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Ric Flair: To Be the Man
One of the biggest wrestling superstars of the past 20 years, and one of the greatest champions of all time, Ric Flair has carved out a legacy for himself that will never be surpassed. Born Richard Fliehr in Minneapolis, he made his professional wrestling debut in 1972, quickly rising to the top of the Mid-Atlantic region where he won the regional and tag-team titles as well as the US title. In 1975 however his career almost ended when he suffered a broken back, ironically in a plane crash, not in the ring. Showing incredible resilience, Flair returned to the ring within six months. Teaming up with Gregory Valentine, he won the NWA Tag Team Title, later winning the NWA Title by defeating 'The American Dream', Dusty Rhoades. Subsequently he entered the WWF and beat Randy 'The Macho Man' Savage for hte WWF Heavyweight Title, only to return to the WCW with tremendous success. He is now back with WWE where he still competes at the same time as managing other stars, among them Triple H. Known as 'The Dirtiest Player in the Game', Ric Flair is one of the cagiest competitors ever to step into the ring. Outside the ring he is both flamboyant and outspoken, a personality who stands out even
332 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
April 21, 2011
When I was 6 years old, I became a fan of the World Wrestling Federation. In fact, I was probably their ideal fan. We never subscribed to TBS, therefore, I had no exposure to World Championship Wrestling. There were a ton of talented guys back then who I had no idea even existed. One of which was Ric Flair.
When Vince brought Flair into the fold in 1991, I had no clue who this “old man” was. Why did he have a separate championship title? Why was Bobby Heenan going nuts over him? My only real memory of Flair as a kid was that Bret Hart had beaten him for his first World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight title (I was, and still remain, a huge fan of Bret).
Flair takes a few shots at guys who he believes did not belong in the business, and with good reason. Why I may not agree with his assessment of Bret Hart, where at one point he calls him formulaic (Flair is also quite guilty of this; riding the same spots in most of his matches), he is pretty much correct in all of his opinions when it comes to guys like Sid Vicious, Paul Roma and the Von Erich’s.
Without a doubt, the highlights of this book lie in Flairs incredible “road stories”. He’s universally known as the wildest party animal of the pro wrestling world. Explaining that he constantly “lived” his character; he spent outlandish amounts of money on limos, custom made apparel and stunning bar tabs. His tales of debauchery with the likes of Roddy Piper, Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bobby Heenan and other friends are incredibly entertaining. One of note involving Flair & Piper running through a hotel lobby “clotheslining” potted plants had me laughing out loud.
I wasn’t until Flair returned to the WWE in 2001 that I started to realize that he was a big deal. In 2003, more specifically, WWE released a DVD set chronicling Flair’s greatest rivalries and matches. After going through it, I was stunned that a guy this exceptional was off of my radar for so long. Who could blame me? Even when WCW was at its hottest, I never viewed him as a threat to the nWo or any main event performer.
The way that WCW treated Ric Flair in the late 90s was appalling. Flair goes into great deal about how Eric Bischoff and Jim Herd (WCW executives) nearly destroyed any confidence he had in himself by publicly degrading him and throwing him in nonsensical storylines with little or no plans. To this day, I’ve read countless wrestling biographies and I cannot say that I’ve read or heard someone say they enjoyed their time in WCW.
In closing, the guys today could learn a lot from Flair. I agree with his views on how the business today is far too scripted; I think the guys in the back should be allowed to be given some free range over their promos or their in ring work. Overall, the book overall is an enjoyable one, in fact, one of the best WWE produced efforts. That being said, I think the book could have benefited more by going a little more in-depth or if he had actually waited until his career is over - unfortunately, at 62, Flair is still going strong in the ring. I don’t know if his career will ever end, at least not by choice.
When Vince brought Flair into the fold in 1991, I had no clue who this “old man” was. Why did he have a separate championship title? Why was Bobby Heenan going nuts over him? My only real memory of Flair as a kid was that Bret Hart had beaten him for his first World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight title (I was, and still remain, a huge fan of Bret).
Flair takes a few shots at guys who he believes did not belong in the business, and with good reason. Why I may not agree with his assessment of Bret Hart, where at one point he calls him formulaic (Flair is also quite guilty of this; riding the same spots in most of his matches), he is pretty much correct in all of his opinions when it comes to guys like Sid Vicious, Paul Roma and the Von Erich’s.
Without a doubt, the highlights of this book lie in Flairs incredible “road stories”. He’s universally known as the wildest party animal of the pro wrestling world. Explaining that he constantly “lived” his character; he spent outlandish amounts of money on limos, custom made apparel and stunning bar tabs. His tales of debauchery with the likes of Roddy Piper, Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bobby Heenan and other friends are incredibly entertaining. One of note involving Flair & Piper running through a hotel lobby “clotheslining” potted plants had me laughing out loud.
I wasn’t until Flair returned to the WWE in 2001 that I started to realize that he was a big deal. In 2003, more specifically, WWE released a DVD set chronicling Flair’s greatest rivalries and matches. After going through it, I was stunned that a guy this exceptional was off of my radar for so long. Who could blame me? Even when WCW was at its hottest, I never viewed him as a threat to the nWo or any main event performer.
The way that WCW treated Ric Flair in the late 90s was appalling. Flair goes into great deal about how Eric Bischoff and Jim Herd (WCW executives) nearly destroyed any confidence he had in himself by publicly degrading him and throwing him in nonsensical storylines with little or no plans. To this day, I’ve read countless wrestling biographies and I cannot say that I’ve read or heard someone say they enjoyed their time in WCW.
In closing, the guys today could learn a lot from Flair. I agree with his views on how the business today is far too scripted; I think the guys in the back should be allowed to be given some free range over their promos or their in ring work. Overall, the book overall is an enjoyable one, in fact, one of the best WWE produced efforts. That being said, I think the book could have benefited more by going a little more in-depth or if he had actually waited until his career is over - unfortunately, at 62, Flair is still going strong in the ring. I don’t know if his career will ever end, at least not by choice.
January 20, 2022
When you think of the consummate professional wrestler, Ric Flair is it. His ability in the ring and outside of it is nonpareil. That is why it is quite disappointing to read such a lackluster memoir as this one. He is a man who has lived a life of such excess and grandeur that much of the griping and backbiting seems petty and fruitless. This is a book that was written with an obvious agenda and unfortunately it is the worst for it. Even with that disclaimer, there are still enough fascinating stories and anecdotes to make this worthwhile to any fan of the squared circle.
As befitting a man of such extremes, Ric Flair's birth and subsequent early life is bizarre. He was taken from his birth mother in Tennessee as part of a notorious adoption scheme and given to an upper middle class family in Minnesota. For much of his earlier life he was an indifferent scholar but tremendous athlete. He had numerous opportunities to play college football but his grades and attitude did not mesh with the collegial life. He mostly palled around with a fast crowd and partook in plenty of hijinks. One of his connections was able to wrangle an opening with Verne Gagne's wrestling school. Gagne's approach was old school and the miseries inflicted on Flair gave him plenty of respect for the profession.
Flair, through much grit and determination became an accomplished wrestler. Though mainly a mid-carder at this time, he was gaining valuable experience. In one of those cosmic quirks that is hard to predict, Ric Flair was involved in a seemingly debilitating plane crash. While, this crash broke his back and kept him out of commission for a year, it also led to a body transformation. Flair, went from a blocky body to a more streamlined version. In a strange bit of kismet, the accident sparked Flair to become, "the stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin' and dealin' son of a gun", that is so beloved today.
In addition to showing the unique situations that led to the transformation of Flair, this book did a good job covering his career. If you want a deep dive of his matches or the psychology behind them, than you would want another book but if you want a basic chronology than this one works. You get a list of his famous feuds and the formation of the Four Horseman stable along with some fun anecdotes. The book also shows the harmful affect on the Flair family that his lifestyle caused. Being on the road 250 plus days a year and performing 40 minute matches a night took a big toll physically on Ric but even more so emotionally on his family.
On the psychological affects of pro wrestling this book is a mixed bag. Unfortunately, it seems rather hypocritical. In one sentence, it will talk about Flair's penchant for copious amounts of alcohol and female companionship. The next it will cast blame on his ex-wife for not being understandable enough. Ric will state he has some regrets in regards to his children but then paint himself as a doting father when he is around. He talks about his waning confidence but instead of a deep dive into his own shortcomings he flings slings and arrows at those he finds at fault, namely Jim Herd and Eric Bischoff.
The most frustrating aspect of this "autobiography" is in wrestling parlance the cashing in of receipts. No doubt, in a career as illustrious as his, he has had plenty of detractors and haters but the constant run-downs is alarming. I have no problem with him heaping scorn on the promoters, bookers or writers such as Jim Herd, Eric Bischoff or Vince Russo but his attacks on Bruno Sammartino, Mick Foley and Brett Hart seemed petty. Beyond being petty, the scorn seemed premediated and insincere. I imagine when this written (2004/2005) these wrestlers had some issues with the WWE headman Vince McMahon so this book acted as a form of cover. If an all-time great like Flair has an issue with them, then they must be the acrimonious party. In addition, the sycophantic tone he takes with the McMahons, HHH and Shawn Michaels is suspicious. When you see that one of the "editors" of this book is Mark Madden the disagreeable tone becomes understandable. In addition to being a two-bit shock jock his appearance as a bellicose wrestler announcer for the WCW was one of their worst decisions, which is saying something for a company
that made so many of them.
This was certainly an interesting read. For better or worse, Richard Fliehr is not a very complex man. His greatness lies in not describing his matches or his emotional state. Much like the character he created, he is vapid, vain and full of contradictions. While, I do not share many of his opinions on a host of topics he is unquestionably one of the all-time greats. He is a pop icon whose name and image has not been completely tarnished, ahem Hulk Hogan. Before he perishes I hope he finds a more suitable ghostwriter to explore his many outstanding achievements and not to lob denouncements and insults at his fellow entertainers.
As befitting a man of such extremes, Ric Flair's birth and subsequent early life is bizarre. He was taken from his birth mother in Tennessee as part of a notorious adoption scheme and given to an upper middle class family in Minnesota. For much of his earlier life he was an indifferent scholar but tremendous athlete. He had numerous opportunities to play college football but his grades and attitude did not mesh with the collegial life. He mostly palled around with a fast crowd and partook in plenty of hijinks. One of his connections was able to wrangle an opening with Verne Gagne's wrestling school. Gagne's approach was old school and the miseries inflicted on Flair gave him plenty of respect for the profession.
Flair, through much grit and determination became an accomplished wrestler. Though mainly a mid-carder at this time, he was gaining valuable experience. In one of those cosmic quirks that is hard to predict, Ric Flair was involved in a seemingly debilitating plane crash. While, this crash broke his back and kept him out of commission for a year, it also led to a body transformation. Flair, went from a blocky body to a more streamlined version. In a strange bit of kismet, the accident sparked Flair to become, "the stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin' and dealin' son of a gun", that is so beloved today.
In addition to showing the unique situations that led to the transformation of Flair, this book did a good job covering his career. If you want a deep dive of his matches or the psychology behind them, than you would want another book but if you want a basic chronology than this one works. You get a list of his famous feuds and the formation of the Four Horseman stable along with some fun anecdotes. The book also shows the harmful affect on the Flair family that his lifestyle caused. Being on the road 250 plus days a year and performing 40 minute matches a night took a big toll physically on Ric but even more so emotionally on his family.
On the psychological affects of pro wrestling this book is a mixed bag. Unfortunately, it seems rather hypocritical. In one sentence, it will talk about Flair's penchant for copious amounts of alcohol and female companionship. The next it will cast blame on his ex-wife for not being understandable enough. Ric will state he has some regrets in regards to his children but then paint himself as a doting father when he is around. He talks about his waning confidence but instead of a deep dive into his own shortcomings he flings slings and arrows at those he finds at fault, namely Jim Herd and Eric Bischoff.
The most frustrating aspect of this "autobiography" is in wrestling parlance the cashing in of receipts. No doubt, in a career as illustrious as his, he has had plenty of detractors and haters but the constant run-downs is alarming. I have no problem with him heaping scorn on the promoters, bookers or writers such as Jim Herd, Eric Bischoff or Vince Russo but his attacks on Bruno Sammartino, Mick Foley and Brett Hart seemed petty. Beyond being petty, the scorn seemed premediated and insincere. I imagine when this written (2004/2005) these wrestlers had some issues with the WWE headman Vince McMahon so this book acted as a form of cover. If an all-time great like Flair has an issue with them, then they must be the acrimonious party. In addition, the sycophantic tone he takes with the McMahons, HHH and Shawn Michaels is suspicious. When you see that one of the "editors" of this book is Mark Madden the disagreeable tone becomes understandable. In addition to being a two-bit shock jock his appearance as a bellicose wrestler announcer for the WCW was one of their worst decisions, which is saying something for a company
that made so many of them.
This was certainly an interesting read. For better or worse, Richard Fliehr is not a very complex man. His greatness lies in not describing his matches or his emotional state. Much like the character he created, he is vapid, vain and full of contradictions. While, I do not share many of his opinions on a host of topics he is unquestionably one of the all-time greats. He is a pop icon whose name and image has not been completely tarnished, ahem Hulk Hogan. Before he perishes I hope he finds a more suitable ghostwriter to explore his many outstanding achievements and not to lob denouncements and insults at his fellow entertainers.
July 9, 2021
“I’LL YOU WHAT MEAN GENE … I WASN’T SOLD AS A BABY BY A CORRUPT TENNESSE ORPHANGE TO A LOVING COUPLE FROM MINNESOTA TO NOT BECOME THE GREATEST WRESTLER THAT EVER LIVED.
AND I WILL POP A VEIN TRYING TO EXPLAIN, MEAN GENE. FROM MY BEGINNINGS WITH VERNE TILL MY ASHES FILL A PLATINUM URN. FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC TO ISLAND THAT’S HISPANIC. I’M TALKIN ABOUT PUERTO-RICO, MENE GENE. RIC FLAIR HAS FOUGHT EVERYWHERE, CHEST BARE, 100-MILE STARE, PUTTIN’ A HURT ON YOUR LADY’S PEAR!
LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE, MEAN GENE. HULK HOGAN SUCKS AT HIS JOB. ERIC BISCHOFF DESERVES A SLOW PAINFUL DEATH. AND JIM HERD IS A STUPID TURD. SEE I BARELY TOOK THE TIME TO MAKE THAT RHYME. THAT'S HOW LITTLE I THINK OF THOSE THREE MEN.
BUT BACK TO THE TASK AT HAND, MEAN GENE.
I SUCK TITS WHILE I TAKE SHITS! I STYLE AND PROFILE WHILE SPITTN’ BILE TO THE RANK AND FILE. I’M A PANTS CRAPPIN’, LOUD YAPPIN’, WOMAN STEALIN’, WHEELIN’ AND DEALIN’, ANXIOUS FEELIN’ SON OF A GUN. I OWN FIFTY ROBES AND SQUEEZE ALL THE GLOBES. MARRIED TWICE AND THEY WERE BOTH NICE. HAD FOUR KIDS AND NONE OF THEM GOT S.I.D.S. I’M PAID WELL AND YES, THAT’S SUCCESS YOU SMELL.
SO TOMORROW AT STARCADE I WILL DROP A DEUCE FROM MY CABOOSE INTO THE FACE OF HARLEY RACE. BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT THE NATURE BOY IS ALL ABOUT, MEAN GENE!
WOOOOOOO!!!!!!”
This book was basic but fun. Ric Flair is the shit and arguably the hardest working wrestler of his time.
AND I WILL POP A VEIN TRYING TO EXPLAIN, MEAN GENE. FROM MY BEGINNINGS WITH VERNE TILL MY ASHES FILL A PLATINUM URN. FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC TO ISLAND THAT’S HISPANIC. I’M TALKIN ABOUT PUERTO-RICO, MENE GENE. RIC FLAIR HAS FOUGHT EVERYWHERE, CHEST BARE, 100-MILE STARE, PUTTIN’ A HURT ON YOUR LADY’S PEAR!
LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE, MEAN GENE. HULK HOGAN SUCKS AT HIS JOB. ERIC BISCHOFF DESERVES A SLOW PAINFUL DEATH. AND JIM HERD IS A STUPID TURD. SEE I BARELY TOOK THE TIME TO MAKE THAT RHYME. THAT'S HOW LITTLE I THINK OF THOSE THREE MEN.
BUT BACK TO THE TASK AT HAND, MEAN GENE.
I SUCK TITS WHILE I TAKE SHITS! I STYLE AND PROFILE WHILE SPITTN’ BILE TO THE RANK AND FILE. I’M A PANTS CRAPPIN’, LOUD YAPPIN’, WOMAN STEALIN’, WHEELIN’ AND DEALIN’, ANXIOUS FEELIN’ SON OF A GUN. I OWN FIFTY ROBES AND SQUEEZE ALL THE GLOBES. MARRIED TWICE AND THEY WERE BOTH NICE. HAD FOUR KIDS AND NONE OF THEM GOT S.I.D.S. I’M PAID WELL AND YES, THAT’S SUCCESS YOU SMELL.
SO TOMORROW AT STARCADE I WILL DROP A DEUCE FROM MY CABOOSE INTO THE FACE OF HARLEY RACE. BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT THE NATURE BOY IS ALL ABOUT, MEAN GENE!
WOOOOOOO!!!!!!”
This book was basic but fun. Ric Flair is the shit and arguably the hardest working wrestler of his time.
May 5, 2009
This was an entirely different read than Chris Jerico's book. If you are a wrestling fan or not, Jerico's book would be entertaining for you, whereas with this one, if you don't like wrestling, you wouldn't pick it up.
I wasn't a Ric Flair fan growing up, as I only watched WWF. Through the magic of DVD and seeing him in person, I've come to really respect what he has done. This book reminds me of a guy my dad's age sitting in a bar telling stories about his glory days. He has a ton of great stories, drank a lot, wrestled a lot, and enjoyed the ladies a lot.
Interesting history about him being adopted and possibly stolen from his birth mother. Disappointing that he can't let some feuds from the past go.
I wasn't a Ric Flair fan growing up, as I only watched WWF. Through the magic of DVD and seeing him in person, I've come to really respect what he has done. This book reminds me of a guy my dad's age sitting in a bar telling stories about his glory days. He has a ton of great stories, drank a lot, wrestled a lot, and enjoyed the ladies a lot.
Interesting history about him being adopted and possibly stolen from his birth mother. Disappointing that he can't let some feuds from the past go.
August 24, 2015
I would give this book 5000 stars if I could.
July 13, 2021
It PAINS me to only give this book 3 stars, but the quality and content was diluted by two things: co-"writer" Mark Madden and the fact that that the WWE published it.
Flair thanks Madden for his editing skills in the Acknowledgements, but I have to ask...where??? This book is so haphazardly thrown together that parts get confusing as to whether it's 1984 or 1994. All Pittsburgh Penguins fans know Madden is a hack who shouldn't be allowed near a crayon and construction paper let alone a word processing program! I'm sure the proverbial monkeys-with-typewriters could've put together a more coherent book than whatever Madden did (I'm assuming it was put scraps of paper in a blender without a lid). (If Flair can have beef with dozens of dudes he knew 30 years ago, I can have a beef with Madden.)
I have a feeling parts of this were heavily sanitized, whether at the WWE's command (which WHY, after all the crap they put on the air during the Attitude Era) or because Flair wanted to protect his kids. I expected more from Slick Rick, and was severely disappointed at the lack of Four Horsemen shenanigans.
The WWE's heavy influence can be seen in the constant tongue baths given to Vince McMahon (Flair would have you believe he's never done anything shady is his life...the family of Nancy Argentino would disagree) and Triple H (the biggest golddigging whore in professional wrestling). It also ASTOUNDED me how salty Flair is at Bret Hart for having issues with McMahon, yet goes on for chapters about his own beefs with Jim Hurd and Eric Bischoff.
Flair thanks Madden for his editing skills in the Acknowledgements, but I have to ask...where??? This book is so haphazardly thrown together that parts get confusing as to whether it's 1984 or 1994. All Pittsburgh Penguins fans know Madden is a hack who shouldn't be allowed near a crayon and construction paper let alone a word processing program! I'm sure the proverbial monkeys-with-typewriters could've put together a more coherent book than whatever Madden did (I'm assuming it was put scraps of paper in a blender without a lid). (If Flair can have beef with dozens of dudes he knew 30 years ago, I can have a beef with Madden.)
I have a feeling parts of this were heavily sanitized, whether at the WWE's command (which WHY, after all the crap they put on the air during the Attitude Era) or because Flair wanted to protect his kids. I expected more from Slick Rick, and was severely disappointed at the lack of Four Horsemen shenanigans.
The WWE's heavy influence can be seen in the constant tongue baths given to Vince McMahon (Flair would have you believe he's never done anything shady is his life...the family of Nancy Argentino would disagree) and Triple H (the biggest golddigging whore in professional wrestling). It also ASTOUNDED me how salty Flair is at Bret Hart for having issues with McMahon, yet goes on for chapters about his own beefs with Jim Hurd and Eric Bischoff.
January 22, 2022
This was a heck of a read. I loved watching wrestling as a kid, and this book let me relive so many of those moments! The behind-the-scenes stories were totally wild. I have to say, I feel like I'm in my WCW days right now, but if I can end my story with the kind of triumph that Flair ended the book with (as part of WWE), then I can probably face tomorrow. I appreciate the years of entertainment he gave us, and for the hours I enjoyed catching up with great memories in this book.
December 27, 2018
A totally enjoyable reading experience. I particularly liked the sections talking about the early days, where lots of wrestlers I remember from watching Georgia Championship Wrestling as a kid are mentioned. Ric Flair has always been a favorite of mine, good guy or bad. It’s been fun reading about the behind the scenes story.
July 26, 2009
I started off not liking this book at all. Ric comes off as kind of an arrogant prick, bragging about how much he got laid, and what a huge party animal he was in his younger days. However, when the book starts getting into his wrestling career, it really picks up steam. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for wrestling, even though I don't watch it anymore. The world of wrestling is just as insane backstage as it is in the ring, which is why I still enjoy reading wrestler autobiographies, especially ones by guys with a legacy like Flair's. I certainly came away from this book with a newfound appreciation of Ric Flair's inring acumen, and a respect for his professionalism. He has some pretty scathing things to say about some of his peers (especially Hogan), but his opinion isn't unfair and is probably not without merit. All and all, it's a must read for wrestling fans, past or present.
July 29, 2022
"To be the man, you gotta beat the man" If you watched wrestling in the 1980s on TBS, you know the name of the 16-time world champion Ric Flair. He styled. He profiled. Bedazzled in robes and Rolex. He talked the talk. He walked that aisle. He was the man. Whoo! He was the champ. His ring persona was conceit and class. He could out-talk a snake oil salesman. His in-ring ability was electric and extensive. You knew a Ric Flair match was going to last about an hour. You knew no matter the opponent that you would be entertained. Much like Roddy Piper, Ric Flair made adoring fans cheer for the "bad guy". This book is like talking to your childhood sports hero about what went on behind the scenes. I enjoyed this book so much, I bought it as a gift for my friends who shared my passion for '80s wrestling.
May 9, 2018
I can’t believe I read a book about pro wrestling. In light of the ESPN documentary this last year on Ric Flair, this autobiography from 2004 is clearly a bit watered down. At first glance one would think it the opposite: raw, vulgar, and intense as it describes Flairs sordid live and wild ride through professional wrestling. The 30 for 30 documentary clearly shows that his life was even crazier than this book made it out to be. I did like reading it, though. I spent a lot of time as a kid watching the Nature Boy perform, Wooooo!
April 4, 2017
Rating - 8.7
Not knowing much about the history of Flair or the NWA, this autobiography was as much informative as it was interesting; Also appreciate that not too much time is spent on the childhood years
Being an icon probably earned Flair some latitude, but the way he fires on Bischoff, Hart, Hogan, Steiner & Foley is real & you can feel the emotion coming from the page (and for those he praises also)
Not knowing much about the history of Flair or the NWA, this autobiography was as much informative as it was interesting; Also appreciate that not too much time is spent on the childhood years
Being an icon probably earned Flair some latitude, but the way he fires on Bischoff, Hart, Hogan, Steiner & Foley is real & you can feel the emotion coming from the page (and for those he praises also)
August 30, 2007
This book has everything. Stories about how Flair helped midget wrestlers get laid? Check. Stories about drinking Southern Comfort while driving down a snowy mountain road at high speeds with Harley Race? Check. Diatribes about the loss of respect for the world title in pro wrestling? Double check.
Just read it and enjoy.
Just read it and enjoy.
February 7, 2015
A good read, but too often plays it safe or tries to settle scores. Ric was the finest working heel in the 80's, but felt inclined to take shots at Mick Foley and others who he felt disrespected him in their books. It's still a fascinating story, but too often feels calculated instead of accurate portrayal of events.
April 23, 2022
Decent enough, but not one word about his fondness for nudity or his love of showing off his privates. He just refers to "partying." Such a letdown, Ric. And only a brief sentence about Sherri and a passing reference to Terry.
May 23, 2025
Enjoyed the road stories about other wrestlers. Backstage stuff is always interesting to read. He’s still stylin and profilin. Wooooooooo!
August 28, 2023
Ric Flair's first autobiography is a blunt, incredibly detailed look at his career up until early 2004, mainly detailing the prime of his career, 1980s NWA. Flair shares a lot of great road stories of partying backstage politics, and his unbridled hatred for Jim Herd and Eric Bischoff - the latter half of the book particularly buries Bischoff and Hulk Hogan, for good reason. Flair dives into his widely known party animal lifestyle and the many cons (and few pros) it brought him, too. It's everything you'd expect a Ric Flair autobiography to be - honest, to the point, and dragging a few names through the mud (the spiteful Mick Foley knocks midway through are particularly memorable, which partly led to their SummerSlam 2006 match). In a lot of the 80s legends wrestler autobiographies, there's a lot of bullshit, and a lot of narrative changing, and Ric does some here, too. He admits some of his faults but absolutely tries to create a sort of rogues gallery of industry has-beens or those undeserving of their success for darker parts of his career. Ric isn't afraid to ruffle feathers, and it worked - a lot of this read like a transcribed shoot interview. It's fitting that the book ends with a report from his daughter Ashley, as Flair's second book is co-written with her.
December 19, 2019
An informative book on Ric Flair's mindset in 2004. The man has since changed and become more accepting of some of the people in this book because as they say, 'time heals all wounds'. I voraciously devoured all of the content inside reading it whenever I had free time. I never had to work or push myself to get through chapters, and also found myself lingering and thinking 'I'll just read one more chapter and then I'll go do that thing I need to'. Non Pro-Wrestling fans can also get a kick out of one of pop cultures most enduring icons, with his Wooooo being made by fans in sports arenas watching Football, Cricket and Basketball around the world.
Perhaps some of his comments are a little harsh but I prefer the brutal honesty and the chance to get inside the mind of one of Pro-Wrestlings best of all time. If he wasn't saying exactly how he felt, the book would be lessened after all.
Truly a spectacular read that has prompted me to seek out more autobiographies in future.
Perhaps some of his comments are a little harsh but I prefer the brutal honesty and the chance to get inside the mind of one of Pro-Wrestlings best of all time. If he wasn't saying exactly how he felt, the book would be lessened after all.
Truly a spectacular read that has prompted me to seek out more autobiographies in future.
July 17, 2018
For those brainwashed by Sky's WWF coverage from 1989 to 1992 couldn't tell the difference between a wristlock and a wristwatch so the bemused, confused and plain silly comments about one of the greatest in-ring performers of all-time is quite understandable. Theres more to being a wrestler than falling off a cage, raising an eyebrow, drinking beer or marrying the boss's daughter, todays batch of wrestling fans have been sodomised by internet 'marks', the curtain has been pulled back and the mystery of the Wizard (Ernie Roth or otherwise) has gone yet To Be The Man evokes an era when professional wrestling was viewed as a legitimate sport, now all we have left are poorly trained acrobats and pretenders to the throne of wrestling royality.
July 17, 2023
I wish there were a definitive history of professional wrestling. The closest I've been able to come up with so far is by reading these biographies about wrestlers who have just been around for so long. Flair gives a great view of what the days of the territories were like and what it was like to be a wrestler. Bret Hart's book Hitman is another biography absolutely filled with wrestling history and mythology. I've been watching wrestling (and Flair) since I was a kid, but I didn't know hardly any of his story. I had no idea about the hard times he had run into at the end of WCW and the confidence problems that were tied up in it. He's had quite the life! Also crazy that at age 55 when this book came out he was on wife #2.... now he's on wife #5! Woooo!
March 12, 2025
Every wrestling fan knows Ric Flair. Love him or hate him, he’s an all time great and this is one of the better wrestling autobiographies.
I was surprised at the detail and honesty considering it’s published by WWE. A lot of the others are extremely sanitised.
It pulls no punches and really brings Ric to life.
A good read for any wrestling fan, but it’s bittersweet. This came out in 2003 and since then Rics done so much to tarnish his legacy. It’s a shame he didn’t continue with the dignity he wrote this book with, but we are where we are.
Also, madness that Charlotte Flair (his daughter Ashleigh) barely gets a mention in this and look at her now. The GOAT of women wrestlers.
7.5/10
I was surprised at the detail and honesty considering it’s published by WWE. A lot of the others are extremely sanitised.
It pulls no punches and really brings Ric to life.
A good read for any wrestling fan, but it’s bittersweet. This came out in 2003 and since then Rics done so much to tarnish his legacy. It’s a shame he didn’t continue with the dignity he wrote this book with, but we are where we are.
Also, madness that Charlotte Flair (his daughter Ashleigh) barely gets a mention in this and look at her now. The GOAT of women wrestlers.
7.5/10
January 17, 2020
"Space Mountain is the oldest ride in the park but it has the longest line...WOOO" Its a good wrestling biography, if you are into wrestling. Doesn't lend itself to non-wrestling fans. Spends a lot of time talking about breaking into the business, going through the AWA, then the majority of the time is in GCW/WCW. There's a bit in the WWE, but not a great deal as the book as the book was written when he was still active.
Ric didn't write the book, clearly, but you wouldn't want him to. He provided details to be put in a narrative format and its very entertaining.
Ric didn't write the book, clearly, but you wouldn't want him to. He provided details to be put in a narrative format and its very entertaining.
January 11, 2021
Long limousines and jet airplanes
This book is the story about the greatest wrestler! The best looking man, the best dressed man, long limousines, jet airplanes, and any woman in the world he wanted just like that. You wanna know why Woooooo!? Because his name’s Ric Flair! And he was the world’s heavyweight wrestling champion!
Do yourself a favor after reading this book and pattern your life after Ric Flair’s and you’ll be something in this world that someone can say they’re proud of. Wooooooooooooo!
This book is the story about the greatest wrestler! The best looking man, the best dressed man, long limousines, jet airplanes, and any woman in the world he wanted just like that. You wanna know why Woooooo!? Because his name’s Ric Flair! And he was the world’s heavyweight wrestling champion!
Do yourself a favor after reading this book and pattern your life after Ric Flair’s and you’ll be something in this world that someone can say they’re proud of. Wooooooooooooo!
June 17, 2024
The book is twenty years old, but the older material, especially when it covers the NWA, holds up very well. I’d probably give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. I would have preferred if the book was longer, as there were some historical moments and important stories that I felt were cut for time in this book. Flair is very honest and pulls no punches on certain wrestlers and promoters. I’d like to see a new book from Flair that covers the past twenty years of his career, as his life is never boring! Overall, this was a lot of fun to read, and I couldn’t put it down once I got into it. Woo!!
March 5, 2025
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August 8, 2018
As much as I hate Ric Flair the book wasn't too bad. It chronicles how Flair was a problem child and still acts like an adolescent into his 50's. A lot of it is about him boosting his own ego, even though it technically wasn't written by him. Either way it is a decent book for historical purposes, either way Ric Flair is trash.
March 3, 2021
I'd give this a 3.5, a fun wrestling autobiography by one of the top in ring performers and personalities in wrestling history. For a form of entertainment that used to be underground and carny esque, wrestling the 70s and 80s was synonymous with Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Rowdy Roddy Piper and Ric Flair. His story telling is quite entertaining.
December 15, 2021
This man was an all-time favorite and English-speaking role model for yours truly for many years. I am glad I read and enjoyed this before hearing disqualifying reporting about "The Plane Ride from Hell" and also his very fraught relationship with his son Reed (RIP). A grandmaster of farce but don't try this at home, gnomes.
January 31, 2025
Ric Flair is someone I look to and say, "if I can enjoy life like Ric is at his age of 75, then my life is worth living."
Flair has never met his biological parents. He is considered the greatest professional wrestler of all time by many of his peers and his daughter is a 14-time world champion as of this writing.
Ric Flair inspires me to rise above self-doubt.
Flair has never met his biological parents. He is considered the greatest professional wrestler of all time by many of his peers and his daughter is a 14-time world champion as of this writing.
Ric Flair inspires me to rise above self-doubt.
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