4. He Is Respected Wherever He Goes...
WWE.comAnother cool thing about Terry Funk is his refreshing lack of ego. Funk is dedicated, first and foremost, to the business. He is respected for his contributions to wrestling, of course, but also for the advice and friendship that he regularly offers to younger wrestlers. Funk has acted as a mentor and an inspiration to many now-famous wrestling stars, including former World Champions Tommy Dreamer, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero and Bret Hitman Hart (amongst countless others). But dont just take my word for it, check this out, from the introduction to his autobiography, I dedicate this book to the wrestlers who have never worked a main event in Madison Square Garden, or anywhere, for that matter. I dedicate this book to the wrestlers who perform in Small Town, USA, the ones who know their nights pay wont even cover their transportation costs. I dedicate this book to the guys who have spent themselves totally, for what they consider to be noble causes their fans and their families. I dedicate this book to the guys whose special brand of valour shows in their blood and sweat. (...) In other words, I dedicate this book to the jobbers the wrestlers who have put their shoulders to the mat, purposefully and selflessly, to enhance the other wrestlers in the fans eyes. They do what they do in the unselfish hope of improving attendance in the weeks to come. They are the unsung heroes of my profession. Now thats a dedication. Or, to borrow a line or two from Mick Foleys Have A Nice Day, I had been a friend of Terrys for years, and he was pretty much my hero in the business. He had seen it all and done it all, but he still had the decency to respect all the other wrestlers and he never failed to be polite to the fans
WWE.comHeres a particularly touching testimonial from Eddie Guerreros book, When I got to the arena, I was totally paranoid that Id made the wrong decision (a very young Eddie had agreed to lose to Funk in a WCW squash). I told Terry what I was thinking and he said you aint gonna do a squash job. Ill make you look good. That really gave me confidence. Instead of being afraid, I was determined to do my best. More than just wanting to impress the bosses, I really wanted to justify Terrys support. He was awesome. He gave me room to get in a bunch of offence. I also did a few high spots I hit Terry with the head scissors, he caught me doing a top rope plancha. That kind of stuff just wasnt done in WCW at that time. ...And finally, heres a passage by wrestling writer Jan Murphy, of Chinlock.com, which only confirms what Im trying to tell you. As I interviewed Terry Funk, I felt as if I was conducting an interview with a historical figure, while that person was still alive, not unlike what it would have been like interviewing an Elvis Presley or a John Lennon. For me, this was the most special interview I have ever done. Terry Funk was, is and always will be one of the most important figures in pro wrestling history. Hes also an eloquent speaker and an ambassador for sports entertainment. Says it all, really.