Eileen Simmons is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Christi Csonka. Click here for our privacy policy. The coach had granted Csonka a confidential blessing after he had signed with the World Football League in 1974 along with Dolphins teammates Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield, a Hall of Famer the Browns traded to Miami in 1970. When I was in junior high, when I was in high school, I couldn't wait to get out and see New York City and go to San Francisco and all that. Over the months Larry and I grew closer, and he trusted me with bigger assignments. Ive been reading his reviews and columns for over a decade, and I know I wasnt the only one who followed some shows solely through his words. All rights reserved. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in the book. But it went from being peers to a friendship after the accident. In 1968, Larry Csonka started his professional journey with the Miami Dolphins. In March 1974, he was selected for WFL Pro Draft. Announces EX Stages, WWE 2K23 Releases New Patch With AI Improvements, GM Mode Updates, Steiner Row DLC Pack Hits WWE 2K23 Tomorrow, New MyFaction Packs, 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast: UFC 288 Preview, 411s UFC Fight Night Report: Song Stops Simon, 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast: UFC on ESPN+ 80 Review, 411s UFC Fight Night Report: Pavlovich Stops Blaydes. You know how hard it is for everyone to like you on the internet?! To his wife and kids: he spoke of you all the time. Larry Csonka, a classic 6-3, 235-pound line-smashing fullback, provided the major rushing thrust in the Miami Dolphins' vaunted ball-control offense when the team was dominating the National Football League in the early 1970s.. A consensus All-American at Syracuse and the Dolphins' No.1 draft pick in 1968, Csonka contributed almost picture-perfect performances in Miami's three Super Bowl . Nobody I know has the drive or dedication to writing that Larry did. When I look back on the time Ive spent at 411mania.com, there has always been one constant; Larry. I am very glad that I was born and brought up where I was born and brought up. Larry Csonka spent 11 seasons in the NFL playing fullback for the Dolphins and Giants, while managing to eclipse 1,000+ rushing yards 3 different times (they only played 14 game seasons back then). Zonk, whom Don Shula called 'the heart' of the Super Bowl championship teams, reflects on his career and life. Authenticity Guarantee. In the end, accounts of many of his experiences were left on the cutting room floor. AEW Dynamite preview: The card for tonights unopposed show, special enforcer Mike Tyson, AEW Tag Title match, Kris Statlanders in-ring return, Anthony Ogogos Dynamite debut match, WWE 205 Live preview: Two singles matches advertised for tonights show, A&Es WWE biography series and Most Wanted Treasures premiere tonight, 4/28 NXT Level Up results: OConnors review of Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid vs. Hank Walker and Tank Ledger, Lola Vice vs. Ivy Nile, and Tyler Bate vs. Luca Crusifino, 4/28 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Barnetts review of the WWE Draft night one, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn vs. Jimmy and Jey Uso for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles,Zelina Vega vs. Sonya Deville, 4/28 AEW Rampage results: Powells review of Jay White and Juice Robinson vs. Ricky Starks and Shawn Spears, Cash Wheeler vs. Jay Lethal, Anna Jay vs. Ashley DAmboise,Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes vs. Brady Pierce and Charlie James, Powells Impact Wrestling Hit List: Deonna Purrazzo vs. Taylor Wilde for the Knockouts Championship,Impact Tag Team Champions Ace Austin and Chris Bey vs. Angels and Kon in a non-title match, Jorydnne Grace vs. Masha Slamovich, PCO vs. [Saltis] sat me down and said, 'OK, here's your prison sentence. RIP.. A novel youve been working on. The world lost a great man and the IWC lost the hardest working man in the business. If Csonka said that he was going to do something, it was going to get done. Copyright 2023 411mania.com, LLC. When Csonka started playing football at Stow High School, he was already starting to fill into his eventual 6'3", 240-pound frame. Stow-Munroe Falls High School students, faculty and administrators greeted Csonka, a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, with a standing ovation as he entered James G. Tyree Gymnasium and was presented with a "Hometown Hall of Famers" plaque from the hall of fame. He was someone who was always there if you needed him. That brings us to today. What does matter is how we live our lives and how we treat the others we come across during them, whether we come across those people face-to-face or in this crazy little corner of the world that we call the internet. For eight years, 2004-2012, I was a proud member of the 411Mania writers roster, and while we all had different styles and concepts, there was always a mutual respect and a were all in this together vibe. If you write about wrestling long enough, youll inevitably write about death at some point. DINO ZUCCONI: Pranks, parties, power running and the perfect season. Just fucking do it. A big reason why VOW even exists today was the support early on from Larry. He was there for me, as he was countless times. Csonka had 1,891 carries for 8,081 yards and scored 68 touchdowns. They were the Internet Wrestling Database with Meltzers ratings, this site, and Larry Csonka at 411 Mania. He LOVED professional wrestling across the board. He didnt need to RT or interact with this dopey start-up website, this man was on top of the internet wrestling world, writing for 411Mania, 15 years in the game. I learned so much not just about the wrestling companies that seemingly everyone knows about, but about the companies and shows I didnt even know existed. I will dearly miss him, both as a writer and as a person, and our community is going to be way worse off without him. My grandson, Jacob, is a marine. I just didnt have time to watch wrestling as I was pursuing comedy at night so Id read Csonka. When I wrote the acknowledgements section of my PhD dissertation, I thanked Larry for giving me the freedom to rediscover my love of writing. Being a fan of professional wrestling has often meant struggling to say goodbye to the very people who made us fans in the first place. The team that . He was as much of a joy to deal with behind the scenes as he was to read. Larry Csonka was born Lawrence Richard Csonka on the 25th of December 1946 in Stow, Ohio. 8 overall) in 1968, but he struggled to fit in otherwise. Between 2003 and 2014, my pro wrestling consumption consisted of a handful of $5 Wal-Mart dvd sets that I threw in when I was bored, or sick from school or work hoping that reminiscing about my youth would cure my mood. Larry Csonka Death - Obituary | Dead - Larry Csonka Passed Away I hope he rests in peace, and I pray for his family and friends. The aftertaste has a distinct Northeast Ohio flavor. He visits Ohio frequently. It could be a partner, a friend, a co-worker, or just some person you happen to interact with. Most importantly though, he was a great guy. My condolences to his family first and to all those that knew him better than me. A mixtape. Over the last year I even began listening to his podcasts and became an even bigger fan of the man. I first met Larry when he joined 411Mania. Carley Csonka charged in high-speed crash that, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The new orlandosentinel.com: FAQs and more, Carley Csonka charged in high-speed crash that killed teen, 2-year-old daughter of Bucs LB Shaq Barrett drowns in pool, UCF draft tracker: No Knights picked, multiple UDFAs sign with NFL teams, Boston Bruins, after setting NHL records for wins and points, get eliminated in the 1st round with a Game 7 OT loss, After ouster, future uncertain for Lightning. You are loved, and you will be missed. I mean Larry Csonka, 'cause I wouldn't mind If he tried to tackle me any old time So oh Lord won't you buy me a number 39." She sings to the big man with the crooked nose who is leaning against the back bar. A couple years after I started reading the site, a call went out looking for new columnists at 411 and I was all too eager to throw my hat in the ring. As a wrestling reviewer he was unparalleled and I always aimed to write material that would be good enough for his standards. My familys very proud of their military service and were grateful they all returned home! To the typical outsider, 411Mania was just another indie pop culture website, but because of you, we became a family that continues on today and will live on forever.. The two clashed as coach and player with the Dolphins, but they grew to admire one another, too. Her name was not released. I love you and I want to thank you for everything. Though I do not believe we had final confirmation at that point, by all rights it seemed he would die. VOW contributors came together to say a few words about Larry, what he meant to their lives and why his loss leaves such a void in the community. He was huge and muscular even then and fast. Powells POV: Csonka did a terrific job of reviewing countless pro wrestling television shows and pay-per-view events over the years. He would milk and care for livestock, roaming the property with a pack of dogs between tasks, collecting wildlife and making them pets. Ill always admire his work ethic and understanding. I had messaged him some jokes to keep his spirits up after one of those cryptic tweets you sometimes do when youre in a room alone with your thoughts. Larry Csonka is 6-3 (190 cm) tall. Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Anyone who has tried to review a show every week knows how hard it is, and Larry reviewed every show, every week, for years and years. And thank you for your public modeling of what it means to love your family. 22.9K Followers. And just his output in general was amazing and awe inspiring. During that time hed send me stories to write up and wed chat in AIM (back when that was still a thing), Slack and even Gmail when we had to. I first learned if Larry Csonka when a college buddy and I met up to watch WrestleMania 22. Larry was obviously an icon for his writing, but more importantly, he was an amazing husband and father who leaves behind a family that loves him dearly. MIAMI Jim Kiick, the versatile running back who helped the Dolphins achieve the NFL's only perfect season in 1972, has died. Things happen. Larry gradually delegated more duties around the site so he could spend more time with his family. I hated it but I respected the hell out of it. I know its going to be hard for you, but rest easy now Boss. He made me proud to be a wrestling fan to the point where now I wear that on my sleeve. Several years later, a second daughter came along, and Larry was just as proud, regularly sharing updates regarding the pregnancy and delivery. Goodbye, Larry. What I can say, though, is that the man is a formative part of my wrestling fandom. News Sports Entertainment Opinion Advertise Obituaries . Police said the tires on the passenger side of the vehicle went on to the grass shoulder after a curve when Old Daytona turns into Biscayne Boulevard. Beyond that, Larry was infinitely patient with me as I was still figuring out how to be a writer on a stage as highly visible as 411. Csonka also has a daughter, Lori, as a result of agreeing to serve as a donor for a couple who had asked him to help them conceive in 1974. Ran for 8,000 yards and 64 touchdowns in a Hall o. The second after I heard the then-ubiquitous Welcome! and Youve got mail! greetings, an instant message window popped up from an online friend of mine who I had met in a wrestling chat room a year or two earlier. He turned that encyclopedic knowledge into something else. Ive long stopped watching wrestling outside clips here and there but I made reading his recaps a regular part of my routine because I found his insight more entertaining than what was on television. in the beyond.. I had such admiration and respect for Larry before all of that, but that admiration and respect grew tenfold when I saw how he faced such darkness. Larry made me stay. I consumed EVERYTHING he wrote. The first (and still to this day, only) wrestling news website that I found and regularly visited was 411mania, and was immediately drawn to Larrys consistent, level-headed and thorough reviews. It felt overwhelming and impossible to keep up. Its heartbreaking that Larry is gone. As of 2022, he has an estimated net worth of $2 million. Csonka, who was born on Christmas Day in 1946, lives in Alaska with his longtime partner, Audrey Bradshaw, his co-host and co-producer on his outdoor shows. Csonka has five siblings, three older and two younger, though he grew up by himself to some degree because of a gap in their ages he attributes to World War II. The pact stipulated Csonka wouldn't be involved with raising the child. I always admired Larry as a writer but as a person he was so warm, so humble and hed always be happy to chat. Would have been great to have a bad movie night with the guy and just crack jokes back and forth. Thank you Larry.. The world is less bright without you in it.. Dont let anything stop you. An appreciation for the art of tag team wrestling. Jon Hernandez: When the wrestling bug bites you, whether its your first foray or a return from an extended hiatus, its easy to get a little overwhelmed at what you find below the surface. You've Got To Be Kidding Me Ep. As much as this hurts us all, I cant imagine what youre going through and all my best thoughts and hopes go your way. I also cant blame Larry at all for preferring to cover an NWA PPV over the weekly SmackDown offering. But at least Ive been able to slip them on and shuffle in them enough to keep them moving a bit. Its worse if that wrestling fan already suffers from low self esteem or other psychological issues. He knew it all, reviewed it all, and helped us understand it all. See more. Ill get angry that he has more comments than me, and all he is doing is complaining while Im actually working even though no one worked harder than him. When I joined 411, Larry was the person that I sought out for any advice and looked at him as my boss. He would often go out of his way to throw ideas my way about shows that needed covered and would use reviews of matches I did for special columns the staff would do. He knew of the struggles my wife and I had with miscarriages and he was there to listen if I needed someone. Larry didnt. I soon realized I couldnt and opted to go the route of reviewing WWE Network shows and Larry was right there to offer me more. Many have already said it in passing, but EVERYONE in this field of wrestling fandom and discussion has used Larry as a reference point and either claimed it to be their own opinion or used it as a basis to form one. Eddie Guerrero had passed away. I always viewed his reviews as a great measuring stick in the wider world of wrestling reviews and wrestling coverage. Im sure Ive thanked him before for how much hes done for me as a writer, co-worker, and friend, but I dont think I ever thanked him enough. The judge knew Saltis, a science teacher and coach at Stow's junior high who became a principal. According to the arrest report, cell phone video taken by one of the passengers shows the car topping out at 105 mph, and captured the screams of the occupants during the crash. Writing about professional wrestling means writing about a surprisingly wide variety of topics. Champagne Singh, 4/27 Impact Wrestling TV results: Moores review of Jorydnne Grace vs. Masha Slamovich,Deonna Purrazzo vs. Taylor Wilde for the Knockouts Championship,Impact Tag Team Champions Ace Austin and Chris Bey vs. Angels and Kon in a non-title match. It's . Even with his health problems later in life, Larry found a way to power through them and keep up his machine-like pace. Csonka's memoir, which will be released Oct. 4, chronicles his Super Bowl glory days with the Miami Dolphins and iconic path to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but it also outlines a fascinating . His father, Joseph Csonka, and mother, Mildred Heath used to be farmers by profession.They are of Hungarian ethnicity. Larry, thank you for all your contributions to this industry and to the world. Lets not kid ourselves here. Thank you for sharing your heart with us. He refused to live being remembered as Fullback Larry Csonka. Everyone who worked with Larry said the same things about him that he is so hardworking, so genuinely nice, so easy to work with and get along with. I read his reviews even though my wrestling fandom has lapsed, because I was still a fan of his and just liked to read it. JOIN ME AT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME. Most importantly, I learned that Larry was a dedicated family man. Last, in 2019, he appeared in the TV series, Flea Market Fanatics. About three hours before I started typing up this piece, I was sitting in my office at my day job and taking a quick snack break. WE HAVE YOUR WOMAN! in it. More than I can probably remember. He saw my worth, but never kissed my ass. Over the last several years, one of the first things I would do after watching a show is check Larrys Twitter for his review of the show. When things started to change for me in my personal life and I had to cut back on the work I was able to do here, Larry understood because he was also a family man and knew where I was coming from.
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