AN AMAZING CAREER
For those of you who don’t know, Edge and I used to regularly perform one of the greatest tag-team moves of all time. Let me set the scene for you. Any arena, in any part of the country for roughly an eighteen month period -maybe early 1999 through late 2000. Al Snow, despite what I may have written in the past, was actually quite a witty guy; more than capable of holding his during the course of our legendary (if ridiculously drawn-out) battle of the brains. Think of each insult or joke as a punch, putting together as many as possible - some better than others, some hitting their mark, other missing wildly – with the ultimate goal of knocking your verbal sparring partner out. It was not unusual for Al to start off strong, peppering me with jabs, sinking some solid body shots. But like DeNiro in Raging Bull, Al Snow never did put me down. Why? Because he lacked my secret weapon. Because, literally, he had no Edge. But I did.
Sensing that his friend might be in danger of an embarrassing loss to the underdog Snow, Edge would leap into action, overselling the laughs at whatever feeble comeback I tried to mount, before combining with me to hit the valiant, yet doomed Snow with that most incredible of finishers – The White Guy Jumping High Five! The move was a guaranteed knockout: creating such waves of laughter among my WWE contemporaries, that Al would simply concede defeat, saying something about how it wasn’t fair, that Edge was my henchman, that my jokes weren’t even funny, blah, blah blah. All valid points, but none of that mattered at the time..or even now. All that mattered then..and now, is that Edge was my secret weapon, and that I was undefeated in locker-room (or airplane, train, boat, baseball games..you get it) showdowns with Al Snow.
It didn’t take a crystal ball to see that Edge was going to be a star. He clearly had the moves, the look, the charisma. But it wasn’t until a particular “Brood” interview, where Gangrel seemed to stumble verbally, that Edge was given a chance on the stick – an opportunity he took full advantage of; leaving all the boys with that unmistakable “ohh, he can talk, he’s going to draw money” feeling. Clearly, this guy was not meant to be either silent or brooding, and within a matter of weeks (or so it seemed) Edge and Christian had been de-Brooded and began to explore their more comedic side, from the 5 second poses for those with the benefit of flash photography, to their stellar showdowns with the kick-ass, take-names new Commissioner of WWE –me! I’ve often mentioned that my days as WWE Commissioner were among the happiest of my career. And of all the things that went into making that time so happy, nothing made me happier than to work with Edge and Christian on a series of bizarre, innocent and ridiculous backstage vignettes we collectively referred to as “Chredgeley” – as in CHRistian, EDGE, and foLEY. You know, until I wrote that out, I never realized that Edge got his whole name in there, and Christian and I only got three letters each. Hey, that doesn’t seem fair! Not trying to sell A DVD here, (especially since I have a new one coming out on 4/19 that I WILL be trying to sell) but I enjoyed working with Jay and Adam (pretty sure you know which is which) so much, that I specifically asked for a “Credgely” compilation package on 2000’s “Hard Knocks and Cheap Pops” video.
As funny, and as talented as each were, it wasn’t until Summerslam 2000’s “Tables, Ladders and Chairs” match that the world began to see them as legitimate superstars, and ironically, not until returning from 2003 spinal fusion surgery on his neck, that Edge was given a legitimate chance at breaking through that glass ceiling; the invisible, yet very real barrier that prevented most WWE Superstars from ever taking that final step from Superstar to SUPERSTAR – from valuable role-player to main eventer. The 2003 Edge didn’t tap at that ceiling. He didn’t ask politely if he might gain entry. He smashed through it, just bleeping shattered it. He didn’t take that final step; he pretty much just vaulted over everybody. And he did it with a hybrid of tools – ring experience, psychology, humor, physicality, determination – that allowed him to steal just about every show he appeared on. I got to see a few of those matches live. I watched many more on television. Hell, I even got to be in one of them – Wrestlemania XXII, where the Edgester wove his magic spell on a clearly out of shape, past his prime relic of a by-gone era and allowed him (meaning me) to have that one elusive great Wrestlemania moment.
I had no doubt at the time, 2006, that Edge was the number one wrestler in the business. I think one could put up an argument that he was the number one wrestler for a period of time during any one of a number of years. His matches with the top WWE stars of his era – The Undertaker, Triple H, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, John Cena, etc. etc. – are the stuff of legend. If there is any weakness to an argument for Edge, it is that he did amazing matches with such regularity that I’m not sure fans could completely appreciate just how amazing they were. Following my Mania match with Edge, I spent a LONG time in bed, caught a late flight, and made it home just in time to see Edge on Raw, stealing the show again – less than 24 hours after stealing the biggest show of the year.
I don’t know if there will ever be a consensus on who the best wrestler or worker of that era (call it 2003-2011, starting and ending with the neck injury) is or was. I once said I could make a good argument for Shawn Michaels - and I can. I think I could make a pretty good argument for Kurt Angle. Based on big money matches, some might say Triple H. For pure wrestling, maybe AJ Styles or Samoa Joe, or any number of Japanese stars who have flown beneath the mainstream radar.
But look at the other attributes that Edge brought to the table. A willingness to fully immerse himself in every storyline – to make people believe, or at least to believe that he believed. He embraced the ridiculous. He loved the emotional. He thrived under pressure. He stood up for what he thought was best for his characters, his matches, his opponents, and the shows. As viewers, we knew that every segment he appeared in was going to be good. But more importantly, we knew that any segment with Edge had the potential be great. In baseball terms, he was a five-tool player; a guy who could do it all. There have been other five-tool players in the wrestling game – guys who could wrestle, draw money, talk, create characters, be dramatic or comedic. But to me, he was the most versatile, and the most entertaining. So while there may be an argument over who the GREATEST WRESTLER was from 2003-2008, to me, there is no real argument over who was the era’s GREATEST PERFORMER. Hands down, it goes to Edge. What an incredible person. What an amazing career.
Please share with anyone you think might like it.. Anyone can use it - from any site, magazine or other form of media.
For those of you who don’t know, Edge and I used to regularly perform one of the greatest tag-team moves of all time. Let me set the scene for you. Any arena, in any part of the country for roughly an eighteen month period -maybe early 1999 through late 2000. Al Snow, despite what I may have written in the past, was actually quite a witty guy; more than capable of holding his during the course of our legendary (if ridiculously drawn-out) battle of the brains. Think of each insult or joke as a punch, putting together as many as possible - some better than others, some hitting their mark, other missing wildly – with the ultimate goal of knocking your verbal sparring partner out. It was not unusual for Al to start off strong, peppering me with jabs, sinking some solid body shots. But like DeNiro in Raging Bull, Al Snow never did put me down. Why? Because he lacked my secret weapon. Because, literally, he had no Edge. But I did.
Sensing that his friend might be in danger of an embarrassing loss to the underdog Snow, Edge would leap into action, overselling the laughs at whatever feeble comeback I tried to mount, before combining with me to hit the valiant, yet doomed Snow with that most incredible of finishers – The White Guy Jumping High Five! The move was a guaranteed knockout: creating such waves of laughter among my WWE contemporaries, that Al would simply concede defeat, saying something about how it wasn’t fair, that Edge was my henchman, that my jokes weren’t even funny, blah, blah blah. All valid points, but none of that mattered at the time..or even now. All that mattered then..and now, is that Edge was my secret weapon, and that I was undefeated in locker-room (or airplane, train, boat, baseball games..you get it) showdowns with Al Snow.
It didn’t take a crystal ball to see that Edge was going to be a star. He clearly had the moves, the look, the charisma. But it wasn’t until a particular “Brood” interview, where Gangrel seemed to stumble verbally, that Edge was given a chance on the stick – an opportunity he took full advantage of; leaving all the boys with that unmistakable “ohh, he can talk, he’s going to draw money” feeling. Clearly, this guy was not meant to be either silent or brooding, and within a matter of weeks (or so it seemed) Edge and Christian had been de-Brooded and began to explore their more comedic side, from the 5 second poses for those with the benefit of flash photography, to their stellar showdowns with the kick-ass, take-names new Commissioner of WWE –me! I’ve often mentioned that my days as WWE Commissioner were among the happiest of my career. And of all the things that went into making that time so happy, nothing made me happier than to work with Edge and Christian on a series of bizarre, innocent and ridiculous backstage vignettes we collectively referred to as “Chredgeley” – as in CHRistian, EDGE, and foLEY. You know, until I wrote that out, I never realized that Edge got his whole name in there, and Christian and I only got three letters each. Hey, that doesn’t seem fair! Not trying to sell A DVD here, (especially since I have a new one coming out on 4/19 that I WILL be trying to sell) but I enjoyed working with Jay and Adam (pretty sure you know which is which) so much, that I specifically asked for a “Credgely” compilation package on 2000’s “Hard Knocks and Cheap Pops” video.
As funny, and as talented as each were, it wasn’t until Summerslam 2000’s “Tables, Ladders and Chairs” match that the world began to see them as legitimate superstars, and ironically, not until returning from 2003 spinal fusion surgery on his neck, that Edge was given a legitimate chance at breaking through that glass ceiling; the invisible, yet very real barrier that prevented most WWE Superstars from ever taking that final step from Superstar to SUPERSTAR – from valuable role-player to main eventer. The 2003 Edge didn’t tap at that ceiling. He didn’t ask politely if he might gain entry. He smashed through it, just bleeping shattered it. He didn’t take that final step; he pretty much just vaulted over everybody. And he did it with a hybrid of tools – ring experience, psychology, humor, physicality, determination – that allowed him to steal just about every show he appeared on. I got to see a few of those matches live. I watched many more on television. Hell, I even got to be in one of them – Wrestlemania XXII, where the Edgester wove his magic spell on a clearly out of shape, past his prime relic of a by-gone era and allowed him (meaning me) to have that one elusive great Wrestlemania moment.
I had no doubt at the time, 2006, that Edge was the number one wrestler in the business. I think one could put up an argument that he was the number one wrestler for a period of time during any one of a number of years. His matches with the top WWE stars of his era – The Undertaker, Triple H, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, John Cena, etc. etc. – are the stuff of legend. If there is any weakness to an argument for Edge, it is that he did amazing matches with such regularity that I’m not sure fans could completely appreciate just how amazing they were. Following my Mania match with Edge, I spent a LONG time in bed, caught a late flight, and made it home just in time to see Edge on Raw, stealing the show again – less than 24 hours after stealing the biggest show of the year.
I don’t know if there will ever be a consensus on who the best wrestler or worker of that era (call it 2003-2011, starting and ending with the neck injury) is or was. I once said I could make a good argument for Shawn Michaels - and I can. I think I could make a pretty good argument for Kurt Angle. Based on big money matches, some might say Triple H. For pure wrestling, maybe AJ Styles or Samoa Joe, or any number of Japanese stars who have flown beneath the mainstream radar.
But look at the other attributes that Edge brought to the table. A willingness to fully immerse himself in every storyline – to make people believe, or at least to believe that he believed. He embraced the ridiculous. He loved the emotional. He thrived under pressure. He stood up for what he thought was best for his characters, his matches, his opponents, and the shows. As viewers, we knew that every segment he appeared in was going to be good. But more importantly, we knew that any segment with Edge had the potential be great. In baseball terms, he was a five-tool player; a guy who could do it all. There have been other five-tool players in the wrestling game – guys who could wrestle, draw money, talk, create characters, be dramatic or comedic. But to me, he was the most versatile, and the most entertaining. So while there may be an argument over who the GREATEST WRESTLER was from 2003-2008, to me, there is no real argument over who was the era’s GREATEST PERFORMER. Hands down, it goes to Edge. What an incredible person. What an amazing career.
Please share with anyone you think might like it.. Anyone can use it - from any site, magazine or other form of media.
Great column, Mick. I met Adam in Tampa in 2003 (while he was recovering from his neck surgery) and he was as friendly and non-egotistical as you could hope for anyone with his level of fame would be.
Edge leaving hurts WWE more than it hurts Adam. He goes out as a champion, but more importantly he leaves before his body takes any more abuse. For WWE, filling his spot will be tough; there simply aren't many guys in the business who can work, talk, and carry themselves like Edge.
Even when WWE kept turning Edge back-and-forth from face to heel, like Lex Luger in the early 90s, he managed to avoid being flattened out as a character thanks to his aforementioned ability. Best wishes to Adam for a successful post-wrestling life.
Posted by: Lou P. | 04/14/2011 at 01:44 PM
Thanks for this great post Mick. Edge's career has been legendary and it is with great sadness that I heard of his retirement this week - his fans here in the UK and around the world will miss his great performances.
Alongside Christian, he revolutionised the ladder match, taking it to amazing new levels - yet always found time for a five second pose!
And I'll never forget the incredible match that you both had at Wrestlemania 22 - absolutely superb.
The Rated R Superstar will certainly be missed by fans the world over.
Posted by: BenVealPR | 04/14/2011 at 01:46 PM
Sadly, I lost a lot of interest in the WWE around 2004, for various reasons. I never fell out of love with wrestling, it just didn't seem the same to me anymore. One of the many reasons was my frustration that Edge, who had been one of (if not the) most exciting performers of the past five or so years, was STILL only on the periphery of the main event.
I was delighted when a few years later, in casual conversation, I had heard that since then Edge had finally reached the status he deserved, and so I tuned into No Way Out 2009 to see how wrestling had changed. It had a lot; some for good, but sadly, most, to me, for bad.
Edge was certainly good. Thanks to his crafty heel persona, he walked in WWE champion, lost it barely minutes into his title defence, then left World Heavyweight champion! I bet nobody predicted that! Finally, WWE had found the character they had been so dearly missing in all that time.
I've been following WWE and TNA on-and-off since then, and I don't need to say how much of a loss Edge will be for the WWE, and wrestling in general. Thankfully, the wrestling industry appears to be in a slightly better place than it was two years ago, so here's hoping that, on the back of this, somebody out there will get a well-deserved chance to join him among the greats.
Cheers Edge!
Posted by: PerryMHewitt | 04/14/2011 at 01:56 PM
I think back about Edge's career as a tag performer and then as a singles performer, you can see him honestly evolve and keep evolving as a performer. Taker - yes, Foley - yes, and Edge is a solid yes. Much like Terry Funk helped establish and cement the legend of Cactus Jack, you helped a great performer become amazing. The Foley rub helped, but if he didn't have the goods, he would never has been able to make that transition. Thanks for such a honest commentary, never forgetting the people who you helped elevate each other and taking the time to poke Al Snow.
Posted by: Michael Kauffman | 04/14/2011 at 01:58 PM
Thanks to the moving of characters from Smackdown to Raw and back, there were blind spots where there was no Edge on my TV...but when he came back it was always a show to watch.
What I think is most amazing about Edge was his ability to get out of the tag team realm and survive. We often see taggers that try and waffle around a bit. Edge was able to overcome that curse...although, I was hoping that him and Christian might tag back up for one last run. To this day they rank as one of my favorite tag teams ever. Just good solid work on all levels.
Edge was able to do the best with what he was given, whether that be a tag partner, a racy storyline or a championship belt - and that's more rare these days than it should be. Much like Jericho leaving recently, there will be a gapping hole left with Edge gone and I just hope someone can step up and fill it.
Posted by: Morning Toast | 04/14/2011 at 02:02 PM
I had the pleasure of meeting Edge at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Poplar Bluff, MO.
The house show before the meeting was mostly rubbish. Every match was boring. Each wrestler before the main event all seemed to be simply going through the motions, eager to finish the match as quickly and easily as possible.
The main event, however, featured Edge vs Jeff Hardy. At this point Jeff Hardy was in the middle of a hard push to the top, while Edge was the clear heel. The match itself was an education. Jeff Hardy came out to huge cheers. Every time he picked up he mic, he shouted some hokey one liner resulting in a huge cheer from the fans.
When Edge picked up the mic, every word was crafted perfectly, forcing the crowd against him. During the match, every move helped put Hardy over even more. I specifically remember Edge spilling out of the ring and throwing a tantrum. He ran his hands through his hair, panicked, and kicked the ring steps, "hurting" his foot in the process. He sold that foot all the way to a crushing, embarrassing defeat against the hero, Jeff Hardy. All this in front of a couple of thousand people in Poplar Bluff, Missouri on a Saturday night.
A couple of hours later, we saw a group of wrestlers at a table in the middle of the BWW. Edge was at the end of the table, and after holding back, one of my friends nervously approached him and asked for a picture. Without hesitation, I see him happily say "Sure, no problem" and he stood up to take a picture with my friend.
After the picture he started to sit down before I could ask for a picture with myself. When I asked, he joked about making him stand up again, and he made a painful grunt as he stood up. I felt terrible for making him stand up again, but I now have something to remind me of the nicest wrestler I've ever met.
Posted by: Codytucker8 | 04/14/2011 at 02:03 PM
Great article about a great performer. You're spot on about his potential; I was a big fan of Christian & Edge (het - I don't know them, so don't think I have the right to use their given names!) and remember their antics with a smile. Both had that star quality, but Edge just ... well ... edged it (see, I can pun too!)
Even now, when I don't watch that much wrestling (I'm not keen on the WWE's product as it is now, we don't get that much TNA on this side of the pond & I'm pretty sure there's no others show) I could quite happily sit and watch any of his matches (and the same goes for yours - you truely are my favourite performer of all time) and enjoy them. Oh, sure - there were bad ones, but no absolute garbage ones (that I can remember).
IMODHO, in the wrestling business you can succeed with the right look; you can succeed with the right abilities; you can succeed with tha right personality. Its a rare, precious few who have all three - Edge was one.
He'll be missed, but I hope he now takes time to ensure that the rest of his life can be lived to the full. I PRAY that he doesn't go back for "one last match" if what I've read about his neck is correct.
Please pass on my thanks for his giving me some smiles, laughs and gasps.
Posted by: PaulL | 04/14/2011 at 02:04 PM
Grate Article !!! You know because in my country wrestling ain't that big i didn't discover WWE until i was 13 i guess dont remember but one thing i remember the first match i ever saw it was Edge vs John Cena in a steal cage match ! Cena won that match but i was amazed by the talent Edge had that was the point where it all started i became addicted to the WWE and to THE RATED R SUPERSTAR EDGE . Edge is the one who made me such a huge WWE fan ! Every time he came out i would scream at the tv EDGE EDGE EDGE EDGE ! a grate performer in my book he is the grates of all time and i dont think anyone will ever be as good as him !
I would just like to say THANK YOU EDGE ! You will be missed ! I wish u a grate life because you are a grate man ! And i beg you not to take any risks to put you're health in danger because i would rather u never wrestle again then u being in a wheelchair or God forbid worse ! Once again THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart EDGE !!! Rated R EDGEHEAD 4 LIFE !
Posted by: Account Deleted | 04/14/2011 at 02:19 PM
Please Mick! do me a favor, tell Edge that we (Edge's fans from Peru) thank him for all he did in his matchs! He is one of the greatest wrestlers that I have seen! Thanks him so much
Posted by: Victor Carlos | 04/14/2011 at 02:25 PM
Great post Mick. My first real introduction to Edge/Adam was the TLC match and it had a huge impact on me, it is still one of my favourite wrestling matches. I was sad to hear that Edge had been forced to retire. Having said that, what a career to have! I wish him all the best.
Posted by: lizzie | 04/14/2011 at 02:34 PM
Thanks Mick, awesome post. Edge is my favorite performer of all time and I am going to miss him a ton. I know we all will. Thanks for sharing some awesome memories you had with Edge. Your match at WM 22 will certainly stand the test of time as one of the best ever.
Posted by: codeezie | 04/14/2011 at 03:21 PM
Very nice piece, Mick. An honest, tasteful, and respectful nod to a friend and peer. Before learning of the serious of Edge's neck injury I was really hoping that the WWE would put hum and Christian in one more ladder match. Those two MADE that match, and I had heard that Edge was close to retirement. Good to know he is getting out with health. Maybe we will see him as a guest referee sometime in the future.
Posted by: dan martin | 04/14/2011 at 04:02 PM
Mick, you are just a fantastic writer. What a lovely tribute to a brilliant wrestler.
Posted by: Dan, UK | 04/14/2011 at 04:31 PM
I'm glad Edge has retired now rather than try to continue or go through another surgery. He will be missed, but in all honesty I was really sad when Michaels left as well and I'd already moved on within a couple of weeks. Edge is a loss, but there will be others to fill the gap and hopefully Christian will be first in line to take his spot and have a prolonged title feud with Del Rio resulting in both of them getting strong championship reigns.
Good, passionate article.
Posted by: Danny Glebocki | 04/14/2011 at 05:02 PM
Beautiful blog Mick, as usual. I don't think there will ever be another Edge. One of the all-time greats. I cried when I watched him announce his retirement on raw, and I know I'll cry again, probably more, when I watch him farewell HIS show, smackdown. I was hoping that he would come to australia for the world tour. I always wanted to see him wrestle live, and possibly meet him. But I know that his health comes first. I'm proud that he is stepping away from wrestling, rather than not listening to the doctors, and keeping on, at such a huge risk.
I hope that we'll get another book from him, I loved Adam Copeland on Edge. And as a primary school teacher, some children's books would be great too! ;D Thank you for everything Adam, you were the reason I started watching wwe, and fell in love with wrestling. EDGE FORERVER! XO
Posted by: Kelly | 04/14/2011 at 05:05 PM
He truly was an amazing performer. This is a great article on him too. I look forward to seeing that Credgeley montage!
Posted by: olia | 04/14/2011 at 05:06 PM
You truly are a wordsmith Mick,beautiful tribute.I completley agree with you,from the moment Edge turned heel in 2004,til his Hell in a Cell with Taker at Summerslam 2008,Edge was the no.1 guy in the business.I had the pleasure of meeting Edge a couple of times and words don't do justice to what a lovely and cool guy he is.Edge has always been and shall forever be my favourite wrestler.....I wish him nothing but the best in his future career whatever that may be.THANK YOU EDGE.
Posted by: BRIAN MICHAEL SETH | 04/14/2011 at 05:09 PM
Michael, you're a class act and that was a classy piece of writing about a great, great wrestler.
Posted by: DannyMac | 04/14/2011 at 05:10 PM
Wow... he has said over the years that you were one of his closest allies and friends in WWE and it sounds as though you feel the same about him. It is nice to hear such wonderful insight to such a great guy, I have heard nothing but positive things about that man! I have read his book and your books and seen alot of behind the scenes stuff but it never ceases to amaze me how close you all become in the business. It inspires me even more to pursue wrestling knowing how you all have each others backs. Adam was one of the main inspirations for me even considering wrestling and though it's sad how his body broke before his spirit and I will miss seeing him in the ring, I am glad to see him go out on top and healthy!
Posted by: Blissfullycat | 04/14/2011 at 05:47 PM
This is a great essay. Thank you. I've been feeling down about Edge leaving, but this made me smile and laugh, as I thought about all of the great memories that he's given me over the years. I think that Edge is one of the best performers, like you said he made everything seem so believable, and he was willing to do anything, no matter how silly it may have seemed. I think that's why he's my favorite, and why it's going to be hard to find another performer like him in wrestling.
I hope he comes back to wrestling, because I think he would be a great writer/booker, and even performing in some on screen role. He's just that good, and a valuable person to have around. Like you tweeted, he is very knowledgeable about the business.
Posted by: Bella Randolph | 04/14/2011 at 05:49 PM
I'd lost interest in wrestling by the time Edge was one of the top stars in WWE but whenever I did tune in he was always impressive.
A highlight for me is his Elimination Chamber appearance where he lost one and won another later that night. A great entertainer no matter what stage of his career
Posted by: Jack Taylor | 04/14/2011 at 05:55 PM
Warning - I may ramble on a little cause Edge is quite possibly my most favorite wrestler of ALL-TIME!
What can I say except for that we were all pawns in Edge's great plan. When he wanted us to hate him as the bad guy, we did. When he wanted us to love him for being the good guy, we did. We were all a fiddle in Edge's grand design and he was the maestro.
Till this day I still remember Edge's look on his face when Jose Estrada didn't get back up after suffering a broken neck from Edge's over the top rope somersault plancha. From that moment on you just knew there was something special about him. The fuel, fire, and desire to be great just poured out of him each time he hit the ring.
To cut this short I'll just say that Edge was the most gifted superstar.. No, that doesn't quite do him justice. He's the most gifted Rated-R Superstar that the WWE has ever had. Everything about him will be missed dearly and I don't think Smackdown will ever be the same again without him there.
One last thing.. Can we say HOF @ WM28 for Edge? I'll be there to exerpience it first hand and will do all that I can to shake the hand of the man, Adam Copeland, that we will forever love as Edge. You're definitely a Rated-R Superstar to me and fans the world over. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication!
-M Singer (One of your hugest fans ever)
Posted by: Mike Singer | 04/14/2011 at 06:27 PM
I wasnt a big fan of Edge at first,but when I saw him at Elimination Chamber cash in money in the bank and win the WWE championship,I knew he had potential to become a future Hall of Famer. Adam, I hope you have more sucess out of the ring.Hopefully you can commentate on Raw and replace that God awful Michael Cole. By the way Del Rios car now looks awesome after its well needed makeover. I will forever be a Edgehead.Also,I really want u and Christian to perform your 5 second pose. Ill be at home taking a pic of u.Im glad u arent in a wheelchair and I wish u all the luck in the world. Make sure to reek of awesomeness on Smackdown. U will be missed greatly.
Posted by: Edge head | 04/14/2011 at 08:15 PM
Fantastic blog, Mick. I always had the impression that there was more to Edge/Adam then we were seeing and now I find out I was right. Everything I've read since Monday shows how much everybody liked him and how much we will all miss him.
Posted by: MickieMous | 04/14/2011 at 08:31 PM
Simply put Mr.Foley, "BANG BANG". You could not be anymore right on than you were. It is very refreshing to see someone of you credibility and stature to say Edge was the greatest wrestler/performer of this era. He started in the attitude era as a mid carder and rose like the phoenix straight to the top. His rare ability to make you hate him and laugh at the same time is something that is lost on a lot of wrestlers today. I for one hope at some point he returns to the business and mentors some of the younger guys. His mark on the business is one that will never be forgotten and deservedly so. I agree 100% that your match with him a WM 22 was the highlight of the show. I say this because I can't even tell you who was in the main event. I am hearing that WM will be in Toronto in two years and he is a no doubt headliner for that HOF class.This is my first trip to your blog and on a personal note you sir belong in the HOF and I for one can't wait until you do. Keep doing all you do for all you do it for.
Posted by: Shawn | 04/14/2011 at 09:21 PM
I met Edge in Toledo, Ohio (4-6 years ago)... I was still a teenager at the time, and it was one of the best moments of my life. I have always been a huge Edge fan since I first seen him splash Sable on to Marc Mero.
When I met Edge he could not have been a more cordial, inviting, and just an all around friendly guy. Edge was even so nice that when he was outisde, he had climbed into his limo, and I had asked him to let me take another picture of him. So he got all the way out, waited for me to fumble my camera around, and allowed me to snap my favorite picture I have ever taken. For any person to do that for a fan just shows you how humble he is, and how much he truly cares for his fans
I don't understand why we fans bond so much with you guys, but watching Edge retire on live T.V. was one of my saddest experiences in recent memory. We fans follow your careers and feel like we get to know you personally, and in turn you help us forget our problems and allow us a few hours of happiness each week. I cannot thank you enough!
God bless you Edge (and you too Mick!), thank you for always being on my TV screen, always damaging your body to entertain me, and thanks most of all for making my day back when I met you in person. You are a great man and you will be missed dearly.
Posted by: Joe | 04/14/2011 at 10:00 PM
Other than the predictable (Foley putting himself over as usual and talking almost as much about him as Edge), this was an enjoyable read.
Posted by: Alan | 04/15/2011 at 04:14 AM
Awesome blog on EDGE!
I was actually talking to my wife the other day about a Foley & Edge announce team. Would you agree that would be awesome for you, Edge and the fans? When i heard Edge was retiring i decided to read Adam Copeland on Edge again (lets hope he writes another book) but after reading your blog i think i'm gonna read the hardore diaries and Foley is good again too.
Also i'd like to get my Countdown To Lockdown book autographed but your book tour didn't run through scotland and when i travelled all the way to Orlando to see you at Impact you had the night off. (It wasn't a totaly wasted trip though i got married in kissimmee.) Is there any sign of you coming through Scotland sometime in the near future?
Posted by: David Wilkie | 04/15/2011 at 04:44 AM
Great blog, for an amazing performer! Hope to see Edge / Adam in the HOF one day soon -he deserves it!
I do believe he will have success in whatever he chooses to do next and from everything i have seen since he announced his retirement shows what a truely popular and much liked guy he is! Good luck x
Posted by: Becca | 04/15/2011 at 05:32 AM
Mick, as usual you have hit another "literary" homerun. Adam Copeland is truly a Superstar in every sense of the term, albeit it one that might just be "under" appreciated. I just ask that you and he (whom I consider to be the best two authors/wrestlers I have ever had the pleasure of reading) get together and collaborate on a book. I think a literary memoir of Chredgely would be a best seller that I would gladly line up to be the first to purchase.
Posted by: Tim Mathis | 04/15/2011 at 06:54 AM
Fantastic write-up Mick. For those of us who've watched Edge grow from Brood underling to top shelf main eventer, his retirement speech personified his entire career: classic. His legacy will undoubtedly stand the test of time and his tapes will be analyzed by young up-and-comers. Hall of Fame Class of 2012? You bet.
Posted by: Craig | 04/15/2011 at 09:55 AM
Edge's return from his neck injury coincided nearly perfectly with my return (from a brief "too cool" hiatus) to wrestling fandom. Edge quickly became my favorite wrestler and that lasted to this day. I was lucky enough to see live your WMXXII match against Edge. It stole the show. Two great performers performing greatly!
Edge was one of the few performers who could adapt and succeed no matter the "era" of WWE, from "Attitude" all the way through "PG". He will be missed.
Posted by: SheckieZx | 04/15/2011 at 10:09 AM
If I'm actually being honest, Mick, I didn't pick up on how great Edge is until about... say, last summer... a few months after he returned from one of his injuries. And since when I thought "wow, he really is great" so many months ago, I grew as a fan, and definitely thought he wouldn't retire as soon as he's been forced to. It's a shame, and I agree with everything you said... hopefully there is a nice big spot for him in the HOF in the next few years, I hope. :) Was just watching your match with him from WM22 a few days ago... seems very surreal to think he won't be around anymore... at least in the ring, that is. Anyway, very awesome blog as always... and Edge will be missed.
Posted by: Ariel | 04/15/2011 at 11:05 AM
Edge never dogged it. He was focused and always in the moment.
I thank God that he was forced to retire before he gave too much to us fans.
Now it's time for Mick to come home to the WWE.
Posted by: grumpiestoldman | 04/15/2011 at 11:45 AM
Great blog, I'm glad you referred to that Brood interview years ago. I remember when Edge said something ending with "The freaks come out at night" with an evil grin on his face and me thinking "Wow, he has a smooth delivery, why doesn't he ever talk?" As well know now h did get to talk and he never stopped. I also loved how he and Christian became one of the best tag teams ever without ever having a real combination finishing move, they just won by outsmarting their opponents.
Hopefully Edge will put aside some time to write a second book, a project I'm sure you'll be happy to assist him with.
Posted by: RedEmpyre | 04/15/2011 at 11:46 AM
I hope that Adam Copeland can move on to a long and healthy life..his retirement this week serves as a reminder of how much the men and women in the Wrestling Industry put on the line to entertain and inspire the fan base..
Having said that, I hope Christian is finally given a chance to have a run with the World Championship, and I hope Edge can convince creative in WWE to see the talent that many of us know has always been there..
Posted by: Alan | 04/15/2011 at 12:28 PM
Mick, your blog is just awesome.. it shows us who the man behind Edge is...
You could tell he is different..
As a wrestling fan, I just love his work..
He gave it all.. and I thank him for that..
Im from Holland, and would like to let you
know and maybe tell Adam that he touched all
our lifes, and hopefully will keep doing that.
Thanks again for your blog.
Posted by: Dutch Edge Fan | 04/15/2011 at 02:52 PM
THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS. IN A BUSINESS KNOWN FOR HUGE EGOS IT WAS REFRESHING READING A TRUE LEGEND GIVE RESPECT TO THE NEWER GENERATION OF LEGENDS. I WAS ALWAYS AN EDGE AND MICK FOLEY FAN AND YOU GUYS PUT ON ONE HELL OF A SHOW ON WRESTLEMANIA 22. AFTER THAT ANY PROMOS BETWEEN YOU 2 WERE GOLD. I REMEMBER WHEN EDGE SENT YOUR ASS PACKING TO TNA. I WAS SAD TO SEE YOU GO BUT HAPPY FOR EDGE SINCE I WAS ONE OF HIS BIGGEST FANS WHEN EVERYONE ABSOLUTELY HATED HIS GUTS AS AN ON AIR CHARACTER. THANK YOU MICK FOLEY FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE BUSINESS. ALSO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ANYONE TO SHARE THIS. I WILL POST THIS UP FOR SURE.
Posted by: THE INFAMOUS JCITY™ | 04/15/2011 at 07:51 PM
Mick, great words for a great performer. I'm gonna miss seeing edge piss me off with his character that could not only irritate me but also entertain me as a fan of pure wrestling. Quick question for you though, mick...i was training to get into pro wrestling. However I recently had a set back. I contracted rocky mountain spotted fever, a tick born illness, and was in the hospital for a week sick from it. Now a week later I found out I also have a blood clot in my lungs and for the next 6 months to a year I'll be on blood thinners so wrestling during this time just isn't an option...my question to you is this: with this situation will I have complications wrestling later on? I ask you because of all the injuries you've had, you must have had a run in with blood clotting...or am I just screwed?
Posted by: Robert | 04/16/2011 at 09:30 AM
as a fan of wrestling since literally 3 days after i was born (saw flair in louisville gardens at 3 days old) i can say without a single doubt in my mind that edge out performed everyone in that time period and before he stole RAW spot light with Christian back in the day unlike any one else ever could Mick i'm a huge fan of yours but his segments caught my attention more than yours the Rocks Austins Triple Hs Undertakers he just has unmatched Charisma i call him the Shawn Michaels of a new generation and i hope that he does something in WWE i dont want him to just walk away
Posted by: SoulessEdgehead | 04/16/2011 at 11:21 PM
Your a class act Mick and I think your spot on. I loved watching edge. He was a great performer who always gave it all. I think he also had a fantastic sense of humor. I wonder if there is any chance of him going into acting?
Posted by: Brianrickey | 05/03/2011 at 08:15 PM
I dunno what to say, there was that whole Lita thing with him and Matt Hardy where I lost a lot of respect for Edge and Lita.
I've met Matt in person and think he really got screwed over on the whole deal; it's not surprising to me that he recently got dropped IRL because of all the crap that he's had to deal with.
Edge may have been a great all-around performer, but there were clearly some people that got hurt along his way up the ladder.
(Sorry for the pun.)
Posted by: Dave | 09/10/2011 at 11:29 AM
First of all, u high, God, where you get to tell u that all the cena fans are flat. u must be pretty loalshw to shit itself is kurt sagen.ya oylmpic a gold medal winner ya and he screamed as he it.NOW cena perhaps not the best wrestler in the WWE, but the show has people so respect.he've been here four years and the WWE title twice and we had three titles times.to me is pretty good.john cena has the talent and shows it to stop such a hater
Posted by: Tanja | 03/20/2012 at 03:54 AM
my father is also aidcdted to wrestling Novs, am sure he would be glad to see wrestling live one day. Anyway, am sure it will thrill your father to know you watch live, you can share to him your experience. Enjoy Novs.By the way, I am able to make new post today :) warm pictures from summer. I still am struggling with my allergies and asthma, I really hope to be well soon since being sick is just not fun :(
Posted by: Bea | 03/21/2012 at 08:43 PM
No it wasn't. It No it wasn't. It was a theory that when the clock sctturk midnight on January 1, 2000, all computers and basically any other electronic device would go haywire and kill everyone. Kinda like people have now with the May 12th, 2012 thing. End of the world theories. Everyone was worried about the Y2K (Year 2000) problem, so Jericho said he said what about the Y2J problem?
Posted by: Jesus | 03/21/2012 at 11:05 PM
No it wasn't, it No it wasn't, it was the fact that when computers began to be built and coded, the dates did not go past the end of 1999 so at the ueilinlmm, there was a mystery of what was going to happen. There was no beleif that electronic devices would go haywire and kill people, it was just that they would all stop working on that date, and that planes would drop out the sky when their hardware failed.
Posted by: Heather | 03/22/2012 at 12:04 AM