This week, I will do two different columns. One on Wrestling itself later on in the week and the other one what I am about to do now. Just today (Monday) I purchased the new Playstation 2 and believe me it was worth the wait. I reserved a copy back in April and I just got it today so with the anticipation, I purchased three DVD movies about a month ago and one of them was "Beyond the Mat." The trailer itself states that this is "The movie Vince McMahon doesn't want you to see" and quite frankly after watching it, I know why. I wasn't able to see it in theaters because quite frankly the movie wasn't being shown close to where I live so I waited until today to watch it. The movie itself isn't necessarily about the business itself but rather about three different personalities in Wrestling. Terry Funk, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and Mic Foley. Now with Funk I got what I expected which means a man with the heart of gold. The man is genuine and he loves the business so much that he can't leave and I don't even know if this latest retirement he is going to partake in will last either because it's in his blood. For Jake, I more or less knew what I was going to get too but it's just so sad that a hero has fallen in his graces. In a world we live today our kids need heroes. I would consider Bret Hart, Sting, and yes even Goldberg as heroes, but not Jake. Part of me felt bad for him because of the life that has transpired in him. A man that did not have a loving father, a life of alcohol and yes drugs too. But at the same time the other part of me sees this as he did it all himself and nothing more. But the one man that truly stood out in my mind in the movie was none other then Mic Foley.

I have always been a fan of the character whether it was Cactus Jack, Mankind, and even Dude Love. But it was until recently when I read his book "Have a Nice Day" when I got to know the man. I found out that he was a loving father, a loving husband, and he truly loves the business he's in. But I also found out more while watching the movie. He is a truly wonderful father that would do anything for his children and they are his most important thing in his life. Sure he has done things as a father that I wouldn't agree with such as actually allowing his children watch a match of his live without him commentating it to them, but hey we all make mistakes. He even stated in the movie that he didn't want them there but they had that "Special Touch" that allowed them to be there. I think I can understand that "Special Touch." They emphasized on the Royal Rumble match of 1999 that involved Mankind against The Rock and the amazing 11 chair shots the man took to his skull. This is real folkes, the man really did get hit in the head with the steel chair and yes it really did hurt. I do remember watching the match itself almost two years ago and I felt the match itself was a classic and the best match on the card and I still feel that way but now I see things a little differently. I didn't know that originally the chair shots were only going to be 5 and I didn't know that Mic was utterly pissed at Dwayne for what happened. I thought it was Mic's idea about the chair shots, which it was, but I didn't know that Dwayne went overboard. It was explained that the whole intention was to get The Rock over as a heel since it was setting up the inevitable Rock-Stone Cold match at Wrestlemania and the match did live up to that. The crowd was booing Rock after the chair shots and he was booed at the Stone Cold-Rock match for Wrestlemania but it still was very unnecessary. The question is why 11 shots and not 5? We can't answer that, the only person that can answer that is Dwayne himself. Maybe he lived the character a little too much? Maybe he thought he heard Mic say "More?" Maybe he just lost count of shots, who really knows. But the one thing that disappointed me the most that Dwayne didn't even check on Mic after the match to see if he is okay but again I can't answer why he didn't do that. You'd have to ask him again. Do I hate The Rock? No I will always like the athlete and one day I would love to meet the man. But at the same time, I thought it was inappropriate and I didn't know that Mic still has bitter feelings towards him. Overall this movie was very good and it certainly delivered the message that Wrestling is indeed real and every Wrestling fan should see it if they haven't already. Also now I understand why Foley is not Wrestling and instead acting as a somewhat "Cartoonish" Commissioner. Allow me to say this, I do like the character Mic is playing now but I have been a fan of Cactus Jack back when it was uncool to cheer a heel, so I have always loved the characters he has portrayed and there was a point in time that I didn't like the "Character" he portrayed as a "Bumbline Commissioner" but now he can act as goofy as he wants as far as I am concerned because the man certainly does deserve to be living it up in the WWF which is what he is doing now.

In closing, I have to bring something up and this regards to the workers that read my column week in and week out. I have the uttermost respect for you and any other Wrestler out there that is doing what they love to do. Some Wrestlers are living their dream right now by performing in the WWF, WCW, or ECW. There are some of you that are still trying to live the dream and paying your dues. I say God Bless you because I of all people understand what it is to dream about something. My ultimate dream is to have my own TV Talk show and I am already living part of my dream by being in the radio business at a young tender age of 25 and I am very lucky. I am living it day by day and for those of you who do work for the indies, enjoy it and relish it because you still are doing things that some of us can only dream about. God bless you all. If you want to contact me, feel free to email me at KGill87358@AOL.COM and we can either talk about this column, or the business of Wrestling itself. Take care.