Talk about bizarre timing.  In my article Confession Of A Steroid Monster, I wrote that I had been  introduced to steroids by former professional wrestler Jeff Gaylord.  Jeff and I worked out regularly together in 1986-87 at a now defunct Dallas gym known as The Body Forum.  I had never seen steroids before Jeff brought them into the gym one day in his black medicine bag.  I personally witnessed Jeff shoot up on several occasions.  It was the first time I had ever seen anyone stick a needle in his own butt.  I should also note that at the time it was legal to obtain steroids with a prescription.  I do not know how Jeff obtained his steroids.  He did put me on the to the doctor who prescribed mine.

When I met Jeff in 1986 he had just finished a stint in the short lived United States Football League(USFL) with the San Antonio Gun Slingers.  He was trying  to build his career in professional wrestling.  A career that required size and strength.  There were relatively big bucks for the era at stake.  Enough at stake to make it worth the risk to Jeff and a long line of professional wrestlers  who felt that the financial upside outweighed the health, legal and public relations risk should their steroid use be revealed.  They were willing to risk the largely unknown downside(at the time) of high level steroid use. The risk of  mental, depression, steroid rage, suicidal thoughts and other kinds of destructive behavior when the steroid high is no longer there. This is in addition to risks of  cancer, liver disease and other issues that are not fully understood even today.  The risk eventually caught up with the likes of Chris Benoit, “Ravishing” Rick Rude and others.  Jeff Gaylord continues the pattern of destructive behavior.  As of January 21, 2009 Jeff was sitting in federal lockup on bank robbery charges.  A former girlfriend of Jeff Gaylord read my article and alerted me to a recent story out of Colorado:

“Jeff Gaylord, 50, was arrested in connection with the Jan. 14 bank robbery at a US Bank in Monument as well as a robbery and attempted robbery at a branch in Castle Rock…. Gaylord is a retired pro wrestler, also known as “Missouri Tiger,” “The Black Knight,” “The Hood” and “The New Spoiler.”

This was not Jeff’s first failed  bank robbery attempt. In October 2001, Gaylord entered a bank in Aurora, Colorado, approached a teller, and demanded money. Believing that Gaylord had a gun, the teller removed more than five thousand dollars from his drawer and placed it on the counter. Gaylord took the money and fled. Four months later, he entered the same bank and committed an identical robbery. Jeff pled guilty to two counts of committing bank robbery

What went wrong?  Was it the steroids?   What more is there to this story?   The Jeff I knew while cocky and  irresponsible was a fun loving, women loving, friendly guy who was excited about career in pro-wrestling.  I wanted to know more.  Jeff’s former girlfriend who sent me the article agreed to be interviewed on condition of anonymity.  Here is the interview:

What attracted you to Jeff?  ‘He was very handsome and in incredible shape.  He was also very charming.”

Was Jeff wrestling when you met him?     He was wrestling with World Class Championship Wrestling“( WCCW) at the Sportatorium in Dallas, Tx.  There were bugs, rats and a leaky roof.

When did Jeff first introduce you to steroids?   “He was talking to Vince Apollo about something and he dropped his pants and I think he gave himself a shot , but Vince was in there, Vince could have played darts with his rump.”

Did you use steroids with Jeff?  ” Yes.  They increased my strength and endurance. I remember using  Deca-Durabolin. There were a few more but Deca  seems to come to mind”

Did either of you ever discuss the long term health risk? It never came up

Did Jeff have a dark side?   “Besides ego, He came first always… He could be laughing and kidding and switch and get really serious and mean. I was never hit by  him. but he could destroy self confidence in seconds. I once said something in the car, he pulled across 3 lanes of traffics quickly to scream for 10 minutes”

Could you tell when he was on a steroid cycle? ” You could always tell when he was cycling, there was more time on than off.  He got moody didn’t sleep much, the steroid use was almost as much as the tanning bed. He use to say he was in a tanning bed 360 days a year.  I don’t know how many cycles a year”

When was the last time you saw Jeff Gaylord? ” Sometime in 1992.  We stayed in touch sporadically but never more than a  courteous  “how are you doing” The last conversation was in the fall of 2008.”

What do you think caused Jeff’s life to spiral out of control?  “Steroids,drugs, not making the money he did in early to mid 90s, the lack of attention he got from wrestling… could be a lot of thing, I wasn’t around when he got arrested”

Was it just the steroids?  Only Jeff knows.  Maybe one day he will tell his story.  In the meantime he awaits another trial on federal bank robbery charges. He should have stuck to what he knew.  Even when the fame, friends and women went away, he was a still a better wrestler than bank robber.   That’s the guy I remember.