Marvez: Mick Foley discusses leaving WWE, joining TNA

ShareThis

While he was wrestling as "Cactus Jack" in the mid-1990s, Mick Foley had his ear legitimately torn off when his head became stuck between ring ropes that were too tight.But even that pain was tolerable compared with the earful Foley was receiving from World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon.Foley acknowledges that the main reason he has jumped to TNA Wrestling stemmed from backstage problems with McMahon during a four-month announcing stint on WWE's "Smackdown" (8 p.m. EST Fridays, MyNetwork).Unbeknownst to most fans, McMahon frequently tells his talking heads what to say and how to respond during WWE telecasts. Some longtime WWE announcers like Jim Ross and Michael Cole are able to handle McMahon's booming commands resonating in their headsets. That wasn't the case for Foley, who quickly tired of such a heavy-handed approach. He was removed from the announcing gig in August, then debuted on "TNA Impact!" (9 p.m. Thursdays, Spike TV) shortly after his WWE contract expired on Sept. 1."An announcer needs to feel like what he's saying is important," Foley said last month during a telephone interview. "When I say I was met with a profound feeling of emptiness following every 'Smackdown' taping, I am not being overdramatic. I really felt it was the least important thing I've ever done in wrestling. I just think that Vince's over-producing strips the fun and feeling of accomplishment from it."There were times when I barely knew he was there, when he was really easy to work with and the things he said were really helpful. But over the course of time, I felt like I was getting gradually less effective in the role. I didn't want fans to realize that I was getting to the point of phoning it in and no longer caring."Throughout his 12-year WWE run, Foley made painstaking attempts to structure his character and interviews in ways that helped his storylines make sense. Such efforts resulted in Foley butting heads with WWE scriptwriters, which explains why he was given increasingly short shrift during his recent comebacks from "retirement" for select matches.Foley, 43, says he now feels invigorated because his input is wanted in TNA. Since last month's debut, Foley has been cast in a pseudo-commissioner role as a TNA "co-owner." Behind the scenes, young TNA performers can seek advice from a performer whose commitment to the craft made him one of grappling biggest superstars."This is the most fun I've had in wrestling since 2000," said Foley, referring to the year he became WWE's figurehead commissioner after quitting as a full-time wrestler. "I'm allowed to create things and am not under such careful scrutiny and scripting as I was the last several years with WWE. The younger talent here also is really respectful."Foley's grappling knowledge and writing prowess -- he has inked three autobiographies, three children's books and two fictional novels -- make him a perfect candidate to bolster TNA's inept matchmaking committee. Foley, though, has no interest in such a role."I always felt like the booker and writers had a really difficult and sometimes thankless job," Foley said. "I wouldn't want to be under that pressure to have to perform and create ideas that worked on a weekly basis. I really enjoy writing, but I would never want to write on deadline."Besides ongoing interest in entertainment projects, Foley is putting his time away from wrestling to good use. He began sponsoring an African boy, then 3, several years ago through the Christian Children's Fund, which led to further contributions toward building community schools. For the first time, he will soon travel to Sierra Leone to see what has been named the Mick Foley School."I know this is going to be a tough visit," said Foley, who has sponsored underprivileged children through the charity since 1992. "Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world and is still getting over an ugly civil war that has left scars, literally and figuratively."What I've done is not an Oprah (Winfrey) project. It's much more humble, but it's gratifying nonetheless. Hundreds and hundreds of children are going to be better off because of this."Just like TNA is a better promotion with Foley working there.Foley is expected to appear on Sunday's "Turning Point" pay-per-view show emanating from Orlando, Fla. Sting vs. A.J. Styles and Kevin Nash vs. Samoa Joe are the co-main events. For more information, visit www.tnawrestling.com.(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps Howard News Service. E-mail him at alex1marv(at)aol.com.)