This is not a Test - Andrew Martin dead

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

RIP Test

 

Hate to see em die this young.

[JimmyHendricks 0]

http://www.jrsbarbq.com/blog/jr-remembers-...-friday-evening

 

From J.R's Blog:

 

Late last night I received word that Andrew Martin aka Test had been found dead in his apartment/condo in the Tampa, Florida area. Andrew would have been 34 years of age this Tuesday.

 

I hired Andrew in the same class with his other fellow Canadians Edge and Christian in the late 90's in an outstanding group of young talent whose advanced training was over seen by future WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk and by Tom Prichard.

 

Andrew left WWE over two years ago and had wrestled off and on, briefly in TNA, and also on the independent circuit primarily on international tours. I spoke at length with Andrew, as did my wife, last year in Orlando at Wrestlemania 24 and he seemed very happy and looked to be healthy and in great physical condition. He spoke of his real estate endeavors and the fact that he was strongly considering going back to school and becoming accredited as a physical therapist. Andrew had done well in WWE, saved his money, made some good investments, and told me he only wanted to wrestle when "he wanted to" which the randomly scheduled international tours would allow him to do. He did not express interest in the American indy scene and was genuinely excited about the prospects of the aforementioned physical therapy career.

 

Andrew had always told me that he never wanted to wrestle past the age of 35 which was why he "listened to the lectures" as he told me with a smile that sunny day in Orlando in WWE's headquarter hotel. I honestly had never seen him happier.

 

Late last summer, reacting on the suggestion of others, WWE reached out to Andrew to ask if he needed some help handling some alleged personal issues that he was rumored to have been experiencing. Andrew had been gone from WWE for over two years but had remained friends with many still associated with WWE. The rumors of Andrew's issues were true and he was afforded the opportunity by WWE to attend The Hanley Center Rehabilitation facility in West Palm Beach, Florida for several weeks beginning in August of 2008. Andrew successfully completed the WWE funded program and was highly regarded by the Hanley Center with being such an asset to them after completing the program of which Andrew took seriously, according to the facility. Since being released from the facility after successfully completing the program, Andrew had been doing well in his 12 Step AA program and was in contact with WWE with regular phone calls. Ironically, Friday was the day for his regularly scheduled "touching base" but when called his voice mail box was full.

 

I was not aware that Andrew was having problems and did not know of is rehab stint until recently. Test, a name provided Martin after he portrayed a security person who tested the band Motley Crue's mic with the obligatory, 'test...test...test," always seemed to be a bright young man who knew what he wanted in life and was seemingly looking forward to his future and getting an education in physical therapy.

 

It is comforting to know that Andrew was receiving support from WWE and it was also encouraging to know that he was seemingly on the road to recovery in the past several months. The exact cause of Andrew's death won't be determined for a few days after the results of an autopsy have been released.

 

I will remember this young man as a bright, intelligent individual and am thankful that my last conversation with him was so positive and that he was excited about his future in a new field. Our sincere condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans and may God rest his soul.

 

It's another wrestler death that puts WWE and Vince in a negative light, but it seems that they were more than willing to help him out, even after he left the company.

[Jericholic82 0]

It kinda starts to sting when we are burying people who debuted in the Attitude era (Crash was another one). I wish this would just stop already. Add another one to the list of guys I have seen live dead. Well actually I didn't see him wrestle, I was there the night he joined the Alliance in LA.

 

I guess Mick Foley will have to find someone else to make fun of in future books.

 

Seriously though, this is sad.

 

Condolences and prayers to his family. RIP Big Man.

[RedJed 0]

I'm not trying to start a war here, but what kind of shit is this when people are making light of his death here? I dont care what wrestler is was and how much of a jaybrone this wrestler may have been, he still deserves to be treated like a f'n human, particularly upon hearing of his death. It would be one thing if this guy pulled a Benoit or something, but what the fuck guys. Have a little respect. And kudos to whoever changed the title of the thread, that shit before was just wrong. Making light of a death like that is fucked up.

[Caliban 0]

Yeah, lets get sombre: now Wrestlemania X7 is the most recent 'Mania to contain a match with only deceased competitors. Test vs Eddie Guerrero.

 

 

[Jebus 0]

Yikes...what was it before? Von Erich vs. Bravo at Mania VII?

[Enigma 0]

I guess Mick Foley will have to find someone else to make fun of in future books.

 

Great point. It's going to be hard to go back and read Foley's old books that are full of Test jokes.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

Andre vs. Studd at WM I

 

Adonis vs. Elmer at WM 2

 

Eartherquake vs. Hecules at WM VI

 

Yeah, lots of matches like that in the queue.

[Jericholic82 0]

I guess Mick Foley will have to find someone else to make fun of in future books.

 

Great point. It's going to be hard to go back and read Foley's old books that are full of Test jokes.

Mick actually must have really liked him to make those jokes. Although I think it had to do with Mick not wanting to hurt Al Snow's feeling any more. Mick also claimed once that Stacy felt sorry for Martin after reading Mick's jokes, leading to them becoming a couple.

 

In any event, sad news. Not to be taken lightly.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

Not to be taken lightly, no, but the odds are that this asshole completely threw his life away when he had opportunity out the ass.

 

I'll be a man and take full blame for posting his image in the AoO Question of the Day thread from a couple of days ago. I put the same kind of curse on Ernie Ladd a couple years back.

 

 

Well, we'll always have Bad Blood 2003, am I right?

[dubq 0]

I'm not trying to start a war here, but what kind of shit is this when people are making light of his death here? I dont care what wrestler is was and how much of a jaybrone this wrestler may have been, he still deserves to be treated like a f'n human, particularly upon hearing of his death. It would be one thing if this guy pulled a Benoit or something, but what the fuck guys. Have a little respect. And kudos to whoever changed the title of the thread, that shit before was just wrong. Making light of a death like that is fucked up.

 

C'mon. I'm still waiting for a "room is spinning" reference or post of that nature. All due respect, it DOES suck that he's died so young but making light of death isn't exactly something that's unheard of around these parts - or anywhere at all for that matter. Some people just use humor as a way of dealing with a shitty circumstance. Besides, this is a thread at TSM, not the guy's wake.

 

What was the original title of this thread?

[Smues 0]

What was the original title of this thread?

 

test

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

Hey, it's a PBP. Get him bob_barron!

[dubq 0]

What was the original title of this thread?

 

test

 

Somehow that's not as outrageous as people were making it sound..

[foleyfanforever88 0]

What was the original title of this thread?

 

test

 

Somehow that's not as outrageous as people were making it sound..

 

At one point it was something like "Test is finally dead! Woohooo!!"

[Smues 0]

Hey, it's a PBP. Get him bob_barron!

Actually I'm a PDP.

[The Buzz 0]

I'm not trying to start a war here, but what kind of shit is this when people are making light of his death here? I dont care what wrestler is was and how much of a jaybrone this wrestler may have been, he still deserves to be treated like a f'n human, particularly upon hearing of his death. It would be one thing if this guy pulled a Benoit or something, but what the fuck guys. Have a little respect. And kudos to whoever changed the title of the thread, that shit before was just wrong. Making light of a death like that is fucked up.

 

C'mon. I'm still waiting for a "room is spinning" reference or post of that nature. All due respect, it DOES suck that he's died so young but making light of death isn't exactly something that's unheard of around these parts - or anywhere at all for that matter. Some people just use humor as a way of dealing with a shitty circumstance. Besides, this is a thread at TSM, not the guy's wake.

 

What was the original title of this thread?

 

 

It's still stupid to make jokes about someone dying, regardless of the platform. But free speech is free speech I suppose.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

Hey, it's a PBP. Get him bob_barron!

Actually I'm a PDP.

 

What is that?

[cabbageboy 0]

Such a bizarre thread reading through it. While I never thought Test was the greatest wrestler ever or anything I never understood the sheer vitriol for the guy on this board. To me Test is a sad case in some ways, a guy who nearly had a main event push but it was all tossed aside during the Steph/HHH wedding angle and he ended up doing nothing.

 

At least he had a few good matches in his career, like with Shane at SS 99, the Eddie match at WM, and a forgotten hardcore match with RVD on ECW in late 2006.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

Yes, the forgotten ECW match from one week after RVD-Holly. Very, very good.

[haws bah gawd 0]

Great things from Test:

 

Fucking MURDERING Brock Lesnar with the Big Boot at KotR 2002

Being as large as he was, and doing a Flying Elbow from the top rope. Awesome visual. Especially the Flying Elbow w/ Nightstick that he used to beat Bossman for the Hardcore title.

TKO - Why does no one else in WWE adopt this as a finisher? Give it to Kozlov or something!

Convincingly faking a leg injury just to screw Scott Steiner in the match for "control" of Stacy Keibler.

Lots of fun matches against Shane McMahon.

[Jebus 0]

Great things from Test:

 

Fucking MURDERING Brock Lesnar with the Big Boot at KotR 2002

 

I was at a bar watching this PPV. Everyone knew Lesnar was winning the tourney.

But dammit, when Test hit that wicked Big Boot, the whole bar just POPPED like crazy and totally bought it as a finish.

 

Good times.

 

[zappafrank 0]

I was at a sports bar for SummerSlam 99, and one of the loudest pops of the evening was when Test pinned Shane for the 3 count in the Love Her or Leave Her match. I know it might seem overstated, but for that match and that moment Test was mega-over.

[Enigma 0]

I was at a sports bar for SummerSlam 99, and one of the loudest pops of the evening was when Test pinned Shane for the 3 count in the Love Her or Leave Her match. I know it might seem overstated, but for that match and that moment Test was mega-over.

 

Yes he was. Who knows where Test's career would have gone had he not broken his nose in late-99 and then re-broke it trying to come back too early.

[PlasticBrodie 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZy3QE7ZcFk

[bob_barron 0]

Enigma?

[heyguesswhatidid 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZy3QE7ZcFk

 

 

That was awesome.

[Obi Chris Kenobi 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZy3QE7ZcFk

 

 

That was awesome.

 

I never knew, as bob pointed out, that Enigma had such a broad range of emotions. I think he should be in The Wrestler II.

[Dandy 0]

I don't think my parents would be as upset over my death as this kid was about Test.

[Enigma 0]

Har har.