Former TNA creative team member Dutch Mantel posted a tremendous blog this week in which he shares a chapter from his forthcoming book. Dutch recalls helping WWE legend The Undertaker (a/k/a Mark Calaway) before he became a star.

"When I first became acquainted with Mark, he was the complete opposite of what he is today. His hair was cropped short and he had no tattoos. When I first laid eyes on him, he actually looked too clean cut to be a wrestler. Today, he is a walking tat advert. He turned out to be a great guy and for a man his size, he moved like silk.

"At first glance, Mark had all the physical tools to succeed in the pro wrestling business. He had the size, the look and the raw talent to be a HUGE star. His next hurdle he would face would be to decide if he possessed the temperament to succeed. Over the next several months, I got to know Mark Calaway's temperament very well and he passed the test." To read the full blog, visit TheWorldAccordingToDutch.blogspot.com.

Powell's POV: There's much more to Dutch's Taker memories available on his blog site. This portion of the blog spotlights Taker, and Dutch has promised additional stories on Kane and Steve Austin before they became stars. The Taker section is a fantastic read and a rare insider's look at the WWE legend before he became a mega-star. Highly recommended.

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