Many of you probably have never heard of the Academy. It's not world-renowned by any means. The Academy isn't an advertised wrestling school... it's a very sacred club that not many people graduate from. Actually, there has only been ONE person to graduate from the Five Starr Wrestling Academy. Could there possibly be another?
Let me give you a little information about the Five Starr Wrestling Academy before I go into another possible graduate. The Five Starr Wrestling Academy is a wrestling school, so to speak, that I train guys to wrestle. Not only do I train men to wrestle, but I can actually work out with guys who have already trained to try and polish them up a little bit. I don't do this very often because many times you open up a huge can of worms, when you get into this.
I hate the idea of training anyone to wrestle because you put your name on that person's career forever. If they're an awful wrestler for whatever reason, they're linked to you. Every single time a rookie is introduced to a promoter, the first thing the promoter asks is, "Who trained ya, kid?" Well, of course, the rookie would reply with, "Dustin Starr." Well, generally anyone in the area would respond is a positive manner when given this answer. They would expect that this rookie has learned how to wrestle fairly well and would be a good person to book. Now, if they go out there and perform horribly, guess who that falls back on? ME, whether it's my fault or not.
Many times, when setting up a workout with a new prospect, I will not give any promises of training them. I will agree to workout a few sessions and then judge their progress from there. I have worked out with several students who quit after the first session because it's too hard. I've worked out with students who will go for a few months and realize that it's not an overnight process and they'll quit. Many guys find out that it's a lot harder than it looks.
This is a business, so yes, I do get paid to workout with these guys. But the one and only graduate of the Five Starr Wrestling Academy, I never even received a single penny from. A company was training this kid incorrectly and I just noticed what was going on. The kid was good. He could move around, he could bump great and most of all, he had a great attitude. So, I just merely invited him to workout with my guys... free of charge. All the others that were paying didn't pan out... this one guy did.
The latest edition to The Academy is a guy named Vic DeMise. And if you're wondering, of course that's his REAL NAME! ;) This guy is 6'5" and over 350 pounds. He's HUGE. He hasn't done a whole lot of bumping around the ring or running the ropes. He's actually had very limited experience, thus far. But, he is actually training to be in a manager / body guard's role. In a role like that, there isn't a whole lot of contact... just psychology aspects of the business.
His first performance was last Saturday in Union City, Tennessee. He learned first-hand about the horrible drives that wrestlers have to endure. For us, it was almost three hours one-way. He knew there was a chance that he would be working when we got there, but once he was told... you could see the nervousness in his face.
Vic did pretty well... but you KNOW I had to put a rib in there somewhere! My partner, Derrick King, was out cold after receiving a devastating finishing maneuver. So, we needed a way to wake Derrick up. I ordered Vic in the ring to fan him off with his vest. That didn't work. I ordered Vic to use his SHIRT instead. Vic's a big dude... and had no intention of wrestling or performing without his shirt. But in the line of fire and the call of duty, Vic took that shirt off and heard the crowd yelp, "OOOOH! NOOO!" I stopped Vic with, "Please, put it back on!" The crowd laughed and had a very entertaining time at our expense. Vic took it well and completely understood the reason why we were there... to entertain.
Great job by all that night. Vic had fun and learned a few very helpful lessons in wrestling. He left with a knot on his forehead from a Five Starr punch... and an experience of a lifetime.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Wrestling is Expensive
Questions are asked over and over about the wrestling business. "How much do you get paid?" I hear that one a lot. Sometimes, I'm ashamed of even answering. The first thing that generally comes to mind is... LIE. But that's another topic in itself. Maybe this subject is something that people usually don't think about... but it's expensive to be a professional wrestler.
I usually get asked the same question over and over about my wrestling boots. They're a pair of solid white, leather boots that have no laces. They have straps and velcro instead of laces. They're a very nice pair of boots. When people see them, friends or fans, they always ask how much I paid for them. The boots that I wear would cost you $500 or more. Expensive, huh?
Think about it this way... everything wrestlers wear is custom made. Boots have to fit perfectly in order to protect the ankles. If you try to wrestle in a pair of loose boots, you could sprain your ankle or even break it very badly. I've known several wrestlers that have broken toes, ankles and even more just because of the gear they wear. Tights are the same way... custom made.
Here's a good way to think about it... what if you're wearing a pair of trunks (they look like underwear that wrestlers wear) and they don't fit properly? You're in the ring going all out... 100 mile per hour beating on your opponent and flopping all around the ring. Your trunks don't fit you... what happens? Something very embarrassing could happen very easily, if you know what I mean. All tights are custom made for wrestlers. The designs on them, putting your name on them and just the way they fit has to be custom. If they don't fit, you may have to be blurred out on television.
I once bought a pair of custom made knee pads for $100. That's right... KNEE PADS. You can buy knee pads at Wal-Mart for ten bucks. So, why would I buy the $100 pair? Well, they were custom for my build. They also had pads not only on the knee... but pads that surrounded the knee for better protection. It was an expensive investment for a pair of knee pads, but hey, I had to have them. You're talking about a guy that paid $500 plus for boots. It's expensive.
For one night of wrestling... the attire that I would wear might look a little like this, price-wise:
Trunks: $75
Matching knee pad covers: $25
Knee pads: $100
Boots: $500
Wrist tape: $5
Shades (Five Starr ALWAYS wears shades): $15
Ring Jacket (I go in style): $150
TOTAL: $870
Pretty expensive, huh? That's how I roll.
I usually get asked the same question over and over about my wrestling boots. They're a pair of solid white, leather boots that have no laces. They have straps and velcro instead of laces. They're a very nice pair of boots. When people see them, friends or fans, they always ask how much I paid for them. The boots that I wear would cost you $500 or more. Expensive, huh?
Think about it this way... everything wrestlers wear is custom made. Boots have to fit perfectly in order to protect the ankles. If you try to wrestle in a pair of loose boots, you could sprain your ankle or even break it very badly. I've known several wrestlers that have broken toes, ankles and even more just because of the gear they wear. Tights are the same way... custom made.
Here's a good way to think about it... what if you're wearing a pair of trunks (they look like underwear that wrestlers wear) and they don't fit properly? You're in the ring going all out... 100 mile per hour beating on your opponent and flopping all around the ring. Your trunks don't fit you... what happens? Something very embarrassing could happen very easily, if you know what I mean. All tights are custom made for wrestlers. The designs on them, putting your name on them and just the way they fit has to be custom. If they don't fit, you may have to be blurred out on television.
I once bought a pair of custom made knee pads for $100. That's right... KNEE PADS. You can buy knee pads at Wal-Mart for ten bucks. So, why would I buy the $100 pair? Well, they were custom for my build. They also had pads not only on the knee... but pads that surrounded the knee for better protection. It was an expensive investment for a pair of knee pads, but hey, I had to have them. You're talking about a guy that paid $500 plus for boots. It's expensive.
For one night of wrestling... the attire that I would wear might look a little like this, price-wise:
Trunks: $75
Matching knee pad covers: $25
Knee pads: $100
Boots: $500
Wrist tape: $5
Shades (Five Starr ALWAYS wears shades): $15
Ring Jacket (I go in style): $150
TOTAL: $870
Pretty expensive, huh? That's how I roll.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Blood : Real or Fake?
This question ranks very high on the list of commonly asked questions to wrestlers. It definitely is at the top of the list. Maybe number two on the list, to be exact. Of course, number one being : Is wrestling fake? So, is it real? Is the blood in wrestling real or is it fake? Let's take a look at this for a moment, shall we?
Have you ever seen a wrestler pour ketchup on his head? Ok, ok... maybe they're good at hiding it. I guess it could happen. But wouldn't the sweat wash it away after a few minutes? More ketchup is applied, right? Let me clarify this right quick... I mention ketchup because I've actually been asked if that's what it was. Do wrestlers pour ketchup on their heads to make it look like they're bleeding? How funny is that? I wish it was ketchup... I love ketchup!
I've seen matches where wrestlers actually have blood literally POURING from their heads. You tell me how that could possibly be ketchup. Forget ketchup... you tell me how that can be anything other than real-live BLOOD! You can't. Know why? Because it's real blood, that's why.
The picture to the right of the screen was taken after a match that I wrestled at the Nashville Fairgrounds. A big time wrestling town and territory, where the Nashville fans are very smart to the wrestling business. If you're acting phony... they know it. They will actually chant it at you, if you screw something up. Anyway, just as my match was ending, I had my opponent on the floor. I was in the ring. As I reached through the ropes to pull my opponent back into the ring to pin him... he had a steel chair in hand that I hadn't seen. Needless to say, he swung and his me in the side of the head with the edge of the chair. This is the aftermath.
It's just one of many scars that I have on my head and body. Thank goodness it was actually in my hair... I can easily cover it up. I hate to see guys who have been wrestling for years and years and have a scarred up forehead. It's disgusting... all that scar tissue on your forehead is insane. Back in the old-days they just didn't take care of each other like we do now.
I've seen guys hit their heads on concrete floors and get busted open... I've seen guys get busted open by running the ropes and a cable is sticking from them. That'll scar your back up, really quickly. Using weapons is very dangerous, as well.
So, I'm here to tell you all the honest truth : YES, the blood in wrestling is very real. Like they say... it happens.
Have you ever seen a wrestler pour ketchup on his head? Ok, ok... maybe they're good at hiding it. I guess it could happen. But wouldn't the sweat wash it away after a few minutes? More ketchup is applied, right? Let me clarify this right quick... I mention ketchup because I've actually been asked if that's what it was. Do wrestlers pour ketchup on their heads to make it look like they're bleeding? How funny is that? I wish it was ketchup... I love ketchup!
I've seen matches where wrestlers actually have blood literally POURING from their heads. You tell me how that could possibly be ketchup. Forget ketchup... you tell me how that can be anything other than real-live BLOOD! You can't. Know why? Because it's real blood, that's why.
The picture to the right of the screen was taken after a match that I wrestled at the Nashville Fairgrounds. A big time wrestling town and territory, where the Nashville fans are very smart to the wrestling business. If you're acting phony... they know it. They will actually chant it at you, if you screw something up. Anyway, just as my match was ending, I had my opponent on the floor. I was in the ring. As I reached through the ropes to pull my opponent back into the ring to pin him... he had a steel chair in hand that I hadn't seen. Needless to say, he swung and his me in the side of the head with the edge of the chair. This is the aftermath.
It's just one of many scars that I have on my head and body. Thank goodness it was actually in my hair... I can easily cover it up. I hate to see guys who have been wrestling for years and years and have a scarred up forehead. It's disgusting... all that scar tissue on your forehead is insane. Back in the old-days they just didn't take care of each other like we do now.
I've seen guys hit their heads on concrete floors and get busted open... I've seen guys get busted open by running the ropes and a cable is sticking from them. That'll scar your back up, really quickly. Using weapons is very dangerous, as well.
So, I'm here to tell you all the honest truth : YES, the blood in wrestling is very real. Like they say... it happens.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Live Television
This is where you get only one take. There is zero room for error. Mistakes are for the entire world to see. You don't have an edit button. You can't rewind. When you're on LIVE television, whatever happens... just happens. There's no turning back. Trust me when I tell you, anything can happen on LIVE television.
If you've never been on a live television broadcast before, you may not see the severity of what I'm talking about. So, imagine this: You put on your speedos, if you're a guy. If you're a girl, put on a very revealing bikini (have you watched wrestling lately?). Anyway, you're nearly in the nude for the entire world to see. Put on your boots and pads and head out to the ring. Lights are blinding you the second you walk through the curtain. You have a camera man shoving a huge lens in your face to capture your "close-up". A few hundred fans cheer you or boo you, but you finally realize that the entire world is also making an opinion of you, at that very moment.
Not so bad, yet? Well, when you're walking to the ring... what if you trip? The entire world sees this. I've seen it happen. What if you actually trip over the rope while climbing in the ring? I've seen this happen, as well. Even worse than that, what if your ring attire is ripped? Maybe you don't have anything on underneath your gear? Well, the entire world will see this, too. I've seen all this happen and more!
The best are the interviews. Many times, you'll have a company put a guy on the microphone and maybe he's just a little nervous about it. Well, you go out there and turn to the camera and try to speak... but nothing comes out. Imagine this happening to you. You forget everything you're supposed to say... you stutter... and then, they pull the plug on the interview after only a few seconds. Fans are laughing at you not only while they're watching at home on television, but the fans in attendance are the ones you can actually hear. It will ruin your entire match because you'll be thinking about it the entire time.
Here's a good one that happened to me personally. I was being crowned the Heavyweight Champion of a company in Rector, AR. I had won a tournament and the following week, I was to be crowned the Champion. I went to the ring (as the bad guy) and was going to snatch the belt out of the commissioner's hand like a tough guy, right? Well, if you've ever held one of those championship belts, than you know they weigh about ten pounds. So, anyway... I snatch the belt from the commissioner, but little did I know that he was going to let it go so softly. As I jerked the belt, it flung out of my hands... through the ropes and outside the ring... and yes, it hit a little girl right in the head! Now, you talk about embarrassing! What could I do? Well, I did the only thing that any of us would do. I hopped out of the ring, picked up my belt... and told the girl to stop trying to steal my belt! Luckily, she was not hurt and I was not sued.
One more before I go. I'm sure most of you are familiar with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Well, I wrestled several shows for them a few years back. I was actually wrestling their secondary television show called Xplosion. I was trying to earn a contract with the company and get a full time gig with them. I was wrestling Sonni Siaki this night and I had a few very impressive things planned that would help me reach my goal of attaining a job with them. Siaki was very cool and was 100% behind what I wanted to do that night.
Everything went great... until the end of the match. I tried a springboard dive that I had done a hundred times before. For those of you who are not familiar with a springboard: it's when you leap from the mat to the top rope in one jump, then spring off that top rope and onto your opponent. Well, the ring ropes were made of cable with a hose around it. When my feet hit the top rope, the hose twisted. Yeah, I know. Not good for me. I went head-first into the mat. So much for impressing them. Siaki pinned me right after and won the match. Oh, and worst of all... the fans laughed and chanted "You Messed Up". (only without using the word "messed")
I know there are several wrestlers that read this blog every week. I would like to see if you would be brave enough to post your most embarrassing television moments that have happened to you. Or better yet, even if you're not a wrestler, post some comments and see if you can compete with mine. I'm not ashamed... I learned a lot from messing up.
Let's see what you got.
If you've never been on a live television broadcast before, you may not see the severity of what I'm talking about. So, imagine this: You put on your speedos, if you're a guy. If you're a girl, put on a very revealing bikini (have you watched wrestling lately?). Anyway, you're nearly in the nude for the entire world to see. Put on your boots and pads and head out to the ring. Lights are blinding you the second you walk through the curtain. You have a camera man shoving a huge lens in your face to capture your "close-up". A few hundred fans cheer you or boo you, but you finally realize that the entire world is also making an opinion of you, at that very moment.
Not so bad, yet? Well, when you're walking to the ring... what if you trip? The entire world sees this. I've seen it happen. What if you actually trip over the rope while climbing in the ring? I've seen this happen, as well. Even worse than that, what if your ring attire is ripped? Maybe you don't have anything on underneath your gear? Well, the entire world will see this, too. I've seen all this happen and more!
The best are the interviews. Many times, you'll have a company put a guy on the microphone and maybe he's just a little nervous about it. Well, you go out there and turn to the camera and try to speak... but nothing comes out. Imagine this happening to you. You forget everything you're supposed to say... you stutter... and then, they pull the plug on the interview after only a few seconds. Fans are laughing at you not only while they're watching at home on television, but the fans in attendance are the ones you can actually hear. It will ruin your entire match because you'll be thinking about it the entire time.
Here's a good one that happened to me personally. I was being crowned the Heavyweight Champion of a company in Rector, AR. I had won a tournament and the following week, I was to be crowned the Champion. I went to the ring (as the bad guy) and was going to snatch the belt out of the commissioner's hand like a tough guy, right? Well, if you've ever held one of those championship belts, than you know they weigh about ten pounds. So, anyway... I snatch the belt from the commissioner, but little did I know that he was going to let it go so softly. As I jerked the belt, it flung out of my hands... through the ropes and outside the ring... and yes, it hit a little girl right in the head! Now, you talk about embarrassing! What could I do? Well, I did the only thing that any of us would do. I hopped out of the ring, picked up my belt... and told the girl to stop trying to steal my belt! Luckily, she was not hurt and I was not sued.
One more before I go. I'm sure most of you are familiar with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Well, I wrestled several shows for them a few years back. I was actually wrestling their secondary television show called Xplosion. I was trying to earn a contract with the company and get a full time gig with them. I was wrestling Sonni Siaki this night and I had a few very impressive things planned that would help me reach my goal of attaining a job with them. Siaki was very cool and was 100% behind what I wanted to do that night.
Everything went great... until the end of the match. I tried a springboard dive that I had done a hundred times before. For those of you who are not familiar with a springboard: it's when you leap from the mat to the top rope in one jump, then spring off that top rope and onto your opponent. Well, the ring ropes were made of cable with a hose around it. When my feet hit the top rope, the hose twisted. Yeah, I know. Not good for me. I went head-first into the mat. So much for impressing them. Siaki pinned me right after and won the match. Oh, and worst of all... the fans laughed and chanted "You Messed Up". (only without using the word "messed")
I know there are several wrestlers that read this blog every week. I would like to see if you would be brave enough to post your most embarrassing television moments that have happened to you. Or better yet, even if you're not a wrestler, post some comments and see if you can compete with mine. I'm not ashamed... I learned a lot from messing up.
Let's see what you got.
Monday, September 3, 2007
A Bad Week for Wrestling
The title of this blog is an understatement, to say the least. I'm sure the majority of you haven't even heard the news... but it's breaking day by day. The media is jumping all over the professional wrestling business because of it's Wellness Policy, or lack thereof. This week, there have been more than 10 WWE wrestlers suspended for either breaking the policy or being linked to the recent drug bust of an online pharmacy out of Orlando, Florida.
Now, I don't want to get into any names or even get into the WWE's Wellness Policy that they currently have. I just want to discuss what the wrestling business has been through so far with the drug abuse and I would definitely like to give my opinion on what's really going on in the world of sports entertainment.
This drug bust could possibly be the best thing that ever happened to the wrestling business. Now, with that said, I understand the following: a few wrestlers have already lost their jobs due to this bust; more wrestlers will lose their jobs because of this bust; the wrestling business will be under even more scrutiny than ever because of this. I know all this, but I still say that the wrestling business will be better off. Don't get me wrong... I don't want to see ANYONE lose their job. There are only a handful of companies you can wrestle for and actually MAKE money! So, a job in the wrestling business that actually pays... it's a tough job to lose.
Wrestling will be better off after being exposed as a steroid infested business for the mere fact that the guys won't have to literally kill themselves to earn or keep a position within a business they truly love. I have known guys to give everything that they possibly have for this business. Wives lost... cars repossessed... families torn apart... gone into bankruptcy to try and make it in a business they're damn good at. But guess what? They just weren't "big enough" for the "big time". So guess what happens next? Whatever it takes.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think steroids kill wrestlers. I think other drugs kill wrestlers. A mixture of steroids, cocaine, pain killers and alcohol kills most wrestlers. Just like a rock star's life... maybe minus the steroid use. But if you mix all those habits together and leave out the steroids, wouldn't you think that's a recipe for disaster, anyway? I do.
You know what really hits home about this recent bust of Signature Pharmacy out of Orlando, Florida? I know or have met many of the guys involved. I may not be best of friends with these guys... but I've been around them and have spent time with them in one way or another. These guys are all very nice gentlemen who are just trying to stay ahead of the curve. They're just trying to make a living in the wrestling business long enough to make a nest-egg and get out. Some of them, wrestling is ALL they know. What comes after wrestling? Who knows?
Some of them have no idea what comes next in their lives. Some wrestlers that were released in the past (several years ago) literally thought their lives were over after losing their jobs with a major company. They either drank themselves to death or just overdosed on drugs. This is serious, folks.
Here is my summary of the current state of the world of wrestling: The business will not only survive this mess, but it will be better and stronger because of it. Maybe wrestlers won't have to worry about how big they are or how strong they are. I know many wrestlers that deserve a shot at the "big time" but will never have a chance because they're too small. But maybe... just maybe they'll get that shot they deserve, now. I'm looking forward to another shot, too.
Now, I don't want to get into any names or even get into the WWE's Wellness Policy that they currently have. I just want to discuss what the wrestling business has been through so far with the drug abuse and I would definitely like to give my opinion on what's really going on in the world of sports entertainment.
This drug bust could possibly be the best thing that ever happened to the wrestling business. Now, with that said, I understand the following: a few wrestlers have already lost their jobs due to this bust; more wrestlers will lose their jobs because of this bust; the wrestling business will be under even more scrutiny than ever because of this. I know all this, but I still say that the wrestling business will be better off. Don't get me wrong... I don't want to see ANYONE lose their job. There are only a handful of companies you can wrestle for and actually MAKE money! So, a job in the wrestling business that actually pays... it's a tough job to lose.
Wrestling will be better off after being exposed as a steroid infested business for the mere fact that the guys won't have to literally kill themselves to earn or keep a position within a business they truly love. I have known guys to give everything that they possibly have for this business. Wives lost... cars repossessed... families torn apart... gone into bankruptcy to try and make it in a business they're damn good at. But guess what? They just weren't "big enough" for the "big time". So guess what happens next? Whatever it takes.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think steroids kill wrestlers. I think other drugs kill wrestlers. A mixture of steroids, cocaine, pain killers and alcohol kills most wrestlers. Just like a rock star's life... maybe minus the steroid use. But if you mix all those habits together and leave out the steroids, wouldn't you think that's a recipe for disaster, anyway? I do.
You know what really hits home about this recent bust of Signature Pharmacy out of Orlando, Florida? I know or have met many of the guys involved. I may not be best of friends with these guys... but I've been around them and have spent time with them in one way or another. These guys are all very nice gentlemen who are just trying to stay ahead of the curve. They're just trying to make a living in the wrestling business long enough to make a nest-egg and get out. Some of them, wrestling is ALL they know. What comes after wrestling? Who knows?
Some of them have no idea what comes next in their lives. Some wrestlers that were released in the past (several years ago) literally thought their lives were over after losing their jobs with a major company. They either drank themselves to death or just overdosed on drugs. This is serious, folks.
Here is my summary of the current state of the world of wrestling: The business will not only survive this mess, but it will be better and stronger because of it. Maybe wrestlers won't have to worry about how big they are or how strong they are. I know many wrestlers that deserve a shot at the "big time" but will never have a chance because they're too small. But maybe... just maybe they'll get that shot they deserve, now. I'm looking forward to another shot, too.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
No Pain, No Gain!
Some sayings never die - No Pain, No Gain! I hear it all the time in the gym. I hear it all the time in, out and around the wrestling business. It really rings true. Especially, for this blog I'm about to type.
I want to describe what a professional wrestler feels like day in and day out. Many of you will never know how much punishment a wrestler's body takes. You'll never be able to fathom how tough it is, even when you're younger. Age has nothing to do with the everyday pain of being a wrestler... it's all about the punishment from the squared circle (the ring).
Driving a car. Yeah, simple task, right? Well, after a trip of ten minutes or longer, it does get a little tougher getting out. Your body aches like you've been beaten by a mob. Your knees constantly hurt. Ankles, toes, shoulders and especially your back. Now, don't get me wrong... you get a little warmed up and loose. But the constant weight lifting, running and wrestling takes a huge toll on your body.
And I'm only 24 years old.
I used to sit back and watch the old-school wrestlers move around. I would actually make fun of some of them for always being in pain. Of course, age was the punchline in most of the jokes. Now, after seven years in the business, I can see that age might not have very much to do with it. I wrestle maybe 150 days out of the year. WWE contracted wrestlers might wrestle 275 days out of the year. Some wrestle MORE. Just imagine how their bodies must feel!
Injuries are very common in wrestling. If you injure a wrist while wrestling, it actually affects your entire life. Now, because of your injured wrist, you can't lift. So, what do we do? Well, you can't miss a day in the gym... so, you lift the best you can on an injured wrist. Yeah, not too smart, eh? Well, I lifted weights with a fractured wrist. How? Simple... I taped it up, wrapped it up and sucked it up. I had to do what I had to do.
I injured a shoulder two years back. I hurt it to the point that I couldn't lift my arm. I freaked out. Most wrestlers don't have insurance, so they don't go to the doctor or hospital. I didn't, then. So, I didn't go. I continued to go to the gym, I continued to train and I worked through it. Now, my shoulder is all better.
My third training session, seven years ago, I broke a toe. Never went to the hospital or doctor... I just ignored the pain and worked through it. Because of that, seven years later, my toe and foot still feels pain from it not healing correctly before. Yeah, I know... I wasn't very smart.
My toes, ankles, shoulders, wrists... or whatever. No big deal. You would never understand what some of the other guys go through all year around. Could you imagine KNOWING that you need surgery, but you don't get it done because then you couldn't work? Could you imagine a doctor TELLING you that you need surgery... but you're too scared to get it done because of fear of losing your job? That's the way it goes in wrestling.
If you're injured and can't "go", someone else will. That's the way this business is.
I want to describe what a professional wrestler feels like day in and day out. Many of you will never know how much punishment a wrestler's body takes. You'll never be able to fathom how tough it is, even when you're younger. Age has nothing to do with the everyday pain of being a wrestler... it's all about the punishment from the squared circle (the ring).
Driving a car. Yeah, simple task, right? Well, after a trip of ten minutes or longer, it does get a little tougher getting out. Your body aches like you've been beaten by a mob. Your knees constantly hurt. Ankles, toes, shoulders and especially your back. Now, don't get me wrong... you get a little warmed up and loose. But the constant weight lifting, running and wrestling takes a huge toll on your body.
And I'm only 24 years old.
I used to sit back and watch the old-school wrestlers move around. I would actually make fun of some of them for always being in pain. Of course, age was the punchline in most of the jokes. Now, after seven years in the business, I can see that age might not have very much to do with it. I wrestle maybe 150 days out of the year. WWE contracted wrestlers might wrestle 275 days out of the year. Some wrestle MORE. Just imagine how their bodies must feel!
Injuries are very common in wrestling. If you injure a wrist while wrestling, it actually affects your entire life. Now, because of your injured wrist, you can't lift. So, what do we do? Well, you can't miss a day in the gym... so, you lift the best you can on an injured wrist. Yeah, not too smart, eh? Well, I lifted weights with a fractured wrist. How? Simple... I taped it up, wrapped it up and sucked it up. I had to do what I had to do.
I injured a shoulder two years back. I hurt it to the point that I couldn't lift my arm. I freaked out. Most wrestlers don't have insurance, so they don't go to the doctor or hospital. I didn't, then. So, I didn't go. I continued to go to the gym, I continued to train and I worked through it. Now, my shoulder is all better.
My third training session, seven years ago, I broke a toe. Never went to the hospital or doctor... I just ignored the pain and worked through it. Because of that, seven years later, my toe and foot still feels pain from it not healing correctly before. Yeah, I know... I wasn't very smart.
My toes, ankles, shoulders, wrists... or whatever. No big deal. You would never understand what some of the other guys go through all year around. Could you imagine KNOWING that you need surgery, but you don't get it done because then you couldn't work? Could you imagine a doctor TELLING you that you need surgery... but you're too scared to get it done because of fear of losing your job? That's the way it goes in wrestling.
If you're injured and can't "go", someone else will. That's the way this business is.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Hey, Kid
It's a name that you never miss hearing. I hated it. It took a long, long time to get away from it. It takes YEARS... literally. No matter how hard you work. No matter how good you get. It's really hard to get away from. I just took it in stride when I was first starting out. I had an influential person, a veteran of the wrestling business, who was there to help me along. He told me point-blank, "Keep your mouth shut." And I did. There's not one single person out there who likes to hear, "Hey, Kid."
That's your name when you first start out in the wrestling business. But it's more than just a name. It's your character. It's your demeanor. Heck, it's who you are! You're the kid! You do what they don't want to do. You carry the bags. You run the errands. You might even buy lunch (if you, the kid, have lunch money!) It's not the fact that you're being FORCED to do anything. But the wrestling business has an unwritten code of law and I'm sure that most other sports do, too. It's the law of respect.
For instance, your mentor tells you to carry his bag for him. You may not WANT to do it... but you better. Now, don't get me wrong. It's not the fact that he may beat you up in the parking lot or anything like that. But usually, your mentor (or trainer) is the reason you're even in the wrestling business anyway. If it weren't for him, you wouldn't be there to begin with. You show respect by doing some of the things that just may make his life a little easier. That's the way the business works.
Some rookies hated to be the kid a lot more than me. Some guys even speak up and say no. Those guys don't last very long. They usually won't make the next trip because they don't respect the business enough. Or if it goes far enough, they may end up in the ring with a veteran that might take advantage of them. What I mean by that is plain and simple... the kid will get stretched.
Being stretched is a term used by the old-timers in the wrestling business who will literally put you in a wrestling hold and stretch your body apart. If they have a hold of your arm, you may think your arm is going to be pulled completely off by the time they're done. Same thing with your legs or ankles. You may think they're literally going to break them off and hand them back to you. These guys aren't joking around. I've seen some guys gets stretched pretty bad... to the point that they're CRYING... in the ring! It's a tactic they use to teach the kids a lesson. A lesson in respect.
It's almost a form of hazing. But usually, it's not nearly that bad. That term may be a little too rough for what I'm talking about. There's constant joking and ribbing on the kid. For instance, I was in Nashville with one of the most popular tag teams to ever come out of Memphis, TN. One of the guys made me sit in the floor instead of on the sofa with them. "Sit in the floor, kid. And don't be lookin' at my wife either!" They'd laugh about it and go on with their conversation. What did I do? I sat in the floor and looked away from his wife. I was maybe 17 at the time. I was the kid.
The kid is usually put through numerous tests to see if he's tough enough to be in the business. You can't be a crybaby if you're going to be a professional wrestlers. Trust me, if you are... you won't have a long-term career doing it, that's for sure. Usually the kid gets booked with a few guys that will be a little extra stiff with them. The punches come a lot harder. The kicks are a lot harder. And even the body slams are slammed a little harder, just to see if the kid will complain. I've been beaten to a pulp by guys who are 6' 4" and 300 plus pounds. What did I do when the match was over (quickly over, might I add)? I went back to the locker room and shook his hand and thanked him for the match. Not only did that add character, but it was the ultimate show of respect. Plus, it makes me look tough... even though I was hurting pretty bad.
I finally realized that being the kid would pass with time. And it did. Sometimes, I'll see a few of the guys from the past and they'll laugh and say, "The kid..." Just as a reminder that they remember when I WAS the kid. Now, I can look back on it and realize that every rib they pulled... every beating they gave me... just made me a better wrestler and it definitely made me respect the wrestling business that much more. I don't think I would love it as much if it didn't happen that way.
That's your name when you first start out in the wrestling business. But it's more than just a name. It's your character. It's your demeanor. Heck, it's who you are! You're the kid! You do what they don't want to do. You carry the bags. You run the errands. You might even buy lunch (if you, the kid, have lunch money!) It's not the fact that you're being FORCED to do anything. But the wrestling business has an unwritten code of law and I'm sure that most other sports do, too. It's the law of respect.
For instance, your mentor tells you to carry his bag for him. You may not WANT to do it... but you better. Now, don't get me wrong. It's not the fact that he may beat you up in the parking lot or anything like that. But usually, your mentor (or trainer) is the reason you're even in the wrestling business anyway. If it weren't for him, you wouldn't be there to begin with. You show respect by doing some of the things that just may make his life a little easier. That's the way the business works.
Some rookies hated to be the kid a lot more than me. Some guys even speak up and say no. Those guys don't last very long. They usually won't make the next trip because they don't respect the business enough. Or if it goes far enough, they may end up in the ring with a veteran that might take advantage of them. What I mean by that is plain and simple... the kid will get stretched.
Being stretched is a term used by the old-timers in the wrestling business who will literally put you in a wrestling hold and stretch your body apart. If they have a hold of your arm, you may think your arm is going to be pulled completely off by the time they're done. Same thing with your legs or ankles. You may think they're literally going to break them off and hand them back to you. These guys aren't joking around. I've seen some guys gets stretched pretty bad... to the point that they're CRYING... in the ring! It's a tactic they use to teach the kids a lesson. A lesson in respect.
It's almost a form of hazing. But usually, it's not nearly that bad. That term may be a little too rough for what I'm talking about. There's constant joking and ribbing on the kid. For instance, I was in Nashville with one of the most popular tag teams to ever come out of Memphis, TN. One of the guys made me sit in the floor instead of on the sofa with them. "Sit in the floor, kid. And don't be lookin' at my wife either!" They'd laugh about it and go on with their conversation. What did I do? I sat in the floor and looked away from his wife. I was maybe 17 at the time. I was the kid.
The kid is usually put through numerous tests to see if he's tough enough to be in the business. You can't be a crybaby if you're going to be a professional wrestlers. Trust me, if you are... you won't have a long-term career doing it, that's for sure. Usually the kid gets booked with a few guys that will be a little extra stiff with them. The punches come a lot harder. The kicks are a lot harder. And even the body slams are slammed a little harder, just to see if the kid will complain. I've been beaten to a pulp by guys who are 6' 4" and 300 plus pounds. What did I do when the match was over (quickly over, might I add)? I went back to the locker room and shook his hand and thanked him for the match. Not only did that add character, but it was the ultimate show of respect. Plus, it makes me look tough... even though I was hurting pretty bad.
I finally realized that being the kid would pass with time. And it did. Sometimes, I'll see a few of the guys from the past and they'll laugh and say, "The kid..." Just as a reminder that they remember when I WAS the kid. Now, I can look back on it and realize that every rib they pulled... every beating they gave me... just made me a better wrestler and it definitely made me respect the wrestling business that much more. I don't think I would love it as much if it didn't happen that way.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Pulling Ribs
This is an essential part of the wrestling business. Just like an office meeting. Or maybe a conference call. You can even compare it the cup of coffee you prepare every morning before you go to work. Pulling ribs (pranks) is a normal everyday activity in the world of pro wrestling. I shudder to think of what the business would be like without them.
You see, no matter how rich or famous a wrestler is... no matter how young or old a wrestler is... there's always a rib to be pulled. We thrive off getting the better of one another. Whether it's spicing their drink up with a little hot sauce while they're off to the restroom, or simple tripping them as they walk by... a rib is a rib. Guys lay-in-wait for the opportunity to pull a good joke on a fellow wrestler. Some guys are legendary for their prankster status. A good rib never dies.
Some ribs are much worse than others. Some are in good nature and some bad. You want examples? Of course you do!
Bad nature? Okay, let's see how this one fits. Replacing a guy's bottle of Mountain Dew with a bottle of... well... urine. And yes, this is a true story... and yes, the guy DRANK it. A little rough for your taste? Yeah, mine too. And no, I didn't have any part of that rib.
Good nature? Something as simple as hiding a wrestlers boot. Just one of them. If you took them both, it would be too obvious. So, you snatch one boot and hide it. Now, if you've ever seen a pair of wrestling boots, you know they'd take a while to lace up. Sometimes they go as high up as your knee. So, the entire point of this rib is to hide the boot until the wrestler's match. When his music is playing for him to come to the ring... he still only has one boot on. Then, you can either make him wrestle with only one boot on. Or you could just give him the other and he'll have to rush to put it on. This is especially effective if you're doing live television. Promoters don't take too kindly to that sort of thing though.
How about another bad nature? This one is a little gruesome. Jerry Lawler tells a story in his book about his first few weeks with the World Wrestling Federation. Lawler apparently didn't have very many friends when he started for the company. Once, he came back to the dressing room to retreive his crown (he's the KING!)... only to find that someone had defecated in it. True story. This is a very bad nature rib. Now that I think about it, why are bowel movements usually involved with bad nature ribs? Hmm...
Wrestlers are the best at pranks. Whether they're hateful or they're playful. The ribs keep coming. It's part of the business.
You see, no matter how rich or famous a wrestler is... no matter how young or old a wrestler is... there's always a rib to be pulled. We thrive off getting the better of one another. Whether it's spicing their drink up with a little hot sauce while they're off to the restroom, or simple tripping them as they walk by... a rib is a rib. Guys lay-in-wait for the opportunity to pull a good joke on a fellow wrestler. Some guys are legendary for their prankster status. A good rib never dies.
Some ribs are much worse than others. Some are in good nature and some bad. You want examples? Of course you do!
Bad nature? Okay, let's see how this one fits. Replacing a guy's bottle of Mountain Dew with a bottle of... well... urine. And yes, this is a true story... and yes, the guy DRANK it. A little rough for your taste? Yeah, mine too. And no, I didn't have any part of that rib.
Good nature? Something as simple as hiding a wrestlers boot. Just one of them. If you took them both, it would be too obvious. So, you snatch one boot and hide it. Now, if you've ever seen a pair of wrestling boots, you know they'd take a while to lace up. Sometimes they go as high up as your knee. So, the entire point of this rib is to hide the boot until the wrestler's match. When his music is playing for him to come to the ring... he still only has one boot on. Then, you can either make him wrestle with only one boot on. Or you could just give him the other and he'll have to rush to put it on. This is especially effective if you're doing live television. Promoters don't take too kindly to that sort of thing though.
How about another bad nature? This one is a little gruesome. Jerry Lawler tells a story in his book about his first few weeks with the World Wrestling Federation. Lawler apparently didn't have very many friends when he started for the company. Once, he came back to the dressing room to retreive his crown (he's the KING!)... only to find that someone had defecated in it. True story. This is a very bad nature rib. Now that I think about it, why are bowel movements usually involved with bad nature ribs? Hmm...
Wrestlers are the best at pranks. Whether they're hateful or they're playful. The ribs keep coming. It's part of the business.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Being a Heel
Let's start off with the obvious question. What is a heel? Quite simply... it's a villain. There's always a villain or a heel in every story. Whether it's a movie, play, any fight or a wrestling match. It's usually the good versus the evil. The superhero versus the villain. Or in wrestling terms, the babyface versus the heel.
Being a heel is more fun than you could ever imagine. Think about it for a minute. It's a job where you actually get paid to make people hate you. How great does that sound? You don't have to go out of your way to kiss babies and shake hands. You don't have to sign autographs or high five the fans. You don't sell pictures of yourself or even have to worry about what they even think of you. You just go out there and do every nasty trick in the book to make those people hate you.
I've done some pretty terrible things in and out of the ring, as a heel in the wrestling business. Heck, just this past weekend, I beat up one of the company's top babyfaces with a chair to the point where his younger fans were actually crying. CRYING. So, what did I do? I got out of the ring and yelled at them in a horrible manner. Now, you might think that this is in very bad taste? Well, I tend to agree... to an extent.
There's several different ways you can look at this. Number one: yeah, I made a few young girls cry because I was beating up their hero. Ok. I admit that. Maybe I shouldn't have rubbed it in and egged it on by getting out of the ring and yelling at them, to make matters worse. But if you look at it from a business stand-point, you'd be seeing a totally different story. Me doing something as terrible as that, it builds even more hatred into my character. Do you think those little girls will be back? Of course. Why do you think they'll be back? Well, it's quite simple... they'll pay to see me get my butt kicked, the very next week!
I've called people fat. I've spit towards fans (not on them). I've swung at them. Some of the things that I've said would definitely not be acceptable if I weren't inside the wrestling ring. I've made challenges to some of the male fans in the crowd... and they've accepted by the notion of trying to climb in there with me. Thank goodness for security guards.
In Puerto Rico, fans have been known to throw pennies, bottles of water, rocks and even batteries at the wrestlers that they didn't like. I've had fans key my car or pour things on top of my car. I've even had a group of guys waiting on me outside in the parking lot. They wanted to have a street fight with Five Starr, so to speak. I've been slapped by women, spit on by kids and even hit in the head with a cane by an old-timer. But the reactions let me know that I'm doing one helluva job out there. It's so much easier to be disliked than it is to actually be liked.
This is just another interesting thing you can add to the list that makes the wrestling business unique. You tell me another sport where you actually WANT the fans to hate you. Tell me another form of entertainment where the more the fans hate you, the better the crowds are. You tell me any other business out there where people will actually pay their hard-earned-money to see someone that they absolutely hate. You can't. Only in wrestling.
Visit next week to get the top five ways to be a better heel. Thanks for reading.
Being a heel is more fun than you could ever imagine. Think about it for a minute. It's a job where you actually get paid to make people hate you. How great does that sound? You don't have to go out of your way to kiss babies and shake hands. You don't have to sign autographs or high five the fans. You don't sell pictures of yourself or even have to worry about what they even think of you. You just go out there and do every nasty trick in the book to make those people hate you.
I've done some pretty terrible things in and out of the ring, as a heel in the wrestling business. Heck, just this past weekend, I beat up one of the company's top babyfaces with a chair to the point where his younger fans were actually crying. CRYING. So, what did I do? I got out of the ring and yelled at them in a horrible manner. Now, you might think that this is in very bad taste? Well, I tend to agree... to an extent.
There's several different ways you can look at this. Number one: yeah, I made a few young girls cry because I was beating up their hero. Ok. I admit that. Maybe I shouldn't have rubbed it in and egged it on by getting out of the ring and yelling at them, to make matters worse. But if you look at it from a business stand-point, you'd be seeing a totally different story. Me doing something as terrible as that, it builds even more hatred into my character. Do you think those little girls will be back? Of course. Why do you think they'll be back? Well, it's quite simple... they'll pay to see me get my butt kicked, the very next week!
I've called people fat. I've spit towards fans (not on them). I've swung at them. Some of the things that I've said would definitely not be acceptable if I weren't inside the wrestling ring. I've made challenges to some of the male fans in the crowd... and they've accepted by the notion of trying to climb in there with me. Thank goodness for security guards.
In Puerto Rico, fans have been known to throw pennies, bottles of water, rocks and even batteries at the wrestlers that they didn't like. I've had fans key my car or pour things on top of my car. I've even had a group of guys waiting on me outside in the parking lot. They wanted to have a street fight with Five Starr, so to speak. I've been slapped by women, spit on by kids and even hit in the head with a cane by an old-timer. But the reactions let me know that I'm doing one helluva job out there. It's so much easier to be disliked than it is to actually be liked.
This is just another interesting thing you can add to the list that makes the wrestling business unique. You tell me another sport where you actually WANT the fans to hate you. Tell me another form of entertainment where the more the fans hate you, the better the crowds are. You tell me any other business out there where people will actually pay their hard-earned-money to see someone that they absolutely hate. You can't. Only in wrestling.
Visit next week to get the top five ways to be a better heel. Thanks for reading.
Monday, July 30, 2007
BaseBRAWL
What a night! If you happened to miss the action at Autozone Park on Saturday night (the 28th of July) I am sorry! Lucky for you that missed it, I'm here to tell a little tale about one of the most memorable nights in my career. This show was more than just a wrestling show, it was just an all-out fun experience.
Let me set the table for a moment. Saturday night at Autozone Park in Memphis, Tennessee was a huge night of baseball and wrestling... thus making it baseBRAWL! So, first up were the Memphis Redbirds versus the Fresno Grizzlies. There were over 12,000 in attendance for the game. It was cloudy out... not too hot and not too cold. A very good evening for a game, but there was a chance of rain. If you know anything about the luck of running a wrestling show outdoors, then you know what is coming later in this story.
Anyhow, I was able to meet with some friends of mine upstairs in the press box of the Commercial Appeal. We had an absolute blast. Watching the baseball game was only part of the fun, as we went through scenarios of what just might happen later in the evening when I stepped into the squared circle.
I was given advice on what holds to use, what outfit to wear... you name it, they had it there for me. One friend even told me to use Jerry Lawler's patented piledriver... it always worked for the King! I was also given the heads up on the chili-dogs they were having in the press box. Now, I won't go into detail on what advice was given with the chili-dogs... but it involved using deadly chemical warfare inside the ring! In the top of the ninth, as the game was winding down, I was on my way to the locker room to get ready for action. Before I could leave, my anxious friends advised me to point in their direction... they would go crazy for me out there. I made the deal.
As the ring crew (and Redbirds staff) assembled the ring, I had a chance to meet with a few of the ball-players and umpires. And no, the umpires weren't NEARLY as bad as some of you fans think. One umpire that I spoke with told me he actually worked for the MLB. Wow... this is big time! After chatting with the ump and giving him advice and booting a catcher in the rear, I headed for the Redbirds themselves. I had a chance to get some advice on swinging the pine at an eventual opponent... and where to play golf in Memphis. I recommended a few courses they could play at. Mind you, I have no clue who these ball-players are. I just know that they've played a game tonight and they're sticking around to watch me perform. I was honored at that. But when they get up and walk away, I had a chance to read the back of their jersey's. They read, "ANKIEL" - "BOZIED" & "ECKSTEIN"! Are you kidding me? I was just talking to three of the top guys on the Redbirds' squad? Rick Ankiel, whom I had been joking about meeting all night because he's the leading homerun hitter in the league? I was totally surprised. Not because I'm this huge baseball junkie or anything... but just surprised at how polite these guys actually were!
Think of it this way - you have maybe twenty wrestlers invade your home after you've just lost another baseball game. They're asking you questions (which can get irritating). You're tired. You haven't showered yet. You're just ready to go home, right? Well, these guys had the common courtesy to not only let us in, but to treat us with respect and treat us like professionals. These guys were great, to say the least. The entire staff was tremendous.
Back to the show. I take a sneak peak outside, as the ring crew is finishing up. What do I see? RAIN. After the hours of waiting... after setting the ring up... after the set-up for the entire promotion, now it's going to rain? We're going to get rained out! Or are we?
Next thing I know, I'm walking to the ring in the rain to wrestle a former WCW and WWF superstar, Mr. Hughes! There's a first time for everything, I guess. I didn't know you could even have a show in the rain! Wouldn't the cameras get ruined? I guess not! The crowd was great... cheering for Five Starr! I get on the ropes, point up to my people in the box... and they went nuts! I loved it. It couldn't have been a better night, in my eyes. I'm glad I'm not the only one who had fun.
The Redbirds' staff was great the entire night. They lead us in and they escorted us out. Anything we needed, they had for us. What a stand-up crew they have working for them. And I hope they get a chance to see this blog. I want them to know they were appreciated on Saturday night.
With all the negative that is going on out there in the world of professional wrestling, I just wanted to let you all know about a story that is good. A story that doesn't involve steroids and painkillers. Those stories do exist and it's unfortunate. But Saturday night, we proved that wrestling is still a great way to have fun with friend and family of all ages.
Let me set the table for a moment. Saturday night at Autozone Park in Memphis, Tennessee was a huge night of baseball and wrestling... thus making it baseBRAWL! So, first up were the Memphis Redbirds versus the Fresno Grizzlies. There were over 12,000 in attendance for the game. It was cloudy out... not too hot and not too cold. A very good evening for a game, but there was a chance of rain. If you know anything about the luck of running a wrestling show outdoors, then you know what is coming later in this story.
Anyhow, I was able to meet with some friends of mine upstairs in the press box of the Commercial Appeal. We had an absolute blast. Watching the baseball game was only part of the fun, as we went through scenarios of what just might happen later in the evening when I stepped into the squared circle.
I was given advice on what holds to use, what outfit to wear... you name it, they had it there for me. One friend even told me to use Jerry Lawler's patented piledriver... it always worked for the King! I was also given the heads up on the chili-dogs they were having in the press box. Now, I won't go into detail on what advice was given with the chili-dogs... but it involved using deadly chemical warfare inside the ring! In the top of the ninth, as the game was winding down, I was on my way to the locker room to get ready for action. Before I could leave, my anxious friends advised me to point in their direction... they would go crazy for me out there. I made the deal.
As the ring crew (and Redbirds staff) assembled the ring, I had a chance to meet with a few of the ball-players and umpires. And no, the umpires weren't NEARLY as bad as some of you fans think. One umpire that I spoke with told me he actually worked for the MLB. Wow... this is big time! After chatting with the ump and giving him advice and booting a catcher in the rear, I headed for the Redbirds themselves. I had a chance to get some advice on swinging the pine at an eventual opponent... and where to play golf in Memphis. I recommended a few courses they could play at. Mind you, I have no clue who these ball-players are. I just know that they've played a game tonight and they're sticking around to watch me perform. I was honored at that. But when they get up and walk away, I had a chance to read the back of their jersey's. They read, "ANKIEL" - "BOZIED" & "ECKSTEIN"! Are you kidding me? I was just talking to three of the top guys on the Redbirds' squad? Rick Ankiel, whom I had been joking about meeting all night because he's the leading homerun hitter in the league? I was totally surprised. Not because I'm this huge baseball junkie or anything... but just surprised at how polite these guys actually were!
Think of it this way - you have maybe twenty wrestlers invade your home after you've just lost another baseball game. They're asking you questions (which can get irritating). You're tired. You haven't showered yet. You're just ready to go home, right? Well, these guys had the common courtesy to not only let us in, but to treat us with respect and treat us like professionals. These guys were great, to say the least. The entire staff was tremendous.
Back to the show. I take a sneak peak outside, as the ring crew is finishing up. What do I see? RAIN. After the hours of waiting... after setting the ring up... after the set-up for the entire promotion, now it's going to rain? We're going to get rained out! Or are we?
Next thing I know, I'm walking to the ring in the rain to wrestle a former WCW and WWF superstar, Mr. Hughes! There's a first time for everything, I guess. I didn't know you could even have a show in the rain! Wouldn't the cameras get ruined? I guess not! The crowd was great... cheering for Five Starr! I get on the ropes, point up to my people in the box... and they went nuts! I loved it. It couldn't have been a better night, in my eyes. I'm glad I'm not the only one who had fun.
The Redbirds' staff was great the entire night. They lead us in and they escorted us out. Anything we needed, they had for us. What a stand-up crew they have working for them. And I hope they get a chance to see this blog. I want them to know they were appreciated on Saturday night.
With all the negative that is going on out there in the world of professional wrestling, I just wanted to let you all know about a story that is good. A story that doesn't involve steroids and painkillers. Those stories do exist and it's unfortunate. But Saturday night, we proved that wrestling is still a great way to have fun with friend and family of all ages.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Is Wrestling Fake?
If I had a dollar every time I've been asked that question, I could just quit wrestling altogether. That's one of the most frequently asked questions in the wrestling business. It's actually kind of weird, if you ask me. If you know it's staged... if you know the punches are pulled... if you've known this for years and years... then why would you even ask? In this blog, I'm going to tell you why people ask.
Have you ever walked by a wrestling ring and reached out and grabbed the ropes? Sure you have. Everyone has. After the tug the ropes and see exactly how tight they are, you begin to pat the mat. You understand now that the ring is very hard. It's not as soft as you once thought. Then, you take a look under the ring and see the steel and wood. Because that's what a wrestling ring is made of. It's made of nothing more than steel, wood, and even the ropes are made of cable that can cut right through your skin without a problem. So, for such a phony business, the ring is pretty hard.
Now, after you feel the ring for a moment, you always think in your head, "Man, that ring's gotta hurt!" Well, you know what? It DOES hurt. Every single bump or fall that you take in that ring, it hurts. Every single time you elbow drop or leg drop someone, it hurts you more than it hurts your opponent. Imagine flying off the top rope onto your opponent. Not only is your opponent in danger, but you're flying in the air maybe eight feet off the mat. You may be eight feet off the mat, in mid-air might I add, but you're a good fifteen or so feet from the actual ground! So, you're flying through the air to land on this opponent without hurting him? Huh? Are you kidding me? AND you're trying not to hurt yourself in the process? You try it out and see how well that works for you.
I've seen so many injuries in my professional career, it's unbelievable. I want to share with you just a few of the things that I've seen since entering the wild world of professional wrestling. Don't get me wrong, these aren't ALL the injuries that I've seen. They're just a select few that might give you a little insight on how rough our sport really is.
Here's a nice disgusting one for everyone. There was a regular night of matches planned in Middle Tennessee. A kid that was brand new to the business had a match, that night. Everything went okay... or so we thought. He came through the locker room door making a groaning noise that absolutely freak me right out. I knew this kid had to be seriously injured. He was holding his wrist with one hand... and holding his fingers out on the other. We all wanted to know what was wrong but he couldn't speak... he could just moan and groan. I look down at his fingers that he was holding out and one of them was completely out of socket. I'll never forget it. It was his ring finger. The skin wasn't broken, so there wasn't any blood. But you could see the bone in the finger totally out of place... and the end of it was poking out from his knuckle.
Now, I immediately told the guy to go to the hospital right away. Another one of the guys in the locker room had seen this before and wanted to fix it up for the kid. He told him not to go to the hospital, he could fix him right up. I looked at the guy and told him straight out: I would go to the hospital if I were you. He could mess that finger up for good. Well, you know the guy didn't listen. They put a towel in his mouth to bite down on, pulled the finger off his knuckle... and it went right back into place. The amazing part? Well, the kid taped it up (tape fixes everything in the wrestling business) and went back out to finish up his night of work.
Not too bad? Well, try this one on for size. Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, TN. A friend of mine dislocates his shoulder before he ever even enters the ring. Before the match, as his music is playing, he's on his way to the ring and pops his shoulder out of socket giving a fan a high-five! Now, I know this has nothing to do with wrestling being real or fake. But the guy yanks his shoulder out giving someone a high-five! Unbelievable, right? Well, here's the good part... he gets in the ring and wrestles a full match! With his shoulder out of socket, nonetheless! Now, in any other sport... the guy would've walked right back through the curtain and gone to the hospital for help. No, not in the wrestling business. He went to the ring and had a match with a bum-shoulder. Call it heart, toughness... or just plain stupidity. Call it what you will.
I have one more story that I want to share. This is a personal experience of mine. I haven't been injured too much in my seven years in wrestling (knock on wood)... but I've been banged up a bit. I was wrestling Brian Christopher in Rector, AR just a few months back. Brian had a head of steam during the match and hit me so hard that I flew over the top rope and onto the concrete floor. Typical in the wrestling business. Well, when I was headed over the top rope, apparently my wrist got hung up in the ropes. When I hit the floor, I felt a steaming hot sensation in my wrist and hand. It was tingling and it was on fire... almost as if someone poured hot coffee on my hand. I looked down at my hand to make sure my fingers were still in place (I remembered what happened to the kid), I felt my wrist to make sure I didn't have any bones coming from my skin, then I tried to just walk it off. That's what you do in wrestling. There aren't any time-outs. You don't stop the match because of an injury to your hand. You just wrestle through it, trying not to do anymore damage to it. So, after my personal inspection of my hand, I went through with the rest of the match.
Later on, I had my hand checked out... it had been slightly fractured. I told them that I didn't need a cast, I knew it could heal on it's own. So, I just decided to tape it up (remember, tape fixes everything in wrestling) and go on with my regular wrestling regime.
Now, you can make your own decision. Wrestling... fake or real? It's a good question, apparently. I've been asked about it about a million times. I seem to think that just because some thing is staged doesn't necessarily mean that it's fake. Look at boxing. MMA. NBA. The proof is in the pudding.
Have you ever walked by a wrestling ring and reached out and grabbed the ropes? Sure you have. Everyone has. After the tug the ropes and see exactly how tight they are, you begin to pat the mat. You understand now that the ring is very hard. It's not as soft as you once thought. Then, you take a look under the ring and see the steel and wood. Because that's what a wrestling ring is made of. It's made of nothing more than steel, wood, and even the ropes are made of cable that can cut right through your skin without a problem. So, for such a phony business, the ring is pretty hard.
Now, after you feel the ring for a moment, you always think in your head, "Man, that ring's gotta hurt!" Well, you know what? It DOES hurt. Every single bump or fall that you take in that ring, it hurts. Every single time you elbow drop or leg drop someone, it hurts you more than it hurts your opponent. Imagine flying off the top rope onto your opponent. Not only is your opponent in danger, but you're flying in the air maybe eight feet off the mat. You may be eight feet off the mat, in mid-air might I add, but you're a good fifteen or so feet from the actual ground! So, you're flying through the air to land on this opponent without hurting him? Huh? Are you kidding me? AND you're trying not to hurt yourself in the process? You try it out and see how well that works for you.
I've seen so many injuries in my professional career, it's unbelievable. I want to share with you just a few of the things that I've seen since entering the wild world of professional wrestling. Don't get me wrong, these aren't ALL the injuries that I've seen. They're just a select few that might give you a little insight on how rough our sport really is.
Here's a nice disgusting one for everyone. There was a regular night of matches planned in Middle Tennessee. A kid that was brand new to the business had a match, that night. Everything went okay... or so we thought. He came through the locker room door making a groaning noise that absolutely freak me right out. I knew this kid had to be seriously injured. He was holding his wrist with one hand... and holding his fingers out on the other. We all wanted to know what was wrong but he couldn't speak... he could just moan and groan. I look down at his fingers that he was holding out and one of them was completely out of socket. I'll never forget it. It was his ring finger. The skin wasn't broken, so there wasn't any blood. But you could see the bone in the finger totally out of place... and the end of it was poking out from his knuckle.
Now, I immediately told the guy to go to the hospital right away. Another one of the guys in the locker room had seen this before and wanted to fix it up for the kid. He told him not to go to the hospital, he could fix him right up. I looked at the guy and told him straight out: I would go to the hospital if I were you. He could mess that finger up for good. Well, you know the guy didn't listen. They put a towel in his mouth to bite down on, pulled the finger off his knuckle... and it went right back into place. The amazing part? Well, the kid taped it up (tape fixes everything in the wrestling business) and went back out to finish up his night of work.
Not too bad? Well, try this one on for size. Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, TN. A friend of mine dislocates his shoulder before he ever even enters the ring. Before the match, as his music is playing, he's on his way to the ring and pops his shoulder out of socket giving a fan a high-five! Now, I know this has nothing to do with wrestling being real or fake. But the guy yanks his shoulder out giving someone a high-five! Unbelievable, right? Well, here's the good part... he gets in the ring and wrestles a full match! With his shoulder out of socket, nonetheless! Now, in any other sport... the guy would've walked right back through the curtain and gone to the hospital for help. No, not in the wrestling business. He went to the ring and had a match with a bum-shoulder. Call it heart, toughness... or just plain stupidity. Call it what you will.
I have one more story that I want to share. This is a personal experience of mine. I haven't been injured too much in my seven years in wrestling (knock on wood)... but I've been banged up a bit. I was wrestling Brian Christopher in Rector, AR just a few months back. Brian had a head of steam during the match and hit me so hard that I flew over the top rope and onto the concrete floor. Typical in the wrestling business. Well, when I was headed over the top rope, apparently my wrist got hung up in the ropes. When I hit the floor, I felt a steaming hot sensation in my wrist and hand. It was tingling and it was on fire... almost as if someone poured hot coffee on my hand. I looked down at my hand to make sure my fingers were still in place (I remembered what happened to the kid), I felt my wrist to make sure I didn't have any bones coming from my skin, then I tried to just walk it off. That's what you do in wrestling. There aren't any time-outs. You don't stop the match because of an injury to your hand. You just wrestle through it, trying not to do anymore damage to it. So, after my personal inspection of my hand, I went through with the rest of the match.
Later on, I had my hand checked out... it had been slightly fractured. I told them that I didn't need a cast, I knew it could heal on it's own. So, I just decided to tape it up (remember, tape fixes everything in wrestling) and go on with my regular wrestling regime.
Now, you can make your own decision. Wrestling... fake or real? It's a good question, apparently. I've been asked about it about a million times. I seem to think that just because some thing is staged doesn't necessarily mean that it's fake. Look at boxing. MMA. NBA. The proof is in the pudding.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Can You "Take" a Pro Wrestler?
The title is a very simple question. The answer may not be as simple as it sounds. Think about it for a moment... a guy who gets paid to entertain people with violence that may (or may not) be what you call fake or phony. So, could you go toe to toe with a typically larger man who trains in the gym everyday of his life, takes care of his body, and also wears spandex outfits in front of huge crowds of people?
Let's take a look at this for a moment.
The big muscles, tight T-shirts, and very unique styles of clothing are an attention getter in itself. You get looked at immediately. You hear the whispers, which aren't ALL bad. Many times, the ladies like to look in the direction of the wrestlers because they're famous and sometimes good looking. The only problem with this is... the other men don't like it!
Many professional wrestlers like to go hang out somewhere after the show is over. Whether it's a restaurant, bar, clue... whatever. They like to go hang out with the boys and drink a few beers or whatnot. They just like to take the edge off because the adrenaline rush from show is sometimes hard to shake. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of fans cheering and chanting for you is a total rush. There's nothing in the world like it. When I wrestled in the FedEx Forum in my hometown of Memphis, TN... I was standing in the middle of the ring in front of a sell out crowd of maybe 20,000 people. You could FEEL the electricity of the people. It's the biggest rush you'll ever get, trust me when I tell you.
Anyway, it takes a few hours to wear that feeling off. But when these guys go into a club or bar, almost immediately they get recognized. I say "they" because you never see a wrestler out at a club or bar all by himself. They travel in packs with their best friends. It's like a clique. And when they show up they usually get VIP treatment. They get the best seats in the house, sometimes free drinks or food, and usually the women in attendance seem to flock near the muscles. Now, with all that said, you have to factor alcohol into the equation. The other men in the club sit and sulk about these guys... the way they look... the way their women look AT them... they start to hate everything. "He's nothing but a fake wrestler!" I've heard that more than once.
Instead of getting the attention like an actor or rock star might. You know, the usual. Autographs, pictures, etc... because they're wrestlers, they want to try them on for size. Would you try to beat up Sylvester Stallone because he played the role of Rocky Balboa? Would you want to beat up Toby Maguire because he kicked so much tail in Spiderman? I wouldn't. But when you see a pro wrestler, many guys usually think, "He's a fake fighter... I can take him." Here's where the question comes into play. Can you take a pro wrestler?
Usually, what happens after all the sulking, thinking, watching, and stalking. These guys get it in their heads that they can take even the biggest of wrestlers. Maybe they throw a sucker punch... yeah! A sucker punch would work! Or maybe they have a few friends that may jump in on this fight to help the guy out. Yeah! That's what we'll do! Well... think again, partner.
I have heard some of the greatest bar room fight stories... and have even been in some of them, in my seven year tenure as a pro wrestler. These guys who prance around the ring in spandex and get paid to fake a fight... they're some of the toughest groups of guys you'll ever see. Now, I'll go on record to say right here and now that I'm not the meanest, strongest, or baddest man around. But some of my friends are.
I won't mention too many names here, but one I will mention is one of the coolest men I've ever met in my life. If I had to choose someone to be on my side when a fight broke out, one man I'd like to have with me is Tracey Smothers. "Sell Out Smothers" is one of the toughest men I've ever met in my life. Here's a story to support this claim... he actually pulled another man's eyeball out of the socket during a bar fight several years back. Could you imagine? Clawing another man's eye right out of his head? Are you kidding me? I wish I was. I love Tracey Smothers, "The Wile Eyed Southern Boy".
Or what about the night that FIVE wrestlers took on a bar room full of about 90 others? Five guys held off an entire crowd of rabid fighting rednecks by themselves! Why was this fight started? Well, the five wrestlers got drunk (of coarse) and decided to take their shirts off as they headed out the door. The ladies were reaching and grabbing, as they made their way through the sea of boyfriends, when all of a sudden... BOOM! Sucker punch on the biggest man in the group! Why would you hit the biggest? I don't know. But it turned into an all-out brawl! Wrestlers prevailed again!
Or perhaps a sucker punch (again) that not only busted one wrestlers face open... but his eye was swolen shut, too. Well, the wrestler shook off the cobwebs and him and his tag team partner ended up beating the man half to death and sending him to a nearby hospital. Free ride in the meat wagon, all because you're jealous of them getting all the glory from the ladies.
So, I'm not here to brag about how tough I am. I'm here to tell you about how tough THEY are. I can hold my own... but I'm not capable of most of the stories I hear.
Can you take a professional wrestler? Well... can ya?
Let's take a look at this for a moment.
The big muscles, tight T-shirts, and very unique styles of clothing are an attention getter in itself. You get looked at immediately. You hear the whispers, which aren't ALL bad. Many times, the ladies like to look in the direction of the wrestlers because they're famous and sometimes good looking. The only problem with this is... the other men don't like it!
Many professional wrestlers like to go hang out somewhere after the show is over. Whether it's a restaurant, bar, clue... whatever. They like to go hang out with the boys and drink a few beers or whatnot. They just like to take the edge off because the adrenaline rush from show is sometimes hard to shake. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of fans cheering and chanting for you is a total rush. There's nothing in the world like it. When I wrestled in the FedEx Forum in my hometown of Memphis, TN... I was standing in the middle of the ring in front of a sell out crowd of maybe 20,000 people. You could FEEL the electricity of the people. It's the biggest rush you'll ever get, trust me when I tell you.
Anyway, it takes a few hours to wear that feeling off. But when these guys go into a club or bar, almost immediately they get recognized. I say "they" because you never see a wrestler out at a club or bar all by himself. They travel in packs with their best friends. It's like a clique. And when they show up they usually get VIP treatment. They get the best seats in the house, sometimes free drinks or food, and usually the women in attendance seem to flock near the muscles. Now, with all that said, you have to factor alcohol into the equation. The other men in the club sit and sulk about these guys... the way they look... the way their women look AT them... they start to hate everything. "He's nothing but a fake wrestler!" I've heard that more than once.
Instead of getting the attention like an actor or rock star might. You know, the usual. Autographs, pictures, etc... because they're wrestlers, they want to try them on for size. Would you try to beat up Sylvester Stallone because he played the role of Rocky Balboa? Would you want to beat up Toby Maguire because he kicked so much tail in Spiderman? I wouldn't. But when you see a pro wrestler, many guys usually think, "He's a fake fighter... I can take him." Here's where the question comes into play. Can you take a pro wrestler?
Usually, what happens after all the sulking, thinking, watching, and stalking. These guys get it in their heads that they can take even the biggest of wrestlers. Maybe they throw a sucker punch... yeah! A sucker punch would work! Or maybe they have a few friends that may jump in on this fight to help the guy out. Yeah! That's what we'll do! Well... think again, partner.
I have heard some of the greatest bar room fight stories... and have even been in some of them, in my seven year tenure as a pro wrestler. These guys who prance around the ring in spandex and get paid to fake a fight... they're some of the toughest groups of guys you'll ever see. Now, I'll go on record to say right here and now that I'm not the meanest, strongest, or baddest man around. But some of my friends are.
I won't mention too many names here, but one I will mention is one of the coolest men I've ever met in my life. If I had to choose someone to be on my side when a fight broke out, one man I'd like to have with me is Tracey Smothers. "Sell Out Smothers" is one of the toughest men I've ever met in my life. Here's a story to support this claim... he actually pulled another man's eyeball out of the socket during a bar fight several years back. Could you imagine? Clawing another man's eye right out of his head? Are you kidding me? I wish I was. I love Tracey Smothers, "The Wile Eyed Southern Boy".
Or what about the night that FIVE wrestlers took on a bar room full of about 90 others? Five guys held off an entire crowd of rabid fighting rednecks by themselves! Why was this fight started? Well, the five wrestlers got drunk (of coarse) and decided to take their shirts off as they headed out the door. The ladies were reaching and grabbing, as they made their way through the sea of boyfriends, when all of a sudden... BOOM! Sucker punch on the biggest man in the group! Why would you hit the biggest? I don't know. But it turned into an all-out brawl! Wrestlers prevailed again!
Or perhaps a sucker punch (again) that not only busted one wrestlers face open... but his eye was swolen shut, too. Well, the wrestler shook off the cobwebs and him and his tag team partner ended up beating the man half to death and sending him to a nearby hospital. Free ride in the meat wagon, all because you're jealous of them getting all the glory from the ladies.
So, I'm not here to brag about how tough I am. I'm here to tell you about how tough THEY are. I can hold my own... but I'm not capable of most of the stories I hear.
Can you take a professional wrestler? Well... can ya?
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