Terry Taylor's Perspective 8/29/02
I hope everyone has had a good 2 weeks while I was away. I’m sorry I haven’t written in a couple of weeks, but the story I’m about to tell you will explain why.
Now, I must warn you, I’m in a pretty funky mood.
I usually try to entertain you with humor and human-interest stories that have a moral or point that illustrates something about life, but this time is different. I’m about to tell you what happens in the real world of pro wrestling at the independent level. I know because it happened to me. If you don’t want to know the truth and how truly cut throat it is – I urge you not to read this piece.
As most of you know, I have been contacted by independent promoters to wrestle and write television shows for their local areas to support their live events. Most have been gracious and honorable in regards to keeping their word. This story is about a promoter that lied, not only to me and the other wrestlers, but to his family as well. I didn’t seek him out; he sought me going to extreme measures to obtain my phone number and services.
We talked on the phone on and off for a month until we had an agreement as to what we wanted to do. He assured me of the financing, facility, and talent. He sent me video of the talent to whom he felt loyal and asked me to use my contacts to bring in some name wrestlers to draw the house. I obtained Hacksaw Jim Duggan who was a huge star in the Mid South area when it was red hot, former multi time ECW champion Shane Douglas committed, Former ECW stars Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger agreed to appear, as did announcers Larry Zbyszko and Scott Hudson who both agreed to DRIVE 450 miles to save money for the promoter. We also got Ted DiBiase “The Million Dollar Man” of WWF fame in the late 80’s to appear. This is significant because Ted is a preacher now and has to pick what he does very carefully. We all know the stories of sports figures that have professed a belief and have not been sincere. It’s a battle Ted fights every day and I’m proud to say – he wins!
Everything was in place for the show to come off without a hitch. I didn’t have a travel plan and asked the promoter what he thought would be the best way to get me there. I was willing to do my part to try and save money by driving the 450 miles. I really want a second promotion to be successful and know sacrifices have to be made. He told me to buy my airplane ticket and reserve a rental car because he had the hotel booked and he’d cover my expenses when we met. I was OK with that.
I have a partner with whom I have a great rapport as to writing TV. His name is Scott D’Amore and he owns his own wrestling company based out of Windsor, Ontario named Border City Wrestling. We do a television there every 5 weeks and I am proud of the TV’s we produce and the level of effort provided by the talent. Scott is a great sounding board for my ideas and incredible idea guy in his own right. I am very loyal to Scott and truly believe in Border City Wrestling. That’s why I requested Scott coming to Vicksburg, Mississippi to help produce this TV for the Wrestling Network.
Scott and I were to fly to Jackson, Mississippi and drive the 30 miles to Vicksburg on Friday to talk with the promoter getting his feedback on how to best use the talent he brought. Everything was set – or so I thought.
Thursday night I get frantic calls from Scott saying he has a reservation, but no ticket to Jackson. He asks me what he should do. I asked Scott to hold while I called the promoter at home. The promoter assured me that he’d cover any expense because the Mississippi casinos were backing his product. Going on what the promoter said, I told Scott to buy his ticket and he’d be reimbursed. Scott’s a promoter and is incredibly intuitive for only 27 years old. Scott asked me, “Are you SURE?”
I had bought my ticket 3 weeks earlier and Scott had booked his flight to connect in Atlanta with mine. We arrived in Jackson and started our journey to Vicksburg. I called my lovely wife to let her know I landed OK and we were on our way. She asked me if I wanted her to read my emails to me. I said, “Sure.”
“To whom it may concern,
My financial backer didn’t come through with the money promised. I have no alternative but to cancel the show. I have been fired from my job at the radio station and to complete the trifecta -my wife has left me. I am boarding a flight to Miami to secure funds to cover each one of your guarantees.
I’m sorry.
Tommy Parker”
I couldn’t believe it. Two months of negotiating and collaborating and it was all a sham. This guy let me tell Scott to spend his own money to buy a $415.00 ticket – FOR A SHOW HE KNEW WOULD NEVER HAPPEN. Of course, that’s over and above the $200.00 I spent on my ticket and the $75.00 for the rental car. This seemed too surreal to be true, so I called Tommy’s house. No answer. I called the radio station where he was supposedly fired and they said, “No, Tommy’s not fired, he’s just taking the afternoon off.”
The reality of the situation finally sunk in – I’d been had. I’ve been out of work for 18 months and have worked a lot with promoters and other projects without charge in an effort to help them get started. I was now faced with the fact I had to pay for Scott’s ticket because he came on my word, plus my ticket, and the rental car. I was out $690.00 because this spineless piece of *&%^%$$ didn’t have the decency to own up and be a man.
When I thought it couldn’t get anymore bizarre – it did. A number came up on my cell phone’s caller ID – it was Tommy Parker’s home number. I answered at lightening speed and boy, was I ready to go! I was totally unprepared for what happened next. On the phone was Tommy’s wife! She told me Tommy wasn’t fired, that she hadn’t left him (yet), and that he wasn’t on a plane to Miami. Tommy was on the couch feeling sorry for himself. She had enough integrity and honor to call me to explain what her husband didn’t have the guts to explain. I respect her and am grateful that I at least had the truth about what happened.
I am not angry. I am disappointed and wonder how Tommy Parker can look at himself in the mirror. I had to explain to my wife that I’d gotten taken and that our depleted savings account was $700.00 lighter. I don’t blame Tommy Parker for being a liar. I am responsible for my actions and choose to take him at his word. I left emails asking him to honor his word and pay me the $700.00 I spent and that’s without requesting he pay me the salary he promised. The one thing that really bothers me is – how often does this happen and to how many eager young wrestlers who would do anything to make it in the business?
If you’d like to find out for yourselves why Tommy Parker did this, why don’t you do what I’ve done over and over without success? If you’re motivated to do so, please call Tommy Parker’s cell phone – 337-519-9626 or work 337-365-3434 and ask him for yourself. Maybe he’ll answer your call. I’m still waiting for him to answer mine.
Until next week,
Terry Taylor