With as often as Mick Foley has returned over the years and allowed himself to be fodder for bad comedy, it's been easy to forget just how special his pro wrestling career really was. From a young age, it's what he dreamed of doing and once he got to the ring on the largest stages possible, he made the most of it every time out.
Foley was the best kind of wrestler. He wasn't super athletic or anything, and he didn't look like a Greek god, but he was a hell of a performer with a range we don't often see in an industry like this. He was also willing to completely sell his body out to get a match -- or, more importantly, an opponent -- over, even if that meant suffering punishment that has left him nearly broken in his later years.
He did it to entertain us and he did it because he loved it. What more can we ask for?
This short video can't possibly capture the breadth of his legendary career but it's a very cool little look back on it, set to the sound of Needtobreathe's "Keep Your Eyes Open." It serves as the introductory clip for his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, which will be official on April 6, 2013, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Kayfabe or not, you deserve this one, Mick. Thanks for all the memories.