OFFICIAL SITE OF AUTHOR MICHAEL RICKARD

Editor's Note: Here's a blast from the past, a column I wrote nearly 12 years ago for World Wrestling Insanity. No edits made other than formatting so enjoy it in its original format. Copyright 2007 by Mike Rickard II Originally published at World Wrestling Insanity June 2, 2007 As Saturday Night's Main Event (SNME) makes its 35th appearance on TV, it's easy to look at it as just another wrestling show. However at the time of its inception, SNME was one of the biggest h

Copyright 2019 by Michael W. Rickard II Editor's Note: Last fall I took a class on neo-slave narratives. Here is an essay I wrote on Caryl Phillips’ Cambridge Caryl Phillips’ Cambridge utilizes the maxim that there are three sides to any story—my side, your side, and the truth to explore the historical and cultural gaps in society’s narrative of slavery. It also examines Emily Cartwright’s easy corruption by her own ignorance and the societal forces she is exposed to, invitin

Copyright 2019 by Michael W. Rickard II Last time around we took a look at one of the key matches in the memorable feud between Intercontinental Champion Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and former champion Tito Santana, a feud that seemed to have no end in sight. On March 17, 1985, Santana challenged Valentine for the Intercontinental Championship in a match where Valentine had no means of escape—a Lumberjack Match.. Join me now as I look at the conclusion to this action-packed L

Copyright 2019 by Michael W. Rickard II Editor's Note: Last fall I took a class on neo-slave narratives. Here is an essay I wrote on Toni Morrison's novel Beloved. Beloved presents an array of situations examining the effects of slavery on enslaved individuals whether it’s trauma, broken families, disrupted communities, or sexuality. Toni Morrison’s exploration of slavery’s impact on the male sexuality of the enslaved males at Sweet Home raises questions about male desire and

Copyright 2019 by Michael W. Rickard II The feud between Intercontinental Champion Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and former champion Tito Santana seemed to have no end in sight. While Santana had recovered from a leg injury suffered at the hands of Valentine, his quest to regain the Intercontinental Championship from the man who’d wrested the belt from him remained unsatisfied. On March 17, 1985, Santana challenged Valentine for the Intercontinental Championship in a match wher

Copyright 2019 by Michael W. Rickard II Editor's Note: Last fall I took a class on neo-slave narratives. Here is an essay I wrote on the novel Dessa Rose. Intersectionality is the concept that people who collectively experience discrimination face different levels of discrimination depending on race, sexual orientation, class, and ableism. This is seen in Dessa Rose where the title character shares oppression with Ruth Elizabeth (“Miss Rufel”), leading to a transformation in

Copyright 2019 by Michael W. Rickard II It’s funny how certain memories stick with you whether it’s your first kiss, your favorite teacher in high school (hopefully this memory doesn’t connect to the previous one!), or a video game you loved as a kid. The other day I was mall walking and I passed an area where the mall used to carry several video games set up for people with a few quarters and some time to kill. Instantly, I was taken back to 1984 and the video game Tag Team

Copyright 2019 by Michael W. Rickard II Editor's Note: Last fall I took a class on neo-slave narratives. Here is an essay I wrote on Harriet Jacobs' traditional slave narrative (as opposed to neo-slave narratives). Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Incidents) differs from other slave narratives because Jacobs is less sensitive to her audience’s sensibilities than other slave narratives of the time. Jacobs uses Biblical quotes to expose hypocritic attitude