In Commemoration of 'Takers 10 years
Written by: Lisa Labish
(c) Nov. 1, 2000
Hello to one and all who pass through the forest. First off let
me introduce myself. I am Lisa L. better known on the net as
MsPhenom, and Co-Owner of PhenomForest. I would like to thank
all the wonderful people who work on the forest for this year.
As it as been a growing and wonderful year and to those of you who
have contributed to the forest and to the wonderful people who come
and go to learn and to grow with us.
As you can see I am starting this early. Yes, Survivor
Series is where it all began 10 years ago. There was this
strange man in a long coat with hat, on the back of a hearse.
The people roared with excitement for it was The Undertaker.
Yes, I remember it well. Mark Calaway made it to the big
times and what a sight and entrance he made to WWF.
His gimmick gave us cause to stop and take a deep breath
at the mere mention of the name, The Undertaker. Yet, it
was something more then that. He was mysterious and
mathematical in and out of the ring. For a gimmick that
was only to last for a while it lasted 10 years. The longest
running gimmick in WWF.
This month marks 10 years that Mark Calaway as given his all.
As kept the gimmick alive. Even now as his appearance
as changed in the ring to a biker and his gimmick name
is the American Bad Ass they still call him 'Taker. And still
the fans have grown through the years. New, old, young it
doesn't matter for within Mark Calaway's gimmick it knows no
age.
Looking back, I could not think of anyone else who could
make the gimmick work as Mark Calaway as. He is a 3 time
Champion and has held the tag team belt twice. I applaud
Mark Calaway for doing his job. And believe me it is a
job. A couple of months ago I got a chance to ask Mr. Calaway
if he ever thought his gimmick would take him this far and
he chuckled in a very low chuckle and said, "No." I found his
response to my question amusing as I thought to myself that
I have watched this man since USWA and my biggest fear when
I found he was coming to WWF that they would have made him
a soft character.
You know here at the forest we always said we would not
get into the mans personal life and have prided ourselves
in that but given that this marks 10 years of his life, I
personally would like to thank Jodi Calaway also. Why, you
ask? Well, because behind every great man is a great
woman. It is common knowledge that they were married during
this time until just last year. I applaud Ms. Calaway
for putting up with his fans and having him away from
home so much. I can only imagine what that is like.
I applaud you Jodi Calaway for not being greedy and
sharing him. To be fair here, I know that Sara Calaway
as not been married to him that long but I also would
like to thank Mrs. Calaway for sharing him with his
fans.
For it as been in these past 10 years we have seen Mark
Calaway's face broken by Viscera during a match, an injured
ankle suffered when doing a skit with Paul Bearer,
his hips suffered some injury when Paul Wight put him
through the ring, and a number of groin pulls and now
gull stones. So, to the Ladies that have been part of
Mark Calaway life I applaud you. I would like you all
to note that Mark Calaway worked under those conditions
in his career keeping the Undertaker strong. And how
could we forget his match against Snuka. We can't,
for it was during this match that he was dubbed The
New Phenom.
The gimmick the Undertaker brought a new fan base to
WWF. It brought those of us that are into Goth. A life
style all its own. And then the gimmick the Undertaker
started to talk and take on a life of its own. Then he
gave his fans a name, he called them "The Creatures of
The Night." The fans roared with delight. And then it
happened. The Phenom went from just a tweener to The
Lord of Darkness bringing with him the "dark druids." It
was at this time I was getting IMed constantly from
fans around the world wanting to know his religion, was
he really a Satanist? Weather it was part of the storyline
or his personal life he brought the pagan/occult world
to a boom. Young, old, middle-age fans where clamoring
to find a path. Not only did he bring in the "dark druids"
but he did a sacrifice with his friend Dennis who plays
Mideon.
During this time his fan base grew to unbelievable leaps
and bounds. The pagan/occult world was emerging into
wrestling world and finding that they themselves liked
the Undertaker. Life imitates art but wrestling was
imitating life. Mark Calaway had made a name for himself.
He as been respect by fellow wrestlers including the new
wrestlers coming into WWF and he as been above all else
respected from his fans who have endured his time of being
gone from time to time especially this last time when he
was gone for a year. I can honestly say that the COTN
have been a strong fan base.
Someone asked me one time why kids and adults find the
Undertaker appealing and compelling. I said this in response,
it is that he is what we all fantasies about being. Not
taking crap from anyone and once in a great while coming
out to help someone in need. Within this character we saw
ourselves and for the kids, well they saw a strong man in
front of them that they themselves want to be. For some kids
this gimmick represented a life time of a missing father. For
others an Uncle or brother or the monster under their bed.
And yes I have come across fans that are adults in my past
10 years that have told me that the gimmick the Undertaker as given
them strength. Odd! But in this I find that the gimmick was not
just a gimmick but the man behind the gimmick gave it life and
in doing so let us catch a glimpse of his life from time to time.
You know they say the eyes are the windows to your soul and from
time to time if you look real close you can see his soul, the gimmick,
the man that we have come to love and respect and awe each and
everytime he comes out to the ring has a soul.
Yes, their have been times we have laughed at the storylines,
made fun of certain moves or how he presented himself and we
have cried also for the sadist thing to have had to watch
was the night Owen Hart passed away. To watch not only
the Undertaker get in the ring but the rest of the wrestlers
also. But more so for those that knew that Calaway and the
Hart family were very close friends. This was the time he
won the heavyweight belt for the third time and this was
also the time that we could see the pain in his eyes. Many
fans that night IMed me to let me know how they felt and
how it broke their hearts to see Mark Calaway in the ring.
Yes, for the majority of his fans we have separated gimmick
and man. For that night it was not UT who stepped in that
ring but Mark Calaway and we all took notice and for the
fans who could not separate the gimmick from the man this
was the night they grew up. Our hearts went out to Calaway
and I know the response was wonderful not only for the Hart
family but for the Calaway family also.
For one day I was pleasantly surprised to receive an e-mail
from Paul Bearer telling me thank you on behalf of Mark Calaway
for writing him a condolence letter. Whoever tells you that
the men don't read their mail well it's not true. I sat their
and cried for a while overwhelmed that I had heard anything for
I wasn't expecting to hear anything and not sure if Calaway
read his letters at all. I will always cherish that acknowledgement
from Moody and Calaway.
Now, you didn't think I would stop there did you? Let us not
forget that the Undertaker brought with him the buried alive
matches, the hell in the cell, casket matches and the inferno matches.
Who could forget those! For me the best hell in the cell match
was Undertaker Vs. Mankind. We also went through the coffin
phase and the urn. Ever wondered what happen to that urn. The
last I saw Mick Foley had it never to be seen again. MM, wonder
if I ask Mick real nice if he would let me have it.
Nevertheless, I congratulate you Mark Calaway for the best
10 years in WWF I have ever seen. Now, mind you that I have
watched Mark Calaway since before WWF and for me it as been
over a decade of being a fan of one that has brought laughter,
joy, tears and fears to others. I thank you Mark Calaway for
entertaining me and the rest of the world. You have made a
mark in WWF a name that will never be forgotten.
For it as been a decayed from my parents to me to
my children and for some from their grandparents. Three to
four generations have come to know the gimmick and the man
who plays the gimmick and know that no one could ever portray
the Undertaker as well or as good as Mark Calaway. I applaud
you Calaway for you have shown the true spirit of what it is
like to be a real champion.
It was only a few month ago I got to work with Mark Calaway.
I and a handful of dwellers from PhenomForest.Com. I felt
honored and nervous at the same time. For the last time
I met Calaway I was on the other side of the table as
a fan. And now, here I was working with the man at Dirt
Speedway. Here was this huge man coming off the plane
with one suitcase and a small duffle bag. I was in total
awe of him. I and LC took him to the car that awaited
him and to his hotel so he could rest before his signing.
Here was a man who had flown hours to get to the event
to turn around the next day to be in California for a
tapping. Looking back on the experience to get to
work next to Calaway I can honestly say that I have
more respect for the man then I ever did. Looking back
on his career I often wonder what it is like for the
men to be away from home and traveling on the road
all the time. I often wonder what Calaway thought
in the beginning years of his gimmick. It took him
from being a nobody to somebody in a very short time.
Ten years is a long time for a gimmick to stay alive but
no one else could have pulled it off like Mark Calaway and
the help from his fan base which continues to grow in leaps
and bounds. For on the net it is known that the Undertaker,
i.e. Mark Calaway has more fan sites then any other wrestler
in the business today and continues to hold strong over the
net. And some may ask why is that. Well, again the gimmick
the Undertaker appeals to our darker side one that most of
us would like to deny but can't.
It as been the past couple of years that rumors have traveled
the net about retirement. You know, one day Mark Calaway will
retire and in knowing this, I and many of the fans around the
world wonder who he will give the distinction of being the next
Phenom for whoever it is will carry a long, long, legacy of the
Undertaker. In doing this the "Undertaker will live forever" in
our minds and in our souls. But, he is not going to retire today
or anytime soon from my understanding.
So, It is party time people, celebrate with the forest and the
dwellers of the Phenom's success. For I am sure that Mark Calaway
is celebrating as well he should be.
Thank you again Mark Calaway and keep trucking.
For you will always be known as the Undertaker.
Other Names Undertaker as used:
The Dead Man
Reaper
The Phenom
The Man that Walks With the Angels
The Man in Black
'Taker
The Prince of Darkness
The Lord of Darkness
New Name:
The American Bad Ass
Quotes:
Rest In Peace (RIP)
"You will fear the Reaper"
"For I am the Lord of Darkness"
"I am gone to take you to the learn'n tree boy"
"Don't count the Dead Man out"
"I might not dress like Satan but I am still down with the Devil"
"The Creatures of the night will devour your rotting soul"
"No one tells me what to do"
"I am and will always be the Undertaker"
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