RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Sports and Wrestling Best wrestling book ever?

Like everyone here, I reads me a lot of wrestling books!

So far, I think Bret Harts & Foleys first book are my favorites..., and I wasn't really fan of either wrestler when they were active.

I felt let down by the Flair, Funk and Race books because as far as I'm concerned they should have come in volumes - the amount of shit those guys must have seen......

Anyhoo, I was reading an interview with Jim cornette where he shilled this book he might be doing collecting all the photographs he's ever took! He said it would go well with his Midnights book!

On his site, he's selling a book call the Midnight Express Scrapbook. I got this straight away!

I've just flicked through it and it looks awesome. lot and lots of pictures, flyer repros, cuttings....

I think this has the potential for me to rate up there with Harts and Foleys books!

I think Foley is the only wrestler we really disagree on. I used to not rate him highly at all. He seemed like an out of shape guy with marginal skill. I remember when he left WCW he said he would never go to the WWE and be a part of McMahons traveling circus, he referenced all the cheesy gimmicks. About two months later he announced he was going to the WWF and they started airing those cheesy Mankind promos.

Mick apparently decided to keep his Indy bookings before his debut. I went to a match in a small town near here. Cactus Jack vs Abdullah the Butcher was the main event. A crowd of 120 was on hand. I expected Abdullah to be a slow old man, and Mick to play it safe since he was going to the big leagues.

I couldn't have been more wrong. They tore the place down. Fighting on top of the high school bleachers, rolling down the bleachers, going into the street. they wrestled for 25 minutes. one of the best live matches i ever saw.

I think from watching him up close I realized he was a out of shape wrestler with marginal technical skill, but he really had a way with pulling the crowd in, building the match, and getting the crowd to pop. a lot of that is lost on 5 minute tv matches.

Sorry, what do we disagree on about Foley because I agree with your points!

In fact some of that stuff you said about him saying he would never join the WWE, I didn't even know about!

And in hindsight, it makes sense, what with his retirement match with hhh and all that shit said about how he hates wrestlers he keep coming back from retirement, only to come back at the next Wrestlemania and numerous times after that!

His coming back just to shill a book!

His whole tna run so far.

He's doing a Flair!

he had saggy tits before it was fashionable!

The longer he stays around the more he's ruining his past achievements!

especially with TNA. I know Universal Studios is cheaper to produce shows in. But the canned crowed, and the edited footage just looks small time. It's so hard to get into TNA because it has this American Gladiators, Monster Truck show feel to it. the WWE isnt an option either as they will never push a part time over the hill guy over a young guy with upside.

Foley has had his day and should have stuck to commentating, even with McMahon in his lughole!

He comes from a modest background, you'd think he would be happy with what he has done and get a steady wage with the WWE instad of selling his credibility and going to tna!

As I say, I watch tna AT WORK!

The problem I think is the addiction. I have tried many substances in my life and nothing comes close to performing in front of a crowd. I worked in front of a couple of hundred. I could not imagine the high from working in front of thousands. I imagine it is hard to let go of. Foley like many of us did this in his backyard for years without getting paid because it's fun. Sadly it will ruin his legacy. Flair is still the greatest of all time in my mind, but I would have looked back more fondly had he hung it up years ago.

Legacy is the word I was looking for!


The difference between Flair and Foley is that Flair was never so vocal about retiring and staying retired!

I think we all knew that Flair would try to keep going & going. I think he has made attempts to slowdown ike in the early 90s but WCW needed him and that was all the excuse he needed!

Then of course there is his lifestyle - living well beyond his means.

One thing is for sure, I never expected Flairs skills in the ring to disappear so quickly - he was still wrestling great matches in the early 90s but by 98, he wasn't even a shadow of his former self!

What wrestlers do you think retired at the right time?

Harley Race.

It's strange but for some reason I don't feel Terry Funk has ruined his legacy as much as Flair has, even though he(Funk) does really need to retire! I wonder why that is?

I was watching the Wrestling families DVD, there is a ECW match from the mid 90s featuring Terry & Dory Funk Vs The Public enemy - Dory looked pathetic in the ring, a real old man that should be taking it easy!

The Rock.

I think Funk always seemed like the down and dirty fighter. So even at an old age, he fights dirty and seems plausible. Flair was a slick wrestler and as his skills diminish it ruins the legacy.

did Race really retire at the right time? I remember him making some AWA appearances in 89/90 and then joining WCW in 90. he wrestled Rotunda on a pay per view that year. he stayed in there for a long time before becoming a manager.

Didn't Hogan screw up and break his neck and he had to retire?

Have to say I have pretty much enjoyed all of the wrestling books I have read so far.
I like the Hardys one, the Stone Cold one, both Foley books and Regals, but hands down, my favourite was the Jericho book.
I bought it when it came out 2 years or so ago, but only read it a few weeks ago.
The book quite literally had me laughing out loud as his humour comes across brilliantly in the written word, just as it does on tv.

I think one of the things that really helped this book was that it wasnt a WWE book, so anything he said about anyone WWE related (even though it only touches on the WWE years), came across as genuine.

With the WWE released books you often get a feeling that even if the positive stuff about WWE and Vince is true, that it may be somewhat overdone to feed egos etc.

I do think though that Foleys first book was certainly the blueprint for Jerichos book, as its certainly a lot more laid back and lighthearted than most wrestling books which tend to be overly dramatic and never let their hair down.

I cannot wait for the second one.

Race? I don't think so. I have heard about the match where Race injured himself and had to take time off. Race retired from managing due to injuries from a car wreck. no word on whether it was a Hogan behind the wheel.

I was thinking Hogan botched a body slam, maybe through a table or something.

yeah, I heard that, but what I heard was that it was something to do with his stomach or in that area. either way, he didn't retire from that. he kept on for several more years.

now I gotta dig around in Race's book and find this. . .

i think youre right. i think a broken back was the tv angle but in reality he damaged his stomach or some other internal organ.

Penis?
-Rob

My condolences to the family of Harley Race's penis.
-snarf