What’s wrong with the WWF?

I’ve thought long and hard about the well being of the WWF. Should I say anything and once again bury myself possibly costing myself a chance at future employment or remain politically correct and hope the WWF would reconsider hiring me?

That is such a loaded statement.

How could I worry about getting hired when Vince McMahon took the time out of his busy schedule to call me personally to tell me there wasn’t an opportunity for me in the WWF? Vince and I are friends and I understood he had a company to run. The loyal employees to whom he was listening didn’t want me around. We can ask why until the end of time, but the bottom line is we have to be able to coexist in the work environment and some people didn’t think I was a team player. Anyone who knows me considers that statement to be totally ridiculous. I know why I wasn’t wanted and it wasn’t because I wasn’t a team player. There’s a parable, which explains the situation better than I ever could.

There are two ways to have the tallest building in town –

Build it with hard work and dedication  or

Knock everyone else’s down

I know what kind of person I am and the people who lied about me know what kind of people they are.

Why am I baring my dirty laundry to the whole world?

It’s to illustrate a point. Everything written above is true and Vince and I have talked about it. Does the heat I have mean I’ll never work in the WWF again? Maybe, but let’s look at history.

In 1995, the WWF had a group of wrestlers known as the clique. They were all featured and were huge superstars at the time. The one complaint about them was their disruptive attitude and behavior. They used psychology to make other talents do what they wanted or feel insecure. This is an awesome weapon when fighting for a ‘spot’ on the main event roster.

If one can make other people wary of each other and paranoid about whom they’re competing against for that top spot – that talent isn’t focused on his craft. That talent won’t be motivated and thus, won’t be a threat. These tactics work well when we physically cannot outperform the people we’re manipulating.

What is the point of all this rhetoric?

If the rumors are true and the WWF is signing Hall, Nash, and Shawn Michaels to appear as an “outside group”, the WWF has decided to take a chance on these talents hoping to spike the ratings. Whether they will (and I think they will) remains to be seen. Also, how long will their presence keep the ratings up? The wrestling fan now days is so sophisticated, a talent has to be at his best or the audience will see through them. Are Hall, Nash, and Shawn superstars? Yes, in every sense of the word. Each knows how to be a ‘top guy’ as opposed to a ‘good wrestler’ and there is a huge difference.

The flip side is how will they fit in to the WWF’s locker room? This is a locker room that has just started to get back to normal after the influx of WCW talent.

We must remember that WCW was the enemy. They were brought aboard sharing the same locker rooms with the WWF talent against whom a bitter five-year battle was waged. This battle got personal and there were legitimate bad feelings from both sides. Then all of a sudden, both groups were staring at each other face to face in the same company with a common goal. That must have been uncomfortable for everyone involved.

Now, a year later the WWF is rumored to be signing Hall and Nash. These two men left the WWF for huge guarantees in WCW. People can talk about loyalty all day, but the bottom line is this is professional sports and making the most money possible is the only goal. Sure there were hurt feelings when they left, but look at the result. WCW became successful going head to head with the WWF on Monday nights. The competition made the WWF better. This competition was wonderful for wrestling fans, advertisers, the wrestlers, and ultimately both wrestling companies. It made each work harder than they had ever worked before and this resulted in some of the best-televised wrestling in history.

If Hall and Nash can help the WWF – they should be hired. The only caveat is what will their locker room demeanor do to morale? I know Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. I believe they understand they have the chance to have what very few professional athletes get to have – a second chance. They can reshape their legacy and go out on a positive note. They have the chance to erase the stigma of their last months in the wrestling industry. What wouldn’t any athlete give for that same opportunity?

This brings us back to the beginning of this perspective. Did I do worse things than Hall and Nash? Did I deserve to be closed out of the company I loved and the company where I wanted to finish my career? Possibly, but if Hall and Nash with all their past history get a second chance, shouldn’t I? Would I ‘play the game’ better this time, of course.  

That question is rhetorical, because no one is owed anything in sports or life. I want the WWF to do well – with or without me. I want the talent to love what they’re lucky enough to get to do. Muhammad Ali once told me “Wrestling is the greatest sport in the world.”  Who am I to argue with “The Greatest?”  There’s an old saying – “You can never go home.”

I hope that isn’t true.

Take care until next week,
Terry Taylor