Me Sir, But What Are You Raging Against Exactly?

The other day I was in my local record shop when I heard an irate customer who apparently wasn’t too happy with the music he’d purchased earlier in the day.

    “This Rage Against The Machine album I brought not half an hour ago is too political!” he said.
    “Beautiful guitar work though!” replied the sales assistant.
    “The guitar work don’t enter into it!” said the customer. “I didn’t buy this album to hear about the political machinations of a supposedly corrupt governmental system! I expected to hear a whimsical song in the style of Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep!”

As you may have guess by now this didn’t actually happen, mainly because there hasn’t been a record shop in Cromer for over twenty years, and even if there was one it would be closed right now because of the corona virus pandemic.

The Two Sheds Review Podcast Episode 8: More Trump, More Coronavirus, and a Little Bit About Music

Julian's made it to episode eight of his podcast, and this time around he takes a look at Donald Trump's latest behaviour, at the easing of lockdown restrictions in the U.K., and wonders of the coronavirus pandemic has changed his taste in music.

 

 

 

 

The Daft Thing About The Lockdown Restrictions

So here's the daft thing about life at the moment.

My sister lives on her own in Norwich. She's been okay with the lockdown restrictions, but for obvious reasons she's been unable to see any of her family, especially her daughter, her son-in-law and grandchildren, and even though the restrictions have now been eased, and she can meet up with us outside her house, none of us can actually go indoors and have a nice chat. However, my sister works in Primark, which reopens soon. Which means that instead of going into her house to talk to her we can go to her workplace instead.

I'm sure her supervisor won't mind if we sit on the floor near the cheap hoodies and have a catch up with a cuppa.