Opinionated Thoughts Number Three

Harley Race.

Harley Race is a legend in the industry of professional wrestling. He is one that the word "Icon" could be legitimately used without disgrace. Harley Race would also have my dream of becoming a professional wrestler crushed to dust, and thrown into the wind. Please let me explain.

Harley Race is currently running a wrestling school and his own promotion in Missouri, and from what I hear, it is a top notch organization. However, one day when I was investigating wrestling schools over the internet I ran across Harley Races website and I was disheartened to read his opinion on who should be a student of the game. It appears Mr Race is of the opinion that "unless you are in your early twenties and in fantastic physical condition, becoming a professional wrestler should be the furthest thing from your mind." Well, I will tell you that I passed my early twenties a couple of years ago. I am currently 32 years old (Well, 33 this Sunday, Happy Birthday to me), and I hadn't done anything very athletic in several years as I was too involved with just living my life. And I don't care how good of shape you are in, it is a whole different world doing the things in the ring that we do, so no amount of great shape will suffice until you actually train your body to receive the pounding.

I have never been one to let anyone tell me I couldn't or shouldn't do something if it is something I really want to do. True, it would have been easier for me if I started down this road in my early twenties, I might even have been able to actually make the big time. But I had to make a living so I was unable to embark on my dream at that time. But 32 is still young enough to do things, and I have a decade of life experience over my twenty-something counterparts. Think about it, Ric Flair is still wrestling at 50-something years of age, if I get to be that fortunate then I have over twenty years to play at the game. If I choose to that is. Now I know Ric is not the norm, but he shows what you can do if you believe in yourself. I still take the slams, I do all the bumps the other "kids" do, and I get up just as fast and come back for more. So, Harley Race, I beg to differ Sir, and when I wrestle my 30th match (a quiet benchmark of mine) I am going to send you a postcard from the top of my mountain because I will be so psyched I proved you wrong. Thank God Playboy Buddy Rose and Colonel DeBeers don't have those same age hangups and they agreed to train me! Hmmm, I wonder if I showed up at Harleys school if he would have seen money in my fist and threw his philosophy out the window. Interesting thought.

My Opinion:
It doesn't matter what others think. If you believe in yourself, and want it bad enough you can do anything in this world you want to do. Nobody will hand it to you, but if you want it, all you have to do is take it. If Mr Race cares to attend my next match, I'll listen as he tells me I am making a huge mistake, then I will go into my match and tear the place down! As the fans cheer I'll look over to Mr Race and just smile.