Mick Foley mit Blog auf tna.com (Sammelthread)

FrozenIce

Gesperrt
TNA veröffnetlichte die Meldung, dass Mick Foley ab nächster Woche einen wöchentlichen einen Blog auf tna.com führen wird. Genaueres wurde noch nicht bekanntgegeben, wir halten euch also auf dem Laufenden.
 
Solche Blogs haben oft sehr interessante Informationen. Es wird wohl eher so ein blog wie der von JR bei der WWE. Aber ich finde es ist ne gute Idee, ich hoffe es wird kein Blog welcher nur in Richtung Werbung und Gimmick geht..
 
Es wird wohl eher so ein blog wie der von JR bei der WWE.
Seh ich auch so;)
Ich finde den Blog von JR eigentlich sehr interessant und ich glaube da vertreten viele Fans auch dieselbe Meinung wodurch der Blog von Mick Foley im Falle einer ähnlichen Gestaltung sicherlich auch sehr gut ankommen würde. Also ich freu mich drauf:D
 
Ich kann meinen beiden Vorrednern nur zustimmen,es gibt oft ziemlich gute News und ich hoffe es wird eine ähnliche Sache wie die WWE Konkurrenz mit Jim Ross,welcher auch ziemlich oft lästert,also da bin ich auch Foley gespannt,wie er das machen wird,werde es mir wohl auch durchlesen,also viel Spaß beim Schreiben und allen hier Viel Spaß beim Lesen!
 
Das ist das gleiche, wie der Blog von JR bei der WWE. Es stehen schon manchmal interessante Sachen drin und vorallem auch lustige. Naja es ist jetzt nichts besonderes, aber trotzdem schön, dass Mick sowas macht!
 
Ich denke das Mick Foley einen Block gut hinkriegen wird. Ich denke das er so wie der von Jim Ross wird. Trotzdem ist es (in meinen Augen) nur eine weitere sache die der WWE ähnelt, wobei ich das in diese fall nicht schlecht finde. Mick Foley ist in meinen Augen auch der richtige Mann für solch einen Blog.
 
Es ist gut dass man Mick Foley auch ausserhalb des Rings, wo er übrigens noch fast alte Frische an den Tag legt, etwas mehr Zeit gibt. Er ist ein guter schreiber und ich hoffe er darf über alles seine persönliche meinung darlegen und muss nicht das schreiben was Dixie und Hogan ihm vorsagen. Das wäre echt schade denn ich würd ganz gern seine Meinung hören. Freu mich schon aufs lesen..
 
Auf tnawrestling.com wurde jetzt die erste Ausgabe des Mick Foley Blogs:''The Foley Files'' veröffentlicht.

Er schrieb:
Hello everybody, and welcome to this first historic edition of "The Foley Files". I will do my besat to make this a weekly web log, and will hopefully do my best as well to do something about my personal dislike for the word "blog". Yes, I know it's the universally accepted word for these things, but using it just kind of makes me feel like I've somehow caved in to modern technology. It's bad enough that I'm actually typing this at a computer keyboard, as opposed to my time honored pen and notebook method...but I will do my very best to fight off the modern vernacular for as long as I can.

Let me make one thing clear from the start, as I embark on this web log journey. Some of you may have heard that I have a new book on the horizon - even if, with a publication date of September 2010, it seems to be WAY off on the horizon. I am largely done with the writing of the book, (with the exception of two really important chapters that I will need to finish before the holidays) and am proud to say that, to this point, all of it was done with pen and paper. That's it - just wanted to quash the rumor going around (perpetuated by JB on Impact) that I was typing it on a computer.

A few years ago, I did a weekly web log for WWE. Most of the time, it felt like a pain in the neck, scribbling away late in the night, trying to beat my deadline. But there were other times when I really felt good about what I wrote, like I was making a difference by having my perspective heard on important issues, whether they were wrestling issues or not. Alot of fans know that I have a variety of interests outside of wrestling. Some fans care about these issues, and some don't..which is fine. It just means that some fans will want to read the occasional web log that is not about wrestling...and some won't. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be involved in a segment on "The Daily Show", where I stuck up for a young boy who was being teased in school for taking a stand on the gay rights issue. I was thrilled to do it,but realized that I had never actually spoken or written about my own personal feelings on that very issue. So I'm going to do just that in a few weeks. Maybe not everyone will agree with me, but at least I'll feel like I'm contributing to the conversation.

Of course, there will be plenty of wrestling news to talk about, especially with the imminent TNA arrival of Hulk Hogan. I've been pretty outspoken on the show about the Hulkster, but his debut will most certainly have people talking, and I have to think that having an icon like Hulk - literally one of the world's most recognizable people - is going to be a positive for TNA and the wrestling world in general. Whether or not his arrival is good for me personally, however, remains to be seen.

Speaking of that book "Countdown to Lockdown" that is off on the horizon...I may have actually written too much. No author wants to get rid of something he's worked hard on, even if getting rid of it is what is best for the book. So, I came up with the idea of taking some of these "Countdown" extras and offering them to wrestling fans on my web log. So check in with me every now and then on tnawrestling.com to see if there is a "Countdown" bonus. With the holidays almost upon us, I hope you enjoy the first of these little extras. Thanks for watching "Impact" every Thursday, and thanks for checking out this initial edition of "The Foley Files". Have a nice day.


Link:
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling On Spike TV! - Mick Foley's Debut Blog: The Foley Files
 
Hier die zweite Ausgabe aus Mick Foleys Blog Foley Files

Remember last week, when I said that in my experience with writing a web log for WWE that many times the experience was a pain in the neck, but that, sometimes I'd write some stuff I could really be proud of? Well, this is part of the first group, the pain in the neck stuff. I'm writing this at about 5:30 in the morning, following a six hour writing session, which was supposed to produce an article for Slate.com. Slate's a great website, one of the most respected out there, but they'd better have some pretty good editors on board to salvage this article. It's not that it's bad - actually, I think it's quite good. It's just four times longer that what they asked for. So, we'll see. I will let you know next week, as Slate was going to post this piece on December 24th or 25th.

I guess I sure picked a bad time to post that initial "Foley Files". I had no sooner put it up when I found out that Umaga had died. I was shocked and saddened and my heart goes out to his family. My wife used to mention what a nice face he had underneath all the make-up. She was right; he was a nice guy. But in that ring, he did wonders with a character that at first looked like it was going to be limiting. I know WWE has to protect themselves from a public relations standpoint, but from a human standpoint, they really should be doing a better job then just the three sentence standard, which always includes the date the deceased was terminated from their contract. I worked there a long time - I know that they're not heartless. But they sure sound that way in cases like this.

Nash sure ran a pretty good show - hope I'm not out of a job. How about that Eric Young interview and facial expressions, or that ODB-Tara match? That's one that will live on in Foley family history, as we were trimming the Christmas tree at the time of the match, so when we look back on our family memories years from now, it will be accompanied by the sights and sounds of an ODB Christmas.

I believe things will really start heating up on Impact, once Jeff Jarrett returns, and once I finally have my face to face with the Hulk. It's about time...brother.

Link:Total Nonstop Action Wrestling On Spike TV! - Mick Foley Blog (12/11): The Foley Files
 
Hey,hier die dritte Ausgabe des Mick Foley Blogs ''Foley Files''.


Hello everyone, and welcome to this edition of "The Foley Files". I guess everyone realizes by now that there is more than one Hulk in the world, and I didn't quite end up meeting the one I'd hoped to. Ironically, Lou Ferrigno was a genuine hero to me back in "The Incredible Hulk" heyday. I had been a huge fan of the comic book for years, and to this day have an extensive collection of Hulk comics, some of them rare and worth a decent amount of money. I even have the Wolverine origin issue, even if I was dismayed to find out I had clipped out a Marvel Value stamp - rendering my copy almost useless to avid collectors. Nonetheless, if some dedicated Hulk fan wants to inquire about purchasing the Hardcore Legend's entire collection, I'm sure we could find a deserving organization to donate the money to. Maybe you could send any inquiries to my myspace page myspace.com/officialmickfoley

Speaking of Official Mick Foley - i's come to my attention that there are a couple of fake Mick Foley characters working the Independent circuit. I understand that these things are just part of how the Indies work, but it's still sad to know that people are being bilked out of their hard-earned money by these guys. So if you see a Nick Foley, or a Dick Foley, know that I don't have any cousins, brothers or nephews who wrestle. I think I'm going to start looking a little more closely at these guys and may have to get a lawyer with a little "cease and desist" order for these faux Foleys.

Well, I may have not found the Hulk I was looking for, but I believe it will only add to the excitement when the other Hulk - Hulk Hogan does show up. It kind of looks like battle lines are starting to be drawn, and it's going to be interesting to see what side of these lines different TNA wrestlers fall on...or what type of new faces Hogan brings with him when he does arrive. Just remember, I've got it on tape with Nash saying he'll quit if Knobbs shows up. Let's see whether or not Kevin is a man of his word when/if that glorious moment should arrive.

It certainly looks like Abyss is fired up for our big match this Sunday. As you can tell, I've had so much on my mind that I haven't been as committed to this match as I should be. So, I'd better figure out how to get in that zone quickly or end up being the guy who doesn't hold up his end of the bargain. I certainly don't want to come home for the holidays in stitches or gauze, but I'd rather be a little worse for the wear than embarrassed that I didn't give my best.

I will be taking a week off from The Foley Files, before coming back strong for the new year. As promised, I will be offering sneak peaks and excerpts from my upcoming book, "Countdown to Lockdown", which I hope you will enjoy when it arrives in September 2010. I am proud to announce that I will be donating 100% of the proceeds from my advance royalties to charitable causes I am involved with - a third of which has arrived and has already been donated. So I don't know whether the world will line up to buy a fourth volume of my memoirs, but I do know the book will help out a lot of people.

Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer) to all...and to all a good night.


Oder hier:Total Nonstop Action Wrestling On Spike TV! - Mick Foley Blog (12/19): The Foley Files
 
Hey,Sorry,dass es erst so spät kommt:
Hier die vierte Ausgabe von Foley Files (31.12.2009)


Here we are - an old year ends, a new year begins, and a new chapter in the history of TNA is about to be written. I think this Monday's live “iMPACT!" has all of us excited, and I am looking forward to a great show, which will hopefully be looked back on as a landmark event for TNA. This live Monday show is a pretty gutsy move; personally, it's not a move I would have made. But great gains are never made without a willingness to take risks, and the truth is, if wresting companies were to rise or fall according to the risks I would have been personally in favor of, there would be no wrestling business as we know it today.

I remember talking to Jerry Jarrett on the phone many years ago, when the concept of TNA as a weekly pay-per-view entity was not even publicly known. Despite what I may have said on a couple of our “iMPACT!” shows last spring, I had always liked Jerry Jarrett, and appreciated the break he gave me in Memphis in 1988 - my first full-time wrestling job. Maybe I didn't enjoy my time in the Memphis territory all that much - a subject I covered in 1999"s "Have a Nice Day" - but I learned a lot, and was always grateful for the experience. I respected Jerry, but I thought this idea of his sounded crazy. I wished him luck and really did hope for the best for him, but the idea of launching a national wrestling promotion seemed like a good way to waste a lot of time and money.

Some time later, when I heard about this Dixie Carter person purchasing the company, I wondered about this woman's mental state. Who would want all the headaches and heartaches that go along with running a full-time wrestling promotion? Well, luckily for everyone - the wrestlers, their families, the millions of people who enjoy TNA around the world, I wasn't the guy calling the shots at those pivotal times. And I didn't call the shot as it pertains to this Monday night. Anyone can see that WWE is taking this move seriously; they have the great Bret Hart hosting, and a lineup that looks stronger than some of their PPV's. Ultimately, it's a difficult decision for wrestling fans to make. Back in the glory days of the Monday night wars, the miracle of digital video recording was either non-existent or in its infancy, (this is a wrestling web-log, not a history lesson) so difficult choices had to made on a weekly basis. This seems like a situation custom made for the Tivo.

Wrestling fans can make up their own minds, but I know I am personally motivated about my upcoming moment in the ring (or backstage, or somewhere) with Hulk Hogan. I know I've been critical of the Hulkster in the past; not just on recent “iMPACT!” episodes, but in books and interviews as well, but as a guy who appreciates the history of our business like I do, I have always looked forward to the prospect of doing business with one of the greatest stars in the history of the business.

Hope you point that remote control our way this Monday night.

Now, on to some sad news.

The wrestling business lost one of its great performers with the passing of Dr. Death, Steve Williams. For those who were fortunate to see Doc in his prime - in Bill Watts old Mid-South/UFC promotion, in early 90's WCW, or especially in late 80's-early 90's All-Japan Wrestling- you know what a huge loss this is. For those of you not as familiar with Doc, take a little time out to see how great some of his classic matches were - especially those with All-Japan. Those were truly some of my favorite matches to watch; by combining a world-class amateur background (an All-American at Oklahoma) with a rugged Bruiser Brodyish propensity for brawling, Doc had some of the wildest, most believable matches of his, or any era. At a certain time, I felt like his singles matches with some of the great stars of All-Japan were the absolute best in the business, even if the "backdrop driver" he used for a finish used to make me jump up out of my chair during late night viewings at my old house in Atlanta.

I only had a chance to actually wrestle Doc on one occasion; a little exercise in pain and fear in Saginaw, Michigan, in early 1990. I happened to be Doc's opponent on an evening where he had received some bad news concerning his contract negotiations with WCW. Eddie Gilbert tried to talk to Doc on my behalf before the match, but I'm guessing it didn't do much good. Anyone looking to see a retrospective of my Mick Foley's greatest offensive moves probably doesn't need to seek out the Saginaw match for their collection. I took quite a pounding in that match, but Doc never forgot it, and he always respected me for taking such a good beating on his behalf.

It was a respect that I was proud, a respect that lasted almost twenty years. I will always remember how well Doc treated me on my one tour of Japan; a time when he and Terry Gordy made up what I felt was the best tag-team in the business. He and Gordy had a thrilling match with Stan Hansen and Danny Spivey to end the tour at a sold-out Budokan show, and even though I was in something of a preliminary match on the show, Doc took the time to watch my match and offer feedback, which I've never forgotten. I dropped a big elbow off the second rope onto either Dory or Terry Funk (my actual first in-ring encounter with the Funker) and came up selling the move big-time, doing what I thought was the best thing to "get over" the pain involved in such a move. But my selling of the move brought about laughter from the Japanese audience. Doc told me to "sell" it stronger. "Brother, you just pulled off a strong move", Doc said. "It' your time to shine! Don't sell weakness...sell the strength!"

When I look back on my career, I so often think of people who took time out of their lives to help me -- to offer encouragement or advice. Doc was one of those guys. The wrestling business lost a hell of a performer with the passing of Steve Williams...and the world lost a hell of a man.

Dawn Marie wrote a very nice piece about Doc, a man she'd come to look at as an inspiration and an angel of sorts. I hope some of you will click onto WrestlersRescue.org to take a look.


Oder Hier:Total Nonstop Action Wrestling On Spike TV! - Mick Foley Blog (12/31): The Foley Files
 
Hallo
Hier zwei Ausgaben,eine vom 7.Januar und die andere vom 14.Januar.

Hello everyone, and welcome to another addition of "The Foley Files", where I either try to come up with interesting perspectives on what has transpired over the last week, raise awareness about certain issues that are important to me, or, occasionally, just fill a little time, because I have a deadline, and nothing much to say. Unfortunately, this particular blog is one of the latter.

But I certainly want to point out what a great time I had at the Westbury show last week. The building was at near capacity, the fans were excited, and most importantly, that Don West smells absolutely tremendous! I really plan on asking Don about his personal grooming habits, because, brother, from cologne, to breath, to the overall essence of his persona, Don West is one fine smelling man. I will actually be seeing Don tomorrow (in the interest of full disclosure, I am writing this right before I head out the door to Johnstown, and it will be posted in two days) and honestly can't wait to smell the guy again. Also, moving on from Don West, the Foley family had one heck of a birthday party for Mick Jr., with the 2,500 in attendance serenading the little guy in a stirring TNA rendition of "Happy Birthday". From now on, I think all of you should think of TNA as the new Chuck E Cheese. Speaking of Mick Jr and Chuck E Cheese, did you know the little guy dropped a deuce ( a number two, a log, a stool, a piece of poop) in one of the tunnels when he was a much younger child? And you thought people ran in terror from that Baby Ruth bar in the pool in "Caddyshack"?

It certainly should be an exciting week for TNA fans at the Impact Zone, as we will have three days of "Impact" tapings following a PPV. This should give us a pretty good indication where a lot of people stand (including me) in the new regime. Definitely exciting, but a little bit worrisome too.

Man, I was really shaken up to hear about the devastation in Haiti. I have met so many wrestling fans who come from Haiti, always so nice and polite, and now their homeland has suffered such a tremendous blow from that terrible earthquake. I did hear about a very easy way to help, though. Apparently, people can just text the word "Haiti" on their cell phones, and when directed, enter the code 90999. A $10 dollar donation to the relief effort will be made immediately, and added to your monthly phone bill. I know things are really tough all over, but this situation in Haiti is about as bad as anything I've ever seen, and I hope that a few of you will try to make a difference.

I'll catch up with you next week on another addition of "The Foley Files". If you will excuse me, I have almost 400 miles to drive.

1/14/10 - Johnstown, Pa. I have just been informed that TNA's very own Awesome Kong will be holding a benefit to raise money for the Haiti earthquake victims. The benefit begins at 10pm at The Midtown Tavern in Harrisburg, Pa. 1101 N 2nd St Harrisburg, Pa. Pedges can be through paypal through the e-mail Wrestlers4Haiti@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and will be forwarded directly to the Red Cross. The fund-raiser can be seen live on Kong's Twitter account. I will be matching all donations up to $2500 (a total of $2500 for me) and one of the British Invasion will take a pie to the face live on Twitter when we reach $500. I am so proud of Kong for organizing this event - I hope some of you can participate.



Hello everyone, and welcome back to another addition of "The Foley Files". It certainly was an exciting week to be part of TNA; a record rating on Spike, a host of surprises, and the type of buzz I haven't felt in the wrestling world in a long time.

I knew there would be some big things in store for fans, but I was astonished to hear that Jeff Hardy was heading our way. I heard the rumor the night before the big show, and felt that if it were to turn out to be true, it would have to be considered among the biggest TNA coups in history; one of the top wrestlers in the business, at the absolute peak of his popularity, joining up with TNA is absolutely huge. Speaking of huge, how about the response in the Impact zone when the Nature Boy emerged from the limo? I'll bet there are some people out there wondering how I personally felt about the arrival of the "Nature Boy" into TNA, given our history. Well, believe it or not, a couple nights after Christmas, I had a phone conversation with Ric Flair, during which I strongly reccomended he make the switch. I'm not sure what difference, if any, my words had, but I think Ric will feel right at home in the "Impact Zone" and on Spike.

For those history buffs out there, this past Monday's show was my first ever on-air interaction with Hulk Hogan, and my first with Scott Hall since we were part of the same team in the imfamous 1991 "Chamber of Horrors" match in WCW. Backstage, there was alot of concern for Hamada after she suffered an ankle injury; it was certainly a tremendous display of courage to complete the match. If I had one fault with the show, it would simply be that there were so many big things happening, so quickly, that I'm not sure our television audience had a chance to digest and appreciate all of them. Hopefully, we will find a way to make the most out of all these big surprises in the upcoming weeks; to continue the momentum that Monday afforded us, and to keep that buzz going.

I appreciated all of the comments I recieved regarding my feelings about the passing of the great "Dr. Death" Steve Williams. It's a shame that more wrestling fans didn't get to see Doc in his prime, or get to meet him during his long battle with cancer - he was truly an inspiration and the definition of a "fighter". I don't often look around the web at wrestling sites, but in attempting to see what was out there about Doc, I did see that one fairly prominent blogger had listed me as his "Disgrace of the Year" for 2009. Look, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have to think that this writer was not fully aware of the implications of using the word "disgrace" to describe my first full year in TNA, especially because it was the same word he used to describe the heinous actions of Chris Benoit in naming him the "Disgrace of the Decade" in the same piece ofwriting. I don't care how "stupid" this blogger thought my storylines were, how "self-indulgent" he found the feuds I participated in to be, how "horrible" he found my humor, or what he thought of my appearance. There is simply NO way that anything I have ever done should put my work in TNA in the same classification as the murders that Chris Benoit was responsible for. For many years, through financial contributions and hundreds (yes, hundreds) of days of volunteer work, I have tried to make a difference in the lives of people facing particularly difficult challenges in life. As a Long Islander like me, this person was surely aware of some of the positive things I have been involved with, and that I should therefore deserve far better than to have the word "disgrace" attached to my name - no matter what this individual thought of my on-air or in-ring performances. I believe I deserve a public apology (on his blog, or through some other forum)...and not one of those disingenuous "I'm sorry if Mick felt offended" apologies either. A real one.

On a happier note, I am glad to report that I have finished the final two chapters of "Countdown to Lockdown". These were the two most important chapers of the book, dealing with my thoughts regarding the deaths of so many young wrestlers, and the use of performance enhancing substances in pro-wrestling and the sports world in general. Hopefully, readers will find these two chapters, as well as the rest of the book, to be insightful and thought provoking.

Thanks for reading - I'll be back in a week with more "Foley Files".
 
Sorry für die Pause.
Ich mache jetzt mit der heutigen Ausgabe von Foley Files weiter und versuche die anderen nachzureichen:

A few weeks ago, in a story I included about Brock Lesnar, I mentioned that I was a UFC fan, but not a big fan. That could probably be misconstrued to seem like I don't like it that much, which is not true. I do like it, and I appreciate it; I just don't know all the guys and am not aware of all the match-ups. I usually know the guys in the big fights, but can't claim to be a true MMA or UFC fanatic. To tell you the truth, I'd never even heard of Chael Sonnen before this past Saturday. But after attending UFC 109 in Las Vegas, I don't think I'll ever forget him or Nate Marquardt, and the incredible battle they waged in front of a mesmerized crowd at the Mandelay Events Center.

I was fortunate that Spike took such good care of me; seating me in the second row, directly behind UFC fighters Frank Mir and Rashad Evans. This was only the third fight I'd attended live, but I am always grateful for the treatment I receive from the UFC guys. I always wonder, coming from a pro-wrestling background, what the guys will think of me when I show up, but they are always great, treating with respect - sometimes even going out of their way to say hello to me. Watching this classic fight behind Mir and Evans gave me extra perspective into the in-ring goings on, and it was clear how special the fighters themselves saw this battle as being. Anyone who has read any of my stuff knows what a huge fan of the movie "Rocky" I am, and after watching both Sonnen and Marquardt give and take more than could be expected from any human being, I kept thinking back to the end of that first "Rocky" bout between Balboa and Creed, where the ring announcer/promoter speaks of witnessing the "greatest display of stamina and guts in the history of the ring". It was that good, that moving. Hopefully some of you will get a chance to see it. And hopefully I can channel some of that stamina and guts into one of my matches, hopefully Sunday against the Monster Abyss, just as a way of giving a little more when it seems that the giving is all gone. Not that I would ever want anyone to take the incredible punishment either one of those guys did, but there has to be inspiration that can be drawn from that type of courage and applied to any facet of life. Incredible.

I attended the UFC show with Bruce "Brother Love" Pritchard, after completing our comedy show at the Las Vegas Hilton, in the same theatre where Elvis used to hold court for several weeks at a time. Granted, there were a few more people in the seats when The King did his thing, but there was still a decent number of people out there - 400 or so, though it looked like a much smaller number, the way people were scattered throughout the big theatre. It wasn't the sharpest I'd been, possibly because I reworked about 80% of what I was going to say after finding out it was for fans of all ages, possibly because I was tired from the 17 hours of travel required to get me to the Hilton, or possibly because some nights you have it...and sometimes you don't. All in all, still a good time, though I will do my best to make sure I am sharper and more focused next time. For those of you interested in checking out one of my comedy dates, please check the schedule at the end of this blog.

Speaking of comedy, Bruce and I just missed out on seeing Jon Stewart live. We bailed out of the UFC show just as it ended, and made it to The Mirage at 10pm, just as Stewart hit the stage - but much to our disappointment, the show was completely sold out - a fact that not even 3 or 4 hard working and well meaning Mirage box-office workers were able to reconcile. A day later, I was at a cool little Super Bowl party with my old friend Christy Canyon, and the owner of Lucky Jeans, which I have since learned is my wife's favorite line of clothing. So, she kind of went from, "oh, so you were hanging out with Christy?", to "do you think he will give us a deal?" in a matter of seconds.

As I mentioned last week, I am including an outtake from my upcoming book "Countdown to Lockdown" in this blog. While writing the book, I put together stories about several of the celebrities/politicians/athletes/people of interest that I have had occasion to meet, in a chapter I called "Namedropping". I thought this chapter would make a fine edition to the "Lockdown" memoir, but unfortunately, at 25,000 words, it was almost like a book unto itself, and kind of took readers way off the course I had previously been charting. So, we did a little whittling - working a few of these stories into the booking, while leaving many of them on the literary chopping block. The following story is one of these. Consider it a "Countdown to Lockdown" bonus.

Ronan Tynan - World renowned Irish tenor. I had words with the Irish tenor a year ago. Of all places to have words with Ronan Tynan, a fundraiser at "Abilities" in Albertson, New York, formerly, "The Natural Center for Disabilities" seemed like a strange one.
Every year, Abilities puts on a great show choreographed by former Olympic skater Jo Jo Starbuck and some of her friends from Broadway. I had detailed my experiences in the 2006 show for "The Hardcore Diaries" which is where my problems with the tenor apparently began.
Backstage at the 2008 event, all of the sports celebrities were given a name tag before the cocktail hour, easing conversation between paying guests and celebrities who might not be as instantly recognizable as a Jack Nicholas or a Jim Brown, or a Frank Gifford, or any number of instantly recognizable sports figures I'd met during my affiliation with Jo Jo and the show. For example, even with the benefit of name tags, former ECW mainstay Nunzio (with the assist of a white lie from Tommy Dreamer) mistook diminutive figure skater Scott Hamilton for pro-hockey hall of famer Rod Gilbert, extending a hand to Hamilton, saying "Hey, Rod, big Rangers fan; grew up idolizing you."
Tynan was walking around, shaking hands, introducing himself, using the handy name tags to be as personable as possible.
"Hi Mick," he said. "Nice to meet you." Before squinting his eyes and pulling away just slightly; recoiling like a cobra from its prey, right before that final lethal strike.
"So you're Mick Foley" he said, Irish brogue heavy, dander up, apparently upset about something I couldn't even guess at.
"Yes, I'm Mick Foley, three time World Champion, two time New York Times #1 best-selling author."
Tynan glared at me, his eyes a mask of contempt. At first he said nothing, letting his expression do his talking. And his expression said he was Ronan Tynan, he'd sold millions of albums, he'd sung at Yankee Stadium, and at the 80th birthday celebration of former President George H. W. Bush, and at the sacred union of New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his third wife, Judith Nathan.
Finally he spoke. "I heard you took a shot at me."
"A shot?" I asked.
"You heard me - you took a shot - you said I ruined the entire show last year."
You know, come to think of it, I did say Ronan ruined it last year. As a matter of face, here's a direct quote from "The H.C. Diaries":
The show, as usual, was a blast, even if someone forgot to tell Irish tenor Ronan Tynan that the adults are supposed to embarrass themselves with bad acting, humiliating costumes, and Ashley Simpson-esque lip-synching. So instead, Tynan went out there and had to ruin it with "God Bless America" and some Rogers and Hammerstein tune that wowed the crowd. How the hell was I going to follow that with a bald wig and some overacting worthy of Vince McMahon?

I told Ronan that I was pretty sure it was a misunderstanding; that given the context it was in, Tynan would actually see it as a compliment. But looking at that quote now, I guess I could have been a little clearer about it.
Although the night progressed without further incident, I couldn't shake the sneaking suspicion that Ronan Tynan didn't like me and that he wouldn't particularly care to be in another one of my books. You know what, I'm going to honor that implied wish. Ronan Tynan will absolutely not be in any of my books…after this one.
 
Oben