man of 10000 holds's blog

We lost one of the all-time greats today. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan was the best because he could do EVERYTHING: a manager and part-time wrestler you hated as a kid but revered as an adult. A color commentator who provided a wealth of ring knowledge and an unmatched sense of humor with impeccable timing. He was a major voice of the sport (and shows) we have loved for eternity. It seemed his talents were endless. He was tailor-made for pro wrestling.

I met him on August 8, 1997 (a day I will never forget). I had the chance to tell him I had been a fan of his since my childhood. He was a big part of our local pro wrestling in the 60's and 70's (he got his start right here in Indianapolis). He was gracious and very funny. I have a photo of the two of us. That is one of my absolute favorites. He gave me and my soon-to-be sparring partner WCW Nitro caps. After that first meeting, we saw him in-person every time he came to Indy. We even saw him in Cincinnati on the night Rick Rude surprised everyone (he had appeared on a WWF show the night before). Every encounter was amazing. I could not believe that I actually knew Bobby Heenan.

Take a look at his work. You will smile (probably laugh, too). He made our favorite sport so entertaining.

In life, everyone has benchmarks. The life-changing events that affect us the most are the ones that we remember vividly, down to the exact date. Some of my wrestling benchmarks:

8/7/1997.....The day I met Bobby Heenan and decided to become a pro wrestler. I also came together that day with my wrestling workout/training partner, Kyle. We became THE JOCKS. Yes, we remain the greatest tag team of all time. :)

2/5/2000.....My first real pro match (GXW–Rossville, GA). I defeated my friend Kyle in a twelve minute match in front of 100 fans. Afterward, we both cried like babies backstage. We worked hard to get to that point.

2/15/2000.....I became the host of a weekly pro wrestling show airing in GA and eastern AL. Working with an Indie pro group was amazing. Those were some of the best days of my life.

Last night, I had a life benchmark. My Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series. Those who don't follow baseball will never understand my excitement. My wrestling friends all know how I feel this morning. I wondered if it would ever happen. Certainly a range of emotions.

Now that I can say "World Series Champion Chicago Cubs", I can concentrate on my other life passion: my love of wrestling. Opponents BEWARE!!

When I am looking for new opponents, an important consideration is their choice of gear. Just look at the pics on this website and you will experience so many styles and different choices. My personal preference has always been pro trunks (or Speedos) with kneepads and boots. I do have two singlets but rarely wrestle in them. If I did, I would probably wear a pair of my trunks underneath (that's in case my singlet is forcibly removed during a match). I have always been comfortable in my trunks; many of you have commented about the cut/ fit and color of my trunks (especially the yellow ones). When I first bought the yellow ones, I had no idea they would cause such a reaction. Since almost everyone was wearing black, I just wanted something a bit different. I guess it worked. I must admit that I am drawn to the guys who dare to wear colorful trunks.

I understand that some are much more comfortable wearing a singlet or perhaps shorts, maybe even tights. If that is your preference, then that is what you should wear. I am turned completely off by the pics of guys in their underwear. I will not wrestle a guy who wants to wear his underwear for a match. For that reason, I have always kept so many extra trunks in all sizes. But it makes me wonder....if you are not willing to get at least one bit of wrestling gear, then how serious are you??

My friend "Iron Cross" Hughes once told me, "If you look like a wrestler (in gear), you will act and think like a wrestler." I continue to live by those words.

Two of the most-used words on this or any wrestling personals website are "jobber" and "heel". There are the guys who call themselves "jobbers" who really just want to absorb a beating. They will offer little (if any) fight. They are punching bags and tackling dummies. There are guys who call themselves "heels" who expect to win EVERY time, so they look for people they can overwhelm; the ones who are passive and do not fight back. The best wrestlers are the ones in the middle–they win and they lose.

During my pro training, I learned that it was more fun to have a great match. Matches were dictated by the current storyline and I might not always agree with the intended outcome, but there was such a great feeling of accomplishment when you knew you had just completed a great match. I quickly learned to visualize what worked and what did not. I played up my opponent's strengths and took joy in "putting him over" in a way that still kept me looking competent. Isn't that what a "jobber" should do? As a young wrestling fan, I watched Dick The Bruiser every Saturday on our local pro wrestling show. There was no one more intimidating, no one tougher (after all, he was known as "The World's Most Dangerous Wrestler"). When he did his TV promos, he growled and snarled for the entire segment. He always appeared to be angry and ready for blood. Yet, for many of his big matches he would put over his opponent. There was a period in the early 70's when it seemed he did not win for months. Hmmmmmmm......did that mean that Dick The Bruiser was a "jobber"?? Hardly. He was still the toughest, meanest guy in the ring.

My profile does not indicate my "heel" or "jobber" status. If you wrestle me you will get everything I have. We will go back and forth; I will win and you will win. We will pin and submit each other. That's why I still enjoy this after 21 years. I hope you enjoy it (and get as much out of it) as I do.

Several of my close wrestling friends had begged me to join Meetfighters. I had resisted because I was already on a site and did not want to go any further. After losing access to the other site, I gave in and joined recently. My profile has been very busy for the brief time here. Reconnecting with great wrestlers from my past, and making new contacts and eventual opponents....Isn't that why we all flock to a site like this??

I love the layout; everything is easily accessed. I am still adding to my profile and I have not found all of my old contacts/wrestling buddies (but I will). I guess I had imagined I had reached a point where people would not want to wrestle me anymore. Once I joined Meetfighters, I dropped that attitude almost immediately. When you look at my Interest Groups, you will see "Older Fighters....." That is my attitude and I am glad to experience so many guys who feel the same way. Yes, I have slowed a bit; I am not same guy in the videos from a few years ago, but I am now smarter and craftier. This website gives me the opportunity to use my "21 glorious years" in wrestling to the fullest.

Like the title says, Meetfighters has been a "Shot in the Arm".