Wrestling Books

[The Gaffer]

This thread's made me want to re-read Bret's book. Don't know about your own local bookstores but the Waterstones near me always has fresh copies of it, too, which is really weird for any wrestling book at all. I've softened immensely on the stuffier aspects of Bret's personality over the years, which I think is a recurring theme with a lot of us. I just find them hilarious now. And even when he's embellishing in the book, you still get the sense he's way on the bottom of the list of big stars who embellish shit.

I'd still have him hold my wallet over born again Michaels. 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Gay as FOOK

[Joe Blog]

12 minutes ago, Gay as FOOK said:

This thread's made me want to re-read Bret's book. Don't know about your own local bookstores but the Waterstones near me always has fresh copies of it, too, which is really weird for any wrestling book at all. I've softened immensely on the stuffier aspects of Bret's personality over the years, which I think is a recurring theme with a lot of us. I just find them hilarious now. And even when he's embellishing in the book, you still get the sense he's way on the bottom of the list of big stars who embellish shit.

I'd still have him hold my wallet over born again Michaels. 

This, I have to admit to knowing very little about Bret and his legacy before I got his book. I started watching in 1998 so I had missed his entire run and never really bothered with WCW.

I adore his book and really like Bret throughout, his biggest criticisms seem to be her takes himself too seriously and that he had an over inflated opinion of himself. In an industry of rapists, racists and murderers I feel that he is pretty clean cut (adultery and drugs are a bit shitty).

As a piece of wrestling history it is fantastic and the stories Bret tells are so detailed and interesting. He obviously has a bit of a shitty family and he may not be the guardian angel he paints himself as but fuck me they don't half sound a bunch of cunts (Owen aside who just seems like a really amazing human). His love for Owen and his parents is abundant and you really feel his pain. The story of the soldier in full regalia saluting as Owen's funeral procession drove past made me fill up. 

I loved Shawn when I got into wrestling but absolutely hated the cunt by the end of this. 

Is Bret bitter? Yeah probably. Is he one of the best ever? Absolutely. I don't care if everyone told him he was the best ever at some point and I don't care that he still has a chip on his shoulder I finished this book loving not just the Hitman but also Bret the man. 

 

 

[SuperBacon]

Put me down as another re-reading Bret's book. It is amazing.

I love him so much, and he is clearly a complete mark for himself, but it's one of the most well written sports books I've ever read.

Some of it is unintentionally hilarious though. All the 'sexy' stuff, like the one bit where he gets a ride off a young cheerleader who insisted he drove and 'lowered her head and opened my flies'. It's all a bit Red Shoe Diaries.

The other funniest bit is when he first meets Julie and is so protective of the business he comes across like Michael Corleone talking to Kay "There are things I can never tell you" 

He's the best.

[CoreyVandal]

Finally got round to reading Blue Blood on the Matt by Sir Atholl Oakeley.

He certainly thought highly of himself!

I initially started reading it to educate myself on an era of British Wrestling that I was wholly unfamiliar with, but after finishing it I'm left feeling like someone who's tried to learn American wrestling history from Hulk Hogan's book. I'm sure I've learnt something, definitely more than I knew before, but I have no idea how much of it is accurate or trustworthy. But maybe that's just what living through 2020 has done to me.

That said, it was an enjoyable read. Oakeley is candid, but it felt like his words were informed by ego first, politics second, and the truth last. I can say that he tells some fantastic stories, but there is the occasional one that feels entirely constructed just to reach some hackneyed punchline or pun. You get these unintentionally fantastic moments when jarringly reminded of the era certain stories are being told in, such as when he talk's about an outdoor show on an airfield while a hydrogen-filled zeppelin lands, or when someone you'd been following for several chapters goes off to war never to be heard from again. Conversely you get an account of his discovery and training of The French Angel which manages to be simultaneously touching and upsettingly exploitative, told in such heartless language that it leaves you wondering if the publisher had thrown in a couple of chapters of a P.T. Barnum book to pad it out. Between that and his rushed account of his promoting days, in which the claims were starting to reach outlandish levels (such as the 9'3" giant that wrestled for him), the book ends on a bit of a low note in my opinion, but it's such a different and important slice of wrestling history that I can't not recommend it.

[SpiderJason]

13 hours ago, Michael_3165 said:

Surprised foley didnt fap to it tbh. Send it back covered in Mickster jizz. Ergh. 

What a surprise. This forum continues to be a dumpster fire full of the worst type of 'fans'.

Grow up kid.

[Michael_3165]

1 hour ago, SpiderJason said:

What a surprise. This forum continues to be a dumpster fire full of the worst type of 'fans'.

Grow up kid.

Jesus I was kidding.. Lighten up buttercup 😛

We all found Foley's obsessive friendship w Melinda creepy. 

😛

Edited July 26, 2020 by Michael_3165

[Chris B]

It's still a bit of a dick response to someone talking about the book they edited, especially when it's the only response.

I read Women Love Wrestling a little while ago and enjoyed it. It's hit and miss, but that's to be expected with the sheer variety of writers. There's definitely some good stuff in there, and it's always interesting to read about perspectives different to your own.

[Michael_3165]

Just now, Chris B said:

It's still a bit of a dick response to someone talking about the book they edited, especially when it's the only response.

I read Women Love Wrestling a little while ago and enjoyed it. It's hit and miss, but that's to be expected with the sheer variety of writers. There's definitely some good stuff in there, and it's always interesting to read about perspectives different to your own.

It was a pop at Foley for god sake. What happened to a sense of humour (albeit not great humour but still!) 

It's almost like you guys have to moan about everything said thaat doesn't fit your view... How UKFF of you 😛

[SpiderJason]

33 minutes ago, Michael_3165 said:

It was a pop at Foley for god sake. What happened to a sense of humour (albeit not great humour but still!) 

It's almost like you guys have to moan about everything said thaat doesn't fit your view... How UKFF of you 😛

Michael 

Your 'joke' during a time of great review by the industry following #speakingout revealing huge amounts of abuse aimed at women wrestlers and fans was to imply a much loved and respected man would masturbate over a book that touched on a lot of the same themes and represents a minority group of fans. 

You simply dismissed the book due to it being about women and insulted a legend who has done huge things to support women in the industry and raise money for related charities. 

I have a sense of humour. The book has jokes and dark humour in some chapters about how bad it can be. But your attempt did not work. 

You misfired greatly, revealed a lot about your character and should simply apologise and accept you need to do better. Please reflect on this.

[SpiderJason]

2 hours ago, Chris B said:

It's still a bit of a dick response to someone talking about the book they edited, especially when it's the only response.

I read Women Love Wrestling a little while ago and enjoyed it. It's hit and miss, but that's to be expected with the sheer variety of writers. There's definitely some good stuff in there, and it's always interesting to read about perspectives different to your own.

Thanks Chris

Exactly the right response. And thank you for reading the book. I'm happy you say its hit and miss, I refer to it as a bag of pick and mix sweets! We covered a lot, and some you may not like will have been liked by others, and vice versa. For just £5 you get 300 pages,  so if some did not work for you it's ok to move onto the next chapter.

Your response is appreciated. 

Edited July 26, 2020 by SpiderJason

[AshC]

5 hours ago, Michael_3165 said:

It's almost like you guys have to moan about everything said thaat doesn't fit your view... How UKFF of you 

😛

You're thinking of Twitter.com

UKFF.com is class.

[King Coconut]

I'm with Michael_randomnumber. If we're not allowed to rag Foley then I don't want to be a member here.

[Tommy!]

13 hours ago, King Coconut said:

I'm with Michael_randomnumber. If we're not allowed to rag Foley then I don't want to be a member here.

I'm a huge Foley fan, he's the reason I got into wrestling and his body of work is amazing. That said it doesn't obfuscate the fact he's widely considered a big perv who drools over women in an unpleasant way and is a cheap cunt who'll do anything for money. 

I think the issue here is Michael_3165s joke wasn't very funny, but anyone fighting against popular opinion on foley at this point has a hell of a job because he's spent more time as a dirty letch fawning over women like a desperate teen & moaning about WWE before turning up all smiles when they flash the cash than he did as an amazing wrestling. 

[Michael_3165]

23 hours ago, SpiderJason said:

Michael 

Your 'joke' during a time of great review by the industry following #speakingout revealing huge amounts of abuse aimed at women wrestlers and fans was to imply a much loved and respected man would masturbate over a book that touched on a lot of the same themes and represents a minority group of fans. 

You simply dismissed the book due to it being about women and insulted a legend who has done huge things to support women in the industry and raise money for related charities. 

I have a sense of humour. The book has jokes and dark humour in some chapters about how bad it can be. But your attempt did not work. 

You misfired greatly, revealed a lot about your character and should simply apologise and accept you need to do better. Please reflect on this.

I dont apologise for things I'm not sorry for. I also dont accept lectures from others on doing better. Had I made a joke about sexual violence against women you would have a point. But I was ripping the piss out of a bloke whose behaviour has been creepy. The guy consistently tried to befriend woman half his age. If he was the average Joe people would wonder why he was being such a creep. Because he threw himself off a cage people want to give him a free pass. 

I wasn't condoning sexual violence toward women. You are conflating two very different things. 

I am not in any way implying Foley has done anything wrong but I find him cringy and creepy and have the right to say so. 

I didn't make any reference to the book content as I haven't read it. I wasn't downplaying the act of publishing a book, its a huge achievement and one I couldnt do. I am sure it's a good read but I never said it wasn't. 

Of course you are welcome to your opinion and I will of course bare your concerns in mind when I post the next mildly offensive comment about a multi millionaire w a huge platform.

Edited July 27, 2020 by Michael_3165

[DavidB6937]

I love books.