Thoughts on the Scott Steiner interviews
After scrolling through all the comments I have received about the two controversial interviews I conducted with Scott Steiner last month, I decided to chime in with my own thoughts on Steiner and his statements.
For those unfamiliar with the interviews, Steiner ripped Ric Flair, Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Basically, he said that all three wouldn’t have had their highly successful careers if not for their politicking and back-stabbing – only he used much coarser language.
First, I’ll address the readers’ criticism of Steiner and how I see him:
For those who said that Steiner is bitter and jealous, I don’t think that’s the case. When I first met him about eight years ago after I became the editor of WCW Magazine, he was trashing Flair then, too, and that was when Steiner was getting the biggest push of his career. With Steiner, I just don’t think there is a lot of gray area – either he likes you or at least respects you, or he doesn’t. And if he doesn’t, not only will he say so, but he will express himself in the most rude and crude manner possible. That’s just his personality. The way he cuts people down may be over the top and even laugh-out-loud funny, but I don’t doubt that he means every word he is saying. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but I do respect his willingness to tell it the way he sees it.
While a number of readers think that Steiner is the biggest jerk of all time because of the way he came off in the interviews, I can honestly say that my experiences with him have almost all been positive. I’m not the only person who worked behind the scenes in WCW who felt that way, either. In all honesty, my first encounter with him was a little uneasy. When I introduced myself to him backstage at a Nitro show, he just kind of grunted at me. Then when I pitched an idea for an article I wanted to write about him in the magazine, he said that he wasn’t really interested. “WCW Magazine sucks,” he said in his gruff, Big Poppa Pump voice. Since I had just started there, I responded by saying, “Well, I’m here to fix that.” I said something about having a lot of ideas on how to improve the magazine, and that included putting him on the cover of the next issue. He ended up giving me a great interview that was part work and part shoot. His contempt for politics in wrestling was evident even then. In the article, when he talked about possibly being next in line to win the WCW world title, he said: “It’s a political game, and I’ve never been one to kiss ass and I never will. So if it happens, it happens.”
I think quite a few readers also have a misconception about Steiner’s ability as a worker and his accomplishments in the business. There’s no question that age and serious injuries have taken a toll on Steiner in recent years, but he was considered one of the best wrestlers around for more than a decade. From 1991 to 2001, Steiner was ranked in the annual PWI 500’s top 20 nine times, including four times in the top 10. Granted, Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a kayfabe magazine, but the list is a somewhat accurate measuring stick for a wrestler’s standing in the business. Personally, I thought Steiner was one of the five most dynamic performers in the country between 1989 and 1992 when he was one-half of one of the greatest tag teams of all time with his brother Rick. The agility that he displayed for someone with his size and power was incredible. No one in a major U.S. wrestling company had ever done anything like Steiner’s Frankensteiner, which was voted Best Wrestling Maneuver in 1989 and ’90 by readers of The Wrestling Observer.
Even after he became less mobile in subsequent years due to an increase in muscle mass and a severe back injury that nearly ended his career, Steiner was still having good matches on pay-per-view with the likes of Goldberg, Booker T., Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page during the final months of WCW. In addition to his skills as a worker, Steiner portrayed one of the most believable heel characters I have ever seen during his run as Big Poppa Pump in WCW. He had fans legitimately hating him and fearing him, which was not easy in an era in which the business had become so exposed.
Here are my impressions of the three individuals that Steiner blasted and my opinions on the merit of his contentions about them:
Ric Flair – “The Nature Boy” will go down as one of the greatest – if not the greatest – performers of all time. That’s indisputable. Steiner’s problem seems to be with how Flair got to the top and stayed there. His verbal attacks on Flair make it abundantly clear that Steiner thinks little of him as a person. I don’t doubt that there is at least some truth to the stories Steiner told about Flair, and one former WCW employee who was there in the early ’90s told me that Steiner wasn’t off base. Wrestling is a political, cutthroat business, so it’s likely that Flair played politics to gain an advantage. At other times in his career, however, Flair was on the wrong side of the political fence, so that can go both ways. As far as my personal experiences with Flair, I found him very easy to deal with. And while I don’t think I have ever seen a grown man cry as easily as Flair, I don’t hold it against him. Heck, I’ve been known to shed a tear or two when watching a sad movie – or during the aftermath of Flair’s farewell match against Shawn Michaels.
Triple H – For someone like Steiner who loathes the political games in wrestling, it’s no surprise that he has nothing good to say about “The Game.” I don’t think it’s accurate, however, when Steiner says that Triple H only got his spot on top because he is married to Stephanie McMahon. Triple H was among the upper echelon and won his first WWE world title before hooking up with Stephanie. He deserves his spot as one of the top guys in the company. However, I don’t think he would be a 12-time world champion if he wasn’t married to Vince McMahon’s daughter. And I do think he has used his political influence to try to keep down certain guys that he perceived as a threat to his spot – namely Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam and Kurt Angle. On the other hand, he was instrumental in making superstars of Batista and Randy Orton. And, just like Flair, Triple H has been a victim of politics at times in his career, too.
Shawn Michaels – To me, there are two Shawn Michaels. There’s the one from the mid-to-late ’90s who was an immature prima donna, and there’s the current one who has conquered his personal demons and become a man of character. Michaels himself has acknowledged what kind of person he was a decade ago and that his bad reputation is well-deserved. Steiner believes Michaels still is the same guy that he was in the ’90s. Steiner worked for WWE from 2002 to 2004 while Michaels was there, so he would know better than I what Michaels is like behind closed doors. All I can say is that I have been impressed by what I have seen from Michaels since his return to WWE in 2002. I have interviewed Michaels on three occasions in the past three years, and each time he came across as honest, humble and accountable. As far as his ability in the ring, I’m on the record as saying that Michaels is the best all-around performer I have ever seen.
Comments
The saga continues ... As a longtime die - hard Steiner fan thanks for " trying " to clear the air on Scott Steiner . He says what he feels and that just rubs some the wrong way . Yes he has had a great career and is very misunderstood . Many don't care for him not just because of his demeanor , but because of his "alleged use of enhancements " . I can say that in my 25+ years of powerlifting , I've been around alot of users ( haven partaken myself for 10 of those 25 yrs ) and I can tell you that if there is no talent or skill there , you can take all the 'roids you want and never achieve anything . The man was at one time a great talent .
Now Kevin , your opinion of HBK being the best performer you've ever seen will probably evoke as many comments as your defense of Steiner .
Posted by: jack in hebron | June 8, 2008 6:39 PM
Well said.
Posted by: Sean | June 8, 2008 7:31 PM
hhh may have held rvd down. but when wwe give rvd the ball he drop it big time. he prove when he got busted for pot that he cant handle the top spot. unlike jeff hardy or regal or eddie guerreo who seem like they give a effort to stay clean. rvd always came off as a guy who injoys the drugs too much.and was not willng to quit even after he won the belt. i also feel ecw took a big noise dive after that. it seem like it was the spit on the street some people in the wwe was looking in for to put the brakes on ecw thanks rvd
Posted by: stan ritz | June 8, 2008 10:39 PM
Kevin,
Don't know any of these guys personally but my gut feel is your assessments are pretty right on.
I did have a "brush with greatness" once where I happened to be in the waiting line at Sabatinos once about 18 years back or so and who happened to come through ? None other than the Nature Boy himself and his entourage. I recall specifically some very attractive blonde ladies on his arms. It was a brief encounter but my recollection is that he came across the same way then as he did in person. He was the "Nature Boy" indeed and appeared to approach things out of the ring pretty much the same way as he did in the ring...with much gusto!
Posted by: AMC | June 8, 2008 11:22 PM
I like Steiner a whole lot. To me, he is just generally entertaining. Maybe he is right about those guys, maybe not but that'll never keep me from liking Michaels. Greatest of all time.
Kevin, have you read Bret Hart's book. I had it imported when it came out, he talks about Ric Flair in such a manner too.
Posted by: Mr. Bronson | June 8, 2008 11:34 PM
I have no idea about the personal lives or political dealings of these three- however from what I've heard, some of the things he says about HHH have some merit. But HHH is a great wrestler, so he does deserve respect for that alone. I've always sensed a shadiness about him that I've found hard to shake, but why is pure conjecture (How obvious is his jealousy towards The Rock?).
You wrote:
"However, I don’t think he would be a 12-time world champion if he wasn’t married to Vince McMahon’s daughter"- I agree completely with this statement and could be were some of Steiner's enmity originates
Keep those Steiner interviews coming, if only for PURE entertainment purposes only!!
Posted by: kristen | June 9, 2008 1:17 AM
IMO, Flair is the greatest of all time. However, this doesn't discredit the validty of Steiner's comments , his past/ presents abilities and the mark he has made. I like Scott Steiner. He is a man's man. He tells it like he sees it (like his famous shoot on Nitro about Flair). I can respect that. I certainly respect him more than Jean-Paul Levesque.
Posted by: Jay | June 9, 2008 9:08 AM
Great insight Eck.. I have personal experiences with all 4 men mentioned, But this comment is for Ritz, Yes RVD dropped the ball per-se, but the difference is that RVD was man about it. He has ALWAYS ADMITTED SMOKING THE HERB!! It doesn't change the fact that HHH after getting with Stephanie became the backstage political giant he is now. RVD, Kurt, Steiner, Booker T, Chris Jericho, Test, even Chris Benoit (I know touchy subject still), All held down when facing HHH, all made HIM look better than it made them. Yes, Shawn Micheals is the only one who admitted to his political abusive of power, We all know Vader or Davey should have beat him, atleast once. Ric Flair - has been rubbing guys the wrong way since 1984 apparently, Back in those days How did you think you kept your spot. I'm not saying it's right but wrestling is a business first and foremost. I will always look at the Flair as the Greatest Perfomer of all time. Shawn Micheals will go down(as much as I hate it) as one of the best pure wrestlers & performers this business has seen,(Burke & Benjamin are next) Regardless of he got his spot, he delivered on it, time after time. The only positive thing I have for Jean Paul is the DX days were his best, Plain and simple, but let's be real, He did make a great heel. Keep bringing in the Interviews Eck..
Posted by: Jermine Wells | June 9, 2008 9:12 AM
THE FACT THAT SCOTT STEINER EITHER LIKES OR RESPECTS SOMEONE OR DISLIKES THEM AND THERE IS NO GREY AREA,AT PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY STAND WITH HIM.
I CAN RELATE TO THE NO GREY AREA AS WELL I EITHER LIKE SOMEONE OR I DON'T.I GET INTO TROUBLE OVER IT AS WELL.
Posted by: Harold | June 9, 2008 1:29 PM
Just a word to all those big-time wrestling promotions out there, if you are looking for a guy that will be an immediate cancer and split your team right down the middle, Big Plop A Dump is your man. What a loser.
Posted by: Lee | June 9, 2008 1:37 PM
Kevin
Thanks for trying to clear the air. I suspect you tried to do so in a way that won't make it impossible for you to get further interviews with Steiner. And I can't blame you - we're all the winners when you get an interview like those two.
Although I disagreed with a lot of what Steiner said, I was not one who ran him down as a wrester. I remember how great the Steiner brothers were in WCW in the late '80s and early '90s - probably my favorite era/promotion combined. And I was enjoying the work both of the Steiners and of Ric Flair in those years.
But it was much more of a kayfabe business then and what many of fans apparently didn't know was about the Steiners' reported propensity to "potato" their opponents - on a regular basis. There is a memorable Bruce Mitchell column on this in the PWTorch archives.
I'd love to see you address that and/or ask Steiner about that.
Posted by: JHThree | June 9, 2008 2:24 PM
Kevin,
Have you read "Ring of Hell" yet?
If so, when will you review it?
HHH and Michaels come across very poorly in the book.
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: Haven't read it yet.
Posted by: Johnny | June 9, 2008 5:19 PM
I think Scott Steiner is an interesting character. As WCW was sinking, he and Booker T were among the very few personalities that remained entertaining. Steiner showed then that you could put your promotion on his back, and it would work. However, by the time he got the ball, too many other things were conspiring against WCW's ability to remain afloat, so he probably doesn't ever get the credit he's due.
I think you should have said a little bit about his current run in TNA. Steiner is incredibly entertaining on Impact, and is one of the few guys who is reliably good viewing. I think he found his character in TNA, and they're letting Scott be Scott. He never really got that freedom in WWE, and he certainly didn't have his health.
Great column.
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: I have been saying for years exactly what you just said about Steiner's run as WCW world champ. WCW pulled the trigger on him as champ after the demise of the company was a foregone conclusion. Had he gotten it a few years earlier before the company was in a freefall, he probably would have been a draw as world champion.
Posted by: DG | June 9, 2008 8:43 PM
While I disagree that the wrestlers paid respect to Ric Flair because it was their job (we saw Edget taking a personal photograph during his Hall of Fame speech), Scott Steiner is not the only man to think Flair was over-rated in the ring.
Like Mr. Bronson mentioned, Bret Hart wrote the following about their 1992 title match:
"Ric Flair called every spot, even the outdated ones, including a barrage of his painful, stiff open-handed chops that left red handprints across my chest. To me, chops were stupid and brainless and went against everything logical about the business. We're only supposed to pretend we're hurting each other; when you really are hurting and being hurt, you're the mark. The only guy more stupid than the guy chopping you is the guy taking them" (pg. 300).
If you haven't read the book yet, then there's a better story about little respect the boys in the WWF at that time really had for Ric Flair.
Posted by: Kay | June 10, 2008 12:49 AM
I was never a fan of the big poppa pup character - mainly because of the obvious steriod injections. I used to be a big fan of the Steiner Brothers - that said I liked it when the tag team titles meant something and there were plenty of them. Hart Foundation, the Rockers, LOD, etc. (also miss when the intercontinental title meant something as well)
I have no problem with people speaking their mind, but when I read comments about how Steiner is a "man's man" because he does so, it makes me think, "What the hell is a man's man?" To me, a real man doesn't need to spend his time running his mouth whether his comments are justified or imagained.
I've never been a huge ric flair fan, but there is no denying he was a huge draw. HHH - I never know what to make of him. I like his promos, most of his matches, but he needs to up his repitoire of moves in the same way Shawn Micheals does. I don't know the truth about his behind the scenes actions, so I have no valid opinion.
In my humble opinion, the way to stop a lot of the top guys like HHH from being precieved as hogging the spot light is to go back to the smackdown and raw pay per views. A better reason to do so is to create new stars and more in depth stories... also to make the lower titles mean something again.
On the subject of HHH, Steiner's comments about Chyna were just pathetic. What kind of a man needs to run his mouth to the world about who he would or would not sleep with?
And I agree that Shawn Micheals is the best of all time - promos, mat wrestling, the high flying, ability to work with anyone and make them look good - and he's second only to the rock for funny moments.
Posted by: Rob | June 10, 2008 2:45 AM
I dont know Scott Steiner is he really a down-to-earth person, I cant see him as a jealous person, hes accomplished a lot in his career, he was a champ at the University of Michigan, is he really a loose cannon or has a short fuse, Did he really get in a fight with DDP? Some of the stuff are half-truths? I like him for being opinionated hes in great shape, but its obvious hes a juicer. I heard hes given time to charities in hospitals in Atlanta, if you can corroborate on the aforementioned things! I heard Bill Watts said Steiner is a bully in the locker room! Hes elusive, dont know that much about him, except the fact you cant trust people in the wrestling business or in life best friends and family members can backstab you, so I can be in accordance with him!
Sincerely,
Omar Hacallar
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: From personal experience, Scott has always treated me well. I know others would say the4 same thing. Some would say the opposite. He does sometimes have a short fuse. Yes, he did really get into a fight with DDP.
Posted by: omar hacallar | July 15, 2008 3:25 PM