--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was working out in a gym in Minneapolis…" description: "\"I was working out in a gym in Minneapolis and I met this guy named Eddie Sharkey. He had a school there where wrestlers like Red Bastien, Billy Red Lyo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/bob-backlund-6165_dog_i-was-working-out-in-a-gym-in-minneapoli_1207586.jpg" --- # I was working out in a gym in Minneapolis and I met this… ![“I was working out in a gym in Minneapolis and I met this guy named Eddie Sharkey. He had a school there where wrestlers like Red Bastien, Billy Red Lyons and Mad Dog Vachon were working out. Those were some very interesting characters, but they were all good athletes, so I joined.” quote by Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/bob-backlund-6165_dog_i-was-working-out-in-a-gym-in-minneapoli_1207586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/bob-backlund-6165_dog_i-was-working-out-in-a-gym-in-minneapoli_1207586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/bob-backlund-6165_dog_i-was-working-out-in-a-gym-in-minneapoli_1207586.jpg) > “I was working out in a gym in Minneapolis and I met this guy named Eddie Sharkey. He had a school there where wrestlers like Red Bastien, Billy Red Lyons and Mad Dog Vachon were working out. Those were some very interesting characters, but they were all good athletes, so I joined.” [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes how a chance encounter at a Minneapolis gym introduced him to a renowned wrestling trainer and a community of skilled athletes, shaping his career path. **In simple terms:** A random gym meeting led to a pivotal wrestling mentorship. Key Takeaway Seek out unexpected mentors. Themes career mentorship sports serendipity Mood inspired reflective Type anecdotal motivational When to use this quote - joining a gym - training with experts - building a network - learning from veterans Key Concepts wrestling community skill development Questions to Reflect On - What unexpected connections could influence your path? - How do you recognize a valuable mentor? A Different Perspective Opportunity depends on being present and open; not all encounters lead to growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Wrestlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestlers/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [Growing up watching WWE, they used to have bra-and-panties matches or pillow fights, and that's why my mom didn't want me to watch wrestling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayley/growing-up-watching-wwe-they-used-to-have-bra-and-panties-matches-or/) [Bayley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayley/) > [Sometimes I'm out in public and people are like 'you're a wrestler?' and they kind of ask me with a little question in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-belair/sometimes-i-m-out-in-public-and-people-are-like-you-re-a-wrestler-and/) [Bianca Belair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-belair/) > [My father left a bit of his life with me. He gave me a gift, as did so many other wrestlers, like Mike DiBiase,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-funk/my-father-left-a-bit-of-his-life-with-me-he-gave-me-a-gift-as-did-so/) [Terry Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-funk/) > [I like all of the wrestlers, I don't like the things some of them do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-like-all-of-the-wrestlers-i-don-t-like-the-things-some-of-them-do/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [Some wrestlers don't know how to wrestle, they are just entertainers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/some-wrestlers-don-t-know-how-to-wrestle-they-are-just-entertainers/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [Some wrestlers believe that being elusive is the way to get the fans to love you, but I think just the opposite. You need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/some-wrestlers-believe-that-being-elusive-is-the-way-to-get-the-fans/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [The number of really good athletes is decreasing. People don't want to work as hard anymore and they complain. In the future, there probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquise-goodwin/the-number-of-really-good-athletes-is-decreasing-people-don-t-want-to/) [Marquise Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquise-goodwin/) > [My kids are good athletes and runners. They run in a bunch of sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/my-kids-are-good-athletes-and-runners-they-run-in-a-bunch-of-sports/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [The decathlon takes so long to learn that people who are good athletes don't want to go back to the beginning again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daley-thompson/the-decathlon-takes-so-long-to-learn-that-people-who-are-good/) [Daley Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daley-thompson/) > [Most of my family are good athletes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-johnson/most-of-my-family-are-good-athletes/) [Dustin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-johnson/) > [There are so many intelligent former black players, guys like Luther Blissett and Cyrille Regis, who never got a chance to become a top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/there-are-so-many-intelligent-former-black-players-guys-like-luther/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [What's not realized about good novelists is that they're as competitive as good athletes. They study each other - where the other person is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/what-s-not-realized-about-good-novelists-is-that-they-re-as/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Good athletes will be there at good competitions, but I don't think about them; I just think of bettering my own time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/good-athletes-will-be-there-at-good-competitions-but-i-don-t-think/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [I'll say there's a lot of good athletes out there, but the key thing that I see missing is being able to put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-steamboat/i-ll-say-there-s-a-lot-of-good-athletes-out-there-but-the-key-thing/) [Ricky Steamboat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-steamboat/) > [It's interesting. I've known quite a few good athletes that can't begin to play a beat on the drum set. Most team sport is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/it-s-interesting-i-ve-known-quite-a-few-good-athletes-that-can-t/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) ## More by Bob Backlund > [When you have a set program in your match it gets old to do the same thing over and over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/when-you-have-a-set-program-in-your-match-it-gets-old-to-do-the-same/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [My business was wrestling and I wanted to be ready to go in the ring and do my best and I didn't have time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/my-business-was-wrestling-and-i-wanted-to-be-ready-to-go-in-the-ring/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [Ken Patera was the strongest man in the world, but he was probably the most gentleman in the ring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/ken-patera-was-the-strongest-man-in-the-world-but-he-was-probably-the/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [The people in the Republican Party and the Democrat Party, I don't think they realized how many people out there that were good, basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/the-people-in-the-republican-party-and-the-democrat-party-i-don-t/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [In '85, I read a book that helped me forget about the past and work on the future as far as success goes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/in-85-i-read-a-book-that-helped-me-forget-about-the-past-and-work-on/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I was one of those people who didn't care for the political arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-was-one-of-those-people-who-didn-t-care-for-the-political-arena/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I enjoyed the time in the ring because I was trying to entertain people and give them a show for their hard earned money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-enjoyed-the-time-in-the-ring-because-i-was-trying-to-entertain/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I used to lift weights, but not now. I do calisthenics and yoga, which is very good for flexibility and stretching ligaments and tendons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-used-to-lift-weights-but-not-now-i-do-calisthenics-and-yoga-which/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [When they have you in the short-arm scissor, they keep you in it for quite a while, and you're fighting to get out. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/when-they-have-you-in-the-short-arm-scissor-they-keep-you-in-it-for/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I was able to slowly climb to the top of the wrestling business thanks to the principles I learned in junior high and high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-was-able-to-slowly-climb-to-the-top-of-the-wrestling-business/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I met Mr. Piper when he was a young person getting in the business in the Olympic theater in Los Angeles. He was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-met-mr-piper-when-he-was-a-young-person-getting-in-the-business-in/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I'd like to go to schools and give speeches to people about training, working hard and getting ahead in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-d-like-to-go-to-schools-and-give-speeches-to-people-about-training/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I always really liked Allentown. The people were very down to earth. It reminded me a lot of my hometown in Minnesota.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-always-really-liked-allentown-the-people-were-very-down-to-earth-it/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I tell myself I have to work out to stay alive. I'm not just staying alive to stay alive, I mean stay alive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-tell-myself-i-have-to-work-out-to-stay-alive-i-m-not-just-staying/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [I learned to love the oil business as much as I love the wrestling business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-learned-to-love-the-oil-business-as-much-as-i-love-the-wrestling/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) [Explore all 98 Bob Backlund quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) ## More Dog quotes > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [A shoe dog is somebody that really loves shoes, and that was me. I was a runner... that became important to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-knight/a-shoe-dog-is-somebody-that-really-loves-shoes-and-that-was-me-i-was/) [Phil Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-knight/) > [“I rub the ears of my dog, my stupid goddam ruddy great dog that I never wanted but who hung around anyway and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-rub-the-ears-of-my-dog-my-stupid-goddam-ruddy-great-dog-that-i/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [The sound man, immune as to a sacrifice of straw dogs, faces the passing human generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-sound-man-immune-as-to-a-sacrifice-of-straw-dogs-faces-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [ “A hasty dog always burns his mouth. \[192\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-t-plaatje/a-hasty-dog-always-burns-his-mouth-192/) [Sol T. Plaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-t-plaatje/) > [And if the big dog ain't me, then the house won't get guarded - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-if-the-big-dog-ain-t-me-then-the-house-won-t-get-guarded-period/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [“A year-long study by the University of Pennsylvania, ending in 2009 and published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science (Elsevier), showed that aggressive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-custo/a-year-long-study-by-the-university-of-pennsylvania-ending-in-2009/) Edward Custo [Browse all 6,836 Dog quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was working out in a gym in Minneapolis and I met this guy named Eddie Sharkey. He had a school there where wrestlers like Red Bastien, Billy Red Lyons and Mad Dog Vachon were working out. 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