162 Days to Opening Day 2008

Opening Day 2008 for the Timber Rattlers is April 3. That is 162 days from today. This off-season, the countdown will be based on books. Each day between now and Opening Day 2008, I will pick a random book out of my library and excerpt a passage off the page number corresponding with the number of days remaining to the first pitch of the new season. I will try not to repeat a book during the countdown.

Today’s book is Have a Nice Day by Mick Foley. This one of the funniest sports autobiographies out there.

The excerpt is from page 162. Mick has just done very well in a tryout match against the Steiner brothers and is offered a job by Ric Flair. WHOOOOOOOO!

Many of the guys who had never seen me wrestle were impressed with both my big elbow and my character, and they were patting me on the back and giving me encouragement. Arn Anderson, who on that very day was making his return to WCW after a year with the World Wrestling Federation, walked by with a strange look at this strange kid who had just dove seventeen feet onto a concrete floor. “Cactus Jack,” he began in his distinctive north Georgia drawl, ‘you just don’t have any sense.”

I thought about what he’s said and gave him an honest appraisal of the situation by replying, “No, but I don’t have any dollars either.”

“Point well taken,” replied Arn. Arn was the king of the putdown, and I quickly learned that it was a compliment and not an insult to be put down by Arn.

When the taping was over, I was approached by Sullivan and Flair. Sullivan was not shy about his high ambitions for me and Flair seemed impressed, if slightly stoic. “We’re going to put you on the road in about a month,” Flair informed me. “In the meantime, we’d like you to make out next TV tapings in the Carolinas. I’m not sure what you will be making, but it will probably be in the neighborhood of a grand a week. I can’t guarantee that, but I can guarantee that you’ll be making a comfortable living.” Comfortable…! At a grand a week, I would be rich.

Put today’s entry into a baseball context.