• Look Back In History
• Pmessages
• Quiz
• Stump The Staff
• Top Fifty
• Close

A letter to the wrestling business

Posted: Feb 27th 2009 By: mikeiles

The following was taken from the MySpace blog of former professional wrestler Brad Michaels. The views and opinions expressed in this blog is that of Brad Michaels only and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of anyone on the staff at Oklafan.com. The blog is reprinted with permission from Brad Michaels.

First, I must admit that I have watched the VH1 show "Confessions of a Teen Idol." On one episode, one of the "Idols" wrote a letter to the entertainment industry. I was compelled to write a letter to the wrestling business. I am also interested to see if any of you who are also in the business, would be willing to or interested in writing a letter to the business as well. In fact, I dare you! Come on, do it!

Dear Wrestling Business,

How do I even begin to talk to you about the last 10 years we have spent together? You have given me so much, and yet you have also taken so much away from me.

You have given me a small level of fame & notoriety. You have given me self confidence. You have given me the respect and admiration of many of my peers.

You have given me paranoia. You have given me a bad attitude. You have given me numerous aches and pains, which plague me on a daily basis. You have given me time away from my family and a mate who doesn't always understand why I sometimes lose track of time and don't mind being away.

You have given me a purpose. You have given me a feeling of accomplishment and self worth. You have given me memories and stories to last three lifetimes.

So many things gained. So many things lost.

I can honestly say that I have the greatest friends in the world. The best friends that anyone in this world could ever hope for. I have met a ton of great people in this business. Althought I may not see many of them very often these days, if I saw them tomorrow, it would be like I never left. People like Paul Lewis, Joey Corman, Mike Paige, & Epi. If I saw them tomorrow, I would relive the glory days.

Then there are the new guys who I have taken under my wing. Guys who have looked up to me. Guys that it has been my pleasure to help along the way. Guys like Nathan Sensation, Randy Price, Jermaine Johnson, & Dustin Heritage.

Then there are the friends that I will have for a lifetime. Friends that I can share my most personal thoughts with, & look at them without fear of judgement. Friends that truly understand me. Friends like Gary Tool, Bernie D, Jim & Mary, Rob, Holly, James, George, John O'Malley, Tyler, Ruby, & Seth.

There are the friends who I really enjoy being around, and think we would be better friends if we were around each other more--Barry, Kenny, Ray Martinez, & Johnny Walker.

There are friends who I have drifted apart from, some of which I would one day like to reconnect, some of which I am done with. BB, John W, Steven Jones.

Through this business, I have traveled the country. I have wrestling in the famous ECW Arena. I have been recognized as a champion several times over. I have worked with tons of wrestling stars--Honky Tonk Man, Kamala, the Nasty Boys, Greg Valentine, Terry Gordy, Norman Smiley, Rodney Mack, Jake Roberts, Jimmy Snuka, Sabu, Blue Meanie, Sandman, CM Punk, Colt Cabana, Luna Vachon, the Hardy Boyz, Michael Hayes, Viscera, Disco Inferno, Gangrel, Konnan, Stevie Ray, Crowbar, Abdullah the Butcher, Dustin Rhodes, Zach Gowen, Insane Clown Posse, Dusty Rhodes, Vader, Jerry Lawler, Al Snow, DDP, One Man Gang, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed, Sherri Martel, & Ricky Morton.

All of these things you have given to me.

I suppose all that you have taken from me is my health and my youth. Now, not being in the business, I have lost my creative outlet, my passion, my desire.

Ol' Rasslin Bidness, we are and will forever be, thick as thieves. Why? Because of the sickness. The sickness that will never go away. But that isn't necesarrily a bad thing. I love you, wrestling business. I don't want to imagine what my life would have been without you.

Take care,
Bad Brad

Tags: Brad Michaels, Paul Lewis, Nathan sensation, Randy Price, Jermaine Johnson, Dustin Heritage, Gary Tool, Bernie D, John O'Malley, Ray Martinez, Johnny Walker, ECW, Honky Tonk Man, Kamala, Greg Valentine, Terry Gordy, Jake Roberts, Michael Hayes, Abdullah t