I think we all can identify someone in our lives (maybe its ourselves), whose actions dont seem to agree with their words. I'm not talking about the relfexive non-verbal communication that indicates someone is lying, but rather -- when they make a public declaration that they're going one direction, but their actions convey something else entirely.
Think about the folks who say - this year, I'm going to get in shape. Lots of folks make that promise, but when they make that declaration while they're scarfing down fries and a shake at the food court, you've got a pretty good idea where that's going. I'm sure that each of us could list a dozen examples, or publicly "out" someone for their bullshit.
For me, I am more frustrated when I see this in my business. Frequently, I see examples of this at two levels - from wrestlers and from promoters. Maybe others in this business have seen this too.
During my career, I have lost count of the number of guys that have TOLD me that they are serious about this business. Among students that I have worked with, my most common response to this is "Don't TELL me, SHOW me." You know what? Only a very few actually do. When I think back to when I was breaking into the business, I was working as a night janitor at Brandon's Keystone Centre. To make my wrestling dates meant getting out of work an hour early, hopping on a Greyhound bus to Winnipeg, setting up the ring at 10 o'clock, training all afternoon, wrestling my match (for no pay), tearing down the ring, then catching the last bus out of Winnipeg back to Brandon to start work two hours late. I did that for six months - not missing a single show, and not being late once.
When it looked like there would be an increased schedule for me, I left a guaranteed spot in the union (and those union guys in that place were among the laziest bastards I have ever met) and full job security for the rest of my life to live in a shitty apartment in downtown Winnipeg and wrestle at venues all around Winnipeg to learn as much as I could and get as much ring time as I could. Guys will tell you, I was always looking for new opportunities and seeking out chances to learn from new talent and improve myself.
It frustrates the hell out of me when I am asked for advice (or offer it freely without it being solicited) and I tell guys, "If you're serious about this business, the path you should consider is ... " and then that advice is either ignored, or directly contradicted. I have always been "pro talent", meaning, I will give a wrestler advice based on what I feel is best for them as an individual -- this often gets me heat with promoters, who might be pushing a different agenda which best addresses their business goals. I look at it this way: If I was going to ask someone advice, I would seek out guys that know that topic. If I wanted to answer a question on tax regulations - I might get in touch with an accountant; if I wanted to know about buying into a fast food franchise - I'd talk to someone that had done this successfully; if I want to make money in the wrestling business - I'm going to seek out someone that has had more success than me. Not only will I seek them out, but I'll also be taking notes and applying that advice.
A guy who helped me out a lot in this business is Eddie Watts. The first time I met him, he was involved in giving me one of the most severe stretchings of a green guy in history. However, over time, when he saw that I was committed to the business, he opened some doors for me, but also let me know that there were no hand outs in this business. There was hard work involved, and it pushed me to hit the gym harder, to push myself in the ring, and to think bigger than here and now. I think the most important thing that Eddie taught me is that as much as a promoter may seem to have your best interests at heart - the only person you can count on in this business is yourself, so always keep YOUR business in mind first, then consider how that can support what anyone else wants from you.
Are you serious about this business? If you are, how are you demonstrating that to those around you? How are you showing the industry that you deserve the respect that you feel you are owed? What are you doing to guarantee that this business takes you seriously?
My favorite discrepancy between what wrestlers say and do comes when I hear: "My goal is to wrestle for the WWE some day". Oh yeah? What are you doing to work toward that goal? You haven't taken any bookings outside a 50 kilometre radius of your home town in five years, you haven't seen the inside of a gym in longer than that, and I doubt that you have even contacted that company with your promotional package. How are you working toward that goal? Nobody can book you if they don't know that you exist and that you're interested to advance. There's tons of guys on the independents who are apparently working toward that WWE dream -- in reality, less than a dozen guys are making a serious effort or even have a shot.
Oh, promoters ... I haven't forgotten about you. (Here's where Vance Nevada's bookings take a nose dive, up and comers. Here's some more free advice -- learn from my BAD example here, don't bite the hand that feeds you.)
One of my favorites is when I hear new promoters say: "We want to take the business in a different direction in this market and do something that's never been done before." Sounds great ... but what does that mean? In many cases, they're running the same venue that has already been run before, using the same talent that people have already seen a million times, and the only difference is really WHO is being showcased atop the card, not WHAT they're presenting. Let me tell you, I have seen these ego-driven projects launched a lot (and may be guilty of this myself) ... most have crashed and burned. Maybe the market doesn't need something different, they just need something solid - credible wrestlers, a solid marketing strategy, and a choice venue in a good neighborhood with good access and parking.
What about when a promoter says: "Our company is committed to put on the best possible shows for our fans" then follows this up by using guys that nobody has ever heard of. I mean, being in the business I like to think that I have a good sense of who's who in the market, but when I see a show where I don't recognize a single name on the card -- get real. When I have seen some webcasts of these shows later on, GOOD GAWD! These shows are terrible and you're killing towns. If you are representing that these are the "best possible" shows independent wrestling has to offer, no wonder the business can't get a foothold on progress.
Don't get me wrong, there are some pretty good promoters in western Canada, and I am pleased to say that I have had the opportunity to work for most of them, on repeat occasions (so maybe I'm not that much of a dick after all). I appreciate the dedication and balls that it takes to assume the responsibility to run an on-going wrestling program and assume the financial risks and potential liabilities that go along with that - especially for those promoters flying without a net and are running without liability insurance. The passion that some of these guys have for the business is truly inspiring and their vision is commendable.
Perhaps my all time favorite contradiction from promoters, though is: "You're a valuable member of our team and we appreciate the work that you do for this organization. We have big plans for you." Oh really? Big plans? Sounds exciting ... but wait a minute, how come I don't see any bookings beyond the end of this month (or at all in some cases). I guess I should just hang out and wait by the phone until the plan unfolds? Please ... shoot it to me straight, I'm not eight years old, if you don't have any interest, I can handle that. There's a ton of talent right now on the independent scene, many of which are less keen to their business that will probably give you much more for much less, I see that every day. Don't blow smoke up my ass.
Promoters, when your actions contradict your words, this is what inspires rumbling in the locker room and reflects how your talent speaks about you and your organization when they're asked. That might start like "It's a pretty good company, and I like working there, but ..." In the independent wrestling world where there are no contracts, all we have is our word.
Is there a point to all of this? Maybe not, maybe I'm just cranky today. But one might wonder - when someone starts their day apparently burning bridges and pissing off their peers, what could that guy's goal be? Quite simply, I recognize that at this stage in the game -- unless the business starts to make some progress on that comeback that is long overdue, it's time for a guy like me to get serious about being part of the business, or get ready to look beyond the ring career. If I leave the business tomorrow, what have I done to ensure that those who follow in this business behind me think about the BUSINESS of wrestling? Have I given people something to think about to help them avoid common mistakes that kill careers before they can get off the ground?
The wrestling business is a great one, for those who are respectful of the culture and appreciate the grand tradition of our industry. We all play a part in ensuring that we leave the business in better shape than when we found it. What do your actions say about you in your business?
Vance Nevada