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Posted By	Discussion Topic: Tough Enough - A Wrestler's Perspective
Sir Okonkwo	posted on 07-14-2001 @ 7:49 PM
Psychopath Registered: Jun. 01	This message was originally posted by Jacey North, an independent wrestler, to the Death Valley Driver Video Review message board. He has given me permission to repost it here in it's entirety. I think it's a great look at Tough Enough, from a different angle. If you have any questions for him, he can be reached at JaceyNorth@aol.com. ----------------- Ok, I just finished watching last night's episode and I'm ready to vent on Tough Enough. I even took notes. First off, I like the concept for the show, it is pretty good, and I don't like reality shows at all. It's produced pretty well, and because there's no voting off like on Survivor or Boot Camp, there isn't any dissension or politicking that fucks up both those shows. That's a major plus. The casting episode was neat, got to show some character for Tazz and Al Snow. What I hated was the fact that the only two girls I really liked both didnt make it (Aussie and the Tara from Pa. girl). They both seemed to have more drive than the 5 they did choose, but they didnt have the "look" the WWF wants. I noticed a bunch've people came from Mass., Pa., Md. and Cali.....I'll get to that later. Now for the bad stuff, the contestants all suck. I don't particularly like any of them. It's more of a who-do-I-hate-least deal. Yes, everybody hates Darryl and I wouldnt piss on him if he were on fire. I hope he gets cut. The guy who quit last week? Fuck him.....he had a chance at a WWF contract but he obviously is just a mark who wants to sit at home and watch on Monday and Thursday nights. I don't want to see that, I want to see guys who want it so bad they don't talk about anything else, don't bitch about being hurt, basically ACT LIKE THEY FUCKING WANT IT. None of these pansyasses act like they want it at all, not in the ring, not in their promos, not when they talk on the phone. And how the fuck do you not know the travel schedule sucks? It does for any professional athlete, except there is no off-season. I quote the great Tom Billington and say....."Prick." They never shouldve picked Bobbie Jo. If she was a guy and I ever worked her, I'd pull a Kawada and beat her all over the fucking ring. "This is a lot of work...." she said.....damn what a clueless.....whatever....I'm glad she's gone. Victoria is just another mark....glad she's gone even though she was the cutest girl. I'm so glad Tazz dogged them all out by calling them quitters, another reason I admire the shit outta him. They had a chance to do what most of us on the indies don't have any sort of shot at, a WWF contract. And they pissed it away......Tazz was right, they weeded out all the crap. I was so happy to see HHH break it down to them all seriously. I wouldve done the exact same thing (and when I was an asst. trainer at a school in Virginia I did....). No matter what you say about him, he's hardcore in his attitude toward wrestling.....I admire him a lot more from that show. I could go on and on with why the contestants suck, but here's the deal. If you want it that bad, you'll train sick, hurt, injured, run in the mud, do whatever it takes, and none of these contestants has the attitude that "holy shit, this is my dream, wow I'm so fucking lucky, I'm being taught to wrestle from the WWF.....etc" The biggest pop of the show from the contestants was "YAY, FRONT ROW TICKETS TO SMACKDOWN!!!!" which just proves they are just marks. I'd rather stay at Trax (which is a cool looking school) and practice my headlock takeovers or fireman's carry into an armbar. The big problem with this show? They are ALL phonies. If they wanted to be in wrestling so bad they'd already be at a school training. There are well-known schools in most of the areas where these people came from. So what the WWF got was A) some indy guys B) a bunch of pretenders when they got all the tapes. I don't like hearing excuses. I've been asked countless times about schools, looked up numbers and addresses to give to people, referred people to training, etc. "It's too far away.....it costs too much....." whatever. Like HHH said, "You either want this or you don't." And I don't think any of them want it enough. If it's in your blood like it is mine, you do what you have to do. I borrowed money to train. I have two friends I do shows with all the time who went to Shawn Michaels school in Texas (one was from Cali, the other from Georgia). They currently bust their asses in TV and are doing great......they didn't make any excuses, they moved halfway across the country to train. It's tough. Boo fucking hoo. Know whats tough? Having to work two gauntlet matches in a row, one going 8 minutes the other going 10. Then get a concussion 2 minutes into the first match. And no, I didnt take it home early. I got the same bumps and bruises training, but I didnt cry, its all a part of it. What I do hope this show accomplishes is to show people that wrestling isn't fake, and that it does hurt. A lot. Yea, its a pipe dream and won't happen, but it's nice to dream. I hope I don't sound bitter, because I'm not. I know I've earned every good thing that has happened in this business, and I'm working for one of the best indy groups in the country. To quote someone who's had a huge impact on me personally and professionally, "this is a dream come true." I bust my ass every weekend in spite of the fact I put in at least 45 hours a week at work, plus gym time and college courses at night. And I complain a lot less than 13 people competing for a WWF contract. Jacey

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