Wrestling Fans- Mick Foley's A Smart Man

[richmwill]

From a summary of an interview Mick Foley (WWE/WWF Star) did with Air America's "Morning Sedition"-

Regarding why he’s doing what he’s doing, Mick says, “I understand that you might lose fans by coming on a show like this and saying, ‘I’m pushing for Kerry. I’m not happy with the direction the country is heading.’ You might lose fans who say ‘Leave your political beliefs and helping out kids overseas aside.’ But I’m 39. I have four kids. I entertained people for 17, 18 years in the ring and I’m hoping now I can shed some light on some situations that need light shed on them.”

“I have a conversation in my mind where a father is putting his son to bed, and we have 40 million people living below the poverty line, 30 million other people that low-wage labor is failing them, and this kid being put to bed says, ‘Daddy, I’m hungry.’ And there’s no excuse for going to bed hungry in the land of plenty. And the father says, ‘Hey, that may be. But at least those two gay people you’ll never meet in a city you’ll never be in can’t get married.’ It just seems like our priorities are out of order.”

Bravo, Mick- I tip my hat to you.

[cynatnite]

1. I've always liked Mick

His book was great!

I wished I hadn't missed that interview.

Cyn:)

[LTR]

2. Foley is probably the most intelligent guy to enter a wrestling ring

He really has a knack for the business, and he's arguably the hardest working guy ever in the business. He also consistently gave everything he had and more to the business.

I used to watch that stuff, but the product just got so predictable and ridiculous that I don't keep up with it anymore.

I'm sure he's a bit of an anomoly in pro wrestling. The overall mood seems to be Republican there.

[AngryAmish]

21. Nope - remember Lenny "The Genius" Poffo

However, momma Foley's baby boy did go to college.

Bang! Bang!

[zbdent]

3. I respect Ric Flair absolutely as a team player

No matter what storyline he was put in, he did it, because he knew that the show was bigger than, yes, even him.

BUT!

He disses Foley in his book "To be the man . . .".

I can see why; Foley is not a wrestler, per se. Flair had the training, and probably shed more blood in his entire career than Foley. Foley took bumps like an insane person.

I have respect for both. Flair as the showman, wrestler, worker, guy who takes orders and does the job.

Foley worked like a maniac. Broke a lot of his body. I think he's younger than me (I'm 41), but he looked old in the early 90s. Unfortunately for his body.

Hogan was a one-trick pony, a prima donna who had to run everything his way. No wonder Reagan liked him for "physical fitness", along with Ahnold.

[GreenInNC]

10. Nature Boy is a repug

He has considered running for Governor here in NC

[zbdent]

16. I know that, but I still respect him for his work in the rasslin biz.

If you've watched more than his WWF/WWE days, you would see that he would take whatever script they gave him and do what he was told.

Stupid, yes, but he would still do it. Who else would move into position (while "unconscious") after David Arquette placed him incorrectly to set him up for a "figure-four" and the "blood drop"? Hogan had to be humiliated into following orders to give up the title.

Of course, the WCW was "made" by Ted Turner, it went downhill after AOLTimeWarner took TT out of the control of the dynasty he built.

[GreenInNC]

20. Nature Boy

We used to go see them practice at the Crocket Gym over on South Blvd. It was great as a 10 year old to see all those guys up close.

[enigmatic]

14. Flair is a hard-core Republican..

and NOT a nice guy; the stories of him dissing fans and fallow wrestlers are numerous...

[zbdent]

17. See 16 for why I respect him for helping the biz

Funny you should mention how Flair "dissed" the fans (yes, I was sick when he announced he wanted to run as a repuke; I was also sick when I heard that Hogan wanted to "run for pres" - maybe Hogan might have done a better job than W, but that's iffy.)

In the height of the "evilness" that was the Four Horsemen, the show came to Cleveland for a TV taping. This was after Magnum TA was finally able to walk again.

I was near the "performers" entrance, when a car pulled up. Ole Anderson, then absolutely hated by the marks, got out. I was by his door. He shook my hand and some others, then walked in.

Dusty, TA, and one other (I forget who), came walking around the corner, ignoring the fans despite their calls. "Big Dust" just stared straight ahead as they went in.

Once the show started, and they were all in character, Dust comes out to thunderous applause, milking it. Funny, he didn't show that appreciation for the fans outside the arena.

Wasn't much longer after that that I found out about how booker Dusty was the one who scripted all the screwjob finishes that pretty much f-ed with the fans. You know, for example, where the Road Warriors would win the belts from Arn & Tully (Tully is a true worker, too), but a referee would come into the ring and take the belts away and give them back to the bad guys on a technicality while the other ref was out.

Freepers are the ones who made Hogan into a god, the types who would watch it knowing the same setup would be there every time.

Yes, rasslin was playing into the stupidity, but I felt that WCW/NWA held the fans in a bit higher regard mentally than the WWF/McMahon.

(Except for the Ding-Dongs, the Lazer-Tron era).

[enigmatic]

19. Oh, I despise Hogan...

Zero skills, despite his undeniable charisma. And Flair is the only one to take the mantle of "Nature Boy" from Buddy Rogers and wear it w/ the same kind od respect from the fans. And he's probably (in his prime) one of the 5 greatest wresters who ever lived. But he's still not a nice guy, based on overwhelming number of stories by people I know and trust, plus the stories too numerous to mention about his blowing off fans. I think you caught him on a good night; too bad he didn't have more of those in his prime run...

Besides, I'm more of a Johnny Powers/Ernie Ladd/The Sheik (original one, not The Iron Sheik) kinda guy;)

[AP]

4. Is this the wrestler who has written a couple best selling books?

[cynatnite]

5. Yep

Have A Nice Day was one and the other was a children's book. I think he was doing another, too.

Cyn:)

[AP]

7. Amazon has 8 books listed for him. In the Tietam Brown intro, it says

Have a Nice Day, and Foley is Good were both NYT listed bestsellers.

[Momgonepostal]

9. I've read Tietam Brown

It was very bizarre. I think pretty much every character in it would have made good Jerry Springer guest material.

[AP]

6. He has written a couple books.

I just heard him on a Wisconsin Public Radio show a in the last couple days. He sounded OK.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0375415505/qid=1093306543/sr=8-3/ref=pd_ka_3/104-1051199-0789522?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[Monte Carlo]

8. I have a soft spot for the WWF/E, and Mick Foley was a favorite of mine.

For such a smart yet regular guy, you could say that he did some incredibly stupid things in the ring.

I think many people have made themselves accustomed to an unsolvable problem of hunger in this country, and have become callous to it. They focus on themselves and their prejudices. Mick Foley put it so well.

[mfritz]

11. He's on 39?!!!

He looks ancient! I guess wrestling really takes a toll on the body.

[Insomnicole]

12. Mr. Socko for President!

I always liked Mankind and thought Mick's books were a hoot, but for some reason I thought he was a Repuke. My apologies, Mick! Now I like you even more.

[union_maid]

13. Mick Foley - good to waiters

He sometimes goes to the restaurant where my son works. He's nice to the help, too. And a very regular guy according to my son. Doesn't act like he should be recognized or treated better than anyone else.

[AP]

15. Where does he live?

[THUNDER HANDS]

18. Long Island

well, he's from there. His father is a famous high school lacrosse coach at Ward Mellville.

I met him numerous times (Mick) when I used to write for a wrestling website. He was hands down, the nicest, most down-to-earth celebrity I've ever met.

Gave more of his body to entertain people than any wrestler ever.

[AngryAmish]

22. Anyone ever see his Japanese Death Match w/ Terry Funk?

As Joey Styles said "Oh my Gawd!"