Death of WCW, The

Download Death of WCW, The PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : ECW Press
ISBN 13 : 1770906428
Total Pages : 454 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (79 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Death of WCW, The by : R.D. Reynolds

Download or read book Death of WCW, The written by R.D. Reynolds and published by ECW Press. This book was released on 2014-10-01 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As history repeats itself, a wrestling classic becomes even more relevant. In 1997, World Championship Wrestling was on top. It was the number-one pro wrestling company in the world, and the highest-rated show on cable television. Each week, fans tuned in to Monday Nitro, flocked to sold-out arenas, and carried home truckloads of WCW merchandise. It seemed the company could do no wrong. But by 2001, however, everything had bottomed out. The company - having lost a whopping 95% of its audience - was sold for next to nothing to Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment. WCW was laid to rest. What went wrong? This expanded and updated version of the bestselling Death of WCW takes readers through a detailed dissection of WCW's downfall, including even more commentary from the men who were there and serves as an object lesson - and dire warning - as WWE and TNA hurtle toward the 15th anniversary of WCW's demise.

Nitro

Download Nitro PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Wcwnitrobook.com
ISBN 13 : 9780692139172
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (391 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Nitro by : Guy Evans

Download or read book Nitro written by Guy Evans and published by Wcwnitrobook.com. This book was released on 2018-07-12 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reviews "The most definitive, well written and thoroughly researched book on the rise and fall of WCW." --Eric Bischoff, former WCW President "This is - without question - the very best book ever written on professional wrestling." --Conrad Thompson "Well written and captivating...a fresh take on [the] time period." --Chris Harrington, AEW VP of Business Strategy "...may be the best overall pro wrestling book to date." --David Bixenspan, Deadspin Synopsis In April 1999, Entertainment Weekly asked its readers what many were surely wondering to themselves: how did wrestling get so big? As a consequence of the heated ratings competition between World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the spectacle had taken over Monday nights on prime-time cable television. But in a departure from the family-friendly programming produced by the last industry boom - the 1980s wave, which made household names of Hulk Hogan, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and Andre the Giant - the new era of wrestling combined stunning athleticism with a raunchy sex appeal, engrossing story lines and novel production techniques that reflected a changing society and its shifting values. Once again, wrestling was a ubiquitous phenomenon - only this time, it seemed as though the fad would never end. With both WCW and WWF expanding into other forms of entertainment - movies, video games, music and the like - the potential for growth appeared to be limitless. But with uncertainty surrounding its corporate future, and increasingly uninspired programming eroding its audience, WCW stood on the verge of collapse. Three years into a five-year plan devised by its charismatic leader - a former Blue Ribbon Foods salesman named Eric Bischoff - the company whose unexpected ascension initiated the entire boom was operating on borrowed time. For by the end of the five-year plan, WCW ceased to exist. But NITRO is a story about much more than WCW and the Monday Night Wars. It is a story of an era, a time in which the media and cultural landscape precipitated - and later supported - pro wrestling's mainstream popularity. It is a story of how a company made in the image of an intuitively brilliant risk-taker betrayed its original promise. It is a story of how a handful of men, each struggling with their own limitations, facilitated a public obsession that changed television forever. And so, with the inside knowledge of a journalist, the perspective of a historian, and the passion of a fan, author Guy Evans provides a fresh look at an unfortunate inevitability - the downfall of World Championship Wrestling. Bolstered by exclusive interviews with over 120 former TBS and WCW employees, NITRO is the definitive picture of the last wrestling boom. Featuring exclusive interviews and comments from: Eric Bischoff, fmr. President of World Championship Wrestling;Harvey Schiller, fmr. President of Turner Sports;Jamie Kellner, fmr. CEO of Turner Broadcasting System;Bill Burke, fmr. President of TBS network;Joe Uva, fmr. President of Turner Entertainment Sales and Marketing; Scot Safon, fmr. SVP of Marketing for TNT network;Kevin Nash, WWE Hall of Famer and 5-time WCW world champion; Diamond Dallas Page, WWE Hall of Famer and 3-time WCW world champion;Vince Russo, fmr. WCW writer;Marcus 'Buff' Bagwell, fmr. WCW superstar and 5-time world tag team champion;Kevin Sullivan, fmr. WCW superstar and head booker;Hugh Morrus, fmr. WCW superstar;Neal Pruitt, fmr. WCW Feature Producer and voice of the nWo;David Crockett, fmr. WCW Vice President of Production;Dick Cheatham, fmr. Group Controller for TBS;Alan Sharp, fmr. WCW Director of Public Relations;Mike Weber, fmr. WCW Director of Marketing;Rob Garner, fmr. WCW Vice President of TV Programming and SalesJerry Jarrett, legendary wrestling promoter and booker...And many, many, many more!

Death of the Territories

Download Death of the Territories PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : ECW Press
ISBN 13 : 1773052322
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (73 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Death of the Territories by : Tim Hornbaker

Download or read book Death of the Territories written by Tim Hornbaker and published by ECW Press. This book was released on 2018-09-18 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For decades, distinct professional wrestling territories thrived across North America. Each regionally based promotion operated individually and offered a brand of localized wrestling that greatly appealed to area fans. Promoters routinely coordinated with associates in surrounding regions, and the cooperation displayed by members of the National Wrestling Alliance made it easy for wrestlers to traverse the landscape with the utmost freedom. Dozens of territories flourished between the 1950s and late ’70s. But by the early 1980s, the growth of cable television had put new outside pressures on promoters. An enterprising third-generation entrepreneur who believed cable was his opportunity to take his promotion national soon capitalized on the situation. A host of novel ideas and the will to take chances gave Vincent Kennedy McMahon an incredible advantage. McMahon waged war on the territories and raided the NWA and AWA of their top talent. By creating WrestleMania, jumping into the pay-per-view field, and expanding across North America, McMahon changed professional wrestling forever. Providing never-before-revealed information, Death of the Territories is a must-read for fans yearning to understand how McMahon outlasted his rivals and established the industry’s first national promotion. At the same time, it offers a comprehensive look at the promoters who opposed McMahon, focusing on their noteworthy power plays and embarrassing mistakes.

Dungeon of Death:

Download Dungeon of Death: PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Kensington Publishing Corp.
ISBN 13 : 0806535628
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (65 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Dungeon of Death: by : Scott Keith

Download or read book Dungeon of Death: written by Scott Keith and published by Kensington Publishing Corp.. This book was released on 2012-03-01 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Asking Scott Keith about professional wrestling is like asking Wayne Gretzky about hockey." --Murtz Jaffer, Inside Pulse The True Story Behind Wrestling's Deadly Secret On June 25, 2007, Canadian pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their seven-year-old son Daniel were found dead in their Fayetteville, Georgia, home. The ruling of murder-suicide caused a media frenzy and stunned wrestling fans around the world. Yet the Benoit tragedy was only the latest in a string of disasters that have dogged Stampede Wrestling, operated by the Calgary-based Hart family. In the first book of its kind, Scott Keith offers an in-depth look at the Hart family "curse" that has left all the Stampede Wrestling alumnae either crippled or dead. Were these deaths preventable or inevitable? How did a sport famous for showmanship and entertainment become overrun by rampant drug use, depravity, and greed? Chris Benoit isn't the only wrestler to be brought down by a history of drug use--many other big names in the sport have fallen victim to wrestling's drug culture and steroid obsession. Why has nothing been done about this, even now after these latest deaths? Scott Keith knows wrestling from the inside out. This compelling and candid account reveals not only what's gone wrong in the world's most spectacular sport but what must be done to save it.

Controversy Creates Cash

Download Controversy Creates Cash PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 141652729X
Total Pages : 401 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (165 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Controversy Creates Cash by : Eric Bischoff

Download or read book Controversy Creates Cash written by Eric Bischoff and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2006 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under Eric Bishoff's watch as president of WCW, the company went head to head with Vince McMahon's WWE and beat them at their own game before WCW itself spectacularly imploded. But by then, Bishoff had made an indelible mark on televised wrestling, producing shows that had appeared more dangerous, more sexy, and more edgy than anything that had come before. He did this to such an extent that in 2002, McMahon seized the chance to bring in his former nemesis as General Manager of RAW; since then, true to form, Bishoff regularly surprises fans with matches that would once have been unthinkable for television. In this revelatory look at his life and career, Bishoff frankly discusses the things he did, both right and wrong, as he helped shape the sports entertainment industry into today's billion dollar business.

Rope Opera

Download Rope Opera PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781550228687
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (286 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rope Opera by : Vince Russo

Download or read book Rope Opera written by Vince Russo and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many have tried to explain the inner workings of wrestling's most turbulent era, but this is the first time someone in the centre of the maelstrom has laid everything bare. Taking readers from the death of WCW to the rise of TNA - the world's fastest growing and most cutting-edge wrestling promotion - Vince has crafted a remarkable storyline about how he came to terms with, and found peace within, the insanity of the squared circle.

Wrestlecrap

Download Wrestlecrap PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : ECW Press
ISBN 13 : 1554905443
Total Pages : 268 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (549 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Wrestlecrap by : Randy Baer

Download or read book Wrestlecrap written by Randy Baer and published by ECW Press. This book was released on 2010-12-16 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: WrestleCrap: The Very Worst of Professional Wrestling examines some of the ridiculously horrible characters and storylines that pro wrestling promoters have subjected their fans to over the past twenty years. Why would any sane person think that having two grown men fight over a turkey was actually a reasonable idea' Was George Ringo, the Wrestling Beatle, really the best gimmick that a major promotional organization could come up with' And who would charge fans to watch a wrestler named the Gobbeldy Gooker emerge from an egg' In an attempt to answer such questions and figure out just what the promoters were thinking, authors Randy Baer and R.D. Reynolds go beyond what wrestling fans saw on the screen and delve into the mindset of those in the production booth. In some instances, the motivations driving the spectacle prove even more laughable than what was actually seen in the ring. Covering such entertainment catastrophes as an evil one-eyed midget and a wrestler from the mystical land of Oz, not to mention the utterly comprehensible Turkey-on-a-Pole match (a gimmick which AWA fans might recall), WrestleCrap is hysterically merciless in its evaluation of such organizations as the WCW and the WWF. This retrospective look at the wrestling world's misguided attempts to attract viewers will leave wrestling fans and critics alike in stitches.

Cheating Death, Stealing Life

Download Cheating Death, Stealing Life PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 9781439121771
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (217 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Cheating Death, Stealing Life by : Eddie Guerrero

Download or read book Cheating Death, Stealing Life written by Eddie Guerrero and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-05-11 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most inspiring stories in wrestling history, Cheating Death, Stealing Life sees Eddie Guerrero recount his saga in remarkably candid fashion, chronicling a life of heartbreaks and painful personal struggles in frank, graphic detail. Guerrero was born into Mexico's first family of sports entertainment, and his life story spans three generations of the wrestling business. His father, Gory Guerrero, was among the greatest legends of lucha libre—Mexican wrestling. Before Eddie was twenty, he was competing in the border town of Juarez, going on to work throughout Mexico. The family name made him an instant sensation but also cast a large shadow from which he would spend years trying to emerge. Paired with the late Art Barr, Guerrero cofounded what became the most hated—and popular—tag team in lucha libre, the infamous Los Gringos Locos. Cheating Death, Stealing Life offers a no-holds-barred glimpse behind the curtain into the secret world of wrestling, from the harsh realities of a lifetime spent in hotels and rental cars, to the politics that permeate the dressing room. Of course, tight-knit friendships are also forged. Guerrero tells of his personal bonds with such Superstars as Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko. It's also the story of Guerrero's private struggle, of a son caught in the shadow of a larger-than-life father and three older brothers, of a marriage that reached the brink of disintegration before being reborn as a more powerful and fulfilling relationship. Throughout, Eddie Guerrero pulls no punches describing his battles with self-doubt and inner darkness. In the end, Cheating Death, Stealing Life is a story of great courage and personal redemption, of Guerrero's bravery in facing his disease and fighting to become a better man in every light.

Wrestling's One Ring Circus

Download Wrestling's One Ring Circus PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Citadel Press
ISBN 13 : 9780806526195
Total Pages : 226 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (261 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Wrestling's One Ring Circus by : Scott Keith

Download or read book Wrestling's One Ring Circus written by Scott Keith and published by Citadel Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For almost twenty years, the world wrestling federation ruled under the big top of sports entertainment... Then it all came crashing down. But how did things get so bad so quickly? What really triggered the federation's self-destruction? And how did a man acknowledged as a genius in business, promotion, and entertainment, a latter-day P.T. Barnum of wrestling's greatest show on earth, become his own worst enemy? All will be revealed in this shocking, entertaining, and always witty foray into the One Ring Circus that is pro wrestling.

The Rise & Fall of ECW

Download The Rise & Fall of ECW PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1416513124
Total Pages : 276 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (165 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Rise & Fall of ECW by : Thom Loverro

Download or read book The Rise & Fall of ECW written by Thom Loverro and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2007-05-22 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the rise and fall of Extreme Championship Wrestling, and how that organization revolutionized sports entertainment.

The Squared Circle

Download The Squared Circle PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 1592408818
Total Pages : 402 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (924 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Squared Circle by : David Shoemaker

Download or read book The Squared Circle written by David Shoemaker and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-11-04 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A breakthrough examination of the professional wrestling, its history, its fans, and its wider cultural impact The Squared Circle grows out of David Shoemaker’s writing for Deadspin, where he started the column “Dead Wrestler of the Week” (which boasts more than 1 million page views)—a feature on the many wrestling superstars who died too young because of the abuse they subject their bodies to—and his writing for Grantland, where he covers the pro wrestling world, and its place in the pop culture mainstream. Shoemaker’s sportswriting has since struck a nerve with generations of wrestling fans who—like him—grew up worshipping a sport often derided as “fake” in the wider culture. To them, these professional wrestling superstars are not just heroes but an emotional outlet and the lens through which they learned to see the world. Starting in the early 1900s and exploring the path of pro wrestling in America through the present day, The Squared Circle is the first book to acknowledge both the sport’s broader significance and wrestling fans’ keen intellect and sense of irony. Divided into eras, each section offers a snapshot of the wrestling world, profiles some of the period’s preeminent wrestlers, and the sport’s influence on our broader culture. Through the brawling, bombast, and bloodletting, Shoemaker argues that pro wrestling can teach us about the nature of performance, audience, and, yes, art. Full of unknown history, humor, and self-deprecating reminiscence—but also offering a compelling look at the sport’s rightful place in pop culture—The Squared Circle is the book that legions of wrestling fans have been waiting for. In it, Shoemaker teaches us to look past the spandex and body slams to see an art form that can explain the world.

100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die

Download 100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Triumph Books
ISBN 13 : 1641252200
Total Pages : 372 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (412 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis 100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by : Bryan Alvarez

Download or read book 100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die written by Bryan Alvarez and published by Triumph Books. This book was released on 2019-07-16 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most WWE fans tune in each year to watch WrestleMania, remember the Monday Night Wars of the 1990s, and have heard the story behind the Montreal Screwjob. But only real fans recall the name of Steve Austin's original character, can tell you how the Intercontinental championship was created, or know the best places to get an autograph of their favorite superstars. 100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource guide for true members of the WWE Universe. Whether you've been keeping kayfabe since the days of Bruno Sammartino or you're a more recent supporter of AJ Styles and Becky Lynch, these are the 100 things all fans need to know and do in their lifetime. Bestselling author Bryan Alvarez has collected every essential piece of WWE knowledge and trivia, as well as must-do activities, and ranks them all from 1 to 100, providing an entertaining and easy-to-follow checklist that will have you chanting "YES! YES! YES!"

Ring of Hell

Download Ring of Hell PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 364 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Ring of Hell by : Matthew Randazzo, V

Download or read book Ring of Hell written by Matthew Randazzo, V and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Ring of Hell" is the true story of Chris Benoit's journey through the destructive, dysfunctional, and bizarre pro wrestling industry, and the catastrophic physical and mental breakdown that led to his grisly end.

The Road Warriors: Danger, Death and the Rush of Wrestling

Download The Road Warriors: Danger, Death and the Rush of Wrestling PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Medallion Media Group
ISBN 13 : 1605421642
Total Pages : 354 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (54 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Road Warriors: Danger, Death and the Rush of Wrestling by : Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis

Download or read book The Road Warriors: Danger, Death and the Rush of Wrestling written by Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis and published by Medallion Media Group. This book was released on 2011-02-08 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Delivering an inside account of one of wrestling's most famous fighters, this autobiography offers a rare chance to learn about Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis's life both inside and outside the ring. Revealing riveting stories about his participation in the 1980s and 1990s superstar wrestling team the Road Warriors, it recounts memorable fights with his partner Mike "Hawk" Hegstrand. He describes how he and Mike rose to become a revolutionary tag team—reinventing themselves with spiky accessories and wearing face paint before it was popular—and chronicles famous rivalries, movement between different wrestling associations, and dealing with Mike's longtime struggle with drugs and alcohol. He also invites fans into his personal life and discusses his family and newfound Christian faith. Featuring stories of incredible physical feats and deep-felt companionship, this testimony will help fans relive the glory days of a wrestling legacy.

Ric Flair: To Be the Man

Download Ric Flair: To Be the Man PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1439121745
Total Pages : 527 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (391 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Ric Flair: To Be the Man by : Ric Flair

Download or read book Ric Flair: To Be the Man written by Ric Flair and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-05-11 with total page 527 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout the years, there may have been equally charismatic performers, comparable athletes, and even better interviews, but none were blessed with the same combination of talents to manage to stay on top for over three decades. To wrestling fans, the Nature Boy is a platinum-blond deity, a sixteen-time world champion who accurately boasted that he could have a five-star match with a broom. No matter how limited the opponent, Flair had the skill and determination to bounce all over the mat, transforming his rival into a star. When the camera light went on, "Slick Ric" could convince viewers that, if they missed an upcoming match, a momentous life experience would pass them by. Flair's opponents were challenged with this simple taunt: "To be the man, you have to beat the man." Away from the arena, Richard Morgan Fliehr spent years struggling with his own concept of what it meant to be a man. He suffered periods of crushing self-doubt, marital strife and—in a profession where there was room for only one Ric Flair—broken friendships. Ric Flair: To Be the Man, cowritten with Keith Elliot Greenberg, chronicles the anguish and exhilaration of Flair's life and career—in painfully honest detail. In addition to his own words, Flair's story is enriched by anecdotes from ring greats like Superstar Billy Graham, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Harley Race, Sgt. Slaughter, David Crockett, Arn Anderson, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Undertaker and Brock Lesnar. To Be the Man traces the rise of one of wrestling's most enduring superstars to the pinnacle of the sports entertainment universe, and is a must-read for every wrestling fan.

Forgiven

Download Forgiven PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : ECW Press
ISBN 13 : 1550227041
Total Pages : 357 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (52 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Forgiven by : Vince Russo

Download or read book Forgiven written by Vince Russo and published by ECW Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Revealing the true, behind-the-scenes stories from some of wrestling's most famous moments, including Bret Hart's lost championship and the rise to superstardom of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley, and The Rock, this autobiography is the one that every wrestling fan has been waiting for.

Hitman

Download Hitman PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Vintage Canada
ISBN 13 : 0307371468
Total Pages : 594 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (73 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Hitman by : Bret Hart

Download or read book Hitman written by Bret Hart and published by Vintage Canada. This book was released on 2009-02-24 with total page 594 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his own words, Bret Hart’s honest, perceptive, startling account of his life in and out of the pro wrestling ring. The sixth-born son of the pro wrestling dynasty founded by Stu Hart and his elegant wife, Helen, Bret Hart is a Canadian icon. As a teenager, he could have been an amateur wrestling Olympic contender, but instead he turned to the family business, climbing into the ring for his dad’s western circuit, Stampede Wrestling. From his early twenties until he retired at 43, Hart kept an audio diary, recording stories of the wrestling life, the relentless travel, the practical jokes, the sex and drugs, and the real rivalries (as opposed to the staged ones). The result is an intimate, no-holds-barred account that will keep readers, not just wrestling fans, riveted. Hart achieved superstardom in pink tights, and won multiple wrestling belts in multiple territories, for both the WWF (now the WWE) and WCW. But he also paid the price in betrayals (most famously by Vince McMahon, a man he had served loyally); in tragic deaths, including the loss of his brother Owen, who died when a stunt went terribly wrong; and in his own massive stroke, most likely resulting from a concussion he received in the ring, and from which, with the spirit of a true champion, he has battled back. Widely considered by his peers as one of the business’s best technicians and workers, Hart describes pro wrestling as part dancing, part acting, and part dangerous physical pursuit. He is proud that in all his years in the ring he never seriously hurt a single wrestler, yet did his utmost to deliver to his fans an experience as credible as it was exciting. He also records the incredible toll the business takes on its workhorses: he estimates that twenty or more of the wrestlers he was regularly matched with have died young, weakened by their own coping mechanisms, namely drugs, alcohol, and steroids. That toll included his own brother-in-law, Davey Boy Smith. No one has ever written about wrestling like Bret Hart. No one has ever lived a life like Bret Hart’s. For as long as I can remember, my world was filled with liars and bullshitters, losers and pretenders, but I also saw the good side of pro wrestling. To me there is something bordering on beautiful about a brotherhood of big tough men who pretended to hurt one another for a living instead of actually doing it. Any idiot can hurt someone. —from Hitman