Mick Foley Responds to the 411 Comment Section

– As he promised, Mick Foley has read the comments of the 411readers, and here is what he had to say in his latest blog entry. You can read the original 411 post about Foley blasting 411 commenters and the hundreds of responses here.

I’ve been reading some of the 411 comments

Yes, I have been reading some of the 411 comments, and really have found most of them to be very interesting. One of the people left the comment that I shouldn’t judge every person who comments on the site based on the reactions of a few people. You know, that person is right, and in truth, I was probably guilty of doing just that. I know I’m just getting around to using a computer now, but I remember back when I was a huge fan, laying in wait for the new copy of “Wrestling Eye” to come out, just to get some “real” wrestling news. Even though I don’t go on the wrestling sites very often, I will often ask JB what people on them are saying.

I probably wasn’t clear enough when I asked for a little more information about the people on 411. Really, I wanted those handful of people making it clear they wouldn’t be asking Santa for the new Mick Foley book to respond. But alot of people responded, and I did find the imformation to be very useful. I didn’t look at every comment, as there were so many there, but I think just about anyone can see that the very critical comments TEND (note I said TEND) to be not as well thought out or as well written as the others.

As far as the new book goes, and whether or not four is at least one to many. Well, I guess if someone feels that way, it is. If they don’t, it isn’t. There was one really interesting comment about how the “Hardcore Diaries” seemed forced; that the diary format hid the fact that I didn’t really have that much to talk about. I disagree – I really like the book, and am glad I wrote it. I doubt you will ever see a book that critical of the company written by someone still working for them. I don’t want to kill any enthusiasm for the new book, but those looking for me to blast WWE will likely be dissapointed. My feelings for the company, and for Vince himself, are largely positive, even if I am very happy not to be there anymore.

Readers who thought I veered too far from wrestling in the last book will likey feel the same way about this one, though I’m thinking about adding a helpful “wrestleometer” at the start of every chapter, just in case they want to take a pass on one of my non-wrestling chapters. But looking back on “Hardcore Diaries”, my favorite chapters are the ones dealing with kids I’ve met along the way. So that one guy who has heard enough stories about me helping younsters to last him a lifetime might want to skip this book completely.

As far as the one guy who referred to me as “whoring himself out” by writing another book? Well, let me see. I’ve got the Oxford American Dictionary here, and while they do have definitions for “whoring”, “himself” and “out”, the phrase as a whole leaves itself open for interpretation. But my personal interpretation would be along the lines of “doing something one isn’t proud of or emotianally invested in simply for money”. I have to say, I think that person’s comment was a little off base here. I actually enjoy the writing process (at least most of the time) and have been proud of, and emotionally invested in everything I’ve ever written. Now I don’t want to further put off the guy who doesn’t need any more stories of me helping kids, but I have already pledged 50% of all my proceeds to charity. So, take away that 50%, deduct agents and managers fees, and state and federal income taxes, and there’s not a real good chance of making a financial killing on this one.

Will this book, my fourth, be as absorbing as Brett Hart’s autobiography? Probably not. Will it be as fun as Jericho’s “A Lion’s Tale”, an incredible action-adventure coming of age story? I doubt it. But for people who like my style of telling stories, are interested in my ongoing adventures, and want a slightly differest perspective on the trials and tribulations of life inside the wonderful world of wrestling…you could do a whole lot worse.