Interview Stories

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="03da11c3.gif"> <div> <IMG SRC="0bc76e30.jpg" border=0 width="118" height="227" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="18688660.jpg" border=0 width="136" height="102" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>New Era of Wrestling Entertainment</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC99" FACE="Arial" >     </FONT>|   <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Era of Wrestling Entertainment"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Superstars Interviewed"><U>Superstars Interviewed</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Radio Program"><U>Radio Program</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats New"><U>What's New</U></A>   |   <B>Interview Stories</B>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WCWs Stros Column 5104"><U>WCW's Stro's Column 5-1-04</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Interviewer Chris Yandek"><U>The Interviewer Chris Yandek</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Era Links"><U>New Era Links</U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="03cf4010.gif" border=0 width="500" height="1" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Interview Stories</div> <div> <B>Interview with David Flair</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="411add10.gif" border=0 width="173" height="209" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>It has never been easy for any kid who was the son of a famous star in any aspect of entertainment. If you were the son of Ric Flair, you knew your father was on the road making the money for a better family lifestyle. David Flair is the son of Ric Flair. He has had runs with WWE and WCW, but for now he works for various wrestling promotions. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This coming Sunday April 25th, you're going to be taking on Dory Funk Jr. in Ocala, Florida. Any thoughts on the match this coming Sunday?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Not really. Should be exciting to work a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and a guy with a caliber like Dory Funk Jr. as it will be pretty exciting. I wish I could see what it would be to wrestle him more in his prime. Just to be wrestling I will be excited to do it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How hard is it being the son of one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's very hard. They expect a lot more out of you. I felt like Pete Rose's kid you know what I mean? How can you follow up to that? There are a lot of people like Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonds, and there is a lot of father son duos where the fathers are just another level among the rest."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you remember most from traveling with your dad on the road growing up?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"How much fun I had I think. How they all got along. It seemed to me now there is a lot more pressure than there was back then. The guys had a lot more fun. I wish I knew how to have fun now, but I wasn't there. It just seems like it was a more fun then. It was a different time and different era."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When the idea came for you to be involved in professional wrestling and WCW, who came up with the idea?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I would say either Dusty Rhodes or Kevin Sullivan."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you feel many would have some criticism about you having to live up to a lot as the son of Ric Flair when you started your career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Oh yeah. I think people thought like I wouldn't know what I was doing or be ready to wrestle. That wasn't or is not the case." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Early in your WCW career you were given the WCW USA Heavyweight Championship. Do you feel that the company chose to give you something too early in your career when you had not had time to grow?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Most definitely. It was during their downfall. I think they were going more gimmick like with David Arquette and stuff like that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Your biggest win as WCW USA Heavyweight Champion was a win over Dean Malenko at WCW Bash at the Beach 1999. Thoughts on your biggest win as WCW USA Heavyweight Champion?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't remember much about it. I know it was in Florida. I wish I knew what I know back then. I wasn't ready to wrestle at that caliber. It was an honor to wrestle Dean Malenko as he can do so much. I just wish I was more prepared now than I was then. That wasn't the case then." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You later won the WCW Tag team Championship with Crowbar. Thoughts on tagging with Crowbar and being the WCW Tag Team Champions?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The same thing. I wish I knew what I know now. I wish my skills were as good then as they are now. I don't know. So much was thrown into the mix. I didn't really know what I was doing. I had no formal training. Pretty much the same answer as before." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on how Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo ran WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Too many chiefs, not enough Indians. There are so many different guys saying one do this and then they get changed by someone else. It wasn't one head guy like Vince McMahon, where what he says goes."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think went wrong with WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"With Vince McMahon it's not saying one thing and do another. That's just my take. I was young and was 19 or 20 years old then and the happiest kid in the world. I didn't know much of what was going on. I tell you that is my take on it." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You moved over to the WWE Developmental program after WCW. What did you learn in OVW and from Jim Cornette?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I learned a lot from Jim Cornette. He knows how to run a promotion. What he was given he did really good at it. I think he taught a lot of guys what's it like to be in one promotion. It was good to be in OVW. Danny Davis has a nice building and good hands. I learned a lot from him."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You worked a WWE segment with The Undertaker while he was in a feud with your dad where he beat you up at the WWE school. Thoughts on working that segment with the Undertaker?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was pretty cool working with The Undertaker as I grew up watching him. Being part of anything with WWE is pretty cool. It's the number one syndicated wrestling show besides NWATNA. To do anything with WWE is pretty cool."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You then had the opportunity to work with NWATNA and had a match with Dusty Rhodes. Thoughts on working for NWATNA?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was ok. I like Jeff Jarrett and a lot of the guys there, but I don't think it was that well ran. Working Dusty Rhodes was cool, as we had a bunkhouse match in five minutes. I don't know. It was ok."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you feel the </B><B>Ric Flair Ultimate DVD</B><B> collection was put together well for your father?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"You can tell by how many have been sold. It was really good, but there is so much more. There is a library of his stuff, and I feel they could do one with interviews, matches, and some of the good matches with Ricky Steamboat, but he has many good ones with Ricky Morton, Barry Windham, but there were so many more. I think they just wanted to test the waters and probably do another one."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When do you think your father will officially retire from the wrestling business?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When they tell him to stop. I think he really enjoys it. I think the fans still like seeing him around." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was in Puerto Rico for six months. I came back in December, have a normal job now, and just do wrestling on the side. I would like to do it full time, but it's just not there for me right now. I think I have come a long ways and worked pretty hard to get better. I am only 25 and think there is still time for me. I don't know when, but I still love wrestling."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with Nascar Driver Hermie Sadler</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="40bfc1a0.gif" border=0 width="252" height="282" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Hermie Sadler has over 200 Nascar Busch Series races under his career. He made 10 Nascar Nextel Cup Series in 2003. He is one of the newer drivers on the Nascar circuit next to his brother Elliot Sadler who is more well known. Besides a Nascar driver, he has also been involved in professional wrestling.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off congrats to your brother Elliot Sadler for winning the Radio Shack 500 on April 4, 2004.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"What a great day. We just got back from the airport where we picked him up and there were probably 25 to 30 newspapers and TV people there. It was a great welcome home for him. A big party for him tomorrow. It's gonna be a fun week."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you feel the sport of Nascar is getting more mainstream sports attention as the years go on?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't think there is any question. The new markets were getting to on the west coast and Las Vegas, California, and Texas. Those places are growing as it was a southern redneck white sport to a nationwide and worldwide sport. No question about that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think many normal sports fans relate to Dale EarnhartJr., the guy they cheer for because of the death of his father?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Dale Earnhart was our biggest name no doubt. His passing brought a lot of attention to the sport. Some of it was positive and some of it was negative. For the most part it helped create a fan base and a whole new following. We continue to build on that over the last three to four years. Having the name Earnhart is connected with Nascar. Dale Earnhart, Jr. has done a great job of carrying that torch and creating an attraction for new types of Nascar fans. He certainly has helped attract new young fans you wouldn't expect."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In your first Nextel Cup Series race in 2004, you finished 31st at the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and started 42nd. Thoughts on your first Nextel Cup Series race of 2004?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was ok. Certainly not great. The Nextel Cup operation is a work in process. We basically used it to help build and do some testing for our Busch series effort which is our main focus. Nascar this year changed the arrow dynamics and tire compounds that we are running. We use it as an opportunity to get some testing in because we haven't put ourselves in a place to do some new testing this year. We ran that race to get some information."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You have had over 200 Nascar Busch Series races in your racing career and at one point started 173 consecutive races. What's the most important thing to remember and that you have learned through all of your Nascar Busch Series races?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, its really hard to because our sport changes from week to week and certainly year to year as far as the rules, competition, and race tracks we are going to. When I first started there were a lot of short track races and now there are more intermediate speedway races. What you did in the past doesn't really help you or hurt you as far as now. Our sport runs so many different places, obstacles, and competition is so much tougher. We need to learn to adapt to the new cars, race tracks, competition, and try to do things to keep our teams up there as far as technology and how we prepare our equipment."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your first race ever on the Nascar circuit.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"In 1992 I ran a Nascar Busch Series race at Orange County Speedway. You never forget your first one. We ended up having an accident, but we ran really good. We got a good feel for things and started to attract some attention from car owners. It was a good race. I was fortunate enough over the last 11 years to be able to do what I love to do. Once you get racing in your blood, it's hard to get it out. We have been working real hard to maintain a presence and a competitive presence."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Who did you idolize to get involved in racing as a career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I didn't idolize anybody. We just loved racing. My dad use to own a dirt car back when I was five, six, or seven years old. He use to take me every weekend to the races and I use to watch him make the pits in the back of the truck. I have been going with my dad to watch races my entire life. Like I said, once you get it in your blood it's hard to get it out. Have been doing some type of racing ever since."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any rivarly between you and your brother Elliot Sadler?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. It couldn't be further from the truth. There are always people trying to make it into something like that, but we support each other a great deal. Nothing but support."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How does a Nascar driver end up a fan of professional wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I was a fan of professional wrestling before I started even racing. From the time I was really small we would watch on Saturday's the Jim Crockett shows that use to come on TV Saturdays here at home. My following recently of professional wrestling started when I met Dave and Earl Hebner in Richmond, Virginia nine or ten years ago. I called them up for tickets to a show in Virginia and they were big race fans and we struck up a friendship. I have created friendships with a lot of people in WWE and people in NWATNA with Jeff Jarett and those guys. A lot of wrestlers buy cars from me, as I am in the car business including The Rock who has gotten a couple cars from me. I create a lot of friendships through those associations. A lot of those guys come to the races and watch us, and we watch them too.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did you end up getting hooked with the Jarrets and work with NWATNA?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I met Jeff Jarrett seven or eight years ago when he was with WWE. Jeff is a good person and friend who comes and deals with us every year. He talked to me a lot when they were going to launch NWATNA. He wanted me to go on their first shows where I did some things and the fans seemed to get into it. We worked out a deal to have may come back and do a few more shows and I had a match with Ron Killings. They have sponsored me in a couple of races to help create awareness for their pay perviews. I think they are real close on a network TV deal. They are steadily growing their fan base. Professional wrestling needs more then one organization. Hopefully it will be good for everybody."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you intend to work with NWATNA again in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Oh sure. They're in the middle of working on some programs and getting some stuff together to get some bigger pay perviews together. Probably around June or July, you will hear announcements about me being involved with them again."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments on your Nascar career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I would like to see our Nascar Busch program turn around and hopefully winning would be a stretch for us. We try to show improvement every time we go to the race track and if we can do that I will be happy with our progress."</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with Al Snow</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3f8b6f20.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="242" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Al Snow has always been a considered one of the guys who has been a motivator. As the head of the WWE reality show Tough Enough, he trained and gave the competitors an education in professional wrestling they would never forget. Besides that, Al Snow is also a broadcast commentator for WWE Heat, but either way he is a former WWE Hardcore Champion, WWE European Champion, and WWE Tag Team Champion with Mick Foley.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing great."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How much have you enjoyed being a broadcast announcer on WWE Heat with Jonathan Coachman and what have you learned most overall?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's a whole new challenge. It's a whole new aspect of my career. I guess I enjoy it from that standpoint. I guess I have learned that it is a lot more difficult and that it is not as easy as it seems to be. I really am having a great time with it and trying to develop a style on my own. It is another portion of my career."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your best memories from the </B><B>WWE Tough Enough</B><B> series, and is there going to be another WWE Tough Enough in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's still up in the air as far as the future of WWE Tough Enough. We still really don't know if we are going to do another </B><B>WWE Tough Enough</B><B>. We should know by January. I think the thing I cherish most out of it is my friendship with Big John Gaurbick. We have developed a very close friendship. It's very hard to find people you can truly relate to or you can really call a friend in this business. I feel very fortunate to have developed that friendship with Big John."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How hard was it overall to cut some of the competitors on the show?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was always very difficult to cut them especially as the show went around. You are spending 10 hours a day for around 12 to 14 weeks with these kids. You can tell that they really want to do it. You really are putting your heart and soul into it, and they are as well. It's hard to walk up to one of them, look them in the eye, and say that your dream ends here today. I don't know if there was one particular hard one than any other one."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the way the wrestling business is today with only one major company to work for?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Competition is always good. The old saying is that you put one lawyer in town he will starve to death, but if you put two lawyers in town they will both make money. I think that applies to it. The fans and the wrestling companies do benefit from the competition. I think there needs to be some force out there on the same level as WWE."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During your wrestling careers, you and Mick Foley lived together and made a friendship. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It just sorta developed. We kinda started riding together by accident. It became a matter of choice. When you spend that much time with somebody you really get to know them."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why is it that Mick Foley always has had something to say about Al Snow in his wrestling promos?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I would say it's because he is obsessed with me and has a sickness. He might need therapy for it. I think it is undeniable that we have some on-air chemistry much like some of the old comedy teams like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. People watch us and say they have some chemistry together. They were a lot better together than they were apart."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the memorable wrestling matches in the Michigan wrestling area you had with Sabu in around 1994 to 1996?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was very fortunate that we had that first match in Michigan because that is what really got me noticed and kinda made a difference. Up and to that point I was known as the best kept secret in wrestling. That one match with Sabu kinda opened the doors nationally that I was out there. It really helped me get noticed and get a break."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your memories of ECW and working for Paul Heyman?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"All my memories are all great. It was really a wonderful time. It probably was one of the best times of my career. The second time I was there, it was great to achieve and get over like I did and have the run I did there. The locker room was so enjoyable to be in and be a part of. I wouldn't have traded it for the world. Working for Paul Heyman is interesting to say the least. People say what they want to say about Paul and a lot of it would be true, I am sure. Paul Heyman was a guy that was a genius. He could take a guy that no one else could utilize and turn their weaknesses into strengths or hide their weakness. He would take it to the point where they would become a draw. He gave a lot of guys a break and a new career. I could go down the list as there are many guys who owe Paul Heyman tremendously for the careers they have because after going to ECW, it opened up the doors for WWE and WCW."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the other wrestling characters you have been, such as Leaf Casidy and Avatar?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They're all just characters and not really me. I am not emotionally tied to them. There was a big buzz that I didn't like being Leaf Casidy, but I really enjoyed it. It was just very frustrating because of the fact that I could not get work with it. They didn't have any plans for that character. I was basically used as a job guy. It became frustrating because no matter how hard I worked, I was pigeon holed. I enjoyed the character itself. Avatar wasn't really who I am, but it was so different and unique. The people didn't know how to take to it. It was only used once on TV. It wasn't the character I was frustrated with, but just the dead end street. I couldn't get my way out of it or get utilized to make a living."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WWE Backlash 1999 you defeated Hardcore Holly to win your first WWE Hardcore Championship. What are your thoughts on that night and winning WWE gold for the first time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was just happy to survive the match. It's not like I am a mark for the belt. When WWE gives you a title they have some faith in you. I was thrilled as it was new storylines for me. It was like Vince saying we have some faith in you and you can carry the ball. I was very happy to get the belt. I remember walking up to Vince McMahon after that match and saying that I am not gonna let you down or you won't regret this. I hope he didn't. I have no idea."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At the WWE Unforgiven 1999 pay perview, you defeated the Big Bossman in a Kennel From Hell Hardcore Championship match. What are your memories of that special match?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They were supposed to actually have trained guard dogs, the focus of the match being the dogs. It would then be important to utilize the dogs in the match. Unfortunately they basically just had dogs from different owners with regular dogs. They couldn't even show the dogs on TV because they were urinating, defecating, and fornicating to the point where the owners had to exchange numbers for puppy rights. The storyline of the match was the dogs were gonna put you in jeopardy. It was an embarassment and has become a joke to this day. I take pride in going out there and trying to put on a good match. There was nothing I could do to make that match better."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on WWE Raw creative head Brian Gerwitz?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think Brian is a great kid. I think he needs to lean more toward the humor side of things, but he is a true fan of the wrestling business. He does write from the fans viewpoint. Brian is gutsy and he does stand up to Vince McMahon on ideas he is passionate about. I don't know if it is good to have it all on one guy's shoulders. I think they need to have more than the two, three, or four that they have. The more creative minds you have, the better you are."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final Comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's been a situation where I started at a time where you couldn't be somebody unless you were related to somebody. I have been able to give back to the wrestling business through WWE Tough Enough by training some of the kids who will be the next generation. I have given as much back to Vince McMahon as his family has to me."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with Steve Austin</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3deb8f50.jpg" border=0 width="184" height="245" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Steve Austin has achieved everything that you possibly can within the world of professional wrestling. His numerous title runs, WrestleMania matches, and various Hollywood TV spots put him as one of the top five wrestlers in the last five years. All these accomplishments leads to his book titled </B><B><U>The Stone Cold Truth</U></B><B>. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off, how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When the idea originally came up to write the book, was it Jim Ross that approached you to help you write this book, or did you approach Jim Ross?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. It was Jim Ross's idea because they approached me four or five years ago wanting me to write a book. It would have been the first WWE book out, but I said, 'No I don't want to write a book.' I just didn't feel like running my mouth and being private by nature. I didn't feel like I had enough to talk about. Several years went by and I took my leave of absence from the company, and Jim Ross got me back in the company, and pitched the idea to write a book. I said, 'Hey man, let's go to do this thing.' There are a lot of things I want to settle and bury the hatchet."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The inevitable comparisons will come between </B><B><U>Stone Cold Truth</U></B><B> and </B><B>Mick Foley's </B><B><U>Have a Nice Day</U></B><B>. Some will say you are coming up three years late and a dollar short with this book. Why should a reader plunk down their hard earned cash for this, and can anything beat Foley's groundbreaking work? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Theoretically as far as the timing of the book, yeah the business was a lot hotter several years ago. The timing as far as our business goes could've been a lot better. As far as any comparison you're going to get with the Mick Foley book, Mick Foley is one of my favorite guys I have worked with in wrestling, and he is just a cool guy and great human being as far as I am concerned. That is a great comparison, but as far as a day late and a dollar short, well it's Stone Cold Steve Austin. It's </B><B><U>The Stone Cold Truth</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B>and my life story. If you had any interest whatsoever in what we do or what I did or what I still do on a different basis, then I think that's a good reason to go and buy the book."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Will we get a good look in the book as far as all the events that went down at the WrestleMania 14 win where you defeated Shawn Michaels with Mike Tyson as the special enforcer, which was your first WWE World Championship?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It will basically cover everything I did. Some of the things Shawn was going through, the guy pretty much was a little bit burnt out, his lower back had a lot of problems. We didn't even know if the match was going to happen. There I was hotter then hell as far as the business goes. It was just kind of a real dicey situation."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Will the fans get a good look of your thoughts of your off camera relationship with Vince McMahon?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Oh yeah. They will find a whole lot about it. The relationship between me and Vince has been good and bad and it's been real good and real bad. There has been a lot of ups and downs. The kinda comparison I like to make is that you have a pro football team and you have a head coach and I am the quarterback. He is calling the plays and he is supposed to run the team, but I am out there running the plays. I see things different and I want to do something else. When you're throwing the business that is pro wrestling in hand, and you have dollars involved and the egos like that, it can be a pretty hairy situation. It has been."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Does the book have a good look at covering all your major wrestling injuries including your neck injury and your experiences through rehab back to the wrestling ring?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. I pretty much covered all the bad knees, the bad neck, the action in itself, what I was feeling, when the action had happened, 90 seconds after it had happened, and the lasting effects that it has had on my life. I still suffer effects from that, and a lot of people have asked me why I haven't gone and quit when all the doctors were telling me you need to get out of the ring. We covered all that and I didn't feel like quitting. Pro wrestling is what I was put here to do in my life. I wasn't satisfied with stopping the career or ending."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In your book you talk about how Jake Roberts had influence on your career and you go back to the King of The Ring 1996 match against Jake Roberts which you won. How much influence did Jake Roberts really have on your career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely. He is one of my favorite workers to ever get in the ring. He was very economical. He didn't do nothing fancy, but what he did made sense. One of the classic storytellers whereas Ric Flair is one of the great storytellers so is Jake, two different types of workers, two different promos. If I would have never wrestled Jake Roberts in that match when I went to the hospital and got my top lips hooked up with 14 stitches then I came back. If Michael Hayes wouldn't have told me Jake Roberts cut a religious base promo on me I wouldn't have said Austin 3:16 because that's the bottom line because Stone Cold Said So. It was instrumental; it wasn't like it was going to pop in my head for no reason." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In the book you seem to really have enjoyed your time with Brian Pillman. Do you think the gun angle with the late Brian Pillman was too extreme?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. I don't feel like it was extreme at all. You watch our show and you realize what it is. It's basically professional wrestling. It's sports entertainment ok. So you know what it is and why you are watching it. I didn't think like it was over the top, but some people did. I just think because of the way it was executed I really meant everything I was doing over there and he really meant it when he pulled the gun, but you gotta understand it's like watching TV and I don't watch TV really anymore. But if you're watching one of the shows you see what you see on the TV. It's the same thing with our show."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think the book clears up all the rumors as far as when you walked out on WWE in the summer of 2002?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah I do. We talk about the injuries, politics that were going on, talk about the creative, and how that was basically the icing on the cake, but the bottom line was my health was failing at a pretty good pace. I was trying to keep up with guys who were 90 to 100 percent and I was barely 50 and try to maintain a level of performance that was barely satisfactory to me and the fans and having a hard time doing it." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How do you see yourself retiring and leaving WWE when the time finally comes, and do you think you will wrestle at WrestleMania 20?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know how I am going to retire. When that may come and how it's going to happen because I really just make short term plans. I don't sit around and think and plot my life out. I got a brother that can tell you what he is doing in one or two years and give it to you on a calendar. As far as WrestleMania 20 goes, I tell you that it is a possibility that I would get in the ring again, but not a good possibility. I got to look down the road, but when I don't make long term plans the only long term plan I make is the quality of life at five, ten, and fifteen years. You go in this business and do everything you do, and so you save your money because of your negligence and not thinking things out to the enth degree, and you don't get medical advice, and you end up in a wheelchair. What was it all worth? Not a whole lot."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You dedicate a chapter to Owen Hart and how your whole neck injury came about. What were your thoughts on the night Owen Hart passed away and how you had to wrestle the main event with The Undertaker at WWE Over The Edge that evening?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was one of the weirdest things in my life. We're just hanging around backstage and I remember me and Undertaker actually talking, and we just got word that Owen had fallen. We all knew he was going to do the deal with the harness from the arena roof. We knew when they said he had fallen it was going to be bad. We didn't know how close he was to the ring, but when they brought the news back it wasn't good news. Then shortly there after from 30 seconds to a minute it came back that Owen was dead. You're fixing to go out and entertain 18,000 people and realized one of your buddies had died in the ring and the show is going to continue. I will say this, every time you go to the ring you get an adrenaline rush, but that night I don't remember feeling anything. I knew we had to go the ring and do the match because the show was going to go on, but I didn't feel anything. I was pretty damn numb and shocked."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, the media has made your personal life seem to be the stuff of soap operas. You've always been respected as a straight shooter, your thoughts on you and your wife Debra parting ways and the small domestic disturbance incident overall?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, when we do what we do you reach a level of success. Everybody looks at your personal life. So the fact that everything happened with the few times I have been married which is three of them. The dispute I had with Debra was well documented and it goes with the territory and the fact that I had notoriety. If I would have just been Steve Williams living in a double wide in San Antonio, Texas or something like that nobody would have cared other than the law, but the people wouldn't have cared. Of course it is Stone Cold Steve Austin so it got a lot of coverage, but we cover that in the book of what I can talk about. It was water under the bridge, but I tell my story the best I can and it was </B><B><U>The Stone Cold Truth</U></B><B>. As far as she goes, there were things by law we had to leave out and we did as such."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I</B><B>nterview with Lodi</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3ef9a140.jpg" border=0 width="154" height="276" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>You probably remember him as the sign guy in WCW in Raven's Flock. You could also remember him as one half of the gay tag team Lane and Rave in WCW. Lodi is one of the lower mid carders in WCW that got the chance to show himself, but has battled through many injuries, including a 16 month neck injury. He is back on the wrestling scene now, and ready to make an impact. He has a very candid story about wrestlers and drugs. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about the experience of breaking your neck 16 months ago and the rehabilitation back to the ring.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"If you're aware Chris Benoit has had this, Edge is out, Kurt Angle, and Steve Austin. It's a reaccurring injury that guys have had. My problem was that I have had the injury before back in 1994. It's been a painful 16 months. The first four months I spent in a neck brace. Over the last few months I have started to get back in the ring."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think with all the latest wrestling deaths that there are drug problems in wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I may divulge more information then the fans want to know. When I first appeared on air in WCW, if you didn't have a drinking problem or drug problem it was somewhat surprising. It was like, come on you don't drink? It was somewhat weird if you didn't have a drug problem. There was an incident before I ever went to WCW after a show in Greenville, North Carolina that I was involved with my old tag team partner, the Hardy's, Sabu, and Rob Van Dam. I was offered an illegal substance by someone out of those six people and I will let this go out there. This guy said, 'Hey you want some of this?' I said no because we get drug tested in WCW. He said, 'Well, we get drug tested in ECW too. If you don't have a drug problem we'll give you one.' Obviously if you look over the past six or seven years you have a lot of guys dying of drug overdoses and drug problems. It is rapid in the business. I will not sit here and deny it. I went to rehab losing my job over WCW. I was addicted for six and a half to seven years on GHB and pain killers. I rarely if ever wrestled on TV being sober. I can't be anymore candid than that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were your thoughts on the gay tag team in WCW with Lenny Lane, and was that the reason you were taken off WCW TV altogether?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Lenny Lane came to me and said, 'There's not doing much with me and they're not doing much with you. Why don't we form a gay tag team?' Lenny Lane finished it in a week and put it on paper. He gave it to me and I gave it to a friend who gave it to Kevin Nash. Kevin Nash came back to me and said, 'Lodi we can't do a gay gimmick. You're high right? What are you thinking?' At this time the Lodi character was in limbo as well as Lenny Lane's. I moved to Hollywood, California to work on the acting. I got a phone call that said, 'We need you at TV next week.' They ran with the gimmick Lenny Lane had laid out. A lot of people don't understand that Lenny Lane and Lodi laid out that whole gimmick. There were protests that we were gay bashing, never won a match, and we weren't really good. AOL Time Warner caught off because these guys were protesting, and we were taken off TV because of protests and we collected a paycheck for six months. This is the time when WCW was in a decline doing a 2.0 rating. During the quarter hours with me and Lenny Lane we were doing 4.4's, 4.5's, or 4.6's. We had Hogan doing 1.5 and 1.6's. Hello? What were the fans watching?"</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Many wrestling fans have wondered, is Lodi gay in real life?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's a great question. I will tell you this. I had more girls approach me and more girls want to spend the night with me as a gay character on TV then the Lodi as a straight character. I don't think the Lodi of the flock was different from the Lodi of the West Hollywood Blondes. Lenny does a great job at being a feminine character. He and me are pretty much straight as nails."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any possibility you might be in NWATNA?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have a contract signed with NWATNA that happened the week I broke my neck. I haven't done any NWATNA shows yet, but look forward to working with those guys in the near future. I cannot put over Raven enough who has given me a lot of insight, guidelines, and information as far as what is going on"</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What caused the downfall of WCW in your opinion?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Too much creative control in the wrestler's hands was a big downfall. Overpaying superstars was another problem. Not paying attention to popular trends in pop culture. There were 12 guys who always work with each other, but no matter how good you were they would never eclipse the top 12. It wasn't about getting the whole company over, but getting myself over."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did you come up with the sign guy gimmick, including phrases this is my seat and we need a ride home?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My gimmick was a total rip off of Lou E Dangerously as Sign Guy Dudley in ECW. The day I wrote the sign we need a ride home, Raven lost the keys to the rental car. We are 10 minutes away from being a pay perview. We didn't have a ride to the arena. My webmaster off my website that doesn't exist anymore got his dad to give us a ride. We hopped in the back of a station wagon, but problem was he got us there but we didn't have a ride home. Raven lost the keys to the rental car. He is a dumb bastard sometimes for being a genius. I love his ass, but he lost the keys. It was an easy. We need a ride home. Dean Malenko came up with many of my signs as he was a funny guy."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were you thoughts on the Billy and Chuck gay tag team as you and Lenny Lane did do that first?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I appreciated you saying we originated it. It was a copy of Lenny Lane and Lodi. The acting ability was zero. We never once portrayed the idea that we were a gay character. That's what Lenny portrayed. If you look at the World Wrestling All Stars pay perview shows we did, Lenny Lane never left a clue in your mind that he was gay. It was that outrageous. Lenny is very straight by the way."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Bill Goldberg?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When I went to WCW Powerplant and tried out, there were three guys left standing out of 27. Bill Goldberg at the time was just coming in when I was at the Powerplant. I took the jackhammer and spear many times before it was on TV. He was a wonderful guy that was good to me. I want everyone to hear a great Bill Goldberg story. In March of 1998 I was wrestling Psychosis. I ended up breaking my ankle. When I went through the curtain, Bill Goldberg was standing there and pushed the referee and doctor aside. He picked me up and carried me around the arena to the locker room. Bill is a nice guy. I appreciate him and will never say anything bad about him. He was in the right place at the right time and utilized his talents."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I missed performing. I enjoy wrestling. I enjoy entertaining people. That's what I do. I got as much a rush wrestling in front of 46,000 people in WCW as I did 400 people for TCW with Dusty Rhodes."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with Luna Vachon</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3dc95e00.jpg" border=0 width="149" height="224" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Luna Vachon is probably one of the most talented women wrestlers in the last decade in professional wrestling. Her father was Mad Dog Vachon, one of the great wrestlers in the days of the wrestling territories. Luna proved herself many times in WWE and at WrestleMania 14 as she tagged with Goldust against Mark Mero and Sable, one of her high profile highlights. She is a truly classy lady who loves being a wrestler and appreciates the business and the fans. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be joining you today. All things are good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you were growing up and your father was a wrestler in the business, did you get influenced by any of the women wrestlers of those days?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My aunt Vivian Vachon was one of the greatest women wrestlers of all time. She had an unbelievable ability to wrestle more like a man than a woman. You can go to Blockbuster and rent a movie called </B><B>Wrestling Queen</B><B>, which is about my aunt and my family of the early 1970s, which were the women in the wrestling then. It was a great time in wrestling. That is why I wanted to be a wrestler from the time I was three years old. My parents tried to discourage me because the wrestling business is so hard on women. It takes a lot more toll on women then men because we are made to reproduce. I did on many occasions get to see women's wrestling because my aunt was 11 years older then me and she was my idol."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What did you learn from being around your father, Paul Butcher Vachon, about the wrestling business?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"There are so many things I wish I could remember. I learned when you are in the Gange's territory not to buy a house. You don't buy a house in the neighborhood that you are working in because in our business that meant the promoters were going to pay you less when you bought a home in their territory. I went to 16 schools by the 8th grade because we were constantly on the road. There are only two types of promoters, bad and worse. You grow up fighting and defending the business and standing behind your father and family. It was a totally different era."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on your match at WrestleMania 14 teaming with Goldust to take on Mark Mero and Sable?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was one of the most awesome nights of my life. How nice of you to remember and boy do you know your way around the wrestling world. Sable has this preconceived notion that she didn't have to learn to take bumps. She didn't know to protect herself in the ring, and it made it for an interesting match. If there ever was a match I was in that was choreographed it would have to be that one. Her not wanting to take bumps and me getting a warning that if I scratch or bruise her you are going to lose your job. This is WrestleMania. This is our Super Bowl. For about six weeks out we had to do it step by step, so she would learn what was going to happen during this match and where I wouldn't bump her during the match. I think in the old days under those conditions a Fabulous Moolah or Mildred Burke would have just broken her arm right away. For a woman not being able to protect herself, distribute her own weight, and take bumps, you are asking a lot out of your opponent to make them look good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Owen Hart came over and put his arm around you after the match at WrestleMania 14, am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes, it was Owen Hart. It was really cool because I walked back to the gorilla position and I didn't get a thank you or a word, and you are kinda not sure under these conditions whether you have done an ok job or not. Nobody said anything and Owen pulled me behind the big makeup box and he said, 'Thank you. You did great.' My blessings go out to the entire Hart family for the loss of Stu Hart. He was responsible for my husband's training. He will be missed, but I am glad he is out of pain."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why don't you think you were ever given the WWE Women's Championship?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't think I fit into the mold that they wanted as a spokesperson. It is unfortunate for Vince McMahon that he didn't see what I desired most in the whole world and most of my life. The fans are the ones who buy the tickets and I think we have to do something to please them. Let me give you an example. One night at a particular hotel, the fans know that WWE is going to be checking in. The fans would be waiting in the lobby and I can remember one particular evening and all the little kids were there after the TV taping and one of them said. 'she is going to be a bitch too.' This was just after Sable and Chyna had checked in. I spent three hours in the lobby signing autographs, and I thought that if the other two women had bad days then it was my job to pick up the slack and make the women of our company look good like we care about the fans. I just felt like that was important to me. I don't think the WWE was interested in the fans at that time, but I did what I could by signing autographs and anything else." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you remember most about your days in the Florida wrestling territory?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I remember being scared to death. It's amazing the magic you feel when you are going into an arena or something like that. I started out by giving a rookie of the year to Kendall Windam and Kevin Sullivan came out and gave me a really big slap. When we got back to the dressing room all the boys were looking at me like wow. I said, 'Is that the best you can do?' And they offered me a job. Most of them didn't know I was a Vachon. I remember that the best."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what advice would you give to girls who want to be in professional wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Don't sell yourself short. It's very hard for women in our sport. The wrestling business has turned into such a T&A factor which is unfortunate. Jackie Moore I would love to wrestle and have my ears ringing for weeks from her clotheslines and I am not kidding when I tell you that. In the USWA she would ring my bell every night. I like working with a woman that is strong and beautiful. She is an asset to our sport and I am proud to have so many matches with her."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with Jimmy Snuka</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3c496c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jimmy Snuka is still regarded as one of the greatest legends of all time. His jump off the steel cage at Madison Square Garden against Don Muraco is still in the minds of fans. Jimmy Snuka is still part of wrestling today and he could show up in WWE one day again soon.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Aloha brother. Everything is lovely. Thank you very much."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think retirement is in your near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Brother excuse me, but I don't know what that word means. I think maybe someday brother, but not right now. Someday but not at the moment."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How much do you enjoy doing these independent wrestling shows?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Brother, nobody can take that away from me. I love it too much. That is why I love them brother."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the wrestling business today?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"There are a lot of changes. Things that go on today are a lot different then the way we used to do it. This is a new generation and everything, but everything goes step by step."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any possible future involvement with WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's really up to Vince McMahon. If he wants the superfly to fly, then he is always ready."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to work for World Class Championship Wrestling. What were those experiences like for you, and what are your thoughts on the Von Erich family tragedies?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was there close to the 1980's. I had a wonderful time with the family and everything. I loved the father and the mother and of course all the kids were alive then. It was pretty hard for them."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You moved to the Mid Atlantic Territory and put some great matches on with Ricky Steamboat and as well had the chance to work with Ric Flair. What was it like to work with these guys 20 years ago and what were their work rates like back then?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's hard to describe these kind of guys. They're generals. Generals make sure everything will work out right. People get in the ring and get rid of their frustrations, but they go home happy. That's what is all about."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you moved to WWE, your monumental leap off the cage at Madison Square Garden against Don Muraco still has fans talking about it. What are your thoughts looking back at the historic moment?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I love the people very much. Something like that in Madison Square Garden is the big apple of them all. That's the only place you can cut lose."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In another famous memory Roddy Piper slammed a coconut over your head on a Piper's Pit segment. What were your thoughts on that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Now you're really giving me goosebumps. That's probably one of the greatest Piper's Pits that ever happened."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During your second run with WWE when you had the match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 7, you were regarded as a teacher. How did that make you feel?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Brother,I love it. I am not a glory man, but I am a business man."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why don't you think you ever worked a program with Hulk Hogan?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't really know brother. To be very honest there was a time when it was supposed to happen, but I guess things didn't work out. I don't know why, but that's the way it goes."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you moved to ECW you were the federation's first champion. How influential do you think you were laying down the ground for guys like Rob Van Dam, The Sandman, and Shane Douglas?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The business is wonderful when things are done right. When it is done right and everything is lovely there is no negative about it as everything has to be about business."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There were all sorts of strange stories about your behavior on the road. What is the weirdest story you have heard people say about you, and how does it make you feel to hear them?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't really know brother. It is probably jealousy."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final thoughts on your future in the wrestling business?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I love it. I enjoy it. I love the people. I love the fans. I love what this business is doing for everybody."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with S.D. Jones</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3c3b3df0.jpg" border=0 width="179" height="223" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>S.D. Jones's career highlight is being on the first WrestleMania as he was defeated by King Kong Bundy. Many have not heard from him in a while, and he speaks for the first time about what he has been up to, and his time with WWE including WrestleMania 1.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am fine."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What have you been up to of late, and are you still in professional wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I quit after 20 years. In 1989 or 1991 I think I did the last match, and then I gave up."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 1 you were defeated by King Kong Bundy in a very short match. What are your thoughts on the match, and being on the first WrestleMania?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I only did one Wrestlemania against King Kong Bundy and that was it. It was ok. It wasn't my best, but I didn't do too much as the match was 17 seconds. I let him squash me and that was it. It wasn't one of my best."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was the atmosphere like among everyone that night at WrestleMania 1?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know because most of the time I don't sit with most of the society. I sat in the back with Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog, but everyone has their own friends. I really didn't know what was going on that night. I knew I had my match with King Kong Bundy, and I was ready for that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you remember most about the early days of the WWWF under Vince McMahon, Sr.?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We had a better time with the father than the son. We had better matches I think."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were discovered by Gorilla Monsoon, am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was responsible for me being there. I was going down to wrestling school in Manhattan, New York with Johnny Rodz, and he was the one who brought me there. Captain Lou Albano was the one who spoke with Gorilla Monsoon to take me into the company."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You also had the opportunity to tag with Andre The Giant. What was that like, and what are your memories of Andre The Giant?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He is one of the best I ever worked with. He was a very good nice man. I had a good time with him. I did three or four matches with him I think."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You also had some six man tag team matches with Rock Johnson and Tony Atlas. What was it like to work with those guys?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was fun. We laughed a lot. We clicked I should say. Once in a while they would break it off and put me in a tag match with Rock Johnson or with Tony Atlas."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you get see Rocky Johnson's son The Rock grow up?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Of course. My kids and him grew up together in Florida."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon, Jr. as a wrestling promoter, and when he bought the company from his dad?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It wasn't bad. He is doing the best he can for wrestling I would say."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what is in store for your future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Just enjoying life now. I did 20 years, and I am just sitting home relaxing."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with Jamie Koeppe</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3b5b5100.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="272" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jaime Koeppe entered the WWE Divas Search Competition on WWE.com and out of thousands of applications and entries ended up in the final four and ended up winning the whole thing, and it possibly might lead to a long term career with WWE, but from talking with her she seems to really have it together.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am exhausted, but I am doing really well."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why did you decide to send in your application to the WWE.com Summerslam Divas search competition?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Several fans from my Yahoo club encouraged me to do so. It took me a little while to decide to do so and I then entered, and once I entered, it gave me a little effort to try and win it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you think you had a good chance of winning?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"To be honest, I had no idea. I didn't think I would win. I saw my competitors, and I thought that they just had a little more experience then I did. My competition was Diane who was in my region, and I thought she would take the whole thing."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is there any chance you could become a full time WWE Diva, and possibly wrestle in the WWE Women's Division or do you have any interest in being a wrestler?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That's not really up to me. I think that is up to WWE. I think that we would have to sit down, and talk about what would happen. I am open to ideas and seeing what is going to happen as I am not too sure, but I am up for any challenge." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your entertainment background as a TV personality, actress, and fitness model?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I like to call myself that. You can say I do more auditions then acting. I audition for any independent movie or commercials. I have done hosting parts and pilots for some sports extreme shows, and I competed in a competition that was across Canada, and I won the Miss Molson Indy Canada 2002 contest, but that was more of a bikini style competition. I have done fitness competitions where I have placed 5th and 6th, and then some contests I have never placed. I have done mostly print stuff, but it has taken four years to get a resume. I mean even longer then four years.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think the WWE Diva photo shoot you won and appearances on the WWE TV will help you reach something else you want to do?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have no idea. It is hard to say, because just being pretty doesn't mean anything. I have talent, but I need to be seen. People might assume she is good looking or has an attractive body, but I happen to be very marketable and do have talent. I am thankful for the opportunity to be seen, but I am hoping something will come out of it. My thing is sports and entertainment."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Were you a fan of WWE before this competition?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have been watching it for years. We used to get together as a group and watch it, and yeah I have been watching it for years even with my family. I have always watched it. People say I am not a fan, and there are a lot of people saying a lot of things, and there are a lot of haters. There is nothing I can really do. People are going to do judge you in all ways no matter what. People always have an opinion."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you enjoy your time at WWE Summerslam?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I had an awesome time. I loved it. I will definitely go to more events when given the opportunity to do so. It was so fun. There were times when I sat in my seat when I said I should totally be up there and be doing this because it is entertainment. I love to entertain."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on fellow Canadian fitness model turned WWE Diva Trish Stratus?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it's great. She has come a long way. I think she is doing an awesome job."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am open to anyone who has any suggestions. I am pretty much open to seeing what happens and this is entertainment. I love live entertainment, but will basically see what happens. I think the possibilities are endless. There are a lot of opportunities, and the world is my oyster."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Crash Holly Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3a896c80.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Crash Holly's claim to fame in WWE is creating the 24/7 rule in the WWE Hardcore Championship division. He was the underdog of sorts, but was always very entertaining and interesting to watch as Hardcore Holly's cousin. He recently departed from WWE, and now finds his home in NWATNA.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing fine."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why were you released from WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was a mutual release between myself and the company. I was no longer happy there, and I wanted to after other interests which would be sanity, so they gave me my sanity back."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were your thoughts on the WWE creative team, including Brian Gerwitz?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My thoughts on Brian Gerwitz are that if you're not one of the favorites or somebody's in then you really don't get to do anything. I didn't see eye to eye with Brian Gerwitz, and my stint on WWE Raw or I would like to call WWE Heat because that is the only show I ever got to wrestle for. If he is currently responsible for the writing, then my comments basically tell you what I think of his writing. I don't think Dave Lagona and Brian Gerwitz know the history of this business, but it should be someone like Dean Malenko or Arn Anderson writing these shows because they know history, but if they let the boys write the show with a good track record, then the wrestling business can turn around."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think Brian Gerwitz had any direction or card for your character?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Brian Gerwitz cares for some characters, but obviously he has his favorites like any other wrestling promoter or writer, where you're going to push your favorites with the most TV time. The wrestling business is kinda like a cd collection. If you have 50 cd's, and you're only listening to two or three or four cds, it's kinda like Norah Jones sweeping the Grammy's, and you have all these other artists like Eminem and Avril Lavigne sitting on the side and like the Grammys, Brian Gerwitz choose to push and use his favorite person, but you haven't heard any recent Norah Jones radio ads. That is what I think of Brian Gerwitz and the WWE creative team."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon as a wrestling promoter?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He is one of the smartest people in the world. The WWE hired me. I would be a hypocrite to go around and criticize them because they gave me my spot. If you have someone who is talented, but when you come in for the first year and everything works out was great, but for the next three to four years you don't get to do anything wasn't the lack of my talent, but I wasn't the favorite toy to push. I wasn't one of their favorites I guess, but I wish I would have been because I could have been a good piece in the program."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You are probably one of the most decorated WWE Superstars of all time, and your highlight would probably have to be teaming with Hardcore Holly to defeat The Rock and Mankind for the WWE Tag Team Championship, and as well inventing the 24/7 WWE Hardcore Championship rule. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Actually, my favorite moment was not beating The Rock and Mankind. My favorite moment was the culmination of the 24/7 that was leading up to WrestleMania. The 24/7 was a good thing, because not only did I get over, but all the guys like Tazz, Perry Saturn, Mean Street Posse, and Hardcore Holly got over by beating the hell out of me. It was a good piece in the puzzle, and in 2000 it got some of the highest ratings. That was my favorite time. People can say the WWE Hardcore lost credibility because it switched so many times, but the 24/7 was an idea of reinventing itself because it was entertainment, something different, and never done before. That was my proudest moment of being out there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Which WWE Hardcore Championship segment did you enjoy the most?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Probably the one in the fun house with The Headbangers. Pre tape usually takes a long time to do, but that segment took one take. The one at WrestleMania 2000 had a lot of color. Those are my two favorites."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on working with Steve Blackman?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was one of the funniest guys in the locker room. I wish he could have transferred that on to the TV because generally Steve Blackman is a real funny bastard."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was it like teaming with Hardcore Holly to defeat The Rock and Mankind for the WWE Tag Team Championship on October 18th, 1999 on WWE Raw?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Hardcore Holly taught me so much. He taught me the in and outs of the company. I have never been a mark to win the title. I have always been the mark that gets the opponent, angle, or whatever else over me. If I have the attitude of getting someone over, then you will have the attitude to get yourself over, and winning the titles wasn't the most important thing to me. It was more about getting to run with the ball and if you can run with that ball."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you regret most from your run with WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Not getting the chance to work with Matt Hardy and Shannon Moore. I think we're the only three men in wrestling to never do a six man, and whatever Vince McMahon says goes. It is really frustrating for me, Matt Hardy, and Shannon Moore that we never got our feet off the ground because I know it would have worked."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think Paul Heyman did a good job as head booker of WWE Smackdown?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am not at the booking meetings. I can't tell you what influence Paul did or didn't have. If you look at the show now, and you look at the show when Paul Heyman was writing certain segments, but I think it's a shame that someone like Paul Heyman or Tommy Dreamer isn't used in better fashion."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think HHH has extra political power because he is dating Stephanie McMahon?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I will point out the obvious. If my wife worked for that company and my wife was the boss's daughter, I think I would still work for WWE. I think she did come out on Howard Stern and admitted they were item of sorts. That is painfully obvious, because if that is your boyfriend, he's going to be in the inside and have a say so. The wrestling business doesn't work as far as how talented you are. There are a lot of the boys bitching about HHH's position, but if you put most of the boys in his position they would probably do the same thing. If you don't like it find something else to do. That is just the nature of the business."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the incident with Hardcore Holly where he beat up a WWE Tough Enough 3 contestant Matt?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Matt better go get a box of tissues and wipe those damn tears. Hardcore Holly has beat me up more then anyone else, and every time Hardcore Holly beat my ass, I went into the back and shook his hand. That's how you earn respect in the wrestling business. You don't sit there and cry. This is a man sport, and if you can't take an ass whooping from Hardcore Holly then get out the door"</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on working with NWATNA?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"You walk into WWE week by week, and it is very frustrating when the creative says we just don't know what to do with the guy. I just think it's funny that when I am in NWATNA the first two weeks, they know what to do with me. If someone like WWE doesn't want to have anything to do with me, then I still have a lot to offer the wrestling business. I am very happy to work for NWATNA, and show what I can do."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is it like working with Vince Russo in NWATNA?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I love Vince Russo. I get along with Vince Russo. He was the person who came up with the name Crash Holly. Vince Russo came up with the idea that he was gonna make Hardcore Holly a cousin. Vince Russo had the original concept, but he was only there a few weeks. After that I came up with most of my stuff."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why do you think the wrestling business is in a decline?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It all begins with your writing. That is how the business has drawn money, and that is how the business will continue to draw money when you have good storylines, characters, and you are hooking people in. I don't care if there is one big company. You need to write wrestling storylines on a weekly basis and get people hooked in. That is when the people will tune in."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am looking very forward to working with NWATNA because it has made wrestling fun again."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Another Interview with Roddy Piper</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3a018fb0.jpg" border=0 width="280" height="251" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Roddy Piper went back to the WWE for one more run at WrestleMania 19 when he interfered in the Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon match as Piper's Pit was alive one more time, and became one of the most important roles on WWE Smackdown next to Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan as always. Now after being released, Roddy Piper has new projects in store for his future.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I feel great. I am honored because there is not many people who have me back twice. I feel pretty good. On a personal note, my second oldest child is in Italy right now, she got a 4.0, and is an honor student, and she is now going to UCLA. So for a professional wrestling lacking education, it's a pretty proud moment for her dad."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The comments you made on the HBO special about wrestlers involved with drugs and deaths included admitting that you took drugs. Do you think this was the main reason you were released from WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't think it had a thing to do with it. No. Not at all. In my book </B><B>In the Pit with Piper</B><B>, the wrestling fan received 80,000 words. If you read between the lines </B><B>In the Pit with Piper,</B><B> you would have known that I went through a spell under the lifestyle of a professional wrestler. What you're referring to on HBO as far as using drugs, it's a little misleading. The fellow by the name of Armen Keteyian was the guy who interviewed me, and the interview was about two hours, and then they asked if they could interview me with my family, and that took two and a half hours. During the interview we talked about a players association, and Armen Keteyian generally asked, 'What did Dr. Zahorian have and where?' Well, it was Hershey, Pennsylvania, and there was this doctor who was prescribing drugs, and 30 minutes later Armen Keteyian in the same interview said, 'Roddy, you lived like this for 20 years?' Yeah I did. I didn't take every one of those drugs because he had asked me about what prescriptions or drugs he had. I have been arguably in this sport for more then 30 years, and no one knows including me, but as the interview was played they showed nothing of my family. What I did with HBO Real Sports Brian Gumble and Armen Keteyian was that they had been after me since January, and I kept pushing it off as I didn't want to do the interview. They were interested in doing a story on chapter 12 in my book which was the sickness, and I admitted that yes that was 12 years ago, and all the drugs they named I wasn't taking, but on the other hand I was in court. You can look up the transcript, and see what I was and wasn't doing. I wouldn't do the interview unless I had my team there, so I had the B roll of all the footage. You have HBO Real Sports here who is trying to do a piece with the deaths of professional wrestlers that I have been speaking of, and with you in our first interview I believe what I thought of what Vince McMahon was doing. We bring me ahead to the first appearance on WWE Smackdown, and I ended it with I hate you too Vince McMahon. It was pretty much in your face, what I was saying all along, and what is in the book. When you see Vince McMahon slapping the paper out of Armen Keteyian's hand, this is Vince McMahon losing his temper. I think it came down to why I was terminated was that it was about who can handle the pressure, and who was the best stickman in the world, and it's not Vince McMahon. I just think I made a multi-millionaire angry, and this multi-millionaire decided that he didn't want to be bothered handling Roddy Piper. Every time we came in the ring to do The Piper's Pits, it became more Mr. McMahon, and the quality of them was decreasing. It was a way out for him not having to deal with somebody he couldn't control."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>So your response is that you came off better then Vince McMahon did on the HBO Real Sports special, and with that Vince McMahon fired you because of that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Exactly."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was the exact statement you were given from WWE as far as your release goes?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I saw it like everyone else saw it when WWE put it on the internet, and I have not spoken to anyone from WWE at this point when I am speaking to you Chris. They put up this statement, and they referred to the HBO special which we just talked about as a reference point. From 1971 to 1991 if your talking about a drug use, this is 2003, and that is irrelevant. I believe that self destructive was in the statement, and I had in my hand the booking dates with Piper's Pit with Vince McMahon in house show venues for August, and I had received a three month working visa for Japan as I was schedule to go over there too. There were no contract disputes at all, everything was settled. I was in the Hotel in Newark at Madison Square Garden the same night the HBO special aired. Ironically Hulk Hogan took his mask off and quit, and I found via this statement the next day of self destructive behavior, and I wasn't wrestling as I was only doing Piper's Pits, but via many lawyers, we know there was no contractual disagreements as it was already done. I have not done any drugs since I was in that darn court with Dr. Zahorian which was 1991, and yes sir it is his ego, and in a little defense of Vince McMahon, he has taken it upon himself as far as keeping sports entertainment running, and it's very hard for one man to run the sport as we see from week to week on the show."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why did you decide to go back to WWE, and do the run in at WrestleMania 19 in the Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon match?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was on The Best Damn Sports Show, and I knew that Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan were going to wrestle each other, and I said Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan have been living next door to each other their whole life, and put me in the middle as referee and I will have them kill each other, and that is what started the balling running. The reason I came into the ring not as referee was that they were going to come back after WrestleMania 19, and this might have been the lowest WrestleMania they ever had, and the fact I would make a surprise appearance and come back and do a match on the pay perview would make more sense and to a point that is correct."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were your thoughts on the creative direction of WWE Smackdown, and your thoughts on how Piper's Pit came across?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The first Piper's Pit I call free falling, and I don't write them or construct them in that matter. I felt really good as I believe it got the highest share for that segment in the history of that show, and from there on I believe that Vince McMahon tried to become Roddy Piper having Piper's pit and here comes Mr. McMahon. I did a taped interview and I said Vince McMahon, Jr. and they bleeped out the Junior. The next week I come out and introduce Vince McMahon, and he said, 'After all, who better knows a big American success story than Vincent Kennedy McMahon.' When I would said something on Piper's Pit, the next week it was compensated for. There was a young fellow by the name of Zack Gowen, and he asked if I would pull this kid's leg off. I went to Zack Gowen and found out he was a baseball player, lost his leg to cancer, and he had been in a wrestling camp, and could do these maneuvers quite well. Once I looked at in the way it was his dream to be a professional wrestler, I knew that he needed some propelling to get to that main event slot, and there is no other way he would have got there. What are you going to do? Put Zack Gowen against The Big Show, and it's going to draw money? No. I am going to help this kid get a lift up, and that was that, but if you look at it from that point, and how much Zack Gowen wanted to be a professional wrestler, but if you look at the picture for the WWE that's not a nice way of a killing a top commodity off or putting a mask over a famous wrestler like Hulk Hogan as Mr. America. One of the most stupidest times when I was in the ring was saying that you're not Mr. America, you're Hulk Hogan. The idea was with the way things were structured by Vince McMahon on Piper's Pit, he was trying to kill my heat and step in as the host. At WrestleMania 19, he made himself the main event, and now he wants to be in front of the camera, and he picks Hulk Hogan to wrestle him, and he picks Roddy Piper to come down who got a bigger ovation then both of them, and Vince McMahon got over his head."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think there is too much Mcmahon's in the major storylines on WWE Smackdown?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes...Yes...Yes. Next question."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On May 18, 2003 WWE Judgement Day 2003 you were defeated by Mr. America aka Hulk Hogan. In your biography, you talked at length on why you refused to lose to Hogan, what changed your mind this time around?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 1 was a totally different story. I was fighting for my family and he was fighting for his. My job as I saw it was to help out young guys, and to get my business back on track that is professional wrestling. I believe that it was off track, and there are only a few people who can put it on track. I was open and honest, and if that worked for the fans, and at my point in my career, I owed it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Were you surprised to see Hulk Hogan leave the WWE because he was not happy with his creative direction?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Surprise? Yes. The most ironic thing is that for different reasons our time with WWE ended for different reasons, and me and Hulk Hogan became pretty close towards the end, and that day in Madison Square Garden was the last day for Hulk Hogan who took his mask off after the cameras went off and said good bye. It is kind of ironic, but I don't know if it's coincidental or not."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you think Sean O'Haire lost out when you were let go?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The creative team in WWE didn't understand on how to get someone like that over. Sean O'Haire is one hell of a guy, and he can speak for himself, and he doesn't need Roddy Piper. I think the WWE did a tremendous disservice by putting him with Roddy Piper. Let them go out and do what they need to do because I can only tell you how Roddy Piper can draw money. I wish him nothing but the best." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why do you think WWE never gave you the WWE World Heavyweight Championship?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I didn't need one. Only people who can't draw money need belts. The only thing I need is a great opponent."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You're going to be starring in a movie with Janet Jackson real soon, am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. The filming starts September 2nd, and it has Janet Jackson, Christopher Walken, and Emilio Estevez, so I am going to be doing that movie."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what is in store for your future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"As we wind this up, you Chris are doing a great job. I wish you all the luck in the world, and for the listeners and readers watching you, you are very respectful, and have all my respect from that. UPW is going to be a ball, and at the end of this seven day camp, the top ten guys have to go into this battle royal on a real deal card, and that is going to be the best entertainment for me. It's going to be a very tough camp, but a sincere honest one. I would like to do animated voices. I think that would be a blast. I am a big kid fan. I am going to do entertainment in various ways."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dutch Mantell Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="39bdcef0.gif" border=0 width="220" height="239" ALT="Bitmap Image" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dutch Mantell is probably as old school as you are going to get in the wrestling business as far as today's standards go, but he is still going as a behind the scenes creative head and booker for IWA Puerto Rico's TV show and events as well. He is remembered most for his days in the wrestling territories especially Memphis with his feuds with Jerry Lawler, and has had so much influence on careers of The Undertaker and Steve Austin just to name a few.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am ok."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>As the creative head behind IWA Puerto Rico, it is good to hear that your TV ratings are still very high every week. What has the experience been like booking and producing a TV show in Puerto Rico?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, it's different. If you go back 10 or 20 years in the territories they would have TV for an hour a week. The tradition here even going back to the first company, is that there is TV for at least and hour and a half, but now today it is two hours. Both companies today have two hours Saturday and two hours Sunday which makes it four hours a week, and if you multiply it by 52 times four that's 208 hours a year. That is a lot of TV, and you can have wrestling for hours a week, but the key comes in if you can have quality wrestling to fill those hours, and if you don't have that you really have a bad product. What we try to do here at IWA, is that if we put out something from the booking of the match to the execution of the match to the production of the match where it goes on tape for the viewer to see is three stages we have to take care of. That's one reason our ratings are so good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why did you leave the WWC for IWA Puerto Rico?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Everybody leaves them. It is a 30 year-old company now that has seen it's better days. I am not going to say anything bad about them, but it is money problems. They are late on money, late on business, and all that. It is a company that didn't change, but you can see today their beliefs have almost left them to their demise. I don't think they have changed with the times. When the people in Puerto Rico had a choice they hopped to IWA Puerto Rico. I wrestled for WWC and had a lot of matches. I started to first come to Puerto Rico in 1979, and I was one of the first to come here, and to me it was the best kept secret in the world, and I made a lot of money. The thing about Puerto Rico is that you can come down here in the wintertime when everyone is freezing up in the North in January and it will be 80 or 90 degrees and it's great. I have a soft spot for Puerto Rico, and I have done well here too."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Please elaborate on your experiences with the WWE of late as far as a possible job on their creative team and everything else.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They put out a press release that I was rejected for a writing position, and I was wondering how can you be rejected when you have never applied? I stay in contact with Bradshaw, and he said to me, 'Why don't you think about coming here?' I told him I don't know. He said, 'Why don't you send me a resume, and I will put your name in there and see what happens.' He said something to them, and they called me. The girl who called me up was Jennifer, and she works in Stephanie McMahon's office, and she didn't even know who I was, didn't care who I was, but she wanted me to submit two sample storylines, and sign a form that if they were good and they wanted to use them that I wouldn't get any compensation for it. I said to myself that if I have to audition the hell with it. In the older days you never had to do that anyways, and it was a closed community where this guy is good at this or this guy is good at that. They now have people who don't know what they are looking for. They have writers that are 25 or 26 years old that have probably never written anywhere else or they might have written an interview column. I don't like the term writing because it's creating and booking. I don't think they know the difference, and that's why WWE is in the position they're in. Vince McMahon years ago raided all the territories, and got the top talent from every territory. He ended up with an all-star team, and when the all-star team got too old to wrestle anymore, all the other territories had died because he killed off his own talent bank. He is trying to run today with guys you have never heard of, and they try to find their way through the developmental system, and when they got on TV no one knows who they are. Vince McMahon is having trouble creating new talent, and he doesn't know what to do, and hell I don't know what to do either to tell you the truth."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the death of Bruiser Broody?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Nobody liked it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was it like to book the Memphis wrestling territory for a few months then someone take over with fresh ideas?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, a new booker wouldn't come in every few months. It was Jerry Jarret for many years, and at times Jerry Jarret was brilliant. Jerry Lawler sometimes was brilliant. The arrows were different in those days, but when a new booker came in it was good. I wasn't there when the new bookers came in. The booking usually went between a couple of people that went between Jerry Jarret, Jerry Lawler, and Bill Dundee, and then I had it a few times. Nothing really did change that much, and it wasn't that bad."  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Who do you think the best booker you ever met was?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Jerry Jarret was one of them. Eddie Graham was one of them. Tom Arnesto was one of them. A lot of people might not agree with me, but Dusty Rhodes had brilliant ideas at times, and regardless of what they did in the match they made money. It was exciting to work with those guys because if you hit the ring and those people were hot you were doing your job right, and you were looking for a hot crowd, and they all did it. Those were the smartest bookers I was around. I learned a lot watching those guys."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your feuds with Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee in the Memphis wrestling territory.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Jerry Lawler is a tremendous performer and very professional. We booked a match one time, and I think had the southern title and he went for it. We went to Mid South and sold out just by booking the match, and we went to Louisville, Kentucky and sold out, Nashville, Tennessee and sold out. In Memphis at one time, we would draw like a 20 rating, and Jerry Lawler was doing better then network shows at the time. You had to be in shape to work with Bill Dundee, and he might in the ring, under the ring, or over the ring. One thing I remember about Bill Dundee is that we had a scaffold match and I am afraid of heights, and Bill Dundee came from a circus family so he liked heights. When he got there 15 feet over the ring he enjoyed it, and he was so high in the Mid South Coliseum he could look straight over at the highest deck. I would never do that match now, and it was like the first one who falls off 15 to 20 feet in the air loses the match, and today I would never do that again because you know who had to come off of it. You didn't see Bill Dundee coming off of it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your memories of Eddie Gilbert?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Tremendous talent. I think about that guy a lot, and I really wish Eddie was still alive so he could see all this. I think Eddie Gilbert loved the wrestling business too much if that is possible. He slept, breathed, ate, and lived wrestling 24 hours a day, and I wouldn't want to do that. It really affected his life, but he was a tremendous talent and a brilliant mind. I think a couple of his marriages messed up, and I believe he was 32 years old when he died. Eddie was a good friend of mine, and I really enjoyed being around him a lot. I was sad when he past way. I brought him here to Puerto Rico back in 1994, and no one else at the time would book Eddie Gilbert, but I would. I guess he stayed about six, seven, or eight months. He just left one day, and he didn't leave me a note, but that is what I expected. I was getting ready to leave to go the WWE, and it was December 1994, and I called Eddie and told him there was a position open to book if he wanted it to call the office. He did call the office, and when I left he took over, and I read that five weeks later Eddie Gilbert had died. I was very sad after that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On March 26th, 1978 you defeated Randy Savage for the Mid American Heavyweight Championship. What was it like to wrestle Randy Savage back in his early days, and did you see his talent?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was tremendous. He was a mad man. The Macho Man is not a gimmick, it is basically what you see is what you get. I came into Nashville, Tennessee, and I started wrestling Randy Savage, and Nashville, Tennessee in those days it was run by Nick Gulas who was a penny pincher, but he always paid me. I had no problems with him. It was a place for like either younger talent or bone yard talent or talent who was like older. They weren't used to the hardcore lay them down pick them kinda match, and that is what I and Randy Savage started giving them. We would go 30, 40, or 50 minutes or sometimes an hour. The people had never seen that before, and when I went in there it was around January and it was cold, but six weeks later people started coming to the matches. It was a pleasure to work that guy, and he finally ended up in WWE as the Macho Man, and to me he was a good guy. I always liked Randy a lot."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on managing Sting and The Ultimate Warrior as the tag team The Bladerunners back in the Memphis territory in their early days, and what are your thoughts on both of them?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, they just came in one day, and I don't even know what they were calling themselves in those days. I just watched Bladerunners on TV, and in those days you could takes names from TV or whatever. I saw a lot more talent in Sting then I did the Ultimate Warrior. The Ultimate Warrior had the better body, but Sting had more of what he wanted to project. They didn't stay around long, but Memphis was one of those places you would stop on your way to WWE because where nobody else would book them, Memphis would book them. I think both of them ended up going to Bill Watt's territory, and Ultimate Warrior went to WWE, and Sting went to Atlanta, Georgia, but Sting went to Atlanta, Georgia when Bill Watts went to Atlanta, Georgia."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You actually had early conversations with Steve Austin in the Memphis territory where you were booking at the time when his wrestling wasn't that great. Tell me about your experiences with Steve Austin in his early days of wrestling, and what you taught him.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It wasn't that great? It was the shit. Somebody told me that this guy was coming in from Dallas, Texas, and this guy shows up and his name is Steve Williams. I walked up to him and asked what's your name, and he said, 'Steve Williams.' I said you can't be Steve Williams here. He said, 'Why not?' Because we already have a Steve Williams. He said, 'What do you mean? Dr. Death Steve Williams?' I said you can't have two Steve Williams. I told him to think of a name, and I would come back. I then came back, and I asked if he thought of a name, and he hadn't so I said 'Tonight you're going to be Steve Austin', and he said, 'Like the six million dollar man?' I said more like the six-dollar man. He became Steve Austin right then. After the match he came back and said, 'What you like about it?' I told him it would be easier to tell him what I didn't like about it. I told him it was horrible. I told him whatever match is in the ring, sit there and grab a chair and watch the matches, but to his credit he did watch the matches and he learned. He is a good guy too. Anybody who gets in this business you want to have to do it, and wrestling is a hard business. I think if I had to do it over again I wouldn't even mess with wrestling."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on your days in the Florida Wrestling Territory?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"All territories are different. Florida is good. It was a good place to go as it was good in the winter. Eddie Graham had a tremendous mind for the business, and kinda long trips, but Florida in those days was one of the best places to wrestle for me." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Bill Watts and the UWF territory?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Long trips. If you want to compare the territories of Florida and the UWF, I would take Florida seven times out of seven. Florida was a big state, but compared to the UWF it was like a day off to wrestling Florida. Sometimes you would go to Louisiana, and then the next day you would be Tulsa, Oklahoma, but that is like 600 or 700 miles. It is unbelievable, and I stayed there six months and couldn't take it anymore. I told Bill Watts that I couldn't handle it. The money wasn't that good, but he drew big houses. He took in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and part of Arkansas. He was all over the place, but he made big time money."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was it like to do commentating for Smoky Mountain Wrestling with Jim Cornette as the promoter?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was good. I like Jim Cornette. He has another very good head for this business. I mostly did the commentary up there, and we would do it every Wednesday, and it would be in some backyard up there in Kentucky. It would be so back in these hills you would have to pike sunshine on the place. Sometimes he would put as many in that building as it would hold, and if it held 1000 people he would have 1100 people in there, and we would do TV for that week."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your run with WCW, and what are your thoughts on how the company was run while you were there?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was there in the early days. I don't know who was doing it, but it was my first experience with a company that didn't know what they were doing. We would go to these places, and it didn't matter how much you drew because your money was going to be the same anyway. In the early days you didn't have that kinda deal, and you had to earn your money. There was no incentive in WCW to get the crowds better, whether there was 10 people or 10,000 people there you were going to make the same. You could have shot off a shotgun in the place and not hit anybody, and I saw a lot of places like that. I remember going to a place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it was so empty it was pathetic. It was just a huge building, and nobody was there, and nobody cared because money was coming in. We did a two-hour show, and everyone was out the door. If WCW would have been a private enterprise, it would have closed 10 years earlier before it closed because private enterprises would have cut those losses, but since it was on TBS they were making money so they left it on TV I guess. They weren't making any money off the house shows."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>While you were in WCW you spend sometime on the road with Mark Callaway better known as The Undertaker including different experiences with cops while on the road. What are your thoughts on the Undertaker fully, and did you expect him to go as far as he has?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I knew he would go a lot farther then what he was going. You got a guy who is 6'10 and a tremendous athlete, and Vince McMahon wanted those big guys. The difference between The Undertaker and The Ultimate Warrior being an athlete was that The Undertaker far exceeded The Ultimate Warrior as an athlete. The Undertaker is probably the best athlete I have ever seen in the wrestling business. He is highly coordinated and a great athlete. He had speed and endurance, and he had one great thing that all good athletes have which is balance. The Undertaker always had great balance. You see all these tall guys are clumsy, but he was never that way. I always know he would go farther then what he did."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Paul Heyman, including being the worst driver ever?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That is probably my main experience with Paul. I remember that we were in Chicago, Illinois, and we were going to make some town in Indiana. I asked Paul where the town was, and he said,  'I don't know, but it is a two hour drive.' The Undertaker was with us, and I asked, what time are we leaving?, and he said, 'I don't know.' We left at 1:00pm or 2:00pm I guess, and I looked at the map the town was 300 miles. Were supposed to be there like at 3:00pm if the show starts at 4:00pm, and he drove that car like a bat of hell. To go 80 or 90 miles on the interstate is one thing, but to go 80 to 90 miles on a two lane in Indiana is crazy. We got stopped by some cop in some town, and he got out talking and got out of the ticket. When the guy stopped us, I was like thank you there is a God, and they let him go. He said, 'The cop just said I need to slow down.', and after that we took off again. The Undertaker in the back slept the whole way, and didn't remember one minute of it. I thought he was going to kill me, but when I got to the town we had a double shot, and had to go to Cincinnati, Ohio, and I told him I would find another way to Cincinnati, Ohio, and never rode with Paul Heyman again. He thought the drive was so funny, and I didn't find it to humorous."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Jake Roberts?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He is very talented at times. I am not going to say anything bad about Jake. Jake Roberts is a good guy, and when he is Jake he is great, and when he gets in other conditions he is not great. Jake Roberts had a very brilliant mind for this wrestling business. He has that very mesmerizing voice. He is a very persuasive personality. The story is about the whole Beyond The Mat movie."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were offered to be in the Beyond The Mat movie right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. I was in some casino show for USWA when they were running in casinos. Larry Burton who was a total piece of shit wanted to introduce me to this Barry Blaudstein guy who is a movie director, and I told Larry Burton that he shouldn't be here. He should be in Hollywood directing movies or something. I met the guy and he said, ' I am going to do a documentary on wrestling, and Ron Howard is going to be involved in some way, and would you like to be it?' I asked him, 'and do what?' He said, 'We will just follow you around.' I asked him 'what does it pay?' He said, 'It doesn't pay anything as it's a documentary.' I told him that 'you're going to follow me around for a week, and not pay me anything?' He said,' Well, its going to be on TBS or something.' After I went and saw the movie I was glad I wasn't in it, and once someone puts something on tape you can't go back. I told my friends who wanted me to go see it with them that I didn't want to see that movie, and I have seen that shit, and I didn't want to go to a movie theater and relive it. I saw it finally maybe a year or two later. It is a very depressing black movie.  He found out he could make money, and he took it promotional. I am glad I stayed clear of that movie."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"A lot of people try to run another company against the WWC, and they always ran out of money. WWC kinda blew me off like I didn't know what I was talking about after I made that company a ton of money, but after I quit WWC I called IWA Puerto Rico, and they said they needed me and let's go. I took the same talent and marketed it the same kind of way and the rest is history. We have done as high as a 17.8 rating. This is probably the last wrestling territory in the world. I think wrestling is harder today then 20 years ago because fans know too much."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Bruno Sammartino Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="38ec8b60.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="182" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He is without a doubt wrestling's living legend today. Bruno Sammartino sure has achieved everything you would want to as a two time WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. But more importantly he is living well, and still working out while being 67. I had the opportunity to speak to Bruno in a very long biographical interview of his entire career.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am happy to say I am doing great. I just went through some major back surgeries, but everything went well, and I am back doing to pumping iron, so everything went well, and everything is doing well."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the WWE and the wrestling business in general today?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think I have made my point pretty strong. I am not sure, but I bet you or some other people saw me on the Phil Donahue show or Larry King Live with Vince McMahon, but my point is that I have been on many shows speaking about the changes in wrestling since I left, and frankly I am not a fan of it at all. I am very disappointed in the direction that they took wrestling with the nudity, vulgarity, and profanity. It was very upsetting to me to be perfectly honest, and the worries to do, all the deaths that are drug related, and then again it's very sad to watch the business I was in for 23 years come down to where it has."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon Jr., as far as where he has taken the wrestling business, and you also had your chance to work with Vince McMahon Jr., as a color commentator? How different is he from Vince McMahon, Sr.?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, Vince McMahon Sr., to be perfectly honest, there were times when him and me didn't agree on things. I was very anti gimmick, and to a certain degree he preferred some of it, but I wouldn't even compare him to his son. I don't think so. I did some color commentating to Vince McMahon, Jr. from 1978 to 1981, and we worked well as a color commentating team, but it was the old style wrestling. I retired in 1981, and then Vince McMahon, Jr. called me to come back after his father passed away, but I came back and saw all these changes, and told him I just didn't care for it, and it was time for me to move on."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On May 17th, 1963 you defeated Buddy Rogers in 47 seconds to become the WWWF World Heavyweight Champion at Madison Square Garden. What are your thoughts on that night?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, that was quite a night. The place was sold out, but back when they called it the felt forum. it was sold out downstairs and held another 4,500 people. That night was great for me because for the first year or two I had been kinda struggling, but then I went to Canada for a year and a half and did well. When I was offered the chance at Madison Square Garden, two things came to mind: first, how the crowd received me, but also a little bit of nervousness, and I was a little concerned about that because I didn't know if the fans would accept me. As time went on I got more and more confidence and the arenas doing well. I had come from being born in Europe and knowing nothing but misery, hunger, and pain, and all of the sudden I am the top gun over here. I sometimes wondered if I had dreamed it all. It was great."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Wrestling promoters Toots Mondt and Vince McMahon, Sr. literally dragged Buddy Rogers out of his hospital bed, took him to the garden, put the new belt around his waist, and sent him to the ring for the quick pin by you. Do you think that was fair to Buddy Rogers, and even possibly disrespectful to the wrestling business that a man with a heart condition was dragged out of his bed by the promoters to lose a title to you, and could not have been done at a later date?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"There is not one ounce of truth in that. This was Buddy Rogers after losing the belt who made these claims in a couple appearances that he made. Let me tell you a little story that happened here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I used to come home from Toronto, Canada twice a month every Sunday because we would be at the Maple Leaf Garden shows every other Sunday. They had a show at the Civic Arena, but those were the days of the Buddy Rogers era, and Vince McMahon Sr. was trying to get me to come back because he saw my success in Canada. I told him that the only way I would come back is if he put me in the ring with Buddy Rogers for the title. I was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in that territory, and Vince McMahon, Sr. was near bankruptcy because that was how poorly this place was doing. Pittsburgh has a new arena, which was the Civic Arena that held 19,000 people, and Buddy Rogers came in with a big cigar strutting around, and by the time it was 8:00pm he went to look at the audience, and the place was empty. I don't think there were 1,500 people in the joint. Buddy Rogers was a funny guy, and he thought he wasn't going to wrestle under these conditions, and back then we didn't have contracts like today, but more or less we strictly got paid on the gate. When Buddy Rogers saw the attendance he wanted to get out of there, and he told the doctor he felt a funny pain on his chest, and then when the doctor heard that he called Paul Sullivan who was the head of the state athletic commission, and the doctor who was at every show said to Paul Sullivan, 'I am checking Buddy Rogers blood pressure and I am listening to his chest and everything sounds ok, but he claims that he has a pain in his chest. I don't know if I should allow him to go in the ring.' When Pat Sullivan heard that he immediately stopped Buddy Rogers from going to the ring, but he also informed all the state athletic commissions that he was revoking his license until they found out if in fact there was a problem. When Vince McMahon, Sr. and Totts Mondt heard about this of course they got him to come to Washington, DC, and they put him in a famous hospital over there. Buddy Rogers was examined and re-examined, and they couldn't find a thing wrong with him, and then after that his license was reinstated. If you remember two weeks before the Madison Square Garden show I wrestled him on TV in Washington, DC that was live TV that went to New York. Buddy Rogers was wrestling every day, and he was not in a hospital. To renew your wrestling license every single year you had to go before the state athletic commission, and get a long physical exam, and I knew guys who couldn't wrestle for reason or another, and they wouldn't renew their license."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Lou Thesz in his book Hooker said about you, 'In fact, he was a very limited performer with almost no wrestling knowledge; his in ring product was limited pretty much to strength moves and brawling. He never became a star outside of his territory, but within this area, he was the absolute king, the "Living Legend," as he was called, and his success had a lot to do with incredible personal charisma.' What are your thoughts on that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I always liked Lou Thesz. I wrestled him in Toronto, Canada where we wrestled for one hour. When I first came to this country the school that I went do didn't have wrestling, but one of my friends was friends with the coach at the University of Pittsburgh. I used to walk from Shemi High School to the Pittsburgh Field House at the University of Pittsburgh where the Pittsburgh wrestlers trained. I worked out with the Pittsburgh wrestlers for four years, and then after that I was offered a scholarship for wrestling, but it was going to a year to year scholarship where I had to prove myself wrestling wise and academically. I wasn't concerned wrestling wise because I was doing well, but academically I was concerned because I couldn't speak a word of English when I came to this country. It wasn't a piece of cake for me going through high school with learning the language, reading, and so forth. I was barely a C student. I remember some of the Pittsburgh wrestlers would complain that they would be up at 4:00am, and I thought if it was hard for these guys, then what would my chance be to make it when I was struggling in high school? My father at the same time knew an Italian contractor, and my dad thought that learning a trade was the greatest thing in the world. This guy told my dad that he could me in to the carpenters union because that was the easiest union to get into, and he could get me in as an apprentice. After wrestling with all this for a while I decided to go in carpentry, and while I was doing construction I still went up and wrestled at Pittsburgh. That is Lou Thesz's opinion and that is fine, but I wonder how he came to determine that because there are other wrestlers who might tell you differently. I just don't know where he got those opinions, but when I wrestled Lou Thesz I thought I had a good match with him. I think anyone whoever wrestled me would tell you I was in great shape in the ring. I guess I would answer by saying I fully respect but disagree with Lou Thesz on his thoughts there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In 1965 you were supposed to have a title versus title match with Lou Thesz that never happened at Madison Square Garden, and it would have unified two of the three important existing titles, and made important money for everyone involved if it would have occurred. It would have also been featured on closed circuit TV, and you would have been the planned winner. What are your thoughts on the match that never happened?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It never happened because of me. They didn't let me in on such plans that were made a Vince McMahon, Sr., Totts Mondt, Sam Muchnick, and others were meeting. I really am not sure who was there. I know that Lou Thesz was in one or two of those meetings. I was never in any meeting, and nothing was discussed with me. Phil Zacko who was a friend of mine told Vince McMahon, Sr. and Totts Mondt to talk to me, and see what I thought about it because I found out later that Sam Muchnick the head of the NWA was demanding 17 days out of the month for the champion to use to book on their shows. Vince McMahon Sr. thought there were too many major clubs in the Northeast, and wanted to have to have the champion for at least 18 days a week. The big problem was the days as far as who was going to get what days. I called a meeting together with Toots Mondt, Vince McMahon Sr, and Phil Zacko, and I said, 'I know you have been having this meeting about the unification of the titles, but let me make one thing perfectly clear, I don't care who gets how many days, but remember I am on the road all the time, and I do have a wife and a kid. I want all four Sundays in the month off, and my parents are getting old, and I need to go home and be with my family.' That took care of everything. I know that Totts Mondt was never crazy about the idea. He told he was against it because we were doing so great at the time, and it was the NWA who wanted to do this because they weren't doing so great. Vince McMahon, Sr. told Sam Muchnick that they wanted the champion for 18 days, but the least they could do was 16, and Sam Muchnick wasn't going for 10 days since I already requested not to work the four Sundays of the month, and that is what killed the deal."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>NWA head promoter Sam Muchnick could have easily forced Lou Thesz into this match, but if he did Lou Thesz says in his book, 'It only means I'll do what you order me to do. I'll take the match. But I won't lose. It will be a contest, and I'll simply go out there and beat him. If you want to order me to this match to take this match with Bruno Sammartino, then I'll have to do it. What I'm telling you, though, is I plan to beat him. You know and Vince McMahon, Sr. and Toots Mondt know and I'm sure Bruno Sammartino knows I can do it, too.' What are your thoughts on all of that, and as far as if that match would have happened, and Lou Thesz would have done a real contest with you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have never heard that, but I do believe you. My answer would have been very simple. If that is how he felt, then let him do what he says he is going to do. I am willing to go in there, and see if he is right or wrong as far as what he says he is going to do."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Toots Mondt and Vince McMahon, Sr. as the wrestling promoters for the New York office?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"In the beginning it was a bad experience, but when I became champion it was ok. There were a lot of things we didn't agree with, but it was ok. I don't want to make it sound like it was terrible because it wasn't."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On January 18th, 1971 you were defeated by Ivan Koloff and lost the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship, which was a title you held for eight years. Do you think people were surprised when you dropped the title that night?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They weren't surprised. They were in total shock. I thought something was wrong with me because when Ivan Koloff came off the top rope with his knee across my throat he did land pretty hard, and I thought that something happened to my hearing because if Ivan Koloff was the villain, I expected boos, and I couldn't hear a single thing. Arnold Skaaland came over to help me up, and I said, 'Arnold. Something is wrong with my ears.' Then he said something to me and I heard him well. As I was walking back to the dressing room a lot of people were literally crying saying that they still loved me, and that made me feel awful. It made me feel bad that those fans felt sad. I was looking ahead because when I lost the title it would give me time to go home and recuperate. They had me going seven days a week and I was hurting. Anyone who knows me knows that I would never take an aspirin or pain killer in my life, and I was really hurting as I needed time for myself to heal my body. I didn't not expect to the fans to be upset like they were."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On December 10th, 1973 you won the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship one more time with a victory over Stan Stasiak in Madison Square Garden. What are your thoughts on that night?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I didn't want any part of it. This had been going on for quite a while. After losing the belt to Ivan Koloff, I really started to love the business again because Sam Muchnick would call me to come to St. Louis, and I wouldn't accept any other matches for that week. I teamed up Dick The Bruiser in the Midwest, and we would go to Chicago, Illinois, Indianapolis, Indiana, and I would take those two days with him, and nothing else. I would go to Japan for ten days, and then I wouldn't take any bookings for ten days after I got back. At times my body felt good and I loved the business, but when Vince McMahon, Sr. approached me about taking that position again that I wanted no part of, and Vince McMahon, Sr. said, 'All I am asking for is one year so we can get someone really ready to take over that position.' I told Vince McMahon, Sr. one year, but one year went to two, and they were still searching, and two went to three, and then I broke my neck in a match with Stan Hansen. I then told Vince McMahon, Sr. that if he didn't get someone real quick that I was retiring. In 1977 Superstar Billy Graham came into the picture."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On April 26th, 1976 you lost to Stan Hansen in a match where he ended up breaking your neck in Madison Square Garden. What are your thoughts on that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was kinda frightening. If I remember right then sixth and seventh cervical vertebras were damaged, and I came within a millimeter of being paralyzed from the neck down. That was a very frightening situation, and to make things worse while I am in the hospital, Vince McMahon, Sr. got involved in the match between Antonio Inoki and Muhammad Ali. I was supposed to be in that match with Muhammad Ali, but Vince McMahon, Sr. couldn't raise the six million dollars, and the Japanese sure did so that's how it ended being Antonio Inoki. That match was a box office disaster. Vince McMahon, Sr. at this time had committed so much to the Northeast as well.  Vince McMahon, Sr. contacted me in the hospital and said, 'If I don't make the match between you and Stan Hansen, we will be going into bankruptcy.' I said, 'How can I do that when I have this gadget on my head?' He said, 'The match is three months away, and by that time you will be a lot better.' After I left the hospital and went home he called me and said, 'You don't have to do anything. We will make the match real short, and it will save the company. Without this match the company is going to go under.' The closed circuits made great business on the match, but everywhere else worldwide they died with that match."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On April 30th, 1977 in Baltimore, Maryland you lost the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship to Superstar Billy Graham. What were your thoughts on that match as it ended your last run as the world champion?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was glad because I didn't want part of one year much less four years. Some people thought I retired, but I never retired like people thought the first time. I just wanted to go at my pace, and I wanted to choose where I wanted to go in the territories. I went where I wanted to go at my own pace, and now I was going to the same thing here. But then came 1980 when my neck went was bothering me, and I was having some back problems for quite some time. I stayed around long enough in 1981 to wrestle in Meadowlands against George Steele on October 4th, and October 5th I boarded a plane, and for the next ten days I did a tour of Japan, and I was done and retired."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the cage match at Showdown at Shea Stadium on August 9th, 1980 when you defeated one of your former protégés, Larry Zbyszko?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was a good match, but it wasn't as good as the matches I had with Ivan Koloff. I had my first cage match with Ivan Koloff in Madison Square Garden, and I thought that was the best cage match I was ever in, but the one in Shea Stadium was great because we had over 44,000 to 45,000 people there. The reaction from the people was awesome. I have to say it was a great cage match, but it was at the end of my career. I hope it was as good as I thought it was, but I never thought it was good as the Ivan Koloff match."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on your son David Sammartino as a wrestler?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, as a wrestler I thought his mechanics in the ring were very good. For one thing I think it is fair to say that I don't think he was given the full opportunity to see how far he could go. Would he have gone far? I really don't know. David was good in the ring as far as his mechanics, but as far as his interviews, which are very important, he wasn't the best at, and wrestling was changing drastically. It became more important than just to be a wrestler. You have to be more of a gimmick, and I don't know if he could have played in that part. I don't think he would have done well as a character playing something than he already had been. I think he would have had a better chance to make it my days than in the new era day."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You currently have three original movies under your belt. Tell me about all of these including Legends Never Die, which features Roddy Piper.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Roddy Piper as you know went back to WWE, and you listen to him in this particular tape you would have never thought that he would go back to the WWE because he was very open about his feelings. Mick Foley was pretty out spoken, and Ivan Koloff, and some others. I like the other one which is called The Boys are Back, because it's a lot of wrestlers talking about their experiences, but you see some of the on goings with the promoters, talent, bitterness, feuds, suspensions, black balling, and things like that. It is different guys talking about their experiences including myself because back in 1961 I was black balled."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Hulk Hogan?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't care to say much about him because you're getting into the chemical age, and I am not a big fan of Hulk Hogan."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What can you tell us about your experiences working out at Mid City Gym in New York City?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When I started working out there the owner was a good friend by the name of Tom Minichello who would come in and work out with me. You could run into anyone in his gym like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sergio Oliva. It was a great gym that was so well equipped that it wasn't one of these beautiful places where you have all these machines. This was a place where you trained. It had the Olympic bars and dumb bells. This was a gym for people who were real serious about their training."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is it true that you had one of the best bench presses of your time, and in that gym it was not uncommon for you to bench in excess of 315 pounds for 40 repetitions?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I did 330 pounds for 38 repetitions non stop. I did 565 as my best with a two second pause on the chest."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What can you tell us about Mark Tendler and Lou Sedan ? Were they your training partners?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. Mark Tendler worked out, but he wasn't a guy who handled those kinda weights. I would bump into him once in a while, and he had a lot of jobs, and he would come in for a short workout and do some curls or whatever. Lou Sedan took it seriously and was a good wrestler. He was very respectable in the weights that he handled, and he trained regularly."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your memories of Tony Cosenza, Rocky Johnson, and Tom Minichello who owned Mid-City gym, which was a hot bed for wrestlers to train in New York City?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Tony Cosenza I didn't know in his prime because he was a little bit older then me. I knew him well, and was as nice as a guy I have ever met, and I always heard he was a pretty strong guy and a good wrestler, but I never saw him live or worked out with him. I know he was a very strong guy. Rocky Johnson was more of a body builder to make his body look good. I used to compete in Olympic style lifting and power lifting, so if you're competing you're doing heavy training, and if you're a body builder then you're training to perfect the body, and its a whole different training altogether. Some of them had great physiques, but they were not great listeners as they were just body builders. I thought that Tommy was a real classy guy, and ran a great gym, and for a little guy of 160 pounds he was strong, and I saw him push 300 pounds over the bench, but he was as a guy, and fair as a guy you would ever want to meet. I was a judge in many of the contests he had when Arnold Schwarzenegger won the Mr. Olympia. I got a kick out of seeing all these great body builders and was one of the judges."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you know strength game legend and historian Vic Boff who recently passed away?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I met him a few times.  He was quite a guy. He was 87 years old when I met him. He was such a heck of a guy who had a sharp mind talking about old timers. He was just a library of knowledge of the whole weight lifting game and a nice guy."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What role did strength training play in your wrestling career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When I first came from Europe I was an 80 pound weakling and 14 years old, and me and my brother were always being picked on, and there was this Jewish kid by the name of Maurice Sime who felt bad for us said if we came to the YMHA, that he would show us how to work out with weights. The first time I went there, and I touched the weights I thought this was for me. It was almost an instant addiction, and I started really training, and then they had a wrestling program so that's how I got interested in that. I would go every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and work on the mat. I became in love with Olympic lifting, Olympic wrestling, and power lifting."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What message do you have for aspiring athletes that will keep them away from bad influences such as steroids?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have done so much of that as far as trying to talk to kids in schools, and the young minds have such a young hurry to get there, and become the best they can be, and sometimes you can talk and talk to them. I would say two things, number one when you build your body by using these chemicals you are not a building a legitimate body, and for example if these guys have to get off the chemicals, then their body deteriorates like they haven't worked out in two years. I remember when I was in California I went to the Gold's Gym, and I saw Arnold Schwarzenegger, and how deflated he was that he hadn't touched a weight for about a year. The other thing is supposed to be healthy, stronger, and better. I imagine you have heard about Superstar Billy Graham, and there have been so many young deaths due to these chemicals. I guess they always think it will happen to the other guy and not me. I was very open about my thoughts on steroids when I did announcing with Vince McMahon, Jr. in the WWE, and they didn't like that. They're going to do it any way they can and not listen."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you currently workout?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I naturally do work out. Right now I do six days a week, and on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have a gym here, and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday I hit the road. After I broke my neck I went down from 275 down to 248. I got into running a whole lot after retirement. I can still do the 100 pound dumb bells for bench pressing, and 50 pound dumb bells for curling. I don't train like the old days."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think of today's crop of wrestlers?  Are they all show and no go?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"If you mentioned some of these wrestlers today I wouldn't know who you were talking about. I just don't watch it because I love this business, and I am very bothered by it. One of my kids once told me to turn on the TV and Steve Austin is the world champion, and he is chugging beer and every other word is getting bleeped out, they had someone crucified once or buried alive, and Vince McMahon once has his pants down, and he wants this little guy to kiss his ass. I am an old timer, what is there to understand? Do you consider this stuff appropriate stuff?" </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What advice would you give to aspiring wrestlers and what they need to do to succeed?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I think it's very hard because in my day we had about 20 to 30 different territories, and right now it's only the WWE. I see it as a very bleak time for someone new to become a professional wrestler."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final thoughts, and your thoughts on your website </B><A HREF="http://www.brunosammartino.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.brunosammartino.com"><U><B>www.brunosammartino.com</B></U></A><B>?  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it is going good. We made new prints of my autobiography, and we do have a lot of different things over there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Missing Link Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="389a4020.jpg" border=0 width="164" height="258" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Dewey Robertson received a huge push in the Toronto wrestling scene in 1979 and 1980, and even won the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship, but he is better known for his run as The Missing Link in the WWE. His career took a turn for the worst though when drugs and alcohol derailed his career. Today Dewey Robertson is working on a book about his career, and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing fine Chris."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What have you been up to of late?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I wrestled for 41 years straight, but the last 12 years I have been in recovery from alcohol, marijuana, and steroids. I have been writing a book for ten years, and it will be out next year. It's all to with my toughest match, recovery."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Missing Link was what made you a wrestling superstar in WWE. What are your thoughts on that, and as well your run with WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I had many years in the wrestling business before I became The Missing Link. I was NWA Canadian champion, and held six other championships around the states and Canada. I wrestled as The Crusader which was a white masked man. I became The Missing Link when I hit Texas, and Sports Illustrated took my picture. WWE called me right away, and I was a very talented wrestler, but my persona was not to wrestle, but to have a rough and ready character. I stole things from other wrestlers, and put them in my gimmick. I use the head butt that Bobo Brazil used, and I grew a beard like OX Baker. I was in the fur business for my younger years making fur coats, and I put fur on my elbow pads, knee pads, and my boats. I then painted my face and that's how things came together. My run in WWE was very short because alcohol and marijuana helped me make some bad choices because I felt I was going to do well there, and I wound up going back to Texas and did well there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon as a wrestling promoter?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He has opened wrestling across the world especially when wrestling was just territories. He stood on the sidelines for many years watching his father, and he could see that wrestling would soon be on National TV, and he has syndicated his TV around the whole world. The wrestlers have quite a platform above anybody else as football is only seen in the USA or Canada, but wrestling is seen everywhere in the world. He has taken the basis of wrestling, and put a few emphasis on girls, and different types of wrestling. It is all basically professional wrestling."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on your periodic tours of Japan after WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I did very well in Japan, except I was sick the last time I was there with my recovery, and I didn't have a bad tour. I am expecting to again, and they are calling me from different places, and I am 64 years old. If you ever see some pictures of me you will see a 64 year old man with a body of a 40 year old. I am a very muscular person at 260 pounds, and like Lou Thesz I wrestled a long time, and knew a lot about the wrestling business. These people are calling me to go to New Jersey, Canada, and back to Japan, but the book will be coming out next year, and I am a speaker on drugs, alcohol, and steroids." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were your thoughts on working for World Class Championship Wrestling, and what are your thoughts on the tragedy of the Von Erich family?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The tragedy is no different then any other. There have been 36 wrestlers in the last ten years that have gone down because of drugs, steroids, and alcohol. It also has to do with sicknesses, overdose, and suicide. It is a pretty high number, and drugs and alcohol just aren't worth it anymore, people overdose too much. As far as steroids go, I will give you a bottom line young man about steroids, in the Olympics one of the referee's told me, 'What are you going to do? There are so many rewards.' With steroids there are no rewards just ability. Whether you are a winner or a loser on steroids you will be excommunicated."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On September 9th, 1979 you won the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship in a title tournament defeating Gene Kiniski, Greg Valentine, and Ken Patera which was a championship you held to May 25th, 1980. What are your thoughts on your run as the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I held the championship belt in Canada, but I was living in the Carolinas, and they wouldn't let me wrestle for the belt in the Carolinas. I was only allowed to defend it in Canada, and I was doing very well in the Carolinas, and a lot of people had the chance to wrestle against me. That is the way the Carolinas were run under Jim Crockett and George Scott at the time. I had a good run, and went on and did some other good things. I held six different championships and they were all good experiences."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on your classic matches at Maple Leaf Gardens that happened in 1980 with AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel who you defeated, and NWA World Champion Harley Race who you wrestled to a draw with?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"To beat Nick Bockwinkel is like having a feather in your cap. I wrestled him several times, and I didn't get a win over Harley Race until I got to his territory in Kansas City which he owned one third of it. I got two wins over Harley Race when I was in Kansas City, and I turned heel there after being a baby face for many years. I didn't get to do everything I wanted to do, but I took my own direction, and as The Missing Link I think I only lost five times in many years."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Your not afraid to admit that drugs and alcohol derailed your career, and you have lectured schools and business in Ontario about drug and alcohol dependency. What are your thoughts on all that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't tell people what to do and what not to do, but the book is in the final works right now, and the book is taking a long time because it is about the good, bad, and the ugly. Nobody talks about their recovery or the bad things because their ashamed of what they have done, but Dewey Robertson has been through 12 very difficult years of depression, anxiety, three types of suicides that I didn't try, but I aborted. I was going to use a knife, burn myself, and I was also going to take pills. Something really kept me going, and I already have bookings to go overseas, and throughout the states and so on. I am just looking forward to the booking coming, and going out into the market and being exposed to people like yourself. I am expecting to have many people come listen to my story."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why do you think are the major reasons wrestlers do drugs while they are on the road, and do you think it is still a big problem today?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's not only wrestlers. Vince McMahon calls his company entertainment, and with that he doesn't have to pay the commissioners any money. He calls professional wrestler entertainment, and I think that is false because it is professional wrestling, and they are real athletes. They are great athletes, as are football or hockey athletes or other sports and entertainers. They get caught in a very minded tunnel vision when you're at the arena, hotel, airport, and the only fun you have in between is the girls, drugs, and whatever else you are out there for. You're pretty well confined to that kind of life."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No problem. I hope to hear from you again Chris, and when I get out there will be talking on your radio program or whatever. God Bless you and I wish you the best."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>WWE Superstar Bradshaw Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="37edca90.jpg" border=0 width="220" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Besides being a former football player for the Los Angeles Raiders and a WWE Superstar, Bradshaw, who is a former WWE Tag Team, Hardcore, and European Champion is also a business and stock expert which brings me to his new book </B><B>Have More Money Now.</B><B> I had the chance to speak to him for about ten minutes, and due to time constraints I wasn't able to ask everything that I wanted to.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing great. Thanks."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Give me a short summary on why you decided to write </B><B>Have More Money Now</B><B>. </B><B>A Common Sense Approach to Financial Management</B><B>, and give a quick summary of the book.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I thought there was a market for it. I have read so many financial books that are so boring or else you would need a calculator or accounting degree to read them. I realize that there is a market for people to have a common sense approach to financial management for 401k's, and to find out everything out there that is available to them, and just an easier read way where they can sit down and understand and not have to do a lot of thinking, and where they simply won't get lost in a bash of numbers."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>As a business man and stock expert yourself, why do you think WWE revenue and earnings has gone down every year for the last three years?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it has a lot to do with the economy. I think that most live events have a few people that are just so fantastic anywhere they go. Bruce Springsteen can probably sell out at the Meadowlands in New Jersey 365 days a year, but most live events are simply down. I think September 11th had a huge effect, you have a couple of wars, and you have had this recession I think we are coming out of, and I think it is a variety of factors within our company. The Rock has gone off to do movies, Steve Austin has had some injuries, The Undertaker has had some injuries, and HHH has had some injuries. Those are our four most marketable stars, and it takes a little while to build some stars up. Now most of those guys are back, and I think you will see our business and revenue pick up in the next few quarters and years."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This coming Sunday at WWE Vengeance you will be competing in your very own first ever annual APA Bar Room Brawl. What are your thoughts going into that match?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am looking forward to it. This is something that I have wanted to do for years as far as have an invitational bar room brawl, and unfortunately it is Denver, Colorado where it is a mile high so I will probably die of oxygen deprivation, but I am looking forward to it as it will be a lot of fun. We are going to tear up a whole bar and probably tear up each other. It should be very entertaining to watch. I know it would be a lot of fun to do."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did the idea come about to put you on WWE Smackdown from WWE Raw, and put the APA back together one more time as Farooq kinda went into retirement for a little while?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"As far as Farooq he did go into retirement for a little while. I thought that the APA still had legs left, and fortunately the WWE creative team thought so as well. Farooq was already on the WWE Smackdown so either he had to jump to WWE Raw or I had to jump to WWE Smackdown. We already have one tough beer drinking Texan on WWE Raw, so it just made a natural thing for me to jump to WWE Smackdown."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On May 25th, 1999 you and Farooq as The Acolytes defeated Kane and Xpac on WWE Raw to become the WWE Tag Team Champions for the first of three times. What are your thoughts on that experience and winning the WWE Tag Team Championship for the first time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was unbelievable. It was a culmination of what we wanted to do for a long time, and to be out there with Ron Simmons who is one of the greatest wrestling stars of all time was just a fabulous feeling like every other time we won the belts it was the same way. It is kind of like a reward for hard work, and I felt really proud that we had done it. I was looking forward to at the time to representing those belts in a way of what champions would do."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon as a wrestling promoter?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Oh man. Same as Warren Buffet as an investor. He is the absolute best. There is nobody better then Vince McMahon. PT Barnum couldn't carry his suitcase for him. Vince McMahon is probably the best promoter that has ever lived."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what are your thoughts on WWE Raw Creative head Brian Gerwitz, and how he did while you were there on WWE Raw?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I thought he has done a good job. When Brian started before the roster split, and now we have the roster split and it has been a tough time, and in so doing I think Brian has done an admirable job. It is a tough thing to sit with no re runs, and to write a show new each week as that is a very tough thing. Brian has been there a long time, and just by the fact of his tenure shows he has done a very good job or he wouldn't be there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tito Ortiz Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="379f2b50.jpg" border=0 width="242" height="181" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He is probably one of the most known names within the UFC and MMA itself. Tito Ortiz proved his success after defeating Ken Shamrock at UFC 40 in a fight that he took control of and never looked back. He has been linked in the past to possible talks of heading to WWE as well. I had the chance to sit down and ask Tito about all that and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Great Chris. I just got done doing my boxing training, taking a little break, and getting to talk to you."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On September 26th you will be fighting Randy Couture at UFC 44 for the undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship. What are your thoughts on the fight?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it will be one of the greatest fights in UFC history. It seems that everytime I fight it is one of the biggest fights of my life. Randy </B><B>Couture</B><B> brings everything to the table of course being the two time UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is cutting down to my weight, a world class wrestler, and his boxing and jujitsu skills are decent. People should expect one of the best fights in UFC history."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Before Randy </B><B>Couture</B><B> defeated Chuck Lidell at UFC 43, there were many reports that you didn't want to fight Chuck Lidell. After your right with Randy </B><B>Couture</B><B> win or lose would you then be interested in fighting Chuck Lidell or who else would you like to fight?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I would like to fight Chuck Lidell. It is just the fact that my contract makes sense, and I wasn't going to compete under the contract they had me under just do to what I thought was fair. We made the contract make sense, and now it is whoever steps in front of me, and Randy </B><B>Couture  </B><B>is the next victim on Tito Ortiz's list."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>A few months back there were rumors you were in possible negotiations with WWE. Has there ever been any interest on your part to head to WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"There has been no interest at all. About three years ago there was a little interest when I went to a WrestleMania and those guys are brutal and real athletes, and of course it is choreographed, but just the things they do is really brutal on the body, and I wasn't ready to be on the road 250 days a year. That rumor was strictly an April Fool's joke."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There has been talk that Vince McMahon might be interested in buying the UFC, and there are other people possibly interested in buying it as well. What are your thoughts on that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am not sure that it is for sale, but whoever buys it they better make sure they know what they are doing because as far as in Vince McMahon's hands he can make it in the mainstream, but it's not something that you choreograph like professional wrestling. This is a real sport that is competition, and when you have two athletes competing its kinda hard to build fighters. In this type of martial arts a person can lose really easy."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you feel you avenged your loss to Frank Shamrock at UFC 22 by beating his adopted brother Ken Shamrock at UFC 40?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. Not at all. I think those are two different situations because Frank Shamrock was his own person and Ken Shamrock was his own person. The loss I got to Frank Shamrock was a learning experience, and it was a year in a half for me competing in UFC, and it was my first championship fight, and I came up short at the end of the fourth round. When I fought Ken Shamrock at UFC 40, it was a sign of a new champion, and it was then I competed. I completely dominated him and I stopped him at the end of the third round. I think it was a chance for people to see how tough Tito Ortiz is. Frank Shamrock is a totally different fighter."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think UFC 40 against Ken Shamrock was the biggest pay perview and fight for UFC and your career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The biggest up to that date, but it seems everyone of my fights gets bigger and bigger because I have to retain my UFC Lightweight Championship every time, and this will be my sixth title defense, and no one has ever done that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At UFC 30 you shocked the MMA world with a 30 second destruction of the highly rated Evan Tanner. How big of a statement was that for you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was a huge statement for me. It showed also that when I come in the octagon I am a really dangerous fighter. I was training for two and a half months, and I thought I was in for a war. I picked him up and slammed him and added a few shots and he was out cold. It came as a real surprise to me, but when I train really hard and dedicate myself to the sport, matches like that can happen and be easy."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When do you think a fighter peaks in mixed martial arts competition? Don't you think it is a blend of technique and physical preparation?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I believe that in MMA it is a mixture of physical conditioning and mental conditioning. It is a really crazy game because if you lose your guidance and spot in the middle of the match you have a chance of losing completely. You can't relax and you have to be on your A game all the time. This is very different then a wrestling match or boxing match, but one little mistake can end a match in seconds."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on UFC President Dana White?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He is doing a great job thus far. He has a lot of stuff on his table as he has to do a lot of work, and he carries a lot of weight. He spends a lot of time away from his family, and he works very hard for the UFC. I think a lot of people need to realize that he spends a lot of time behind the desk, and he tries to make it better for the fighters and the fans."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on former UFC Champion Josh Barnett testing positive for steroids, and do you think steroids is a problem within the world of ultimate fighting?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't think it is a problem within ultimate fighting itself. I think it is a problem throughout all athletes. There are guys that have self confidence and believing in themselves and doing it themselves, and people trying to do steroids to cut weight or build muscle mass. I am not a believer in steroids, and I have never taken them in my life. I just believe in dedicating myself to my training. If you need to take something to make yourself a better athlete then you better pick up a different sport because if you're not caught the first time then you need to do something else."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No one fights like Tito Ortiz. People are going to feel the power that Tito Ortiz brings in. For everyone out there you may not fight like the champ, but you can dress like the champ at </B><A HREF="http://www.punishmentathletics.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.punishmentathletics.com"><U><B>www.punishmentathletics.com</B></U></A><B>,</B><B> and you can check out my website or shoot me an email at </B><A HREF="http://www.titoortiz.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.titoortiz.com"><U><B>www.titoortiz.com</B></U></A><B>."  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mick Foley Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="36dd7e60.jpg" border=0 width="215" height="230" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mick Foley has wrestled in all the major wrestling promotions especially WWE, WCW, and ECW. He also is a true hardcore legend in the sport, along with Terry Funk. He is also a best selling author, which brings on his new novel Tietam Brown, and as well had a main part in the wrestling documentary Beyond The Mat. Mick Foley discusses his whole career in this interview.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing very good. It is great to be talking to you."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were your thoughts on returning to WWE Raw this past Monday for the first time in years, and are you excited to be the referee in the Hell in the Cell match between HHH and Kevin Nash at WWE Bad Blood?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, at first I was a little bit nervous as it had been so long since I had been back in WWE, and to tell you the truth at times I thought I never would be back. I think it was Stacy Keibler who broke the ice by running up to me and giving me a welcoming hug, and then Test was two steps behind so he had to ruin the moment just by being there. I think after that it was like being home again."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was the biggest reason you decided to write a novel Tietam Brown and not another wrestling book?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I loved doing the writing, and I thought that there wouldn't be a market for another wrestling book. I thought if there even was one I would be beating a dead horse because it’s like how many volumes can I write about my career? I had a story in my mind that once I got out of wrestling all my attention towards interviews and matches would be able to be spent on this story I had in the back of my head."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The main character in Tietam Brown has a bad hand and ear, how autobiographical is this?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, the hand part is not autobiographical. The character is not really autobiographical aside from the fact that he is a 17 year- old kid who feels like he doesn't quite fit in with the real world. While I was writing it, I tried to think back to when I was 17, being that age, and having some really bad things that happened to me, and trying to keep some fate despite all those bad things. The ear was but in there because nine years later wrestling fans still find it cool to talk about as a distinct look, and as well add to the kid not fighting in."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When I read the first few chapters of the book I feel that feeling of dreams come true and miracles do happen as the most beautiful girl in school goes out of her way to be with the main character. Do you feel that this book might help many teenagers in general relate to those same feelings about being with the girl of their dreams?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"In a way I think it does, but not necessarily that the schools homecoming queen is going to fall head over heels in love with them, but the fact that there are some people out there who look more deeper then the skin and they find the heart and the soul beating within. I know from my point of view that's once you get beyond being in the back and looking out for more cleavage then you thought could exist in one lifetime that there are more important attributes. I have been lucky enough to work with many people who have dedicated their lives to helping the less fortunate, and I find those people to be the very attractive whether they are on the outside or not."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are you planning for your next literary adventure?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I have already another book finished or nine-tenths of the way finished, and it has some of the same themes as Tietam Brown."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is it another novel?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes, it is another novel. It is a father son story and themes of forgiveness and redemption running through it, but it is more of a historical novel that takes place in the Bronx in the 1960s when the Bronx was changing quickly, and baseball serves as a metaphor for life like every other baseball story written. I think again that my writing has a certain voice to it, and people who enjoyed my other books who enjoyed that voice will pick it up as well."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In your previous book, you said that an English teacher told you that you weren't a good writer and it turned you off. What do you think makes a great teacher of any subject?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"She didn't say I wasn't a good writer. I think she was so critical of little mistakes that she graded you on an A to F range, and to grade a paper simply on how many mistakes were made is ridiculous because a story is not like taking a true false test as there is a lot more to it. I think a great teacher is someone who encourages a child to love to learn, and I think it is unfortunate that most kids will give up reading after they are no longer forced to do it. I am trying to encourage my children to have a love for reading, and to tell you the truth I am not that successful. It is an uphill struggle for teachers."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you look back on the way you tried to "get over with the fans" and see it as an experiment to determine how to affect a literary audience?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. It is cool when I go down to schools and talk about literacy and bulling. I get a lot more attention and better results than probably any author would because kids are predisposed to liking me because of the show. I feel very fortunate to have been on there and have that open ear from kids who are in inner city schools because their lives have not been all that positive. I am not going there thinking I am going to talk to these kids for an hour and change their lives, but maybe life is made up of all your experiences and every positive experience helps."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Terry Funk has spoken about doing as few matches as possible to make as much money as possible for his family. Looking back, do you feel you may have taken too many bumps to maximize fan interest and what is the effect of your concussions on your quality of life today?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I got out arguably at the height of my popularity, but not necessarily the height of my talents. If I would have stuck out another year my family would probably be off better financially, but I think my children's dad’s brain would be gone right now. I think I was dangerously close to doing a lot of damage mentally. I think my mind is working pretty well, and my body has come around to some extent."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think that the WWE Superstars today are taking too many chances resulting in neck surgeries and early retirements?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Not necessarily. I don't think that they are taking too many chances that if this doesn't work out this could be devastating, but a move like the German suplex is a move that throughout constant repetition is going to hurt some necks even more so then a pile driver that has a lot of risk, but if done properly is not all that damaging. I think that the German suplex is the most dangerous move in the business and should be cut back on."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Going back to WWE King of the Ring 1998 when you wrestled The Undertaker in the WWE Hell in the Cell match, what was going through your head when you were thrown off the side of the cell 16 feet into the Spanish announcement teams table, and what are your thoughts on the whole match and how the Undertaker "took care" of you when he realized you were in trouble?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My thoughts immediately before being thrown off was that it was a lot higher then I imagined. I think if I would have went up there earlier in the day that I wouldn't have climbed back up there again. It just seemed like that table looked so small and that I was traveling a lot faster then I believed was possible. After that bump and getting back on the cage I was choke slammed through the cage. I was lucky that I had a veteran like The Undertaker in there because if he would have panicked, the match would have ended early and we wouldn't have had that extra eight minutes that kinda cemented the match in people's minds as being special. I don't think it was just those two big falls, but the ability to get back up and finish the match really made it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did the match psychology differ in your Boiler Room brawls with Big Show, Undertaker, and HHH?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, the HHH one was a TV match and that meant there wasn't a lot of time to put much thought into it. I think that my psychology changed in that I realized that not every single thing has to hurt me to look like it hurts. I was feeling a whole lot worse after that match with The Undertaker than the match with The Big Show. I think the match with Big Show was much better because I was more creative about doing some things and there were some illusions there that made it look a whole lot worse then what it was. I think it was The Undertaker match that really messed up my back that brought on a nerve problem I thought would end my career."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the bloody barbed wire hardcore matches you had with Terry Funk in Japan?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They were kind of a necessity to help establish the company. I don't look back on them like they were a mistake because I thought they were this really wild piece of abstract art, and I never really thought I was showing up like an animal in a zoo where people were there to see a couple guys bleed. I think the fans respected it because we were good at that type of match."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the Rock being away from WWE for more then half of the year filming his movies, and do you feel that he will fully retire away from wrestling and move on to other projects like you did?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I think that The Rock has the world as kind of his oyster as he can do anything he wants to do. I think he will continue to show up in WWE rings as long as it is fun for him and I think he will always find it fun especially if Vince McMahon gives him that opportunity to show up, enjoy himself, and make an impact. I can't see what the down side is."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your memories of The Rock and Sock Connection, and what are your thoughts on the highest WWE Raw rated segment The Rock's life?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I had a grudge against The Rock stemming from the I quit match a few years ago and it took me a while to get over that, but once I did I started to be able to appreciate the magic of The Rock and Sock connection. I think that it is great that we are a tag team that is entirely known for their out of ring shenanigans, and I think it would be hard to find a really devout fan who remembers one match that really stood out. I think we had some good matches, but not any legendary matches."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you enjoy your role as commissioner in WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I loved the role as commissioner. I think that was probably my most valuable time in the company. Having the hammer was great when I made my rulings. It was good to pull out that dorky humor after trying to be serious for a lot of my career even though the later day Mankind had a lot of fun also."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you remember most from your ECW days, and what are your thoughts on Paul Heyman as a promoter for ECW; is he a genius or a madman?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think he is a lot of both. I had a great time there. I think my greatest memory there is my last match there with Mikey Whipreck. It was special because the fans reaction blew my mind. It was totally unexpected and really blew my mind."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Gary Michael Capetta mentions in his book Bodyslams the match with Vader while you were in Europe with WCW that you lost your ear in and how he was sitting at ringside and saw this ear on the mat and picked it up and started walking to the back, and he goes up to Ric Flair and said, “I have Cactus's ear in my hand.” Then Ric Flair thinks Gary Michael Capetta has lost his mind. In reality what are your thoughts on that whole situation?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was so bizarre that it would make a great scene in a movie. As a matter of fact I tried to do a screen play of Have a Nice Day, and it wasn't all that good, but I did think that my opening scene shot in black and white in slow motion showing the ear come off the head and falling in the air with a the landing sound louder then what the ear would make being picked up by the referee who didn't understand one word of English. He wouldn't have known how to get me out of there, but then again Vader took credit for getting me out of there, but evidence later proved that wasn't the case. It seemed I was in those ropes for an eternity, but in reality it was only a few seconds so no one had a chance to act. Gary Michael Capetta was the one that took it back to the backstage area. I asked him what the ear looked like. He said, 'It looks liked a piece of uncooked chicken.’ “</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on coming back and losing to HHH at WrestleMania 16 in a fatal four way with The Rock and Big Show, and were you happy that was the way you went out?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. I was much happier going out with Hell in a Cell. It wasn't forced to do it, but I honestly thought that I had to do it. The cool thing is that we were able to rewrite history, and claim that February 27, 2000 was my last match. Even the hardcore wrestling fans say let him remember it the way he wants to."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How has your departure from WWE and wrestling in general changed the family dynamic with your wife and four children?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I am home a lot more for sure. It is the first time I have had the chance to be gone for extended periods of time. As I now embark on this international book tour, it will be the first time my two year old is away from his father in life."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon as a wrestling promoter?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He has taken a couple shots with some outside adventures in the last few years, but I think as a whole he is the most successful wrestling promoter of all time. As a person he is someone I like a great deal. I was very happy to see him again and had a good talk with him while I was there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the Beyond the Mat movie, do you think Barry Blaustein was upfront as a director or do you think he manipulated the cutting of the scenes for maximum drama?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think he was up front. I think he was drawn to the human beings behind the characters. I don't think he manipulated the story through editing. I think he told the story he found to be the most fascinating. I think he did a real good job. No one got any money for the movie. I got a little money for doing some extra voice-overs for the DVD, but if you really got any money to be in a documentary it would never be a documentary."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Since it made the movie theaters and there were tape and DVD sales, doesn't that mean you guys did get a piece of something?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. I don't think that is ever the case in the documentary. I think if you’re not happy with that then there would be other people who would be."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on today's WWE product including a necrophilia angle in 2002, and the brand extension?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was on record by saying I didn't care for the necrophilia angle. I do believe humor can be mind out of any situation, and an example would be to look at how successful the Broadway show and movie The Producers was and still is, and that basically minds all humor out of Adolph Hitler. I think if Hitler can be mind for humor then necrophilia can be fair game. The brand extension is just tough, but if they stick with it then it might turn out to be a really good idea. I think for a lot of fans it is a tough thing to accept.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>With all the talk of HHH sitting in on the WWE creative meetings and having some creative power over all the other wrestlers, do you think that one specific wrestler should be allowed to sit in on the creative meetings, and have some possible extra political power?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think there have always been wrestlers sitting in on the meetings. I think that is true for every promotion. I know I was invited to sit in whenever I wanted to. I actually sat in on a grand total of one time."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What did you learn from sitting in on that one time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I learned how hard it is to put together a two hour TV program on short notice, and that was when I was wrestling Terry Funk in Virginia on WWE Raw."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Was that one where you had to defeat Terry Funk to get a WWE World Championship title shot, and that match basically started the hardcore falls count anywhere matches in WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know if it was the beginning, but you might be on to something there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>That was also the end of Terry Funk’s run in WWE.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. I was trying to help him out there, but he ended up leaving shortly after that match."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You went through a lot for this business, suffered and gained a lot, but what is the most positive aspect of being a wrestler?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it is that you have all these kids who come from tough backgrounds who really love what you do and are able to be touched in some way through personal interaction. I am trying to get involved with a lot of groups and trying to help out disadvantaged kids and in some cases adults. I think that is the best thing, but I think the guys don't realize until they get out of it that they have a chance to step back and look at things from a different perspective."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I hope people just enjoy the interview. I hope they enjoy this limited return I am doing. I also hope they will be responsive to the future returns I am doing once or twice a year."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tito Santana Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="35fc2d20.jpg" border=0 width="194" height="210" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He is a legend within the wrestling industry as a former WWE Intercontinental Champion and he still wrestles today. Tito Santana has kept his touch with wrestling as he looks back at his time with WWE, his memories of Andre The Giant, and his thoughts on Vince McMahon and the company today.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing pretty good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How longer do you feel that you can wrestle before retiring?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I only wrestle now probably only five or six times a year. I don't wrestle very much, but I really enjoy it. The last time I wrestled, I don't remember getting an injury, but my ankle was hurting for a couple of weeks afterwards. Mentally I can do everything, and I always work out and stay in shape. I don't do it regularly because I am a full time teacher. When my body gets bruised up, it is tough for sure. I am just going to take it match by match."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 1 you defeated The Executioner. Did you feel that if this event was not successful that there wouldn't have been anymore WrestleMania's after that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, that is kinda what Vince McMahon told us. He told us that it was do or die for him, and if it was do or die for him then it was do or die for us."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 2 you tagged with Junk Yard Dog and were defeated by The Funk Brothers. What are your thoughts on that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I had a lot of respect for Terry Funk and Dory Funk who are great wrestlers. I think that the fact is that since me and Junk Yard Dog hadn't been together as tag team partners, we didn't work well together. The Funk Brothers were unbelievable. When I worked in Los Angeles, California, the crowd reaction was unbelievable. It was a great experience."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On February 11th, 1984 you defeated Don Muraco to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship. What were your thoughts on holding a major singles title in wrestling for six months and the experience altogether?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I never thought that I was going to climb the ranks to be the WWE Intercontinental Champion with the WWE as quickly as I did. Everybody that says they were the WWE Intercontinental Champion says they were the greatest champion in the history of the belt. I don't think that there is anybody that has ring knowledge like I do or did. The experience of all of the sudden being catapulted to the top is great because if you were on top of the WWE, you were on top everywhere."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You went on to have a bloody feud with Greg Valentine that lead to a cage match and your second run as WWE Intercontinental Champion on July 6th, 1985. Tell me about all that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The feud between Greg Valentine and myself went on forever. We were selling arenas out where Hulk Hogan didn't appear. The past places where Hulk Hogan was at would sell out. Our feud was pretty believable because I did have knee surgery and they showed it on TV. Greg Valentine and myself use to have some real brutal matches, and after we were done with the match we would be sore for days. We gave the people their money's worth."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Iron Shiek wrestled yourself in his only WWE World Title defense that was televised on January 21, 1984. What are your thoughts on that time in the industry being so close to the birth of Hulkamania?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was a little depressing. I knew that he had a match lined up with Hulk Hogan, and I thought I should have a better shot at contending for the WWE World Championship. I believe the Iron Shiek got disqualified. I never got a rematch and Hulk Hogan became champion and I never saw another title shot."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Bobby Heenan in his book tells a story that you would play cribbage with Andre The Giant. What are your memories of Andre The Giant?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was a great man. He was a very lonely man. He would let very few outsiders in, even within the wrestling world. He trusted very few people and I believe I was one of the guys he trusted. We would play cribbage practically every night. If Andre The Giant was in town, I knew I would be playing cribbage. I had no choice because he wanted to play cribbage and I played cribbage with him."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your run in the AWA where you chased Nick Bockwinkel and his AWA World Championship, but never successfully won it.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"For as young as I was in wrestling to get a break in wrestling, the AWA was probably at the lowest ranked number two in the world and WWE was number one. To get some shots at Nick Bockwinkel at the young part of my career was great. I had a lot of real close matches, return matches, and we had a one hour draw. I came real close to winning the AWA Championship."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon as a wrestling promoter?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"To me, I don't think a promoter should get in the ring. I think in the long run it has been bad for the business. I know Vince McMahon is probably the hottest heel that they have in the WWE now and it doesn't make sense to me. I think if he was concentrating more on heating up the talent that he has instead of him becoming part of it, but the way he has built his daughter, son, and the family itself has more heat then all of the other wrestlers there. I believe that is one of the reasons the business is down right now."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Back on January 10, 2000 you came back to the big wrestling TV scene when you defeated Jeff Jarret on WCW Monday Nitro. What were your thoughts on that night returning to national TV returning with legends Jimmy Snuka and George The Animal Steele?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was exciting to me. Once it gets in your blood it's big, and to be able to see a lot of your friends in one building on one night just to catch up on a lot was nice. When I left WWE I told Vince McMahon that this was it for me. Although I was still in my prime and pretty young, but I never intended to go back full time. It is in my blood and that is why I do it five or six times a year. I enjoy it. How much longer I will do it? I have no idea. I will do it as long as I can."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think I am in still pretty good shape and don't look much different from when I retired in 1993. I have maintained good physical health. This upcoming match I have is for a good cause."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tank Abbott Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="355a2000.jpg" border=0 width="162" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tank Abbott has proven himself as one of the veterans within the UFC, but he has also had his experience in wrestling with WCW. Tank Abbott talks candidly about steroids in both wrestling and ultimate fighting, his next fight at UFC 43, and his time in WCW.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing very well man."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You are going to finally be taking on Kimo Leopoldo at UFC 43 Meltdown in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 6th. What are your thoughts going into the fight, and do you think it is about time this one has come together?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. My thoughts on the fight are that it should be noted that I don't think Kimo is necessarily great at anything, but it should be a tough fight because he is a tough fighter. It has been a long time coming and it has never been together, so I am looking forward to it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think you can learn from the quick loss to Frank Mir at UFC 41?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The loss is pretty much an aberration. I made a fatal mistake and I should have done what I usually do and knew better, but sometimes when you are stupid you make stupid mistakes, and I was dumb that night."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You originally were designated as a pit fighter. What exactly does that mean?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It means that the guys at the UFC didn't know what to say when I beat people up on the street, and they didn't want to offend anybody so they made that up."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Who was the most effective fighter you have faced in UFC?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I couldn't tell you. I don't know. They are all the same. Every fight that I have fought and lost and for that matter every fight that I have fought and won, it is just where I have felt the biggest plus or minus has always rested on my shoulders. Sometimes I have a good fight and sometimes I had a bad fight, but bottom line is everybody is different in their own way. I just show up and whatever happens will happen."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Have you ever considered adding joint locks to your fighting style?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I have been doing it for six or seven years and I know what they are. I know how to counter them and I know how to do them. It is just that I don't find any pleasure in doing them and it is just not fun for me to do."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think sooner then later UFC will put together the dream fight between you and Ken Shamrock?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I think that the world wants to see that fight. I think if they did it right it would make a lot of money for him, and catapult him back up to where they need to be."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on former UFC Champion Josh Barnett testing positive for steroids, and do you think steroids is a problem in ultimate fighting and professional wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I would say steroids is a problem in all professional sports. I don't think there are more than less in wrestling or anything else like football or what have you. I believe they are a problem, but I have always been 100 percent natural and plan on staying that way."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What wrestler in WCW do you think was a legitimate tough guy?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Nobody. There was a level of tough guys, but none of them were at a professional fighting level. There are tough guys there, but they are more or less stereotyped as the guys who would do well in a bar fight situation, but professional fighting is a whole different ball wax."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think lead to the demise of WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Wrestlers running wrestling. They didn't have good management. When they had good management and people at the helm it was going good. They had wrestlers writing the shows, doing their things, and acting their own politics, which pretty much combusted from in."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are you thoughts on how Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff ran the company while you were there?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When Eric Bischoff was running it, I thought it was a little of a shove. I think that Vince Russo and all those people who were with him kinda screwed everything up with wrestlers running wrestling."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on your feud with Bill Goldberg while in WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was just an angle for them to run and obviously they could have done it better."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were your thoughts on the manager role you had with the group 3 Count in WCW that consisted of Shane Helms, Evan Karagias, and Shannon Moore, and how did you end up in that role in the first place?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have no idea. I thought it was a good fun time. I don't know how I ended up with the role, but I think somebody thought it would be the end of me, but it turned around and blew up in their face. They tried to take credit for and what it was is what it was."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you ever get an offer from WWE to come in and work for them?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. I have never even talked to them. I finished out my contract with WCW and started to train because I wanted to fight again, and I never had any contact with them."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why do you think there has been a decline within the wrestling business the last few years?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am not a big wrestling expert, but from what I understand wrestling goes in cycles and in time it will cycle back up to the power house it once was many times before."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final thoughts on your fight June 6th at UFC 43?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, hopefully it will be a good fight and it will go a little while so we can bang on each other, and that is all I have to say except that to buy a ticket and stay tuned and hopefully there will be a nice knockout."</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Miller Lite Cat Fight Girl Kitana Baker Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="34ff7470.jpg" border=0 width="247" height="327" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>A Miller Lite Beer commercial brought out two girls a brown haired girl, Kitana Baker, and a blonde haired girl, Tanya Ballinger. These two girls came together and produced a cat fight commercial that has received a lot of media attention for better or worse. The commercial gave them the names the Miller Lite Cat Fight Girls. At WrestleMania 19 they were brought in for a segment in front of 54,000 fans. I had the chance to speak with one half of the Miller Lite Cat Fight Girls, Kitana Baker about her thoughts on working in professional wrestling and how the commerical has changed her life.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing great."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did the offer come about for you to make an appearance at WrestleMania 19?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, with the popularity of the Miller Lite Cat Fight Commercial, they asked us to make an appearance."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How was the experience working at WWE WrestleMania 19 and being in front of 54,000 plus fans?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was very exciting and overwhelming at the same time. It was the first time I had appeared in front of a live audience that big."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you get a good backstage reaction from all the management of WWE and wrestlers on your segment?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes. Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and all the wrestlers treated us very well. They were very pleased to have us there, and it was very exciting and fun backstage."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on working with Stacy Kiebler, Torrie Wilson, and Jonathan Coachman?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They were so much fun. They had great personalities and they are beautiful so it was a lot of fun working with them."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any possibility you might work again with the WWE in the near future, or do you think this was a one time deal?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was only a one time, but if they asked again I would be happy to show up."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You also had the chance to star in the movie The Scorpion King with WWE Superstar The Rock. What was that experience like?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was great. I filmed a small part in that film, and I got to run into The Rock again so that was great."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Were you ever a wrestling fan before your involvement with the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Sure. I enjoy watching the entertainment of the WWE."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you did the commercial, did you expect to receive all this attention, and what do you consider the biggest door open from the commercial?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Just the popularity of the commercial has gained us auditions that could have taken us years to get. Definitely a lot of people are interested in meeting us, and we have a lot more of a chance to do more in Hollywood."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How much has the commercial changed your life?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It has changed drastically. I am definitely getting a lot more work and a lot more offers and it definitely has changed it for the positive."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Are there any new future commercials coming from Miller Lite?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, we just had the second one that was released a few weeks ok. We have a third one coming out some time in the next month or two."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what are your goals overall for the entertainment industry fully?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Some work. I definitely would love to get into more movies."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Classy Freddie Blassie Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3364fdf0.jpg" border=0 width="335" height="223" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Classy Freddie Blassie has been around this business for decades. He might not be a manager or a wrestler anymore, but he is still a motivational speaker for today's WWE Superstars and wrestling fans. In a very in-depth interview Freddie Blassie takes us back to the days in the territories, working with all three McMahons, working with Andy Kaufman, his new book, and so much more in a rare talk with a living legend.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Fine."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Your book, </B><B>Legends of Wrestling: "Classy" Freddie Blassie -- Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks</B><B>, is the story of your life from growing up in St. Louis, Missouri to your start in wrestling to your run with the WWE. Did you think it was time to do this book and what can fans expect from the book all together?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was approached to write the story of my life. After all I am 85 years old, and I guess they figured and I figured as well that it was high time to write something because I am getting a little bit old."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did you come up with the catch phrase "listen, you pencil neck geeks"?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, that was when I was a teenie youngster. I was wrestling in a carnival, and I got there a little early. The fellow who ran the wrestling carnival told me, 'Why don't you go next door and take a look at the freaks?' I went in there and there was this guy biting heads off a chicken and snakes and things. When I left he then said to me, 'How did you like it?' I don't know. This guy here makes me sick. He bites the heads off of snakes and everything. He said, 'He is a real pencil neck. In fact he is a real pencil neck geek.' That is how that came about."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Your made your debut in wrestling at a carnival. What was that like, and maybe you can go back and tell me what the days of wrestling were like back then, and your mom thought wrestling was foolishness am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, it is altogether different then today in that era. Now there is more aerial tactics and everything, and the fellas are in much better condition then we ever thought of being because many times I would wrestle and then get in a car and drive 300 miles, and I didn't have enough money for a room so I would sleep in my car, and if I needed a bite to eat I would get a hamburger or something. It is a lot harder today. I am glad I was in the early days of wrestling instead of today."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why do you think you got over so well as a heel as a wrestler and a manager that by being such a bad guy during your wrestling programs that you have had death threats, been stabbed 21 times, and even been doused with acid. What are your thoughts on all that and did you ever consider being a good guy?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. That was the farthest thing from my mind because I looked out at the audience and I saw nothing but idiots. Anybody that goes and cuts somebody or throws acid on them I guarantee you and also losing the side of a right eye, that these are things you don't look forward to when you become a wrestler because you're thinking about getting in a ring and getting out. All I ever thought about was getting in a ring and getting out safely the way I got in, but it didn't happen that way."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How many legitimate injuries did you have through your career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"If I were to tell you, I wouldn't be telling you the truth. I had every rib on the right side broken, five on the left, two inner planted knees, one kidney, and the cuts and different things that happened in the injuries in the ring and out of the ring. I suffered as much out of the ring as I did in the ring due to these idiotic fans."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you left to serve your country in World War 2 in the Navy, did you ever think you would return to wrestling, and how did you end back in wrestling after the war?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I always wanted to be a wrestler. There was no two ways about it. My mother use to call it foolishness. She said, 'Why don't you cut out the foolishness and get a job?' I said that I wanted to be a wrestler. She said, 'Yeah, but you're not making any money and no expenses or nothing.' I said, 'But I don't care I want to be a wrestler.' Many times I went hungry, and many times for lack of sleep I slept in my automobile. If I wanted to use the mens' room I would have to go to a service station. Things weren't all peaches and cream, but the fellows today with the traveling they do, it is a lot harder today then what I did."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were the days of the wrestling territories like for you in New York, Los Angeles, and Georgia?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"You're going through a territory like you say New York. The first time I came to New York I was a punk kid wrestling around East St Louis, Illinois and East St. Louis, Missouri where I am from, and I wasn't doing anything. One of the fellas said, 'Why don't you go to New York? They are looking for wrestlers.' Like a ding a ling I went to New York, and I had about four matches or five. The promoter called me on the side one time, and he said, 'You are not qualified to wrestle these men up here. Go somewhere and learn the trade, and I am sure one of these days you are going to be a top notcher.' I thought to myself that this old geezer just wants to get rid of me, and I know what he is after. I left New York and went down south for most of my wrestling training, and it was rough as those southerners played for keeps."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your classic feud with John Tolos in Los Angeles territory, and what are your best memories of John Tolos all together?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I had a lot of respect for John Tolos as a person, but as a wrestler not too much. I didn't care for anyone else because as I was concerned there was only one wrestler and that was Classy Freddie Blassie. John gave me fit after fit after fit, and I put on those tights and got in the ring with him. I knew that I was going to be in for a heck of a beating and I knew he was going to get one too. That is the reason the fans turned out when Tolos and Blassie would meet in the ring."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your very bloody feud with Rikidozan in Japan as you made a name for yourself as the "vampire" for that very violent feud, and what was it like working in Japan overall?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, they wanted some wrestlers for Japan, and I had never been there, and I was champion over here which meant nothing to the Japanese. They only had one wrestler in mind and that was Rikidozan. I went over there and wrestled, and I had battle after battle not only with the wrestlers but the fans also. They would follow me as I would get up in the morning, and I would go out to the restaurant and get a bite to eat and there would be 50 to 100 people in the lobby waiting to see me. Every step I took they took right with me. They were great wrestling fans, but they sure didn't care for Freddie Blassie. They called him the vampire."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was it like to wrestle at the beginning of the WWE under the first of the McMahon's Jess McMahon, then his son Vincent James McMahon, and his grandson, Vincent Kennedy McMahon, and how do they compare and how do you think each contributed to the success of the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, Vince McMahon Jr. the promoter today, he's got more on the ball then all the other promoters put together. From the years gone by, you could accumulate and get them altogether and shake them up side down, and their brains wouldn't even rattle because they don't have any, but I guarantee you that this man here has been condemned so many times, but that is something I will never be able to see because time after time after time he came to my rescue, and I always respect that from his wife, children, father Vince McMahon Sr, and Jess was the man who gave me the advice by saying 'Son, you gotta get more experience before you're qualified to keep wrestling with the fellas like this.' It is is the best advice I could have gotten."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You managed Hulk Hogan in the WWWF days during the early feud between Hogan and Andre the Giant when Hogan was a heel. What are your thoughts fully on Hogan and does it amaze you to see him still wrestling today on WWE and as popular as ever?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That is something no one can understand. Here is a guy who has lost matches and everything, and hasn't given really to many good interviews. He is impressed with his own importance which is good, but he is not as good as he thinks he is."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You also had the chance to manage Jessie Ventura during his days with the WWE. What are your full thoughts on Jesse Ventura as a wrestler, and did you ever think he would be the governor of Minnesota?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was a great talker even when I was managing. He wouldn't even listen when I was telling him things to do. He had his own way of doing it and that was the way it was going to be. When he got elected Governor of Minnesota I was very surprised. People say I should have ran competition to him. I am not a politician. I am strictly a wrestler at all times at front, center, and end. That is how it will always be. Classy Freddie Blassie the wrestler not Classy Freddie Blassie the politician."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You got the chance to manage Muhammad Ali in the infamous "boxer vs. wrestler" match. What was it like to work with Muhammad Ali, and do you consider that one of the biggest highlights of your career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Muhammad Ali was one of the nicest gentleman I ever had the pleasure to meet. He never disputed anything I told him. When he went over to fight Antonio Inoki, Inoki kept staying on the mat and kept kicking, and they would come back in after the round, and Muhammad Ali would tell Angelo Dundee who was manager that, 'I am going to go out and get on the mat with him.' I said, 'Don't you dare to that because it will be the biggest mistake of your life.' What he will do is break your leg and arm because a boxer has no chance whatsoever with a wrestler. When you have a mixed match with boxer versus wrestler or wrestler versus boxer you can always bet your bottom dollar that the boxer is going to lose."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did Hollywood affect your career as far as working with Andy Kaufman in the film </B><B>Breakfast with Blassie</B><B> which was an underground classic in which you uttered: "What the hell ever happened to the human race?"</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Andy was another guy. This was a fella when I came out of the ring and I am going down to the dressing room and he is standing there. I said, 'Hey boy you're not allowed back here. Get out of here.' I chased him out. The next week I came back and he is there again. I said, 'I ran you out last week. Get the hell out of here. I don't care what you want. Get out of here.' I walked down to the locker room and the fella that takes care of the locker room and showers said, 'Mr. Blassie, do you know who that is?' I said, 'No.' He said, ' That is Andy Kaufman.' I said, 'Who is Andy Kaufman?' He said, 'He is a comedian.' I said, 'He is not to funny to me.' The following week he wasn't there and I said, 'Well, I got rid of him once and for all.' I had to park a half a block away from the Olympic Auditorium because there was no parking facilities, but anyhow as I start walking to my car he yells, 'Mr Blassie.' I thought oh no not again. I said, 'What do you want?' He said, 'I want to talk to you.' I said, 'I don't want to talk to you.' He said, 'Please I want to talk to you.' I invited him over and I took him out and we had a bite to eat, and from then on we became friends. He was one of the nicest kids I had ever had the pleasure to meet. He wanted to become Freddie Blassie of the entertainment world."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you finished your career in the ring with the WWE, what were your thoughts retiring from in ring action as a wrestler, and was it hard for you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, yes. It was quite a blow to my ego. I didn't think I was ever going to get old. They decided to make me a manager, and I couldn't wrestle no more. Some of the promoters would use me, but they wanted to give preliminary money. I wasn't fit to be tied with preliminary money. I gave my value at an arena to the gate at 85 percent to the drawing capacity."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about how The Grand Wizard, Captain Lou Albano, and yourself started Paul Heyman's career in wrestling in many ways.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, Paul Heyman, this guy here is a little weird. He wanted to get involved, and he got acquainted with The Grand Wizard. I went down to Manhattan, New York before the Madison Square Garden shows, and The Grand Wizard said, 'Hey. I have a kid over here who wants to sell some of your pictures.' I thought to myself 'ready cash.' I was visualizing maybe 50 bucks to 100 bucks, and I give the kid I forget how many pictures off hand as it could be 50 to 100 pictures. Two weeks later they said, 'Hey, Paul Heyman is looking for you.' I said, 'Who is Paul Heyman?' He said, 'That is the guy who sells those pictures.' I said, 'Oh yeah.' I was visualizing money like 50 or 100 dollars, and he came in and gave me three dollars. I said, 'Three dollars? What the hell are you doing with three dollars? I will beat your brains in.' He said, 'That is all I sold.' I said, 'All you sold? I thought you were going to sell pictures.' That was my first acquaintance with Paul Heyman."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You are known today as a very motivational speaker for all the guys in WWE today. What kind of reaction do you get from the current WWE Superstars of today when you go to a show or a WWE event, and do you still follow the current WWE product today</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. Today the wrestler has a much harder time with the aerial tactics they use and everything with the body slams, in the ring and out of the ring, head into the ring post, and once in a while my wife will say, 'Where is so and so?.' I say, 'He got hurt. He is in the hospital or at home recuperating.' The promoter won't use you unless you can draw money, and if you can't draw money then you're not worth a hill of beans."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you watch the wrestling today and you see these guys take these incredible bumps and you look back on your time, do you think today's WWE product is more entertainment then it is about the wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, people say prearranged this and prearranged that. You never had a prearranged anything for me as I did my own prearranging. I would go out and bust your head open and chew on your forehead, your ear, and I used to file my teeth and that was legit because they would put the camera right on my mouth and watch me file the teeth. There is no way you can get around saying that it doesn't hurt."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, maybe you could give a message to your fans, and you supposedly tell the best Polish jokes so maybe we can get one of those as well?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Polish joke? I have never heard of a good Polish joke. You ever hear of Ivan Putski? He is not worth a hill of beans. He was ridiculing me while I was doing an interview. I stopped the interview, and I walked over to Ivan Putski where he was sitting with a couple of his cohorts. I said, 'Get up you oh I can't say it here, but anyway the guy sat there like he was glued to his chair. I said, 'Get up. When I am finished with you I will stomp you to death.' To this day he hasn't fully recuperated from what I said, and believe me I was in the mood to do it too because here is a guy that is named Putski with his dance and all that, and you take that away from him and he has nothing. Well, remember there is only one Classy Freddie Blassie. You know if you're in good health, age doesn't really matter unless you are a cheese."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>UFC President Dana White Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="32734e70.jpg" border=0 width="308" height="231" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Ultimate Fighting Championship is one of the alternatives from professional wrestling on pay perview. Many wrestlers from Ken Shamrock to Dan Severn to Tank Abbott have all been on top in this mixed martial arts promotion. I had the chance to speak with the head of UFC President Dana White about everything around the company.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am great."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you look for in putting two fighters together to make a great fight?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We kinda structured this thing almost like boxing. Fighters fight all around the world. We look for the top guys who have beat a name that we already recognize. They are all in their different weight divisions. An interesting fight was Matt Hughes and Sean Sherk for the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 42. They were two guys with excellent wrestling skills, and they both like to get on top and ground and pound. Usually those fights end up where neither guy can take each other down and they usually end up getting up and slugging it out. Matt and Sean went to back and forth as one guy would get the top position and then the other guy would get the top position. We go after guys who are usually very exciting, and there is not a lot of stalling and they go for the submission or knockouts, guys who really bring it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were your thoughts on UFC 42 in Miami on April 25th, and what do you think you can learn positive and negative about running in Miami the first time around?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was happy with the event as far as the fights went. The ticket sales weren't what we expected. Our last four to five shows were sellouts in places like the Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Mohegan Sun Arena. I think Miami, Florida is a different animal as we did all the necessary things we have done to sell ticket sales, and we had to pull out some extras because we weren't selling as well as we thought we were going to. We still never ended up doing what we expected."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>UFC 43 is set for Las Vegas headlined by Ken Shamrock and Ian Freeman in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 6th. What are your thoughts on that upcoming show?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It is a star studed card. It is going to be an awesome show. Ian Freeman is coming off a knockout loss and as well Ken Shamrock is coming off a loss also. This is going to be a chance for one of them to get a win and get back in the UFC Heavyweight Championship picture. Tank Abbott and Kimo were supposed to fight back in the old days and it never happened. The return of Vito Belfor who is fighting Marvin Eastman who is someone people probably don't know, but will after this event as he is awesome. Chuck Lidell and Randy Corture are for the interim UFC Lightweight Championship. Chuck Lidell is considered the baddest 205 pounder in the world, and Randy Couture moving down to the lightweight division is very interesting. Randy has been able to stop some of the best strikers in the game. It is going to be interesting to see where it all goes."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is it safe to say that UFC 40 which was headlined by Ken Shamrock and Tito Oritz was your most successful pay perview and event thus far?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely. Ken Shamrock without a doubt is a pay perview monster."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think that the UFC product is hurt in any aspect because you don't have these guys that everyone knows like a Ken Shamrock or a Tank Abott and unless they sit down and watch the product closely for a while they won't know who they are?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. I think the our biggest problem right now is that we need to get a cable TV deal where you can tune in every Friday and see the UFC and help build pay perview stars."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Has there ever been any negotiations or any opportunities to get a TV deal for UFC?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely. We have been negotiating for a year and a half now with every network. It takes a long time and is a lot of work. We actually had some of our shows on the Fox Best Damn Sports Show, and we put on a live event for them. They did the second highest ratings that they have ever done. They gave us two of their boxing slots on Fox Sunday Night Fights where they put our shows in where we doubled the rating they usually do with the boxing shows. We are diligently working on a TV deal."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think there has been more attention drawn towards UFC after WCW and ECW were eliminated from the pay perview network as there are less alternatives then there used to you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know. What we have found since we bought the company is that the boxing fans are attracted. What we have come to realize that it is really boxing fans are the people interested in real fighting. I think people who are fans of professional wrestling are more into storylines and soap opera stuff. People who buy our events are into real fighting. We had boxers Michael Moorer in attendance, Fernado Vargas, and Bernard Hopkins all in attendance at our last show."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>But wouldn't you think with the likes of Ken Shamrock and Tank Abbott that there are some wrestling fans buying these shows?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely. No doubt about that. That is what I attribute most of the success of UFC 40 to. A lot of people remember Ken Shamrock as he is a legend in this sport, but then a lot people remember him from WWE."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is the future of Tito Ortiz with the UFC and all the talk that he doesn't want to fight Chuck Lidell in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Good question. I don't know. Tito has gotten to a point where he thinks he is bigger then the sport right now. He absolutely wants no part of Chuck Lidell. I can't make a guy fight somebody."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Does the UFC ever worry that a company like WWE would take a Tito Oritz because there have been talks between him and WWE, and that he might leave UFC for WWE like Ken Shamrock has?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. Not at all. I wouldn't try to hold anybody back from that. If Vince McMahon thought that Tito Ortiz was a big enough draw to do something with, then he can buy him out of his contract tomorrow."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Has there ever been talk of the UFC working with the WWE in some form or aspect?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Not really because we have advertised on their WWE Raw show, but we are finding out that the boxing fan is more of a UFC than a WWE fan is."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on former UFC Champion Josh Barnett testing positive for steroids, and do you think steroids is a problem in wrestling any other fighting competition?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, that is one of the things that the way I feel about steroids is that they passed a law in Nevada that professional boxers and mixed martial arts fighters are to be tested for steroids yet why don't they test for steroids in basketball or football or baseball? They never will test because it would destroy the sport because all the athletes are using steroids."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what do you think is in store for the UFC's future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We are just plugging along. The future for the UFC has to be a cable TV show. I think once we get a cable TV show that there is no doubt in my mind that this is the sport of the future. We are going to be as big as a boxing event or the WWE."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with Ken Shamrock</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="315bede0.jpg" border=0 width="190" height="222" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Ken Shamrock is a man that we haven't seen much of late after his loss to Tito Oritz on the UFC 40 pay perview, but he has a few projects in the works. The former WWE Superstar and 1998 WWE King of the Ring hasn't wrestled since his run with NWA TNA, but he will be getting back into the ring on May 2nd for New Japan at the Tokyo Dome. He shares his memories of Owen Hart, the match with The Rock at The King of Ring 1998 and how it pushed The Rock to the top, and his next match with the UFC.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is in store for your future as far as the wrestling world goes? On May 2nd you will be wrestling for New Japan at the Tokyo Dome against Takashi Lizuka. My question honestly is, what are your thoughts on returning to Japan and will you ever be returning to WWE anytime soon or NWATNA and your future with UFC?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, as far as Ken Shamrock's future goes, I have some things that are coming up immediately. One thing is on May 2nd and the other is June 6th. On May 2nd I am going to Japan and doing some professional wrestling over there. I am doing a dome show, and am pretty excited about that. A month later I will be fighting for the UFC in Las Vegas, Nevada against Ian Freeman who is a pretty tough kid from what I have seen. Those are two immediate things I am preparing for right now at this time. As far as returning to WWE and professional wrestling in the USA it is always an option, but I have two things I am focused on right now."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Have there been any negotiations between you and WWE to go back?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I haven't really pursued it. I haven't made any contacts just because I know they are real busy and have a lot of stuff going on. I haven't really pursued that option yet, but maybe in the future."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the loss to Tito Oritz at the UFC 40 pay perview and what experience if any can you learn from the loss?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, you win. I have won a lot of big ones and a lot of big fights in my time, and I lost one. You just have to accept the fact that sometimes you can't win them all and that is just the way it went. He was a better prepared fighter that night, and I got beat bottom line."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think the biggest difference between professional wrestling and UFC is?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"There are two different ones. Professional wrestling is a lot of thought and your body definitely takes a good beating. You also have to be an entertainer, athlete, and stunt man all rolled up into one. When it comes to fight you can just go in and be tough. It really is a different mind game."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Josh Barnett, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion who tested positive for steroids, and do you feel steroids is a major drug problem within the sport of wrestling and ultimate fighting?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No comment on that. People accuse people of certain things and they have no proof. Whatever happened with Josh Barnett, he is not standing there alone. I think that things just happen, and I really don't know what happened with him so I really can't comment on what happened between the UFC and him. I know what I have heard on paper and I know what was said. Who really knows."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon and Dana White as respective promoters?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think both of them are very professional. The event is the most important thing."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the WWE product today which includes the brand extension?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't really have a thought because I haven't been in there to see what it is really like. I am not sure what it is. I know that the program that we worked back then was pretty rough that included four days on and three days off, and then sometimes we would go ten days straight and two days off. It was rough, but I don't know what the current schedule is like."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>If you returned to WWE, would your goal be to have a feud with the likes of Kurt Angle because he uses the ankle lock like you, Chris Benoit, and Brock Lesnar?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely. Those are the guys I enjoy competing against because they are tough. Those are the guys I like competing against."</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you defeated The Rock in the King of the Ring Final at WWE King of the Ring 1998 in one of the greatest long back and forth matches, did you think that was your big singles push to the top of the company and did you expect The Rock to be where he is today?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. I was just as surprised to see The Rock get pushed. I thought both of us at the time were starting and he was there a little before I was with The Nation of Domination. He really wasn't going anywhere too fast. I came in and got a pretty good push. When I came in we kinda did a little marriage thing where we worked against each other, and I think that was his big push, and me and him were able to put some good matches together. We both moved forward and the people took to him right away. I step out sooner than I should have probably just because I was taking on some injuries and had to rest a little bit and some other options came up so I stepped out. I decided to go into a different direction and he decided to go in his direction. We were probably two of the youngest guys ever to step in a short period of time and do the things that we did."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The match between you and Owen Hart at WWE Fully Loaded 1998 pay perview you had was a memorable match in Stu Hart's Dungeon. What are your thoughts on that match and your memories of Owen Hart?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My memories of Owen were that he was one of the guys that was always trying to get the red eye out back home, and willing to do anything in the match to get it over. When you talked to him, he just kinda blended in. He was a really good kid. He was one of the true guys because when you talked to him, you weren't getting bullshitted. He was a good guy who was very true and genuine. He was a good family man because he always wanted to get home to his wife and kids."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There have been rumors going around that you are in a relationship with Alicia Webb, better known as Ryan Shamrock from her WWE days. What are you thoughts on her and is there any truth to that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah we have had an extended relationship and it has been very good. I think she is a very kind and very nice person."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final thoughts on your upcoming UFC match and anything else?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I really enjoyed being part of the UFC because I got to see another aspect where we used to see a certain amount of buys and people see us to a huge change and viewer ship and I was part of that. I feel real privileged to be able to do something like that. I will continue to hope to do that as I will be fighting June 6th. I hope we will have the same kind of turn out. Obviously the fight betwee</B><B>n</B><B> me and Tito Oritz had some heat behind it, and the fight with Ian Freeman is basically a fight with just me and him and there really isn't any history. There's a young guy and a guy from the past who will get it on. Hopefully that will draw an interest."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>WWE Superstars The Hardy Boyz Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="313e7200.jpg" border=0 width="231" height="288" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>They are one of the top tag teams in WWE today. The Hardy Boyz who are the first tag team to put out a book in the company </B><B>The Hardy Boyz: Exist to Inspire</B><B>, talk in depth about the book and all the events leading up to WrestleMania 19 this Sunday.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did your brother come up with the idea to write your book </B><B>The Hardy Boyz: Exist to Inspire</B><B>, and what do you think fans of The Hardy Boyz and wrestling can expect from the book?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "We were actually kinda surprised when we first heard of the idea because we are so young. I think it is kinda weird having a biography at 25 years old and Matt who is 28. It is kinda weird but cool because we are the first tag team to ever do one. It is laid out really good, and it is like an interview through the whole thing. There are stories in there from our independent wrestling days, and the process of succeeding. It is really good. I think the fans will totally enjoy our life story up to this point."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "Well, the original reason we wrote Exist to Inspire was because we were offered an opportunity, and being the first tag in WWE to be given an opportunity to write an autobiography. I think it says a lot for your levels of popularity, and understanding what you see through the fans' eyes because they gave you enough to write a book, and you know it is going to be an uphill climb. It is quite an honor to do it and we are both young. We both have a lot left in our career, but we went through all the trials and tribulations to get into WWE because we didn't have any connections or family in the business. We had a tough journey, but any journey that is tough can be rewarding. I wouldn't change anything or have any regrets. That is basically the story of our life and career. It is really interesting, emotional, makes you laugh and cry, and overall it is a great story."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you feel that you covered all the rumors in the book that have been reported in the years past?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "Yes I do. I didn't realize that it came out as good as it did as far as answering some questions that people had. I hope people will say that you answered all the questions that they would see on the internet. I think we both covered a lot of that and we were honest about the whole thing. I think we told like we felt it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "We tried to. I definitely wanted to make the book look honest. I didn't want to sugarcoat things, dance around subjects, and every internet rumor that was pegged on The Hardy Boyz we tried to address. Our relationship with Lita where we were punished for being taken off TV for that short stint, Jeff and his passion, and Jeff and the alleged drug use. We tried to hit every topic head on. I think we did a good job with it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You and Jeff were a jobber tag team of sorts for years in the WWE. What was the one thing and person that helped you get your big break as The Hardy Boyz today?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "I think the thing that really made us stand out was we're coming in and doing jobs, working as extras, and doing anything else they needed us to do. Whenever we got in the ring, we didn't try to go in there and say we can do this move and that move and this. If guys had some spot or move they wanted to do to us, we would just take the spectacular bump. It would be something people would see and think 'Wow they took an amazing up. Did you see how they got thrown out to the floor?' It would be just something that stands out and got their attention. After we did that for a few matches in a row, people started thinking that they are a little different from everyone else. We were just trying to catch somebody's eyes and we did it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How much have you enjoyed your singles push with the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, and what are your thoughts on your WrestleMania 19 match with Rey Mysterio Jr?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "The whole WWE Cruiserweight Championship I consider an honor anytime you hold a title in the wrestling business because it says the office has confidence in you to carry and be the champion. It was a fun storyline for me to wrestle Billy Kidman for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, and then I beat him, and now I am set to go against Rey Mysterio Jr. at WrestleMania which is the biggest event of the year. Rey Mysterio Jr is phenomenal talent, and he really is the pioneer of the whole WWE Cruiserweight Division. He will have to bring all his lucha libre to beat Matt Hardy Version 1.0. I think the match will be off the charts if we are given the right amount of time, and I think we will steal the show."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you prefer tag team or singles wrestler, and have you enjoyed the push with the Matt Version 1.0 storyline that is complete with true Matt Hardy facts?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "Yeah. I definitely have enjoyed the push I have received in the singles. I feel that since now I am wrestling as a singles wrestler, that I am now getting some credit I didn't get when I was with The Hardy Boyz. Jeff does so many amazing moves and just is a flashy wrestler. It is kinda what stood out about The Hardy Boyz. Once I got a chance to go alone and get some character development with the Matt Hardy Verson 1.0 and the founder of Mattitude, it has been a lot of fun and has caught on. I can't tell you how happy I am to do it as it is a good change of pace. It is fun to have a character change after you have been doing the extreme thing for so many years. Everything that has made my storyline go have been my creative ideas, and I take a lot of pride in that. The Matt facts were actually presented to me by the office. Every week I get to come up with those, and that is probably one of the fun parts of my days coming up with my own facts. I have hundreds left to go."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the WWE Brand Extension between WWE Raw and Smackdown with you and your brother wrestling on different programs, and do you think it has benefited the company?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "I think so because for a while there I was doing WWE Raw and Matt was doing WWE Heat, and for some reason Vince McMahon didn't want two Hardy Boyz on one show, and that lead to Matt's splits, and it is obvious that Matt is doing great for himself with the development of Mattitude. I have also been able to be more of the character I wanted to be, and be more myself as far as not being held back as far as the way I look when I come out to the ring. I think it is a good move."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "Yeah. I think the brand extension is a really good thing. I think it will give guys that really never had a chance before because we have so many guys under contract in this company right now. Vince McMahon said to all the wrestlers, 'I think the brand extension is going to be a good thing. I think were going to have to take two steps back and then take one step forward, but in the end it going to be good.' I agree with him completely on that. It is a new concept. I think people were so spoiled because they were using to seeing all their stars on Monday and Thursday and then you took it and split the guys up. Now people have to see both shows to see all their stars and some people only see one show and they are not so happy. It takes a while for people to adjust to it, but I think now people are adjusting to it. In the future if you can build two different promotions and brands then you have dream matches and inter promotional feuds you can have down the line."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Paul Heyman being taken off the WWE Smackdown creative team, and do you think he did a good job while the head booker for the show?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "Yeah. I think Paul Heyman did a really good job while he was the booker for WWE Smackdown. When you ask what I think of him being removed from his position, I really don't know because I don't of the details of why he was, but I can tell you that I thought WWE Smackdown was doing really well with the storylines and the booking was really good on it. My whole theory is if it isn't broke don't fix it. That is what I have to say about the Paul Heyman situation."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince McMahon as a booker and a person in general?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "Well, I think there is no denying that Vince McMahon is the great wrestling promoter there ever has been. You look at what he has done and the track record good, bad, or indifferent speaks for itself. As a booker again his track record speaks for itself. He has a good idea of what is going on because he has been in the business for as long as he has. There are certain things I am sure people question and myself included as far as decisions he has made in the past as far as matches he has put together. In the end nobody is perfect."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There have been some passionate moments shared between you and Lita on WWE TV in the past. Is it safe to say you guys have had a very close personal relationship off camera, and what are your thoughts altogether on Lita?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "Well, as you know Lita is my girlfriend on and off camera. We have had some passionate moments on TV and I think that has kinda translated from an actual off camera relationship. She is number one. She has a great personality, and her and me see eye to eye on the sports entertainment business. We also see eye to eye on everything in life. It has been hard being on the road without her over the last year since she had her neck injury in May. We just wanted to get her right again. I think she is kinda over the hump as far as getting back into her training and getting back to where she needs to be by June or July, and then Matt and Lita will ride again."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any idea what your role in WWE WrestleMania 19 will be this weekend?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "My role as of now is nothing. Matt has a match with Rey Mysterio Jr. for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, and I hope I get involved in a match in some form. I don't have a match on the card as of now."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You are in a storyline on WWE Raw right now where it seems that nothing truly makes sense to you. It is kind of like you are doing good deeds, but as well getting involved in other storylines. What are your thoughts right now as far as where you stand with the WWE in that storyline, and do you think maybe in a few years or so you might be ready to do other things outside of wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "I really like to be completely honest. The last time I wrestled Rob Van Dam, the fans saw a side of Jeff Hardy that hasn't really been seen which is more of a heel character and more of a bad attitude. I did that for a few weeks, and am still doing the conflicted crossroads point in life, and I am enjoying that. It has been a lot more fun being heel and that in between type character. I think that is the way I need to go, and I think that is where I am with Trish Stratus right now. I don't know how that is going to develop. We will just take it week to week."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about the little angle you are having with Trish Stratus as far as the passionate role and sort of kiss you shared with her this past Monday on WWE Raw.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "I think I am starting to fall in love with her really. No. I am just kidding. It is fun man, and I really can't complain. I use to look at muscle magazines before we were in the WWE, and I looked at Trish Stratus and thought she was so awesome. Now to be sorta involved in a relationship with her on TV is the best."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the return of Steve Austin to WWE Raw, and how it has helped the company?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "I think it has been a crazy boost in the ratings. I think for sure it helped and of course everyone loves Steve Austin and they always will. It is good to see him back. I love him to death. He is a great guy."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After you defeated HHH for the WWE Intercontinental Championship back a few years ago on WWE Smackdown and held title for a week, did you think this was the beginning of a big single push for you and possibly your brother?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "Yeah. Actually I did. That is one cool thing about us because even though we were tagging full time we were always allowed to do our singles and be successful at that. Now that we are on two different shows, we really get to separate, be different, and entertain. I think people are happy with our singles characters and everything. I think at that time I thought they were going to push me to the moon because I didn't know until that day I walked in the building like wow I get to beat HHH. It was great to be a WWE Intercontinental Champion."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Back in November of 2002, I had the pleasure of interviewing Shawn Michaels. I asked him what he thought of how people compared him to you and what his thoughts were on your performance. He said, "Well, I think he is more talented then I ever was as far as what he can do in that ring. I often wonder if being compared to somebody else is ever helpful to a young guy. I don't know Jeff Hardy that well, but this is a comment that I feel generally of the talent in the locker room." What are your thoughts on that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "That is awesome. He was a huge influence on my career. I was a huge fan of him growing up. It is great to hear of someone like Shawn Michaels speak that of me. I read a while back that Sting's two favorite people to watch wrestle in the WWE on TV is Rob Van Dam and myself. I read that from some interview and I was like wow. I have never met Sting, but for Shawn Michaels saying that about me is for sure an honor man."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think with all the high flying moves that you and Matt do that you are shortening your wrestling careers?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "Most definitely. It is kinda hard to get around when you do the style we do and taking risks. I have slowed down a lot of late and so has Matt. You can't do that forever. I think the fans eventually will understand that. After those TLC matches it can be kinda hard to top. I don't know what you can do after. I guess you can start bringing lions, tigers, and bears out there. Who really knows because it is hard to top. We have slowed down, and now that we have our signature holds, and as long as we make the crowd happy with the things we do now, I think we are set up really good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think some wrestlers like HHH for instance have extra political and storyline power because he has a relationship with Stephanie McMahon, the boss's daughter as far as in the WWE and on Raw in general? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "I think so. Shannon Moore did an interview and he said something that made a lot of sense. The interviewer asked What kinda of advice would you give to upcoming wrestlers. He said, 'They need to run a term in the White House and get their politics game down.' There are a lot of politics in the business, and unfortunately that means you have to take part in that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any final comments as far as the book and what fans can expect from WrestleMania 19 this Sunday?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff: "I think the fans can expect a good match out of Matt this Sunday. I am hoping to be seen in possibly that match in some form. It is WrestleMania and it is the best in the world as far as sports entertainment. I think it will be a great show."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Matt: "As far as WrestleMania this Sunday, I will be taking on Rey Mysterio Jr. for the WWE Crusierweight Championship. I think it will be a dynamite match. I think Rey is a phenomenal athlete. We are going to give the fans their money's worth on that match. I am looking forward to it as it is my first singles appearance at WrestleMania. I am happy to get on WrestleMania 19 with my own accomplishments throughout the years. As far as the book goes, if you're a wrestling fan or a Hardy Boyz fan, I think you will absolutely love the book. Even if you're not I think it is a read that you will enjoy and it is a very heartfelt story. It covers many of the trials and tribulations we went through. I think people can really understand because me and Jeff more then other superstars are viewed as regular people in so many ways. I think people can relate to our story."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Interview with Macho Man Randy Savage </B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="30ca9fd0.jpg" border=0 width="169" height="253" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He is probably one of the most accomplished and recognizable figures in the world of professional wrestling. Macho Man Randy Savage has done everything from be the long time spokesperson for Slim Jim to star in the blockbuster movie </B><B>Spiderman</B><B>. In an interview, Macho discusses everything from how Eminem inspired him to produce his first rap CD, understanding the bizarre one that is the Ultimate Warrior, and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing good man."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I like to ask you first off, what you have been up to as far as recording your first rap CD? How you were able to adapt, and who are some influences from the rap industry as far as artist wise that made you want to do this CD?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have to say off the top of my head Eminem. I got done watching his movie and man is it tight. I introduced him on stage one time, and I met him, and he was a super cool guy. He is very down to earth, keeping it real, and all of that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>So then most likely we won't be seeing you again working for Vince McMahon in WWE any time soon?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"You never know. All options are open I think. I definitely would enjoy one more time hitting the ring up there in WWE. That would be nostalgic, and that would be cool."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about playing the role as Bone Saw Mcgraw as a professional wrestler in the Spiderman movie, and how that all came about, and being part of one of the biggest blockbuster movies of all time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have to give all the credit to the director Sam Raimi who was not just an incredible director, but he was a good boss. He made it fun, and it was just kinda hard to figure out who the boss was there because we were having a good time getting the job done, and it was just a cool thing."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was it like to work with Tobey Maguire</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>in the movie?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was ok. I will tell you I have really big respect for his stunt man. His stunt man was incredible. Tobey was great, and Spiderman did really well. I want to issue a rematch for Spiderman so I can get one more time to kick his butt. I think I can get him this time."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You landed a part in Disney's </B><B>"Tarzan II" </B><B>movie due to be released in 2005. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Right. You did your homework there with "</B><B>Tarzan ll". </B><B>I just got done doing a lot of it, and might have to do a little bit more. It should be out in 2005. It was a lot of fun because the people there were really fun. It was a Disney crew, and it's going to be a tight movie. You should be surprised."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You are also planning a mega show at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida on December 6th, 2003. What can we expect from that? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, we just pulled that right now. That is on the sidelines. We thought we were going to go there, but we decided that maybe the Bayfront Center down the road, but we're not going to secure a date like we thought we were."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You donated $10,000 to All Children's Hospital in Tampa Bay, Florida after Hulk Hogan would not agree to wrestling yourself in a charity match. What are you thoughts on that, and you plan on challenging Hogan and other talents throughout the year, am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes. The thing is the challenge involving the $10,000, he didn't accept the challenge, and I gave a gift of $10,000 which wasn't near what it should have been. Andrew Mcmanus, the head of WWA, matched it with $10,000, and a businessman over here in Tampa, Florida Rick Macitosh put in another $1,000. In final we gave $21,000 to the kids, but it could have been so much more with the pay perview money, and all the merchandise we could have sold. It was a token, but I am definitely challenging Hulk Hogan again as it is now wide open, and we will see if he accepts this one."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How would you characterize yourself as the new image of a wrestler by the 1980's standard like you and guys like Hogan and Paul Orndorff? Did you see yourself as a muscular action figure great physique type of wrestler?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Not really. I just consider myself more of an athlete then a body builder or anything like that. I just tried to move and stay athletic, and it can be hard with these wobbly knees I got, but it is fun."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is there legitimate heat between you and Hulk Hogan?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. We don't like each other personally or business wise. I am sure he feels the same about me, and that is what it is, taking a high road on it. It is all that he said she said stuff sort of like Limp Bizkit, but it is no big deal. Two men should be able to get into the ring, and just work things out, and whether it be a work or shoot it doesn't matter to me as whatever makes him comfortable."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think personally think of Vince McMahon as a wrestling promoter and a person in general?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think he is great. I have always got along with Vince McMahon. I think he is a king, and he gave me an opportunity on June 17, 1985 to wrestle for him, and it was the starting point of my career. I appreciate it 100 percent."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>One of your most well known matches people can relate to is the match between you and Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania 3. Do you think it is the greatest match of your career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. That is what I have heard as a lot of people think it was. It was a world indoor record with 93,000 people there, and it was really fun to wrestle there that night. I just remember having a good time that, but I had a lot of good times. It wasn't just that night."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 4 you defeated Ted Dibiase in the finals of the WWE World Championship tournament. What are you thoughts on that night, and winning the world title?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was glad. It was satisfying. I knew what it meant, and I knew a lot of the guys would be depending on me to lead them. It was a fun thing, and not only a fun thing to achieve, but you got to remember there is a lot of respect with it, and a lot of confidence in the person wearing it. It was cool that they thought enough of me to let me be the lead dog, and there are a lot of people now doing a really good job."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 7 you had the retirement match between you and the Ultimate Warrior. What are your thoughts on the match, and the Ultimate Warrior in general?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I love the Ultimate Warrior. Me and him are very good friends you know what I mean? The funny part is when he is talking way far out and everything. I find myself understanding him. When I start understanding him is when I am looking in the mirror, and man am I going crazy or what? I like the Ultimate Warrior because we had a lot of fun inside that ring together, and also as a person he is a cool dude." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you plan to write a book in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Nah. I am not going to write no book. Everybody else is writing the books. Let them write the books."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How is Miss Elizabeth?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have no idea. We got a divorce, and people just go their separate ways. It was a change of lives."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think caused the downfall of WCW, and what do you think of how Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo ran things within the company?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am a good friend of Eric Bischoff. I have a lot of respect for him, and I think that I guess he didn't have full control. I don't think anyone really did, and it was a wag the dog on the tail kinda thing over there. Vince McMahon is the boss, and he is a genius who probably would have won anyway. He definitely won because we beat ourselves over there in WCW. I watched it happen."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you purchased the name Gorgeous George from Rob Kelum better known as The Maestro, tell me about that whole process. Do you still own the name, and what did you think of The Maestro as a person?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I just made a business deal and that was it. I think he is a very good talent, and a good amateur wrestler. He really adapted to professional wrestling. A lot of guys who do amateur wrestling have trouble adapting."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Kurt Angle and his current injury situation?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think the king to adapting to professional wrestling is Kurt Angle. Kurt Angle is an incredible human being, and I would just like to say good wishes from myself from everybody around me that he gets a good speedy recovery. I know he has that Kurt Angle wrestling camp, and he is the number one guy who has come out of amateur wrestling and did the best. He made the transition to becoming a real good professional wrestler. He became a good leader, got along with the boys, and drawing money at the same time."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During the downfall of the WWF in 1992 many of the wrestlers were taking steroids and there was a trial. I interviewed Roddy Piper back a little while ago, and he admitted to taking steroids stating, "I had a whole shopping bag of steroids." Would you put yourself in that group with Roddy Piper and Hulk Hogan or no?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. That is just all in the past. I was on the Arsenial Hall show, and I talked about it publicly for a year straight. I am done talking about that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"On my website </B><B>www.machoman.com</B><B> we are going to start a new wrestling league, and were going to try to give guys who have never been seen before a chance to be seen. We're also going to see some legends from the past because tradition is a wonderful thing. I have a passion for this business, and I want to give back. I want to give a chance for some talent to be seen that could possibly go up to the big leagues like WWE. Just to get people an opportunity, and a work together policy. We are also planning something very special for the Curt Hennig family because Curt was a very good friend of mine, and a very good friend of Steve Kiern's who is doing the booking over here at his wrestling school in Tampa, Florida. He was a good friend of Steve's, Jimmy Backlund, and we are going to do something very special for Curt. That was devastating as far as what happened."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sid Vicious Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="306d1050.jpg" border=0 width="209" height="261" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sid Viscious is one the best big man this sport has ever seen. After he broke his leg a few years back, the fans of wrestling haven't heard much from him. In a very emotional interview, Sid gives us the update on everything including retirement.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing fine."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Have you received any phone calls from WWE about coming back to the company, and would you like to go back or is there the possibility you might end up in NWATNA, and what are your thoughts on the current WWE product?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Probably not. Kevin Kelly called me about six months ago, and he wanted me to do an interview pretty much what you are doing now. I declined it, and the reason being is that the main reason would be because of where the state of the business is right now. I explained to Kevin Kelly at the time if there was a chance that I would come back then I wouldn't have done something like an interview just for the sake of doing an interview for WWE. If I come back, I want it to be something big, and do something big. After talking to people that are there right now, they have told me it is so bad there right now. The business has changed so much, and I just don't see it being any fun there. You got to realize when being in there, and the business is down like it sure is no fun to be in it. There are many reasons, and first when the business is so hot like it was a few years back, and all the people who thought they were big stars were riding that big wave. We all know the business goes in cycles. When the business is cycled up then all these people who thought they were big stars like Edge or any of these guys that are on the middle of the card, they come out to a full arena, and the crowd is real responsive because there are a lot of people there. Then everyone gets this conception of himself or herself being this big star that they aren't, and then they believe they are a reason why the people are there. I think there are a few reasons the people are there. First, the business goes in cycles as it goes up and it goes down. I think when the business is up it is because of a few people, and probably at the time it would have to be Steve Austin and The Rock. Now that the business is down the people taking credit for the business being so great, and it is like what are they taking for now? From that they start putting up a lot of stupid reasons. What I have heard is the people running the territory. I don't know the people who are booking the territory, but those are the people getting the credit for the business being so bad right now. A lot of people have said the reason the business is bad is because Paul Heyman has put his friends in certain situations and they weren't over. That is the reason the business wouldn't be any fun to be in, but there is not one certain reason why the business is the way it is right now. There are so many reasons we could probably go on, and it would become boring. It probably has something to do with the writing, and overexposure of underneath middle card guys like Edge. The reason I say Edge a couple of times is because I saw him one of those WWE Tough Enough shows, and he was meeting all the guys and girls that were in the show. He comes into their house, and everybody is sitting there talking to him and this and that. He starts putting himself over like he is this big star, and goes yeah I know you guys are probably looking at me thinking wow here is Edge a big star and this and that. He started saying when I was growing up I was a big fan of Hulk Hogan, and I use to have pictures of him up on my wall, and I thought he was the man. When I come to the WWE I found out what makes a real superstar is their work rate. That is a phrase that should only be applied to people who are not money drawers like people like Edge and middle card people because that is their only security for being in the business is because they can do a lot of high risk high situation bumps. Anybody can come off the top rope like I did, and I broke my leg. Years ago I used to do a few things, but I was never comfortable with things like that. I have seen bigger guys like Vader do moonsaults off the top rope, but when Vader did things like that there was always a reason for it. He didn't do 10 or 20 of them a match. These guys doing all these bumps like that, and they think their work rate puts them up on a status with a Hulk Hogan or something like that. It doesn't, won't, and never will. The thing is what I would say to some of these guys like Edge is why if their work rate is so great why are there some many cancellations in towns in the WWE? Because they can't sell tickets, and it's not because Hogan isn't there because Hogan isn't on most of those shows. Then when Hogan is on the card, and the other guys are on the card they are sold out. I also heard before Steve Austin left the WWE the business was down before he left. It is not something one person does, and the phenomenon of the business wasn't created by Steve Austin. The business got hot 15 years ago when Hogan really started the business, and it could have just been a way the cycle had been. I don't know as I wasn't there when it happened, but it went down, and when Hogan was there it went down. We now know the business goes in cycles, and when will the next cycle be, and what creates the next cycle? Honestly who knows. I am sure it is going to be a lot harder this time because of a lot of reasons like there is no competition out there. Second, there is competition out there, but it is in different form. Wrestling was like a reality show in a sense or a predetermined reality show like a lot of these reality shows you find out are now. The competition out there is reality shows or other shows that take it on the format similar to wrestling like Monster Garage and things like that. Every channel has so many different shows that come in the category like wrestling, and that is the thing that is so much more fun to watch or as fun to watch. The week wrestling survives week to week and day-to-day is wrestling events other than NWATNA that is just a pay perview, and they aren't surviving real well from what I am understanding. The format from day one has always been you do your TV, and they hope you come out to the events to pay the ticket prices. Well, no one is doing that anymore because everyone in the company now has been over exposed, and I believe the scenarios of the business have been overdone, and in the old days it was good guy versus bad guy. When a bad guy usually gets his run, and then his run was close to being over they would turn him into a good guy. Then after that run they would turn him back into a bad guy for just a little bit to get someone else over before they went on to another territory. Today there is only one territory, and they continue to remanufacture someone again which you can't do. Once someone is turned baby face or heel two or three times in the same existing territory, their drawing ability really gets down to nothing."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How is your leg and your physical condition overall right now, and how tough was rehab, and what was going through your mind the moment the incident happened with Scott Stiner, Road Warrior Animal, and Jeff Jarret at the WCW Sin 2001 pay perview?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"As far as physical shape, I believe that I am in the best physical shape that I have been in probably four years. My leg for instance at the moment when I went to New Orleans, Louisiana for Mardi Gras, I did a little walking around the French Quarters and Bourban Street, and above my ankle where the break is was killing me. I am still having a little bit of a hard time with that. On a normal week I go to therapy five times a week."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on how Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo ran the company while you were in WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, here is a situation in my opinion. What they did there is what I have seen a few territories do before, and I will give you a quick example. In the Memphis, Tennessee territory years ago before the ending days of the old Memphis Championship Wrestling territory before it changed hands like many times it has, they did an angle with Jim Cornette's territory, and they did a deal where they came in, and they would pretend to come over, and take each other's territory. What happens when you do that is Jim Cornette's territory came into Memphis pretending it was taking over that territory, and the Memphis territory came into Smoky Mountain Wrestling pretending it was taking over. When you take a group of guys coming into your local thing that you see, and the thing is for Memphis they see Memphis Championship Wrestling all the time, and they sure don't see Smoky Mountain Wrestling. When they see some new guys coming in, and pretending they are taking over, and like they hurt the promotion or the heroes on TV. What happens is that it automatically turns everyone babyface. At the beginning of that you usually get a good response, and they come out and they would buy a ticket, and everything was programmed for the Coliseum, and everything was programmed through the TV. They would run it in the Coliseum on Monday, and then one week later it would air in Evansville and Louisville. They would then a week later run Louisville Gardens, and they had a pretty good success over the first and second week, but after that it sizzled out. Memphis guys went to Smoky Mountain, and they drew some money there, but after that it sizzled out. What happens then is that they knew it was going to be a short-term relationship. Then everyone went their separate ways, and the downside of that is now all the guys in the Memphis territory were baby faces because you wanted everyone in this territory to see you beat up all the people you didn't like. At the time you had people in here like Billy Jack Haynes, and in my opinion he had some heat, and he was doing pretty good here with his skills. So what happens is the Smoky Mountain wrestling people go back to their territories, and they would build up Billy Jack Haynes to work an angle with Jerry Lawler and other baby faces after he has been turned baby face. He has no heat anymore, and you have a territory full of baby faces. I am trying to make this as short as I can, but what happened with Eric Bischoff he brought the NWO in doing the same thing pretending that the WWE was coming in taking over WCW. Well, when they did that everyone in WCW turned pretty much baby face because they wanted to see those guys who were running ramped on everybody, and they eventually on that year to two years turned everybody baby face, and when that was over with, they didn't prepare themselves, and they didn't have any heels to go against the baby faces. That is what I think is wrong with the business, and whoever is helping Vince McMahon run the show they are booking matches with heel versus heel and babyface versus babyface, and when you do that coming out a match you get two heels working against each other then somebody is going to walk out of that match a baby face. You spend all of this time getting this guy ready to be a heel, and then knowing one day you're going to turn this guy a baby face you either did it too soon or you did it and the run has already happened. You didn't prepare him for a run as a babyface, and it's like a rock. If you put a perfectly round rock in a really straight groove, and you send it down the groove everything is ok, but when you start chipping at the rock either side of it becomes uneven, and it's either gonna come out of the groove or start rolling. In the wrestling business when you start messing with people's credibility, and the credibility is what surrounds the wrestler, and makes him what he is, he is either going to have great credibility which makes him a main event person or his credibility is going to be less than that, and that is going to put you down in the category with Edge or people like that who are middle card guys. Then what happens is the WWE is forced to put these guys in main event spots or they are never ready. I think Eric Bischoff did a great job, but he wasn't prepared for the downfall when everyone had run their courses, and he didn't have anybody ready to work with anybody else. He just started running people in to work with whomever they had at the time. Vince Russo was put into a situation that was unfixable at least within a short period of time. He was not given enough time to fix everything. You have to realize not being there that every night he was there that there was this heavy burden put on him that we need to fix this thing, and we need to fix it this week. When you have a car that is demolished, and the person says I want this car rolling next week, you can put four new tires on it, but with a bent frame it is going to drive crooked. Vince Russo was put into a situation that was impossible for him to fix that in that kinda time frame. It was good working with both of them, but when I came in there either Eric Bischoff or Vince Russo could fix things or they didn't."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you enjoy working for Vince McMahon during your earlier runs in the company, and what are your thoughts on him as a wrestling promoter?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I did have a good run working for the WWE, and I had a lot of friends there. Working with Vince McMahon was unique, and I probably learned 60 to 70 percent of what I know about the business from Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson. Though on the other hand I saw Vince McMahon do a lot of things that were so stupid, and most of them were things for him being vindictive, and if he was had someone that was drawing money for him and he got mad at him, he would do whatever he wanted to do to ruin their drawing ability even though it was going to cost him in the long run. He is for sure one of the smartest people in the business, but his arrogance thinking he could fix whatever he broke or could buck any type of system. There are two obvious ones the Joe Weeder deal, and then going against the NFL. It just shows that his total arrogance was more dynamite then anything."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During your run with the WWE you defeated Shawn Michaels at WWE Survivor Series to become the WWE World Champion. What was it like for you the first time around, and your thoughts on working with Shawn Michaels, and did you expect him to still be working in wrestling today?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was probably one of the greatest highlights of my career as far as winning the championship there at Madison Square Garden. When I first got into the business back then you were working all these small territories around the country. There were two here in Memphis, Tennessee and one down in Birmingham, Alabama owned by the Fullers called Continental Championship Wrestling. I remember back in those days when the NWA was around too, but it was never thought about like if I went there I would be ok. The thing was to get to the Madison Square Gardens and work a match there then you could say you done it all. For me to work Madison Square Garden and win the world championship at least I could say I had done it all. It was great working with Shawn Michaels, and he was totally professional, and he was very unselfish. He always went out his way like a lot could be, but there are a lot instead that are picky about their character or didn't want to do certain things to help another person look good. We always worked well together I thought, and he would never give me any crap. He never worried if I got cheered and he got booed. He was totally great to work with."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the downfall of WWE in 1992 during the steroid trials?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I believe that was another time when the business was cycling down. I think it was a coincidence. I don't think the trial itself was a factor of the business going down. I think for Vince I don't think it was a factor that he was taking on Joe Weeder, and many came up with the excuse that he wasn't focusing enough on the wrestling business. The wrestling business was already down, and if I can remember they still had Hulk Hogan. Everyone has their run in this business, and they really don't know how long it is going to be. Hulk Hogan's run was pretty much over at that time, and they needed to revamp him or something. It always helps to take some time off, and that is all he needed. The steroid situation and everything like that was nothing but an overplayed, over exaggerated, and bullshit ordeal." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on your time in ECW, and what are your thoughts on how Paul Heyman ran the company?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, the thing is Paul Heyman definitely saw how the simplicity of the business was usually the things that worked. He brought me in and made me a killer, and I just killed people the time I was there. I definitely think I was over while I was there as a person in this business, and Paul Heyman knew how to keep someone over in this business. The only downfall I think Paul had was for instance that you had someone in there like me who wasn't the normal ECW wrestler. He didn't like if the fans were chanting Sid, and he would rather hear the fans chant ECW. When you restrain yourself like that or narrow your vision then that might have been the only thing that stopped him from getting bigger then he was. He definitely was smart about getting his TV out across the country in a very cheap way by putting it on late at night. He had very little backing and support other then the crew he had, and he got out and made something work with little help. Those are the things I think he did good, but the things he did bad were instead of letting something be bigger then ECW, and he didn't want that to happen. I don't think the fans should come to the wrestling match, and you never hear the fans chanting WWE because it's either Austin or Hogan or something like that. You want to have the fans be a part of the show, and you make them feel like they are one of the wrestlers or participants in the game that night and not a participant of the company."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You then went on to have a feud with Bill Goldberg where you called yourself the Millennium Man vowing that you would eclipse Goldberg's streak of 176 victories. You took on Bill Goldberg at WCW Halloween Havoc 1999 in a match that involved a lot of bleeding which was stopped by the referee, but you never gave up. What was it like to work that whole program all together with Bill Goldberg and the storyline all together?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was ok. We really didn't want to do the deal at WCW Halloween Havoc. They originally wanted to do a deal where it was going to be an extra added pay perview for that year to do it actually when it happened New Year's Eve Night. It was Eric Bischoff's idea, and I think it was a hell of an idea. They didn't want to it because they wanted something to happen now. That is the fault of the company, and I think if he would have had a chance to do it and do it right then it would have been a whole lot bigger then it was."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about the controversial match between you and Chris Benoit at WCW Sold Out 2000 where he defeats you for the WCW World Championship, and then walks out on the company the next night. What were your thoughts on the whole situation of Benoit departing from the company? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, you can believe this or not, but I was in the dark on that one. Than that night at the pay perview I was told at the last second what was going on. The whole deal was my foot was under the rope, and that was done for a reason. They pretty much knew at that time they were going to let Chris Benoit and that whole cast of people. The thing is this. I think Benoit is a great technical wrestler. He has a lot of heart, but he is only four foot tall. The people that wrestling fans pay to see are the guys that are bigger than life. They are the people that can project themselves to be that big like Shawn Michaels, and he may not be the biggest guy but he can project himself like he is a Roddy Piper. Chris Benoit is not a person that can do that, and including the rest of the group Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn, and Eddie Gurrero. They were going around trying to get a petition signed, and the reason was to bring back Vince Russo because they had the luxury of picking up the phone, and they were singing Vince Russo an ear of crap to get their stuff used on TV. That is the only reason they pulled that deal to get Kevin Sullivan and whoever else was on the booking committee then. There were also other people, but I can't remember who it was. Kevin Sullivan's name was brought up to get out of there because he was directly in charge. The thing is this. I have always in my career tried to leave it up to the promoter and the people in charge to come up with the ideas. I am not going to worry myself calling on the phone 24 hours a day, and find out who I am working, what the finish is, and I usually didn't know the finish till that day. I was really shocked that they wanted me to put Chris Benoit over, but I know the reason now afterwards. The idea was to let him have his little way, and then they know he was going to be fired next day. They didn't all walk because they were all fired."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Have you ever considered retiring in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think retirement is in my near future just because I don't think I have a way to come back from this accident."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know. There are a lot of things I would like to comment on, but there are too many things to go into. I just want the fans to know when I went out this weekend to Mardi Gras or down in New Orleans, Louisiana or the people I run across day-to-day when I go to the gym and stuff like that, I don't think I did amazing things for the business, and I really let people tell me that. I let my peers tell me that, and it has been a consensus across the board. Everyone thinks I was one of the best, and one of the people who projected their character as a really scary guy. I tried to make people think Sid Viscious was this and that, and I really think I accomplished that. I appreciate all the moral support that I get from people day to day that I see and meet. I also would like to thank them all for standing behind me. I feel a real empty spot because I didn't get to finish my career the way I would have liked to have. It would have been nice if for instance some of the places I liked working like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and some of those great arenas like that. I just enjoyed all those places I have been like the Alamo Dome with Shawn Michaels and things like that. I just could have said to myself like going overseas, and I could say, "Hey this might be my last time here." I then could have told the people that night to night in arenas that I was finishing up. The fans give you something that the money can't buy and the promoter can't take away. It gives you a feeling of what you were trying to accomplish, and they let you know if you did or didn't do that. I appreciate the fans once again, and I just wish I could have said that to them some type of way on the way out."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Bull Buchanan Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2edc0e90.jpg" border=0 width="192" height="233" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you get the chance to work with the WWE, it can be a dream come true from the time you are there to the time you are released. Bull Buchanan, who was recently released, is positive, and he is proud of his seven years with the company because he got his chance to fulfill a dream being at the top. He gives his thoughts on Paul Heyman as the former head of the WWE Creative Team for WWE Smackdown, Vince McMahon, and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing great."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why did you decide to take your release from WWE, and can we expect for you to appear in NWATNA real soon or what is in store for the future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I took the release because basically it was a mutual decision. I have been with the WWE for seven years, and it was just time for me to move on. I would like to go on the record by saying it was a seven good years with the WWE. They gave me a lot of opportunities, and I am very thankful for it. I have visited NWATNA a couple of times, and I have really liked what I have seen. I am not ruling out any possibilities, and I would also love to go to Japan and work as that has been one of my goals since I got in the business. I am not ruling out any possibilities at this time."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you ever think one week you would be on WWE Smackdown with a pretty good gimmick, and the next week you would be released and off TV?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It kinda took me by surprise. I actually was enjoying the gimmick with John Cena, and I was very surprised to hear that they were taking me out of it. They had a different creative direction they wanted to go, and hopefully they will continue to push John Cena as this kid is the next Rock or Chris Jericho. He has that much talent and I hope they continue to push him as it looks like they are. For seven years the WWE has been good to me, and Vince McMahon made a business decision, and how can you argue with that?"</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you think Paul Heyman did a good job as the now former head of the creative team on WWE Smackdown with your role and everyone else's?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah I did. A lot of people don't know this, but me and Paul E go back away. I actually worked for one weekend for him in ECW. I went up with Billy Black as The Hard Riders and did a TV match with Saturn and John Kronus. I think he was really looking forward to bringing me back in, but the weekend I got him I was called by Jim Cornette, and he said, 'WWE wants me to sign you.' I choose to take that route, but yes I though Paul Heyman was doing a great job."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the decline in professional wrestling, and many guys like Dlo Brown, Justin Credible, Raven, and yourself being cut?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it is something that is economic. We all know the wrestling business goes in cycles, and right now where else could you have gone as far as where we went? All we could do was go down, and even going down, wrestling is bigger then it ever has been outside of the last few years. I think it's just a question of economics, and they just looked at some guys they really didn't know what to do with or the direction they are going in. They have a crunched budget, and unfortunately some of us have to end up on the short end of it, but like I said that is business."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you enjoy the time you got to work with Big Bossman, and what did you learn from him as someone who is a veteran?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was probably the best time I had in professional wrestling. Me and Ray became good friends, and it was amazing to watch him work the crowd. I have always been amazed at his ring work because he is so big. I hope I learned a lot from him."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 16 you got the chance to tag with the Big Bossman and defeat The Godfather and Dlo Brown. What was the experience like being on a WrestleMania?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was great. I was also on WrestleMania 14 after the Truth Commission in a 20 team battle royal. That was the first WrestleMania I had a part in. A month before that I was in Ohio Valley Wrestling, and I was joking with my wife, 'I guess that is another one I won't be on', but sure enough I was on it. The business was up, and the crowd was great, and especially going out there, and getting the chance to showcase what I could do."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>While with the Big Bossman, you had the chance to feud with Kane, and wrestle him on the 2000 WWE Insurrextion pay perview. What was that experience like going overseas for a pay perview?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was the first time I had been overseas actually. I got the chance to work Kane, and that was the second time we did it, and the fans were off the hook. It was a shame we didn't have any time over there as we were basically in and out. It would have been great to spend some time there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Whats are your thoughts on the Right To Censor stable, and did you like being part of it?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I loved being part of it. I thought it was great. When we first did it I wondered how it was going to take off, but as we got more steam it was amazing how much heat we actually had. We were in a storyline sense taking away all the things the fans liked about the WWE, but of course we were going to have heat. I really enjoyed working with all the people in it, and especially Stevie Richards and The Godfather. I think The Godfather was another one who came to the question of economics. It is great to see they are pushing Stevie Richards, Val Venis, and Ivory today who were part of that stable."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Back in November of 2000 as part of the Right To Censor, you and The Godfather defeated The Hardy Boys to win the WWE Tag Team Championship. What was that experience like to win the tag championship, and do you enjoy being a tag team or singles wrestler?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was a dream. When it is all said and done, how many can say they were a WWE Champion of any kind? I think I enjoyed it because I got to do it with a friend and went on the road which was tremendous. Most of my experience in the WWE was a tag team wrestler, and I always enjoyed tag teams. I would like a chance to do more singles."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to go down and work in Ohio Valley Wrestling the WWE Developmental Territory with Jim Cornette to develop and fix some of your skills. What did you learn from that time down there, and what was the experience like getting to work with some of the WWE developmental talents?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It let me have a little more freedom to let me do what I wanted to do as far as creatively. As far as working with the under talent that is one thing I really take pride in because I got the chance to work with some of the guys who are the future WWE Superstars like John Cena, Shelton Benjamin, Red Dog, and Dave Batista. Hopefully I can pass around some knowledge of how to get around on the road or where the building is at or a good place to eat or something. Hopefully I left a good impression on them." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>While in Ohio Valley Wrestling you had a feud with David Flair where you kidnapped a dog, and held him at ransom from David Flair which was featured on OVW TV. What was it like to work with David Flair, and did you enjoy the angle in doing something different?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Working with David Flair was great. He is a tremendous young man, and he actually is in NWATNA doing very good. That was Jim Cornette's idea which is what happens 90 percent of the time in OVW. He helped me come up with a lot of angles including the kidnapping the dog angle, and all the credit has to go to Jim Cornette."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your personal thoughts on Vince McMahon, and what you learned about him while in the WWE? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Personally I think Vince McMahon is a great guy. He has given me the opportunity to do something many people never have the chance to do. He has given my family a lot of opportunities. Vince McMahon and his family have always been nice when my family would come to the shows, and would go out of their way to meet my family. There is not a bad experience I have had with Vince McMahon. I have learned from him to look at this business a whole different way and not just from a business standpoint, but creatively why you don't do something. He, to me, has brought a whole different way to look at this business. I grew up in the South watching Southern Wrestling, and a lot of things that we do we do out of habit, and Vince has always been one to say yes, but why did we do that, and if there isn't a good explanation maybe we should change that, and he is not afraid to question why we do things. What I have learned from Vince is to step outside the box, and look at it a different way."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I just appreciate anybody who has supported me through the years, and I am definitely not ready to hang it up. I wish the best to the WWE and all the guys there. Hopefully you will get to see me real soon, and thank everybody who comes to the shows and supports our business because that is the main thing in the end, and that we don't let the business die."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Shawn Stasiak Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="16cf0b40.jpg" border=0 width="240" height="180" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Earlier this week, a statement was released that Shawn Stasiak is returning to WWE. That statement is false. Last week I arranged an interview for Jason Barrett of No Holds Barred Wrestling Radio. It was with a man who I have talked to many times over the last 6 months, a man who professed to be Shawn Stasiak. We now know this man is a con artist that has been posing as Shawn Stasiak at least since May of last year. Upon this finding, the real Shawn Stasiak, has come forward and the man himself will bring you an interview telling you what truly is in his future.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing well."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Maybe you can clear the rumors about you going back to WWE.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It is absolutely not true. This is a really bizarre situation. A few days ago a friend of mine called and asked me about the rumor. I had no idea what she was talking about. Upon further investigation, my attorney and I have found out in last 24 hours that there is someone out there posing as me for interviews. It now seems that this "person" has done at least 3 interviews posing as me over the last 6 months. The past interviews are kind of comical actually but no one likes to be mislead and that is why I chose to do this interview with you, Chris, to set the record straight. He has caused several reputable journalists and even a radio personality to look bad and I didn't think that was cool at all. As far as WWE...I have not spoken to them since the day of my release. I don't know of any interest on their part. I have moved on to bigger and better things."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>So what is your take on this guy posing as you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"After hearing the recorded interviews you did with this guy posing as me, I was really surprised. He sounds credible. He knows almost everything about me...that part is kind of sick and a bit scary. I guess there are just some people out there that get their kicks by messing with someone else's life. I am just lucky that I got that call and found out about this idiot. I think something like this happened to Hogan a while back. I find it interesting that of all the people to impersonate he chose me. Just my luck you know."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Since you're not returning to WWE, what is in store for your future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>" Right now I am attending Chiropractic school. Chiropractic is something that I have wanted to do since college. Finally, I have the time to pursue a long time dream. Now that the wrestling industry is the way it is with only one place to work and given the way that I was being used in the WWE it was the best choice for me. I knew if the day came where wrestling wasn't going well then that would be the time to pursue my chiropractic ambition."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think through your runs with the WWE you were given a fair shot in the company, and were you given a fair push?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That is pretty much a no brainer. I am not going to make this interview a bashing session but there are a few people that, I guess, I don't particularly care for. There are a lot of politics involved as you probably already know. Was I given a fair opportunity? Probably not. Not to be vain but there are not too many 6'4", 260 pound guys out there who are second generation wrestlers who have a decent physical appearance and raw talent. My point is that you can have all the tools but it doesn't mean you will succeed with them. There was a history with my father in WWE, you would think there would be a better opportunity for me besides doing 8000 jobs on Heat every week to the same guy. It all just boils down to politics but I guess there is a reason for everything. The Rock and Steve Austin were not born overnight. If you're not given that opportunity then how are you supposed to get to a certain level, you can work you ass off and get nowhere. At least in my amateur career I worked my ass of and was rewarded for it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Moving to an interesting subject within your career, you were released from WWE the first time around for supposedly recording conversations. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah it surprises me that it still comes up. It is just one of those things where my intentions were to play a rib on a couple of guys that turned out to have no sense of humor and it got blown way out of proportion, and I lost my job because of it. I went on to WCW and loved it there. So kind of a blessing. Looking back at the situation though, I would handle it differently today of course. I was a rookie and made a mistake but they made me feel like I was the worst thing walking. Honestly though the whole thing was ridiculous. You live and learn."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What did you think of the WCW Invasion angle in the WWE, and what do you think went wrong?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Honestly when Vince McMahon monopolized the industry I was just happy to have an opportunity, or at least that is what I thought going in. Competition creates demand. Now there is no competition so to speak, people get tired of seeing the same people and the same storylines week after week. That is why WWE is drawing better overseas than they are here. They are getting desperate and are trying to create new superstars with basically inexperienced people. I just don't see how this could "spark" things up again. You would think that using existing experienced talent would make more sense."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the plane ride from hell incident from the UK to the USA?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was on that plane and I wasn't involved with any of that stuff. I just sat back and minded my own business and enjoyed my trip. It didn't really affect me personally. Just like anything else, people could have conducted themselves differently, but I just sat back and watched and hung with my friends who weren't involved." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you personally think of Vince McMahon, and what he did for you while you were in the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am a positive person, and I will just give you my thoughts. I really don't want to come across as conceited or vain. I am not the most technical wrestler in the world. I am not a Chris Benoit ok, but I am certainly not the worst. I think I bring a combination of things to the table. With the short little stint I had with the Planet Stasiak character, I think it had all the potential in the world to become big if it was just given the fair push or opportunity. For whatever reason, I don't know if it was Vince McMahon himself or people in his ear, whatever the case, the rug was pulled out from under me. I thought I finally I came across something that made me feel comfortable promo and image style. I think if I was just given an opportunity to give promos they would have improved week after week just like The Rock. I use that as an example because when Rocky first started to find out who he was, and he developed over time who he is today through those promos. In my opinion I was always on the back burner. After a while you start to feel that you are not important. I don't think there is anymore loyalty. I don't think there's anymore credibility."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>" Do I want to go back to WWE? Heck no. After I was released I couldn't even get people in the office to call me back. Just unprofessional. I am going to work some indys on the weekends just because of my love for the business and l am currently looking into some film opportunities as well. Besides that my school is the top priority and I am just excited about my new life. By the way, I have a message for the psycho posing as me...I'm comin' for ya buddy...better watch out."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Chris Jericho Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2e3b6f20.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="242" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Chris Jericho is truly a man living two different lifestyles in the entertainment industry. As a wrestler he is the first WWE Undisputed Champion, and in music he has a rock band that has put out a great new CD, </B><B>Happenstance</B><B>. Chris Jericho talks about that and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing great. Just being a huge rock and roll star."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You just finished filming a music video for Fozzy. Tell me about that, and does it mean soon enough we will be seeing Fozzy on MTV's TRL promoting this video?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We did it for one of our songs </B><B>Lit the Fire </B><B>off the new CD </B><B>Happenstance</B><B>. We came up with the cool concept of the heavy metal band, and playing in the confines of a hip hop video, and that was kinda the storyline we took. When we finished it, editing it, and putting it altogether it turned into one of the most funny and entertaining videos I have ever seen. We sent it in to MTV, and they did accept it for their extreme rock show on MTV 2. They accepted it for all things rock on MTV, and they will go from there. Whether it will be on TRL I am not sure, but I probably will have to kick Carson Daly's ass to take over the show, but if that is what it takes, that is what it takes. It definitely could be on TRL because it is better then most of the videos you see as it is original, unique, and very entertaining on top of all of that. All you TRL teanie bobber fans beware the Foz is coming."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Your new cd </B><B>Happenstance</B><B> has just come out. What can fans of wrestling and fans of your music expect from this cd?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It is a record full of some great Rock and Roll tunes. If you're into Rock and Roll you will dig Fozzy as we have a great band behind us, and there are a lot of pretty cool tunes on top of that. What we did is that half of our songs are cover songs, and the rest are original songs, and it all ties together. I am very proud of everything that band has accomplished, and the cd has done really well as we have deals around the world in England, Japan, Germany, Australia, Canada, and across the states as well. It has been really fun, and it is a great rock and roll record by a great rock and roll band."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did he come up with the Mongoose McQueen alter ego?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I came up with that basically. When we first started it was kinda a Spinal Tap kinda thing where our cover songs were stolen from us while we were in Japan, and Mongoose is kinda the alter ego for the character I play in Fozzy, and it kinda shifted to us playing the original songs. Beyond the alter egos and characters it is a kick ass band, and Chris Jericho is my alter ego in the wrestling world, and Mongoose McQueen is my alter ego in the music world. When I came up with Mongoose it was supposed to be the most pre Madonna pompous ass of a rock star. Now when I play with Fozzy the character is the biggest show man in rock and roll, and so is Chris Jericho in wrestling."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How long have you been in music, and when and how did you get started and have you been in any other groups? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. I have been playing music since I was 14 years old. I played base guitar all through high school as our band was called Sinitar. When I first got into wrestling I usually always had some music projects going on. I was in other bands called Great Jesus Ghost, Love Weasel, and Black Stone Menace. Fozzy was the first serious band I was ever in, and that actually released a cd, and we now have two cds out. Between that, and having the video on MTV from our first record, and playing gigs from Los Angeles to Chicago to New York to Atlanta to Tampa it truly has been great. We had a show last year in Germany in front of 25,000 people. I think we are doing really good, and am looking forward to what we accomplish in the future."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Before we get into the WWE, tell me about what you and Lance Storm went through in Stu Hart's Dungeon, and what the experience overall was like.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I met Lance Storm the first day of wrestling camp, and we kinda have been friends ever since. He was the first guy I ever met in the business, and to this day I am proud for my success, and what he has accomplished as well. It wasn't easy to break in the business that way, but it was a great to learn the respect of the business, and the training and discipline as well. It was a great way to start."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about the time with Lance Storm as The Thrill Seekers.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was a great time. While going to Smoky Mountain Wrestling with Lance Storm, I also had a full time job as a headliner in Mexico, and I was just breaking into Japan as well so I have a lot of stuff on my plate. I wanted to work in the states, but the only drawback to that was they would film their TV show once a month. If you missed the TV taping of course that means you weren't on TV for a month. It was hard for myself and Jim Cornette to book everything because Japan was my big priority to go there. It was great to work in a Southern territory like that, and learn how to do promos and interviews in that style. The sad part about wrestling today is most guys will not get the chance to work in territories, and I was kinda the last guy who came through the system. It was a really cool experience, and I am glad that I worked there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What does your father Ted Irving think of your wrestling career, and did you ever think of pursuing hockey rather then wrestling like your dad?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was always supportive of me as a wrestler. He understood what it was like when you were young to go on the road and follow your dream, and as well do what you love to do because that is what he did. I played hockey for 18 years, and I quit to start training for wrestling. That was the end of my hockey career, and as I said I took up wrestling."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The way you came into the company on WWE Raw interrupting The Rock, the top guy in the company, probably had to be the best way for you to get yourself over right away am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah it was great. I came up with the original concept of the countdown for the millennium clock, and they let me interrupt The Rock off the bat in a way to be introduced, doesn't get any better than that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you became the WWE's first undisputed champion was that a surprise to you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Not really a surprise, but more of a pat on the back for all the years of hard work. It was a good step for me in the company, and thumbs up from management. It was a great honor as the first undisputed champion, and the longest running considering there isn't any undisputed champion anymore. It kinda put the icing on the cake for my career, and at that point I have accomplished everything that I ever wanted to in the business. It was a great reward for many years of hard work."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 18 in the main event defending the WWE Championship against HHH in Toronto, Canada probably had to be the highlight of your career.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I wouldn't say it was the highlight of my career, but it doesn't get any bigger then that as far as main event a WrestleMania as the champion. Obviously the bulk of the promotion on that show was the Hulk Hogan vs Rock match which was the way it should have been in my opinion. It was like Mike Tyson vs Muhammad Ali, and that was a pretty big match as the two biggest stars ever in the business wrestling each other for the first time. With saying that I think both of those guys would have loved to be fighting for the WWE World Championship. It is one of the highlights of my career and biggest days of my career."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think of the current direction of the WWE product with the necrophilia angle, and why do you think the WWE Raw rating has gone all the way down to a low 3.1 a few weeks back?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think there is a couple of problems. I think it goes down on WWE Smackdown too, and I think first off I didn't like the necrophilia angle. I truly don't see what that angle accomplished, but it didn't offend me. I though it was kinda campy like a cheap horror movie, and the HLA segment offended me more then the necrophilia segment did. The reason I didn't like it is whenever your going to go on a limb, and offend people that way, the only way you're going to get to benefit it is by getting a return on it by making money. You're not gonna make any money from the angle. It would be different if your gonna chop somebody's finger off, and the revenge is going to come when he gets the championship or something like that I don't know. I mean necrophilia, there is no pay off to that so why piss a lot of people off if there is no money to be made is my question. I think wrestling is going through a down cycle right now, and one of those reasons is the lack of new stars that have been made over the years, and I think it is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. I think we kinda lost our way a little bit when we were doing the shock TV, and all that sorta thing. I think people are in that side of the coin, but I think it is still wrestling, and people want to see a great show, and I think the powers that be might have forgotten that when to them it be secondary, but in reality it is the most important thing. Plus WWE Smackdown might be better to some people because it has more wrestling, and I think WWE Raw's roster is actually better then WWE Smackdown's roster, but there is not enough wrestling, and more soap opera is being highlighted which is good, but it should still be the wrestling." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The angle between you and Stephanie McMahon was so great that you both fit together. How did that angle come about?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We stumbled onto it, and basically that is how the best things take place. Some things just fall into place, and that was one of them. It just started with a promo I did in the back live, and it got over so well the next thing you know this angle started between both of us, and it was really hot. I don't think the office realizes how good of an angle it was. I think it was taken for granted, and that is one of the forgotten great rivalries of the sport."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was the reason you truly never got a push past the WCW Cruserweight and WCW TV Championship's in WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"WCW was very short sided, and they were very much into the old WWE stars coming in. If you were really liked or really hated they had a really bad habit of cutting your legs up from under you. They did it time and time again, and when I was in WCW I basically just made up all the stuff I did from the spot because they never let me do anything. They would say go out, and have a ten minute match with Siclope. I would say "Can I do a quick interview where I talk ridiculously?", and I would be one of the most over heels in the company, and I would piss the people off, and I will be one of the most over heels in the company, but I still can't rise above first match status. That is why I left WCW, and it was the best decision I ever made."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>So you came up with the concepts for your hilarious WCW skits?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yea most of them. I still do come up with most of my ideas today."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think Eric Bischoff is doing a good job with his current on air WWE role?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think he has done a great job on his on air role. He is a very good TV performer, and I think all the pressure has been taken off him, and the company. I think he plays a great part in the show. You got to give him thumbs up on that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you personally think of Vince McMahon, and what is your business relationship like with him?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think over the last three and a half years my relationship with Vince McMahon has grown. I like to think at least that he trusts my opinions on the suggestions that I give are the better for the business. I do have a lot of ideas that make the business better, and Vince McMahon knows that. He is a very good boss, and he is the biggest wrestling promoter of all time who has seen it all, and has been through it all. He is a very good person, like a good father who is very strict, and people are a little afraid of him, but he is also very friendly. He will most definitely give you your fair shake if you earn his trust."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what do you think is in store for your future involving Fozzy and your wrestling career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My goal is to be the most entertaining thing on the show every night. I don't care about winning, losing, championships, main eventing or any special matches. All I care about is entertaining the fans that come to the arena who I hope will say when they leave "Man, Jericho was awesome!" I want them to feel I did my best, and it was the same for Fozzy because we go out of our way when we are live that the people have a good time. I think that is something that is missing from rock and roll in the last few years. We just played in some sold out shows in Chicago last weekend, and it was so great. Fozzy is a group of friends who enjoy playing music, and having a great time, and stumbling through all of it we have learned that we are a kick ass rock and roll band. I just want to take the band as far as I can, and play around the world. My goals in both are to entertain the people."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Thank you so much for your time.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Your welcome. Remember Fozzy are huge rock stars."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Vampiro Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2dcf3e60.jpg" border=0 width="243" height="230" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Vampiro is probably mostly known for his run with WCW where he had a chance to compete against the top guys. As a new guy coming in, he worked his way up the ladder, and he had a feud with Sting which would lead to a match where to win you would have to set your opponent on fire. Vampiro has been around for many years, and he talks in depth about what he has been up to in his career including his dislike for the time he was in WCW and his upcoming appearance with MLW.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing real good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You're going to be taking on Satoshi Kojima at the December 20th MLW King of Kings show at the War Memorial in Fort Lauderdale. Give me your expectations on the evening's events.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it will be great. I really am looking forward to it because my biggest influence in my career is Japanese wrestling, and to be able to work with a top guy from Japan in the states is something I never did see happening anytime soon. I think what MLW is trying to do is mix the best of the states with the best of Latin America and Japan. It is such a big honor for me to be involved with it at a high level on the card, and being able to work with the champion who is at the top of his game in Japan right now trying to make it in the states. It is a pretty big deal as I have been training a month for it mentally and physically. I am ready to go."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your appearances you have made on boxing matches on HBO.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I do security for Marco Antonio Burrea who is a long time neighbor of mine for over ten years. I am trying to look at the future, and I have a gym where I live in Guadalajara, Mexcio and it is a personal protection self defense school. We teach civilians and military police, and plus we have programs for women and children too, for example, how to survive attacks in the street, and a car jacking which involve weapons. Before I was a wrestler I was a bodyguard, and now with all the TV exposure I have got the business going. I run the show for Marco anytime he fights around the world, and that is what that is all about."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Before WCW you started out in Mexico. Tell me about the change from Mexico, and how you ended up in WCW.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was in Mexico for ten years before I went to WCW. The character Vampiro was so big down here, but with all the success coming comes excess. It was kinda out of control, and it started to spin downward. I was getting burned out, and the fans were getting burned out on me. I had just gotten married, and I thought it was time to make a change. I had been to Japan and everywhere else, but I never had been to the states. It was for my family, and I auditioned for WCW, and they gave me the gig. I don't think if I knew what was going to happen or I knew what it was like I don't think I would have taken the job. The coolest thing about it was meeting all the fans, and traveling around the USA and Europe, but the politics of the company and dressing room just wasn't worth it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to work with Sting at the WCW Great American Bash where the only way to win was to set your opponent on fire. Tell me about that, and about the segment during your feud where you and Sting meet in a graveyard.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I did not know what to expect because you hear so many things in the dressing room before we even started to work together. The characters looked alike so I was told that I didn't get too over with him, but from me talking to him we got along great. In my opinion no matter what was said or done by me or done by the company I have respect for him because I learned a lot from him. He is Sting, and he has been a big part of professional wrestling history in the USA. He took the time to teach me a thing or two, but how it came about was Vince Russo was trying to start a fire, and Sting had been off for a while. They really didn't have anything for him to do so they wanted to rehash old stuff. People started to dig my character so it just seemed like the natural thing to do was to feed off the rumors there was a problem, and we took it from there. The fire deal itself was pretty intense. I have a phobia about heights even though I jump out of buildings all the time. In both my opinion and Sting's it was not safe at all because we had to climb that scaffold with no training, and there was no protection if we fell. I was like, 'What does this have to do with wrestling?'. It was TV, and I was truly terrified. It was supposed to be a longer segment, but I think Sting just wanted to get the hell out of there because I think he wanted to get it done. It was something great because it had never been done before in the USA so it was cool to be part of that. I expected it to be a lot more devastating then it turned out to be."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to work with the likes of Ric Flair, Lex Luger, and even get a victory over Hulk Hogan. Tell me what it was like as a new guy to move up the ladder in such short time, and work with the top guys in WCW.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It is funny I have been asked that a few times about me being a new guy. I have been in the business 20 years. I think it surprised them too because they had heard so much about me including rumors and bad stuff. I don't think they knew I knew how to work, and once I proved that I could, and that I had been around, somebody decided to take a chance. Out of the new guys in the company I guess I was the one they could trust to run with the ball since I had confidence, and since I had been in the business for so long they said why not try something with him. It wasn't easy breaking in with that clique, but I proved it once I got there, and that I knew what I was doing."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think went wrong with WCW, and how do you think Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff ran things?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I got nothing bad to say about Eric Bischoff because he is the one who gave me my job. I didn't involve myself too much with how things were being ran because I was never a big fish. It just seemed like many of the guys with million dollar contracts had too much say. After Eric left, and Vince Russo came in they kinda let him run with the ball, and he was a little too off the wall with things. There was just too much politics when you give Bill Goldberg, Sting, Lex Luger, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash multimillion cut deals where they have creative control it kinda makes it hard for the boss. It makes it hard, and it was part of the downfall. Individually they were all great people, but I just think it was a sinking ship."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think you ever were discriminated against while in WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Definitely. When I got there not mentioning names I was politically blocked from when I left Mexico because there was a lot of guys that had dislike for me while they were in WCW so they were there before me, and the veterans their opinion to judge me was blackness before I even got there, and they made my life hell. In the office they couldn't care less because they thought I was just another name on the paper until I kept hounding everybody to give me a chance. The time I busted my ass on TV they had no choice, but to give me a chance to work. The guys really didn't give me a chance to do anything. It was terrible."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why did you depart ways with WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, the main reason behind that was I broke my neck and they fired me."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Were you ever offered a spot or have you ever been in talks with WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was kinda looking in that direction because I wanted to quit WCW before I broke my injury. I truly hated it there, and I probably was the most miserable person in the world at that time. I just could not stand it, and I wanted to get out. I started to call them myself, and it was pretty secretive because you can't talk to a company once you're with someone else, but that is as far as it went. There was some interest obviously when I first came on the scene, and the next day WWE had a vampire and a couple other guys in a group. I was interested in the company, and we were about to talk, but then I had my injury." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had some legitimate heat with Konnan at one time, am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The question I answered about how I was blocked, and why I was blocked was basically because of him. We did bury that hatchet."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think of the current state of the wrestling business in the USA?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it is so much bullshit, and I refuse to pay attention to it. I think it is disgusting. I am a big fan of mixed martial arts and Japanese wrestling. I have nothing else to say about the USA as I have no idea on what is going on there. I just think what MLW has done should have been done 20 years ago."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am just surprised that people in the USA are interested in who I am or what I do. It is very kind, and I am very grateful because I love what I do. I take it very seriously, and put in eight hours a day without missing a beat, and trying to get better at this business. I am sorry for the American wrestling fan who is being fed garbage, and I hope MLW is around for a long time because it is going to bring in some great talent from around the world. It should make some difference because WWE isn't the rest of the world."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Shawn Michaels Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2ceb6f20.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="242" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He is truly one of the top headliners of all time for the WWE. Shawn Michaels, a man who headlined WrestleMania 14 with Steve Austin in what he thought might be his last match ever, but Shawn Michaels has come back. He is not sure how long this run will last, but he is certain it won't be forever. Shawn Michaels talks about Montreal five years later, this Sunday's pay perview WWE Survivor Series, his thoughts on the current state of WWE, and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing very well."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Before we get into the pay perview this Sunday, I have to ask you why did you decide to come back, and in coming back defeating one of your close friends HHH at WWE Summerslam, and how much longer do you think you will be wrestling before calling it a retirement?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I just had this feeling that I wanted to do one more match, and then try to help the company in any way I could. It was great to be a part of it, and win the match, and for it to go well. That was the most gratifying thing for the match to go really well, and for the fans to receive it well which I think they did. As far as when I think I will retire, not too far down the road. I don't know how many more I have of these in me, but I am gonna go as long as I feel I am allowed to go that way. I am really just trying to do the best job I can, and we will see how it all ends up."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This Sunday at WWE Survivor Series you're in the Elimination Chamber with HHH, Kane, Chris Jericho, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam. Do you think this is the time for you to have one last WWE World Championship run, or what do you think your impact will be if you don't win the championship?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was my feeling when I got called a couple weeks ago to do this, and it was certainly my feeling that they were going back into New York, and perhaps maybe they could bring someone in that fans are familiar with or just someone for a little bit that you think, hey he has a chance. I can't see it being another run for me, and I really don't desire to have another run. I am thrilled with what I am doing in my life, and I think it is just a chance to put me in there with HHH which certainly gives that rematch effect, and also it gives me a chance to work with some other guys, and bring the match more up to a competitive level."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jim Ross, during one of the TLC Matches, echoed the thoughts of fans when he mentioned how Jeff Hardy was considered to be the "Next HBK." What are your thoughts of Jeff, the current state of his career, and if people were right in making that statement? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I think he is more talented then I ever was as far as what he can do in that ring. I often wonder if being competitive to somebody else is ever helpful to a young guy. I don't know Jeff Hardy that well, but this is a comment that I feel generally of the talent in the locker room. I think the talent is better then it ever was. I think the only thing that our young guys lack is the passion and the drive to make things happen in their career. I say that implying that they don't care enough, but at times you have to be popular and unforceful to get your point across. This is a very tough business, and for me I was not an awful lot because of that overbearing passion that I had for this business. I am not saying you need to go as far as I do, but you have to push, and you have to fight behind the scenes for everything you want. That is what I think our talent lacks, and I am not trying to cause a big locker room uproar. I think you have to show that initiative outside of the ring sometimes more."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This past week marked the five year anniversary of the Montreal Screw Job with Bret Hart at WWE Survivor Series. On WWE Confidential you admitted to be in on the situation that night. How do you think that event changed professional wrestling, what are you thoughts on the situation being involved in it, and what are your thoughts on Bret Hart today?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't think it changed wrestling too much. I think it worked well for Vince McMahon in developing the Vince McMahon character which helped build him as a wonderful antagonist for Steve Austin. I think the result is obvious as it was the big box office numbers. I think in that respect the timing and the attitude was right on with everything else. At that time me and Bret Hart, we had talked a lot that day, and we put the bad feelings aside as we came to a conclusion that it was something that got out of hand. I think our egos and pride got out of hand, and we both admitted fault in the situation that he and I had personally. That particular night had nothing to do with the personal conflict that Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels had earlier in their career. That was just the circumstances that it happened to be that me and Bret Hart, two guys in there who had a history of not liking each other, and this event coming down which obviously added to the magnitude of the entire event. We had put our differences aside, and certainly on my part and his part too I generally realized we had worked ourselves into a shoot for absolutely no reason. It was always a good match, and we enjoyed working with each other. I think once the passions and the egos got the better of us, the entire time were around each other."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 14 you wrestled Steve Austin with special enforcer Mike Tyson at ringside. The Undertaker has mentioned in a recent TV interview about five to six months ago that you were worried about the match itself, and losing the title that night, and The Undertaker said he made sure you fulfilled your obligations. What are your thoughts on what the Undertaker said, and did you think that that was going to be your last match? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I can't honestly remember that. I know that The Undertaker has always been the common force in the voice of reason in that locker room. I think that I was certain that was going to be my last match, and I know that was having a huge effect on me mentally. I knew that I was going to lose the match, and drop the belt to Steve Austin. That was something that I wanted to do, and I think the best I can recall is that physically I wasn't going to be able to do it as well as I could have. It bothered me so much that I was irrational about it, but I was irrational about every decision I was making in my life at that time. It was very difficult for me to believe that was the last one, and that the last one wasn't going to be very good from a performance standpoint. Everything in my life at that time, if I put on my performance in that ring I could live with myself, and if I didn't, it would have a bad effect on me. The Undertaker has always been the common reasoning force, and I think he spoke the truth, and made things plain and simple that you have to do this, and get out there and do it. Whether it is reasoning or whether it is wrong if someone 310 pounds tells you to do something I might be a dummy, but I will do it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After WrestleMania 14, you came back on WWE TV with the Commissioner Michaels character. Who came up with the idea, and did you enjoy that time as you were an on air TV personality in power and not wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was going through emotions there, and they didn't know what they wanted from me. I didn't know what I wanted from myself, but it was just sorta something to throw in there, and they didn't want to use it on a regular basis. They didn't have an intention of using it, and they knew I didn't want to be around at that time. It was just something you could break down to busy work, and those kinda things don't work in the business because you have to have a real feeling behind characters for them to work in our line of work."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When the Clique did the Madison Square Garden Shoot, did you guys plan it out, or was it just one of those things that you just decided to do, and did HHH take a lot of heat for the situation?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes, HHH did take a lot of heat for that, and we had talked about it a couple weeks in advance on a European tour on how it would be neat to do. That was sort of the end of it, and it is one of those things that you're on the road, and it would be something neat to do, and that would sorta be it. That night before me and Kevin Nash went out to the ring Hunter came up and said, "Are we doing the thing?" We said we didn't know, and that was truly it. I just went out and had a match, and Hunter told us later that he asked Vince McMahon, and Vince said sure go ahead. I know that Vince McMahon okayed it, but he didn't know how it was going to end up. I think his vision was just us standing there and looking at each other. I don't think he visioned us hugging and everything else. Vince liked all of us, and appreciated the friendship that we had so from a pressure standpoint he had to do something so he couldn't punish me, and pretty much Hunter got blamed for it. He ended up putting guys over for the next year I guess, and it was one of those things where you would be surprised things that are really big in the wrestling business nine times out of ten they are not planned out in depth as everybody thinks they are."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After HHH took over Degeneration X and you left WWE TV for a little while, did you truly expect HHH to be the top guy he is today, and what are your personal thoughts on him and the recent controversy that seems to surround him these days which includes a necrophilia angle?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes, I thought he would be big. He was way too talented not to be big, and I am not surprised at that at all. I didn't like the necrophilia angle, and I don't know any other controversy that surrounds him other then it is something that happened. When you're extremely talented, and everybody believes your extremely talented, and when you get to the top they put you under a microscope, and pick out every flaw you got. That is just part of the business, and of course people are welcomed to their opinions. I didn't like the necrophilia angle, and HHH didn't like it. He was in a very tough position, and he does the same thing I have always done when Vince McMahon tells you to do something, you do it even if you dislike it. He didn't like it, but Vince McMahon asked him to do it, so he did it. It is much easier for everybody else, and we do the best we can, and we are gonna make mistakes so you hope you can recover from them. I don't know any solution to everything, and strangely enough I don't think Vince McMahon, Hunter, and a lot of folks in that locker room know everything that is a solution to wrestling. They do the best they can."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Moving back to your early days as the tag team The Rockers with Marty Janetty, what were you best experiences from that time, and why did you guys break up?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The best thing about that time was breaking new ground as tag teams are concerned. We started doing things other people wouldn't do, and they started to take notice of that. It was really fun, and Marty taught me what goes on in that ring you should be having fun, and it shouldn't be a struggle. I always tried to make sure that the rest of my life was going to fall apart, and the things in that ring were gonna be fun, and that I am going to enjoy it. The reason we broke up was because it ran its course, and Marty was happy with doing the tag team thing. I wanted to be a singles wrestler, and me and Marty talked about that from the first day we were together till the last. We tried it out to see if it worked, and we eventually had matches against one another. It was something that got done, and reached the point so I went on from there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Steve Austin, and do you think he will come back to WWE soon enough?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have absolutely no idea if he will come back. I think it will be a decision that him and Vince McMahon make, and I would love to have Steve back."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think your impact will be or your role will be at WrestleMania 19?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know. I really have no idea, and I am just hoping I have the same impact I hope I am having now. I am just hoping it is positive, and I hope it helps. It is guys like you who know more about the business then I do, and you sure know more about what my role is. I do the best job I can, and then I come home, and mow the lawn, clean the garage, and I change diapers, and stuff like that. That is about the extent of it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, tell me how religion and God have touched your life.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Religion hasn't touched my life as I have it since the day I was born. The fact that I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ on a daily basis for me it is something that is wonderful that has strengthened me. I have created a belief in myself that I have never had, and he has created an outlook on my responsibilities to my wife and to my son that is second to none. It is my responsibility which I take very seriously, and they deserve to have the absolute best that I can give them each and every day. I know that I can't do it by myself, and I know that I need help. Unlike everybody else I don't want to start to compromise like oh it is a little of this and a little of that or it doesn't matter everyone is doing that. I don't want that stuff for my son, and if I want him to be a good person I am gonna have to be one myself 24 hours a day. I am not gonna use my job to make an excuse to go on TV, and say oh I am just playing a role. I am in the role I choose to play, and that is a Christian guy that happens to be a wrestler."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mideon Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2ca07c50.jpg" border=0 width="263" height="197" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dennis Knight had many different gimmicks during his 13 year run with the WWE. He had many different gimmicks including two runs as a WWE Tag Team Champion during his days as Phineas Godwin. He also was part of the tag team Southern Justice, and portrayed a very odd character by the name of Mideon, and had a run as WWE European Champion. Dennis Knight, the man who played all these characters, speaks candidly for the first time.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing fine."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why were you released from the WWE, and I see you have been working with IPW Hardcore Wrestling the promotion based out of Tampa, Florida. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, my contract was up. I was there for a while, and they didn't have anything else for me at that time. I was doing dark matches with new guys, and none of the writers really had anything for me. I really can't complain because I was there for a while. They told me to take some time off, and I just totally did nothing. I really never though had any serious time off in 13 years. I took a year off, and then after that I started helping Steve Keirn down in Tampa, Florida at his wrestling school. Through all of that I talked to Ron Niemi the promoter of IPW, and I went to a couple of their shows, and they were pretty nice guys so I started to do some stuff with them."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were one of the Undertaker's closer friends while you were there in the WWE. Tell me about your friendship.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We are still really good friends, and we talk all the time. He is basically what you see on TV, and it is hard to say that he is a different person then you see on TV, but he really isn't. Just not scary all the time, and I guess that is about it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were also very respected by many of the other wrestlers, and very liked while you were there. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I just did my job. I have been wrestling for a long time through the different wrestling territories, and I got to work with and meet a lot of different people. When I got to the WWE, and I stayed there for a long time I was the happiest person in the world. You have to remember people don't care about your win and loss record, but it is more about doing your job, and as well having a good show. If you entertain the people you pretty much have it made. Everybody was really cool with me, and I was very cool with them."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your best memories of your tag team partner Mark Canterbury?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Probably when we won the WWE Tag Team Championship in Madison Square Garden. It was one of the first sellouts the arena had in a while by defeating The Bodydonnas, and to have my partner there made it a perfect combination. That was the best moment we had together."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to work as Phineas Godwin and tag with your long time partner Mark Canterbury who was Henry Godwin, and you guys won the WWE Tag Team Championship twice. What was that experience like, and your thoughts on the Godwins gimmick?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was great. I had a few different partners, but I always consider Mark my number one partner as I had the best times with him. I loved the Godwin gimmick as it was very easy to do. I really didn't have to do a lot of wrestling, and management told me just to forget how to wrestle because it was supposed to be like that. It was the total Hillbilly Jim thing coming off a farm, and the people loved it. The first couple of months we did the gimmick we were on the road a lot with The Bushwhackers who we were doing eight man tags with, and New Rockers and The Bodydonnas were there. We had so many people around us to learn that gimmick, and it was fun because it wasn't work when we were doing that gimmick."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After The Godwins you guys then were brought back on WWE TV as Southern Justice managed by Tennessee Lee, and worked with Jeff Jarret on an occasion. What are you thoughts on that time in the WWE, and being one of the major tag teams to never get a major push?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know why we didn't get that major push. I think the Southern Justice thing worked out really good because we were doing angles with Degeneration X. Jeff Jarret was working with Xpac, and we were working with the New Age Outlaws. The biggest problem, and reason we couldn't go that far with the angle was my partner was working with a broken neck that he didn't know about. He never slacked off in his matches, but he thought it wasn't as fun for him with so much pain. He finally found out that it was broken, and it kinda had a setback since then."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were kidnaped in WWE storylines by the Acolytes Farooq and Bradshaw which brought some really weird segments of you being tied up yelling for somebody to help you. What are your thoughts on those?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was fun to do those because we did them all up at Titan Towers in Stanford, Connecticut. I got the chance to hang out with Farooq and Bradshaw, and we got to do a little studio play acting for a while which is always fun. You gotta try new things, and we put our best efforts into that. Some people say that around that time that stuff was way out there, but if you don't try it I guess you really don't know. The thing with HHH and the casket may not have been liked by a lot of people, but that is WWE so they have to try everything."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After that you became Mideon. What are you thoughts on the character itself, and getting a chance to be a part of the Ministry and Corporate Ministry?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was great because The Undertaker let me do what ever I wanted to do with that. I talked with Farooq and Bradshaw about the benefits of being in the group because you're like The Undertaker's guys with HHH and Vince McMahon as well. I also had a singles match with Vince McMahon before a pay perview, and things like that really make you feel good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>One of your major highlights while being the Mideon character was taking Shane McMahon's WWE European Championship, and later losing it to Dlo Brown at the 1999 WWE Fully Loaded pay perview. Who came up with the idea for Shane McMahon to give you the WWE European Championship?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't really remember, but I think it was Shane. It was usually Vince McMahon or Shane McMahon who told me the stuff they wanted to do. If somebody else came up with the idea they're gonna sprinkle their stuff into, and I think really make the idea better. I think the WWE European Championship idea was theirs, but I had a say in a lot of other things that I did. The ministry thing helped me learn a lot more about wrestling, and storylines just in general by helping out."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After that you were given the Naked Mideon gimmick. Who came up with that idea?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was a joke in the back because Kurt Angle after his matches when he would get ready to take a shower would just kinda hang out naked in the back for a while, and everyone was kinda laughing at it. I said one day I was gonna beat his record, and stay naked after the matches longer then he would, and I was on the show earlier, and he came back from his match and I was sitting there undressed, and that is kinda how it started. Perry Saturn egged it on a little more, and many were trying to see if I would do it as a joke then again it goes back to me not caring what they wanted me to do. That is what made The Godwins stuff easy. I think I had two matches the whole time I did it one with William Regal on a pay perview, and did a walk out on the other one with Tazz against Chris Jericho and Jerry Lawler."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what is in store for your future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am always looking to go back to WWE, and I am still in contact with all the guys up their in the office. I also am looking forward to doing a lot of stuff with Ron Niemi, and the guys down here because I really like their guys down here. Also there is some stuff going on with Steve Keirn and Macho Man Randy Savage with their promotion. There is a lot of stuff going on, and there really hasn't been in a while. I am hoping to have a lot more real matches away from the gimmicks I did in the WWE, and it was great on the road when I was able to have the real matches because during the TV stuff it wasn't usually wrestling. It is a big regret because 99 percent of my best matches were house shows."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Paul Bearer Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2bcbae80.jpg" border=0 width="186" height="232" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Paul Bearer was one of the last great managers in the WWE. Now after being released this past Monday, Paul Bearer has closed the book on 12 years with the WWF. In the interview he talks about his time with The Undertaker, Kane, the downfall in 1992 during the steroid trials, his wife battling breast cancer, and his time in World Class Championship Wrestling as Percy Pringle.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Great Chris. Thanks for having me."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why were you released from the WWE, and why did they decide not to renew your contract?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, they did. They were going to renew my contract, but it was going to be under different terms and less money which would have been a big problem. At this particular time in my life after my wife's illness and everything, I have come to crucial crossroads in my professional career, and as well my personal life. I had to make some </B><B>decisions, and there was always talk of The Undertaker going back to the dark side one day, and maybe Paul Bearer and The Undertaker could join at that time, but you don't know when that day is going to be. The WWE didn't have anything that I was really interested in doing, and I wanted to move on so it was really my decision to move on."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Your wife has been battling breast cancer. How is her health right now at the moment?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"She is doing real good. Thank you Chris. She is in remission, and her hair and strength are coming back. Once again every interview I do I would like to say to the ladies out there that this is breast cancer awareness month in October, and make sure to pay special attention to that because it will come out of left field and kill you."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you plan to write a book about your career in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have been doing a lot of writing since I have been off. I have had a lot of time to do a lot of different things, and I have a lot of memories down in a lot of writing. I really think there might be a book in the near future. It could be interesting."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You lost a lot of weight am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I did lose a lot of weight. That was about two years ago, and I lost 100 pounds in eight months. Over the past two years that 100 pounds has come back and a little more."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were Kamala's first manager when he was Sugar Bear Harris. What do you remember most about him as he is one of the more nicer guys in the business?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes, he is. He is a first class guy. I love him to death, and we have a very special bond. I saw his very first match in the business, and like you said became his manager. When he first broke in he was very naive about a lot of things, and I have a lot of stories about him. One of my favorite stories is that he never smartened his wife up, and he never told her that wrestling wasn't real. This particular story I have is that he won a battle royale, and I think the prize was $5000, but that might not have been the exact figure. He won the battle royale and it was on TV, and he didn't get home right after the TV because we had some house shows at that time. The first thing his wife asked when he got home was where is that $5000, and needless to say he didn't have the money, and we were lucky to make $40 back in those days much less $5000. She got mad, and there is a lumberyard across from his house, and she got the shot gun out, and chased him across the street into the lumber yard where he had to spend the night. I think Mrs. Harris got pretty smartened up soon after that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you were Percy Pringle in World Class Championship Wrestling, what are your best memories from that time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have a lot of memories there, and there are a lot of sad memories there surrounding that territory, and all the tragic deaths. Probably my best memory is when Fritz Von Erich pulled out of the NWA, and he made his own world champion, and the first champion was Rick Rude who I was managing at that time. The first time we worked in Texas Stadium against Bruiser Broody, and Rick Rude was the world champion at that time. Just being able to work in that building was a great memory, and I had watched World Class Championship Wrestling for years and years before I got to that territory. It was just a thrill to work in the sportatorium because that is one of the greatest buildings to work in for wrestling, and of late I think has caught on fire, and they are ready to tear it down, and it is just horrible."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you believe there is any racism going on in the WWE at this moment or the time you were there?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely not. No. I never saw it in the WWE, and never have seen it. I can't imagine it going on right now."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During the 1992 steroid trial and sex scandals what do you remember most about that down period in the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The down piss test. Brother definitely I am telling you I wasn't on steroids you know my God. It was pretty obvious I wasn't, but Vince had to have all the wrestlers and road agents take the urine analysis, and my friend, they got us sometimes every day on the road. Every time you were turning around they were handing you a bottle, and they wanted you to give them a specimen to prove that nobody was on steroids. It was the most horrible thing in the world even if you didn't mess with anything, and it was just so embarrassing because the people who were taking the sample had to watch you do it. It was just such a hassle and an embarrassment. As far as me personally that is what I hated most about that time."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your best memories of Rick Rude since he got you your job in the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was such a first class guy. He was a family man, and I knew him before he got married and had kids. I had the pleasure of meeting his parents, brother, and sister. His sister actually got in the business for a little while. He was such a class act, and he was just a great guy. He had a big heart, and he liked everybody. He did like to fight as well, and we went out to the clubs sometimes after the shows, and he did get into a few altercations once in a while. He never backed down from a fight, and he was an arm wrestling champion before he became a wrestler. A lot of people would like to challenge him to an arm wrestling match, and he was a tough guy who I miss a lot. He was a class act."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your personal thoughts on Vince McMahon as you were around him for so many years?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My thoughts on him are he was a fantastic guy. He was a genius, and always treated me really good except for my weight problem. He was constantly on me about my weight problem, and a thing about the WWE is if you're heavy in the WWE God Bless you because you are going to have a hell of a damn time. Vince McMahon doesn't like heavy people, and I don't know if he doesn't like them, but he is the athletic type who likes to work out. I guess he believes everybody should be like that, and everybody isn't like that. I had a lot of problems with him about my weight, but other than that there was no problem at all. He took care of me for 12 years, and if I had a problem I could pick up the phone and call him. That was me personally, but there are other people who have had problems with him or different types who don't like him. Personally we are ok."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were very well known for your facial expressions in the WWE. How did you learn to do the emotional promos as the fat man so well?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I came out of the womb making those faces Chris. I got in so much trouble doing those faces through the years. When I was growing up I went to Catholic school, and back in those days we had the nuns and sisters, and if they said something to me I didn't like, it was just natural for me to make a face like that. My facials came naturally, and they did get me in a lot of trouble, and eventually they made me a lot of money."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you remember most about managing The Undertaker, and when do you think he might finally retire?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know. I think that he needs to retire now. I think before time runs out on the guy because I would hate to see him get hurt, and see him get permanently disabled. He has definitely made enough money and a name. Try naming me someone else that has gone 12 years straight in the WWE with 12 years of pay perviews, TV, and a gimmick constantly being refreshed whether it was good or not. I think it is time for him to retire from being active in the ring, and maybe stick to being an agent helping out the younger guys. I really think it is time for him maybe to go back to the dark side, and do that one last run."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 8 you managed The Undertaker against Jake Roberts the night Undertaker got his hand stuck in the casket. What are your thoughts on that match?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"What a special effect that was. I was always amazed, and that was our second year in the WWE. I was always amazed at the different special effects that they could come up with the funeral parlor and the casket and lights. I was amazed at how our special effects guy came up with that idea with the props, and how that little segment was done. That was truly a lot of fun."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 14 you managed Kane against the Undertaker in one of the greatest matches in the history of WrestleMania. What are your thoughts on that match?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Me and The Undertaker created the Kane character before we even had a person to play that part. We talked about there being a brother, and I talked about the brother being alive, and me and The Undertaker separated for a while, and he told me the brother wasn't alive, and he use to beat the hell out of him, and I insisted that Kane was alive. At that time we were doing that, we didn't have a definite person to play the part of Kane until a couple of months before Kane's debut. I guess at the first Hell in a Cell in St. Louis was when we brought him out. Glen Jacobs was the perfect person to play the part, and he is just such a fantastic athlete and family man. He is a great all around person, and he is a dear friend I love to death. I feel sorry for him because I don't like where they are going with his character right now. When you're in this business to make a living, and the boss tells you to do something you do it. I heard they're having things going on backstage with some of the guys not wanting to cut their hair or wanting to change their outfits. I think, man if the guy is paying you, and he tells you to change your outfit or cut your hair you do it. It really is that simple, and we never thought twice about it if someone asked us to change our outfit or cut our hair. I am old school, and if somebody told me no I would say good bye."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You managed Kane to his first WWE World Championship defeating Steve Austin in a First Blood Match at King of the Ring 1998. Why do you think Kane only held the title for 24 hours, and after that his character has just gone up and down. What are your thoughts on that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know. It seems like with the Kane character we would be at the top just like that by putting the belt on him and building him up, and then boom, they would just knock it down. That has gone on the whole career of Kane which has gone up and down even till right now."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what is in store for your future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am just open to everything right now. I am entertaining interviews like I am doing with you right now. I have been amazed at how many people want to talk to me after my 12 years with the WWE. I guess they think I have some super secret stories to tell. I am working on the book project, accepting independant dates, and my character was real in a</B><B> lot of ways because I am a legit mortician, licensed funeral director, and embalmer, and that is always an option as well. I have been feeling really good to be a free bird after 12 years to be able to choose what I want to do."</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >d of what they want me to do.</FONT></div> <div> <B>Roddy Piper Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2b2b2d30.jpg" border=0 width="178" height="211" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Roddy Piper is truly one of wrestling's most influential interviews, wrestlers, and for sure a man who holds nothing back in his new book</B><B> In The Pit With Piper</B><B>. In this interview he talks about growing up in the business, the Oregon territory, headlining many WrestleMania events, taking steroids, Hulk Hogan, and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am a box of fluffy ducks. Thank you Chris I very much appreciate being with you today."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is the latest going on with XWF?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, the XWF the last I heard they were going to go over to Puerto Rico. They had broken down as the original company the XWF, and formed a new one called the XWF network. I guess the bottom line is are they a threat, and will they get off the ground? I don't see them getting off the ground the way it is being structured now. I think it really had a heck of a shot, but unfortunately it wasn't quite managed right."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Early in your life you left home at 13 years old. Why did you decide to leave home at that time, and did you know you were gonna be a professional wrestler from the start?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No sir. The first wrestling match I was in I was. It was an accident. Thank God for me it was a good one because wrestling saved my life. I just decided I was going to give it a goal of my own. I played in pipe bands, and it was the one link I had. I come fifth in the world playing the bag pipes, and this band I was playing with, and there was a wrestling school near. This one guy was trying to get me to sign a contract, and at that time I was a 167 pound amateur champion. I have never told anyone this, but after I signed the contract at 15 years old I stole it right back out of his briefcase. A guy by the name of El Tomko started running some wrestling matches, and I said sure I know how to wrestle. I got in there a couple times in the Northern parts of Canada, way up in the tundra, and for the first thing I consider being able to be a legitimate wrestling league was the AWA. I think unfortunately I hold the world record for the shortest match in the history of professional wrestling with Larry Hennig. One of the guys who was a referee that worked that league said I can get you $25, and I am standing there not sure what I am supposed to be doing, and my pipe band was very proud of me for doing something legal. My pipe band played me to the ring, and back then you can imagine there was silence all the time, and all of sudden I come in the ring, and there is Larry Hennig 320 pounds of monster. I don't think I could have beat him on my best day, and you have to figure it takes three seconds to count a guy out so it brings me down to seven seconds I lasted."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had an encounter with the infamous Hillside Strangler in Los Angeles, California after you moved to Riverside, California, who was responsible for the deaths of 22 young boys whose bodies were found in shallow graves wrapped in green garbage bags. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I didn't have an encounter with the Hillside Strangler. That is not true. I lived on 1733 Ocean Avenue in a place called the Flamingo Hotel, and a half a block to the left is a place called Tommy's Famous Hamburgers right on the beach in Santa Monica, California. It was kinda a rough place, and this Hillside Strangler at that time was in that area. One of the saddest things I have ever seen in my life, and he had gotten one of the gals that was on that corner, and they had a sign there what you would think blood looked like dripping down. There is a story in the book about a guy who turned himself in as the Hillside Strangler, and that is how that story got about. I didn't have direct contact with the Hillside Strangler. As far as Riverside, California and the one they are talking about in the book the story is very simple. The story is I was 21 or 22, and at that time I was hanging out with a guy by the name of Jay York, the Alaskan who was 320 pounds, and he carried a buck knife with him. There is so much stuff that is going down in this hotel, and people getting crushed against walls with cars. I knew I needed to get out of there, and for sure I was getting too deep into the dark side if you will. I went to Riverside, California by myself, and this particular day I was just walking down to the movie theater, and I saw this van come around, and this guys said to me, 'Hey do you know where whatever street is?' I started to walk towards the van, and this guy said, "Hey you want a beer?" I saw the guy pull a gun, and I just ran. I just hopped over a fence, and saw the van go out of there with boom.. boom.. boom... I lived on the street, and I knew what it was. Just kinda isolate that, and two months down the road nothing happened. I get up one morning stumbling to my living room turning on the TV, and there was a picture of this van, and there were two guys who were responsible. Their motive was that they would get a kid in the van, and hold a gun to his head, and they had killed 22 boys, and they buried them in garbage bags which is quite a famous case. My point being is that I only saw the passenger, and that was the guy. It really is just a reality check, and it makes you go holly cow. I was really loose at that time as a kid, and I really didn't have any rules. It just shows how close you can come to a situation like that, and I saw it on TV, and recognized the guy immediately."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was it like working in the Oregon territory?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It was a ball. Don Owens was a great man. Rick Martel was a great tag team partner. In Oregon there is Don Owens obviously. In Eugene, Salem, and his brother Elton ran it. Elton was a little bit of an oddball because when he paid you for jobs old timers would tell you he paid ten dollars in quarters. He paid $25 for the winner and $10 for the loser. Killer Brooks takes a cigar and rolls it in his ass, and he puts it back in the thing. Elton came back from he was doing, and he started to smoke the cigar, and he yells, "It smells like shit" It was truly one of those wrestler priceless moments for sure. It wasn't a cut throat atmosphere as it was gonna be, and it was a great place and time for development of yourself even if you didn't know it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In your book there is a chapter on why professional wrestling has the highest suicide rate of any sport. How hard was it to write a chapter like this knowing you're going to receive some kind of negative feedback?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I don't think any feedback that I get I really think they might want to know. Kerry Von Erich was a really good friend of mine, and I don't know for some reason Kerry never had a problem taking off, and I kinda always was stuck to myself in the hotel rooms. I let Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan do most of the wooing. There is an equation that I just came up with, and obviously I wrote this book as a commercial adventure. The sport of wrestling is a business, but however I wrote this book kinda from the heart and memory. You guys really need to know why some of these guys died. Some of the deaths were murder and self murder. I have a chapter in the book called the sickness which needs to be identified, and the equation is the amount of sickness in the wrestlers is directly from the manipulation of the promoter. You can kill a guy without touching him or doing anything to him in any kinda way. For some reason I am on an 8th story ledge in the Miami Marriot with Kerry Von Erich, and a six inch ledge with the windows closed. Curt Hennig and Big Bossman come in and pull us in. A month later, Kerry boom, and he is gone. I knew what he was thinking, and if anybody has been sick I have been sicker than them all. I am surely not casting stones, but I am surely trying to cast a light on what these guys had to go through, and what they sacrificed. With the money that is being made now these guys shouldn't have to be abused the way they are. Let me give you an equation, if I said lay down in front of 40 million people, and I want to have this Samoan with a thong on your face you know, and how much do you want? You would tell me to go to hell most likely. If you get a kid, pump him up for his first pay perview, and he tells everyone, and then 20 minutes before the show he gets the finish. They came up with a lot of ideas, and I am not doubting anyone. I am just saying look at what these guys are being made to do to make a living, and what does that have to do with the sport of wrestling? It really hurts, and you know I have made more mistakes then any of them put together. I have paid for a lot of them, and some of them have really paid dearly. We all know Brusier Broody was stabbed by The Mass Invader. I think he got off because he claimed it was self defense in the dressing room. Someone said in a press release that I was not there, but I was in the middle of that situation. I was going to Japan with Stan Hansen and Brusier Broody. Broody was the one who told me one of the toughest things to do with a promoter is to wait it out. A guy sticks a knife in Broody, and the thing was Broody bled to death. He didn't die from a stab wound. I don't how long it takes a guy to bleed to death, but I know nobody came back in that dressing room to help him. I know The Mass Invader real well, and I saw him go to court on TV, and I watched him go to court with his mask on. There is a guy who was manipulated and died, and he left four little boys with no daddy. I have seen that happen so many times, and people have got to understand what happens to these guys. I was a sickness, and I am the most sickest of them all."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You created the first ever wrestling pay perview the 1983 Starcade bringing your dog collar match with Greg Valentine. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Dusty Rhodes created the first pay perview. I made these dog collars, and something I have not said in the book is that I had sheep's wool put inside the collars because I thought it would be easier on the neck from all that leather. He would always say to me during those matches his neck was killing him. That pay perview was a message sent to Vince McMahon, Sr., and he hired me. That is what really got the whole ball rolling from the North and the South. That was an answer to Vince McMahon in Greensboro, North Carolina."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You claim to be one of the founding fathers of the WWF. Maybe you can explain to me what your impact was on the company, and your relationship with Vince McMahon at the time.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When I went there it was called the World Wide Wrestling Federation. I was asked back in 1982 to take over the federation by another group of people, and that got cancelled. I knew why I was going to New York from Charlotte. Greensboro, North Carolina was an answer to Shea Stadium. I was in a bar one night in St. Louis with Vince McMahon, Jr., and I told him give me 5 weeks and a bow tie, and I will get over or I will get out because there were so many guys in the interview being shared by three guys, and they were getting on TV giving their best moves. I invented Piper's Pit, and then came Cyndi Lauper, and that whole rock and roll connection was all channeled through the pit. When it came to the time, and it was MTV's highest rated thing back then, and when it came to it I kicked Cyndi Lauper in the head, and I knocked out Mr. T. I get in the ring with Dick Clark, and take an album Cyndi is giving Captain Lou Albano, and I smash it over his head. I make the point that I don't need a belt, but I just need a great opponent. I had a great opponent, but they did come to see me get my ass kicked. They didn't come to see someone flex their muscles. They believed in that man, but the reason they came was to see me get my ass kicked. Knocking out Mr. T. yes his star power came in, but I am just saying the way things unfolded everything was run through Piper's Pit. WrestleMania 3 Hogan and Andre was run through there. I said a line at the end you're bleeding, and this is all improv. The reason I claim to be a founding father is they came to see me get my ass kicked, but for sure I had to have a great opponent otherwise though I could have not done it by myself no way."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>WrestleMania 1 was the real beginning of the WWF as you and Paul Orndorff teamed up against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. What are your thoughts on that pay perview, and do you think if that one didn't succeed there would have not been any other WrestleMania's after that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah correct. I believe that. Vince McMahon put everything on the line. I was down in McMahon's office, and I told him there was only one way to do this match right. Vince said, "No Hot Rod there is more then one right way." I said there is only one right way. I just said to keep it amateur, and don't let Mr. T throw any punches or kicks because he didn't know what he was doing. He is throwing a guy in there with all these people, and you're putting your money up you think I really am going to flop all over for this guy. It is like am I supposed to take a dive for Mr. T., and then he goes back to the A Team, and goes back with his big ego, and mine is big enough, but it is like where am I. Nobody really gave a damn where Rod ended up, and that was the way it was supposed to be."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At Wrestlemania 2 you took on Mr. T in a boxing match with Joe Fraizer and Lou Duva at ringside. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I trained in Lou Duva's camp for about five weeks. I trained with Hollyfield, Bragston, and many others. That match is one of them that I hate the most. I refused to take a dive again for Mr. T, and the commentating was the shits, but when you're wrestling with him I can compensate for him, but in boxing the only thing that it did 3rd round in the colliseum they just start to chant Roddy, and God Bless them because the whole building filled up. That is the only good thing that really came out of that, and the reason I wouldn't take a dive for him again was because he wasn't in my sport. I am not going to diss my sport just for some guy to come in and come out."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 8 you put over Bret Hart for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Do you think that might be one of your greatest matches ever?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, sir I do have so much respect for Bret Hart. I didn't think very much of that match to be quite honest with you. I had some 60 minute matches before all of this, but I never looked at it as my best match ever. I did look at it this way for me trying to pass the torch, and find someone deserving he was certainly somebody solid. When it came to Bret no one far distantly are we related through monkeys, but we talked for ten minutes, and I just went in and did the match. I don't wrestle by facts, and I don't think about it till I go out there. I think it was a great match, and the winner was justified."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 12 you took on Goldust in the HollyWood Back Lot Brawl. Tell me about the whole match, and did you go through any injuries or concussions?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, five days before that match I was doing a series called Daytona Beach, and I broke my right foot in five places and my left foot in three places. Both of my feet were shot with Novocaine, and they had these special things on it. Goldust is such a great young talent that I hit straight square between the eyes, and all it did was flatten my own knuckle. I have never told anybody this I don't think. I will tell you what was going through my mind which was it was there, and we are going back and forth. When he came at me with the car everybody knew I was going to move, and I had every intention to move, and I looked at the car, and earlier that day my son Colten was holding on to Vince McMahon's hand, and it just flashed into my mind, and I just said the heck with it. It was a last second decision, and I just looked at the car, and I thought if I could slap it hard enough on the hood, and I just went for it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You actually have legitimate heat with Hulk Hogan am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, in the business yes. Once you get in the ring with a guy you get the mutual respect. Yeah there is animosity between us for sure."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You started Andy Kaufman's career, and went on to star in 25 motion pictures. Tell me about how you were able to expand out of wrestling into another outlet of the entertainment industry.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I didn't start Andy Kaufman's wrestling career. He used to come when I was at the Olympic auditorium way before any of the stuff he did, and he used to watch, and he wanted me to do interviews for him. He would take me to the improv, and he would do my interviews. He was on the new Dick Van Dyke show, and he would be like say something funny Roddy, and for some reason he just liked what I was doing. He never drank or anything, and he just was a wonderful guy. I was the one he was imitating when he was wrestling the girls. The first movie I did which is probably the most interesting to the fans is the reason I did the movie. They Live was after WrestleMania 2. Hogan had gone to Vince, and he said, "I will just ride on Piper's quilts. Vince McMahon said to him not worry about that, and I needed to keep my real estate value. New York had always been that big baby face territory, and I saw what had been going on, and so I quit Piper's Pit on purpose. I had to get out of that stadium because they wanted to bury me, and I needed to do something someplace else so I could come back untouchable. It really was the grace of God that made it become a number one hit. When I got out for sure it was very difficult busting into Hollywood with a wrestling background and trying to be a leading man. When it became a number one hit that was the reason Hogan and Vince McMahon did No Holds Barred."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During the 1992 steroid trial there was a bunch of talk about many of the guys taking steroids. In the book </B><B>Sex, Lies, and Headlocks</B><B> it talks about Dr. George Zoharian was seen ripping up Fed Ex receipts of WWF people's names on them which included yours and Lord Alfred Hayes. Did you take steroids?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, first off absolutely I did take steroids. I had my own shopping bag. That particular trial I saw my name on CNN news like everyone else did. The way it came down was Dr. Zoharian was a commission doctor, and he was helping out the wrestlers. I guess somebody builder or power lifter got a market for high school football players, and that is where it got out of hand. They started tapping Zoharian's phone, and Hogan and I were the prototypes. I have no doubt that he ripped up a receipt, and yes I did steroids. The trial all of sudden I did have immunity, and I had private jets and cars waiting for me, and I am going what the heck is going on because I did nothing wrong. In the book it talks about how I covered my ass going to trial, and what they said to me, and the confrontation with Vince McMahon. All of sudden we're going to trial and Hulk Hogan has been pulled out because he was seeing a doctor legitimately. I told Vince he left me out to dry, and he said, "Oh Hot Rod you don't think I [would do that?]." I said listen fuck you, and I backed myself up in a way that you can read about."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You have always wanted a wrestling union am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes sir. A guy named Father James Anderson of the St. Jude Liberal Catholics Chuch has donated 44 acres, and it is already done. It is a headlining center, and you know in wrestling they have an entrance plan, but they don't have an exit plan. There is no insurance, and it really is like a roach motel you can check in, but to check out you gotta die, and you don't leave with pride. There is 44 acres of land in Vermont, and it is a healing center for any boxer or wrestler that is sick or having health problems, and they can come here for free and get healed."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You just recently settled your lawsuit with Time Warner and WCW am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"About eight to ninth months ago yes. There is no heat between me and Turner."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am probably the most misunderstood wrestler which is fine. I am so proud of wrestling because it has saved my life, but I am not sure what a gay marriage has to do with wrestling nor entertainment. I definitely have a morality line, and to the legions of fans I always have had because for sure they saved my life. I will always be faithful to wrestling."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jasmin St. Claire Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2b0ecb10.jpg" border=0 width="236" height="177" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jasmin St. Claire is one of the women in professional wrestling who is adapting from a manager to a female wrestler. She and her current boyfriend the Blue Meanie formed 3PW, which has become one of the success stories in the hot market of the Northeast of the USA. In the interview she talks about her time in ECW, and working with NWATNA.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Good. I have just been really busy."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did the idea come about to start the 3PW promotion?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was out one night with Brian and a friend of mine, and this guy told us that he was going to buy this name of an old wrestling federation. I told him it really was a waste because it wouldn't mean anything, and for that type of money we could put on our own wrestling show, and that is how the whole thing started."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to work NWATNA. What did you think of that whole experience, and do you think they are a good wrestling alternative?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I really liked it. I had a blast working there. I think they are doing really good, but I just think they kinda focus a little too much on the cruiserweights now, and it seems like that is all that show is. They don't have any girls on their shows at the moment, and I would really like to have the chance to work there again. I don't know if they are the great alternative compared to WWE because I don't watch WWE that much. I hope someone does something really great soon because it is getting stale out there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did you end up in ECW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When I made my appearance at ECW Living Dangerously that is what started it. I really liked it there, and that is when ECW was at one of its strongest points. It was through Bubba Ray Dudley which started my time there. I wanted to go back after my first time there, but at that time I was doing something else. They threatened to sue for the remainder of my contract if I went back to ECW because it would have affected my work elsewhere. I waited for my contract to be done, and went back to ECW."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How do you think Paul Heyman ran things while you were with ECW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He was good at what he did, and for sure he had a great mind for the business. He was kind of a bit disorganized. My biggest problem was that I am an organizational freak, and I hate when anything is not done right, and at the same when I want it done it must be a certain way. I totally didn't see those traits in him, and I think he just knew how to run a company, and he was good at the storylines. He had great creative ideas, but he lacked organizational skills."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think caused the downfall of ECW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think the company got too big too soon."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The women in the WWE are adapting to a full time wrestling style. What do you think of them, and how are you like them?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have been wrestling longer then any of those girls you claim that are doing things. I have been training since 1999, but because of my size I am usually used as a manager."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How hard was the training, adapting to taking the bumps, and just learning the sport itself?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It absolutely was a lot of tough work, but I was dedicated to the wrestling at the time. I mean it is definitely motions of your body, and it certainly isn't used to taking the bumps, but I actually like it. When I went to ECW most of my wrestling skills were not needed in the company. I don't think women's wrestling is over as it was back in the 1980s when you had the LPWA and promotions like that. I think there are a good few female wrestlers like Molly, Lita, but I mean the rest are really just sloppy. Someone told me that they do same day training as well."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am looking forward to the next 3PW show on October 19th, and it will be memorial night for Ted Petty whose death took us by surprise."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Second Interview with Mean Gene Okerlund</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="29ad6b20.jpg" border=0 width="214" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This week’s WWE Confidential will be an interesting program involving Vince McMahon. The host of WWE Confidential Mean Gene Okerlund comes back to talk about the gay marriage angle, decline in professional wrestling, Brock Lesnar, Bill Goldberg, NWATNA, and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I am doing really great on quite a rainy day, but it gives me an opportunity to sit behind the desk, and crank out some things that are long overdue. As you know in Florida with the sand and sunshine it is very easy to get distracted."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on The Billy Chuck marriage angle, and the Hot Lesbian Action angle that the WWE has put on their TV this week?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They are two different but yet very related stories. The Hot Lesbian Action might be questionable, and of course that aired on WWE Raw this past Monday night. The Billy and Chuck angle which aired on WWE Smackdown this Thursday on UPN, believe it or not generally speaking it got very favorable reaction. All of the gay and lesbian groups were very high on it that it would be aired on TV, and not that it brings a lot of people out of the closet, but I do think it makes for good TV that just happens to be associated with wrestling. Where you go from here with that angle is truly up in the air, but it will be one of things mentioned this Saturday on WWE Confidential. I want to point out Chris that I will have Vince McMahon with me at that time, and I am going to ask him some very pointed questions regarding that subject manner on their TV this past week."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think the main reason is for a decline in professional wrestling at the moment, and what do you think needs to be done to attract more fan interest?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, my associate Jim Ross put it pretty much right on the line when he said maybe he and I are out of that demographic because obviously we are trying to zero in on adult males 18 to 34, and of course professional wrestling will take anyone else who wants to tag along. You really have to have a target audience that you aim for, and some of this is not going to play well with kids, and some of this won’t play with older people. I think what we need to do is develop the stories, and the stars that are going to be compelling enough to bring people back to the sets. Right now professional wrestling WWE is in a down cycle, but I don't think it is too far from coming back. I like a lot of the things that are happening. I like Brock Lesnar. Stone Cold Steve Austin is taking time off to rework his character. The Rock is occupied with making movies right now, but that is going to give this organization like they have done in the past the opportunity to build itself back up."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think Vince McMahon or anyone else around the creative team is worried about the decline in wrestling? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely. I think it is always a concern because it is an ongoing battle that the creative people have to fight. I guarantee everything is being analyzed very carefully by the powers to be, and of course Vince McMahon makes the final call. Paul Heyman, Michael Hayes, Brian Gerwitz, and a ton of other writers are involved in the creative process. I am sure they take a very close look at what is happening in the ratings, and try to make the adjustments necessary to get them prompt back up."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think with the WWE bringing back another world championship is a bad idea since it might discredit the current reign of Brock Lesnar?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't think so because I think all along that they general idea was going to beChris that there would be two organizations. It was very healthy for the business if you recall a couple years ago when we had WCW and the WWF at that time opposing each other on Monday nights. I think the TV was better, everybody had to be better, and we had huge audiences in this country. We had about ten percent of the country on Monday night watching us, and that is not ten percent of the people watching TV, but ten percent of the total number of people in this country. Between the two shows that really is a big number. With WCW falling by the wayside I really think that hurt the business, and when you don't have competition you’re never as sharp. I think what they are trying to do is develop a feel between WWE Raw and Smackdown I think with Triple H holding the world title, and we are going to chronicle that on WWE Confidential this weekend. We will also give you an opportunity to see the history of that belt which goes back to the NWA, and it also goes back to 1904. That is a very old title, and it deserves its place somewhere in today's modern world. I think it is also going to set up a beautiful angle between Triple H and Brock Lesnar at least for the time being, but we will have to wait and see where that goes."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think that the WWE might need to get a new broadcast team and possibly replace Jerry Lawler and Jim or at least give Michael Cole and Tazz a chance? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I would suggest that maybe that is always being thought of. I just think the world of Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. I think that have done an admirable job, and you have to remember that they have been on this show since 1991 or 1992, and after a little while you probably get a little too used to things and you try to stay sharp week after week. I think that maybe shaking things up a little bit would not hurt."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you have any idea when Hulk Hogan might return to WWE TV?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"If I did Chris it would only be from personal conversations which I don't think I would really divulge anywhere because I think that is going to be part of an upcoming storyline, and I don't want to so to speak jump the gun." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on steroids and drugs in professional wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, as far as I know steroids right now are illegal, and drugs always have been. Depending on your drug of choice I don't think there is anything wrong with a cocktail every now and then, and too many of those that can be bad for you too. I think drugs and steroids go hand and hand, and a lot of these guys have used them in the past, and you can take a look at TV yourself and see who the hell is using them."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are you thoughts on NWATNA running weekly pay perviews on Wednesday nights, and do you think it is a good wrestling alternative?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I wish Jerry and Jeff Jarret all the luck in the world, and I wish they had the resources necessary to put on a first class product, but right now they are struggling. I don't know if everyone is aware, but pay perview revenue sometimes can lag anywhere from 90 to 120 days to 150 days from the time you air the program to the time you actually get your money from your pay perview provider. It takes a long time to generate some cash flow, and I think it might be somewhat contributed to the slow start they have gotten off to."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Bill Goldberg is wrestling with New Japan at the moment. Do you think he made the right decision to expand his options away from the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I think it was an option. You have to remember you have to have options in life, and he felt at this time WWE was probably not the place for him to be, and he has seven dates he is committed for in Japan, and I think he will do very well at especially a million and a half dollars for the seven dates he will be working. That is truly a good pay day, and something he would never get in WWE out of the gate."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you plan to write a book about your career anytime soon?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have been keeping notes and jotting things down for years Chris. When the time is right probably when I pull the plug on the business I might come out with something that will be interesting because it is interesting for me to just go back over the notes."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>One of your greatest moments was when you came back at the WrestleMania 17 event commentating on the Gimmick Battle Royal. What are your thoughts on that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, it wasn't one of my greatest moments, but it was a great moment there is no doubt about that returning to the WWE, and getting the chance to work with Bobby Heenan again. The whole thing was a rib, and it was really meant to be a fun deal. It was a really fun deal because we had a chance to spend the weekend in Houston, Texas, and it truly was kinda bit of the old times. It was very enjoyable, and I think truly was good for the sport. I would like to see a little more of that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, how are the new openings going with Mean Gene's Burgers and Mean Gene's Pizza?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We are absolutely delighted. We are now around 28 to 30 Mean Gene's Pub Pizza's, and the burger chain continues to grow by the week, month, and it just is a matter of time before we hit Florida and the Southeastern USA. Right now most of our thrust is with college universities and military installations. We had a conference call on it this morning, and we are just working out some strategy and planning for the future."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Koko B. Ware Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2ebf1e70.jpg" border=0 width="241" height="231" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Koko B. Ware is one of the most inspirational wrestlers from the past. In one of the saddest stories I have ever seen, Koko B. Ware's house burned down around six months ago, and Frankie the parrot went with the fire after 15 years of life. On October 26th, 2002 the USWF is running a charity event, and all the proceeds will be going to Koko B. Ware's family. I had the chance to talk to the man in a very revealing interview about his memories of Owen Hart and the British Bulldog, The Hart Family itself, wrestling at WrestleMania 3, 4, and 6, and his role in the Beyond the Mat movie.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What have you been up to of late?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am praising God. I have been just very heavy in the church, and God has just blessed me. I am trying to save some of these young folks and souls, and let them know that there is a God out there who cares about them, and I am just really dedicating myself to God right now."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were featured in the movie Beyond The Mat, and Vince McMahon commented by saying, "Koko made a mistake by fighting one of our executives. I fired the executive, and I thought I should fire Koko. I thought it was such unprofessional conduct by the executive, and as well the performer. I had to do something, and that was the reason I fired Koko." What are your thoughts on the movie, and is that reason why you were released from the WWF?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, you know what Vince McMahon never did tell me that because I kept asking him what was the reason why I was released. We had a meeting that went over changing talent around because some of us had been there for ten years, and of course you don't see The Road Warriors, Tito Santana, and Greg Valentine. We had been there for a long time, and I just think he was weaving us out, but it didn't have anything to do with the incident that happened over in Europe."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did Vince McMahon or anyone else call you about ever coming back to the company?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. Vince McMahon or anyone else has never called me back to work. I would love to go back for a personal appearance, and just to let everyone know that I am still alive. I'd love to walk down that aisle just one more time in Madison Square Garden."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was it like wrestling at WrestleMania 3 in front of the 93,000 people wrestling against Butch Reed in one of the greatest wrestling shows ever?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We wrestled back then. We didn't have to have script writers, and things like that. The business of professional wrestling has changed a lot, and I didn't think I would ever see it change like this. We still hold the indoor sports record for attendance in Pontiac, Michigan at the Silverdome. Everybody was a big family back then, and now it is all about the money. I just thank God for showing me another way, and a whole lot better way."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 4 you tagged with The British Bulldogs against Bobby Heenan and The Islanders. What are your best memories of The British Bulldog, and the match altogether?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I really enjoyed working with the British Bulldog. Davey Boy Smith, bless his heart as he has gone on, and bless his family. Those guys were just like brothers to me. It was just like a breath of fresh air, and I just really enjoyed being in the ring with those guys as it was fun, and they treated me like one of them. Matilda, that little bulldog they had, just completely fell in love with me, and she was always so cute in her own ways. It was just like a family reunion."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At WrestleMania 6 you had the chance to wrestle The Model Rick Martel. What are your thoughts on the match and Rick Martel?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Rick is a very good wrestler, and he kept himself in good shape. I thought we had an excellent match at WrestleMania in Toronto, Canada. I just wish I could walk down that aisle one more time, I miss it, and I still love it. I am looking forward to coming to all the areas I have never been before."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had a chance to tag with Owen Hart in a tag team better known as High Energy. What are your best memories of Owen Hart?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Owen Hart and me, one time were trying to sing this song of High Energy in a studio, and we both could not get our lines right. I just thought it was the most hilarious thing I had ever seen in my life, and Owen Hart was a great guy to be a tag team partner with, and God Bless his heart. I just hate for the good guys to leave this world, but we all must die, and we have to prepare ourselves for those days. The whole Hart Foundation Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, and all of them are great. I could sit down at their table and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I also could spend the night, and do almost anything I wanted to do there. It was just a big family. Stu Hart, God bless his heart because he was a great father in the wrestling business for me, and me and Owen just clicked right away. Someone snatched the rug out from under us in the WWE."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think you were ever discriminated against or put into a stereotype while you were in the WWF?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. Not at all. It is a business, and you have to understand that Vince McMahon can't have the same wrestlers forever. If we were still there today, his ratings and everything would be down."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you ever watch the WWE, and if so, what do you think of today's product?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Like I said before Vince McMahon has really made it entertaining, and that is for sure. We wrestled back then, and today I think it is a lot of talk and entertaining. You have a lot of, back in the old days what the veterans would call jumping beans, which include high spots after high spots. They use incredible finishes which should be one ... two ... three counts, but instead they are using them for high spots. If we used 1 move just as good as they have today that would have been a finishing move."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on being one of the wrestlers in the Legends of Wrestling video game put out about Acclaim Entertainment?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I thought it was a really good thing for me, and all my little birds out there who wanted the game so they could play with Koko B. Ware since they don't get to see me that much. I just thought it was a good shot for my little birds and myself."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Getting to some sadder news the great parrot Frankie just passed away recently as your house burned down, and Frankie went with the fire. Give me your thoughts and comments if possible.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes, we had a fire at my house. We were in church, and one Sunday morning about six months ago, and we were only in church for about 45 minutes, and the Deacon said, "You all need to go home your house is on fire." By the time we got to our home it was a disaster, and it was demolished and gone. There was a neighbor I never met before, and he said he kicked the door in because he thought he heard a child hollering "Let me out ... let me out ... let me out." He said he heard a child's voice so good he knew he had to kick the door in, and until I told him different. Frankie could talk really good, and I told him it was my parrot who learned how to talk really well, and that he was with me for 15 years. We were just ready to buy this home, and after 15 years I had rentals insurance, homeowners insurance, and I sold the home. I bought a new home, and we didn't have all our furniture in, and we didn't get our insurance switched over in enough time. After 15 years, in two weeks time we lost everything because I was putting it off saying 'well it is not going to happen to us' or 'don't worry about this, and once we get all our furniture in we are gonna call', and get them transferred over to our new house. God I guess works in mysterious ways, and he just knew because we were going to leave our two boys at home asleep that Sunday morning, and my wife decided to get them up, and take them to church anyway. So, thank God that we are still here, and poor Frankie, God Bless his heart, and he will always be in my heart. He will always be with me, and he just was like a kid. He was one of my children, and we went all over the world, and I really love that parrot, and I want everybody to pray for Frankie, and pray for us that everything is going to be ok. We are going to make this successful, and that is what God wanted it to be."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally there is a benefit show on October 26, 2002 promoted by the USWF, and all proceeds will be going to you and your family because of the fire incident. Give me your thoughts on that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Here is a guy I have never met before, and his wife told him that, "We need to go to this arena anyway." He didn't feel like wrestling, but his wife came to the arena anyway. When he got there I met him, and we got to start talking, and they asked me about Frankie, and that I know Jesus and everything. He said he was feeling something really good, and knew there was some reason why my life said that we needed too go to the matches. God sent them to me, and it is just a blessing from heaven. I don't play with God, and I know Lonnie and his wife don't play with God either. I praise God, and I am asking for a blessing also that God will bless them for doing something for me and my family. I want to thank all the fans, and I want to thank everybody that supported me, and everyone who is putting this benefit on. I am all choked up right now because God is moving me right now, and I just wanted to let you know. Lonnie has done more for me then Vince McMahon did. Lonnie and his wife did more then Vince McMahon. I even called Vince McMahon, and told him that we had a really bad tragedy down here, and that I lost Frankie in a fire. It was around Christmas time, and we had bought presents, and we had to start all over. We wore some neighbors clothes."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was Vince McMahon's response to your tragedies?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, Vince McMahon's words were, "There is nothing else I really can do, but I am glad you all didn't get hurt, and see you later."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Thank you so much for your time and your wonderful story.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Thank you."</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Fabulos Moolah Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="276b0b90.jpg" border=0 width="176" height="185" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Fabulous Moolah is truly a historian of women's wrestling and the business itself. She has just released her new book,</B><B> First Goddess of the Squared Circle</B><B>, and hopefully we can expect the best look at women's wrestling and where it came from. Mollah talks about how the book came together, Cyndi Lauper, and the night she wrestled Wendi Richter as The Spider Lady.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Wonderful Chris. I just want to say hello to all my fans and friends, and everything is wonderful for me, and I hope it is for them."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why did you decide to write the book </B><B>First Goddess of the Squared Circle</B><B>, and what can fans expect from the book?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, what happened was Vince McMahon called me, and he said, 'Lillian I think it is time for you to write a book.' I said 'Why is that Vince?' He said, 'Well, you are starting your seventh decade, and people need to know about you.' I said, 'Lets do it'."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you this book is probably the best look at women's wrestling ever as far as the history?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I do hope so. I think so, and all the reports I have got say that it is."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were the early days of women's wrestling like for you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That is all in my book, and I will tell you right now it wasn't easy at all. I went through a lot of hardships, and a lot of hard things that most people would not go through just to stay in the business, but I loved it so much and I still love it. I am going to be in it till I die."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you held the Women's World Title for 28 years that is truly unheard of by today's standards. Do you think the reason you held it so long was because it was before the increased popularity of professional wrestling today where someone might be lucky to hold a belt for four months?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I really don't know. I really can't say."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you wrestled Wendy Richter and Wendy didn't know that you were going to win, you called the match and Wendi had little choice but to go along because you were much more capable of controlling the match. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I didn't know that she was supposed to know that she wasn't going to win the match. Nobody knew that. I just kicked her ass, and that was it because she wouldn't give me a match, and she would not sign the contract. I went in as the Spider Lady as it was the only way I could get to her, and I won my match in eight minutes."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about your experiences with Cyndi Lauper.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I didn't have any matches with Cyndi Lauper, but she was supposedly managing Wendi Richter that night, and I think that she got the referee's attention, and she caused me to lose the match because I was the one that had the pinning hold. I got her by the throat and her voice rim was going 'Please please let her go, don't ruin her voice' , and I said 'What voice?' "</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your best memories of Mildred Burke, one of the great women wrestlers of the past?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I met Mildred Burke one time. I never got to know her, but I really did admire her ability and stamina in the ring. I liked her very much, but I never got to know her I am sorry to say."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Elvis Presley always wanted to be a wrestler. What are your best memories of him?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, he used to come every Monday night when we were in Memphis, Tennessee. He was driving a truck at that time, and he used to come by to say hello to us. He would always talk to me, and he would say, 'Moolah please can't you help me get into wrestling?' He used to tell us at that time the little honkytonks he was playing in that night or the next night as long as we were around Memphis, Tennessee we would go by to see time. I told him, 'Elvis you have a beautiful voice maybe you should stick with that.' It wasn't too long after that Tom Parker got a hold of him, and that was it for wrestling with him."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How are you and Mae Young feeling right now after you took those bumps from the Island Boys a couple weeks back on WWE RAW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, we are in pretty good shape right now. I would say good shape, but for about two weeks neither one of us could hardly walk."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any possibility you might work with the WWE again in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I hope so. We are open to opportunities, and Vince McMahon knows all he has to do is call me."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you defeated Ivory and won the WWE Women's Championship back in 1999, how did you feel about that at your age being involved back in the sport on the roster in the matches for a short time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I thought I was in another world. I couldn't believe it that here I am 76 years old, and the WWE Women's Champion again. It was wonderful."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Has the WWE ever asked you to give advice to any of the women that are there in the company right now on how to improve their wrestling style?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No. I don't think they need to ask anybody anything because I think Vince McMahon knows the business. I think he does the best for everybody and everything because this is not the 1930s anymore. This is 2002, and we have to roll with the flow, and if someone my age can do it I think everybody should. I just don't see myself sitting back in the 1930s."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you ever get to know one of the greatest women athletes of the past, Babe Didrikson who was number 10 on ESPN's Sports Centuries 50 Greatest Athletes who married a professional wrester?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes I did know her. I was at her home many times in Texas."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Thank you so much. I would just like to tell everybody please buy my book, and I hope you will enjoy it. Every word in it is true, and thank you all for supporting me, and I love you all."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mean Gene Okerland Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="270e9c20.jpg" border=0 width="233" height="194" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mean Gene Okerlund has been around for 32 years, and as the host of WWE Confidential he truly is enjoying his time back in the company he was with before WCW. Mean Gene discusses numerous topics including Hulk Hogan's health, the September 11th comments made on WWE Raw, and his thoughts on what happened to WCW.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing well Chris. When I think about how long I have been in wrestling, and it flashes through my mind it seems like I have been in the business for 20 minutes. In reality though it has been a great 32 years."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did you end up on WWE Confidential show, and is there ever a possibility you might do something else on one of the other WWE shows in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I had talked to both Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn, the executive producer of then the WWF TV programming. We had talked for the last two years in regard to something that would be a good fit for both us considering my experience and kinda my style. I probably wouldn't fit into a WWE Raw or Smackdown, as it were so Kevin Dunn called me one day and said we were good to go, and come up to New York so we can hopefully be on the air, and that was back in the middle part of May."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You have known Bobby Heenan for years. What are your best memories of working with Bobby Heenan?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have so many great memories of Bobby. I am going to say probably the great memories I have in general were back in the days when he was a manager, and that would go back to the days of the AWA and the early days of the WWF. He became a broadcaster in the WWF, and when I moved on to WCW in 1993 he was probably five or six months behind me. He came in to WCW in early 1994, and we once again had an opportunity to work again. Bobby was always clever and always had one of the great minds of the wrestling business, and he would also talk about it on the air and talk about great issues amongst the promoters. He was also very good on laying out some feuds, concepts and issues, and communicate those to the public."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why did you decide to go to WCW in the first place?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My contracted had ended with the WWF in September of 1993, and at that time I had some philosophical differences including with Vince McMahon as great minds don't think alike or whatever the case may be. I thought it was time for a change after ten years in the same position and doing the same thing, and perhaps the best thing would be to move on. I still feel that was the right move just like this juncture to come back and host WWE Confidential, and maybe down the road work on some pay perviews."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you look back at what happened to WCW, did you ever think you would be back in the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah Chris I did. I felt that someday that is where I would end up as long as they were intact, and I have no eyes to retire. This business has been very close to me for the last 32 years, and you kinda live and breathe it, and when you're away from it from any extended period of time you feel uncomfortable. Yeah I definitely felt I would end my career with the WWE in New York."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think went wrong with WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I think that is very simple. It was horribly mismanaged, and actually it was a rudderless ship. It was never being run by anyone at anytime during the nine years that I was there. As close as I was to the product and the role I played in the TV programming how do you think that some of these other guys felt? I think especially the locker room mentality those things were really out of whack, and people just were clueless because they had no direction."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was the reason for you wrestling Mark Madden back in WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"If you can tell me for a second what that would have possibly accomplished I would like to know. It was just some brain storm of Vince Russo, and the angle was a total piece of garbage. I did it because I wanted to be a team player, and let everybody amongst the ranks know that I was gonna be a team player and do what they asked me to do. I wasn't really in love with that angle."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the Steve Austin situation at this time, and do you think he will ever go back to the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That is a tough one for me to answer. I think there a couple of things we need to think about when we think of the Steve Austin situation. Steve has been around in this business for 15 to 16 years, and maybe with that high volume of appearances and with the exposure he had probably burned himself out. It is also not to say he wouldn't come back once he recharged his batteries. I kinda had the feeling Steve had burned himself out, and finally just threw up his hands and said God I don't like the way this storyline is going that pertains to me. So I am gonna take a hike, and gonna jump on a plane to San Antonio and the hell with it. I don't need it anymore, and he probably doesn't because lord knows he has made enough money to live comfortable for the rest of his life."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What have you heard about the Hulk Hogan situation with him not going to Australia?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I think it was purely a physical situation. He is beat up, and I mean this guy took a lot of bumps for a lot of years especially for a big man. Andre The Giant and some of these other big guys didn't take as many bumps as a Hulk Hogan. I have to give him credit because when he was the WWF Champion he worked 300 nights a year, and those were ring appearances where he gave good matches. He probably got beat up to the point where it is just a little tough for him to move, and a 14 hour plane ride right now could not do the back of his any good. He has a knee that needs to be operated on, and he has really put it off way too long. I think his health issues are going to have to be faced head on before he is gonna give that 100 percent, and I think he really is giving it 100 percent but he is working with some injuries that are perhaps attaining his performance somewhat."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think the comments made about September 11th were appropriate for the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely not. I would have to say that goes back to some of the material when we're doing the Gulf War when I was in the WWF, and I really thought that was tasteless. I think a national or patriotic situation we need to stay away from because it is going to generate some cheap heat, and really not the kind we need in this industry."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you ever think your former boss Eric Bischoff would be back in the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Chris, nothing suprises me in this business because I have seen stranger things happen. There was one situation where I won't mention any names where a promoter just about had been killed. Then six to eight years later the perpitrator was back working with him. I think to see Eric Bischoff in the WWE after some of the things he said about Vince McMahon is a bit of surprise, but it is nothing beyond reality."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think of the current state of professional wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it is probably in a down cycle. People ask me about wrestling as comapred to 25 to 30 years ago, and consumers always want change. If people today liked the 1975 Pontiac, and people wanted it today that is what we would be driving. People want change for sure, and they certainly are getting a different wrestling product today then 10 to 15 years ago. I think the wrestling business is very healthy, and we have a great fan base. I think you just have to tell the right stories, and get the combinations going to draw those big numbers on TV, and again fill up arenas and countries around the world."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Looking back on your career when it was the WWF you sang the national anthem at WrestleMania 1. What are your best memories of your time in the WWF back then?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, of course that was a very exciting time because that was a whole new era. We were coming out of old school when everything basically was kayfabe, and there was a lot of psychology that went into wrestling. They had high spots back then not as much. There was a lot of psychology, and a lot of great work. I saw a match nine or ten years ago, a legends match between Wahoo McDaniel and Dick Murdock, and both of those men are dead. I saw a match in the later stage in both of their careers, and I just thought it was one of those great matches. I saw it at the Bayfront Center in St. Peterburg, Florida at the legends reunion."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How are your food franchises coming along?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The burger franchise is going great. We are up to 83 of them worldwide, and of course they go into military installations and colleges around the country, and we are doing quite well with it. I have also jumped into the pizza business with Mean Gene's Pub Pizza, and I think we have roughly 30 of those up. We are very excited about the food business, and we keep the product very tight trying to give people a little edge to it. We do have some great burgers the Mean Gene's Blazin Cajun, All Star Burger, and a Tobasco Burger that would eat your shorts up."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what is in store for the rest of your career in wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, you know Chris I just take it one day at a time. I am look forward to tommorrow as I am looking forward to talking about the great days of yesterday. I am just very happy to be here, and health of course becomes something very important to guys as they get a little bit older, but I got my health and I am happy and I would love to do it forever."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Latest Bobby Heenan Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="263cbdb0.jpg" border=0 width="203" height="219" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He has battled through throat cancer and many years of wrestling. Bobby Heenan sits down for his second interview with me talking about the state of professional wrestling, his new book coming out, and the WWE Confidential special on himself.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you, and how is your health?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing good. I have trouble saying a few words, and other then that my blood pressure is good, my weight is good, and they say my health is good. I feel good, and I just don't have the strain I had two years ago, but it will come back. Other then that I feel really good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How did the whole WWE Confidential thing come about?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Mean Gene Okerlund called me, and he said they wanted to do a story and hoped you would not mind doing it. I said no I wouldn't mind doing it, and they set the date and sent a camera crew to my house and we did it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think the story on WWE Confidential was delivered out the right way, and what do you think the fan reaction was to your story battling throat cancer?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I think people missed half of it because they showed an interview I did at the beginning, and then they showed the Steve Austin stuff in the middle and a lot of people thought the interview was over, and after that they went back to my story and a lot of people missed that half of it. I thought it was received quite well, and all the email and people I talked to liked it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mean Gene Okerlund is the host of WWE Confidential. What are you best memories of Mean Gene and yourself?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I remember Mean Gene over 30 years ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mean Gene used to be a disk jockey, and used to work under the name Gene Leader or something like that. He had an afternoon show, and did all the stax with wax and finger on the trigger and things like that. He then went into sales and was selling TV time to sponsors, and at that time we had an announcer in the AWA and his name was Marty O'Neil who was an older guy with glasses and just a super man. He got sick and had a heart attack or stroke or something, and Mean Gene has some experience in TV, and they asked him to come down and do some interviews and he said yeah. Mean Gene came down to the offices, and he knew some stuff and right off the bat you heard that voice with strong types, and Mean Gene did a heck of a job for someone who never did it. As time went on Marty came back a little, and it was obvious he couldn't do it anymore, and they offered Mean Gene the job and he took it. History was made from there on."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is there any possibility at all that you may go back to WWE on one of their programs in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I would go back on one of their programs, but I would not want to be obligated to a contract where I have to do something a couple times a week where I have to go fly and stand two hours in line at the airport and all that stuff. Right now today as we talk I am not into that, and that could all change but I really don't see myself doing that. I wouldn't mind being a public relations guy for them, and meet people at some of the shows they do. I wouldn't mind going to WrestleMania's and sign autographs, and even do on sale tickets for them, but to be involved in a storyline or something like that I really don't have it in me anymore. The product today as well is not the product I was raised on. It is not the wrestling I know, but I can still shake hands and meet people. As far as doing it on a regular basis probably not, but then again I haven't heard the money involved."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You have a book coming out on your whole career, maybe you can summarize what fans can expect from reading the book?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, it is a great book to read when you're on an airplane. It is a great book to read when you're sitting around with a bunch of people. It is not one of those books where you read from page one and don't find out what happened until page 712. The book has 200 to 300 something pages, but its like USA Today there are short stories about my life. Most of the stories in there are about the ribs we did, fun we had, and I tell stories about Vern Gange, The Iron Shiek, Vince McMahon, the belt, stories on the road, working with Ray Stevens, and a bunch of things we did. I think it is very entertaining."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Will there be a good look at the life of Andre The Giant in the book?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. There are Andre stories in the book. There really isn't much to hide. He was a big man that didn't like a lot of people, and he's dead. Everybody knows what he did in the ring, being the Six Million Dollar man, playing Bigfoot, and The Princess Bride and things he did. The reason he didn't like people is because he got tired of people coming up to him asking, "Are you Andre The Giant?" "No, I am a shoe maker or a jockey, who do you think I am?" and how much do you weigh, how big are your hands, and how is the weather up there, he really just got tired of it. They told him he wouldn't live to be 50 because he had the giant disease, and that's where your body grows but your organs don't. Gorilla Monsoon had the same disease but he controlled it because he is from America in Rochester, New York. He got all the medication, but Andre wasn't putting out how to piss. I am not sure they had all that technology then."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Are you surprised Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff are both in the WWE working for Vince McMahon?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"No, I am not. I am not surprised Hogan is because he was probably offered a truck load of money to do it. Another thing, Hogan really does love the business. I don't understand people when they say I love the business because we are the business. Vince McMahon and the promoters are not the business. Vince is different though because he created the business the way it is today. The boys would never be making the money they are right now if it was not for Vince because I think we would still be back in the old territories making $50 a shot, maybe $100 now I don't know. I am not surprised Hogan went back because what are you gonna do when you have done it your whole life, and when your offered a lot of money and it is a pretty easy schedule you take it. As far as Eric Bischoff goes I heard he is busted, and that he isn't making much money. He said all things about Vince McMahon on TV, and you think Vince isn't gonna get back at him come on."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The WWE product and ratings have been up and down of late. What are your thoughts on what the WWE needs to do with The Rock not there full time, and Steve Austin not active in the company right now?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"You have had the belt on Undertaker, The Rock, Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan the hottest things they have. The numbers are going down tell me why? I will tell you why because people don't care anymore, and life has really changed in this world. If you wanna see a guy go through a table big deal. You can see planes go into a building, a live war on TV, people being kidnapped, car chases, and you can see reality TV shows which is real. I think wrestling has been lucky to have the run it had. I think wrestling is in very severe trouble. I don't care who you bring in, and what hurt Vince McMahon more then anything was buying WCW. As long as he had a competition he was doing fine. Once you buy your competition where you gonna go? Wrestling goes in hills and valleys, and you may see it go up again. Eddie Graham when he was a promoter here in Tampa, Florida used to run shows every Tuesday night, with Tampa, Florida every Wednesday night in Miami, Florida, and every Thursday in Jacksonville, Florida. You really can't do that anymore. First of all these guys have big salaries, and it cost every time we did WCW Monday Nitro $250,000 plus a $1,000,000 a month. That all includes pyro, salaries, airplane, 17 trucks, wrecking ambulances, catering, and that really all costs a lot of money. When you have nothing coming in that really stops quick, and they didn't have a good product to run."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I hope people find the book entertaining, and that they learn something about the business. I just hope I entertain the fans the way they want to be entertained, but I really just don't see any interest. I drive all around town and across the country, and people never say to me anymore, hey whatever happened to this person and that, now they say nothing. I don't watch wrestling much anymore. When I was watching Raw this past week I was flipping through and I saw The Fabulous Moolah, and then I saw those two garbagemen get in the ring and beat up those two old women, and what if one of those women had died? If you look at Moolah down on her neck with no place to go, where she could have broken her neck, then what do you say to sponsors? This is a very serious thing where you have one women in her 70's and one in her 80's where there is no TV value to beating two women up. Then you have three guys out there with an upside down flag, you tell me why no one is watching, it is shit. There really is nothing to watch. No one does interviews anymore, and when you introduce a guy with Mean Gene they would play short videos of the guy coming, and you can see anyone beat someone up and put people through tables. You really have to establish themselves whether he is a lumberjack, German, Nazi, cowboy, and talk about the ranch or Berlin to get the character over. It just doesn't seem like they're really there anymore with getting talent over. Interviews really got the people over. The book comes out August 28th, and when you're reading it and going to the bathroom, think of me."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Greg Valentine Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="259a1f70.jpg" border=0 width="161" height="247" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Greg The Hammer Valentine is a 2nd generation wrestler and the son of the late Johnny Valentine. Greg has been around this business for a long time, and was very influential in Ric Flair's career. Greg will discuss the latest situation with the XWF, steroids in wrestling, and so much more on his long career in wrestling.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing really good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is the latest situation with the XWF?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We are showing our taped shows in Puerto Rico this weekend, England this weekend, and Japan pretty soon which is pretty much a done deal. We are doing this so we can get the ratings, and then come back over here and get us a better TV deal here in the United States. We will probably have a deal with Fox Sports Net, or two of the other big sports networks, and they kinda are turned off by wrestling because of what kind of spectacle Vince McMahon has made out of it. We have tried to tell the TV companies that XWF is different and that it is fan friendly company. We also told them that we don't flip the bird, we don't drink beer, and that it is for the whole family. They have listened to us for sure, but they really want to see some proof. We have talked to some Fox executives, but we don't want to pay $50,000 a week to get on TV for sure. It could be as close as two weeks to a month that a deal could be done."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What was it like having a famous father Johnny Valentine, and did your father have any expectations for you to be a pro wrestler?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't think so at first. He just wanted me to do something else because it really is a rough life and it was a real good business for him. He wanted me to go on and finish college, but me being bull headed I really spent some time with him on the road in Texas and I really wanted to break in. He sent me up to Calgary Alberta, Canada with Stu Hart and that is where I broke into wrestling in 1970."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How do you think other wrestlers took to you being a stiff worker?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, they had to take it. Some guys say oh Greg Valentine I gotta wrestle him. I really am not the biggest guy in the world, but I am stocky and I am strong. The way I was trained by Stu Hart and Ric Flair who was my partner for years, it really was all stiff wrestling where if you threw a chop it was stiff, and I think for sure you laid the feeling in. You really had to work that way because we were trying to convince some people that it was for real. I think by me working stiff was one of the reasons I got over in New York so well. When I first went there in 1979 everyone else was pulling hair and poking the eye balls and no wrestling. When I got in the ring I laid it in, and people would say this guy is for real. My dad always said if they don't believe in any match on the card at least let them believe in your match."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to wrestle in the NWA with Jim Crockett. Tell me about your feuds with Ric Flair and Roddy Piper and the dog collar matches.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, first of all 1977 to about 1981 me and Ric Flair were tag team champions off and on wrestling The Andersons, and the many other tag teams they had there. I started going up to New York coming back and forth to go to the WWF and the NWA, but finally Ric Flair was the baby face so I was the heel. We went out there in a tag match against The Andersons where I short armed him and broke his nose, and I really broke his nose for real by accident and that started our feud when Roddy Piper came in and we started the big feud ending up in the world famous dog collar match. I don't think I did the first dog collar match, and Junk Yard Dog was doing it before us. Roddy Piper used the idea out in Oregon, and one time they presented me a birthday cake on TV then I went to bite into the cake and there was a dog collar in it. I did a promo about that which led into the match in Greensboro, North Carolina which everyone saw on the first Starcade pay perview in 1983. I also had a chance to feud with Wahoo McDaniel and broke his leg and drew large crowds also."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What were your first experiences with the WWF and Vince McMahon?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think everything was great when Vince McMahon Sr. was running it for sure, and he isn't the Vince McMahon we all know now. I loved the WWF back then, and when the old man ran it, it was truly great. In 1984 after my last match with the NWA on that Starcade pay perview I went up and made the deal with the Vince Sr., and then he died of cancer and the kid took over. I got along with Vince McMahon Jr. the first four or five years. I stayed till 1992 and I could not stand it anymore so I finally quit, and then I went to WCW. Vince McMahon Jr. is totally different than his father, but for sure he wasn't as sincere as his father was. I guess every generation was different, but he was a hell of a promoter. He really did bring wrestling into the mainstream I think, but I sure wasn't happy with everything he did."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the to wrestle Hulk Hogan on the famous NBC 1980's show The A Team. Did you think that appearance helped wrestling get hot at that time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It could have. I actually have a copy of that right here at my house. That was one of the first TV shows Hulk Hogan was on besides the Rocky movie. The A Team got a lot of ratings back then, and a lot people I know still talk about that episode. They actually still play it on TV."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to feud with the Junk Yard Dog for the WWF Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 1. Were you surprised that they did a DQ finish, and what was it like wrestling on Wrestlemania 1?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The reason they did the DQ finish was because I broke Tito Santana's leg, and I took the WWF Intercontinental Championship away from him. That was around October and November before the first WrestleMania. George Scott back then who was the booker suggested if I go on and wrestle Tito Santana then they would have to have the blow off and they didn't want to do that. We were drawing so much money, and so they put Junk Yard Dog in there to more or less have a free one in there. It was really a free match that didn't mean anything, and to the people it sure did because Junk Yard Dog was sure over."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think a manager like Jimmy Hart added to a serious character like Greg the Hammer Valentine in the WWF?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it was fine because Jimmy Hart never tried to take over the interview not like Captain Lou Albano or some of the other managers did. He really knew how to get the wrestler over, and he more or less just let me take the ball and run with it because I had that serious nature about me. Jimmy Hart really added to my matches with his goofy megaphone and all."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to be WWF Tag Team Champions with Brutus the Barber Beefcake during the time tag team wrestling was hot. How did you feel being the single wrestler, then going to be a tag team wrestler, and helped elevate Brutus The Barber Beefcake.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Me and Brutus are still friends to this day, and he lives down here in Florida with me. He really credits me for training him, and it was more or less good training for me because I liked doing singles but I was in tag team situations at times as well. I had many different partners like Baron Von Raschke and Ray Stevens. When the single thing ended I would always jump into a tag team thing to get another storyline going. I really enjoyed tagging with Brutus because we were different styles, but he followed and did what I told him to do."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You wrestled the British Bulldogs at WrestleMania 2 for the WWF Tag Team Championship. When you went for the finish with Dynamite was that the planned finish?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yes, it was. The finish was different because they threw my head into his or something and he took a bump, and that bump he took at Wrestlemania 2 the camera didn't catch it, but he fell all the way backwards on the floor, and that for sure was not planned."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is your opinion of the WWF Steroid trial, and do you think there ever was a drug problem when you were there?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, like any other entertainment business and all that kinda stuff for sure you will have different people who do their own thing. The thing really in wrestling they were trying make us look bad with was steroids, and they were trying to indict this doctor which they did, and they tried to mix Vince into it but they couldn't. Some of the wrestlers took steroids and some of them didn't, but it wasn't illegal back then and was prescribed by a doctor. When they changed it to a felony that's when all the shit started, and since Vince McMahon is so arrogant they tried to bring him down.. guys like Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan who took some steroids, and that really was up to every individual person and they tried to make it a big deal."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to wrestle Ric Flair and teach him a lot about the wrestling business. How influential do you think you were in Ric Flair's career?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, not only me but my father who had the plane crash which ended his wrestling career, and at that time he was the top heel in the Carolinas. When the Mid Atlantic area was hot, they brought in Ric Flair when he was green, but he really still was good and had a lot of talent. Ric Flair and myself really have complimented each other, and of course Ric Flair took more bumps then I could. The styles of wrestlers are still very similar to a lot of wrestling, lot of good chops, and that sorta thing."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think there should be a union in professional wrestling to look out for the benefits of all wrestlers, and do you think the reason there never has been one is because of Vince McMahon's influence in wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That would be great like a screen actors union, and for sure it would have been great. It is absolutely true the reason there isn't one because of Vince McMahon. Jessie Ventura for sure was gonna try to start it, and that is one of the reasons they fired him and let him go. He was trying to get the guys together on a union, and for sure Vince did not want that hell no for sure he didn't."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, why have you not decided to write a book on the Valentine family wrestling family or will there ever be a book?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"My father wrote a book before he passed away, and it is kinda unfinished. His widow who is not my mother who I am pretty close with, and she had the idea of doing a collaboration of helping her finish out my father's book then writing my own book. I am basically going to try to help her finish his book, and we are going to try and go through the same publisher that Roddy Piper's has gone through. There will be a Valentine book out, but it will be my dad's book first."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Reno Interview </B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="243b6c70.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="199" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He came in from the WCW Power Planet and won the vacant WCW Hardcore Championship. Reno is a man who had a run in the WCW Hardcore Division, and thanks to Vince Russo got his shot to be on TV. He is one of the Natural Born Thrillers, and he speaks for the very first time since WCW, and also him being released from the WWF Developmental territory of HWA.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First of how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Not too bad."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What have you been up to of late?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Right now I am just concentrating on my newborn. I am going to have a new daughter here in 3 months."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had the chance to work in HWA, the WWF Developmental Territory at the time. What are your thoughts on working there, and why do you think you were let go?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"As far as working there it was definitely a good experience. There really is nothing better then getting that ring time. When I was at the WCW Power Plant it was unfortunate to be away from home that long in Atlanta, Georgia, but it was the same thing with Cincinnati, Ohio where it sure does get your spirits down. You also get to learn though at the same time so much from so many different people, and when you get the much ring time day and night constantly that was the best experience. I think that the caliber of people that were down there in HWA whether they were WCW or WWF Superstars, people would say Val Venis, Haku, Brian Adams, Eddie Guerrero, and Dean Malenko for example were the likes of so much great talent down there to learn from."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You came into WCW really before the end, winning the vacant WCW Hardcore Championship. What are your thoughts on how that all went down?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was pretty interesting I think how they worked that whole thing, and as well how it was acquired. Personally to me never being in the hardcore division, and going right into it and getting the belt was a fun experience. I fell in love with it and it was definitely a great experience. It really to me did not matter if I continued wrestling in that division or wrestling in another. My wife didn't enjoy it very much when I had a welt on my body every week when I would come home, but I was pretty used to it before I got into wrestling. That part is a sickness, but it is something I really enjoy."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on the Natural Born Thrillers angle, and being a part of that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That was a lot of fun. The only thing I didn't like about it was that if you combine so much young talent that I think till this day has not been let loose, I believe if we would have been let loose on our own after being a short while together then the stuff would have really hit the fan, and you would have probably seen some serious stuff. When you have a group of guys that train together every single day, and they come up with so many original things that they do in the ring, and if we were allowed to work against each other more you would have seen a lot of serious stuff coming. I thought it was very unfortunate it didn't get to happen very much, but I definitely think that would have captured a lot of peoples' imaginations."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think went wrong with WCW, and how do you think management treated you while you were there?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When you're not behind closed doors and seeing what is going on, you really don't know. As far as the boys, I have never seen a group like that come together. The worse things got for us, and the more pressure that was on us coupled with the rumors of if or when it was going to end, and the more rumors we had the less direction we had. As far as the boys go again, I have never seen a better group come together in my life. I don't have that much time in the sport, but to see all these guys it didn't matter who was in charge, and it was just great to see these guys pour their hearts out. These guys went out there and broke their asses to put on the best show that they could, and really no one ever got the credit for it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What are your thoughts on Vince Russo, and what he did for WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Honestly if it wasn't for him and some other people we would have never gotten our shots. Eric Bischoff had us underneath his heel for so long, and obviously everyone knew that we were down there. We were never given the chance I think, and we were down in the WCW Power Plant for so long. After a while it really was the time for us to be let loose, and Eric Bischoff didn't want to do that. When Vince Russo came in from what I understand that Terry Taylor was the one that brought him down there, and he said you need to look at these guys. Once they both came down Vince looked at us, and said why are these guys not on TV? We really need to get them up and running. I think whether I ever do another thing in this sport I will always be in debt to Terry Taylor and Vince Russo."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you enjoy working for the WWA on pay perview against The Funkster, and what are your thoughts on that promotion?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I had a lot of fun doing that. As far as Alan Funk goes he is one of my friends, and really when you spend so much time with these guys as we did in the WCW Power Plant let alone HWA it was 2 years. I think all of us we became family, and when we got into the ring together it was great. When I talk Alan Funk I think he is one of the most underrated talents, and I was upset for him being let go from the WWF at that time more then me because he is such an unbelievable talent I can't say enough about him. As far as the show goes itself that is a totally different story from what was supposed to happen with Macho Man Randy Savage, who was supposed to be booking or writing, and Terry Taylor came in to try and save the way. He was called in last minute, and I think he did a great job with what he had. Andrew Mcmanus I guess couldn't come to an agreement with a contract with Randy Savage, and it just really screwed the whole show up. It really didn't matter to me though cause I had a great time, and I enjoyed doing it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, what are your thoughts on NWATNA, and will you be working for them in the near future?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"From looking at the show it is the best thing other then WWE going obviously. They are really starting to put on a decent show, and from what I was told I was gonna be a part of it, and what is going on with that I have no idea. I really have no idea when or if they will use me on their shows."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The only thing I have going on is getting into the work thing, and as well get back into the shoot fighting which is something I really excel at whether it is in the Octagon or anywhere else."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tom Cole Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="230877f0.jpg" border=0 width="135" height="127" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The book </B><B>Sex, Lies, and Headlocks</B><B> is a story on Vince McMahon's life that is coming out soon. In that book is a story about one of the biggest sex scandals in the WWF that involved a guy by the name of Tom Cole. Tom Cole was a roadie who was sexually harassed at 13 years old by Mel Phillips, a former ring announcer. Tom Cole today, now at age 30, came forward and shares a story of the dark side of the wrestling business and one of the biggest media stories of the 1990's.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing good Chris."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You ended up in the WWF as a kid by the help of Mel Phillips the ring announcer at the time for the WWF. Tell me about how that all started.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It happened about 1984 and there was a show in Yonkers, New York at a local high school. They used to do the charity events at local high schools before they became big with WrestleMania. I snuck into the building and Mel Phillips caught me in there, and I think it was about the time Marvin Gaye was killed. He asked me if I could sit by this radio and record a tribute that they were playing for Marvin Gaye, and he said that he would get me tickets to the matches that night and that is really what happened from there. Then they would run local shows up in the Westchester County center every month at that time and Arnold </B><B>Skaaland </B><B>who you might not know ran the Westchester County Center for them for years. I would go there every month and sell programs for his wife Mrs. </B><B>Skaaland</B></div> <div> <B> which was the job Mel Phillips got me. I would also sell T-shirts and set up the ring and things like that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You started working at first with them on the side doing little things and Mel Phillips was already around.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yea. Mel Phillips was always the liaison I guess you could say between myself and the WWF. He would have other young people traveling with him from all parts of the country, and over the years I guess you would begin to realize that he would have kids all over the country in every part so to speak that the WWF would go to and he would have a black book. He would have young boys from broken homes each town they visited, and they would basically do the same thing that I would do like set up rings, sell programs, take ring jackets, and get coffee for the wrestlers."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>So Mel Phillips targeted young kids from less fortunate familles?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Absolutely. That was definitely his MO. It is almost like a father figure of sorts."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you worked with the WWF, Terry Garvin asked you to give him oral sex or you were out of a job.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Those things happened before I became a full fledged employee at the behest of Vince and Linda McMahon because they fired Terry Garvin and Mel Phillips and they suspended Pat Patterson who later came back. I believe to this day Terry and Mel have never come back to the WWF so for them to say I wasn't telling the truth or really that says a lot that they never came back. Terry wouldn't come back now because he is dead, but it says a lot he never came back prior to his death and Mel has never been back. The WWF knows I have been telling the truth since the beginning, and they really can't handle someone who has the truth on their side."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After being sexually harassed how did you get the strength to move on?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I guess the sexual abuse by Mel Phillips in a sense, he had a fetish for feet. He used to play with my feet and other kids' feet, and that was his thing. He wasn't the type of molester who would put his hand down your pants or something like that, and that is what made it so hard because you didn't understand at this time being 13 years old this guy is playing with your toes, but he always made it seem like you were wrestling. Then he would get your foot and play with it for like an hour or so, and looking back on it now it makes you sick to your stomach because he took advantage of you at a young age and you would not even know what it meant. Most likely maybe your father or your mother told you once that anyone who tries to physically abuse you, and maybe your first experience with sexual abuse might be some guy grabbing your crotch or something, then a red flag would go up. I think though then who would say people get off on playing with toes, and now your older and you realize that people are into that so that is what he was doing over the years."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think Vince McMahon knew about the sexual harassment going on?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I would like to say that what Mel Phillips was doing was not sexual harassment but more sexual abuse of children because he was doing it in a sexual manner now that I look back on it, and others who look back on it and reading into sexual fetishes and people playing with feet he obviously got off on that. He would actually record him doing this with a video recorder. It wasn't like if you look at the whole picture now wow this guy really had a lot of problems. Vince McMahon knew of the fondness Mel Phillips had for young boys, and it was definitely not a secret within the WWF. Vince knew then and knows now everything that goes on from top to bottom in his company. Mel was warned I guess over the years to not bring the young kids around, but I guess he continued to do it anyway. That was pretty much his thing."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You got a lot of media attention with interviews with Tom Brokaw, Geraldo Rivera and many other media outlets. Could you summarize what the media attention was like and how it hurt the WWF at the time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, when I came forward in 1991 I spoke to Phil Mushnick of the New York Post for about a year and gave him an interview, and I guess when you bring up allegations such as any type of sexual abuse and things like that against a big company like the WWF, the media outlets have to be careful what they do and don't print because you could be sued. The real more respectable media checks these kinda things, and speaking of Phil Mushnick I sent him wrestling tickets, hotel stubs, receipts, plane tickets of where I went with the WWF when I was 15 or 16 years old so there was no way to dismiss the fact of what I was saying was truthful. When I was 15 and 16 years old I would go with them from Madison Square Garden to Nausea Coliseum to Boston to Baltimore to Philadelphia so you know, sometimes to Washington, D.C. to do shows with them at 15 and 16 years old. There is no way the WWF could say that I wasn't working with them you know and there is no way around that, and I did work with the WWF so that is what Phil Mushnick did and it took him a whole year to put it all together and once he ran with it every media outlet ran with it. The gauntlet of wrestling talk shows like Maury Povich and all those guys called and wanted interviews and stuff like that. I hired a lawyer and the WWF got a hold of it, and they pretty much came after me to see what happened with me."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During the Phil Donahue show in 1992 you sat in the audience with Linda McMahon. Why were you there?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was there with Linda McMahon and Miss Elizabeth actually. I went there with Vince, Linda, and their PR people. I went to the show at Linda McMahon's request, and I had settled with them I guess that Sunday afternoon in midtown Manhattan and went back to the WWF. She had called me at the hotel that they put me up in Stanford, Connecticut and said it would be an honor if you went to the show with us and we just want you there. I said I didn't want to talk on TV because I don't want to be in the media eye. I just want to move on with my life. She said she just wanted me there because she wanted to see me handle this head on. I got in the limo and went down there at the request of Vince McMahon."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>During your lawsuit against the WWF you had people following you and private investigators at your house, and you had to go against the Brooklyn Federal Grand Jury and they wanted you to share every little detail of what was going on.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was reading an article the other day online and it did bring a lot of bad memories back. After I had been fired in the summer of 1993 after my initial settlement with the WWF and Linda McMahon and Vince McMahon, they basically prior to me being dismissed in 1993 I went back with them and stuff like federal investigations were still going on. I met with the Brooklyn Grand Jury about two or three times and each time besides being spoken to by federal agents, the WWF and their lawyer Jerry Mcdevit would ask me to shoot information by the federal jury, and they were probing names of people they wanted to speak to at the time. I didn't understand why they were asking me this information so I did share information with the WWF several times. I think later though it got to the point where I would pick up a paper and read that the WWF was suing the New York post for 50 million dollars. I went to Linda McMahon and asked why you were suing Phil and the post, and she said well we have to do what we can to save our company. I said to them that Phil is a very honorable man and I am not gonna let you crucify him. I then told them from there that I am not gonna share anymore information with them about what the government is telling me as I just want a normal life in the WWF, and I surely don't want to be asked every detail of what is going on in my life. Things from there just totally spoiled between me and the WWF, and for instance Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon would not take my phone calls anymore, I wasn't allowed in the back if I was not working that night's event. I was told not to go to Madison Square Garden anymore and many of these things are unheard of if you're in wrestling. They blackballed me out of the company because they knew they couldn't get anymore information out of me."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You settled out of court with Vince McMahon and went back to go to work with the WWF, and your brother really got mad at you. Why is that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I settled for two years back pay and I was fine with that because I wanted to believe Vince and Linda McMahon were telling the truth. I really wanted to believe that they wanted to help me, but they were just covering their asses. My brother said to me don't go back there because they are not trustworthy people, and to be honest with you I do realize that my brother was in this whole thing looking for a big payoff which I wasn't in any way. I had lawyers telling me you could get millions and millions of dollars, go all the way with it, but I wanted the right thing to be done and I didn't want to see the WWF to go out of business and people lose their jobs. I met with Linda and Vince and said I would give them a shot and maybe they were telling the truth and didn't know what was happening to me and I said I will go back for the two years' back pay and hope everything works out and it didn't. It truly makes me sad as I was burnt more then once from the WWF."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The WWF sued the New York Post on a story they did on you and later dropped the lawsuit and you had to do a deposition and you were the key witness.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When the WWF sued the New York Post I told them I would help Phil Mushnick in anyway I can. I was given a subpoena to appear while Phil Mushnick was being deposed by Jerry McDibit the WWF attorney at the time, he still today is the attorney for the WWF. He had me go down there where they were doing the deposition at the law office of the New York Post. He deposed Phil for about five days, and then Jerry Mcdevit and the New York Post lawyer told me that my deposition would take anywhere from five days to two weeks. They asked me questions for an hour that afternoon, and after that I never heard from them again, and they dropped the case against the New York Post. I would like to believe they didn't go on with that suit because they knew if they sued the New York Post they would have to put me on the stands and everything that happened would come out about me and the WWF. I almost bet my life Jerry Mcdevit went back to Vince and Linda, and I bet he said hey we can't have this Tom Cole up on the stands and you probably would be better dropping this suit because if we put him on the stand and he says everything we buried it will come to the surface so let it stay the way it is. If I learned anything from being back there in the WWF that is what pretty much happened."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You were subpoenaed by the government to testify against the WWF while you were working there, but it was about the sex scandal and the steroid trial and everything else.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The government decided to go after Vince with the steroid thing because they couldn't get anything in the sex scandal and that is where I really lost a lot of fate in the government because I felt if they really cared about what happened to me they would have gone after Mel Phillips. The reason they didn't go after Mel Phillips was because they wanted a big fish. I told them that nobody cares about steroids to these prosecutors because nobody is gonna care about going after Vince for steroids, go after Mel Phillips for what he did. In a sense I was glad to see Vince get off on the steroids because it made me feel like I told you so and telling the federal government they were just like Vince McMahon. They would have loved to get some sexual stuff on Vince McMahon but I guess they couldn't, and they couldn't pin point anything on Vince McMahon so they went on with some steroid charges. They went after Vince McMahon for that and it blew up in the government's face, and I really can't say I wasn't happy that it did."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After you filed for unemployment and finished up with the WWF Linda McMahon was actually at your final unemployment hearing. Tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I filed unemployment and they started giving it to me, and Miss Brevity was the WWF's attorney who went to the first four hearings from unemployment and I won each appeal each time they appealed the case. At the final appeal Linda McMahon went and I won that case also. I said to the moderator at the hearing wouldn't you find it kinda ironic that Linda McMahon is here and she runs a company with 300 workers and it is almost a half a billion dollar industry and she is here for a guy who sets up rings and she is at my hearing. Can't you see that it is more to it then that? The people of the State of Connecticut sided with me and said that this was it and there were no more appeals and Linda McMahon was very upset about that. It is like everytime I got the WWF into a legal situation I won hands down, and if I can take anything away from this that makes me feel really good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, there is a book coming out </B><B>Sex, Lies, and Headlocks</B><B>, a story on Vince McMahon. Did Mike Mooneyham let you read your story which is in there?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I haven't seen the book yet, but I have heard a lot about it. Linda McMahon gave a story to him about eight years ago detailing my employment with the company. I tried to contact Mr. Mooneyham several times over the years to give my side of the story, but he really never got back to me. I really found it very displeasing and a couple days ago I came by an article with an interview he did and he considers Vince McMahon a friend. What really bothered me Linda McMahon said that I really below it the second time around, and she went on to say I was promised a job for life with the WWF which I don't have. They sent me back to college, and they made me sign a piece of paper saying if I failed college I would lose my job with the WWF. This was at the same time I was a federal witness and the WWF asking for information about what was going on with the federal jury. They said I failed school and they fired me. I would ask anyone who was going to college who didn't finish high school and was expected to take college courses during a time they had to sign a paper saying they failed college they would be out of a job. I really never got the chance to take her to task about some of the things she said about me, and in the interview she didn't believe the stuff that happened to me and she said it in such a way that she didn't hold the WWF liable. I was just very disappointed with Mike Mooneyham that he never gave me the chance at least to give my side of the story. I hope that book is more two sided then that story he did with Linda McMahon, but I have yet to read it and am very curious to read it. I did leave a message and email for Mike, and the author called me back and said the book doesn't put me in a bad spot and he believes my story and I just hope the book is very two sided so we shall see what happens."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Kamala Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="22391b90.jpg" border=0 width="145" height="185" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>James Harris was the man who played Kamala in the WWF. It was a very unique character where he never talked. In one of his very few interviews ever, he talks about his time in the WWF now WWE, why he never made any money in wrestling, and the book he is coming out with.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing real good now. I learned how to speak English."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You came into the Memphis Territory as Sugarbear Harris which was run by Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett. Did either of them come up with the Kamala character? Also you taped vignettes in Jerry Jarret's backyard tell me about all that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah it was done in Jerry Jarrett's backyard. Jerry Lawler came up with the name Kimala, but then later on I changed it to Kamala."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Before your days with the WWF you had the chance to tour Africa where you started wearing your makeup, and also what was wrestling like in Africa compared to the USA?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Wrestling there was kinda like wrestling in England there where we would wrestle by rounds for three minutes like boxing. The people were the same there like they are here in the USA. They had a lot of big crowds and it was real good wrestling. I really enjoyed it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You actually had a chance to feud with Bruiser Brody in a series of matches in World Class Championship Wrestling tell me about all that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Bruiser Brody and I had a lot matches together, and we drew a lot of money together. He was a really good friend of mine, and he really got me my first big payoff in wrestling ever. He truly was a real good friend."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You have claimed in the past that you never made money in the WWF why is that?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That is the thing. I really never made any money in the WWF. Many people can't believe that the biggest organization in the world couldn't pay me better. I don't know why, but at times I think I know why I just hate to keep bringing it up. You would think my opponent The Undertaker at the WWF Summer Slam in London who made $500,000, while I only made $13,000 that is $487,000 more then I did. That was not fair in no kind of way."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think the Kamala character really got over because you didn't speak?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It got over real well. I was on top for a long time wrestling all the top guys, and drawing money in all the big buildings through out the world."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How do you think the wrestlers reacted to your character, and do you think they enjoyed it?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think they did because it put money in their pockets the time I was there."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You actually got into a fight when you wrestled Andre The Giant for the first time. What exactly happened?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, we were in Oklahoma City, and there was separate dressing rooms so we couldn't speak and talk our match over. When we got out there he claimed I made a mistake and he called me a name. When he did that I drove him back in the corner and beat the daylight out of him. I am not saying I could whoop him because I know I couldn't, but I think I scared him. Then after that I had no problems with him. I wrestled Andre The Giant all over the USA and all over the whole world. We never had another problem."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Gorilla Monsoon did not enjoy the Kamala character, am I right?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Right. I think it was because I was a big man and I could do a lot of things. I did not really watch any of his matches and can't remember any of his matches, but they tell me he was a good wrestler, but I also was too. I really think he was a little jealous of me. The people tell me he was real good too."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Your had a good relationship with Hulk Hogan that went as far in your feud that he wanted you to go over in a non title world title match, tell me about that.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Chief Jay Strongbow would not allow it. It was a non title match yes and Hulk Hogan wanted me to go over to bring a little excitement to the feud. Chief Jay Strongbow though would not allow it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You and Hulk Hogan had matches where he had his face painted like your face. Did you actually paint Hogan's face, and if, tell me how that all came about.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah we did and had a lot of great matches. The people thought at the time they may know better know, but I am the one that painted his face. We did it everywhere and I painted his face every night for him."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you moved over to WCW you made $800.00 for your final pay perview appearance with the company at a WCW Bash at the Beach. Why don't you think Eric Bischoff ever did anything for you since you were friends with Hulk Hogan and headlined the WWF?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know. Eric Bischoff spoke to me one time, and it was the time with me and Hulk Hogan at that WCW Bash at the Beach. Yes I only made $800.00, but I did not even have a contract back in WCW. They would not give me a contract, and after WCW I decided to go home and now I drive a truck."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Back at Wrestlemania 17 you had the chance to compete in the Gimmick Battle Royal. Did you enjoy being back for one more night on the biggest wrestling show of the year?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I was kind of hesitant about going because I have so many bad memories of the WWF, but I went on with it anyway. I am kinda glad I decided to go because I got to meet a lot of my old friends like The Undertaker and guys I used to work with. It was also kinda sad to after that I took the first think home in smoking pace. I didn't even wanted to see Vince McMahon's face. I actually did see him in a distance, but I didn't even want to get close to him."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why don't you think Vince McMahon treated you well because you were making him money with Hulk Hogan and many others?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't know why he treated me that way. I will tell you that I believe he thinks just because I am from Mississippi and we kinda are slow down this way, but we are getting better. We are kinda slow because we don't know how to defend ourselves, and not all of us know how to do business so that might be some of the reasons."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, tell me about the book you're coming out with and what it will mainly focus around besides your wrestling career.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It is gonna have a lot of things. I know a lot of wrestlers have wrote books, but is going to have some things in there from my viewpoint from the way I was treated in the WWF. It is something like which happened back in the 1940s and 1950s like if I got near a decent dressing room in the building it would be cool, but when the agents come in they would have guys like Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan in my dressing room. It will tell about when I was 400 pounds and I couldn't fit in a place seat and had to ride coach, and when I asked Vince McMahon for a first class seat he wouldn't do it. He would buy seats for guys half my size for first class. It will tell all about that, the dressing room, and I was just treated like a slave."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Stro Interview Discussing Vince Russo's Return to WWE</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="0a82cd40.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="212" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The signing of Vince Russo has made one star formerly of WCW happy he is not in the WWE at the moment. The Stro formerly of WCW who has worked with everybody in the business stops by to talk about his relationship with Vince Russo.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing great."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why do you think that bringing back Vince Russo to the WWE is a bad idea?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Looking at his track record, he tried to turn things around in WCW. As time went on with his ideas and battle with management things were just not clicking with the company at the time. There were a lot of guys including myself, who were promised a lot of things by Vince Russo that never happened. There were a lot of smoke screens from Russo saying he would do this and that, and it got to the point where many of us were ignored. One example I will give you was the notorious time when him and Eric Bischoff came together on worlds collide on WCW Monday Nitro where they were going to chance the company around to make things better, and it would be a golden opportunity for new stars to emerge. We are all sitting out there, all the company people thinking this could really be our chance and the shot in the arm we needed. I think we were really all sitting there like sitting ducks, and only seven guys were picked to come out and be noticed. Then the feud comes between the elite seven against the veterans of the business. The rest of us who were not part of that were like this is stupid we're the lambs out to be slaughtered. There were so many things that were promised to us that were never delivered."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How bad do you think he will hurt the company for guys like Hulk Hogan who did not get along with him, and also other guys from WCW who are in the WWE at this moment?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"There for sure was a big dispute between Vince Russo and Hulk Hogan at the time. I hope for their sake that the lawsuits or anything else are settled between these two since they are now working in the same company because Vince Russo really said some harsh words to Hogan. Whether you like Hulk Hogan or you don't there was no reason for him to say the harsh words that he did to him on the pay perview. I have some other friends currently in WWE who don't get along with Vince Russo, and I just hope he is man enough to let things go under the bridge and make peace with these guys. It is going to be really hard at times, I think for him to conduct business while all this heat is going on."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me some of the things he did to hurt you while you were in WCW.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He gave me the idea that I needed Alicia Web aka Ryan Shamrock because I had too much heat as the heel, and that having her with me would be more manly. It really got to the point where I was being ignored by him. He got really frustrated with the company then left, and started the Bill Busch Kevin Sullivan era. Then we came back it was the same old ignoring and I will do this and that. Then when other guys he liked came up to him he totally gave them time to talk which is not right. It went to the point where my contract was up and I cornered him, and I said to him we need to talk and he said oh now I don't have time and I said no Russo we need to talk now. I really let three years of frustration out on him, and basically I let everything out on the ways I tried to help the company. This guy did not even know I was Gorgeous George when I started in the company three years ago."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is it safe to say you are happy at this moment that you are currently not in the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"At this point yes. Right now with all commotion going on and Russo is coming back I just think it is a bad atmosphere. I know Vince McMahon for sure is really doing this for a good reason, but I really don't know why."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think that the WWE is headed down the road that WCW was?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"God I hope not WCW sucked. It was a bunch of aging veterans looking for spotlight, and they made it hell for us trying to get somewhere in the company. The writers were fighting with management, management was fighting with the boys, and the boys did not know at times what we were doing next till 15 minutes before an event. It was a complete mess. I just hope WWE does better business then WCW did."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is it now safe to say soon you might be headed to Europe to help Jake Roberts with his wrestling school?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It is a possible as Jake is one of my great friends in the business. He has one of the greatest minds for the business as well and is doing great things with his wrestling school in Europe."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am still touring around the USA as well. So feel free to check me out at my website which has been doing well, www.thestro.com. I want to thank all the fans for their support as well."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dale Torborg The Kiss Demon Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="21117d20.jpg" border=0 width="279" height="210" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The last couple of days on ESPN, you have had the chance to see Dale Torborg, the Florida Marlins strength coach, show off his wrestling character The Kiss Demon formerly of WCW and now in the XWF. I had the chance to talk baseball with him, steroids, and his future within wrestling. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You had a segment on ESPN SportsCenter yesterday, and other ESPN programs. What has this been like for you to market The Kiss Demon and the XWF like this and just in general market your wrestling character on the biggest news sports program with fellow Florida Marlins Ryan Dempster and Kevin Millar?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It has been really cool. It has been something you really don't get to do very often in wrestling, to get on ESPN. It really has been great, and Chris Connelly did a good job on ESPN putting that thing together. It is obvious Ryan Dempster as well Kevin Millar are into the wrestling scene. It was really a good segment, and I got a lot of popular response back from that."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>As the Florida Marlins strength coach and a pro wrestler how much do you think steroids are a problem in both wrestling and in baseball in general?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That really is the question you would have to ask our trainers. It is more of a medical field question. I am not really sure."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you believe that there should be drug testing in both wresting and baseball?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That is a very good question. I really don't know, it can be debated for a long time I think."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me about the conflicts you had with Antonio Alfonseca the Florida Marlins former closer that he went as far as to locking himself in a room because he was scared of you. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It really was kinda blown out of proportion. It was a little misunderstanding, and I would like to say things happen and I had to get my point across. He understood after the conflict and we got to know each other a little after that because it was so early in the season in spring training. The media I think blew it a little out of proportion because they made it sound like it was right before he was traded, and the real case was it happened a few days into spring training. It was again kinda blow out of proportion, and sometimes that stuff happens."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>With new management this year and the Florida Marlins a .500 ball club at the moment, what do you think the rest of the season holds for this team?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"That is a good question. We have had quite a few injuries and almost our entire pitching staff has been on the disabled list for one reason or another. With Alex Gonzalez our shortstop being out, we have had quite a few injuries so far so we have had to put things together as best we could. We are at .500 right now and we still have not made a run at it. We have not really hit our stride yet, and some of the players have not been hot of late. I think once we put it all together we can definitely make a run at it. I think for sure we are in striking distance, and there is a lot of season left. I think we are going to be there right to the end and were going to have to see."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Besides your story on ESPN, Florida Marlins 2nd baseman Luis Castillo is on a 32 game hit. Do you think that the Florida Marlins team is finally get some recognition it deserves?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think a lot of guys on the team deserve a lot of attention. We got a great young pitching staff. When you look at our hitters Kevin Millar, Mike Lowell, Cliff Floyd, and all those guys, I think it is about time The Florida Marlins are taken notice of because these guys are a cool bunch of guys and have great chemistry on the team. Luis Castillo has had a tremendous run here, and it is great the team is getting the attention."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is the normal feedback you get from the players on the team in general?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They have been really all cool about it. All of the guys have seen me before in the wrestling ring. I say it is about 50/50 percent. I think they probably saw me and knew I was a wrestler, and the others who didn't see me saw a tape that our video guy Colin Macray put together a highlight reel for myself. All the players got a chance to see it, and it was really a chance to see what I do. I think really everybody has been behind me, and they really sit there and ask me questions about the wrestling business. It has been pretty cool."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Getting into wrestling you got the chance to wrestle as the Kiss Demon in WCW and had the chance to have feuds with the likes of Sting, Vampiro in the water, and tag with Norman Smiley as The Screamin Deamons. Tell me about all that, and do you think your character was used right in WCW?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think the storylines got better for The Demon once they had the angle with Vampiro, but I don't think it was used for one reason only is that Eric Bischoff signed a bad business deal for all intensive purposes because that's the reason people kept telling me that we are not going to put the character over. I begged them really not to bury the character because it was a great character and they kept making me lose, but the crowds were really still getting me over. That is when the creative team started to push my character since I was getting over, and that Vampiro angle was getting over and they squashed that. It really is hard to explain and I know it was on TV, but I don't think just because a character can be on TV means that it really is a push. It was really given its chance despite people trying to bury it."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What have you heard about the possible soon to be signed TV deal by the XWF, and what do you think your role is in the company?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am very confident that they are going to get this TV deal done. I have been working with Jimmy Hart and the rest of those guys from going out to the NAPTE convention and getting some publicity. It was on ESPN a few times we got to talk about the XWF, and I totally hope it gets that TV slot because it really gives everybody an option to watch something else if they did not like what they are seeing on the WWE. I think it really is good to give people a chance to check something else out. I think it is going to be something good for wrestling because wrestling as a whole needs competition, and not to say that the XWF is going to be competition for quite a while. I think were going to have our own show and try to do our own thing. The XWF is planning on The Demon character being a large part of the programming."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally how will you separate baseball and wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"The XWF has been awesome about allowing me to wrestling when I can, and the Florida Marlins front office has been amazing because they are letting me wrestle on an occasion each month. It is very cool that the Florida Marlins and XWF are letting me do both so hopefully I won't have to choose just doing one."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tough Enough 2 Finalist Jake Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1fef0b40.jpg" border=0 width="240" height="180" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After speaking with Tough Enough 2 finalist Kenny this past Friday, I started really enjoying Tough Enough 2's male finalists more then I had before. I for sure knew the other finalist would be just as good of an interview. I now had the chance to talk to the other finalist Jake about his thoughts on two women winning the show, his future with the WWE involving an invasion with Kenny, and his thoughts on his comments to Big John Gaburick on Confidential. This is his first interview since the finale show.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing alright."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What did you think about both the female finalists Linda and Jackie both winning, and do you think there should have been both a male and female winner?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah I do think there should have been both a male and female winner. It was the last thing I expected for sure for two females to win, and I think there was more of a chance of me and Kenny getting it than Linda and Jackie. It sure was not up to me on who won."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did the WWE say anything to you about your possible future with the company after the final show?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. They actually paid me $1000, and they gave the option to use me over the next six months on TV. It also keeps me off wrestling any other TV for anyone promotion besides the WWE."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After looking at the Confidential show on your comments to Big John Gaburick about if they knew two women won, no men would have competed, do you think that it might have helped you or not helped you in your possible future with the WWE?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B>You really can't let people dictate what you are going to say, and you can't really care all too much what people think about you. I did say no guys would have tried out if we knew two girls were going to be picked so no guys would have got the contract, and I don't think any guys would have tried out or at least not as many for sure."</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Do you think they knew ahead of time?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Big John Gaburick did not really answer the question, and really that is why I asked him. I really don't know how far in advance. I am sure Vince McMahon had a big say so in who won, but I think they knew ahead of time yeah. I don't know how far in advance though."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You and Kenny both put together great</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B> final evaluation matches, your physique and his athletic ability were evident, while the ladies two matches were good but not great. Viewing this do you think that WWE already knew before your final evaluation match, and what did you think of your performance? </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>"</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B>I am not really sure because after those evaluation matches which took place at the end of January, we got called back from May 19th to May 30th of the show which was the finale, and all four of us were called back for more wrestling training. I am not really sure."</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Does your vocal animosity to the choice of Jackie and Linda set up a great invasion angle for you and Kenny?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B>I think it does. It could be possible me and Kenny maybe will come in and play hills and come in upset because we were beat by two girls, but I don't know. I do expect that me and Kenny will be in the WWE at some point in the next year or two."</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Have you kept in touch with Al Snow or any of the other trainers or contestants since the end of the show?</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>"</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B>I have kept in touch with Matt, Aaron, Alicia, and have talked to Linda a couple of times. I called Al Snow and Big John Gaburick on some wrestling schools out here in the West coast, but they did not get back to me."</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>What did you think of all the other contestants personally, and anyone you did not get along with, or anyone else who could not get along with someone else?</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am pretty much an easy going guy. Matt was my roommate and we got along pretty good. I got along really good with Aaron. I will say Linda is very annoying, and she never shuts up, and keeps talking. As far as anyone in the house Alicia and Jessie they just really go at each other constantly on and off camera. Also Jackie and Pete I really don't think they get along too well now, and that is about it as everyone got along fairly well.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>While in South Africa what did you learn as far as new moves from the trainers, and how much do you think you improved as well?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, we really learned new moves everyday. In wrestling there are hundreds of moves, but I think South Africa was not any different then any of our other wrestling training. The only difference was we would wrestle for half a day, and then we would go on safari in South Africa."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There was obviously some sexual tension going on in the house, did you ever have your eye on any of the other contestants?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Not really. I tried to focus on wrestling, but I actually got with someone who was not in the house which was at a tanning salon."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Have you heard from the NWATNA promotion who is going to be doing weekly Wednesday Pay per view starting June 19th about possibly working there, or is it really just gonna be training, or what is gonna be up with you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B>I really don't know what the NWATNA is."</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>The NWATNA is an alternative to the WWE, which is going to be running pay perviews weekly starting every Wednesday June 19th.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I really have not heard from them or anything. I have seen a lot of that on the internet, and people have been asking me if I am going to NWATNA."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Are you allowed to work with the NWATNA since the WWE is paying you that $1000 for the next six months to stay off TV?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah. I really don't think so. That is why the WWE paid me the $1000 so I would not go wrestle on TV for anyone else."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is that $1000 monthly or for the next six months?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It is within the next months, and an option of using me on TV in the WWE or to make sure no other promotion uses me on TV."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally summarize the whole experience.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="arial" ><B>I learned a lot about wrestling. I have been a wrestling fan probably close to 15 years, but I did learn that it is definitely not fake and you take hundreds of bumps a day. I really think it would take a toll on anybody with a lot of moves and what not. I learned basically how to work matches and play a crowd as well. It was an amazing experience as far as South Africa goes. I really have not been out of the country or anything like that. We went a lot of places and things like that, and a lot of good memories. I don't plan on just giving up with the wrestling career, and I will sure stay with it."</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tough Enough 2 Finalist Kenny Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1f4f0b40.jpg" border=0 width="240" height="180" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tough Enough 2 might not have been as good as Tough Enough 1, but for sure it did develop some great future talent for the WWE. Kenny, the great high flying, acrobatic contestant of the show and finalist of the Tough Enough 2 series shares his story about what he thought of two women winning the finale and so much more. This is Kenny's first interview since the final show. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you since the show? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing alright. I am home right now, and the initial shock has worn out. I am just really looking at my options." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What did you think about both the female finalists Linda and Jackie both winning, and do you think there should have been both a male and female winner? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, they told us in the beginning that there is going to be two winners and it could be male or female. I knew that they could have done something like that, but I didn't think they were going to. The whole thing behind Tough Enough, was that they said they were going to pick the two best. Quote on Quote" two best". I don't think they really did select the two best." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did the WWE say anything to you about your possible future with the company after the final show? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"They said I definitely have a future with the company. I have been talking to Chris Harvard, the guy who did not win last year's first annual Tough Enough and he already has a contract with WWE. He told me that now is the time where they are going to see how you react to not winning the contest, and the things that you do now are going to determine whether they sign you or not. I am now just trying to show the WWE that I am a good pickup." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Have you kept in touch with Al Snow or any of the other trainers or contestants since the end of the show? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I talk to Al Snow sometimes. I have his number, but it is really hard to get in touch with him sometimes because of the schedule he is on. As far as the other contestants go I keep in touch with Pete, Hawk, and Danny. All of us talk at least once a week." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What did you think of all the other contestants personally, and anyone you did not get along with, or anyone else who could not get along with someone else? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think Alicia was the one who had the biggest problem with everybody. The thing about Alicia is that nobody really cared. We did a reunion show which is coming up, and she is just upset at the world. I really don't think she wanted to be a wrestler and just did the thing." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There was obviously some sexual tension going on in the house, did you ever have your eye on any of the other contestants? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"When you have attractive women in the house, of course you're gonna have your eye on them for a little. I thought that Jessie, Jackie, and Linda were very attractive, but you know it's just like kinda realizing what you are there for and that is that." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How much do you think the time you spent in South Africa influenced the trainers final decisions on the Tough Enough winners, and what did you enjoy most about the trip? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Looking back, I really don't think it did influence the trainers at all. If you look at the two winners, and by looking back Linda and Jackie made a significant improvement in South Africa. I think everyone improved, but they did not make that improvement that made you say 'Wow'." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After your final match with Chavo Guerrero, Jr. do you think that your cruiserweight acrobatic style helped you or hurt you in the final evaluation as it is not the usual wrestle style, as the WWE is big on bigger guys? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, that used to be the case, but the direction WWE is moving now there is not so much focus on the big guys like it was in the 1980's. These days in the WWE you have to be able to move, move quickly, and there are certain things now that wrestlers have that they might not have been able to have done when it was all about the big man." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Have you heard from the NWATNA promotion who is going to be doing weekly Wednesday Pay per view starting June 19th about possibly working there, or just going to be working the independent wrestling scene? </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I have not heard anything from the NWA promotion. I have been working with some independent companies The UWF in Las Vegas, and I am just training there and have a match tonight. I am also gonna be working with the IPW in Florida next month. I am just going to be working the smaller independent promotions around the country, and I just want to do that and get the experience. I want to get a little better because what I think I am lacking right now is match experience, and once I do that I should be a blue chip for the WWE." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Finally, summarize the whole experience. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Tough Enough was the best and worst times of my life. There is not one thing I can say that was best about the show, but the experience I cannot put into words. I had so much fun and for sure it was a learning experience and everything about it was fantastic. On the other hand at the final it was very tough for me to put my all into something, and just go for something and then not come out the winner at the end. The part on the finale I can do without, but it is alright, as everything happens for a reason."</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>3rd Interview with Jake The Snake Roberts</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1f3cceb0.jpg" border=0 width="204" height="235" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>If you read my columns on a usual basis then you would have read two great interviews with Jake Roberts. In round 3, Jake discusses his Wrestling School, the passing of the British Bulldog, and one of the times when a wrestling fan got too excited or Jake was just doing his job too well, and actually tried to kill him, and so much more.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off. how are you since we last talked?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I'm just wonderful. It feels good to punish others, especially since they are paying for it, and I can feel good, because I'm doing it to teach and without a television audience."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How was your Wrestling Tour in Scotland?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Scotland was wonderful, beautiful and the scenery so different. I enjoyed it very much. But Scotland is really no different, in fact no where you look in this Universe there's nothing quite like a Promoter. You can talk about all the horrible things wrestlers do, but Promoters are still the biggest trip of all. Scotland probably has some of the greatest fans on this planet, so hungry for an opportunity to see "Stars" that they nearly all accept what is called a 'Tribute Show.' 'Tribute' means imitating likenesses moves, attire, interview, catchphrases and anything else that can be copied about the character and sold to public. At first, I was upset with the athletes, but they are simply doing a job for the Promoter, who has required it. In Aberdeen I was the only Star there in person. One thing I must say, is seeing 'Stone Cold' at 160 lbs was quite odd. I would like to talk more about this, but in the situation I find myself in, I must bite my tongue in half. Not to save job, but to harm the possibility of work permit renewal. Besides talking about it does nothing, does it? Maybe that's why I opened a School to teach others to create not imitate, to lead not follow.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How is the Wrestling School going?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"It's going good. Jake Roberts is really good at wrestling. Jake Roberts is really good at doing promo's. Jake Roberts has a mind for doing promo's, but Jake Roberts is not a good arranger of a building, or Business suit stuff. I really don't do well at that part, but fortunately I ran into a couple of Guys that are from the Service and they have been a great support to me, and they also support me in other things too man. They help me to do what I want to do, and not want to do. It is really good because we've built a great ring, and it was a 'hands-on' thing for me, where I am getting greasy and nasty. Also, just to make it extra tough, we built the ring upstairs and will have to carry it downstairs, just for fun. It is a 20 foot ring made out of metal with a five inch post. The Ring is very beautiful, and you would be jealous if you felt how good this ring feels. This ring is the Buckingham Palace of wrestling rings. The School itself, I have a couple of hundred kids who want it so bad. There are no qualifications, because it is not my right to choose your dream Chris. If you come in a wheelchair, that's cool, and I will teach you everything that I know, because it is my damn job. It is my duty and honor to pass on, what I received in technique, knowledge and psychology from all the Great Ones - Graham, Malenko, Sweetan's and others. I have one kid with Spina Bifida, one with Cerebal Palsy, and I dig those kids as much as I dig anyone else. The one with Cerebal Palsey, I will say right now, has more growing talent than some of the talent the WWE has. Just have fun and that is what it's about man.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is your opinion of the name change from WWF to WWE, and how will it affect the Company?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, somebody will probably misspell it, and other than that it doesn't matter. If it smells like shit, tastes like shit, looks like shit, it must be shit. I am not saying that the WWF is shit, there ya go...WWE I'm already lost.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>When you did 'The Snake Pit' talk show for the WWF, How do you think you did with the broadcast announcing?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I never liked broadcasting. The reasons why, are because it takes team work, and Jake Roberts was never a tag team thing. Tag Team wrestling takes special men to do that, and broadcasting takes special men too. When you work with somebody, you're gonna have to revolve around them and work in conjunction with them, and it takes a well-oiled machine to do that. That is why there are not that many great tag teams - period. It is a special marriage if you like, when you have Bobby Heenan and the late Gorilla Monsoon together. I am not a broadcast man and my voice just does not do it. I am too opinionated, too callous of what I see and what I believe, and I speak my mind. It can get you in trouble, and it's not good sometimes, and sometimes I need to back off because I know what I know and it took years to achieve it. I think what bothers me the most, is what they are doing out there now and making mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes, and I know I do ever day. When you don't respect, and don't feel like you should apologize for your mistakes when you're wrong, I really have no right to judge anyone. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>God Bless The British Bulldog, we had some rough times, and you know what I am saying. There were some bad jokes played along the way, and I don't dig that. Davey Boy, wherever you are brother, I do forgive you and hope that you forgive me. I hope your children both benefit and learn from our mistakes because it is not my right to judge anyone. If God can forgive me, then who am I not to forgive anyone else? That's what I wanted to say and really needed to. I had some bitter feelings, and he was one of the few. I appreciate the opportunity to do that, but again broadcasting is special men doing special art. I am not a broadcaster, but Raven is good."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sources have said Raven does not enjoy doing broadcasting.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"He hates it. I told Raven a few years ago, leave there and go and wrestle. If you're not happy with it then don't do it. For Christ's sake if you're doing it for a bang for a buck, you're a 'ho.' He left Johnny Polo behind and went to WCW and enjoyed himself. What is going to save wrestling today, is not Vince McMahon, Ted Turner or Jake Roberts. When it drops to dead bottom and nobody wants it on TV because it has gone too far, the only guys doing it will be the ones who enjoy it, and they are not interested in the $14 to $20 they are going to make that night. Then you're gonna have men who love it, enjoy it and perfect it again. That is sad, but true. It's like penicillin. They guy who made it, did not just wake up and say let's do something with it. There is a need for it and he hungered for that answer and passion. It is not because there are gonna be millions made off of it in the future, but that was not the reason he did it. He did it because he had a need and hunger to do it. That is what made him beautiful."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Back in your WCW days a fan in the crowd had a gun and took two shots at you, and some fan tackled him down. Was this stuff semi common back when you were a drawing heel?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yea, it was in Dallas, Texas. It wasn't common for sure, and the funniest thing about it and there is actually something funny about it. The first funny thing was Sting was saying ' What the hell are you doing outside the ring Jake, and I am under the damn ring. The second funny thing was when the Police came to the back, they were asking 'Do you want to press charges?' I looked at them and said 'No, reload that son of a bitch and put him a bit closer.' In years gone by and today if you know your art. Undertaker is gone catch some of that, and I am so proud of him. A lot of people say why did you change and why did you dump the Undertaker thing man. He got bored with it. He is turning the heat up, and I am so proud of him man. He did take that extra step, and is enjoying himself. I am really happy for him, because it would have been too easy, and because the Kevin Nash's of this world would have rode that roller coaster till it died."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How do you think the Montreal Screw Job impacted or changed wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I don't think it changed anything, but I think it was a necessity, unfortunately. When you have a business, own this business these men should honor and do their job. I never questioned if Vince McMahon came to me, and said Jake we want Jerry Lawler to call you a stinking drunk, and an alcoholic. I didn't let my personal feelings get involved, and I went out and made money with it. Vince McMahon said hey Jake, we're gonna have Bad News Brown come out with a sewer rat, that is actually gonna be a possum painted black. We'll put you down South and everyone will think you are stupid, because they know what it is, but we want you to go out there and make money with it...and I did. When the Inmates try to run the asylum, it's not good, and I was around for some of this when I was doing the bookings, and there had to be a three hour conversation while you smooth and kiss somebody's ass to do the damn job. Shawn Michael's should have his ass kicked for faking a knee injury, and the retirement thing because he didn't want to drop the belt to Bret. They both should have their asses kicked, as I am ashamed of both of them. I used to live with Bret, and I thought I taught Shawn a little better. Man, somebody else needs his haircut or something up his ass. Yeah Shawn, I said it. There is no reason for that - go do your job man. If you're a pro, you will do what you are told, and there are guys out there playing games and not doing their job. Professional in the dictionary, means going out and doing more than expected, when you are at your physical and mental worst. Not failing to do your job. Real pro's go beyond what is expected and needed and often surpassing expectations set by all. I have always given it everything I could man."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Legendary wrestlers Lou Thesz and Wahoo McDaniel have both passed on. What are your memories of both of them, and how did they influence you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Wahoo influenced me the first time he hit me with one of his chops. He was a man and a hard working one. He gave it 100 per cent man, all his life. Lou Thesz, I am not gonna even say a word. That son of a bitch could come out of the ground and kick my ass. He was, where do you there man - A true gentleman."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Very early in your career you had a feud with the late Junk Yard Dog between 1978 and 1979. Tell me how he influenced the business during the time as a heel.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Him and I met in the parking lot of Nick Gulas's office. Folks yes, I am saying it. We did both smoke joints that day and both got fired. We worked for this guy who promised us the world and we are making $10 to $14 a night. The trip alone cost us $40 to $50. Junk Yard Dog wanted to learn. I ran into him in Calgary, and Junk Yard Dog was not a great technician, but he had great charisma. Charisma is something you are born with and you can't buy it, pass it on or imitate it. When I left Calgary to go to Louisiana I told B.A. (fat,sorry,thieving,lying, racist) Watts, that this Dude has something going and the South being mostly black in the Louisiana/Mississippi Area. The people we needed as Fans. He worked very stiff, and I have scars on my head that should not be there, but they are there. He was everything and he was was very simple. The people loved him and I still do."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What did you learn and what are your greatest memories from World Class Championship Wrestling?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"To leave yourself open anytime Kevin and Kerry came after you. I was raised 60 miles from there man, and I know more than l want to talk about. It was unfortunate because they were good kids, and they were not mean or ugly. They were sweet. I hope God is smiling at them. Kerry is probably doing curls or shoulder presses. It was just a bad situation, with expectations set by someone else which is not right.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any final comments?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Expect some exciting stuff and the Promoters over here, watch out because I am going to give it all to Europe and the Fans."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>P.S. WWE Talent - Do not mistake your talent with your ego......</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dusty Rhodes Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1dce3f40.jpg" border=0 width="227" height="244" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dusty Rhodes is one of the few great old school wrestling legends in the business. His numerous matches with Ric Flair, Harley Race, The Funks, and many others put him at the top. In this exclusive interview he talks about many things from the past and present.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First off how are you?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I am doing very good man."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>First I want to ask you how much did you enjoy the Florida four way legends match with Abdullah The Butcher, Terry Funk, and Kevin Sullivan at the Future of Wrestling show in Davie, Florida?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, I enjoyed the show very much and was promoted very well, and to put it out there as an alternative without TV and can generate a lot of money is amazing. It was like putting that Ric Flair legendary kinda draw on it, and also the young talent that is upcoming really helped put that show together. I think it was a hell of an idea putting us all four together in a match as we had talked about it. It was like going back to the old days and they really have some great talent."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What is the current situation with Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, and TV for the promotion?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We are doing the TV like I did a TBS show a produced and executive produced for so many years. It is taped and then put on 12 pilots that we do have. We have a spot on the TV here in Macon, Georgia. I am going to produce this TV like it was in studio but the matches are clearly taped. I want to put production to this that is not honky and doesn't have that honky affect that most independent companies have. It is more of a world wide show like I did for TBS and Jim Crocket from the small Venus like Shelby, North Carolina where we use to do the Crocket shows. It really has that feel to it, and I also think it is very important in Georgia where we will syndicate it, and I have talked with Atlanta and channel 5 here about the time slot. I have talked to the Sunshine Network about a time slot as well where they wanted a lot of money to put it on, but then just wanted to see the product, and we just bounced back and forth. I did not try and go and say let's run USA network with small finances, and you can see XWF is having a hard time with TV even after they did their pilot. It is a good opportunity to run TCW here in the South and get some TV time, and showcase the young kids like Kim Nielsen who is now up at the WWF, so we have some great talent."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any legitimate heat between you and Ric Flair or you and The Funks?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think had one of the longest running feuds with The Funks to this day. There were many elements in it and we did not say anything good about each other. But I think the matches we had were amazing no matter where we had them around the world. As far as Ric Flair goes, I have tremendous amount of respect for him, and in the ring we made a lot of money together. I made him a lot of money, and in return he made me a lot of money. I think he had his own agenda to take care of and that was Ric Flair. Sometimes I put my heart into this business and did what was best for me and he did the same for himself. We both understand it and I understand it. As far as in the ring we had great times at great events. I think me and Harley Race had some great times and great matches, and I respect him in and out of the ring. He is the kind of guy I run with, but not with Terry Funk and surely not Ric Flair."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>How much pressure did you have as the NWA/WCW booker?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Well, the pressure I really cannot explain it. You really just have to put all your critics aside and you have to know who your enemies are, and you have to know who your good enemies are and what they do best. If you're in control you make them do your job even if they try to stab you in the back. They may just try to take your job, and they might also want something else done. The pressure was huge. I had to work since 1974 with Eddie Graham and Championship Wrestling from Florida and then through the 1980s and early and 1990s. It was an amazing thing. At times you can't do the things you want to do like if you have a guy you want to use or thought should have been used. There were 120 guys that you are basically in charge of and it's an unbelievable thing to manage, and I am not saying that like it is an egotistical thing. Vince is doing well because he has a family owned business, and I think they live and die with it like nobody else does. They run it like corporate America and they go to sleep and wake up thinking about, and I think that is how our business was in the olden days before corporate America came in and Turner and did what they did. I wish well to a guy like Bill Goldberg if he can talk somebody into giving him four million dollars a year or whatever, it is to do absolutely nothing after he has been there a couple years. He was a short lived character that came on hotter then a fire cracker. There for sure was a group of people behind him that said hey this is the money we wanted. When I came into Crocket's promotion I said listen there is no card playing anymore from seven o'clock to eight o'clock because we have to think about business. I told Vader one night there is no gray hair with you its either black or white, and that is the way it has got to be. I started Crocket's promotion with Ron Bass and Dick Slayter and it just took off. The next thing that we knew we were the hottest thing in the country. If you're a historian during that era you know there were a few places that were amazingly hot. Fritz Von Erich's territory was really hot, and we just did the Tampa, Florida house with Eddie Graham who is my mentor. It was a great era for sure, but you can't describe the pressure. I did everything on TV from the music to the break. I really did all of it and that is what Vince McMahon does. Some people at times don't get the position they want because they are not in the position to draw money. I talked with Shane Douglas once, and he really is a kid I liked. We finally made our process because it was not me it was Crockett. Once the WCW was formed from the NWA it really did become a corporate battle to keep your job every single day. There were many brilliant guys who came out of that company like Jim Ross. The pressure was really tough on me, but I loved it and it was like making movies. I made Starcade in the back seat of my car, the conception of The Great American Bash, Halloween Havoc, and The Fall Brawl War Games. I remember Barry Windman talking about it in the car, and it all went back to Jim Crockett. I did make Starcade history, and everytime I watch it I was watching a movie for sure. WCW Starcade was my Wrestlemania, and I did create it for Jim Crockett. It was a good pressure for sure making Starcade."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What do you think of how the WWF treated you while you were there?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"I think it was very understandable, and me and Vince McMahon were the same age growing up in the business. It does get on my nerves sometimes when they show the history of Madison Square Garden and 21 sellouts or whatever it was. Superstar Billy Graham headlined some of those shows, and you don't see Dusty Rhodes next to Billy Graham. He said to me after 10 to 12 years of stress you really should take it easy. I really did have fun and made a lot of money. I was not Dusty Rhodes The American Dream, and the people knew I was but he just wanted to do things that way. I think deep down Vince is from that school, and it really is a family orientated business he runs."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Did you every expect to see your son Dustin as The Goldust character back in the WWF?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Yeah I think so. When he came to work for TCW, he looked great and got in amazing shape. He was phenomenal as a lone star Dustin Rhodes. He helped the company and was really involved with the company for a half year. It was a family owned company with my kids who own it. He is only 30 years old, and he at least has ten more years of rocking and rolling. I said to him sure why not it was all cool. The WWF did tone it down a little bit, and they have done some cute things with it. The character is very marketable still as far as dolls and other things go. Vince likes a character with polka dots on