Outrage after video shows father hitting wrestling son
Jun 10, 2019 21:16:20 GMT -5
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Post by Barry Ray Buford on Jun 10, 2019 21:16:20 GMT -5
Outrage after video shows father hitting wrestling son
By Mac Engel
Fort-Worth Star Telegram
June 10, 2019
Video of a professional wrestling manager repeatedly smacking his client during a public workout has gone viral and invited anger from child advocacy groups.
The manager, "Papa" Ray Buford, also happens to be the father of his client, Barry Ray Buford.
Papa Ray is known throughout the state of Texas for being somewhat of a nuisance at his son's sporting events, arguing with coaches, parents, and referees at every chance. During a public workout a few days before Barry Ray's first match in Action Wrestling, a reporter asked Papa Ray if his famous temper was going to distract from his son's career. Papa Ray let loose on the reporter, which is where the video begins.
About thirty seconds into the video, Barry Ray interrupts his father to ask if they can go to the fast-food restaurant Sonic for ice cream. It's at that point that Papa Ray smacks Barry Ray in the head over and over again for the news cameras to document.
"God damn it, Barry Ray," Papa Ray can be heard yelling. "Can’t you see I’m in the middle of talking to reporters to promote your stupid ass?!" A few seconds later, he threatens to put his son "six feet in the grave."
"It was really uncomfortable," said Noah Michaels, a reporter for Wrestlescoops.com who was present at the workout. "I felt bad for the kid."
"I've covered wrestling for thirty years," said Wade Waters, who writes the weekly Squared Circle Stories newsletter, "and I've never seen anything like that. Sure, I've seen managers slap their clients, but they usually regret it a second later when their client is beating them to a pulp; but this kid was just taking it. What makes it worse is that it was his father. This kid's nineteen and he's far bigger. I just couldn't believe he wasn't defending himself. It was surreal."
The video ends when Papa Ray discovers he's being recorded and orders the reporters to leave his backyard, where the workout was taking place.
The video quickly spread to all the wrestling news websites before making it to broadcast news, cable news channels like CNN, and sports channels including ESPN.
Parents Against Savagery in Sports (PASS), an advocacy group against child abuse in sports, has called on Action Wrestling to ban Papa Ray from its live events and its television show, Monday Night Clash, which can be seen on the CBS Sports Network.
"Any professional sports organization that would allow itself to be associated with such a monster should be ashamed of itself and held accountable" tweeted Joann Russo, President of PASS.
However, Waters has said that PASS shouldn't hold its breath.
"Wrestling promoters are not the people you turn to if you're looking for someone to do the right thing, especially if the promoter is a member of MS-13" said Waters. He wasn't kidding. One of Action Wrestling's promoters, a retired wrestler who goes by the name Gravedigger, is known to be a leader of the violent Salvadorean gang.
Needless to say, Action Wrestling had no comment.
For his part, Papa Ray has been silent as well. Reporters have congregated at the Buford home in Grand Prairie day after day with no sight of the elder Buford. Barry Ray was seen smiling and waving at reporters from his bedroom window, but was pulled away by an unknown person, presumably his father. Papa Ray has not returned phone calls from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The Bufords have only left their home one time in the last seven days, to travel to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida for Action Wrestling's latest pay-per-view event, Evolution II. Barry Ray was on the losing end of his match, being pinned by Magic Maddox during a six-man tag.
"Papa Ray had a big mouth the day he was slapping his son," said Michaels. "I guess he's got nothing to say this time."
By Mac Engel
Fort-Worth Star Telegram
June 10, 2019
Video of a professional wrestling manager repeatedly smacking his client during a public workout has gone viral and invited anger from child advocacy groups.
The manager, "Papa" Ray Buford, also happens to be the father of his client, Barry Ray Buford.
Papa Ray is known throughout the state of Texas for being somewhat of a nuisance at his son's sporting events, arguing with coaches, parents, and referees at every chance. During a public workout a few days before Barry Ray's first match in Action Wrestling, a reporter asked Papa Ray if his famous temper was going to distract from his son's career. Papa Ray let loose on the reporter, which is where the video begins.
About thirty seconds into the video, Barry Ray interrupts his father to ask if they can go to the fast-food restaurant Sonic for ice cream. It's at that point that Papa Ray smacks Barry Ray in the head over and over again for the news cameras to document.
"God damn it, Barry Ray," Papa Ray can be heard yelling. "Can’t you see I’m in the middle of talking to reporters to promote your stupid ass?!" A few seconds later, he threatens to put his son "six feet in the grave."
"It was really uncomfortable," said Noah Michaels, a reporter for Wrestlescoops.com who was present at the workout. "I felt bad for the kid."
"I've covered wrestling for thirty years," said Wade Waters, who writes the weekly Squared Circle Stories newsletter, "and I've never seen anything like that. Sure, I've seen managers slap their clients, but they usually regret it a second later when their client is beating them to a pulp; but this kid was just taking it. What makes it worse is that it was his father. This kid's nineteen and he's far bigger. I just couldn't believe he wasn't defending himself. It was surreal."
The video ends when Papa Ray discovers he's being recorded and orders the reporters to leave his backyard, where the workout was taking place.
The video quickly spread to all the wrestling news websites before making it to broadcast news, cable news channels like CNN, and sports channels including ESPN.
Parents Against Savagery in Sports (PASS), an advocacy group against child abuse in sports, has called on Action Wrestling to ban Papa Ray from its live events and its television show, Monday Night Clash, which can be seen on the CBS Sports Network.
"Any professional sports organization that would allow itself to be associated with such a monster should be ashamed of itself and held accountable" tweeted Joann Russo, President of PASS.
However, Waters has said that PASS shouldn't hold its breath.
"Wrestling promoters are not the people you turn to if you're looking for someone to do the right thing, especially if the promoter is a member of MS-13" said Waters. He wasn't kidding. One of Action Wrestling's promoters, a retired wrestler who goes by the name Gravedigger, is known to be a leader of the violent Salvadorean gang.
Needless to say, Action Wrestling had no comment.
For his part, Papa Ray has been silent as well. Reporters have congregated at the Buford home in Grand Prairie day after day with no sight of the elder Buford. Barry Ray was seen smiling and waving at reporters from his bedroom window, but was pulled away by an unknown person, presumably his father. Papa Ray has not returned phone calls from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The Bufords have only left their home one time in the last seven days, to travel to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida for Action Wrestling's latest pay-per-view event, Evolution II. Barry Ray was on the losing end of his match, being pinned by Magic Maddox during a six-man tag.
"Papa Ray had a big mouth the day he was slapping his son," said Michaels. "I guess he's got nothing to say this time."