I started to write this commentary well over a year ago and just never got around to it.  The title of this entry came about when a couple of people had asked me if I ever got bitter because I had worked with so many guys who went on to get their shots with either TNA or WWE while I never really got my chance.  That got me to thinking about what I could have done or could do to get my shot and I think alot of people don't understand what a guy would need to do to even be in a position to get that all important shot at the big time.

 To begin, I think it is important to get across the fact that I absolutely under no circumstances feel any bitterness toward any of the guys that I have worked with and been friends with that have went on to bigger and better things.  In fact, I am extremly happy for each and every one of them because I know that they have deserved it.  To me, I think there are things that one has to do to put himself in the position to make it and I have never been willing to make those moves, while several have and those moves have paid off for very few of them.

I hear guys all of the time talking about so and so that the WWE just signed or just put on Tv that can't "work a lick" or doesn't have half the talent that they may have.  My question to those guys is have you been willing to do the things that these guys have done to get there.  Many times, and this is especially true in wrestling, it isn't how good you are, but it is , in fact, how bad do you want it.

Two guys who are the absolute opitime of what you have to do to make it in this sport and are good friends of mine are Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas, The Naturals from TNA.  I helped Andy break into this sport.  I was in no way responsible for one ounce of his success but I did help him when he first broke in.  Andy is a guy who has a college degree and could have made a comfortable living close to home , but instead he risked that security by making the move to Nashville, which, at that time, was the home of TNA.  He had no guarantee of success other than the fact that he knew that he wanted badly.  So, he left his friends and family behind in Morehead, Ky and made the 6 - 7 hour move to Nashville to take a shot at it.  Here was a guy that could have made a comfortable living in a nearly 6 digit profession and gave it up to work the Nashville Indy scene and barely making meal money just in an attempt to get his foot in the door.  He worked his tail off and was eventually teamed with Chase Stevens, who had made a very similar move to Nashville from Evansville, IN.

These two guys, also, were told by several people that they were too small to do much in this "business".  So, they committed themselves to the gym and busted their tails to put on the necessary size and get as lean as possible.  Anyone who knew those two guys 4 - 5 years ago could tell you that , physically, they don't even look the same, but they busted their tails and they made the necessary gains.  The bottom line is that Chase and Andy put themselves in the position that they are in now, by hard work, dedication and desire.  They risked a great deal and are starting to reap the rewards.  My question would be how many other indy wrestlers out there have made the same type of sacrifices and done everything that they possibly could to put themselves in the position to be successful.  The answer would be not very many.  Sure some guys have moved from their homes and left their families or busted their rear ends in the gym or taken God know what to enhance their bodies, but did they really do all they could do?  Maybe some of the bitter folks out there should ask themselves that before they criticize anyone who has "made it"? 

I've probably rambled on and jumped around so much that maybe I have lost you.  I guess, the point I am trying to make is that it is pointless for me or guys like myself to be bitter at friends who have made an impact in this business when we haven't made the sacrifices that these guys have made.  I could have left my job and my friends and even my family behind to take a shot at wrestling stardom, but I could never bring myself to take that risk, even before I met my wife and had my daughter.  Now, I have no interest to take that risk because it honestly isn't worth it to me.  I love wrestling, but it really doesn't compare to my life, now. 

So, I hold absolutely no bitterness towards anyone who gets their break in this sport.  9 times out of 10, those breaks have been earned.  You always have some guys who are handed everything in this sport, but they are few and far between and usually fade away because they don't have the passion that guys like Chase and Andy have.

In closing, I would encourage anyone to support the guys that they know that have went on to succeed in this sport.  This sport needs guys who are passionate enough to risk it all for an ever so small chance at grabbing that brass ring. 

I'm tired and I'm not sure if this has made one bit of sense, but I felt the need to be long winded about something.  Thanks for reading and always make the effort to get out to any local wrestling show and support the men and women in there busting their butts.  You may even see them in the big time sometime down the road.