Featured Author - Brian Shields
Wrestling Fanatic Authors its History
By: Nathaniel Winchester, 8th Grade Portchester Middle School, Portchester, NY
TeenNewsNet Wrestling Guru
(Bryant Lewis, TeenNewsNet Editor-in-Chief also contributed to this story.)
For nearly 50 years the WWE (formally known as the WWF), has been at the forefront in delivering the best of sports entertainment. What started out in the Northeast corner of the US, has exploded! Today, the WWE reaches millions of people around the world with their different TV venues, monthly pay-per-view events, videos and superstar appearances the works. With so much popularity, and so many fans, there has NEVER been a complete written history of this Megastar organization. Until now. The WWE Encyclopedia is the first such compellation ever done. It's the brainchild of two men, Brian Shields and Kevin Sullivan. Shields is from Long Island, NY, and he was an admitted "Hulkamanic" back in the 80's, and actually worked for one-time video giant Acclaim Sports marketing and creating WWE games. Sullivan interned and eventually worked for the WWE for over a decade.
The Encyclopedia is a comprehensive look at over 1,000 WWE Superstars, from Andre the Giant and Bruno Sammartino to Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, to Hulk Hogan to John Cena and Edge. Everyone in between is mentioned, including the Divas, the Hall of Famers and Superstars of today. It gives the results from all the Wrestlemania series, and all the pay-per-views events. Recently TNN's own Wrestling Guru Nathaniel Winchester and Editor-in-Chief Bryant Lewis pinned Mr. Shields down at a book signing and asked him about the work he put into this 350+ page powerhouse that's been on the New York Times' Bestsellers List.
TNN: How did you get all of the information on the wrestlers for the book?
Shields: Co-Author Kevin Sullivan and myself worked on the book for about a year. We had access to the WWE video archives, photo archives, magazines, old programs. The people at DK (publisher of the book) and the WWE were great in giving Kevin and myself whatever we needed.
TNN: What's the difference between the WWE of today as opposed to the stars 15, 20, 30 years ago?
Shields: I think the business of wrestling is the biggest difference. The WWE is a global multi-million dollar entertainment company. The storylines move at a quicker pace than in the past. Where storylines would take months to develop before.
TNN: Anything in doing your research, surprised you?
Shields: I loved researching the company in it's infancy, before I was born, before I started collecting magazines and video tapes. Getting to know more about someone like Haystacks Calhoun, Vince McMahon Sr. The impact of Bruno Sammartino, Antonino Rocca, Nature Boy Buddy Rodgers. For me, it was great learning how the company came about.
TNN: What happened with the WWE changing it's name from the WWF?
Shields: The World Wildlife Fund (which also used the letters WWF) which is what it was known as at the time filed a lawsuit against the World Wrestling Federation that it violated an agreement that prohibited them from using the WWF in overseas merchandise. As a result of that suit, in 2002, the Federation had to refrain from using the initials WWF. That's when the official name was changed to World Wrestling Entertainment.
TNN: Besides being a "Hulkamaniac", who are some of your favorite wrestlers?
Shields: Jimmy Snuka, Owen and Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Jake "the Snake" Roberts, I mean there are so many that I have enjoyed watching over the years.
TNN: Who do you enjoy today?
Shields: CM Punk, Chris Jericho. I really like John Cena and Edge, has become one of my favorite bad guys!!!!!! Santino I would like to see more of and I love the Divas. Beth Phoenix is no joke!
TNN: I'm sure you have been to many live events. What was your all time favorite?
Shields: For me, it's been two: Wrestlemania XVIII at Skydome in Toronto was the first Wrestlemania I attended live and it featured Hulk vs. The Rock. It was an amazing match to be at. Seeing the crowd cheer for the "bad guy" in Hogan as he made his comeback. It was again just an amazing match. Then last year's Wrestlemania XXV. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels was one of the greatest matches I've ever seen.
TNN: Finally, do you think you have a chance to host Monday Night Raw?
Shields: (laughs) About as much chance as I do headlining Wrestlemania!
