 These are suggestions and not "rules". You have to be happy with your social media account. If you like one of these tips feel free to use it.
Information has come forward that talks about what types of profile pictures get you noticed and which causes people to scroll on by. If you want to increase your odds of having someone stop and look then check out these tips. -Just you in the picture. No dogs, no tag partners, no boyfriends, girlfriends, or spouses. Especially no groups. When someone looks at a group photo trying to figure out which one you are it causes frustration. -Use a non distracting and high contrast background. It makes your picture "pop". If you have something behind you in the picture consider adding a blur effect and leaving yourself clear. Or make the background black and white and leave yourself in color. -Your profile picture is part of your brand. Try to stick with one picture for at least 3 months or longer. It helps people quickly recognize your content as they are scrolling. Think about an established wrestler you follow online. Chances are their pic remains the same for a long period of time. -No action shots. It may have been a great moonsault but people tend to dislike action-shot profile pictures. Action shots are for banner images. -People want to see your eyes. Avoid shades if possible. The picture doesn't have to be straight on. As a matter of fact most pictures look better at an angle. But your eyes should be somewhat visible. -Fill up most of the frame/circle. If you can see your hips in the photo then you're probably too far back. The top of your head should either be close to or even slightly cut off by the top of the frame. -Wrestlers that are established and no longer trying to gain followers may "break" any of these "rules"... And they are allowed to. Once you've made it it's not as urgent to attract every follower. Still, the pros can still be a good resource for picture-perfect profile pictures. Again, your social media is yours to enjoy. We hope you'll consider these tips and if you found them helpful, great!
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 October 20, 1979, I had my first pro match in Bryan Texas against Satanas #2.
I was 20 years old. I’ve been a wrestling fan since age 4. Born in El Paso, we moved to Houston when I was 9. In El Paso, Dory and Terry Funk were very early in their career and I got to see them and other colorful larger than life characters on TV every Saturday afternoon. We moved to Houston and I was introduced to a whole new wrestling program. Houston Wrestling was hosted by promoter Paul Boesch. That was 1969 and I didn’t know at the time that Paul had recently taken over for Morris Siegel who passed away in 1967. Johnny Valentine, Wahoo McDaniel, Gary Hart, The Spoiler, Fritz Von Erich, Jose Lothario, The Great Malenko, Toru Tanaka, Pepper Gomez, Grizzly Smith, Nick Kozak and so many more made an impression on me. The cream of the crop in the world of professional wrestling came through Houston. The matches were on Friday nights opposed to Monday nights in El Paso. Tickets were reasonable at $5 so my mom took Bruce and me to the Sam Houston Coliseum every week. We got to see the action first from the GA seats and eventually we wound up at ringside, up close and personal. I was told by everyone I was “too small” to be a wrestler. I refused to listen. I set goals. I didn’t stop until I accomplished what I set out to do. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I wasn’t expecting easy. At age 12 I took pictures for wrestling magazines and they got published! I’d see other credits sometimes of people like Eddie Gilbert, Paul Heyman and Jim Cornette. They were looking for a way in too I later learned. The wrestling business was a closed shop back then and you had to know somebody who knew somebody you could talk to who could get you in touch with somebody who may or may not relate to the wrestling business. It wasn’t easy to get a foot in the door. Especially tough if you were a “small guy.” But I envisioned being in the ring. I had NOTHING else in my life. Wrestling was it. I watched Wahoo and Johnny Valentine beat the hell out of each other week after week. The welts, bruises and black eyes were real. The blood was real. No matter how it flowed, the blood was real… Did I know it was a work back then? I’d figured it out by the time I was 10 but there were still matches and wrestlers who stepped in the ring that made me and thousands of fans each week believe there was more to this than choreographed flips and stunts. There had to be something more complex to this crazy business and I wasn’t going to stop until I got in. One way or another… I worked my way into being Paul Boesch’s assistant director for the Channel 39 TV show sitting with Paul ringside every Friday night, giving cues, sweeping out the ring and doing whatever needed to be done. The summer I got my drivers license I started working in Paul’s office at 1919 Caroline. When I graduated high school, I began working there full time. I worked in the office, sat ringside with Paul every Friday and eventually had the opportunity to get in the ring. While all this is going on, I’m going to the gym working out with Maniac Mark Lewin. The synergy at work during this time was a pretty cool vibe. I knew what I wanted to do and kept the focus. I had dreams and aspirations. I knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park… I wanted to RUN in the park. So I did what I had to do, and October 20, 1979 I had my first pro match. Bruce walked with me to the ring. I was a white meat babyface. Raw, nervous, green as hell and not sure of anything except this: I had a goal. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else but this. I prepared for nothing but this… This was all I had. It defined me. I’ve made quite a few mistakes along the way. I’ve been up and I’ve been down. That’s called life. 40 years of storms and upsets that would take a while to cover but there’s really no need because we must move forward. I’ve learned from my mistakes and I learn something new everyday about what I can do better. Over 50 years of watching and being a part of the wrestling business has been a pretty cool trip. I now can pass along the knowledge and advice I received through the years to aspiring wrestlers. That is probably the best part about winding down this dream I had. Seeing the enthusiasm, determination and passion in young men and women who want to live the same dream I did and being able to teach and steer them in the right direction has been very gratifying in the last 10-month existence of the Jacobs-Prichard Wrestling Academy. Glenn and I want successful students. We know what it’s like to get in the ring for the first time, hear the crowd, feel the nerves and have an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. 40 years ago I was given a chance and I never looked back. If you’re looking for a chance to get in a ring and learn the art of professional wrestling check out our website jpwrestlingacademy.com or go to our FB page Jacobs-Prichard Wrestling Academy. Will you try, give it your best shot, or Do Whatever it Takes?  I don’t post stuff on here unless I’m passionate about it…
And I’m very passionate about pro wrestling as well as live comedy and improv acts. I enjoy watching performers live who are fully invested and living for the moment. Shoot, work… Doesn’t matter. BTW, What’s a “shoot” anyway? I have been fortunate over the years to see and engage with some of the coolest people on earth. You must be a little different to want to be a professional wrestler. You take it to another level when you become a “Sports Entertainer.” What’s the difference? Not a whole lot really… Pro wrestling is still the foundation of sports entertainment. The action takes place in a ring and there are basics and fundamentals that hold true in both performances. I had my first pro wrestling match October 20, 1979. 40 years ago… Prior to that I began taking pictures at ringside for various wrestling magazines like Wrestling News, Gong Magazine in Japan and publications ran by Norm Keitzer and James C Melby back in the 1970s… Yeah, that was a long time ago. At one time I thought I knew a lot about wrestling (and I did) but when I started and got in-between the ropes, my perspective changed dramatically. The business and culture were different in the 70s and continued to change in the 80s. I liken the business to being at sea for 40 years and suddenly arriving on dry land, getting on shore expecting everything to be fine. You must get your bearings back. Now you’re walking on dry land. The only thing permanent is change… I accept that times, places and people change. And man has wrestling changed. While TV viewing and live events have been challenging in the past, there wasn’t as many options for your entertainment attention when I was growing up as there is now. I don’t want this to be a “Back in my day” or “You kids get off my lawn” rant. But… The fundamentals NEVER go out of style. Without a solid foundation in ANYTHING, it will eventually crumble. I agree with exciting and innovative moves being used at the right time. When’s the right time? There’s the issue. One thing that I feel missing today is authenticity. Everybody knows pro wrestling is a work. A lot of not so famous (and famous) people get on Twitter, FB, Instagram or any outlet they can to vent or share their views. That’s cool. I got the memo so now I can share too. To me, Brock Lesnar is the most real, authentic person in pro wrestling. He is what he portrays. He’s not “playing a part” or being a gimmick. He is the part. He ain’t no gimmick! Bruiser Brody, Stan Hansen, The Original Sheik, Mark Lewin, Andre the Giant, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Heartbreak Kid, The Game, The Rock are all authentic and weren’t playing some character or persona. They turn the volume of their personalities up when performing. While they are performing, they are in the moment. They aren’t “acting.” They are re-acting to what’s happening around them. They felt it and went with instinct. If you’ve never seen or felt the emotion that pulled a lot of us into the business, then you won’t understand. Too many times I encounter kids who just want to be famous and be somebody in pro wrestling. I understand that sentiment. For me it was the lifestyle. The idea of going to an arena, wrestling and then traveling to the next town, being on the road was the greatest adventure in the world! We could go out, cut promos, have a match and something would come up unexpectedly and we could improvise and have a blast! Now with all the TV time there seems to be the need for more scripted promos and skits. Not that it’s all bad but a lot of times you have some great athletes trying to hone their not so great acting and oratory skills to a live audience. With so many social media outlets the pros and semi pros have found a way to cut promos on each other, work angles, compliment and berate and basically put their business out there warts and all for the world to see. Then some get hurt or offended. Wow… Contrary to popular belief, I’m not everybody’s favorite. I know I’m an asshole and show it at inappropriate times. I must figure out who needs a pat on the back and who needs a kick in the ass. I’m a coach. I need to inspire, motivate, teach and communicate. Every coach has their style and way of doing. I have my way. You have yours. The right way, the ONLY way does not exist. There is nothing etched in stone, passed down from generation to generation that says “THIS IS THE ONLY WAY PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING SHOULD BE DONE. PERIOD!” But I still believe in authenticity in a world where everyone supposedly knows the secrets and are “smart.” It can be difficult to understand when you grew up with the idea that “this is all fake and all I have to do is learn some cool moves, then I’ll be a star!” mentality. There’s few authentic “rasslers” on the indies around East Tennessee. Authentic gets under your skin for real. Guys start wondering “Is he shootin’?” Again, I ask the question: What is a shoot, and would anybody even know it if they saw or heard it? It takes a while to figure out who or what we really are in life. I knew I was going to be a wrestler and when I started, I was watching the changes take place all around. I was christened with the name Cowboy Tom Prichard when I arrived in Los Angeles in 1980. I was the farthest thing from a cowboy you could get! But because I was from Texas, the promoter felt it was apropos… I later found Doctor Tom was a better fit. That moniker happened out of circumstances from comedy and tragedy at the same time. It was Robert Fuller responsible for Dr. Tom. Authenticity. Those who remember Ron and Don Wright remember how real and authentic they were. And crazy. Were they really crazy? Ask the fans still around who remember the Wright brothers in Tennessee about crazy. Ask even the non-believers if they ever believed in Ron or Don especially when they pulled out the chisel. Different place, different time, different era, different culture. Different attitude. If Ron and Don cut a “shoot style” promo on somebody, that person didn’t get offended. He cut a promo back (with fire and feeling) then went out and delivered a hell of a match with feeling, improvisation, passion and enthusiasm. I say all that to say this: Wrestling is what it is. We opened the JPWA to help explain what we feel is needed in wrestling today. Authenticity. We can’t necessarily change everything that goes on in the ring, but we can help someone break through and turn their personality up when needed. Some say there are no good guys or bad guys anymore. Is Lesnar a babyface or heel? Doesn’t matter. What matters is he’s authentic. Real. Or at least as real as it gets in wrestling. Dillon McQueen is someone who joined the first class of JPWA in January 2019. Our first class started with 6 people and ended up with 4. We’re proud of those first 4 and they will always hold a special place in JPWA. Dillon, Kenzie Paige, Haley Holt Jones and James Best worked their butts off 5 days a week for 16 weeks and then started getting booked. Dillon was flamboyant and outrageous from the start. On more than one occasion I had to steer Dillon back on track. He tended to want to march to the beat of his own tune… I have no problem with creativity, and I will take passion over perfection any day. But Dillon was different. The first day of class he brought a life size cut out of Sasha Banks and a replica of the big gold world championship. Didn’t ask, just brought them in and set them up. I thought it was cool so why say anything. But soon Dillon wanted to experiment. And that’s cool too but it was apparent Dillon could be outspoken and pushy at times. Again I shut him down and explained while the flashy moves are great, without knowing how to tell a story you will be a guy who can do cool moves, car crash and that’s it. Promos with Dillon were always interesting because he doesn’t know how to be anything other than who he is. He is what he is and makes no apologies for that. Like it or not, he’s authentic. I’ve learned a lot in over 50 years of being in and around the wrestling business. Tully Blanchard shared some advice he got from Johnny Valentine; Think shoot, but work. What’s a shoot again?? So instead of telling everybody “Hey I’m cuttin’ a rasslin’ promo but I don’t really mean any of the mean things I’m sayin’ (so tell momma, daddy, bubba and sissy not to be mad at me, I’m just playin’)” Dillon cuts promos in his own persona with the volume turned up and because he’s such an obnoxious horses ass, everybody gets in an uproar. Dillon McQueen is obnoxious, annoying and a complete pain in the ass. So was Adrian Street. So was Bruiser Brody. So was Tully Blanchard. Oh I’m sorry! I’m bringing up old school guys. Completely irrelevant. They only elicited real emotion from fans who knew it was all fake, except THAT guy really pisses me off! Remind me what a “shoot” is one more time… It’s that guy who understands LIFE is a work. We’re ALL actors on a stage. Dillon McQueen lives his life like the world is his stage. He’s rude, crude, annoying as hell, a LIAR and there’s nothing he can do about it. He can’t help or stop himself. I’ve tried warning him of the pitfalls, but he obviously doesn’t listen. For me it comes down to do I want to see this guy go out and perform, throw a tantrum, get the hell beat out of him and get fans (and so called “workers”) emotionally invested and want to skin him alive? Who else can “play” that part? Nobody. So while I’m proud of everyone who’s come through the JPWA these last 9 months, no one has caused as much controversy and stirred the s**t more than Dillon McQueen. He’s an asshole and has caused me more grief than anybody in the last 20 years. I hope somebody shuts his loudmouth sooner rather than later. Just don’t tell momma or daddy. Or bubba or sissy. That would crush them. And please, someone please explain what a shoot is again? If you read all of this please get a dog, name it LIFE so you’d have one… (Damn shooters!)  A good profile picture is a great first step. However, for the world of wrestling we need to qualify what that is.
These things that we're about to mention do not apply to established talent, bookers, promoters, or trainers who may use their profile pictures to promote events or companies. We're specifically talking to those making their way as a wrestler. The picture should be clear, well lit, and proportional. Your face and shoulders should be taking up at least 50% of the frame. If you can see your feet in the picture then you're doing it wrong. No far-back picture of you standing by the Lincoln Memorial. This should go without saying, but your profile picture should be of YOU. If you are part of a tag team that's cool. But maybe avoid the duo picture. Have a sweet shot of you landing a clothesline on an opponent? That would make a good photo for your timeline but not your profile picture. Most of all avoid group photos. When people search for you they want to know that they've found you. That's hard to do in a group photo. Don't be afraid to spend money on a head shot. But even if you can't do that have a friend help you get a good picture. We all know someone that is a hobby photographer. Next time you're around them ask them to take a good photo of you. Get rid of offensive material. No middle finger, no offensive shirts, and no drink in your hand. Scan back to old profile pictures from the last ten years (because other people will scope them out). Delete any that would give someone the wrong idea about you. Finally, do some research on how to do a good profile picture (YouTube has great videos). Remember all of the standard tricks. If it isn't blinding you it's better to have the sun in your face rather than behind you or directly overhead. If you're taking a selfie NEVER look down at the camera. Hold the camera at least slightly above eye level. Your face IS your brand until you are big enough to use something else as your brand. When people have a clear picture they feel like they can connect. Here is one final red hot tip. If you have taken a few good profile pictures over the years do a post and ask your followers and friends to help you pick the best one! |
AuthorJ. McKinney Archives
November 2019
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