The Sinister Minister Shoots on Internet Shooters

[Cibernético II]

from James Mitchell's MySace page:
www.myspace.com/TNADEVIL

I get numerous emails and MySpace messages from both well meaning drama queens and crap-disturbers who want to know how I feel about various negative critiques written on the internet about myself, wrestlers I have worked with, and the wrestling companies I have worked for over the years. Whether their motives are pure or malicious, they are wasting their time if they think I am bothered by it.

Although I will follow them up with some additional thoughts, there are three quotes which sum up my view on critics of all stripes.

Read the following quotes carefully.

Walk away from the keyboard and think about them for a while.

Come back and read them again.

If they make you stop worrying about my feelings being hurt you are one of the well meaning drama queens.

If they make you angry or bother you on some level you are one of the crap-disturbers.

Either way, I'm a big boy. I can handle myself. The same goes for any successful member of my industry.

"Music critics hate Van Halen and love Elvis Costello because they look like Elvis Costello."
David Lee Roth

"Everybody wants to get in on da act."
Jimmy Durante

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt

In my view, most critics and pundits are just that because they long to be part of a pursuit they may genuinely enjoy but, for various reasons, can't. It gives them a sense of being connected and playing a role in something greater than themselves, whether they are conscious of it or not. They get a "rub". This includes 95% of all unemployed, disgruntled wrestlers who lash out at former colleagues on the internet.

It strikes me as unrewardingly masochistic for people to spend time obsessing and bitching about something they despise instead of productively pursuing an interest that brings them pleasure. Such behavior is no different than an angry ex-lover who can't get beyond telling everyone that their former mate was an asshole.


I've never met a critic of mine in person who didn't immediately start back-peddling on their negative opinions and I've never brought their opinions up, either. Why would I validate their existence? They just nervously tremble, look mesmerized, and offer to buy me a beer or a meal while I politely smile.

I've never met an internet wrestling critic who possessed my charisma and screen presence or one that would have the balls to go toe to toe with me in an ad-lib, "shoot" promo contest. Perhaps such a person exists, but I believe there is a greater likelihood of discovering Big Foot, The Loch Ness Monster, and a chupacabra all flying in a UFO over the Devil's Triangle on their way to Atlantis with a cure for both cancer and AIDS.

I think it's safe to say that my internet reviews over the years have been 85% positive, anyway. That's because, unlike most internet wrestling critics, I'm damned good at what I do. That's why I get paid. That's why I am constantly cyclically winding up as the only nationally televised wrestling manager when the others fall by the wayside.

Some folks may not like my stylistic approach or be offended by my devilish persona and that's fine with me, but anyone who claims that I am not exceptionally skilled at what I uniquely do is showing how little they know about my job description.

The only negative criticism I seriously consider is that which is made by people more successful than myself because I have something to learn from them. Unlike self-appointed internet wrestling experts, I've never stopped learning and I've been in the industry nearly twenty years.

As long as they continue to watch me on television in order to write their rants, critics keep my Neilsen ratings consistent. In their zealous quest to harm me, they wind up helping me.

Ratings affect my career. Message boards don't. That's why I would like to say to the minority that constitutes my personal critics, by all means, continue to watch and bitch about me in your blogs and message boards. Please accept my sincere thanks for your support.

Ain't life grand?

[imnotbooked]

BUUUUUUUURRRRNNNN!

Good for James Mitchell for lashin' out, because those Youtube shooters piss me of too!

But, I would also LOVE to see Mitchell vs. Kent Jones in "an ad-lib, "shoot" promo." That would just make my day!

[comahan]

I believe there is a greater likelihood of discovering Big Foot, The Loch Ness Monster, and a chupacabra all flying in a UFO over the Devil's Triangle on their way to Atlantis with a cure for both cancer and AIDS.

awesome.

[Kevin Hamilton]

Mr. Mitchell is a hundred percent correct.

[Aaron E. Dangerously]

"Music critics hate Van Halen and love Elvis Costello because they look like Elvis Costello."
David Lee Roth

Classic.

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

That was a good read, but would have been better if he threw in "copious amounts of blood" somewhere. ;D

Seriously though, what kind of criticisms could he be getting? He is one of the greatest heel managers ever and I can't think of what gripes people would have regarding him.

[Aceorton]

There's another quote that fits this situation here.

"If you really don't care, why did you defend yourself so much?"
--Me

[Muskrat]

I really am curious to what "criticism" he refers to. I'm pretty something does gets criticized it's not him who people bitch about it's the stroryline he's or something that's really beyond his control.

And the Van Halen quote rocked

[Andrew is Good]

I think that like, with me, I've always hated the ultra negative at times, and I always try to put myself in the thought that, I know a lot based on trying to learn more, but I don't know, if you get what I'm saying.

When I do critique someone, it's usually not too harsh. Even in the thread about Nigel, I still feel he is a tremendously talented performer, I just didn't see the incidents in question that that guy was talking about. I do however stand by my critique that he's not that good of a seller, as I can pull out proof that at times he isn't. But I still feel Nigel is a deserving ROH Champion, and has the talent needed.

I guess with me when I watch wrestling because I really enjoy it a lot and am so passionate about it, the positive normally comes to me, unless of course, what I'm watching is legit the shits. I'll throw out a couple of names.

Jack Evans, Kelly Kelly, and Big Daddy V. Jack Evans isn't the best at selling, but his character is ridiculously awesome. He's extremely charismatic and has great sympathy when he's wrestling. Kelly Kelly can't wrestle a lick, and normally botches all her shit. But, Kelly is being thrown out there with little to no training, doing the best she can, and does have great sympathy herself (I think it's because her and Jack are smaller too that they have that). Big Daddy V isn't all that fast or technical, but has an awesome look and is so menacing that you know there's going to be a vicious and brutal match coming up when he's involved with it.

Most wrestlers, like, I do critique them because I enjoy what I watch, but it's hard for me to say that I can't stand a certain wrestler's work. Most wrestlers out there that I watch (especially in the biggest promotions, because really, WWE, TNA and ROH aren't gonna hire anybody if they don't think there's no potential in them) are good, and do have some good qualities. Nobody can be perfect, but they all have some good qualities.

[slasher911]

Er, sounds like he's just getting pissy over some bad criticism. Everybody gets it, I'm not so sure why he thinks he's special enough to be exempt from it.

[JMA]

Personally, I draw no distinction between people who overly complain about the current state of wrestling and those who complain about the complainers.

In other words, fans "shooting" (what a misnomer--you can't shoot if you're not in the wrestling industry) on promotions and wrestlers is equally as lame as fans trying to "debunk" the pseudo-shooters. Both groups are self-obsessed and have too much time on their hands.

[Libertine]

Internet fans can let the side down at times.

[BlackJackRobby]

He would need a hammer and a tank to physically do to them, what he just did verbally.

[Long A, Short A]

aceorton said:

There's another quote that fits this situation here.

"If you really don't care, why did you defend yourself so much?"
--Me

True, very true

muskrat said:

I really am curious to what "criticism" he refers to. I'm pretty something does gets criticized it's not him who people bitch about it's the stroryline he's or something that's really beyond his control.

I'd like to know that myself

Shooting on the Internet:because everyone needs a faceless punching bag.

[icansleep]

As a former shooter myself, I understand where Mitchell is coming from. However, just so it's out there, I love TNA. I'll honor it, cherish it, respect it until either it's or my last breath. James' beef is with those WW-Monopol-E knuckleheads. I assume that's who he's referring to. And he's absolutely right about those jerks.

TNA 4Ever. And 4Life.

[JMA]

I think everyone is bothered by criticism, if only a little bit. Especially the people who say that it doesn't bother them.

[Joekishi]

icansleep said:

As a former shooter myself, I understand where Mitchell is coming from. However, just so it's out there, I love TNA. I'll honor it, cherish it, respect it until either it's or my last breath. James' beef is with those WW-Monopol-E knuckleheads. I assume that's who he's referring to. And he's absolutely right about those jerks.

TNA 4Ever. And 4Life.

you're exactly the type of fan that turns off people to TNA, ROh, indies, lucha libre, puroresu, or wwe.

elitest, WWE is evil, and everything else.

what you ranters do is make tna fans and tna look like morons or a show for moronic complainers who just hate wwe.

"If they hate, let 'em hate i drop ya whole clan, lay yo ass down for that 3 second tan!"

i heard nothing really about him or him having hate for wwe. i mean he showed up at ons 2, and wwe even contemplated bringing him in at the onset of ECW 2.0

i seriously don't see how this is connected to wwelitist who are bashing him because "if he's so good why isn't he in wwe".

now i must see which shooter you were.

the little boy who cried, the guy with acne, the guy who barely hit puberty and is a yard tard, those bunkbed butt buddies, or maybe that guy who got naked

[The Genesis of KoOS]

lenny said:

Seriously though, what kind of criticisms could he be getting? He is one of the greatest heel managers ever and I can't think of what gripes people would have regarding him.

Bobby Heenan
Jim Cornette
Fred Blassie
The Grand Wizard
Jimmy Hart
JJ Dillion
Gary Hart
Skandar Akbar
Paul Heyman
Paul Jones

They've all got something to say about that.

[greate]

jma said:

Personally, I draw no distinction between people who overly complain about the current state of wrestling and those who complain about the complainers.

In other words, fans "shooting" (what a misnomer--you can't shoot if you're not in the wrestling industry) on promotions and wrestlers is equally as lame as fans trying to "debunk" the pseudo-shooters. Both groups are self-obsessed and have too much time on their hands.

Very true. Waste of post but yeah i just had to agree with that, nothing to add :/

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

kingofoldschool said:

lenny said:

Seriously though, what kind of criticisms could he be getting? He is one of the greatest heel managers ever and I can't think of what gripes people would have regarding him.

Bobby Heenan
Jim Cornette
Fred Blassie
The Grand Wizard
Jimmy Hart
JJ Dillion
Gary Hart
Skandar Akbar
Paul Heyman
Paul Jones

They've all got something to say about that.

I didn't say he was the single greatest heel manager, I said he was one of them. And I stand by that.