WWE Daily

The Orlando Sentinel has goT a greAt article up on TNA superstar Mick Foley. why he left WWE, Vince sreaming in his ear and lots more. Here is just an entry to the interview:

We’re starting out with some small talk first. So let’s get into that now and have you talk about your decision to leave the WWE once your contract expired.

Basically, I told Vince (McMahon) that I had some concerns that he cared a lot when he produced. For me, there may have been too much caring. I think I would have enjoyed an atmosphere where there was a meeting ahead of time and everybody’s on the same page and then a discussion afterwards as opposed to…

Him screaming off your ear?

You know, this is one thing I’ll say for Vince. He knew it bothered me because I told him the next day. I was getting ready to go to Disneyland the day after the pay-per-view in San Diego. It was really bothering me that this thing was on my mind. Honestly, I hadn’t expected it and the first reaction I had when I got my first real earful was that what I had written in 2001’s Foley is Good about never hearing Vince yell at another person was no longer true. As I was being – I’m not got to say yelled at – as whatever was happening was happening, I was like ‘that’s not even true’. It was bothering me so I called him. I was actually on my way to Legoland and Disneyland was going to be after the Smackdown taping and I was expected to get his machine and I got him. I had my kids in the car and my wife and we’re like five minutes from Legoland and I just told him that I didn’t feel that was the way I should be talked to.

Vince is very passionate about it. That’s just his way. I knew it was. For me, it’s not the right way. I don’t think that brings out the best in somebody. I could be wrong. In all the times we discussed the job, the conversation never got heated and my wife thought I was crazy when I said I can’t let anybody ruin my Disneyland vacation. That was the primary thing that my mind had to be clear. I think he really tried to treat me differently but he does things his way and it’s his company.

Here’s the news I’ll break to you guys. The main reason I left was if Vince’s producing had a positive effect on my announcing, I might have thought while I disagree with his motives, the proof is there on the screen. But what happened was I went from thinking about it all the time. When I was asked by different guys how I liked it those first few weeks and I would say it’s great. It’s like being in the ring; it’s like cutting interviews except instead of thinking about things I can say about myself, I’m thinking about things I can say about other guys. It was never a conscious decision to stop doing that but I believe - this is my kind of psychological take on it – that it was like my brain’s way of defending itself was to not care as much. I went from thinking about the job almost all the time to not thinking about it at all and I really thought my performance was suffering. There were some weeks where I was a little embarrassed; I hadn’t done my homework. One of the things I always liked was the feedback I got was real whether it be guys like Triple H or Batista or some of the younger guys. I remember Scotty Armstrong who I’ve known for a long time and really respect saying we love the way you call the matches because you call it like you’re one of the guys. I always wanted to be someone who did their homework and did justice to the guys. At a certain point when you stop thinking about it, you stop being as good as you could be and you’re doing a disservice to the guys that you’re supposed to be putting over. So I thought it was having a negative effect on me. I wanted to get out while I thought I was still credible because little by little and week after week I think you would have seen the performances getting worse and worse and then I wouldn’t have been in a position to leave on my own because my contract was up. I think I would have been asked to leave because I was Coach-like (referring to former Smackdown commentator Jonathan Coachman) in my analysis.

More on the interview>>>>>>>>>>>