NWO

Interview and Article (March 2002)

Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash have been on their best behavior since returning to the WWF in February. In lengthy
interviews with Phil Speer and Seth Mates of WWF.com, the trio said all the right things.

"As soon as I started talking to Vince (McMahon, WWF owner), and we started talking about our battle plan, I got so darn
nervous I had to run to the bathroom. He got me excited again," Hogan said. "I was sitting in the WCW for 51/2 years and I
never got excited once.

"There was no challenge there. There was nobody there to test me. I was the only one with Titan Training. That's what I call
it."

Nash said his goal is to have fun, contribute and go out the right way.

"Don't go out because they have to pull the plug on the product. Retire correctly," the 7-footer said.

Like Hogan and Nash, Hall is equally excited at coming back to the wrestling ring.

"I haven't been really happy about being in a wrestling environment in some time," he said. "It turned into work, which isn't why I got into wrestling. The great thing about this job is that you get paid to so something you love, and it's not like "work work.'"

Hogan has become a babyface, returning to the Hulkster gimmick and starting a feud with Triple H with a main event set for Backlash. Nash suffered a torn biceps muscle and could be out for several months, thus changing booking plans for the group.

There's no hiding the fact that Hogan, Hall and Nash bring enough baggage to fill a cargo hold. What's interesting is that all three admit to mistakes.

For Hogan, he owned up to his ego and its effect on his attitude by the end of his first run in the WWF in 1993.

"There was a lot of tension there -- no communication there between Vince and I. Plus my attitude was terrible," Hogan
said, adding that the steroid scandal also drove a wedge between him and McMahon.

"I just took the Federation for granted," he said. "But now more than ever, being away from this machine and realizing
how hard everybody works and how valuable this is, it won't happen again."

Nash has fought a reputation of being difficult or lazy most of his career, especially toward the end of WCW. He said he
didn't want to leave the WWF in 1996.

"I was given an opportunity to work half as many days for basically twice as much money," he said. "The thing that has al-
ways annoyed me about professional wrestling is that it's called "the business,' but if you ever treat it as a business, you're
looked down upon.

"But that's what it is. It's a business. If they didn't pay me money to do this, I wouldn't do this, like any other athlete in professional sports."

Hall's problems went beyond attitude or management. He's battled alcohol addiction and marital issues, and spoke candidly
about his ups and downs.

Now he's divorced and raising his children as a single parent. He's been in and out of two rehab centers. He sees an addiction
specialist and takes Anabuse, a drug which makes the taker violently ill at the mere taste of alcohol. He's thankful for another chance to earn a living in the business.

"I've been searching to get in touch with Scott Hall, to find Scott Hall. He got lost in a blur of alcohol and immature decisions," he said. "I just want to be the best me I can be."

Hogan did the clean job to The Rock at Wrestlemania X8. Nash has been content in a smaller role. Hall has sold every spot
he's been in like a true professional.

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