The first time I remember seeing Tamara Sytch was at shows run by Dennis Coraluzzo at a converted K-Mart, referred to as the "Clementon Coliseum". It was early in Chris Candido's career, and he was working shows at the time for Coraluzzo. She was just one more female face watching Candido.

The next time I saw her was in August 1993 at SMW's Fanweek...Tammy and Chris were working in Smoky Mountain Wrestling, with Tammy suddenly one of the hotter names in wrestling, working as the manager of Brian Lee. As Tammy "Fytch", she did a great whiny, spoiled little bitch character from "up North". I also noticed that she never ever stopped working the crowd, an essential in the old-school style SMW promotion.

After her time in SMW, Tamara Sytch went into the World Wrestling Federation as "Sunny", a cheerleader type with Chris Candido as "Skip". Vince McMahon saw a merchandising bonanza in Ms. Sytch and decided to forego the cheerleader gimmick and go straight for T&A all the way. McMahon used that new image to the max, plastering "Sunny's" picture all over TV and merchandise.

But behind the scenes, things were hardly "sunny". Personal problems and rumored personal involvements were first rumored, then documented; with a particular personal involvement within the WWF being a major problem.

Sytch left the World Wrestling Federation owing to her refusal to enter drug rehabilitation owing to a dependency on the muscle relaxer soma. This drug had her impaired, notably at a WWF show at Madison Square Garden.

Sytch entered ECW, with her fiance Chris Candido. This seemed like a merchandising bonanza for a promotion badly in needs of mainstream names. But it didn't take too long before the situation that has been rumored to be everything from Christ Candido's ill grandmother to further drug dependency to an ECW angle...or some of all the above..to get in the way of Sytch making a contribution to the company.

Then Dave Scherer and Bob Ryder of 1wrestling.com reported the news on February 9th that "Tamara Sytch was arrested on February 5, and was taken to the Middlesex County Department of Adult Corrections. She was placed in Housing Unit 73404 and was released later the same day after posting bail of $2,000."

Georgianne Makropolous of 1wrestling.com further reported details from Dave Meltzer, who provided the following: "Tammy Sytch was arrested over the weekend, and spent one day in the Middlesex County Jail. Her mother had a restraining order against Tammy, as she had been destroying her furniture."

According to Ryder in a Notes From Bob column: "Scherer was alerted of the arrest on Friday, and held off reporting it for several days. We spoke about the situation and we agreed that it was something that should not be reported until we had more information.

On Tuesday, when Dave included the news in the Daily Lariat, we had received confirmation that the story was accurate, and also found out that it was on the verge of being reported on at least one major hotline."

Chris Candido or someone apparently stating that they representing him claimed that the above hadn't happened, and threatened legal action against Ryder and Scherer.

It's not exactly news to readers that this site and 1wrestling.com/The Wrestling Lariat have butted heads frequently over the last 2 1/2 years. Nothing has changed regarding the opinions Fritz Capp, the editor of PWBTS..or I...hold regarding those situations that formed those opinions.

But when someone tells the truth and deserves to be credited for reporting a story, they deserve that credit..regardless of who they are. Dave Scherer and Bob Ryder deserve that credit in this situation; regardless of Internet denials by others to the contrary.

This portion of the column is written to Chris Candido and Tamara Sytch:

I've seen and read your comments. There's something that those of us who work in counselling (my real life work since 1980) call denial. It happens when you or someone you love is in a situation you can't accept. You fight like hell, and are angry at anyone pointing out an unpleasant truth. You sometimes even write them out of your life in order to deny the painful truth.

Chris, Tammy, this is such a situation. There are clearly problems that need to be addressed in Tammy's life, far beyond any legal issues of the moment...

These problems need to be addressed now. Tammy needs to step away from the business for as long as it takes to deal with her problems.

Please get help for Tammy. Today. If Paul Heyman won't help her deal with her problems, please help her do it for herself. The wrestling business and the world have lost too many talented people to lose any more.

Threatening Internet writers won't help Tammy. Denying the truth won't help Tammy. It's only dealing with the problems she faces that will.

Until next time....

If you have comments or questions, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com