THE COACH AND THE ASS-KICKER

[thedarkness214]

And here it is, 1:48 and I can’t sleep again.

Brian-Kendrick-wwe-pictureI’m telling you, at this point I’m seriously considering smoking the pot again. Back in college I would do it quite often, knowing that it would put me to sleep instantly. Last time I hit it I was probably 22-23. I know just a few short years ago, there were a few times when I was really tempted to disappear with my boy Kendrick and RVD at a few TV tapings when things started getting unbearable for me, but at that time I didn’t think it was a good thing for the “office” to both condone and promote. Looking back now–-I SHOULD HAVE SMOKED THE POT!!!

But, that is a whole other story for a whole other time.

This story right here, is truly about a life lesson. Those people in our lives that we spent a certain amount of time with, but never really considered them to be “friends”. People that you worked closely together with, and shared many levels of success, but it was just always business–-you never went for a drink together after the show. I’m talking about people, that maybe you just never really understood because your backgrounds were just so vastly different. But, you were always nice to them, you know cordial as they say.

I’ve got to be honest with you—-this is why I love having the opportunity to say what’s on my heart, whenever I want, even if it’s 1:57 in the morning.

I never thought that Jim Ross and Steve Austin would be the two guys that were there when perhaps I needed help the most—-NEVER. For five years I worked very closely with the “Coach and the A**-Kicker”, because the three of us were integral parts in the wrestling business at a time when history was being made–-and we didn’t even realize it. All three of us had completely different responsibilities, yet perhaps, the success might have not been as great, had we not all–-seperately–-reached an epic level of excellence. As you all know, JR was the Coach of the team, he put the roster together from top to bottom, filling it out with the expertise of a Barry Switzer–-who I know he would only want to be compared with. Me? I was the word man. My job was to give the stars of the show something to say, and do, on a weekly basis. And, Stone Cold? Stone Cold was perhaps the greatest star in the history of a business that is well over half a century old now. Four totally different cats, from totally different streets, who could have not reached greatness had it not been for each other.vince-mcmahon-03Now, there were indeed reasons why my relationships with JR and Steve never really reached that “friend” level. For starters, I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say that Vince would enjoy stirring the pot at times when he was bored, almost setting one employee up against another–-for his own personal entertainment. I think Vince did that with Jim and I on many occasions. And, even though Vince was doing it innocently, at times it would clearly divide, always making that separation between Jim and I harder and harder to fill. With Steve–-it was a bit different. Being as over as he was at the time–-larger than life even–-there was always an intimidation factor with me. When you are working with a personality that HUGE, you just want to assure that he is happy with what you are presenting him with—100% of the time. That’s all that really mattered. If Steve was happy . . . then I was happy, but you just tried to get out of there as quickly as possible in an effort not to push your luck.

As I stated in my last article, I’ve had some rough patches over the past 2 1/2 years. When I made the decision to walk away from TNA, a company that deep down inside I truly cared about and loved, I had no idea where I was going. Eventually I would open my own business—-only to have it close in 6 months. With that failure, I saw much of the money I had saved over the years just vanish–-poof–-right before my very eyes. In my heart of hearts, I wanted to get back in the business, but for whatever reason, it just seemed like I had been shut out. There were just too many obstacles in the way at TNA, and as far as the WWE and Vince McMahon? Whatever it is that I’ve done–-and I don’t have a clue–-I don’t think Vince McMahon would put me out with the water he was drinking–-if I was on fire. And, that’s sad–-very sad—-but again, another story for another day.

So I was down, way down. If I wanted to remain in a business that was now a prt of me for 40 years–-then I had to go about it on my own—-with my own terms. So about two months ago pyroandballyhoo.com was born. From the beginning, I was working my butt off, writing more than I had ever written in my life. With every word, I was giving you ALL of me–-holding nothing back for the first time. I started to see results, however, in order to reach the success I needed in to pay the bills and support my family–-I knew it was going to take time. How long? Who knew—--but, I was no doubt in it for the long haul. I was willing to do whatever I had to do in order to be a part of the wrestling business in a capacity where I wouldn’t be pulling out my hair over childish, political games that I just didn’t have time for.

jim-ross-50Then came an e-mail out of nowhere from Good Ol’ JR. Now, nobody knows JR’s reputation in the wrestling world better than I do–-no one, and without hesitation, I knew that a JR endorsement would put this writer on the map. When JR talks–-wrestling fans just listen. In his e-mail JR invited me to do his podcast–-for the first time, in a very long time, I was able to put a smile on my face. But, it wasn’t about JR giving me that boast that I so desperately needed, but rather the “gesture”, in JR’s term a “JOHN WAYNE GESTURE”. JR didn’t have to send that e-mail, not for a second. Hell, guys would be lining up around the state of Oklahoma to do an interview with Jim! But, he reached out to me. A guy who just badly needed a break, and never thought for a second it would come from that likes. But–-that’s who JR is. No hard feelings, no grudges, one human being to another–-let’s just do this and have fun!

stoneIt was no more than a week later, when a troll on tweeter was trying his best to stir up something between me and Steve Austin. Finally, out of frustration I wrote, “Steve Austin was one of the GREATEST that I ever worked with–-NO GO TWIST THAT!!!” within seconds, a message popped up. It said, “Will you two knock it off already!” The avatar was a picture of Steve Austin, and his address was @steveaustinBSR. Immediately I’m thinking no way. This can’t be Austin, I haven’t spoken to the guy in a good 15 years. So, I immediately went to my search bar and typed in his name. Before any result could be spit out I saw in the corner of my eye that I had a direct message. I clicked on the message and I read, “Vince, is that you? It’s Steve?” Now, I’m still not believing this. You know how twitter works. This guy sucks me in, only to cuss me out about Davis Arquette. So, I hesitantly DM him back. “Yeah, it’s me.” I swear, bro, this felt like when you were a teenager, and you were IMing a hot chick you met on the internet, and now you’re sitting on hot coals while waiting for her to respond. “Want to do my podcast?” he said. “Are you serious?” I said–-still not believing it was him. “Hell yeah–-shoot me your number.” So I shot him my number. Five minutes later the phone rang. “Vince, is that you? How long has it been?” It was Steve—15 years later, there is only one guy that sounds like that.

I went on to have a good 30 minute conversation with Austin on the phone, I swear it felt like I had just spoken to him yesterday. That laugh that always lit me up, the crass language–-which unfortunately I STILL LOVE coming from him–-and that KING KONG PERSONALITY that makes him larger than life to this very day. During the course of that conversation, we set up the podcast for the very next day.

If you are reading this–-and I’m very grateful if you are—-this is what it’s all about—-what life is all about. Everybody you cross paths with, every, single person, you give them the respect that they deserve. You reach out, and you make them feel special. Who knows what kind of day they are having, you may be the conduit to turn all that around–-you just never know. And, that’s exactly what the “Coach” and the “A** Kicker” did for me. That podcast I did with Austin opened up an entire new fan base to me after 23 years in the wrestling business. For the first time, Steve enabled me the opportunity to have a voice, for people to hear it all directly from me. I will never be able to repay him for that–-ever. And, JR, when I sit down and do my interview with him in three weeks–-it will be one of the crowning achievements of my life. Not only because JR is the best at what he does, but because we’ll be together again–something that I never thought would ever happen.

Austin_JR



So publicly, I just wanted to thank both Jim Ross and Steve Austin. They gave me hope . . . at a time when I thought there was no hope left to be had.

[Bad News Gertner]

NASCAR is for hillbilly retards

[thedarkness214]

y0ur m0m 1z f0r h1llb1lly r3t@rdz,,,,,