Pin Me, Pay Me!: Have Boots, Will Travel Paperback – August 25, 2013

Bobby gives an honest and entertaining assessment of his time in the pro wrestling business in this book. From training at the Malenko camp in Tampa to the daunting task of facing Dan Severn while working in SMW, he paints a compelling narrative with his story and there is an unquestioned level of authenticity in what he wrote. The little details really make the chapters fly by as he chronicles his start in the biz at indie shows in eastern Kentucky all the way to him being a contracted wrestler with WCW.I enjoyed reading about various ribs, road trip antics and shady promoters, but some of the best touches were the unexpected tidbits, like The Barbarian being a skilled basketball player. Who knew? Bobby's recollection of a conversation Kevin Sullivan had with him and the late Chris Candido at an SMW show is making me laugh to myself as I type this -- you'll have to read the book to enjoy that one for yourself.This book is well worth the purchase price and will provide you with hours of entertainment, particularly if you are a fan of pro wrestling. Highly recommended.

I wondered about this book at first; it seemed just a little wordy and repetitive. Then by about page 9 or 10 it hit me: This isn't Bobby writing, it's Bobby talking. It's where you pull up to the bar, say hello to a rather large fellow next to you and start chatting. I only talked with Bobby once, over 20 years ago, but the book was just like that chat: Energetic guy with an enormous passion for what he does, telling you all about it, making sure you got what he was saying. This book is Bobby talking to you about pro wrestling.As soon as I realized this, reading the book was just a blast. It was hard to put down. In it Bobby talks about his travels around the world, the struggles he and others faced, and of course the profession in general. He also tells some outright hilarious stories. This book is definitely worth reading, in my humble opinion. I wonder if he'll do an audio version sometime.

I must admit I only bought this book because I personally know Mr. Smedeley and grew up in the same town. I am NOT a fan of professional wrestling but my mother was and grew up with wrestling on the television at home. I remember when Bobby was trying to break into wrestling from our hometown of Ashland, Ky. Bobby was my computer lab instructor , substitute teacher (1980's), and later a friend to my me, my wife and sister during his employment at the YMCA (1990's). I always "heard" about Bobby's (I still think of him as Mr. Smedeley!)desire to be a pro wrestler during my youth and early adulthood. Of course, most of the "talk" around town was : "he's crazy," "he'll never make it," and "he's such a good guy, why doesn't he just get a real job?" Well, after reading his book i can definitely say that Bobby made it, wrestling IS a real job, and he definitely wasn't crazy! If you want to read a first hand account of a small town kid with a dream, who MADE it, this book is for you. It's raw and you can feel the TRUTH in the words written by a wrestler not an author. If you are a wrestling fan you will love the stories of battle royales, wrestling politics and lifestyle. If you are not, maybe you will discover the most asked question in my childhood: "Is wrestling REALLY real?!"

This book is an interesting account of a man's journey into fulfilling his dreams and provides great insight into the wrestling business from a fresh and different perspective than your typical WWE linked autobiographies.Much like Jimmy Valiant's book, you feel like Bobby is right there talking to you as you are reading along. He comes across as likable and believable. Something that I've noticed doesn't happen with a lot of other wrestling biographies.His time in SMW was the most interesting since that was when I remember following Bobby's career. I enjoyed his account of working with Chris Candito since I was there live for most of the matches mentioned. The Sherri Martel and the cows story (sorry no spoilers) was really nice too and gives insight into the type of person Bobby probably is away from the ring. I also like how he paid respect to the time he spent around Chris Benoit without judging what happened at the end of his life.Bobby is surprisingly old school (For some reason I thought he was about 10 years younger than he really is) and any fans of pro wrestling should find his story to be a great read.

You have to respect anyone that has the courage to pursue his or her dreams but it demands admiration when you see them succeed in doing just that. Many young folks have spent Monday nights thinking, "Hey! I want to be a sports entertainment superstar!" Myself among them, but how many actually have the dedication and spirit to see the dream become a reality? Bobby may never have headlined a Wrestlemania but he sure left many of us setting on the couch, in front of a screen, and went out to achieve his own share of greatness. His story is the often harsh reality of reaching for the stars and I am proud to say that Bob didn't just reach for them but actually got a few into a submission hold. I highly recommend this book and I have read many of the ones from the "headliners." This is a fresh perspective and is full of honesty and such vivid imagery that you can almost smell the sweat in the locker rooms and embrace the awe of pulling aside the curtain and walking that aisle. Bobby Blaze may not always have beat the man but he certainly proves in this book that he is the man.

Having not previously known much about Bobby's career, I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but... well, what a great read it was!Bobby's career has taken him through the American territories, to WWE and WCW and to Japan and beyond. It's a tale of doing the right thing, in wrestling parlance - he's a man who, as the title implies, is always happy to 'do the job' to enhance the talents of others. This is an incredibly vital role in the industry, and one which is often sadly overlooked (or, indeed, misunderstood by improperly trained talents who are only in it to become big time superstars...), and Bobby did it with enthusiasm and respect for the business.Bobby's tale is of a man who got into the business he loved,trained under the incredible Professor Malenko and became a stellar talent, met and fought the biggest namesworldwide, had a fantastic time and made it out the other side in one piece.100% recommended to any wrestling fan.

I highly recommend Bobby's memoir to all wrestling fans and in particular to any budding or existing wrestlers. He pulls back the curtain in charming and honest fashion and manages to pull no punches without a hint of bitterness.One of the last of the territory wrestlers, he won gold in Smokey Mountain, the underrated promotion run by Jimmy Cornette, with whom Bobby shares a lot in common in terms of attitudes to 'working' and the business overall.Also, as a Brit, I loved reading Bobby 's memories of working in England and would gladly go for a fry up with the great man!

I would rather give it 4+, or 4.5, it is not great, (a bit like Bobby himswelf would no doubt admit) but a good account of, as he says one of the last to really go through the terriitory system. I loved SMW, so I guess I would be biased towards this.

A must read for budding wrestlers and fans of wrestling alike, Bobby takes you along for the rollercoaster ride that is the life of a professional Wrestler.