I think, because of the lack of guaranteed contracts in the league, there's hesitancy to speaking your minds at times. But I feel like there could be a movement beginning where guys are feeling a little more comfortable talking about things that are important to them.
When it comes to setting the market values, I let that stuff take care of itself. I know my value in this league, and I know the team appreciates me. I'm going to continue to make myself an indispensable part of this roster. When you do that, when your time comes up to get a contract, you usually get a contract extension.
For me, it's always been a financial kind of scenario. I was actually the first one who signed the 'exclusive to Ring of Honor' contract. I was the first guy who ever signed one of those contracts. That was tough for me because I had no one to talk to. I had no examples to go on. I was the guinea pig.
For me, I've been very lucky because of my relationship with Ring of Honor. I'm very close with everyone there, and that includes the guys that negotiate the contracts.
'All-Star Wonder Woman' would get worked on in what is laughably referred to as my 'spare time.' I just ended up with less and less time to devote to it. Eventually, we all realized that it was taking forever, so we just all agreed to hold off on it 'til the time was right to do it properly. Well, I still have a contract; DC never tore it up.
Whatever my contract situation is, that will be going on in the background.
When I was getting started, I was so busy just fighting my way through, and I was under contract at Warner Brothers. I did 40 hours of color television with the late Robert Taylor as a young cop.
I read every agreement of every contract. Anything I put my signature on, I really do read them. And I find things.
When I first heard Ray Charles, he was a flop artist on a small label in California. He hadn't sold any records. And I bought his contract for $2,500.
I came close to signing Elvis Presley. I offered $25,000 for his contract and they asked for $45,000 and I just didn't have the other $20,000.
