SO just an update...It was a bad throwout bearing that was seized causing the for to be misaligned and everything to cease functioning. Not sure how me being hard on it caused that but I suppose its possible. Either way the replacement wasn't terrible, but I don't believe the people who say they can do it quickly because even with a lift, engine support, and trans jack it was a pain in the butt and took a while- I suppose if you've done it a dozen times and know the perfect intricacies of how to properly angle everything etc. you could do it "quickly" but it wasn't fun especially solo-ing a lot of it.