PDA

View Full Version : Mick Foley speaks on Ric Flair, Bret Hart, and more.


Champion of Europa
07-22-2004, 06:01 PM
Source: www.411wrestling.com

This week on Between the Ropes, sponsored by www.ProFigures.com, wrestling legend and number one bestselling author, Mick Foley joined Fritz, Dickerman, and Vito DeNucci to talk about his upcoming appearance at the NWA Legends Fanfest in Fayetteville, North Carolina on August 14th and 15th.

Mick was asked about the anticipation of appearing at the NWA Legends Fanfest. He is flattered to appear at the Fanfest and mentions that it is a great lineup. He talked about the conventions that they had in the 80s, and how there are not as many today. He talked about one he did recently in Dallas with the reunion of Devastation Incorporated.

Mick thinks that his six month stint in the NWA might not qualify him as a legend. Mick mentioned that he might be the only person in the business to get the best of Harley Race because he hit him with a steel shovel while Harley never got his shot at Foley. However, Harley never told Foley that it hurt him.

Mick mentioned Vader and Dennis Knight’s fondness of being naked in the locker room, and how it led to the Naked Mideon gimmick. Mick said that when he was commissioner in the WWE, he wanted Naked Mideon to be his assistant before Debra was made his assistant. He talked about wanting to ask him for a quarter when he tried to call Vince. Mick mentioned that when he came back, Dennis was on the card as well, and he asked Mick about doing the elbow off the apron.

Talk moved on to the storyline that he was involved with Randy Orton. Mick said that he was happy with the storytelling and he said that it accomplished a lot. He feels that it helped Randy out a lot, and he has heard that from Randy and his father. He also feels that it got other people like Batista and Flair into the storyline. He said that it also got Rock back into a meaningful role with the company. Rock told Mick that he felt like his most recent return was how the fans wanted to see him. Mick feels that a good angle makes the others a little better because they want to match that performance.

Mick was asked about his Wrestlemania match and how he and Rock were willing to put over talent. Mick said that people appreciate it when veterans put over the younger guys. He said that there is an art to it, not just losing a match. He said that sometimes it is not losing a match because there are other factors that need to be considered, and it is a process. He knew that he wanted to do a second match because a single match does not get a guy over, it is a series of matches. If the angles and promos get over with the fans, two matches can be enough.

Mick said that he was rusty in his Wrestlemania and had some issues with his performance saying it did not have the intensity. Mick said that he was happier with his match at Backlash. Mick was happy to see the reaction to Randy Orton the next night on Raw, and feels that it helped Randy get to the next level. He felt like a proud father.

Mick had some comments about what Ric Flair said about his behind the scenes maneuvering, and said that he was not praising Michael Hayes ‘Badstreet’ album, or Brian Gerwitz’s writing on The Jenny McCarthy Show. Mick said that he wanted to get Ric Flair more involved in the program with him and Randy, but those ideas were shot down by the writers. He said that Ric was always professional around Mick during his most recent stint with WWE. He said that either Ric is not being honest in his book or is a complete liar. He does not know where Flair got the idea about Mick caring about his storylines only.

Mick does not want to pretend that Ric Flair’s comments are not out there, but you have to look at who Ric Flair’s friends are in the company. He said that it is the pot calling the kettle black about getting themselves and friends over. Mick mentions that his friends are not getting a super push in the company and brings up Al Snow and Kevin Kelly. Mick feels that his work is out there for people to see. Mick said that he is going to call Vince for letting it go unchecked, and he is going to say that he is thankful that he saw something in Mick Foley beyond the traditional WWE wrestler. He said that if Flair had any control of his time in the WWF in 2000, Foley would be cleaning pools now.

Mick talked about how he had to deal with book critics when he published Tietam Brown because of the perception of a wrestler. However, he got good reaction to the novel, and felt that it was a good book.

Mick said that if Flair’s intention was to get a match with Foley, it is not going to happen because of that. He said that Flair is working a program without the other person knowing. He felt that he was being buried while being praised by Flair. Talk moved on to the way that that the WWE wanted to stir things up, but Mick is not going to go on WWE programming to respond to what Flair wrote. Mick felt that in talking to Flair, he enjoyed working with him. Flair even told Mick that he never read his book.

Mick said that you need to separate the booker from the performer, and after rereading what he wrote before, he praised Flair a number of times as a wrestler. He feels that Ric did not care so much about the other programs while he was a booker. He thinks that things could have been different if he had complete control over his own storyline instead of being told to cut his hair, get an earring and change his name to Spartacus. He feels that he will be seen as a bad talent evaluator since he let Mick and Steve Austin leave WCW under his watch. He was not sure if Triple H was with WCW, and let go when he was the booker.

Talk moved on to how Ric’s complaints were about the way he was treated by people like Jim Herd and Eric Bischoff, just like Mick’s comments about Flair as a booker. Mick said that people did not buy his first book to read about Ric Flair because it was not a major part of the book. The only time that Flair was brought up was on WCW television by Terry Funk. Mick said that he never used Ric Flair to sell his book. Mick suggests that there must be something relevant about him now because they are focusing on Mick Foley in promoting Flair’s book.

Mick feels that he has made a connection with the fans, and that might lead to some people thinking more about his work than what he actually did in the ring.

Mick was asked about the WWF’s influence over the content in his book. Mick said that there was some concern in the company about Mick taking shots at Vince, but Vince did not want Foley’s book gutted. Mick asked where the criticism was in Flair’s book about Vince McMahon, Triple H or anyone else in power right now, and the people that Flair attacked were not active wrestlers with WWE. Mick said that things might have been under closer scrutiny after the Hardy book. Mick is thankful to Vince for giving him the chance to write his books, but he did screw Bret.

Mick talked about the criticism that Flair had about Bret Hart and Montreal and Owen Hart. Mick said that he talked to Bret after his comments were made about Flair. Mick suggested that you shouldn’t write when you are angry. Mick said that he edited what he wrote about Flair himself because he might have been angry at the time. He suggested that maybe he will release the unedited material about Flair in a future book.

Mick said that he would not rule out a match in the future. He recently had knee surgery and found out that fifteen years of taking bumps on concrete can hurt your knees. He has to look at the long term price of doing anything in the ring before he wrestles again. It was suggested by Fritz that he have a feud with Edge. Mick said that he talked to Edge and said that he enjoyed his recent matches with Randy Orton, and how the end of the last match might set up a double turn. He does not mind helping out other people with their work in the ring. He said that he also talked to Test recently, but it might have been a cheap attempt to talk to Stacy Keibler instead.

Mick talked about his new book, a novel about baseball that is coming out next year. He has rewritten it twice, and he is happy with the product. He said that things are not as disturbing as Tietam Brown. Mick also has a children’s book coming out October 4th. The children’s book was written four years ago, and he has read it to tens of thousands of kids, and they like it as well as adults. Mick said that the comments made by Flair are not bad enough to keep him away from returning to WWE.

Mick was commended by the hosts about how his book gave the reader a great mental picture of what they were reading even though Mick was not a professional writer. Mick said that you cannot capture the same intimacy if it is written by someone else.

Mick said that he is honored to write the introduction to Terry Funk’s book, and how Terry has still not read his first two books. Mick said that Terry Funk is his Tietam Brown, and how there is talk of doing a movie of Tietam Brown. Mick said that Terry read Tietam Brown in a day, and he would be interested in that role. The only fear the hosts had was the thought of seeing Terry doing ‘the deck’ naked.

------

Mick :y:

Corkscrewed
07-22-2004, 06:06 PM
Mick said that people appreciate it when veterans put over the younger guys. He said that there is an art to it, not just losing a match.

THANK YOU.

Mick remains the man.

HeartBreakMan2k
07-22-2004, 06:10 PM
Mick is a stand up guy :y:

Kane Knight
07-22-2004, 06:11 PM
:y:

Mayo
07-22-2004, 07:03 PM
FOLEY! FOLEY! FOLEY!

This guy is definitely one of the greatest entertainers that the business had. I hope to watch his DVD one day so that I can see more of the great matches he had. A classy guy, for sure :y:

Savio
07-22-2004, 07:10 PM
Mick > Flair

Funky Fly
07-22-2004, 07:51 PM
Mick > Flair
Any day of the week, baby.

Gonzo
07-22-2004, 08:36 PM
Foley is God

Favre4Ever
07-22-2004, 08:36 PM
^yup

Kane Knight
07-22-2004, 08:37 PM
Foley is God
If you start calling Chyna hot, I will kill you.

(Some of you might get the ref)

Gonzo
07-22-2004, 08:38 PM
If you check out the stupid topic about gay pac and chyna, you will see my feelings on that guy (chyna).

.44 Magdalene
07-22-2004, 09:32 PM
Foley IS God. There's no other way to put it.

But Jericho is still Jesus. :y:

Hired Hitman
07-22-2004, 10:13 PM
I will always respect that man.

Kane Knight
07-22-2004, 10:14 PM
I love how he responded. This proves why he's the man, and Flair's just a bitter old dude yelling at the kids to get off his law.

Gonzo
07-22-2004, 10:14 PM
Foley did it for the fans, above all else.

KayfabeMan
07-22-2004, 10:20 PM
Foley :y:

Innovator
07-22-2004, 11:43 PM
Foley IS God. There's no other way to put it.

But Jericho is still Jesus. :y:
Y2Jesus

Savio
07-22-2004, 11:50 PM
Mick said that things might have been under closer scrutiny after the Hardy book.
---------------
What did hardy say?

Kane Knight
07-22-2004, 11:52 PM
What did Hardy say, for that matter?

Nowhere Man
07-23-2004, 01:37 AM
Just another reason why I have more respect for Foley than just about any other worker out there.

LK
07-23-2004, 01:31 PM
Foley! Foley! Foley!

He is the man. Bang! Bang!

I-Hate-You
07-23-2004, 01:38 PM
The only thing I don't agree with him on is the booking thing.

Yeah, Austin, Triple, and himself was let go under Flair's watch, but I don't think Flair was the one who gave them their release.

Batsu
07-24-2004, 03:43 PM
It was Bischoff and those in power... but...

Flair's booking didn't help.

Again, Foley is fair and honest in his reply. Nothing scathing, which is a very stand up job for Foley.

Heyman
07-24-2004, 05:48 PM
Sadly enough, I think this also proved the difference between Mic Foley and Bret Hart.

Don't get me wrong - I was a HUGE Bret Hart mark back in the day (and still consider myself to be a huge fan of his).

However - take a look at the "reactions" from Foley and Bret.

What did Bret do? He went DOWN to Flair's level.....and insulted him back. What did Foley do? He was admittedly very upset over Flair's comments, but he did NOT insult him back.

To me - that just shows that Foley is much more SECURE about himself than Bret.

I can't blame Bret for doing what he did, but still....

Zen v.W.o.
07-24-2004, 05:52 PM
...

Difference is what flair said about bret was worse than what he said about foley. I like Foley but I'm not gonna praise the guy and his "awesome in ring talents". Flair made an opinion back at foley after foley made his opinions on Flair. In a way Foley got his come-uppance.

But there was no reason to say what he did about Bret. Neither for how he handled his bro's death, nor for his skills as a worker. Bret owned both of them, so if I were Bret, I'd be quite egotistical and defensive as well.
Bret can't respond back unless it's now through his book or the net. Flair was being a bitch.

Rob
07-25-2004, 10:03 AM
What did Hardy say, for that matter?

I think (not 100%) thhat they just got a ton of heat for comments they made about various wrestlers being untalented or dicks or something. I know Brock Lesnar got it kinda bad.