AudioSavior

Passion is what die hards like Bret Hart,Ric Flair, Mick Foley and Benoit have when they show up for work or when they talk about wrestling. They have it and it is in their blood and always will be. It is not about the money for them. It is about doing something they love doing no matter where they are. Yes, they can be unhappy like when each one of them were in WCW, but it wasn't wresting that made them unhappy, it was the BS and politics behind it. They still loved getting in the ring night after night and doing what they do best. That is something about them that was there from the beginning and will be there until the day they die.

I saw an interview with Benoit on Off the Record yesterday and he talks about how much it meant to him to win the tile but not for the fame but for a reward for all the hard work and passion he has for wrestling. He talked about getting phrase from Vince and other wresters backstage meaning more to him then getting the belt because of how it made him feel. He also spoke about Brock, talking about how you have to do what you are passionate about. If Brock wasn't enjoying what he was doing then there is nothing wrong with going and finding something else you want to do and would enjoy.

Fame is something that some wrestlers seem to want a lot. Back in the days of the Monday night wars, some wrestlers were taking %80 pay cuts to jump to WCW. They weren't getting the push/air time that they felt they deserved after being in the WWE for so long and felt they deserved to be on top and stay there. So they went to WCW to get the fame they wanted. It wasn't about the money nor the passion. THey stabbed people in the back and lied and showed no respect to Vince when they jumped. A lot of them had verbally committed to re-signing only to jump anyway with no
intention of staying.

Now, there is no doubt money plays it's part in all of this but to some it is a reward for doing what they love so much. A lot of the indy wrestlers make next to nothing when doing the shows and that next to nothing often doesn't cover the cost of travel. They sacrifice a lot to be on the road and often jump from promotion to promotion not really having a set place to call home. it has to be tough on them and I am sure some are in it for the money and hopes of making it big for the big payoff but they don't make much trying to reach it and there is a slim chance it will even happen.

Hulk Hogan and Goldberg are perfect examples of it being about money and fame. It is well known that Hogan had issues about the direction that they were taking him and wasn't happy with how he was being used. He has a right to not want to do certain things but at his age, should he really complain? He should be there to put others over and set an example to younger up and comers on what the big pay off is all about.

Goldberg wanted to be the man and have the bank account to prove it. When WCW was bought out, he still had 3 years I believe left to his contract. Instead of letting the WWE buy him out and sign him on, he chose to sit at home and collect the money for doing nothing. Not something a person with passion would do. He wanted to be the champ and stay the champ. He wanted to dictate to he won to and lost to. In a recent interview, he complained that he should have never dropped the belt and should have stayed the champ.

What is it that makes people want to be come wresters? It is obvious there are several reasons why people get into the business and do what they do day in and day out. Sometimes it is because they have a deep passion for it and love doing it every second they are out there. Some want the fame that goes a lot with being in the spotlight and performing for people. Some see $$$ and want to cash in on the piece of the pie.

Does it mean that someone who got in it for the fame and or money can't be as good or as entertaining as people with a deep passion? I think they can do just as well in some cases but in the long run, if the passion isn't there, it will end up costing them in the end.

Ok, It is not THAT LONG OF A POST.I am sure you can take a few mins to read it and give your opinion! I even broke it down to short paragraphs so that even Eugene could read it....I took the time to write it, at least take the time to read it and post a comment.

Papa Shango

Goldberg has always been in it for the money and has been quite open about. Whether you blame him personally for that is another issue because here is a guy who was just thrusted out of nowhere into the main event and suddenly became the flagship of the company. He never got to grips with, nor did he learn to respect the workings of the business and he didnt have to deal with paying any dues or climbing any ladders. He just took his paycheque and jackhammered anyone in his path. Goldberg was definately a money player but i dont hold him responsible for it.

Then you have the Eddies, Dynamites, Benoits etc. Guys who were always respected in the ring and guys who never done much complaining about their positioning on the card. These guys clearly outclass the money grabbers as is evident by their ringwork.

Then we have the the likes of Hogan.. who was probably outclassed wrestling wise by everybody on the roster. But he was fortunate enough to be given a fantastic gimmick and the man had the charisma to pull it off. His workrate was non-existant becaue he would only really wrestle at PPVs and Saturday Nights Main Event.. yet the passioate wrestlers like Bret, Dynamite etc were out there every show busting their asses. Im not sure if Hogan was in it for the money.. he was good what what he did but the guy was hardly a technical marvel.. but then again i suppose he never needed to be. I wouldnt say Hogan was in it for the money. I would call him more of a Fame guy as evident by his politicing in the WCW. Or maybe he new his star was falling and was trying to leverage his power into prolonging his career?

Then we have the guys like Macho Man. A Fantastic worker and also a participant in one of the best wrestlemania matches in history... yet here is a guy now who wont wrestle anywhere unless his substantial price is met. It tells you alot about a persons passion for the business. see also 'Ultimate Warrior'

Money is one of the main reasons people do anything. But in wrestling its quite easy to spot who is in it for the money and who is in it for the passion of the sport. Just watch the likes of Kevin Nash and Goldberg then compare them to people like Bret Hart and Chris Benoit and its easy to see who has the passion.


So its easy to seperate the Money men from the guys with a genuine passion. and inbetween we have the unfortunate people in the purgatory of 'Fame Seekers' or maybe that should be 'Fame Prolongers'. Guys like Hogan, Flair maybe even Taker who refuse to let their legacy die and do all they can to cling on to their past acheivements. ITs pretty hard to dislike them for that. Wrestling is all they have ever done or ever known so its understandable they eould do everything in their power to stay in he picture.

AudioSavior

Goldberg has been in the business long enough now to know he was handed his fame back then. I hold him responsible because he is a grown man who makes his own decissions.

Nash was in it for the spotlight and fame. he was one of the guys who jumped across to WCW after giving Vince verbal nod that he was going to stay and then takes the big paycut to be at the top again.

Hogan, is all about the $$$. Vince cut him loose because he wanted in on Vince's goldmine and Vince would have nothing to do with it.

Papa Shango

To be honest Ida.. I wouldnt call the WWF in 1993 'Vinces Goldmine'. The company was on the verge of a serious decline and i firmly believe getting rid of hogan was just an attempt to clear the shit out to pave the way for the likes of Bret and Shawn.

I still dont blame Goldberg. The guy was green as hell and had no clue how the business worked and he was main eventing before he knew it. That probably made him the money grabber he is today.. but i dont blame him directly for it.

Danny Diamond

Founder/Admin

I believe that there are certain wrestlers that fit into each of the categories.

Some are in it for the Money, some the passion and some the fame.

I would suggest that most of them got into it because of passion, love it because of the fame and stick around longer than they should because of the money.


I also think that the WWF stars that left for WCW back in the heyday did it strictly for the guarunteed contracts and huge dollar signs. Most of them at least.

Good post Ida.

AudioSavior

I wasn't talking about 1993. I was talking about leading up to then when the business was growing. Hogan wanted in on the business and was always trying to get a piece of the company. Vince didn't make the money over night. Back in the Saturday Moring wresting Days, he had to be making a pretty penny.

Not in the begining. A lot of wrestlers like Lex were hired for a huge salary cut. I am sure Vince would have at least matched what WCW was offering them but they left because they were given total creative control over their characters. That was one sweet deal, especially when they could make themselfs main eventers without having to get shot down.

Bouchie

Most people are in it because they love what they do, but every so often you get some ex-football player coming in just for the bling. In most cases, they can't wrestle worth a lick and are a hazard to the people they get in the ring with (see Mongo McMichael). That's why none of us were sad to see Goldberg leave. If a wrestler doesn't love what they do it shows, and they usually suck as a result. Same can be said for any job, I suppose. Rock is the exception to this, although we're still trying to figure out just how much passion Rock has for the business.

Dr. Giganto

The Rock made 15 million dollars for Walking Tall, and he still came back to wrestle at WMXX. He's made 30 million dollars for 3 movies (5, 10, and 15 for Scorpion King, Rundown, and Walking Tall, respectively), and he still has not ruled out a return to the ring

I think that should let you know his feelings for the business.