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| Pure raw energy whenever Goldy erupted |
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| He even did it to The Giant |
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| Fear the Spear |
Sure, say what you like about how cheesy, fake and gimmicky Mick Foley and Goldberg were - but they had something in them at that point in my life that made me want to follow in their path. The first and most influential was Goldberg. During his initial run in WCW he was unstoppable. Destroying one enemy after another. With his patented spear, a suplex into a body slam finisher and this look of pure energy and animalism on his face after a match made you want to be as tough as him.
I looked at Goldberg as a typical athlete that made the jump from football to wrestling - which kind of said to me that nearly anyone could do it. He was tough, could never do a great interview, but man - the fans went nuts for him whenever they slowly cheered his name as he was summoned the square circle. Goldberg was undefeated for a good number of opponents - I believe he was well over a hundred for a while and even won the belt from Hulk Hogan. But, unfortunately, no one can hold a belt forever and Goldberg's reign was ended when Scott Hall snuck behind him and "tazed him with a cattle prod." I was irate and a big love and faith in wrestling died that night for me. I felt cheated that they had to cheat to win (I was totally turning into a mark). For me, it was another strike in my love of wrestling that was slowly going down the drain.
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| Mr. Socko down McMahon's mouth |
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| My back is full of thumb tacks! |
Also around this time, probably one of the biggest stars in WWE was Mick Foley. I can remember first being introduced in the WWE to him as some psycho character that wears a mask that is almost a blend of Leatherface and Hannibal Lecter put together. He would maniacally scream and pull his hair out - what a weirdo. After awhile, he began to get the attentions of fans and would team up with Steve Austin making the two an awesome pair. He gained more fans and recognitions and began to get more silly interviews (along with his new dirty 'ol friend Mr. Socko - which was an old dirty gym sock he would pull out from his pants and wear it around his hand like a cheap puppet act and then stuff it down your throat for a submission hold.) Over time, the fans wanted even MORE and MORE of Mick. He became several characters/gimmicks including himself, Mankind, Dude Love and the legendary Cactus Jack.
But what really got me into wanting to know more about him were these promos of his rise to wrestling fame from a nobody jobber (the guy who loses matches). Mick would talk about sleeping in a car so that he could attend wrestling school. He jumped off of his mom's roof onto a pile of mattresses by imitating Superfly Jimmy Snuka. He was at first a jobber (a wrestler who primarily loses) but then would go around the globe and do terrible things and injuries to his body. Hearing such legendary tales made me want to find the nearest wrestling school, practice more moves on my siblings and follow Mick's rise to fame. But, I guess with every Mick Foley success story - there must be a thousand who have failed.
I will always remember the night when I saw Mick in a "Hell in the Cell" match against the Undertaker where my jaw would hardly stay shut from utter excitement and awe struck. For those unaware of the Hell in the Cell term, think about it as a steel cage match, but now fully enclosed on the top. Within this match I can remember the most hardcore images of all time. Such as Mick being choke slammed through the roof and onto a pile of thumbtacks and a chair below. The Undertaker hurling him off the top of the cage and landing on top of the Spanish commentator's table sixteen feet below. He just kept getting up and coming in for more. Finally, it was when the Undertaker gave him a Tombstone pile drive on top of some tacks that the match was entirely over. Vince McMahon told Mick that he would never put his body on the line like that again. Over time, it was difficult for Mankind to out do himself - there was a silly attempt to come into the Royal Rumble as all three of his characters and another attempt with him in an "I Quit Match," a feat he had never done in his career. Of course there was cheating and they used a recording of Mick saying it to win. I yet again felt cheated and turned into a mark - but I was getting down right disgusted with the sport.
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| The infamous wrestling gone wrong bit when Owen Hart died |
I pretty much gave up watching it - but began to rethink more and more my choice of turning wrestling into a life long career choice. Sure the fame and excitement was excellent - but I could see the wrestlers my father's age and what years of wrestling had done to them. How bad I felt that every time Macho Man did his patented elbow drop - he rolled around in pain and grabbed his knees. Was he acting? I don't know, but I was seeing more and more wrestlers in their prime still duking it out and just looking down right sad. I feel society was also becoming more and more intrigued with the wrestling mania towards the end of the third Golden age. It probably hit it's peak when it had a commercial on the Superbowl, but then must have spiked when Fox aired a television special about the tricks and secrets of wrestling. Just like it did in the 50's - many people like myself lost some love. Not to mention, the accidental death of Owen Hart got me a bit jumpy about the profession.
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| Here is Greg in the Conway High School gym |
Owen Hart was a man that worked so hard in hopes of retiring early - which seemed to me something that was never possible since some of the wrestlers from my childhood and my dad's era, could still be seen backstage of scenes helping out with management and booking of shows (yeah, I saw you Harley Race). It seemed like you had to sell your soul forever. Then you had guys that were big years ago, but no one really cared about anymore. They were now doing "Legends of Wrestling" promotions where they would wrestle in high school gyms, sign autographs and make a quick buck to survive. Trust me! That is where I got my signed autograph from Greg "The Hammer" Valentine.
For the conclusion to my love of wrestling editorial,
check out Part 5 HERE
I will always remember the night when I saw Mick in a "Hell in the Cell" match against the Undertaker where my jaw would hardly stay shut from utter excitement and awe struck. For those unaware of the Hell in the Cell term, think about it as a steel cage match, but now fully enclosed on the top. Within this match I can remember the most hardcore images of all time. Such as Mick being choke slammed through the roof and onto a pile of thumbtacks and a chair below. The Undertaker hurling him off the top of the cage and landing on top of the Spanish commentator's table sixteen feet below. He just kept getting up and coming in for more. Finally, it was when the Undertaker gave him a Tombstone pile drive on top of some tacks that the match was entirely over. Vince McMahon told Mick that he would never put his body on the line like that again. Over time, it was difficult for Mankind to out do himself - there was a silly attempt to come into the Royal Rumble as all three of his characters and another attempt with him in an "I Quit Match," a feat he had never done in his career. Of course there was cheating and they used a recording of Mick saying it to win. I yet again felt cheated and turned into a mark - but I was getting down right disgusted with the sport.
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