Columns
Morning Glory RCC:
Reformed Hellraisers
Many people who are considered
'hellraisers' early in their careers reform. This happens a lot. Take Steven Tyler from
Aerosmith. He was a total headcase back in his day, taking drugs and all the usual shit.
Now, he is completely clean, and making some of the best music of his life. Take Eric
Cantona. He was a nut job in his early Man Utd career, getting sent off every other game,
and even attacking fans. Eventually though, he calmed down and began playing the best
football of his career, leading Man Utd to a double win. Hellraisers can reform. Some
don't, some won't, some will, some try and fail. This is the same in the wrestling
business.
Rob Van Dam was known as a bit of a hellraiser back in his ECW days. When he was used by
the WWF for a few matches back in 1997, his ego ran rampant, and he refused to job to some
of the WWF guys. In ECW, although he was one of their most popular stars, he was known for
having a large backstage ego and was also known for another bad habit. Smoking pot. Hell,
one of his catchphrases was 'RVD 4:20'. After all the online 'pothead' and 'egomaniac'
titles RVD took, I began to think that I would never see him grace a WWF ring. I was
wrong. This summer Vince McMahon took a chance on RVD, just like he did with some other
guys (onto that later) and that chance paid off. Not only is RVD one of the most popular
wrestlers with the fans, he is also reportedly well liked by the other wrestlers, and his
ego seems to be non-existent. It seems that RVD has 'grown up' as to speak, and has
realised that the way to the top does not involve smoking pot or refusing to job. Rob Van
Dam, reformed hellraiser.
On the other end of the scale, we have Buff Bagwell. Bagwell had the look, and the
charisma to be a major star, even if his ring work was not really up to much. He was loved
by the casual fan and especially the 'teenage girl fans', who are an important part of the
WWF fan base, just ask Jeff Hardy. In WCW, however, his reputation was even worse than
RVD's. He refused to job. He beat up casual workers. He may have had an affair with DDP's
wife. He sucked up to Lex Luger, another ego-maniac. The list goes on. However, when
naming some of the WCW superstars on the RAW when WWF bought WCW, when Vince McMahon
mentioned Buff Bagwell's name, it garnered a huge pop. This pop alone made Vince risk
hiring Buff, in the hope that he was a 'reformed hellraiser'. Unfortunately, this was not
to be. Not only did Bagwell choke in the biggest match of his career, he complained
non-stop about small things and also may have faked injuries. He was released within a
week of being hired, and Vince's gamble had not paid off. Bagwell remains unemployed and
really ought to be blacklisted by the wrestling business.
So we come on to probably the biggest hellraiser of the last couple of years....Scott
Steiner. Steiner was probably my favourite WCW wrestler of all time. Even now, he is the
one that I look forward to joining the WWF. He, like Bagwell, got a huge pop on the
fateful RAW. However, this is a man who has threatened bookers, been suspended for
misconduct, and the list goes on. If the WCW wasn't that desperate to stay afloat in it's
last few months, I truly believe Steiner would have been fired. Big Poppa Pump's 'loose
cannon' persona that he portrayed was not too far off his real life persona, according to
many reporters. However, on the final Nitro, Steiner worked with a crippling leg injury,
something that HHH has been commended for, and also jobbed his World Title cleanly to
Booker T. Had Steiner reformed? I, for one, believe Steiner is a changed man. In the old
WCW, there were no rules. Egos ruled the backstage area. To get a push, you had to be 'in'
with Hogan, Bischoff and Nash. Steiner didn't take that route, proving that indeed the
'inmates rule the asylum', as he got a major push after threatening booker Terry Taylor.
In the WWF though, the atmosphere is different. There are no real ego problems, despite
what some writers would have you believe. Vince McMahon is the only one in charge, and
everyone else looks up to him. Under this kind of regime, Steiner would be worth the risk.
If he was still a 'hellraiser', he could be released just like Buff. However, if he has
reformed, he could be the biggest star of the WCW, eclipsing Booker T easily. RVD has
reformed, so could Steiner. Steiner is currently re-habilitating after his injury, but
vows to be back soon. So I hope to God Vince is willing to take a risk on the 'Genetic
Freak', cos I think he would be worth it.
|
