Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash

Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash

Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash

Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash

Eric Bischoff has been called pro wrestling's most hated man. Booed, reviled, and burned in effigy, he's been struck by everything from beer bottles to fists. Though industry critics have scorned his spectacular rise and fall at World Championship Wrestling, Bischoff's influence still resonates. For years, Bischoff kept quiet while industry "pundits" distorted the truth about the infamous Monday Night Wars, basing their accounts on rumors and innuendo. Finally, Bischoff tells what really happened. 

Beginning with his days as a salesman for the American Wrestling Association, Bischoff exposes the industry's inner workings, from the real numbers behind WCW's red ink to the devastating impact of the corporate mergers. Among his revelations: How WCW became a national brand and revolutionized the industry. How Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura, and Steve Austin shaped WCW, and how corporate politics killed it. And how he found his inner heel and learned to love being the guy everyone loves to despise. 

Reflecting on his childhood, his family, and the pressures of notoriety, Bischoff tells how he found contentment after being unceremoniously "sent home." Love him or hate him, readers will never look at pro wrestling the same way again after reading Eric Bischoff's story inControversy Creates Cash.

Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash (WWE)

Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash (WWE) 

Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash (WWE) 

Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash (WWE) 

Highly Recommended (Even If You Hated WCW)

Eric Bischoff has certainly been a hated figure for fans and wrestlers alike over the years. After all, he started off as a lowly "host" on WCW programming and eventually worked his way up to Vice President of the company (a position that changed hands on a regular basis before he was put in charge). He took WCW to the top, but in many people's eyes, he brought them right back down to the bottom.

Well, now Eric is here to give HIS side of the story. He starts off by correcting several inaccuracies regarding his qualifications and his role within the now defunct American Wrestling Association (amazingly, the door of opportunity opened for Bischoff after the promoter Verne Gagne gave him some free air time to plug his idea for a new kids toy, "Ninja Star Wars").

Bischoff eventually became an AWA announcer (although by his own admission, he was terrible. It was simply a case of "right place, right time" and no-one else being available, or in some cases, being worse than him). He talks about his job interview with WWF (he tried out for an annoucing job there, but didn't get it), but it's when he moves onto WCW (World Championshhip Wrestling) that things get really interesting.

Contrary to what you may think of Eric Bischoff, but when talking about his former employers and co-workers, he doesn't rip into or "chew them out" for no good reason. He tries to see the positives in every situation (although in WCW, at least internally, there weren't all that many).

Despite what people may think about the departure of announcer Jim Ross soon after Eric came to power in WCW, Bischoff doesn't bash "JR" completely and actually ponders why JR got the story round that he "fired" him (according to Eric, he didn't have enough authority to "fire" anyone at that point and actually agreed to let Ross go as he was unhappy in the company).

You'll also get the other side of Steve Austin's departure from the company, how Jesse "The Body" Venture took a personal dispute with Hulk Hogan a little too far, plus the birth of Monday Nitro and the dominance over the WWF, as well as the demise of WCW and Bischoff's eventual run with WWE.

A common criticism about this book was that Bischoff takes tremendous credit for the success of WCW, but does not shoulder much of the blame for its downfall. I would disagree. Up until the release of this book, no-one REALLY knew just how chaotic a place WCW was to work within (we've heard from the wrestlers, but we've never really heard a business perspective). Eric does admit to some of his faults, but emphasises how WCW was constantly full of "suits" who either hated or didn't understand wrestling. He also explains how the merger between Time Warner and Turner and another AOL merger was actually more of a curse than a blessing.

The only reason I didn't give this book the full 5 stars was because Bischoff simply doesn't spend long enough on his WWE career (although I guess he didn't want to upset the people he STILL works with). Also there are a few spelling errors and a picture of Sensational Sherri has the caption "Missy Hyatt" (who Bischoff really speaks his mind about). Obviously, the latter is not his fault.

Overall, this is recommended reading for any current WWE fan or anyone who used to watch WCW and is curious as to what really went on behind the scenes. Definitely one of the best wrestling bios in a while.

How To Mentally Prepare For That Job Interview

 How To Mentally Prepare For That Job Interview

How To Mentally Prepare For That Job Interview

How To Mentally Prepare For That Job Interview

The tools of NLP are perfect for anyone looking to move jobs. Before the interview, NLP will help you understand the language of the job advert, and mirror it in your CV and covering letter to maximise your chances of getting an interview. Preparing for the interview, this book will show how you can use NLP to learn from the best practices of people who perform brilliantly at interview. During the interview, NLP skills will help you click instantly with the interviewer and ensure you get all your best attributes across. And after the interview, you can use NLP to ensure you negotiate yourself the best deal.

The Most Powerful Woman in the World

The Most Powerful Woman in the World

The Most Powerful Woman in the World

 

The Most Powerful Woman in the World

In 1977, Angela Kasner married physics student Ulrich Merkel and took his surname. The marriage ended in divorce in 1982.^[ Her second and current husband is quantum chemist and professor Joachim Sauer, who has largely remained out of the media spotlight. They first met in 1981, became a couple later and married privately on 30 December 1998. She has no children, but Sauer has two adult sons from a previous marriage. She is a fervent football fan and has been known to listen to games while in the Bundestag and to attend games of the national team in her official capacity.
On 6 January 2014, Merkel fractured a bone in her pelvis in a cross-country skiing accident in Switzerland.