Sept. 11, 2001, still feels like a blur to me. I wish it were simply a bad, re-occurring dream, but unfortunately it isn't.
The Rock had the amazing athletic abilities that few people are gifted with, but he also had the burning desire to be the best, and none of that can be denied.
Two men that did treat me well from day one were Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon. Thanks to them being old pros and having the class of a pair of WWE Hall of Famers and true gentlemen, I was given a chance to prove myself to them as a human being.
One of my biggest fears, in both my personal and business life, is residing too long in my comfort zone.
I've done everything. I've been ring crew, I've been driver for a blind promoter, I've been a valet, I've been a referee, I've been a ring announcer, I've been a corporate officer, play-by-play man, blah, blah, blah. No one has been on my journey.
People think you can wave a magic wand and create a star, that couldn't be further from the truth. People think that a promoter has all the cards and the talents are merely pawns and they have very little do with the bigger success, when they have most of their success because of what they do.
It doesn't matter if you have a six-minute match on 'Superstars,' go out and steal the show. Go have a great, solid match. Somebody's going to say, 'Who cares about 'Superstars?' Nobody watches it. And it's only six minutes.' That's the wrong attitude. That's a loser's attitude, and that's what I've told dozens of talents.
I can always get better at what I'm doing because I'm not nearly as good as I think I can be. I'm going to try to improve every chance I get.
John Cena's work ethic is beyond reproach. It's been phenomenal to see what he does and he's made himself a brand.
Sometimes our passion will motivate us to say things that can easily be misunderstood.
I've just been so blessed in my journey. Fat kid from Oklahoma, buddy - Southern accent and Bell's palsy, becoming a broadcaster and hanging around a fickle business for 40 years. You wonder how in the hell that happened. It was somebody's plan.
We've only got so much energy in our bodies, and if you want to use some of it for hate, if you choose to exert it negatively, I feel for you. I choose to not hate any team. I use whatever is in my tank for good.
There's always another adventure if you keep your head above water and I don't have any desire to slow down because it keeps you young.
Tough wrestlers have never been uncommon. Competing and performing through injuries, enduring crazy travel schedules and wrestling with no offseason just lends itself for one to have to be tough to make it long term and with success in sports-entertainment.
I've heard Jerry do mini concerts while driving, especially when the music of The Beatles or a handful of other 'British Invasion' bands aired. Hearing Jerry Lawler sing with a British accent is quite an experience.
There's no way in hell I'm supposed to be on television or be a broadcaster of any regard. But I have defied those odds because I believe in this: I am damn sure not going to let somebody else define who I am.
Freebird Michael Hayes was my first broadcast partner who was a pure, 100% antagonist. Hayes and I joined forces during Cowboy Bill Watts' attempt at expanding the Mid-South brand by renaming Mid-South Wrestling the Universal Wrestling Federation.
Sports-entertainment has provided me with many blessings, but nothing was ever more unpredictable and fun than hanging with Ric Flair, Barry Windham, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, who, in my opinion, are the greatest incarnation of The Four Horsemen and the most important faction to ever step into the ring.
On a very personal note, my dear friend, the late Steve 'Dr. Death' Williams was a four-time amateur wrestling All-American who also lettered and started four years on the football team at Oklahoma. I've met no man walking the face of the earth tougher than Doc. R.I.P., my friend.
They always say you don't want to follow a legend. A few have been able to do that. I think Bill Cowher followed Chuck Noll pretty well with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But it's hard to do at a lot of places.
