I’ve already mentioned I’m a wresting fan. That’s only the half of it. When I was growing up, I used to want to be a wrestler and do what the Hulk Hogans and Ric Flairs do on TV. That is… all the way up until my first training session. Wrestlers get hit, and when they do, they fall down. The best thing you can learn to do for yourself is learn how to fall. The trainer instructed me. And when it was my turn, I was more than willing to compromise this aspiration. I had already put aside being a superhero early on in my childhood, so this was not a big letdown.
Other than wrestling, and walking to the ring with wrestlers as a manager-type (which is actually what I was preparing to do in said training session), there were only a handful of things left to do. The first couple I crossed off my list were being a runner and making sure there was communication between those in the main area of the venue and those in the back. I was also the sound guy for a show or two, playing entrance music.
Finally, I got asked to ring announce and do live commentary for a show. I was nervous at first, but slowly adapted to the role. This is where I began to grow in my journey in professional wrestling, and what I kept doing for five years. In addition to commentating, I was also involved on the creative side of things, as well as webmaster for both my own and the company’s websites. I also made the flyers for the shows, got us radio time on both my own weekly program and another station–the second station being an idea I had, but totally out of my control whether or not it happened.
After the company I stayed grounded in was sold, I began to go a couple hours out of my way for other shows. I kept this up for a year and 10 months, commentating for two companies towards the end. I also managed to get involved with the creative side of things with one.
Then, almost overnight, I lost my passion for what I was doing. It was in the Fall of 2005 that I was putting a lot of things in perspective. I went through just about everything I did and determined whether I ever asked God if I should be doing it or not. I was also beginning to really mature spiritually, and needed to be away from an environment that could have been potentially harmful to me. The latter two explanations were not as blunt as the first sentence though: I simply lost my passion–or at least shifted it to where it belonged from the start.
The above is a tricky paragraph to write. Is commentating a sin? Is wrestling a sin? No. However, I learned that it was a god I was putting before my God. I even talked to one of my friends who wrestled for a Christian organization at the time, and told him where I was at. It wasn’t a matter of me turning on the industry, but I just didn’t have the desire for it anymore. I told him that I won’t say I’ll never do it again. I really believed that. I believed that God would give me the passion back if He desired, but it was under Him now.
After I left wrestling, I commentated two more shows five and six months later after being asked to by a friend. It was his last match, and he wanted me to be there for it. Since said “last match” got pushed back another month, one show turned into two. Now, last matches in wrestling are usually as definite as the last time you get fast food from somewhere because they got your order wrong in that you normally go back, but some “last matches” have more of a sentimental value than others.
In commentating these two shows, I enjoyed myself both times, but my heart wasn’t in what I was doing.
Almost three years later, I get a call from the owner of the old company I was in the longest, asking me if I want to ring announce an upcoming show. This is after months now of having an itch to do this one more time. Finally, here’s my chance. At first I wasn’t sure, due to my work schedule. But the more I got to talking and listening, the more I was sold on one more “one more show.” That’s why on Thursday, February 19, 2009 in Augusta, GA, in the words of Owen Wilson in “You, Me & Dupree,” I’m going to be throwing seven different kinds of smoke!
More to come in future writings, but that’s my journey.
Word Up
My Journey to Pro Wrestling Commentary
February 2, 2009 2 Comments
I’ve already mentioned I’m a wresting fan. That’s only the half of it. When I was growing up, I used to want to be a wrestler and do what the Hulk Hogans and Ric Flairs do on TV. That is… all the way up until my first training session. Wrestlers get hit, and when they do, they fall down. The best thing you can learn to do for yourself is learn how to fall. The trainer instructed me. And when it was my turn, I was more than willing to compromise this aspiration. I had already put aside being a superhero early on in my childhood, so this was not a big letdown.
Other than wrestling, and walking to the ring with wrestlers as a manager-type (which is actually what I was preparing to do in said training session), there were only a handful of things left to do. The first couple I crossed off my list were being a runner and making sure there was communication between those in the main area of the venue and those in the back. I was also the sound guy for a show or two, playing entrance music.
Finally, I got asked to ring announce and do live commentary for a show. I was nervous at first, but slowly adapted to the role. This is where I began to grow in my journey in professional wrestling, and what I kept doing for five years. In addition to commentating, I was also involved on the creative side of things, as well as webmaster for both my own and the company’s websites. I also made the flyers for the shows, got us radio time on both my own weekly program and another station–the second station being an idea I had, but totally out of my control whether or not it happened.
After the company I stayed grounded in was sold, I began to go a couple hours out of my way for other shows. I kept this up for a year and 10 months, commentating for two companies towards the end. I also managed to get involved with the creative side of things with one.
Then, almost overnight, I lost my passion for what I was doing. It was in the Fall of 2005 that I was putting a lot of things in perspective. I went through just about everything I did and determined whether I ever asked God if I should be doing it or not. I was also beginning to really mature spiritually, and needed to be away from an environment that could have been potentially harmful to me. The latter two explanations were not as blunt as the first sentence though: I simply lost my passion–or at least shifted it to where it belonged from the start.
The above is a tricky paragraph to write. Is commentating a sin? Is wrestling a sin? No. However, I learned that it was a god I was putting before my God. I even talked to one of my friends who wrestled for a Christian organization at the time, and told him where I was at. It wasn’t a matter of me turning on the industry, but I just didn’t have the desire for it anymore. I told him that I won’t say I’ll never do it again. I really believed that. I believed that God would give me the passion back if He desired, but it was under Him now.
After I left wrestling, I commentated two more shows five and six months later after being asked to by a friend. It was his last match, and he wanted me to be there for it. Since said “last match” got pushed back another month, one show turned into two. Now, last matches in wrestling are usually as definite as the last time you get fast food from somewhere because they got your order wrong in that you normally go back, but some “last matches” have more of a sentimental value than others.
In commentating these two shows, I enjoyed myself both times, but my heart wasn’t in what I was doing.
Almost three years later, I get a call from the owner of the old company I was in the longest, asking me if I want to ring announce an upcoming show. This is after months now of having an itch to do this one more time. Finally, here’s my chance. At first I wasn’t sure, due to my work schedule. But the more I got to talking and listening, the more I was sold on one more “one more show.” That’s why on Thursday, February 19, 2009 in Augusta, GA, in the words of Owen Wilson in “You, Me & Dupree,” I’m going to be throwing seven different kinds of smoke!
More to come in future writings, but that’s my journey.
Filed under My Journey Tagged with commentator, desire, God's will, independent, me & dupree, passion, play-by-play, pro wrestling, profressional wrestling, seven different kinds of smoke, wrestling, you