Finisher







Effective March 23rd, Blogger is stepping up its censorship* of "blogs that contain sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video." No mention of sexually explicit sentences or photos of boners stretching wrestling trunks, so perhaps this blog does not actually cross the vaguely defined line, but I am taking the recent announcement as the writing on the wall for Ringside at Skull Island. Very soon I will be discontinuing regular posts to this blog. On or around March 23rd, I will shut the blog down completely.

This is my decision. Blogger provides the option of voluntarily turning the blog private, allowing entry to only specifically named visitors whose email addresses I would have to record one at a time, but since this blog is viewed by thousands of individual readers a day from around the world (I have been very grateful for the attention too), I can't see me being ambitious or attentive enough to keep up such an effort. The other option, to self-censor potentially offensive material is too depressing to consider, since, let's face it, pretty much everything is potentially offensive to somebody.

I'm pretty well blogged out anyway. I still have the kink, mind you, just no drive to write about it any more. I'm repeating myself and have been for a couple of years. I've even written this good-bye before. That said, I thank all the readers, visitors, commenters, wrestlers, promoters, photographers, and fellow fantasists who have supported Ringside over the past six years (plus a few months in change). It's been rewarding hearing from you, in some few cases meeting you, and in other cases working with you. There are still plenty of other sources of opinion and reverie on the homoeroticism of wrestling in all its varieties. Great ones. This one, however, is about tuckered out.

*NOTE: Google reversed its decision on Friday, February 27th. Good news. I will still be closing the blog on or around Monday, March 23rd.



Comments

  1. Replies
    1. As I said, I'm tired of blogging. If I resume, I will consider Wordpress. Thanks.

      Delete
  2. My reaction ...

    Denial: NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
    Anger: I hate Google! ARGH!
    Bargaining: Obviously it's totally your call, but I love your blog. I don't think you're repeating yourself. What if you just posted once a week? Once a week sounds good.
    Depression : sigh.
    Acceptance: Okay, now that I have that out of my system, thank you for all the hard work. I have loved your blog and will definitely miss it. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You made me laugh, Alex. Thank you!

      Delete
    2. I'm glad you liked it.

      I think I read here that you're not a fan of wrestling fiction, but i thought I'd let you know this. I'm launching a blog for mine on 3/1 ( http://alexmillerscave.blogspot.com ). The first story will appear on 3/3. I set it up just before Google announced the change in policy and had loaded every post for March. I wasn't happy, but I'm hoping they don't target text for a while.

      Delete
  3. Oh wow this is insanely upsetting. I check your blog every day! Its the writing that makes me come back time and time again. You dont get stuff like this anywhere else. Ive been reading it for over two years and I have to say that it was never boring nor repetitive. There was always new insight. There is a way to transfer the blog to wordpress easily just in case google does make it private. Like that it could live a longer life.
    But Googles path its for its own demise. Ive already moved away from android devices and plan to reduce my use of my gmail account. They are two faced in regards to freedom of speech. Not only that they really never supported blogger after they purchased it. They havent shut it down because its still popular. Its powerful to see someone stand to censorship and even worse self censorship. Thank you Joe for all the amazing posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank YOU for the following the blog these past 2+ years. I'm not at all happy with Google/Blogger, but, as I said, this decision has been coming for a long time, and it's mine. Blogger's new policy is just the fillip. I feel good that Ringside lasted as long as it did and has drawn as many readers as it has, but lately, on top of other work and commitments, it's been too much. Mostly, it's just a matter that all that I (as an ongoing fan but outsider and non-wrestler) had to say about wrestling has been said now ... perhaps even twice.

      Delete
    2. So sorry to hear your blogged out. I have enjoyed your intelligently erotic writing about wrestling, but as one who used to write wrestling stories for BG years ago I quite understand. If you ever want to exchange thoughts about wrestling and sexuality with an Aussie, feel free to contact me - jdrick@bigpond.net.au

      PS I used to write under the name of Ricky Johns.

      All the best

      Rick

      Delete
  4. I TOTALLY get where you're coming from. But I'll still be checking in 'til the bitter end. Thanks for everything, Joe!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I know how you feel Joe -- I am getting tired of blogging on the Wrestling Arsenal site as well. Maybe I will quit on March 23rd as well or maybe we can form some kind of Tag Team...

    ReplyDelete
  6. You thank you very much.Thanks to youre pictures and writing I felt as many very comfortable to have someone express the inteterest in Wrestling as me A Gay man.Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  7. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. All good things have to come to an end. I'm going to miss your blog, Joe.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's been a pleasure to read your daily blog and will miss it a lot. There is a lot of work that goes into it and I do appreciate the time and effort you did for us to enjoy your work. Thank you so much. Darius

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks to your blog I have been introduced to many wrestlers I would not have otherwise found on my own. I come to this site daily and Im going to miss coming here and seeing what you have posted, as Im sure many of your viewers tell you the same. Thank you for your time and talent in highlighting these hot studs of wrestling and I wish you the best in the future. (fingers crossed that you change your mind!)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks, everyone, for being in my corner on this decision and for speaking kind words about the blog.

    Last night, Eli informed me that Google/Blogger reversed its decision to ban sexually explicit material: http://www.cnet.com/news/google-reverses-ban-on-explicit-blogger-content/. This is good news, an indication that uptight puritans may not be running the show.

    I have not changed my mind, however. I will take the blog down around the 23rd of March, as previously stated.

    Thanks again, all of you, for everything.

    ReplyDelete
  12. OMG, well you have been a good friend to us and we have enjoyed your writings. But all good things must come to an end at some point, and you did earn a rest. Job well done! Enjoy your blog retirement! Love BodySlam, Axel, and all the UCW guys! Come visit whenever you want!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm feeling guilty now, all the times I meant to write to you and never did. I have been reading your blog consistently for over two years. (And I've read many of your older entries, too.) So much insight, soul and just fine prose. So many times what you've said has resonated so deeply with me. (Funny, the first two specific entries that come to mind this moment aren't even about wrestlers or wresting per se; I'm thinking of your Robert Conrad and Kirk Morris posts.) I respect and understand your decision; you will be sorely missed; and thank you for your blog for as long and as richly as it has lasted.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Goodbye Skull Island …

    I would like to add my voice to the chorus of Skull Island fans disappointed at the announcement of the blog closing. I’ve often wondered how you (and Arsenal and the small handful of other bloggers I follow) find the time to put your words to the blogoshpere and continually make it fresh and compelling. I would gladly pay for a blog with insights like yours!

    Joe, you added an intellectual spin to this kink like no other has and it was greatly appreciated. The parallels of our analogous tastes in kink — from the Kong films (both the original and 70’s version for me) to the Tarzans and Wild, wild West kinks and to early pro-wrestling icons like Jack Brisco — helped me understand my feelings and dissuade my discomfort with this kink.

    It’s sad that the puritanical leanings of google, inc has sped up your decision to stop blogging and its equally sad that the perverse right-wing idiocracy driving the national conversation continues to get in the way of personal expression and free speech. This country should be much, much further along that it is now. Google, be damned.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Very sorry to hear that you are shutting down. UCW will lose some business. There were several times I passed on one of their videos based on the preview only to change my mind after reading your review.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Most of my days start by me waking up, going to the kitchen, making a bowl of cereal to go and sit in front of my computer to click your link at the top of my most visited sites. I'll definitely will miss reading you and it's going to be really hard to find something that will keep me as entertained as your blog.

    You are a big inspiration for La Sustancia P and I truly hope that one day it will all come back to you and we will be have the privilege of reading you again.

    -Jose

    ReplyDelete
  17. I don't think I could express my feelings better than AlexMiller72 did. bruno and you are part of my daily routine on my iPad. I will miss looking forward to an outstanding tag-team of words and images.

    Is there any hope of archiving the blog so fans can still enjoy what is already on record?

    ReplyDelete

  18. I'm going through all your blog posts to find all the best eye candy in stills. I'm into September 2010 and have 161 images in my RaSI Album on my Photo roll so far. Some are duplicates of what I have elsewhere, but many are unique and I wouldn't want to lose them if there isn't an archival record when the blog goes down on the 23rd.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you for your blog and all the hard work you put into it. It was hawt and validating and will be missed.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Archive

Show more