Drawing Heat The Hard Way , livre ebook

290

pages

English

Ebooks

2010

Écrit par
Larry Matysik

Publié par
Ecw Press

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290

pages

English

Ebook

2010

Lire un extrait

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne En savoir plus

Publié par

Ecw Press

Date de parution

20 décembre 2010

Nombre de lectures

EAN13

9781554908998

Langue

English

Poids de l'ouvrage

13 Mo

Thrilling but flawed, entertaining despite the swerves and double-crosses, captivating even when repugnant - professional wrestling has enjoyed the attention and loyalty of untold millions for nearly a century. Why? Here, Matysik explains what it takes to win the hearts and minds of wrestling fans, examines the way wrestling is booked or planned, analyses the role of wrestlers and announcers and explores the problem of steroids. At times humorous, occasionally saddening and always insightful, Drawing the Heat the Hard Way is a great, objective glimpse into wrestling.

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Publié par

Ecw Press

Date de parution

20 décembre 2010

Nombre de lectures

EAN13

9781554908998

Langue

English

Poids de l'ouvrage

13 Mo

Lucha libre profesional Wrestling

LARRY TYSIK

Anyone who wants to know why the crazy, often dark business of wrestling has an Iron Claw on its audience should read this book.

Bob Costas, from Parts Unknown —

DRAWINGHEAT THEHARDWAY

How Wrestling Really Works

Larry Matysik

ECW PRESS

Published by ECW Press 2120Queen Street East, Suite200, Toronto, Ontario, Canadam4e 1e2 info@ecwpress.com /416.694.3348

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any process — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the copyright owners and ECW Press.

library and archives canada cataloguing in publication

Matysik, Larry Drawing heat the hard way : how wrestling really works / Larry Matysik.

isbn 978-1-55022-899-1

1. Wrestling.2. Matysik, Larry.3I. Title.. Wrestling promoters — United States — Biography.

gv1195.m38 2009 796.812092 c2008-907565-x

Editor: Michael Holmes Cover design: David Gee Front cover photo: ECW Press Archives Back cover: Brock Lesnar, Courtesy of Mike Lano Photo section: Rachel Ironstone Typesetting: Mary Bowness Printing: Transcontinental1 2 3 4 5

printed and bound in canada

For Pat and Kelly, who both get my vote for the Hall of Fame

“So what if it’s an illusion? It works.” — Mark Linn-Baker to Peter O’Toole inMy Favorite Year

Ring the Bell Introduction ix

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Is It Real? 1 Vince 7 Locking Up with the Dream 39

Dismay 61

How Independent Is Independent? 87

Everyone Works 99

BOOKING 101: Does It Draw? 123

C o n t e n t s

BOOKING 102: What’s Good for the Business is Good for . . . 141

The Voice 175

Contacts, Contacts, Contacts 197

Lifeblood 213

What Next? Twelve 233 Go Home Thirteen 255 Acknowledgments 259

A Special Offer 262

INTRODUCTION

R I N G T H E B E L L

My editor, Michael Holmes, is to blame. He said he thought I could write something special simply by recalling what I have learned about professional wrestling from interacting with astute and insa-tiable personalities — people like Sam Muchnick, Bruiser Brody, Dave Meltzer, Terry Funk, and, yes, even Vince McMahon. He told me to think of the countless characters I’d met and all the experiences I’d had while working in this multi-faceted busi-ness. Prodding me (and feeding my ego), Michael mentioned the roles in which he believed I’d excelled: announcing, booking, and promoting. Flattery works. He reminded me of the detailed conversations we’ve had about wrestling’s intricacies, and told me, “You can write a terrific book with all of this.” It was nice of Michael to show confidence in my writing — and in the lessons that I’ve hopefully absorbed after more than a few years dealing with wrestling at every level. After penningWrestling at the Chase, and thenBrodywith Barbara Goodish, I was tossing around various ideas for other projects. Michael’s suggestion probably made more sense than a murder mystery set in the world of pro wrestling (although that idea is still alive, in my mind anyway, so please don’t laugh). At least the prep work for this one would be familiar territory. But then Michael upped the stakes considerably by pointing out that pro wrestling was much, much more than it appears to be on the surface. Dig deep, he challenged. For every snob that snickers,

i x

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