Remembering Bob “Scooter” Carroll 1966-2011
By "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr, Doghouse Boxing (June 18, 2012) Doghouse Boxing
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Benny Henderson Jr. & Bob Carroll |
I have spent
years now writing about the sport that I love, and it has been an
honor in doing so. I have been blessed to rub shoulders with some of
the elite in the sport, for the most part it has been just a job, but
a select few of the individuals that I have came across have become
more than just another interview, a lead story or a sports figure
that the media were in awe with at the time. Some have become
friends, and one in particular by the name of Robert Anthony Carroll,
better known as Bob “Scooter” Carroll, I called brother.
It
was back in 2007 when I was introduced to Bob Carroll, at that time I
was doing a little publicity for then heavyweight contender Brian
“The Beast” Minto, who had just come off a disappointing, yet
hard fought loss to former world title challenger Luan Krasniqi. Bob
hit me up via email asking about having Brian on a radio show he
hosted called, “Fightin Words Radio”. Of course I obliged, and of
course I dropped the ball on the interview, so Carroll reached out to
Minto’s manager for the interview and it went through. I called Bob
to apologize for my lack of being a professional, and to my surprise
he was extremely forgiving, and went as far as asking to me come on
the show and give my opinion on the upcoming Mayweather Jr. vs. De La
Hoya throw down. And although I thought I was just going to be a one
timer on the program, something more transpired, a friendship was
forged that even death has not been able to break.
Bob and I
hit it off fairly quick, and I became a permanent fixture on the
program. This cat was an extremely knowledgeable guy, if you asked
about boxing, music, football etc. He most likely could give you an
answer, like his Dad Butch said, “he was like a sponge.”
Although residing in Florida, Bob was born, bred and bled
Philadelphia, the Flyers, and the Eagles, yep, the Eagles. Now remind
you that I am from Texas, and yep, I am through and through a Dallas
Cowboys fan, and what debates Bob and I had about the rival teams.
When it came time for the teams to face off, you could not get Bob on
the phone, especially if the Eagles were losing, but let the Eagles
get a score or two up on the Boys, or any team and call him and one
ring you would hear, “hello.” Now if his team lost, I would not
hear from him at all until it was time to do the show.
Bob
knew Boxing, so he fit in well when I brought him aboard Doghouse
Boxing as a writer, he did a great job in covering the sport. For a
small stint I served as Convicted Artist Online Magazine,
Editor-in-Chief, Bob served as my assistant Editor. Working for the
site we got the chance to fly out to Hollywood, CA, in September of
2009 to do a charity event benefiting the La Habra Boxing Foundation,
it was a MMA Celebrity Roast which I got to host.
Now picture
this, you have Bob and I out on the town in California, miles away
from our daily chores and family, with pretty much an endless supply
of beer, that is a recipe for some drunken fun. The night before the
show Bob and I were hanging with the crew, drinking of course, well
Bob said, “man, I am going to the hotel and call it a night.” So
Bob went to the hotel and I shut down the bars with the guys of CAM.
Around 3am that morning I went back to the hotel and couldn’t get
in, Bob had the door latched. Here I was, feeling the booze, beating
on the door yelling for Bobby to open it. Finally after
twenty-minutes of doing so, the door opens, here is Bob, drunk off
his ass, in his underwear, mumbling something. I walked in and all I
could say was, “what the ****!” Apparently Bob was not done
drinking when he left the gang, he got the bright idea to walk next
door grab him some more beer, and the ultimate drunken meal, chili
cheese nachos!
There was chili and cheese pretty much all
over the room, looked like he had opened the drawer between our beds
and just dumped them to save them for later. Man, I never let him
live that down.
So the night of the event, it took a little
longer than it should have to start, so, Jeremy Williams, yes, the
former heavyweight contender Jeremy Williams, he decided to jump up
on stage and start his own comedy act, although funny, the bouncer,
and security did not find it to hilarious, so when the show was
finally ready to start, for some reason the bouncer asked Bob and I
to get Jeremy off the stage. Bob looked at the guy and with this
expression I cannot explain said to the guy, “are you f******
kidding me, that guy would knock us out!” Well, we did get Jeremy
off the stage and the show raged on.
We dropped Bob off at
LAX Airport later that night, and, he forgot that he had beer in his
bag, so here he is pouring out beer at the front entrance of LAX.
Bob was a riot, he made everybody laugh, everybody smile,
when I had a bad day, I called Bob, he seem to of had the answer to
everything.
Bob and I were close friends, like brothers, for
four years, we talked everyday, and if not, we at least text one
another, he would call my wife and children to wish them happy
holidays, or happy birthdays, same with myself and his family.
Bob
was a caring guy, and would listen to any problem that you had, but
he never seemed to unload on anybody his problems, he always stayed
positive, and gave people positive advice. Bob was not just a writer,
a radio show host, a hall of famer, he was not just a friend, but he
was a brother, so on Saturday June 18th when I received the call, the
words on the other line chilled me, “Bob has died.”
It
took me a second to grasp what had been said, my first response was,
“no!” He and I had just been texting each other hours before the
phone call.
The next few days were bit of a blur, I kept in
touch with his family, they offered to pay all expenses to Florida,
but I had to decline due to the fact that I had to work, and could
not take off. I now look back and regret the fact that I was not
there to pay tribute to my fallen friend, I should have been there
for his family. But I wasn’t. But, in the past year his family and
I have drawn close to each other, we often talk about the good times
with Bob, we reflect back on the man who had touched so many lives in
his short time on earth. The outpouring of love and support from the
friends in the boxing business, as well as music business was
overwhelming. He made so many friends, it was unreal how many people
through phone calls, emails etc, reached out to the family to give
their loving thoughts on Bob.
Bobby, was not a perfect
person, he made mistakes just like anybody else in this world, but he
was a man of his word, he was loyal to his family and friends, he
would take the shirt off his back to give it to you if need be. He
did such a great job with All Hail Hair, the Fightin Words Radio
network.
Although it has been a year since we lost Bob, it
still seems like yesterday all this went down, I cannot express the
way I feel, he had such an impact on my life. I have nothing but
respect and love for Bob and his family. For months I would call
Bob’s phone, all though it was no longer in service, his Facebook
photo would pop up, which is the Philly Flyers. I read the texts that
he and I sent one another up until my phone broke. At times I go back
and listen to the old shows that he and I did together, and I just
remember a really good man.
In the last hours of Bob’s
life, he and I went back and forth with texts. There near the end of
our text session, Bob sent me a text that read, “you have been like
a brother to me, and I thank you for that.”
If Bob is
reading this, somewhere, I want to say this, “Bob, you taught me
what the meaning of a true friend really is, you brought so many
people in my life, you were a man of your word, a loving son,
brother, uncle, Dad, you were one of the greatest people I have ever
came across in this old world, you were like a brother to me, and for
that, I thank you.”
God Bless my friend and brother, Robert
Anthony Carroll, we love you Bob!
Questions or comments email crazzedtrucker@aol.com
If you have any memories of Bob, please visit his Tribute
Page and leave a message, give it a like as well, his family would
appreciate it.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bob-Scooter-Carroll-Tribute-Page/182008228521089
If
you ever feel like you need a friend, like you cannot go on, and need
to get things off of your chest, please reach out to somebody. Do not
bottle up your feelings inside. Call 1-800-273-8255
Questions or comments please email crazzedtrucker@aol.com
Tweet the Big Guy at https://twitter.com/#!/BennyHenderson
And for more info check out www.facebook.com/bennyhendersonjr
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