You are here /wrestling
/guests
/Gramze
Guest Columns

Jim Gramze

Main

PICTURE THIS

I know what it's like.

 
I've backed motown great Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in an outdoor park, nothing but a sea of thousands of screaming fans as we belted out "Nowhere to Run" and "Dancing in the Streets."  What a rush!
 
I know what it's like.
 
I've been in a bar with my band, playing Jethro Tulls "Locomotive Breath."  To open the song, I did the introductory piano solo to absolute perfection, using every bit of my BS degree in classical music performance.  The crowd was absolutely silent as I caressed each delicate note, slowly bringing things to a crescendo as the guitar player came in.
 
I know what it's like.
 
Soon enough, to the back of that primal Tull beat, I started a classic flute solo on the keyboard.  It took countless hours to shape and tailor that sound so that it would spit and flutter and swoon on command.  And as I soared over that beat, seeing the sweat pour off my band mates, you could feel a growing tension in the air throughout the room.  As I reached the inevitable peak and finally stabbed home the final note of my solo, the entire crowd involuntarily rose as one, screaming, with their fists in the air.
 
I know what it's like.
 
All it took was a glance over at the big-screen TV to see that the Red Wings had just scored an overtime goal to win the game, and the crowd's reaction had nothing to do with me.
 
I know what it's like, and it SUCKS!
 
You work your ass off for years, perfecting your craft and your presentation skills.  You give the performance of your life and someone like The Rock, or Austin, or Martha Reeves or the Red Wings steals your thunder.
 
But ya know, just being part of the game has it's own rewards.  Just putting your proverbial neck (or pride) on the line can be a rush, and a live or public performance is something you can only experience to appreciate.  But when someone has so obviously given their all and done things you could never dream of doing yourself, give 'em a big pop in appreciation.
 
It's like, waitresses leave the biggest tips, performers give the biggest applause, and jabrones like you sit there on your cynical asses and criticize instead of appreciate.  Given feedback to an article writer lately?
 
I know what it's like . . .
 

 
Don't miss this Wednesday on Star Trek: Voyager.  It's the Rock vs Seven of Nine in no holds barred mayhem.  I'll be marking out.  Be There!

Jim Gramze
Have a nice day

Mail the Author

BLAH

Main

Design copyright (C) 1999, 2000 Christopher Robin Zimmerman & KZiM Communications
Guest column text copyright (C) 2000 by the individual author and used with permission