RhodyRaybo's blog

For those of you who know me, you know that I've had a "Site B" in North Attleboro, MA for wrestling for the past 7 years. It was an empty house that belonged to my wife's aunt who passed away in January 2015. This "aunt" technically wasn't an aunt, but my mother-in-law's cousin, who was an only child who lived alone, never married, no heirs., was handicapped with cerebral palsy..and NO WILL! This "aunt's" mother, who had passed away 30 years earlier, in her will it was written that in the event of the aunt's passing, everything in the aunt's estate would go to my mother-in-law. But because of the way the will was drafted, they couldn't honor it on anything that was in the aunt's name. Most of the real estate was in the aunt's mother's name. Anyway, we had to wait for probate court and finding living cousins. It was a pain and dragged on for a few years, but just as things were starting to move, covid hit, and the courts shut down. Now in the last 2 years things have progressed where we can finally sell this house and we have a realtor lined up.....which means no more wrestling for me at site B. I can still host in my basement, and from April to October can host at the summer cottage that was part of the aunt's estate in Wareham, MA. But the North Attleboro location was far more convenient for so many of my wrestling buddies from Massachusetts. But anyway, it would seem that I will have to make BJJ my main wrestling and limit one on one when someone is willing to make it out to either my house here in Cranston or the summer cottage, which is only open for half the year.

Looking back at the history of wrestling in that location, the first match in that house was with Pecs44 a couple months after the aunt's passing. Pecs was the one who most frequently came there to wrestle. Next one who was most frequent was Kevinj8664. And next was Spiro45. Ibearian also met me there a few times before he left the area. Txbigb would came all the way down from Nashua, NH at least once a month before he moved back to Texas. I also hosted there Adonisnick, Volkman80, MCIC, Average Joe, Wrestling Beast, Rassle4fun, Jrugbyguy53, NEjobberboy, Hymalayan Muscle, GansettBear, Onelastgrasp, MCGP27, DG Duffy, and a whole slew of out of town visitors. It was perfect. This was a big, empty house with a large living room. I began just by putting bed spreads down. Then later on, Spiro45 gave me a set of puzzle mats to use. Then after that, MA Wrestler (who is no longer on the site here), had to hang up his singlet and offered me his mat. What a mat that is! I just brought it home and found some space to store it, but using it in my space will prove to be a challenge. My final match in this space was with MCGP27 this past Sunday. I had a terrific time with him, and he offered to help me roll the mat up.

While most of my grappling will be limited to BJJ with or without a gi, I will still be willing to host when it's convenient for anyone who wants to wrestle. I will still go see anyone willing to host within a reasonable drive. I will still make an occasional wrestling overnight trip to Maine. But North Attleboro, that was so special. However, it was really the guys I wrestled there who MADE it special. Although there were a few guys who met me there that were a total waste of time, as I had to drive a half hour to get there, most of the guys have been sensational. Thank you everyone who came to North Attleboro and you're still more than welcome to meet me in Cranston throughout the year or in Wareham from April to October. Peace out Men!!!!