Guest Author - Patty Therre

Special Eddie Guerrero Merchandise and More Column

A number of people have been asking me where they can get merchandise pertaining to the late Eddie Guerrero.

This is intended only to give you an idea of what is available and allow you to check out a few of the very best pieces of memorabilia. I am sure many will try to capitalize on Eddie’s passing by producing and selling whatever they can to make a few bucks of a tragedy so I have listed for you the things that are licensed and are well worth the money spent.

The first item that I want to urge everyone to buy is WWE’s new Eddie Guerrero “Viva La Raza” Tribute T-Shirt. This T-Shirt is nicely made in black cotton with a great photo of Eddie with his name and birth and death year on the front of the words “Viva La Raza” on the back. The best part about this shirt is that all proceeds go to Eddie’s wife Vickie and their three daughters. WWE is promising to turn over every cent to the family and, for that reason alone, this shirt of well worth buying. It’s also a wonderful tribute to one of the most beloved wrestlers of our time.

The shirt sells for $20.00 in adult sizes and $15.00 in youth. Shirts in size 3X are $23.00.

You can see and purchase that T-Shirt by clicking here Eddie Guerrero Tribute T Shirt

One of the hottest preorders on the web is the “Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story” book written by Eddie Guerrero (with help from a co-writer) that is due to be released in early December. This book takes a long, hard look at Eddie’s life from growing up in such an elite wrestling family to the pressures of the road to his well-known battle with alcohol and drugs and his eventual triumph over his addictions. The book is a very frank look at all that Eddie went through to get clean and sober. As I mentioned in my previous column, he had just celebrated four years of sobriety. You can check out this book by clicking on this link. Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (Hard Cover Book)

Be sure to read the very well written intro and synopsis of the book on Amazon. It’s a great story in itself.

There is a soft cover version of the book that you can preorder as well. There is no photo to show the cover but I assume it is the same cover as the hard cover book, only a smaller version. That can be preordered here: Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (Soft Cover Book)

I highly recommend the wonderful DVD or video of the same name as well. “Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story” is a very heart wrenching and honest look at the battles in Eddie’s life and all he did to overcome them. It is filled with not just Eddie’s own commentary but that of many of his friends and coworkers. You will see classic photos, clips of matches, and much more. I saw this several times and every time I came away feeling new respect for Eddie. Now, in death, this is more than just a look at his struggles and his victories, but it will be a collector’s item for any fan.

You can check out the DVD by clicking this link: Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (DVD)

You can pick up the VHS (video) version of the same title at this link: Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (VHS)

Another item that has not yet been released and will begin selling in December is a new “Latino Heat” Eddie Guerrero T-Shirt. This one is not a tribute shirt and was produced before Eddie’s death. It will start shipping in December according to Amazon.com. It’s relatively inexpensive and not a bad looking shirt, although I would definitely choose the Tribute T overt this one to help Eddie’s family and memorialize him. Still, this one is worth a look: Latino Heart T-Shirt (Pre Order)

If you want an 8x10 photo that captures the essence of who Eddie Guerrero was, this one does it best. It’s inexpensive and yet such a nice piece of memorabilia. There are many photos floating around. I just happen to like this one better than most I have seen. You can get it framed and matted if you want.
Eddie Guerreo 8x10 Color Photo

There are loads of action figures and toys out there that you can buy, some of which are better quality than others. I have an Eddie Guerrero 12-inch car that was produced when he was in WCW, long before his low rider days that I will cherish more now than I did before. I am not sure if that is still selling anywhere but it was a foreshadow of his huge success driving into areas in tricked out bouncing low riders.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my recommendations. There are many items being sold on WWE.com and you can look at them all once you look at the Tribute T. I just gave you that link because I feel it is the best $20.00 you could spend on any Eddie Guerrero merchandise considering where the money will go.

Now, I would like to give you one last link. This is not to any merchandise but to a petition to induct Eddie Guerrero into the WWE Hall of Fame. He would have been inducted later in life, I am sure, had he not left us so soon. Many fans feel he is deserving of being posthumously inducted, as do I. You can look at and sign the petition at this link: Petition to Induct Eddie Guerrero in the WWE Hall of Fame

If that link doesn't work (It only wants to work with certain browsers for some reason), copy and past the following address into your browser to see and sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/guerrero/petition.html

I am compiling memories, stories, and fan photos of Eddie Guerrero for a special tribute area I am constructing on my personal website, Wrestling on the Fringe . If you have a special memory, story, or a fan photo with you and Eddie or a photo you took of Eddie that you want to share, please email me at wrestling@bellaonline.com and let me know. I would love to include as many memories and stories as well as photos as possible.

Last, but certainly not least, please check out the forum and post your thoughts about and farewells to Eddie. I will be sending the link to the Guerrero family when things settle down so that they can see that we here at BellaOnline care deeply about their loss and we will remember Eddie although he is no longer with us. I will pin the topic at the top of the forum when I can.

Whew. That was a lot of work, but worth it. As you can tell, I was a great fan of Eddie’s not just as a wrestler but as a person. We worked together in WCW and I enjoyed his friendship and his personality a great deal. I can tell from the outpouring of sadness and shock that many of you feel the same way. The best thing we can do is to always remember Eddie Guerrero for the entertainment he gave us and for the way he fought through the tough times and didn’t give in. His memory and legacy will never die as long as we all remember him in the years to come.

I will be back with thoughts on Smackdown, some discussion about the Jim Ross angle, and lots more within a day or two and, as always, look for my newsletter on Sunday night/Monday morning. Sign up now if you haven’t already. It will have the latest column info as well as news and information about what’s going on in the wrestling world.

Thanks for reading,
Patty