Customer Reviews (2)

Best background
For anyone who loves pro wrestling, this is the only book that tells you how it started, and who owned titles up until the 1980' and how they did it.Also features long interview by Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, and other greats.Knows more than MacMahon.

A fun and nostalgic read.
Writing a review of this book about twenty years after it was published, I appreciate it even more now than I did then.At the time, no wrestlers or people involved in the wrestling business were allowed to break"kayfabe" - carny-speak meaning they couldn't "expose"the wrestling business as entertainment and not truly sport.Now, that'sall changed.Therefore, the books we read now on wreslting are true,gritty behind-the-scenes recounts of the business side of things.RobertaMorgan's book paints a simple but nostalgic portrait of the majorsuperstars of the 1970's, filled with color photos, some of which havesince become wrestling classics.It has snippets of interviews,information on the wrestlers' backgrounds (now so obviously fictional) andis just an enjoyable read.For a longtime wrestling fan, it will bring aglorious and bygone era alive. ... Read more

Product Description
The Buzz on Professional Wrestling is your ticket inside the squared-circle and to everything you need to know about the hottest thing in sports entertainment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

A humorous and pretty deep look at the last 2 decades of wrestling.
THE SHORT: A fan's tongue-in cheek review of wrestling's golden era, the 80s to the turn of the century. The author has a divided audience due to his internet column, but this book is much less negative and cynical and covers the "sport" with such passion and knowledge that it makes this the best and most informative wrestling book I've read.

THE LONG: I didn't know that this book's author, Scott Keith, has so many detractors until I saw negative reactions to him on the internet. It was then that I realized I'd read his second wrestling book, "Tonight In This Very Ring", which indeed is extremely judgmental and sometimes just cruel. Scott, like myself and many of you, is a fan generally thought of as a "smart mark"- that is, a fan who knows the truth behind most of what he's seeing yet watches it for the entertainment value and judges it accordingly. In that other book, "Tonight In This Very Ring", Scott shows what I believe people dislike in him- flat out disgust with the (admittedly worsening) product, so much that he seems to overstep his bounds as a fan and tear into the pseudo-sport as if he wishes he was calling the shots himself.

That's why I love this book so much (and did for a couple years before I read "Tonight"): It features Scott's legitimately extensive and correct knowledge of wrestling's inner-workings, but since it's part of a series that he didn't create (The "Buzz On..." series), it seems as if there was a natural restraint to his language and prose. As a result the entire mood of the book is different. If "Tonight" was a harshly critical and expectant viewpoint from a jaded fan, "The Buzz On" is a fan's history of the WWE/WCW that appreciates its better offerings but shows reserved disappointment when it could clearly do better.

This book then does two things that I believe it does best: Takes us through wrestling's circus-like heyday of the 80s and into the evolution of several of its most prominent characters, and also takes the action with a grain of salt. For example, unlike "Tonight" in which you'll see Scott flat-out call the Undertaker names that I can't recite here, in "Buzz" you'll see him basically laugh in disbelief when the same character morphs into an apparent zombie whose magic urn is stolen. In other words, he calls it like it is, and pokes fun where you know it should occur- but he's not overly aggressive or mean-spirited about it. The tone of this book is one of a fan who knows what wrestling can offer, and is disappointed when it goes terribly wrong.

As also stated, one of the book's finest virtues is a pretty thorough trip through wrestling's best years, the mid 80s. I haven't read any other book that describes the goofery of that specific decade so deeply, such as the feud between Jake the Snake Roberts and the Honkytonk Man, or the politics between Hulk Hogan winning Randy "Macho Man" Savage's title (which even Hogan's shallow autobiography didn't bother getting into). This is the era when I grew up watching wrestling, and I stayed for WCW and N.W.O.'s dominance. I lost a great deal of interest when the WWF just got ridiculous and homogenized in '95 through '98, and this book pretty lovingly covers the highs and many lows of that epoch as well. And again, though you get a clear understanding of Scott's preferred wrestlers and least liked workers, it's great shades lighter than his critical, unrestrained opinions of later efforts. The result is an informative book written by a knowledgeable fan, not a stale, uninvolved observer.

Most of the stuff you'll recall is in here: Andre's presence, Hulkamania, the rise of Shawn Michaels, WCW and its more technical style up until the N.W.O., Undertaker's increasing cartoonery, the war between WCW/WWE, Bret Hart's famous screwjob, and the over-saturation of Austin and the Mcmahon family. And as I already mentioned, a lot of other, smaller details are included, making this, if nothing else, one of the more historically interesting wrestling books available. And don't pay much attention to the occasional silly drawing and goofy photo selections in the book, it's all there to help cultivate the lighthearted mood.

Though several books on the subject are either markish (getting too into the fake side of things), too clinical and dry, or flat out critical (Scott's other works, as well as "Wrestlecrap" though in a fun way), none of them seem to best capture the history and silliness of the sport the way this one does. I went into it not knowing any of the politics behind the author, and wound up liking it a great deal. If you pick it up objectively, chances are you'll have fun reading it too.

A decent summary of the wrestling world
I see that two of the negative reviews featured on the front page were written by people who have not even read this book. It seems at least several people decided to sound off their opinions on Keith's internet rants under the guise of reviewing the Buzz on Pro Wrestling.

For those that are unfamiliar with him, Scott Keith is most well-known for his "rants" on the internet, in which he reviews WWF Pay-Per-Views and television shows. Several reviewers have argued that Keith never writes anything positive about pro wrestling, that he just doesn't "get it" (a slogan the WWF has not used for at least a year). Obviously, such reviewers have not read Keith's review of WM X-7 (he called it perhaps the greatest PPV of all-time) or his glowing reviews of just about every PPV the WWF released in 2000.

Admittedly, Keith has been highly critical of the WWF's direction for the past year or so. Not coincidentally, however, the WWF has seen a major ratings decrease during that period. This week's episode of Smackdown! received a 2.9, a lower number than Raw put up at times when it constantly being trounced every week by WCW Monday Nitro. It appears that the fans who blindly defend the WWF against any criticism of the product are the ones who don't "get it."

Keith has shown an insight into Pro Wrestling that few exhibit, as can be seen by reading this book. After introducing the reader to basic wrestling concepts and "inside" terms, the author takes us through the early history of the sport, leading up to the 1980's, which begins the modern era that is Keith's major focus.

Keith separates the last twenty years into several distinct periods, providing biographies of the wrestlers that contributed most to the evolution of the sport and its popularity. Rather than simply a laundry list of wrestler stats and short stories, the book is actually a running narrative of the last two decades, conveyed by the stories of the wrestlers who stood out the most. He starts in the 1980's with Rock 'N Wrestling and Hulkamania, moving on to the WWF's down period in the mid 1990's and the corresponding rise of WCW. Finally, we meet the major players who contributed to the WWF's current (waning?) run of greatness from 1998 until the present.

There seem to be two major criticisms running through the negative reviews of this book. First are the grammatical errors. I had actually heard that the grammar was pretty bad before I read the book. However, whatever grammatical errors were present did not detract from my enjoyment or education while reading. There definitely are some errors, but not nearly enough to distract the reader or to merit (with no other reasons) a negative review.

Secondly, at least one reader argued that this book is "obsolete" because of the changes the industry has undergone since the summer of 2000. Since most of the book focuses on wrestling's history, I fail to see the reasoning behind this argument. Nothing Keith has written has been rendered factually inaccurate by recent events. While WCW no longer exists, of course, it is still both valuable and entertaining to learn about the careers of some of its performers, especially Ric Flair, who is still in the business. In addition, Bill Goldberg, also covered by the book, recently was released from his Time Warner deal, rendering it likely that he too will wrestle for someone in the near future. This book does a better and more objective job of covering the last twenty years in wrestling than any I know of. That it was written in 2000 does not change that.

I do have several criticisms, though. Firstly, I think Keith could have done a much better job documenting his information. He gives credit to Wade Keller's Pro Wrestling Torch and Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter as sources for most of his information, but never makes clear exactly what information was obtained from which source. It is impossible for the reader to independently verify much of what Keith writes, especially from the period before the rise of the internet. Even after that point, it is unclear what separates documented fact from unfounded internet rumor.

Secondly, this book was too bland. Scott Keith's greatest strengths as a writer are his sarcasm and wit. This book utilizes neither to anywhere near their full capacity, and this was a huge disappointment to me. The book is mostly just bland storytelling, which is especially unsatisfying for someone who is so used to Keith's wonderful humor. I highly recommend looking up his rants on the internet, especially if you enjoy this book.

Where Does One Even Begin?
Someone may have to explain this to me, because I just don't "get" Scott Keith.Keith has written his snide rants about wrestling for many years on the internet, while professing himself as a "smart mark" wrestling fan.I see him only rarely say something positive about professional wrestling, and I am left with one simple question... "Why does Scott Keith even bother writing about wrestling when it seems so obvious that he doesn't even enjoy modern day wrestling?"Keith is not funny, his comments are not cute, and with each read of his writing, he only further proves that it doesn't take intelligence to survive on the net.I am pleased to say that I did not purchase this book, and I hope that this review will keep others from wasting their money.If you want to know more about wrestling's past, present, and future, read books by authors that actually love the sport, and help stop funding morons like Keith that use sarcasm as a means to cover up their lack of knowledge.He doesn't like today's wrestling, he doesn't respect the athletes that perform every week, and I am saddened that his lack of writing skills have actually gotten him this far in life.For shame.

This book is great....for me to poop on.
I got a ton of laughs out of this book...not because Scott Kieth is witty, because he's nowhere near it. I was laughing at the horrible proofreading and the numerous factual errors I spotted in the 5 minutes of my life (that I will never get back) I spent looking at this "book." Lou Albano's terrible book was more informative than this dung heap. Nice of Kieth's 10 friends to spend the time making up positive reviews, though.

Poorly written take on modern wrestling boom
Since the explosion in popularity of professional wrestling in 1998, many less-then-well-researched "writers" have attempted to cash in on it. You can add the name of Scott Keith to this list. The major problems I have here are, first, that keith tries to be witty, but comes across as dull, and sometimes even offensive. Secondly, logic dictates that books like this should be objective, yet keith's biases shine through for all to see. I first encountered Keith back on the Internet in '98, and wasn't terribly impressed with his unique interpretation of the wrestling business back then, and since then I am ever more fascinated by his illogical approach. And of course, since this book was published, the wrestling world has gone through several siginificant changes, rendering the book obsolete. I would not reccomend this book to anyone, other than real wrestling fans who are looking to laugh at some unintentional comedy. ... Read more

Product Description
A humor book for professional wrestling fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

What a book!
What an amazing book... I am only a part-time wrestling fan, but this book was so funny, I want to become hardcore!The authors are obviously extremely talented, and I hope they continue writing... I would buy anything else they put out!In a word... HILARIOUS!

Good stuff
A lot of funny stuff in here,and even funnier to the hardcore fan.I've been watching wrestling regularly for 10+ years and I totally forgot about the Haiti Kid until I skimmed through.A great read,funny glossary too.Pick it up.

Hilarious!!!
For a good laugh about pro wrestling this is a rarity. It's filled with jokes and "definitions" that only a hardcore fan could appreciate. I read the whole thing in one sitting and nearly bust my gut laughing. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
Goldberg. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. TheRock. Mankind. Sting. The Undertaker. Andre the Giant. BrutusBeefcake. Hulk Hogan. Hacksaw Jim Duggan.

Comic-book superheroes and villains? Close. They're professionalwrestlersand just as they've stomped opponents in the ring, prowrestling itself is stomping its opponents in the sportsarena. Professional wrestling is the fastest-growing form ofentertainment in the U.S., and along with the sport's record-breakingpopularity, the collectibles market for pro wrestling has skyrocketed.

Professional Wrestling Collectibles covers every known aspect of thewrestling collectibles market for the millions of fans andcollectors. It features hundreds of wrestling-related memorabiliaincluding dolls and figures, autographs, Halloween costumes,photographs, posters and programs, magazines, games, videos, andmoreall identified and valued for the first time in one book.

From true-blue fans to casual observers, this book is a must-have forevery wrestling fan.

-Pricing for hundreds of wrestling collectibles.
-All-color book, featuring 400 photos.
-First guide of its kind. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Professional Wrestling Collectibles is a keeper!
Overall, a very well researched book by Mr. Pope and Mr. Whebbe.Thisbook does not cover all wrestling collectibles, that would be impossible,however, it does give the collector a good idea of the many areas inwrestling that are out there to collect, although they do have a veryin-depth coverage of the action figures and autographs.

The book alsocovers some of the history of wrestling and is a great book for novices andlong-time collectors.There are great photos of some of the oldercollectibles that I have only heard about.My favorite chapters were theones on the action figures, trading cards and autographs, which make up alarge part of my 15+ year collection.

The prices listed are average,however, the value of the items in this market change so rapidly, that itshard to give a set value on some items. 5 stars to Mr. Pope and Mr. Whebbefor tackling such a huge task.

Collectibles and Then Some
Pro Wrestling Collectibles is certainly what this book is all about.Its all the other stuff covered that makes this bookso interesting.My favorite chapter is number two (2) "Some Superstars WorthCollecting".The history about many of these wrestlers can be foundno where else.The authors did a great job in organizing this"collectible" and putting every thing into perspective. Recommended reading for all wrestling fans!

Great reference material and fun to read as well!
The book provided terrific reference material and continually captured my attention from page to page.The pictures added tremendous detail.The author clearly did his homework.

Book Review
This is a good book filled with lots of pictures and information.It is a good book for anyone but for the hardcore collector it does not cut it.Aloso the prices are a bit off on certain items.Overall the pictures makeit a worthy purchase.Reccommended! ... Read more

Product Description
This work aims to provide answers as to why wrestling is so popular, and shows the symbolic functions of wrestling as an act of social meaning. Through analyses of past matches and storylines, it is shown that wrestling acts as myth in the same way that other genres such as westerns have done. ... Read more

Product Description
Professional wrestling is the hottest entertainment spectacle on television today and millions of fans are tuning in and buying tickets to be a part of the excitement.

Now comes a book that tears away the shroud of secrecy surrounding the game and its performers with answers to questions like:

-- How do they bleed?-- Who decides who will be champion?-- That folding chair sure looked real -- was it?

Plus, Kayfabe contains an extensive glossary of terms used backstage by wrestlers and promoters -- the real language of the game you won't hear on TV!

Also:

-- Historical background of the federations-- Intro to the top stars-- Where to find more real news and information

Kayfabe is your ticket to be a part of the professional wrestling world you never knew existed! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Learn to spell, previous reviewer!
The book is for those who want to learn about the entertainment that is pro wrestling. Get it people? It's not a scholarly tome! I liked it and actually found much of it informative. The editorial info explained it all. Read it!

Travisty of a book!
If I could rate a book with negative stars, I would. This is a horrible book. It sheds no light on the world of Professional Wrestling that any FAQ on the Internet couldn't share. And most FAQs on the Internet go into much more detail than this travesty of a book. Mr. Flood should cease writing his "The X-pert X-plains" series right now until he actually finds an expert to help him out. The $20 price tag is horribly high for such an amatuerish attempt at writing. Aside from the mispellings and gramatical errors (which really, really bug me), some of his facts are wrong. As well, professional wrestling tends to have a couple of levels of "kayfabe", one for the smart marks, and one for those who are actually in the business. Mr. Flood is obviously *not* in the business. Of course, this is made perfectly clear in his biography page, where he admits to not being much of an "X-pert" on anything.

The Rock says BUY IT
If you are new to the world of sports entertainment or have been a fan for years, you will get alot out of this book.It's a must read for wrestling fans.Buy it if you smell what the Rock is Cookin' Got it Slap Nuts?

Only for the uninformed
This book was not what I expected.The only "secrets" to be found involved things like chairshots and bleeding, and that took up all of two paragraphs.The rest of the book is filled with information that would only be of interest to beginners (I.E "Who is Steve Austin?", "How do you win a wrestling match?", and "What is a DQ?").No pictures, and it's all in large, double-spaced printing.A rather thin, small book for the price tag.The author's efforts are respectable, but this book was not anything I would recommend to seasoned wresting fans, only for the uninformed or beginning wrestling fan.

Serious and fun rolled into one
The sport of professional wrestling appears to be violent and bloody on the one hand, yet ridiculous and for children on the other. Most people know it's not really "real" any more, but still wonder how it could look the way it does and not be somehow the real thing. I couldn't figure out how these great big behemoths threw themselves on top of each other from the top of the ring and all the other painful-looking moves they perpetrate on each other without inflicting SOME type of injury! I mean, come on, they sure look messed up a lot of the time. And I just wanted to know how the whole thing got started. Well, this book told me all that and lots more. It has a whole glossary of terms, inside stuff on how things are done, the history, and the performers. I was thrilled to find so much information on my favorite "sport" in one place. I highly recommend it for its readable style, too. Five stars! ... Read more

Product Description

Headlocks and Dropkicks: A Butt-Kicking Ride through the World of Professional Wrestling chronicles sportswriter Ted A. Kluck's effort to become a professional wrestler at a popular wrestling school in the suburbs of Chicago. In training to become a wrestler, Kluck was able to delve into the traveling-circus elements of the sport and talk to the people who make it work—promoters, bookers, and the wrestlers themselves.

Wrestling has weathered manifold changes in American taste to survive and thrive as it does today. Kluck examines the tension between the good vs. evil tales that permeated wrestling in the early to mid 1980s, along with the seamy soap opera storylines that seem to drive it today. He also takes time to catch up with the biggest stars the sport has produced—some of whom have parlayed their fame into financial security and others who are currently looking to reclaim their past glory.

Customer Reviews (2)

A Great Read For The Inside Story, For Kids And Adults Alike!
I just got my copy for my son (a BIG Whiplash fan!) and he can't wait to get it autographed by the wrestlers (and other characters) themselves at the next PCW match.Having seen these guys in action gave me a new respect for the hard work that goes into putting on a great show for the kids and adults alike!

I enjoyed the read as much as my son did, but on another level.It was well-written, insightful and one of the best book purchases I have made lately.Pro Championship Wrestling has information on their upcoming shows on the web, and you owe it to yourselves and your kids to check them out if you get a chance.

Nice work, Mr. Kluck!

Will prove to be a popular addition to academic and community library Sports & Athletics reference collections
From the legendary days of Gorgeous George down to today's World Wrestling Federation, professional wrestling is more entertainment that sports, more choreographed physical ballet that athletic contest, more morality play than sporting event. But the one true constant amidst the colorful costumes and the equally colorful characters has been the entertainment value for the audience which has remained loyal in booing the villains and cheering on the heroes. "Headlocks And Dropkicks: A Butt-Kicking Ride Through The World Of Professional Wrestling" by author and sports enthusiast Ted A. Kluck is a fascinating history and engaging personal account of pro-wrestling's background figures, center ring personalities, and day-to-day realities. Informed and informative, "Headlocks And Dropkicks" will prove to be a popular addition to academic and community library Sports & Athletics reference collections, and is especially commended to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in the colorful and raucous world of professional wrestling! ... Read more

Product Description
Inside The Ultimate Wrestling Guide you will discover:

--The History of Wrestling

--Defining Different Wrestling Styles

--Exploring High School Wrestling

--College Wrestling

--Amateur Wrestling

--Professional Wrestling

--Olympic Wrestling

--Wrestling Gear, Shoes and Equipment

--Wrestling Basics - Stance, Penetration, Lifting, etc.

--Takedowns

--Escapes & Reversals

--Breakdowns, Rides and Pinning Combos

--Escapes

--Reversals

--Freestyle Turns


... Read more

Product Description
A humorous and insightful look at the WWF and other professional wrestling groups over the past two years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

By An "Expert", For The "Expert"
"The Tables Are All Broken" is the first wrestling book that I have seen that was written exclusively for the hardcore wrestling fan.It is generally comprised of three sections: Recaps, Parodies, and Insights.

The Recaps section does just that - re-lives writings that appeared in the Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter, from the last days of WCW to the current storylines (at the time) of the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment).While it is interesting to read some of the happenings of that time, this part of the book can wear on, especially if you're not really interested in things that happened years ago.

While the title may lead you to believe this book is all gloom and doom, it's actually just a reference to one of Pat's witty and enjoyable song re-writes that he's become well known for at the Pro Wrestling Torch Web site, and many of these are present in the Parodies. Pat is very good at these, and there are some immensely entertaining examples given here in the book.

The Insights are the part of the book I enjoyed the most.Pat writes in a style that does not assume that the reader is a moron, as is the case with many other wrestling columnists.Pat's columns are always informative and insightful, and they will help you to look at a topic or situation from all sides.This is the real meat and potatoes of the book - I just wish there was more of it.

If you're just a passive fan of wrestling, this may not be the book for you, but any hardcore fan should definately pick it up.I hope Pat's next book focuses more on his own insights and opinions.These are the insights which caused Rolling Stone magazine to label him the "Internet Smark Writer Of The Year", and I believe a full book of these would be extremely enjoyable for every type of wrestling fan.I eagerly look forward to his next book.

I only wish they had negative stars!!1
This is a horrible book. No flow to any of it.
It is just a bunch of old columns thrown together, despite outward appearences that would lead one to believe they were getting a book detailing the rise and fall of the recent wrestling scene.

The song paradies were terrible and there were lots of them.
There really was little to no substance to this book at all.
Go read Blassie's or Heenan's book for behind the scenes tales and fun stories. Go read Scott Kieth's book for match reviews.
Go read anything else if you just need to pass some time.

Perfectly Acceptable Wrestling Book
Okay, if you don't like McNeil, or the Pro Wrestling Torch, or you've already read all of this stuff before, you should probably skip the book.Some of it is even online now, if you know where to look.It remeinded me of Dave Barry's books, where he collects his old columns and slaps them together.

I hadn't read most of this before, and I thought it was entertaining.The song parody chapter is hysterical.McNeil should stick to comedy, and not be an analyst.The fake pay-per-view in the book with DDP getting murdered was also classic stuff.

The Torch should do another book like this one, except with Bruce Mitchell's columns.

This guy is no David Meltzer!
I expected some new content, but I'd read most of this before... it's cheaper than prining all his old articles and having it bound yourself, but... why would you want to? The guy can't write and this is the first bad wrestling book I have read. The first part of the book describes a couple of WCW Thunder programmes minute by minute - Goldberg said he wanted to win the title and then Sting was talking to Scott Steiner and then there was an ad break and... GRRRRRRRRR!!! Who wants to read 300 pages of fantasy booking from 2 years ago?? Dull, dull dull!!

This guy is such a geek and I feel like a schmuck for buying this crud!!Get the Dynamite Kid book or Meltzer's tributes instead! Or do yourself a favour and get the Figure 4 newsletter - written by someone with a little personality!! This book is DREADFUL. ... Read more

Product Description

Professional wrestling is often seen as a suspect sport and marginal entertainment. It is also one of the most popular performance practices in the United States and around the world, drawing millions of spectators to live events and televised broadcasts. That its display of violence is at once simulated and actual is part of the appeal for the fans who debate performance choices with as much energy as they argue about their favorite wrestlers. Its ongoing scenarios and presentations of manly and not so-manly characters--from the flamboyantly feminine to the hypermasculine--simultaneously celebrate and critique, parody and affirm the American dream and the masculine ideal.

Customer Reviews (14)

woefully outdated
i had to read this book because i take pro wrestling class in university. Not only is it not very interesting or informative, it also oozes with discreet feminism, which makes for uncompelling reading. The book was published in 1996, which makes many of the assertions about wreslting and pro wrestling culture moot and pointless by the year 2006. It also almost never mentions anything about the WCW, as much of the research material is lifted from angles during the glory years of the 1980's in WWF. Overall, i would not recommend this book for any wrestling fan unless you are a hardcore feminist or a senile old person.

Snoozer of a book not even for the hardcore fan
This book is written from a scholarly standpoint. I have a doctorate degree and LOVE wrestling. I figured this would be an insightful book but it was not. This author wrote this book as a thesis for her doctorate and that is where it should have stayed and out of print. Larry Nelson's book was better than this and that is saying a lot. If you are the type of person who has to read everything on wrestling then get it otherwise find your kayfabe fix elsewhere.

Grapplers in the Mist
Like Dian Fossey living among the apes, Sharon Mazer sought to live among pro wrestlers and learn their ways. In the process, she takes what could be an interesting subject and makes it boring.

She observes training at a small wrestling school. But alas, there is little information about how the training is done or who these people are who are involved. To Ms. Mazer, everything is an outworking of some kind of gender or ethnic dominance.

Worse yet, this book was reseached at a time when pro wrestling was turning out a lot of poor characters and story lines. It was painful to read Ms. Mazer's attempts to uncover the deep meanings of matches involving Tatanka, Sensational Sherry, Brutus Beefcake, and other very forgettable characters.

I will not say that the book is completely worthless. Almost by accident, Ms. Mazer occasionally gives a tidbit of information about the life of an aspiring pro wrestler. One has to feel a bit sympathetic for the men and women who are pouring their time and money into training, yet obviously have no chance of getting to the top of the business.

There is nothing in the book about the big-time wrestlers, except what she picked up from watching tapes.

Instead of this book, read Mick Foley's books and watch _Beyond the Mat_. Those will give you a much better "inside" look at pro wrestling.

Two thumbs down
The book "Professional Wrestling Sport and Spectacle" bySharon Mazer outright ... She not only takes the fun out of professional wrestling but put the reader to sleep. Mazer tries to bring in to many philosophical views on professional wrestling. She also never drops the point of her being a "scholar or academic". She also mentions that wrestling is homoerotic. She only visits one school of wrestling and expects to get everything out of the one school. She should have taken at look at some of the big businesses at the time like WWF or WCW. She never talks about what actually captures the audiences into watching this sport. The only good part of the book is the inside look of a newcomers training into the sport and the look on women in wrestling. The best part of the book was the insides look at a newcomers training. How they learn to fall before they do much of anything else. Then they go to basic moves and including falling backward and rolling forward, holds and reversals, and takedowns. While the newcomers are doing their basic drills, wrestlers with more experience play out scenarios and roles. They take turns winning and losing, acting as faces and heels. What a lot of people don't know about wrestling is that newcomers get initiated into the group.As it says in the book it is a process of assimilation via discipline and submission into the wrestlers' fraternity.They are initiated by different means by different people some are just face planted into the mat while others are sent to the hospital due to broken bones. If these people come back next time they are thought of as one of the group. I also like the look on women what sky magic does other than training. Such as apartment wrestling and phone wrestling. Which are two things that I did not know existed. The two best chapters in the book I guess would have to be chapter three and five. Chapter three is the one that talks about the newcomers learning the ropes. It also talks about how the newcomers get initiated to get assimilated into the group. There are only a couple times in this chapter when Mazer starts to analyze too much, and she starts to bore the reader. Chapter five talks about women in professional wrestling. As I said earlier this book outright sucks the title basically would sways you into buying the book. Even the information on the back of the book doesn't say it will philosophically look at and analyze professional wrestling. If you want a good book to read before bed when you can't sleep this book is a winner.Sharon Mazer will bore you right to sleep in about three pages. I also don't like how she says wrestling is homoerotic. Mazer says wrestling is nothing but clichés of sexual engagement. She points out that wrestling relies on the display on male bodies in extravagant costumes and almost naked. She also says that the male bodies in performance are seen to touch and embrace. Of course they are going to touch each other it is a physical sport. They don't say football players are homoerotic. The quarterback puts his hands through the centers legs to get the ball every down. They are also always lying down on each other when the get tackled. Mazer also never drops the point that she is a "scholar or academic" thinking this is going to make her readers think she is smart.She is completely mistaken by this fact if that is what she is thinking. Mazer saying this just makes me think she is not sure of herself and she has to prove to herself that she is smart. She says she does not belong in a gym she belongs in library, at a computer or at a coffee bar. Well if she thinks that then why doesn't she. She questions herself on being at the gym since she has never been inclined to do athletics.And the readers need to know this because? This is useless information that the reader does not need to know. Mazer only visits one school of wrestling why is that she should at least have visited a couple.Granted she did spend months there but a broader view would have been nice. She doesn't even get into professional wrestling very much. Such as the big businesses at the time like the WWF or WCW which both were making money and headway at the time. This is a limited literary work and should not be sold to readers. Mazer does not even go into what makes this business a business. Why do these young men and women want to train and go to Rodz's school for, what motivates these people. She does not look into what makes this sport tick and thrive through the decades. What makes this sport go are the fans, if not for the fans professional wrestling would be nothing. These people are going to the gym to train and learn to become superstars. And at the time of the book was being written that would be Hulk Hogan. This book I guess is not as bad as I am saying it is but it is not my kind of writing. And not what I thought the book would be like. Mazer is too philosophical for this kind of book. I don't think she is anticipating her readers as wrestling fanatics and them getting upset when she say wrestling is homoerotic. If I would have a choice of reading this book or not I would not have read this book.

dont buy this!
this book flat out stinks. it seems like it will take an in depth lookinto pro wrestling from a perspective never explored before. all it turnsout to be is flat out boring. Taking a perspective on the sport fromsomething so parifery like johnny rodzs school of wrestling is absurd. itslike taking a look at the world of theater by analyzing it from a highscool play level. She has no incite into the driving forces that make thisbusiness run, since it was published in 1993 that would be Vince Mcmahon,Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. This book is a true stinker! ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Professional Wrestling Websites, Cauliflower Alley Club, Wrestlecrap, Wrestling Talk. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 24. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Abrams, the organization hosts an annual reunion dinner which has traditionally been attended by celebrities and other professional athletes. Several historical Hollywood locations have been home to the reunion banquets such as the Masquer's Club, the Hollywood Legion Stadium, the Roosevelt Hotel and the Old Spaghetti Factory as well as The Riviera and the RMS Queen Mary. Note that Bill Bowman and Princess Jasmine were honored in absentia due to severe health issues Other honorees included J.J. Dillon, Tito Carreon, Duke Myers, Bob Leonard, Bob Kelly and Laura Martinez. Other honorees included Killer Tim Brooks, Scott Casey, Mil Máscaras, Pepper Martin and Bill White. Other honorees included Ernie Ladd, Kenny Jay, Paul Christy ... Read more

Product Description
Here, for the first time, Ole Anderson finally tells his story. The people who know him, know that Ole is never hesitant to speak his mind — and this book is no exception.

Combining facts and opinion, Ole's biography is a straightforward look at the many phases of his career in the wild, if somewhat seedy, world of professional wrestling. From his days in amateur wrestling, to the time when he hooked up with Gene and Lars Anderson as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew, Ole relates 30-plus years of never-before-told stories.

Ole tells of his feuds, both inside the ring and out, with people like Ric Flair, Wahoo McDaniel, Mr. Wrestling, Dusty Rhodes, and Bill Watts.

However, his biggest feuds took places behind the scenes in the halls and offices of corporate giant, Superstation WTBS. The matches in the ring were nothing compared to his battles with The Suits, corporate executives like Vince McMahon, Jim Barnett, Bill Shaw, Jim Herd, and Eric Bischoff. In Ole's own words, "The wrestling matches may have been staged and scripted, but there was nothing ‘fake' about the corporate and legal battles."

As a former wrestler, booker, promoter, owner, and executive producer, Ole goes deeper in the inner workings of professional wrestling than anyone ever has. He tells the stories about financial, legal, and drug problems that plagued the wrestling business.

It doesn't matter whether you hate wrestling or love it. This is a powerful story about a man who stood up to the establishment. His insight, humor, and colorful use of the English language makes this a "no-holds barred" book that you won't be able to put down. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Ole Anderson Trying to Convince Us of His Place in Wrestling History.
Overall the book is good. But, I have several problems with it. The overall theme seems not to be how the corporate world ruined professional wrestling but rather Ole trying to convince the reader of his rightful place in wrestling history.This is evidenced by a lot of honest and not so honest self evaluations. Reading between the lines he seems to be much higher of his booking ability than his wrestling ability and I would agree. A lot of the points he makes are often repeated to the point of redundancy. He is correct in how corporate America ruined professional. It is painful to hear how people who knew nothing about professional wrestling were given the authority to split from the NWA leaving it a shell of it's former self then run WCW into the ground. Overall this book was worth reading but not good enough to keep in my collection.

An inside look on the death of WCW
Having grown up watching Ole Anderson in the ring since I was about 12, I looked forward to this book.It is a fast read and full of inside information about the wrestling business.At times I shook my head in amazement at the utter mismanagement at WCW and how Anderson tried, in vain, to show The Suits how they were killing this once heralded federation.

The book could have done without some of the minutiae about the wrestling business, but it does give a great overview of the strategizing and politicking that goes on backstage.Anderson shows his passion for the business, and his honesty about the wrestling stars of today only reinforced my opinion of the cartoonish soap opera that wrestling has become.Anderson may have tooted his own horn a lot in the book, but he has every right to do so.

I highly recommend this book for any wrestling fan that wants to know the true backroom story of the wrestling business.Unlike a lot of the coporate shills writing wrestling books today, this book is brutal in its honesty, much like the Ole Anderson of old.

Same old tough guy talk
If you like formulaic tough guy talk common to old time wrasslers of the"I was always the straightest talking, toughest guy in the room, who never lost a fight" vein this book is for you.

Although one must admire OLE'S honesty in admitting that he was never in the same class as the likes of Thesz and the old shooters as far as wrestling was concerned. Anderson's description of how new wrestling prospects were treated is chilling in its brutality. Opens your eyes to another side of the wrasslin business that's for sure.

Worth the buy if you are interested in one person and one person only's viewpoint with no room for alernative opinions or reasoned analysis. Then again it is a book about OLE ANDERSON and apparently that is him, so as an autobiogrpahy it serves it's purpose. Worth the buy but not in the same class as top flight wrestling books like "Hooker" and "Wrestlers are like Seagulls" in my opinion.

Hey, Tough Guy
The Rock had a career in the ring and as a booker that covered the years dominated by the territories that made up the NWA to the emergence of two national companies - WCW and WWF - and some minor regional promotions.

Trained by Verne Gagne, Anderson's tough-guy persona pushed his career to main events with his "brothers," Gene & Lars and later with Arn, as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. He also was an original member of the Four Horsemen, with Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn and manager J.J. Dillon.

During his years in the ring, Anderson also worked booking matches for the promotions, which was a major way for top wrestlers to stay in the business as their careers wound down.

In the early 1990s, Anderson was part of the booking committee for WCW. He created The Black Scorpion and was the ominous voice that haunted Sting throughout the angle. In 1994, Anderson and his son - who was training to become a WCW grappler - were fired by Eric Bischoff. Since then, Anderson has mostly stayed away from the business.

This is where the book picks up Anderson's story and why the sub-title plays a major role throughout. The autobiographical material is outstanding and recommended for older fans or those wanting a history of pro wrestling as it evolved away from promoters having sliced up the country under the NWA monopoly.

The criticism Anderson dishes out - oftentimes aimed at Flair - gets as grating as The Black Scorpion's voice. Anderson has some good points, but only the biggest myopic would feel his outlook was the direction the business should have taken.

Overall, Anderson could not get out of character to deliver real solutions to the problems he saw in the office.

Good Stories but Sour Grapes
An interesting book, I loved Ole as one of the Four Horsemen, but to hear him denigrate Flair's wrestling skills taxed credulity.

If you've just seen Flair in WWE nowdays, you can be excused for buying Anderson's comments, but when you look at his classic matches with Ricky Steamboat, or Terry Funk (or Sting, back in the NWA days) you see a guy who could match (and exceed) each of these guys hold-for-hold.There are very few wrestlers nowdays (basically four: A.J. Styles, Shawn Michaels, Kurt ANgle and Chris Benoit) who could even hold their own with prime Flair.

Most of the rest are all products of Vince McMahon's sad circus that he passes off as Wrestling. ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Dave Meltzer (born October 27, 1961) is the editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON). Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford has praised Meltzer's work, saying that "Meltzer, I believe, is the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism." Meltzer has written for the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, and The National. He has also been interviewed in the wrestling documentaries Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows and Beyond the Mat. Meltzer also has extensively covered mixed martial arts since UFC 1 in 1993. He has covered MMA for the LA Times and FoxSports.com, and was one of the three ringside judges for UFC 18. He currently covers the sport for Yahoo! Sports, a UFC partner. Meltzer was born in upstate New York before eventually relocating to San Jose, California. Meltzer earned a journalism degree from San José State University. He showed an interest in professional wrestling early on in his life, starting out as a sports writer at the Turlock (CA) Journal. Dave wrote several publications that predate WON, dating back to 1971. Meltzer states that he was just a fan at first and started a tape trading newsletter. The Observer started from Dave wanting to keep his friends in college "in the loop" for his tape trading as well as the happenings in the business. He started writing the Observer full-time in 1987. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter started off as a way to keep fans informed of various wrestling regions that readers may not have been aware of or had no access to. The Observer's earlier years were also marked by revealing insider news and various behind-the-scenes happenings in the industry, a groundbreaking approach in a kayfabe-heavy era. Meltzer's approach benefits from professional contacts, a historic pe... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=2020834 ... Read more

Product Description
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Stacy Ann Keibler (born October 14, 1979) is an American actress, model and former professional wrestler and valet for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Keibler was a contestant on the second season of Dancing with the Stars, where she placed third. She has also appeared on other American Broadcasting Company (ABC) shows such as What About Brian, George Lopez, and October Road. Stacy is shooting an episode of the USA Network show "Psych" to air on February 3rd, 2010. In addition, she has modeled appearing in both Maxim and Stuff magazines. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Professional Wrestling Holds. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 240. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Professional wrestling holds include a number of set moves and pins used by performers to immobilize their opponents or lead to a submission. This article covers the various pins, stretches and transition holds used in the ring. Moves are listed under general categories whenever possible. Chris Masters applying a bear hug on Shawn Michaels.An element borrowed from professional wrestling's catch wrestling origins, stretches (or submission holds) are techniques in which a wrestler holds another in a position that puts stress on the opponent's body. Stretches are usually employed to weaken an opponent or to force him or her to submit, either vocally or by tapping out: slapping the mat, floor, or opponent with a free hand three times. Many of these holds, when applied vigorously, stretch the opponent's muscles or twist his or her joints uncomfortably, hence the name. Chokes, although not in general stress positions like the other stretches, are usually grouped with stretches as they serve the same tactical purposes. In public performance, for safety's sake, stretches are usually not performed to the point where the opponent must submit or risk injury. Likewise, chokes are usually not applied to the point where they cut off the oxygen supply to the opponent's brain. A notable exception is Japanese shoot-style wrestling, in which wrestlers are expected to apply legit submissions to end matches. While some stretches rely entirely on the acting ability of the opponent to sell them as painful or debilitating, many are legitimately effective when fully applied. They should not be attempted without proper training and supervision, as there is significant risk of serious injury. The a...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=474578 ... Read more