Shining a Spotlight 10.08.09: Drawing Heat the Hard Way

Posted by Michael Weyer on 10.08.2009

Reviewing a book that has an excellent detailed eye to how wrestling works and how it can survive the uncertain future.

　


Some big surprises with HITC from UT going over Punk for the belt to Orton managing to beat Cena. But the DX-Legacy bout was spectacular and I like how DX are finally acting the veterans than still trying to be the young rebels. Overall not too bad and spacing the actual HITC bouts around was a good idea to save from crowd burnout.
　

Writing about the wrestling business can be pretty tricky. There's a tendency of a lot of people (and I do include myself at times) to set themselves up as absolute experts when we have a pretty outside view of things. While the lines have faded a lot over the last decade, there's still a wall the business puts up to protect itself and few are able to crack it. On the one hand you've got guys like Scott Keith who are huge fans but often think they're more experts on the business and, worse, that their personal opinions speak for the vast majority of fans. On the other hand, you've got guys like James Guttman, whose first book blasted WWE for politics and bad booking and such. However, after a few years of doing a radio show that gave him better insight to the business, Guttman's second book has him noting he was nowhere near as smart as he thought he was. I do my best to be more factual but I acknowledge my personal opinions get in the way sometimes and that there's a line I haven't gotten through yet in regards to how the backstage world works.

That's what makes Drawing Heat the Hard Way: How Wrestling Really Works
(ECW Press, $19.95) so notable. In 257 pages, Larry Matysik wonderfully sums up how wrestling should work and how it really does. But this isn't a rant on the way things were so much better in the past as the man gives credit to WWE and especially Vince McMahon and seems to envy the power wrestling now has. It's often brutal but also fair, giving equal time to each side of the arguments and his expert analysis makes this a fascinating look at the evolution of the business.
　

The Author

Larry Matysik is no outsider to the business. At the age of 16, he began working for Sam Muchnick, a man still revered today as one of the greatest bookers ever. He worked with Sam for years in the St. Louis area, getting a good look at how things were run. When that territory was bought out by the WWF in 1984, Matysik worked for Vince until 1993. He still keeps an eye on the wrestling world today while working for independent promotions. He's also the author of two previous books, Wrestling at the Chase an excellent look at the St. Louis TV show, and a biography of Bruiser Brody. This is a man who knows his stuff and it shows in his writing.

He kicks it off with the opening chapter talking about being at a fan convention and asked the classic "is it real?" That leads to a look at angles including one he did for an independent show as a tribute to Bruiser Brody. Brody's widow was there and they came up with the idea of her getting a chair to hit a heel over the head. She was unsure but agreed to and the crowd went nuts. Afterward, she confessed to enjoying it and finally understanding why her husband kept wrestling all those years. In that, Matysik argues that wrestling can be as real as it is and the rest of the book explores that.
　


Vince

The first major chapter of the book examines Vince McMahon who Matysik compares to Muchnick but not in the way you may think. Matysik goes into Muchnick's own history with the NWA and how he managed to keep these various bickering and backstabbing promoters in line while delivering great wrestling. It's interesting reading this inner view of the NWA at the time when not only Vince but Verne Gagne were chipping away with their promotions. Matysik shares the viewpoint that anyone who thinks the territory system would still be around without Vince is hopelessly naive. There were already guys out there ready to take the big step; if it hadn't been Vince, it would have been someone else as by the early ‘80's, the NWA was weakening majorly under its own weight.

While he does tend to deify Muchnick a bit in the chapter, Matysik does acknowledge how time was passing Sam by, the days where everyone would fall in line under him over and his own position threatened. The change was, of course, thanks to cable TV spreading wrestling programming around. Sam himself wanted to get into it with a series of cable broadcasts but it fell through at the last minute. As someone who knew Muchnick, Matysik is somewhat qualified to say how Muchnick might hate the flavor of WWE programming today; but as a businessman first and foremost, the old promoter would have to respect and perhaps even admire the drive the young McMahon had to pull this off.

Matysik notes the underhanded means Vince often used in his quest, such as buyouts that never materialized in payoffs and seizing talent. But he also points out what so few "golden age" guys will note, which was that wrestling has always been an underhanded business. Vince himself perhaps summed it up best to Matysik when he said "wrestling's a rotten business and you have to be a rotten guy to survive it." The author seems to have a hard time understanding Vince but he's hardly alone as Vince goes out of his way to keep even those closest to him guessing. He does admire how Vince has changed the way wrestling is from hiding it's all fake to saying it's real…except this bit or that bit there. This constant guessing keeps people interested and thus adds to his power.

Power. That's what it comes down to with Vince as Matysik goes into detail on. The man is comfortable with power and enjoys using it. His self-confidence is his greatest asset as it allows him to dare what others won't. But he can't be underestimated as he knows the business and can sense where crowds will shift. Yes, he's brutal with workers but how's that different from any corporate owner? Matysik gets the brilliant observation that "sometimes doing the right thing is not always what's good for the business." That dogged persistence, that charm and sense, are what makes even those with major beefs against Vince admire the man still. Matysik discusses his own experiences, how he hated Vince for buying out the St. Louis territories but admires him greatly for managing to run this company so long against all challenges and still going strong.

An example used is the Ric Flair retirement ceremony in 2008. There's the cynical view of how Vince was just going out of his way for Flair since the guy wouldn't be around anymore and of course, couldn't resist pulling in older fans with it. There's a sidebar on how the Hall of Fame leaves out anyone who isn't in Vince's good graces and thus shouldn't be counted as a real HOF. But at the same time, Vince took time out of a major show to pay tribute to a man who'd spent more of his career working for the competition when he didn't have to. To Matysik, that sums up Vince. The man loves wrestling, no matter what and he'll always have a passion for making it his own as well as leaving fans happy.
　

Breaking into the business


"Locking Up with the Dream" looks at the difficulties breaking into the business. It's harder now with fewer options as well as lack of experienced teachers. HHH notes how when he broke out, he never wanted to leave the ring while newer guys are busy playing video games or iPods rather than training. Indeed, too many rookies think they just need to know a few moves and bumps to get by, unprepared for the brutal world they're about to get into. It goes into the travel issues, noting how in the territories, some guys worked less than others. For example, the AWA would take month long breaks between shows while Harley Race was doing nearly 300 bouts a year. While talking of how a worker needs to make the cash he wants, Matysik makes the great observation that the brutal truth is some guys just aren't good enough to earn the big bucks. He brings up a pyramid idea with how mid-carders are supposed to be the glue holding things together and guys have to accept that the mid-card is as high as most will reach.

Another problem brought up is how too many rookies are concerned with their character or how they come off on the mic to care about even getting the basic moves right. Matysik examines the evolution of the business and how moves are sold. Once, a reverse suplex was a huge deal with Harley Race but it became commonplace. On the other hand, Cena's FU really isn't that devastating a move but the way Cena, the opponent and the announcers sell it makes fans believe it's a match-ender. That psychology is what the author argues is needed for rookies, to capture that feeling for the fans and give themselves the self-confidence needed to succeed in a hard business.




"Dismay" examines the fallout from the Benoit scandal and how it impacts the business. There's a lot on the history of steroids in wrestling with Matysik pointing out that when it started in the ‘70's, no one knew the long-term damage and of course, locker rooms have been filled with guys doing stuff ten times worse. On the other hand, he feels Congress might have looked more into steroids in wrestling; it's one thing for baseball records to be tarred and another where guys are dying. The problem is that wrestling has always been about appearances with the better lookers the bigger stars. That's even more important with all the TV time today as promoters want guys who look good and will be willing to ignore how they get that way. The problem isn't Vince or other promoters but the wrestlers themselves who'll ignore all the warnings and advice and keep going because they want to stay on top no matter what. Bret Hart stated that too many guys won't take responsibility for their actions. Bret has acknowledged his own failings with infidelities and such (although not his ego but that's a whole other issue) but too many won't. Matysik points out that despite what his detractors say, Vince is not a sociopath who cares only for himself. He doesn't want anyone dying, not these men who he does care about. At the same time, he's a businessman and he's following the same doctrines the business has been doling out for years. It's much like regular sports where bigger is better and fans respond to that and sadly, the author doesn't see that changing for wrestling anytime soon.
　

Mentality

　
"How Independent is Independent?" has Matysik shattering some of the myths of the "independent worker." He reveals it was Muchnick who came up with the idea of setting aside 32% of each gate to pay his talent and pretty much every promoter since has followed that same rule. True, if baseball or football tried that small a percentage to pay their guys, it'd raise a shitstorm but to Matysik, this is good business sense for wrestling. UFC does much the same as their guys are considered independent talent despite the fact most have contracts barring them from fighting anywhere else. It touches upon the problems of a wrestling union and how it's unlikely since guys are always fighting each other for spots rather than uniting. Matysik brings up how little business sense it might make for Vince to keep paying for guys after they've left the company after only a few years.

"Everyone Works" discusses the backstage politics and how everyone uses everyone else. It brings up how just because a guy is great in the ring doesn't mean he can draw money. Just look at Hulk Hogan. A funny bit is on how outsiders think it's easy to take falls when you're trained for it and Matysik challenges them to jump off the couch to the floor fifty times in a row and see how they feel. The author argues that too many rookies are going for the big bumps in hopes of getting noticed rather than making them count, using the example of Edouard Carpentier to back the statement up. Today's workers, he argues, need to space these big moves out and not burn out the crowd and also know how to roll and ad-lib more and also know their place. "The main event is what draws money, the top guys need the space to do what they do best." He brings up how Brody and Abdullah were top-billed at an event and were outraged to see the first two matches using blood, brawling outside the ring and even fireballs. Outraged, the two threatened to quit on the spot so the promoter toned it down and the main event had Brody and Abdullah showing these rookies how a hardcore match should be. Blood can be as overused as bumps, selling is more key than people think and guys should learn rest holds are useful if done right. Matysik does have the great statement that guys from the ‘70's and ‘80's complain about the work of the ‘90's, guys of the ‘90's complain about today and today's guys will probably be complaining in 2020, showing how things go full circle.
　



Booking

Two whole chapters are focused on the booking "Does it Draw?" and "What's Good For the Business is Good For…" Matysik starts with the key problem so many fantasy bookers will ignore: It's one thing to plan out a series of events and matches, it's quite another to get all the talent to go along with them perfectly. He touches on the ups and downs of the business and how Muchnick could actually use them to build up business, a strategy Vince follows. Sure, a lot of WWE programming can be haphazard throughout the year but when things build to Wrestlemania, things get much tighter and more focused. The chapter also touches once more on the fact that a lot of guys (many of which can be considered IWC darlings) simply don't have what it takes to be in the main event and more often than not, promoters are able to recognize who does and doesn't have it. Matysik brings up how many promoters were stars of their territories and thus had a major influence on things while Vince has always been the final word for WWE. Matysik argues the whole idea of wrestlers needing to find their voice and characters as there's always been guys able to use their own charisma for things.

The problem is that too many of the guys in WWE creative are more fans than wrestling experts and few of them have the guts to give Vince bad ideas or tell him he's doing something wrong. The picture Matysik paints of Vince is a man who runs so much that it's impossible to delegate to every since task and he relies a bit too much on folks who think of wrestling as a joke. He brings up how the excellent Michaels-Jericho feud was planned out by the two of them and that showed how veterans can understand things well. Again, Muchnick is quoted with saying that bookers "shouldn't settle for the lowest common denominator because wrestling will get that group regardless." Also, a booker should always have a real ending in mind for an angle when he cooks it up or it'll fall apart. Not just WWE is cited but TNA as well as too many guys are interested in "cheap heat" and "getting it back" and their own spots than caring for the actual worth of the matches and storylines. While things are faster in today's world, the author argues the standards of booking should be the same to hold the business up as healthy.
　




Presntation


"The Voice" has Matysik examining announcers, using his own experiences doing broadcasts in St. Louis. He brings up how announcing should be done well without peppering things with inside jokes the audience won't get and the announcers shouldn't overwhelm the action with their own characters. There's a fun look back at how things used to be with plugs and promos for specific cities because the TV stations wouldn't allow commercials for wrestling to be shown. Matysik actually admires the freedom of cable TV today but is annoyed how announcers today spend too much time pitching shows and merchandise than in the ring. He's annoyed at how Vince seems to tie down the announcers with what they can and cannot say and making workers rely on scripts for promos and gives huge props to Jim Ross as a professional voice. Overall, Matysik points out how Vince himself was an announcer and knows how huge a deal that is for the show and will always make sure it gets the importance it should.

"Contacts, Contacts, Contacts," is built around Dave Meltzer and how he changed everything with his insider letters. It's a must read chapter with stuff like how guys in public would grouse about Meltzer ruining things when not only were they reading his newsletters but also giving him info. Matysik talked to Meltzer himself and admires how the man truly researches his work in order to give facts, not secondhand gossip or spin. Too often, stuff that Meltzer rejects as he knows they're false will be picked up by the IWC and instantly become fact. Indeed, Meltzer and others are quoted saying that WWE may be listening too much to the IWC crowd and overlooking how they really are a small percentage of the overall fan base and catering to that small corner can be a liability to the business overall.

"Lifeblood" looks at the fan base itself and brings up statistics that show that things really
aren't bigger than they were in the territory days, it just seems that way. Matysik does point out that you can't judge that comparison easily because the territories didn't have cable TV shows; if back then fans could simply watch on TV rather than drive a couple of hours, the numbers then would have been much different. A nice bit is how both Muchnick and Vince share a hatred for the term "mark," feeling that fans should be treated with some respect instead of cons to be fleeced. A fun entry is on Juanita Wright, a friend of Muchnick's who became famous as Sapphire, Dusty Rhodes' valet in the WWF. The woman truly enjoyed her brief time in the limelight and Matysik speaks warmly of Vince giving this longtime fan a chance to live out her dream, showing how deep down Vince remains a fan at heart.
　

Summation


"What Next" questions how things will change for the business in the future. It brings up how MMA is taking away interest for their realism, their style and how more young athletes see that as a more viable career than wrestling. On the other hand, Matysik also talks about how MMA and even legitimate sports are influenced by wrestling, that it's too ingrained in our culture to ever truly go away. He does bring up the question of how it will survive when Vince inevitably leaves power and whether those with him can carry out his vision. It won't be the same as Vince is a once in a lifetime personality but then, Muchnick never trained his sons to take over because he hated for them to get involved in the dirty world he worked in. Shane, Stephanie and HHH are more used to that world so it might work out. It may be a bloodbath and chaotic but wrestling itself will find a way to survive, just at a lower level which may be exactly what the business needs to keep going. "Go Home" talks about how wrestling has more fans than people expect and you can't stop that. "Wrestling is a work. And thanks to the great entertainment it provides, it doesn't matter one damn bit."

The book is a fantastic read, excellently written and detailed. It's true Matysik can be a bit over-adulation with Muchnick and the old St. Louis era but he's pretty fair to today's wrestling climate as well. He recognizes the challenges the current guys face and how they and the fans can do their best to keep wrestling alive. The man brings an expert eye to things and it's refreshing hearing someone who truly understands the business discussing booking and presentation of the past and today in equal parts. Overall, it's an excellent addition to any wrestling fan's library, making you think about the business in fair terms and offering great insight in an intelligent package.

That's all for this week. For now the spotlight is off.