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15th out of 72 books
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10 voters
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Controversy Creates Cash
Eric Bischoff has been called pro wrestling's most hated man. He's been booed, reviled, and burned in effigy. Fans have hurled everything from beer bottles to fists at him. Industry critics have spewed a tremendous amount of venom about his spectacular rise and stupendous crash at World Championship Wrestling. But even today, Eric Bischoff's revolutionary influence on the ...more
Hardcover, 389 pages
Published
October 17th 2006
by World Wrestling Entertainment Books
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I think I picked this one up at a library sale. I don't watch wrestling and thought I might not know most of the people he would have worked with, but everyone knows Hulk Hogan, Macho Man and Steve Austin. Actually, 90% of this book is about Bischoff's business dealings as he went from being an ad salesman to running Ted Turner owned WCW in a matter of just a few years. He discusses what was going on inside the Turner building around 1995-1999 when Turner was losing control of his company, which...more
Just read the WCW part of this book. It turns out none of that was his fault! The best sentence in this whole thing is "But that wasn't the real turning point for WCW, it was when I lost control of the company."
Part of what people say doomed WCW is the stuff onscreen, the repetitive, ridiculous stories. Bischoff treats this more as a corporate memoir. We get his dealings with these at Turner but not a lot about what he did with the creative direction. He's also unrepentant ab...more
Part of what people say doomed WCW is the stuff onscreen, the repetitive, ridiculous stories. Bischoff treats this more as a corporate memoir. We get his dealings with these at Turner but not a lot about what he did with the creative direction. He's also unrepentant ab...more
I don't generally read a lot of wrestling related books, which is strange considering I've been a fan of the "sport" since I was about five or six years old. You would think I'd be devouring these sort of books left and right, but they've never struck much of a chord with me. Partially because if I want to hear stories straight from the horse's mouth, I'd rather watch a shoot interview with a wrestler - and those tomes penned by folks who haven't actually been in the business are just,...more
Dennis
added it
This book is the life and times of Eric Bischoff and mainly how he went from the top of pro wrestling entertainment to being bought out by his competitor. Like usual autobiographies it starts with his childhood, and upbringings then surrounds his career. The book is entertaining and keeps me especially interested because I was a huge wrestling fan as a teenager. This book really doesn’t really inspire me for my future writing but, I think it’s a good read for fans of the sport.
To my surprise, Bischoff's memoir was one of the ten best wrestling books I've read. As the former head of WCW, Bischoff offers insight into a side of sports-entertainment unlike any other book in the genre. It's during these times that he shines, but like most autobiographers and memoirists, his weakness was looking at situations and relationships objectively. Overall, though, a very good book.
Excellent book on a subject that I have loved since my early childhood. Great incite into the behind the scenes area of the world of professional wrestling!
He has a no holds barred way of writing and I can appreciate that a lot. If you want to know about what WCW was inside and out, this is the book to read.
He has a no holds barred way of writing and I can appreciate that a lot. If you want to know about what WCW was inside and out, this is the book to read.
The story of WCW is fascinating, but in the end Bischoff is just too set in his ways. The title of the book sums up his approach, but you get the impression he's just not the most intellectual person in the wrestling world. The crumbling of WCW is interesting, though.
An interesting look inside the world of professional wrestling by a real insider.
Choppy, but with enough interesting stories for a wrestling fan to enjoy with some real interesting information on some of the wrestlers, especially Hulk Hogan.
Choppy, but with enough interesting stories for a wrestling fan to enjoy with some real interesting information on some of the wrestlers, especially Hulk Hogan.
I really enjoyed this book, much more than I thought I would. Most people probably wouldn't expect that I'm a wrestling fan, but I have been since about 8th grade. Yes, I know it's "fake" but I find it comical and like the big characters that are created in wrestling.
This books tells a lot about the "behind the scenes" action that takes place in wrestling. It also talks a lot about what was needed to make the WCW such a big wrestling fan. I'm always interested in...more
This books tells a lot about the "behind the scenes" action that takes place in wrestling. It also talks a lot about what was needed to make the WCW such a big wrestling fan. I'm always interested in...more
A great bio of Eric Bischoff, the salesman Ted Turner chose to compete with the invincible Vince MacMahon and his WWE wrestling franchise. Bischoff hires Hulk Hogun and other former WWE talent, and takes Turners WCW wrestling organization down a road that eventually leads to the "Monday Night Wrestling Wars" and the actual defeat of the once mighty WWE in the ratings! The story of the rise of two great Wrestling franchises, and the rivalry between Vince MacMahon and Billionaire Ted, is...more
The book presents a fascinating look at the industry from a different perspective but it's more than a little implausible to look at the information presented here and believe that you're being given an accurate recounting of the events before and during the Monday Night Wars.
Nonetheless, despite my recent distaste for Eric Bischoff, I still feel this is an important read for legacy and current wrestling fans, especially now that you could watch history repeat itself on TNA over the ...more
Nonetheless, despite my recent distaste for Eric Bischoff, I still feel this is an important read for legacy and current wrestling fans, especially now that you could watch history repeat itself on TNA over the ...more
One of the more polarizing figures in recent wrestling history...it was nice to hear the viewpoint of the guy a lot of people really point to as "The Bad Guy" in the 90's wrestling war, though he seems to want you to believe a lot of what went on was out of his control.
Possibly useful as a manual on "how not to manage."
Writing/ghostwriting was choppy, and badly put together. Ended up skimming the majority of the book.
Possibly useful as a manual on "how not to manage."
Writing/ghostwriting was choppy, and badly put together. Ended up skimming the majority of the book.
Interesting perspective from Bischoff's side - sheds more light on the rise and fall of WCW.
If you read this book, it is mandatory to also read Bobby Heenan's books for the counter-argument.
Eric Bischoff does an excellent job describing his run at WCW. He explains how he became president of the company and what he had to deal with from Time Warner. Great book for any fans of WCW!
This is the autobiography of one of the most coniving men in the professional wrestling world. He is mostly known for his work in WCW where he was one of the head guys as well as very influential in the company. He has caused so much trouble and mayhem in his new company WWE and is one of the main villains in the company. In this story he expresses his thoughts and feelings on his career. If you want a story about arrogant, coniving, and somewhat crazy guy then this is the story for you.
This book is average, but like most WWE published works, it leaves you wondering how much was ghostwritten and if the "author" really has positive feelings towards the WWE. However, the reading shows an interesting perspective to how WCW crumbled. Since Bischoff has recently joined TNA, I would like to see him write another book so we can see what his true feelings regarding Vince Mcmahon and the WWE are.
An interesting read. It was nice to hear a different side to the WCW story and what lead to its downfall. I didn't like how this book was laid out though. It would jump from one story to another, and then back to the first story before speeding into a third. So on and so forth. It certainly got confusing at times.
Obviously ghost-written, and painfully self-serving, it's still nice to get the story of the man who jump-started the wrestling crazy of the 90's, and seems to have no idea why it all fell apart. Pair this with "Who Killed WCW" by the Wrestlecrap buys, and you'll put together the most fascinating story of the business.
This is not just a great look at the rise and fall of WCW but also a great look at how a guy with no college degree was able to run several successful businesses. If you are a business man I think this is a good read because you were learn a lot about marketing strategies and marketing demographics.
Recommended by a former student and quite insightful into the business of what I consider the escapist world of Prowrasslin.
Interesting how much politics is involved in something that many people make fun of.
Interesting how much politics is involved in something that many people make fun of.
Yeah, I'm a geek and I still like wrestling. It's interesting to get an insiders look at what goes on behind the scenes. Particularly at such a rampaging failure as WCW turned out to be.
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