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Foley's Right to Write

Posted: Mar 4th 2007 By: CMBurnham

Chronicling his 2006 comeback to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), best-selling author and former world champion Mick Foley wrote Hardcore Diaries.

The book is a follow-up to his two acclaimed autobiographies -- Have a Nice Day and Foley Is Good.

Foley received the idea for writing the book in February 2006 from WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, who felt readers enjoyed Foley's unique perspective and way of telling stories of life on the road.

With a vote of confidence from the big boss, Foley went to work writing in real-time.

''I can't imagine a more in-depth sports or entertainment book,'' said Foley during a phone interview after volunteering with the Meals on Wheels organization.

``Memories can vary, and in this case, I'm writing it down immediately after it happened. It details my last comeback in about a six-week period.''

Three Nights in August, a book by Buzz Bissinger focusing on the players and coaches in a three-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and rival Chicago Cubs helped Foley conceptualize the path of his story.

''I get the feeling that people really like it, but people within the company are not happy with some of things I said about WWE,'' said Foley. ``I was actually surprised that all of it got through. At one point in the book I even speculate if it would even be published at all.

``Literally I was [only] asked to change one line, and that didn't have anything to do with the story or characters. So I was lucky that Vince McMahon believed it was my right to tell the story as I saw fit.

``Despite the fact that the story I document didn't have a happy ending for me, this was something I felt passionate about. In retrospect, while things didn't go as I hoped, it made for a more interesting book because who wants to read about success and happiness when you have a catastrophic creative failure on your hands.''

In addition to his literary projects, Foley enjoys giving advice to young talent whenever he makes appearances for WWE. He gets involved with guys who may benefit from the experience of being in the ring with him.

The on-the-job training Foley and other veterans provide are essential in today's wrestling landscape.

''For a guy breaking in today, there is far less opportunity to earn a living,'' said Foley, whose contract allows him to pursue outside projects and wrestle a few times a year as long as it's for WWE.

``Certainly for a select few guys there is an opportunity to make a lot more money than they ever could in the past.

``One time there were 32 full-time wrestling territories in the United States alone, and now I think there are four. So it's harder for guys to break in.

``Unfortunately when they get to WWE, they don't have the benefit of really learning the ropes for several years. They're making their mistakes on the big stage. Sometimes you don't have a second chance to make a first impression. So I'm glad I came up the way I did and made my biggest mistakes in smaller areas.''

When it comes to the grass-roots approach of succeeding in the wrestling business, Foley believes it's the small things outside the ring which can make the difference.

''One thing I'm pretty outspoken about in this book is the need for the wrestlers to do their own thinking when it comes to connecting with the fans via interviews,'' said Foley. ``They need to really feel the character. I think that sometimes they get by with a slick presentation without a lot of substance or heart to it.

``Again, that goes back to experience and learning the ropes and coming up the old-fashioned way.''

Between Foley's stints in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and WWE, he honed his interviewing skills with the original ECW. Last summer, Foley provided some of the star power when WWE launched a new brand under the ECW banner.

''It's been kind of a rocky road [for ECW],'' said Foley. ``I think that pay-per-view in December really hurt, but at the same time it helped people identify that there was a problem that needed to be fixed.

``So I still enjoy the show to tell the truth. It would not have worked nearly as well as a nostalgia trip. I think they are doing a good job incorporating the younger talent with the newer ones, but it still certainly is a work in progress.''

As the new ECW continues to evolve, one superstar Foley helped reach the top of the sports entertainment mountain is Edge.

The two provided a number of well-received segments when Foley served as on-screen commissioner in 2000. Last year, Edge and Foley battled in a fierce rivalry, capping off at last year's WrestleMania.

After their encounter, the two formed a tag team to compete against Foley's childhood idol and friend Terry Funk and ECW original Tommy Dreamer.

''It was really a pleasure to watch Edge this past year,'' said Foley. ``He really hit his stride and just seems to be clicking on all cylinders. He is one of the most mesmerizing jerks you'll ever see on television.

``He wasn't just acting like a jerk. He was feeling it, when he was out there. I asked him about it, and he said that he ultimately wanted to be a guy with no redeeming qualities, which is quite an aspiration.''

Following the WrestleMania match with Edge, Foley had the idea of building the match as the greatest hardcore match in wrestling history. Considering his history of barbed wire brawls, thumbtacks and exploding death matches, the statement became the talk of the wrestling community.

''The funny thing is Edge and I conducted a campaign to make people think that it was one of the greatest matches of all time,'' said Foley.

``I told him about my goal and said to him that I can almost guarantee you that if each of us says that this match was the greatest hardcore match of all time, if we say it three times each, 90 percent of the people will believe it that way.

``Unfortunately, people are accepting of things that are repeated over and over.''

Foley set the record straight.

''No. I don't think it was the greatest match of either of our careers,'' said Foley. ``I think it was good and did a lot for both of us, but to say it was one of the greatest matches of all time would probably be exaggerated.''

One thing not exaggerated was his problems with Ric Flair. The Nature Boy took offense to Foley's negative comments concerning Flair's treatment of Foley during his time in WCW in his Have a Nice Day autobiography.

Flair responded negatively in his own book in 2004. Years of hostility were used in an on-screen feud between the two legends.

''I think it [Flair program] went pretty good,'' said Foley. 'I think the stuff we did building the match was really memorable. I say in the book I wish I could have brought my A game to Boston for SummerSlam. Ric did bring his A game, and I guess I left mine home. It was still a very good match, but not one that lived up to fans' expectations.

``I doubt we'll ever send Christmas cards. However, I actually gave him a call a couple of weeks ago when I thought something he did on TV was really good, and I do believe he appreciates that.''

Reflecting on his career, Foley worked with many stars. Two of them passed away recently -- Bam Bam Bigelow and Mike Awesome.

''I went to Bam Bam's wake and told his mom the thing I'll remember the most about Bam Bam is that he was nice to me when he was a big star, and I wasn't,'' said Foley.

``That is how I measure people is how nice they are when they don't need to be. So I didn't know Bam Bam that well, although I did know him for a long time, I did like him.

``I didn't know Mike Awesome that well, either, but I did like him as well. I thought one match we were in together, as I think teammates, in a wild Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling [FMW] brawl that he was the guy who stole the show. I will freely admit that, even though I was part of that match.''

As Foley embarks on a promotional tour for his new book being released March 6, he looks at potential opponents for the future upon his return.

''I've got a couple of ideas,'' said Foley. ``It would be nice and suggested to me that I can have a knock-out, drag-out brawl with Umaga. I can possibly settle a score with Melina vicariously through Johnny Nitro, and I'd love to beat up Vince McMahon.''

Who wouldn't?

``I know I'll be there during [WrestleMania] weekend, but as of now, I don't have an official role in the show, but I plan on enjoying all the trappings surrounding Mania. As I told Vince McMahon, I can't steal the show every year. We'll give someone else a chance to do it this year.''

Mick Foley's Hardcore Diaries hits stores on Tuesday, March 6.

Foley, who is working on a television project, was told a major actor is interested in playing the lead role in the adaptation of his novel Tietam Brown.

WWE announced Foley will appear on Monday Night Raw and the SmackDown! tapings following WrestleMania 23. He will be in Dayton, Ohio on April 2 and Fort Wayne, Ind. on April 3.