Scott Hall was a wrestling superstar in the early 1990s, his immensely popular character the "Scarface"-like Razor Ramon. Later, he was one of the faces of the faction dubbed the New World Order. Now, at age 52, Hall has a pacemaker and takes about a dozen pills daily to deal with anxiety and pain. He's been arrested several times since his final stint with WWE in 2002 and has publically discussed his struggles with drugs and alcohol.
"There's got to be some reason that I'm still here," Hall told "E:60," which will air a story about him Wednesday. "I should have been dead 100 times. I should have been dead 100 times."
Hall said many of the older wrestlers of his generation are "all dinosaurs now and we're all retired and dead. The young guys coming up now aren't drinking and drugging and stuff I hope as bad as we did. …
"I tell my kids this, 'I can't tell you not to drink and do drugs, they are fun. It's fun. They work,'" Hall said. "But what sucks is when you want to quit and you can't, and pretty soon you alienate or you hurt everyone around you. It's a family disease and then you can't keep a promise to anybody. What sucks the most is when you can't even keep a promise to yourself."
Stephanie McMahon, World Wrestling Entertainment's executive vice president of creative development and operations, said WWE has sent Hall to rehab multiple times and spent "in the six figures" on efforts to help him get sober.
"It's the most amount of money we've spent on anyone," she said. "I just want Scott to get help and to decide for himself that he needs help. It makes me sad. I don't want anybody to pass away prematurely or otherwise really. Scott was an incredibly talented performer, larger than life, charismatic. He's a father, he's a friend. I'm sure he means a lot to a lot of people and it would be a shame for him to pass away."
Hall's story of drugs and stints in rehab highlights the substance-abuse problems some former wrestlers have faced, and the efforts WWE has undertaken to try to help its ex-stars. It's a problem professional wrestling has faced off and on since it hit the big time 26 years ago. On pay-per-view TV, the world was introduced to a combination of entertainment and celebrity dubbed "Wrestlemania." The main event was Hulk Hogan and Mr. T battling Rowdy Roddy Piper and Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff. That day, March 31, 1985, professional wrestling went mainstream. Liberace attended, Cyndi Lauper was a manager and Muhammad Ali was a referee. After all the glitz and glamour, professional wrestling became big over the next decade -- and behind the scenes it was, at times, debauchery.
"Back in that era it was pretty much sex, drugs and rock 'n roll," said Mike Mooneyham, who writes a wrestling column for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier. "I mean it was really the wild, wild west. There were very few rules. These guys were outlaws. … These guys were abusing drugs and there wasn't a lot of drug testing going on at that time."
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Ohio State isn't waving bye
Technically, Ohio State is idle this week.
In reality, the Buckeyes will be busy as ever.
While Ohio State (4-3, 1-2 in the Big Ten) does not have a game on Saturday, it will be busy working on self-improvement.
The Buckeyes will spend their bye week with one eye on an Oct. 29 game against visiting Wisconsin, but perhaps more so with an eye on themselves.
“You always have to look at yourself. That’s what you do when you have some extra time,” OSU coach Luke Fickell said on Tuesday. “You do those evaluations of yourself and what you’ve done the first few games. We have a good assessment of that, but sometimes when you step back, go back and watch it, you have a better feel.”
Ohio State has been an up-and-down team not just through the first seven games, but in particular the last three games.
In a 10-7 loss to Michigan State, the OSU offense was ineffective.
In a 34-27 loss at Nebraska, the Buckeyes had their running game going and also used the pass effectively to build a 27-6 lead, only to lose it when the Cornhuskers scored 28 unanswered points in the final 19 minutes of the game.
In last week’s 17-7 win at Illinois, Ohio State had a strong game on defense, limiting a talented Illini offense to only one touchdown.
And while it was outgained offensively by the Illini, the OSU offense turned two takeaways into touchdowns, churned out more than 200 yards rushing, and controlled the line of scrimmage.
In reality, the Buckeyes will be busy as ever.
While Ohio State (4-3, 1-2 in the Big Ten) does not have a game on Saturday, it will be busy working on self-improvement.
The Buckeyes will spend their bye week with one eye on an Oct. 29 game against visiting Wisconsin, but perhaps more so with an eye on themselves.
“You always have to look at yourself. That’s what you do when you have some extra time,” OSU coach Luke Fickell said on Tuesday. “You do those evaluations of yourself and what you’ve done the first few games. We have a good assessment of that, but sometimes when you step back, go back and watch it, you have a better feel.”
Ohio State has been an up-and-down team not just through the first seven games, but in particular the last three games.
In a 10-7 loss to Michigan State, the OSU offense was ineffective.
In a 34-27 loss at Nebraska, the Buckeyes had their running game going and also used the pass effectively to build a 27-6 lead, only to lose it when the Cornhuskers scored 28 unanswered points in the final 19 minutes of the game.
In last week’s 17-7 win at Illinois, Ohio State had a strong game on defense, limiting a talented Illini offense to only one touchdown.
And while it was outgained offensively by the Illini, the OSU offense turned two takeaways into touchdowns, churned out more than 200 yards rushing, and controlled the line of scrimmage.
C.J. Wilson ... No. 4 Starter?
About a week ago, Mike Bacsik issued the following tweet:
My point on CJ is he is only a #1 starter in Texas. Any other team considered a playoff team he's a 2 or 3. In Philly he's in the pen.
My initial reaction to this was, of course, "No ... this doesn't sound right. And that bit about C.J. only being a reliever at best in Philadelphia absolutely CANNOT be right."
Well, today, Joel Sherman writes at length about the Yankees' rotation situation and their prospects of gunning for Wilson on the open market this winter:
The Yankees are not the only team showing a lack of fervor for C.J. Wilson, though he has gone 31-15 with a 3.14 ERA the last two years and is left-handed. In supply and demand, this should make Wilson the top free-agent starter on the market — and once the bidding begins, all the talk of caution usually vanishes.
But I have yet to find a baseball executive or scout who views Wilson as an ace and very few who even think he is a definitive No. 2. Heck, one member of the Yankees decision-making apparatus told me he thinks Wilson is a No. 4 on a championship-caliber team.
Wilson will start Game 1 of the World Series for Texas tomorrow and has pitched in Game 1 of every round of these playoffs. But there are concerns about his career postseason performance (1-4, 5.40 ERA, 10 homers in 40 innings) and his command of the strike zone.
Also, I thought Wilson would get more points for a likelihood of future durability based on that he was mainly a reliever his first five seasons and never exceeded 74 innings. However, most executives spoken to said there is plenty of stress being a high-leverage reliever several times a week. Also, a few evaluators voiced concerns about Wilson’s mechanics, noting he has a bit of the Inverted W in his delivery — both elbows pointing upward and above the shoulder before the release — though not as dramatic as those of, say, Stephen Strasburg or the young Mark Prior.
It led one NL talent evaluator to tell me this: “Is he a good bet to start without breaking down over the next five years and 1,000 innings? Well, no one really is. But I would say his chances are slimmer than others.”
I think that what you're going to find is C.J. ranking as a borderline No. 1 pitcher by the metrics (a No. 1.5 pitcher, perhaps), and as more of a No. 2 starter by scouts (with some apparently leaning closer to No. 3 territory), so I'm not surprised that he's not being viewed as a legitimate ace by baseball types. The notion that C.J. slots as a No. 4 starter on a championship-caliber team, however, is ludicrious, and smacks of some type of ulterior motive on the part of said (conveniently anonymous) Yankees executive.
As far as the talk about his durability ... well, I agree to the extent that I think those higher-leverage relief innings are more stressful, but I would still be inclined to think that there's a pretty substantial difference in the wear and tear created by 55-60 higher-leverage innings and the wear and tear created by 200-plus innings -- or more than 300 percent more pitches in an given season.
My point on CJ is he is only a #1 starter in Texas. Any other team considered a playoff team he's a 2 or 3. In Philly he's in the pen.
My initial reaction to this was, of course, "No ... this doesn't sound right. And that bit about C.J. only being a reliever at best in Philadelphia absolutely CANNOT be right."
Well, today, Joel Sherman writes at length about the Yankees' rotation situation and their prospects of gunning for Wilson on the open market this winter:
The Yankees are not the only team showing a lack of fervor for C.J. Wilson, though he has gone 31-15 with a 3.14 ERA the last two years and is left-handed. In supply and demand, this should make Wilson the top free-agent starter on the market — and once the bidding begins, all the talk of caution usually vanishes.
But I have yet to find a baseball executive or scout who views Wilson as an ace and very few who even think he is a definitive No. 2. Heck, one member of the Yankees decision-making apparatus told me he thinks Wilson is a No. 4 on a championship-caliber team.
Wilson will start Game 1 of the World Series for Texas tomorrow and has pitched in Game 1 of every round of these playoffs. But there are concerns about his career postseason performance (1-4, 5.40 ERA, 10 homers in 40 innings) and his command of the strike zone.
Also, I thought Wilson would get more points for a likelihood of future durability based on that he was mainly a reliever his first five seasons and never exceeded 74 innings. However, most executives spoken to said there is plenty of stress being a high-leverage reliever several times a week. Also, a few evaluators voiced concerns about Wilson’s mechanics, noting he has a bit of the Inverted W in his delivery — both elbows pointing upward and above the shoulder before the release — though not as dramatic as those of, say, Stephen Strasburg or the young Mark Prior.
It led one NL talent evaluator to tell me this: “Is he a good bet to start without breaking down over the next five years and 1,000 innings? Well, no one really is. But I would say his chances are slimmer than others.”
I think that what you're going to find is C.J. ranking as a borderline No. 1 pitcher by the metrics (a No. 1.5 pitcher, perhaps), and as more of a No. 2 starter by scouts (with some apparently leaning closer to No. 3 territory), so I'm not surprised that he's not being viewed as a legitimate ace by baseball types. The notion that C.J. slots as a No. 4 starter on a championship-caliber team, however, is ludicrious, and smacks of some type of ulterior motive on the part of said (conveniently anonymous) Yankees executive.
As far as the talk about his durability ... well, I agree to the extent that I think those higher-leverage relief innings are more stressful, but I would still be inclined to think that there's a pretty substantial difference in the wear and tear created by 55-60 higher-leverage innings and the wear and tear created by 200-plus innings -- or more than 300 percent more pitches in an given season.
Lindsay Lohan Flashes Shocking Grand 'Old, Decaying' Smile On Red Carpet
On Wednesday, Lindsey Lohan, 25, was seen on the red carpet at the launch of the "Saints Row: The Third" video game in LA, sporting her signature blonde hair, a black top, and yellow teeth?
Lohan's megawatt smile looked a bit dim as her teeth appeared to be "decaying," according to reports, which could be the result of years of her documented drug addiction from smoking and alcohol consumption.
"Lindsay is widely acknowledged as one of the most stunning actresses of her day, and we get requests every week wanting to do photo shoots with her from top photographers," her rep, Steve Honig, told PEOPLE Magazine.
When Lohan grinned for the cameras Wednesday night on the red carpet, she revealed yellowed, uneven, somewhat decayed teeth - presumably the result of her smoking habit, not to mention her much-publicized struggles with drugs and alcohol.
Lohan's megawatt smile looked a bit dim as her teeth appeared to be "decaying," according to reports, which could be the result of years of her documented drug addiction from smoking and alcohol consumption.
"Lindsay is widely acknowledged as one of the most stunning actresses of her day, and we get requests every week wanting to do photo shoots with her from top photographers," her rep, Steve Honig, told PEOPLE Magazine.
When Lohan grinned for the cameras Wednesday night on the red carpet, she revealed yellowed, uneven, somewhat decayed teeth - presumably the result of her smoking habit, not to mention her much-publicized struggles with drugs and alcohol.
Jack Hanna on Zanesville, Ohio, Animals: ‘We Would Have Had Carnage’
There was no choice but to kill 49 animals, including tigers, lions and bears, that were released from their enclosures in Zanesville, Ohio, wildlife expert Jack Hanna told ABC News’ Diane Sawyer.
“I’m sorry to say, but what the sheriff did had to be done,” Hanna said. “Otherwise, we would have had carnage out here in Zanesville, Ohio.
“Tragedy-wise for me,” he added, “[it's] probably the worst thing in 45 years of history of working with animals. … I’ve seen poachers kill in the wild. I’ve seen animals killed right in front of me with their horns cut off. I’ve seen a lot of things happen in my career, but nothing like this have I ever witnessed.”
Hanna said tranquilizing wild animals is not as easy as many people believe.
“I’ve been out all over the world tranquilizing animals,” he said. “Can you imagine trying to tranquilize an animal in the dark. Fine, we have a spotlight. We hit it. You don’t know exactly: Did you hit a muscle? Did you hit a bone? If you hit the bone, the plunger might not work and put the medicine in. So what do we do? Then we send a veterinarian or the sheriff up there to see if the animal is down, right? What’s gonna happen if the animal is just sitting there not even asleep? You’re dead.”
Hanna told Sawyer that when the wife of Terry Thompson, the man who released the animals and then committed suicide, arrived on the scene, she was shaking and angry.
“She said she was coming to rip me apart because I was taking her animals,” said Hanna, who is helping move the remaining animals to the Columbus Zoo in Powell, Ohio. “When she came in there, she was totally not – just nothing was left. Her husband had just committed suicide. … She has 30-something animals laying there in her driveway that are gone. … She was shivering. I hugged her. I started crying with her.
“I could have yelled at her – you know … to lose 18 Bengal tigers in the world today is beyond a tragic loss,” Hanna said. “I can’t describe what that does to me, along with all the other creatures. But when you see a woman that’s lost everything, what do you do? Do I sit there and yell at her? … I sit there and console her and tell her I’m going to try to help her with her animals that’s left, which is nothing, basically. That’s all I could do.”
Sawyer asked Hanna how long the event would stay with him.
“It’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life,” Hanna said. “What happened here last night had to be done or else we would have had some major losses of human life here this morning. And I won’t forget what happened here today as long as I ever live.”
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