No, no, no. This article isn't a story about how I give everybody that will listen, and even those that don't, advice in this sport of sports. But rather a few stories about some small but really helpful tidbits I have been imparted with by my peers. Remember my golden rule in wrestling.. consider the source!
"The Trendsetter" Jon Michael....um, um... excuse me... Jon Michael Worthington and I have known each other since elementary school. I'm a few years older than he but we always shared a common bond with pro wrestling. So much in fact that we actually had our first match against one another. We were just two, young, green guys trying to get our foot in the door. Memphis Championship Wrestling, whom was a developmental territory at the time, gave us our first break and our first match.
We were of course very nervous but we did very well execution wise. Neither of us fully understood the real concept of who's a baby and who's a heel. After the show, William Regal came over to myself and another friend, who he thought was Jon Michael, and explained to me that I needed to kick out strong. I was doing a Ric Flair near fall for every pin and it looked weak. Great advice and some I pass on to this day. Two people in the MCW locker room talked to us that night, Regal and Reckless Youth, I've always respected both men for taking the time to encourage us, never got a chance to thank them. Maybe one day we'll cross paths again, so I can do so properly.
Alan Steele is guy that started a few years before me. If I had to pick a guy that I think should have a contract right now, Alan would be on a very short list of those I respect enough to have that spot. Alan and I, I think, have always had a good, mutual respect relationship. We never really critiqued each other but one time I came to the back and Alan said "When you throw a clothesline and someone ducks, you are throwing the same clothesline every time." It looked choreographed and he was right. That was just one of those bad habits you can pick up without paying attention. A problem that I fixed, another great piece of advice.
Now not all the advice is good advice or warranted either. I had someone pick apart my match from start to finish. I'm not thinned skinned, I welcome advice/opinion from just about anyone. I love to hear people's thought process when it comes to wrestling. I knew the story I told in this particular match was the right one to tell and was vindicated by the reaction of the crowd, I might had listened to the critique of this person if it wasn't for the fact I had seen them do/tell the exact same story I did a few weeks prior.
On the surface, advice and $1 can buy you a cup of coffee. Its what you do with advice once you receive it. Is it in one ear, out the other? Or do you let it fester on you and diminish your own self worth? Do you take it constructively and apply the knowledge you have been granted? Any of these are acceptable as long as you consider the source, I promise.
