Adam Copeland - Adam Copeland on Edge

ADAM EDGE COPELAND

Pocket Books
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ADAM EDGE COPELAND

POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

Copyright 2004 by World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

World Wrestling Entertainment, the names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves, and all World Wrestling Entertainment logos and trademarks are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Nothing in this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

This book is a publication of Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., under exclusive license from World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

Photos and clippings on pages 6, 15-102, 108, 132, 141, 176, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 238, 240, 244 Courtesy the Copeland family.

All other photos Copyright 2004 World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

All Rights Reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-0-743-48347-6

eISBN-13: 978-1-4391-2176-4

First Pocket Books hardcover edition November 2004

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This book, one of my dreams, is dedicated to my Ma.

Words cannot express or truly convey what you mean to me, but Ill give it a shot. Without you and your support, my dream would not have been possible. With you and your strength, you helped me believe that any dream can come true.

You are my true hero. I love you.

My fellow author, Mick Foley.

INTRODUCTION

A few years ago, I was asked to comment on my legacy in the wrestling business. As I thought about it, I realized that my peers opinions of my in-ring skills have relatively little to do with how I want to be remembered. Finally, I said I wanted to be remembered as a guy who made fans smile, and who was always good to the younger guys in the business. With that in mind, I believe that Adam Copeland, Edge, is a major part of that legacy.

By the summer of 2000, WWE had been under attack for some time from critics who felt the show was too risqu and was inappropriate for children. I largely disagreed, and made it my mission to put a happy, goofy, innocent face on professional wrestling. Adam and Jay Reso (better known as his tag team partner, Christian) were my partners in this ridiculous endeavor. Together, our skits came to be known as Credgeley (for Christian, Edge, and Foley) and set the standard for hokey comedy and downright nincompoopery that should endure for ages.

Interestingly, in the midst of all the fun, E&C found time to tear the house down on many a WWE show, including that years SummerSlam match, a downright brilliant contest that should endure for ages as well.

Alas, the good times had to end, as I departed the wrestling scene for a more hands-on role in fatherhood, and Adam and Jay received the crushing news (crushing for me, at least) that they needed to act more like real people. Real people, they were told, dont play kazoos.

Ironically, as far as people go, they dont get much more real than Adam Copeland. He is an intelligent, thoughtful young man, and an athletic, charismatic performer. He has sacrificed his body for the entertainment of WWE fans, and while paying for those sacrifices, found the time to share his story with us. The fact that he wrote it himself didnt surprise meI always assumed he would.

His is not the story of an aged wrestler looking back on his long years. Not that theres anything wrong with that. I wrote one myself. Neither is it a story of a young Superstar reflecting on his rapid climb up wrestlings ladder.

Rather it is the story of a young man at our industrys crossroads. A story of an athlete poised at the threshold of greatness, who is counting down the seconds until a career-threatening injury is finally overcome by the formidable tag team of Mother Nature and Father Time, and then can team with a mystery partner known as Potential Not Yet Fulfilled.

As a wrestling fan, I cant wait to watch. As a friend, I will be nervous, but confident. As a mentor of sorts, I will be a proud couch potato and will always consider being asked to write the foreword to Adams unique story as a major part of my own legacy.

MICK FOLEY

ON EDGE

by ADAM EDGE COPELAND

So here it is, my book. The life and ramblings of Adam Copeland. Now, if you have picked up this handsome little number, then you probably also know me as Edge. If you dont know either name, read on. Hopefully, wrestling and nonwrestling fans alike will be fascinated.

What you are holding in your hands has been a dream of mine. Ive had many dreams come true, and I still have many more to fulfill. Thats what this book is about: my life and working toward fulfilling those dreams.

You may be asking yourself, Why do I want to read about this? The guy is only thirty years old, how much of a story can he possibly have? Oh ye of little faith. These eyes have seen many things. This body has experienced things a body should not endure.

So now its time to step through the looking glass and come out on the other side. Okay, so now you are standing beside me. Not good enough. This is a story. Its supposed to take you, the reader, on a journey. My journey. Its my job to paint a mental picture for you. Theater of the mind. So here it goes, and bear with me.

Right now, faithful Edgehead, you are a worm. Dont worry, this is the first, and last, time you will pretend to be a worm while reading this book (unless your name is Scotty 2 Hotty). You are now sliding your way into my ear (dont get stuck in the wax). Pop! You are in. Lot a room in there, huh?

Now it is time to truly see my life, through my eyes. The eyes deeply set under my Cro-Magnon-like forehead. Comfy? Here we go!

ADAM COPELAND

Sitting on his couch in Tampa, Florida (which has his ass crack permanently imbedded into it).

Are you okay, Edge? That was the question WWE referee Brian Hebner asked me as I lay in a fetal position, pain screaming through my neck, the recipient of a Kurt Angle German suplex. I wish I could have answered yes; instead I spit out, Give me a minute. The words I utter anytime something feels wrong. Really wrong.

Leading up to my match that night at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Id been saying those words far too much. You see, playing through pain is ingrained in a wrestlers DNA. This pain, however, was different and it was not going away. In fact, it was getting worse. One thing we dont have in sports entertainment is the luxury of calling a time out. The show must go on, and besides, I was wrestling Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship. I had been experiencing the pain for about a month. I continued to feel it for another month. Finally, I gave in, got an MRI, and discovered I had been doing all of this with two ruptured discs. In laymens terms, a broken neck. I rested, I flew to South Africa, for a WWE tour, and back. I continued wrestling until I lost all the strength in my left arm and it quickly shrunk to the size of a noodle. It eerily reminded me of Mr. Burns (of