I still can't believe this actually happened.
Freddie Flintoff – the same bloke who terrorized Australian batsmen for years – nearly traded his cricket whites for wrestling tights and a WWE contract worth what he calls "obscene" money. We're talking about a three-year deal that would've had him body-slamming people at WrestleMania instead of coaching the England Lions. And his wrestling name? "Big Fred." Honestly, you couldn't make this stuff up.
When Cricket Stopped Making Sense
Back in 2010, Flintoff was done. Properly done with cricket, not just the usual "I need a break" retirement that half these athletes pull. He'd fallen out of love with the game completely, tried a comeback in 2014 with Lancashire and Brisbane Roar, but his heart wasn't in it anymore. So what does a 47-year-old former England all-rounder do when he's lost his purpose? He moves to Dubai with his family to "hide."
His words, not mine.
Speaking on The Overlap and Betfair's Stick to Cricket show, Flintoff laid it all out: "We moved to Dubai – the plan was, I was going to play in the IPL and I was going to play for Brisbane, basing ourselves in Dubai. Unashamedly, if I could earn a bit of IPL money tax-free I'm sorted."
But when injury forced his final retirement, they went through with the Dubai move anyway. "My lifestyle wasn't great at the time," he admitted. "I just hid for a bit and started to wonder 'what am I going to do now?'."
The Undertaker Had No Idea What Was Coming
Here's where it gets properly mental. Flintoff, sitting in Dubai, unfit and carrying extra weight, needed motivation to get back in shape. As a kid, he'd loved WWE (like most of us did), so his brain cooked up this absolutely mad idea: fight The Undertaker in Manchester as part of Sky's A League of Their Own.
I mean, imagine being in that pitch meeting.
"I wrote this treatment up and presented the idea to Sky, it started gathering momentum and next minute it's being passed onto WWE. I was in contact with the WWE, Vince McMahon!" he said. The fact that this got all the way to McMahon himself shows just how seriously they took it.
Flintoff brought in his old physio Dave Roberts (nicknamed 'Rooster') who'd lived with the cricket team throughout his career. Roberts sent a trainer to Dubai for six weeks because Freddie needed to bulk up for what was coming next.
Tampa: Where Dreams Go to Get Their Ribs Broken
The WWE flew Flintoff and his wife business class to Tampa for two weeks at their wrestling academy. Picture this: you're sitting in a car outside WWE's massive branded facilities, and these 6ft 8in monsters are walking past your window.
His wife asked if he'd be okay. "Yeah, I'll be fine," he told her.
Spoiler alert: he was not fine.
"I walked in – on the first day, nobody liked me because it's really competitive with 60 of us all wanting a contract with the WWE – then this English lad walked in." The resentment was immediate. Here's this former cricket star waltzing into their world, probably thinking he could just charm his way to a contract.
Day one was three hours of running the ropes – basically getting thrown around the ring by people who could bench press a small car. Day two, Flintoff woke up with lashes all down his back. His wife took one look at him and asked if he was alright with continuing.
Then came the back spasm. Or what he thought was a back spasm.
The X-Ray That Changed Everything
"I said to this physio, 'I think I'm having a back spasm'; so they're all like 'ohh the English lad's got a back spasm'." You can practically hear the eye-rolling from the other trainees. But when the physio started working on him, Flintoff could feel his ribs separating.
"I said 'mate, I think I've broken my ribs'. He said I'd be in so much pain and I was like 'mate, I want to cry but I can't in there'."
The X-ray confirmed it – broken ribs after two days. When the radiologist asked how long he'd been wrestling, Flintoff's response was priceless: "Two days."
But here's the thing about Freddie – he's stubborn as hell. Day three was acting lessons, and despite nursing broken ribs, he wasn't backing down.
Big Fred Takes the Mic
The acting portion is where Flintoff really shined, apparently. They handed him a microphone and told him to cut a promo about how hard he was. He didn't like his first attempt, so he asked for another go.
"I looked out and there were all of these weird and wonderful-looking people, so I just tore them all a new one. They were trying to get me to wind up after two minutes but I was not finished."
Classic Freddie – give him a stage and he'll own it, broken ribs and all.
The Offer That Almost Changed Everything
Two weeks later, the email arrived. WWE wanted him on a three-year contract. They'd fast-track his development, and within 18 months, he'd be performing at WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble. The money was, in his words, "obscene."
But his kids wanted to play cricket, not move to America. His family wanted to leave Dubai and come home, not relocate again for dad's wrestling career.
So instead of becoming "Big Fred" and potentially facing off against legends in WWE rings across America, Flintoff "just changed it to boxing and had a fight instead."
From Wrestling Rings to Cricket Pitches
Fast forward to 2024, and Flintoff is coaching the England Lions cricket team. It's a remarkable journey when you think about it – from hiding in Dubai to nearly becoming a professional wrestler to surviving that horrific Top Gear crash in 2022 that left him with life-changing injuries.
He's got an upcoming tour with the Lions against South Africa in August. After withdrawing from public life following the crash, his return to the England setup in 2023 felt like a proper homecoming.
Sometimes I wonder what wrestling fans would've made of "Big Fred." Would he have been a heel or a face? Could he have handled the travel schedule and the physical demands long-term? Part of me thinks he would've been brilliant at it – the man's got natural charisma and isn't afraid of a fight.
But maybe, just maybe, cricket needed him more than wrestling did.
Frequently Asked Questions
After a training session or match, do professional cricketers follow any specific recovery protocol?
To ensure their optimal physical state, professional cricketers adhere to specific recovery protocol after training and games. These protocols include cooldown exercises, stretching sessions to alleviate muscle tension, and ice baths or cryotherapy to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness. Proper nutrition and hydration play a vital role in recovery, with an emphasis on protein intake for muscle repair. A good night's sleep, along with physiotherapy, including foam rolling and specific rehabilitation exercises, is stressed. Such comprehensive recovery regimens are essential to manage workload and prevent injuries.
How do cricketers focus their minds during long matches.
Cricketers must develop the ability to remain mentally focused throughout lengthy matches. They do this by utilizing various mental conditioning exercises. Techniques include meditation, visualization exercises, and goal-setting, which help cricketers remain calm and concentrated during high-pressure situations. Sports psychologists are often involved in helping players build mental resilience. They also help them deal with stress, anxieties, and distractions. It is common to develop a pre-delivery ritual that helps players focus on the current delivery and not the overall match status.
What is the typical training schedule of a professional cricketer?
A professional cricketer's training schedule is rigorous and well-structured, aimed at developing physical fitness, technical skill, and game strategy. Generally, the schedule includes morning fitness sessions that focus on cardiovascular exercises, strength training, and agility drills. In the afternoon, skill-specific exercises, like batting practice, bowling practice, and fielding drills, are often scheduled. Cricketers also practice simulated matches to prepare them for the real game, as well as regular net sessions. Rest and recuperation are also important parts of the cricket schedule. Particular attention is given to adequate sleep, and physiotherapy where needed.
What dietary habits do cricket pros follow?
Cricket players follow a diet carefully tailored to meet their needs and the demands of the game. The goal of the diet is to maintain a healthy balance, which includes a combination of carbohydrates and proteins, for energy, muscle repair and growth and fats, for long-lasting energy. Hydration is also a key component, with players ensuring they take in fluids, including water and sports drinks, to stay hydrated, especially during extended periods of play. Sports nutritionists help athletes optimize their dietary plan according to training schedules and matches.
How do professional cricketers manage to train during inclement weather conditions?
Professional cricketers can adapt their training regimens to fit in with inclement weather. Indoor nets are an alternative to outdoor nets when practicing batting and throwing. Indoor running tracks, gym equipment and strength and conditioning exercises are often included in these facilities. Additionally, swimming and other alternative forms of cardiovascular exercises can be employed to maintain fitness when outdoor training is not feasible. Teams and coaching personnel are able modify training plans as needed to ensure consistency in preparation, regardless of the weather.
Statistics
- Video analysis for performance enhancement can take up as much as 10 hours per week in a professional cricketer's training schedule.
- On average, professional cricketers dedicate 20-25 hours per week to various forms of cricket-specific training.
- Spin bowlers spend an estimated 50-60% more time honing their technique in the nets compared to fast bowlers, who focus more on physical conditioning.
- Post-match recovery protocols, including active recovery and physiotherapy, can reduce injury recuperation times by up to 30% for professional cricketers.
- Professional cricketers playing at the international level may engage in upward of 200 hours of net practice sessions in a year.
External Links
How To
How To Improve Mental Toughness in Cricket
In order to improve mental toughness for cricket, you will need to perform a number of cognitive and psycho-psychological exercises that are designed specifically to increase focus and resilience. Regularly meditate and breathe to improve concentration. Practice visualization techniques in order to mentally rehearse and prepare for situations under pressure. A regular pre-performance ritual can also help you achieve a focused mindset. Last but not least, professionals in cricket should work with sports psychology to develop coping mechanisms for stress and anxieties, which are common features of competitive sports.
Did you miss our previous article...
https://sportingexcitement.com/cricket/archers-test-dreams-hit-another-snag
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