It’s been over half a year since my latest book, The Science of Hockey: The Math, Technology, and Data Behind the Sport, hit shelves across North America. As the title suggests, it delves deep into the intersection of mathematics, technology, and data within hockey. But don’t let the title intimidate you; there’s something for everyone within its pages.
Last summer, I spent four months interviewing nearly 40 individuals for this project, from former players and coaches to a 92-year-old astrophysicist in Minnesota. However, one interview, in particular, resonated deeply, bringing me back to my early days as a writer.
Chapter nine of my book explores body contact and the resulting injuries. Seeking deeper insights into concussions, I reached out to neuroscientist Chris Nowinski, the co-founder and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Wrestling enthusiasts might recall Nowinski from his brief but impactful WWE career, which unfortunately ended due to persistent concussion symptoms stemming from a head injury at the 2003 Royal Rumble.
While our conversation remained focused on concussions and his foundation’s work, it wasn’t my first encounter with someone from the world of professional wrestling. Long before I became a published author, I spent seven formative years writing for TV Guide Canada. My primary beat was sports, but occasionally, the editors would task me with entertainment stories.
Watching Monday Night Raw became a Tuesday ritual at TVG headquarters, located at 25 Sheppard Avenue West in Toronto. Thanks to TSN’s 4 p.m. replay of the previous night’s episode, a small group—myself, Ken Carriere, and Greg David—would gather in the office screening room every week to watch, even if we had already caught it live the night before.
It was within that same room that I witnessed the legendary 1998 Hell in a Cell match between Mankind and The Undertaker for the first time. Ken, having recorded it at home, brought in his VHS tape on Monday morning, insisting we drop everything and watch it immediately. The rest, as they say, is wrestling history.
As the Attitude Era captivated pop culture, WWE’s soaring television ratings were impossible to ignore. Mainstream magazines in the U.S., such as Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide US, had already featured wrestling superstars on their covers. I felt TV Guide Canada should follow suit and tap into this cultural phenomenon.
I pitched the idea to the editors, and they agreed to give it a try. My first feature story, alongside collector’s edition covers featuring “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Canada’s own Edge, ran in February 1999. While some long-time TVG subscribers weren’t thrilled with this shift from their usual weekly content (some even threatened to cancel!), it turned out to be one of the best-selling issues in years. The editors were ecstatic, and WWE superstars became regular cover features in the years that followed.
For that inaugural cover story, I traveled by train from Toronto to Albany, NY. The interviews were scheduled for Monday afternoon, just hours before Raw went live. Arriving at the hotel bar on Sunday night, I found myself amidst a vibrant mix of WWE wrestlers, staff, and even roadies for Aerosmith, who were in town preparing for a Tuesday concert. It was the perfect, surreal introduction to this new chapter of my writing career.
The next day, I sat in the arena stands with Edge and Christian, discussing their early days in the wrestling business and our shared passion for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Later that day—just six months after witnessing him being thrown off the Hell in a Cell cage in Pittsburgh—I had the chance to interview Mick Foley about that unforgettable, and frankly terrifying, moment.
Over the years, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to interview some of wrestling’s biggest names, including The Rock, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, and Bret Hart, shortly after his controversial move to WCW following the infamous Montreal Screwjob. In fact, a signed photo of The Rock and me still proudly hangs above my desk at home.
The Rock Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Snow, then of TV Guide Canada.
One of my all-time favorite interviews was with Trish Stratus back in 2001. I had seen Trish numerous times on TSN’s Off the Record, a show that undoubtedly propelled her into the hearts of wrestling fans across Canada. Trish was incredibly genuine and personable, and she was thrilled to learn she would grace one of the TV Guide Canada covers. Naturally, I channeled my inner fanboy when writing the accompanying story about the future Hall of Famer, describing her appeal: “There’s no doubt the petite and well-spoken Trish Stratus is the kind of girl you could take home to mom. But it’s her blonde and bodacious side that will have dad patting you on the back later. Maybe it’s this combination of brains and beauty that has made her one of the WWF’s most popular newcomers.”
Somehow, that line made it past the editors, and I managed to keep my job.
Writing about WWE for TV Guide Canada is an experience I cherish. Sure, some friends (and my parents) questioned how I could make a living writing about “wrestling.” But as a kid who spent countless Sunday nights at Maple Leaf Gardens watching legends like Ricky Steamboat and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, I couldn’t have been happier.
I still follow WWE and professional wrestling today, tuning in to their various television programs and even checking out familiar faces in AEW. And of course, major pay-per-view events like WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series are always must-see TV for me. It’s been a while since I’ve attended a live event, but I always tell people it’s an experience everyone should have at least once. The in-ring action is captivating, and the crowd itself provides some of the best people-watching around, rivaling even airports.
And who knows, perhaps I’ll have the opportunity to update my 2017 young adult book, Ronda Rousey: Conquering New Ground, to include her own foray into the world of professional wrestling.
In the unforgettable words of Billy Red Lyons: “Dontcha dare miss it!”
TOP PHOTO: TV Guide Canada WWF-related covers.
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