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Scott Hall became one of the more controversial figures in professional wrestling due to his backstage politics and hectic personal life. At this time, he and Jake 'The Snake' Roberts are currently recovering from their various addictions and health issues with the help of Diamond Dallas Page.
Hall owed a lot of his earlier success to his mentor, 'Mr. Perfect' Curt Hennig. Hennig himself died in 2003 due to complications caused by recreational drug use. These are problems that Hall himself would later struggle with. But the man that Hall remembers is very different. Here, Hall pays tribute to his friend.
<blockquote class='quote\\_blockquote'><dl><dt>Scott Hall on Curt Hennig</dt><dd> </dd></dl><div>
When I came to Minneapolis I was green as hell. I'd only been in the business about eight months. I was bouncing strip clubs about eight months before that. Verne [Gagne] goes, 'He's got the look, but he can't work a lick...just put him with Curt.'
They put me with the best worker in the business.
This is in the days before you got guaranteed money - you know, you got paid what you got paid. The thing that I always remember about Curt, god rest his soul, is that we were both babyfaces so basically we were competing for the same job...but he went out of his way to help me.
He came and picked me up from my apartment and drove me to every town - 'cos I didn't know how to drive in that weather, y'know? And he talked to me about the business; about psychology, about how to act in the locker room, everything - his view of the business, which became my view...
What I learned from Curt was, you've got to have fun in this business. Because it's your life, y'know? I mean, we're on the road, we're in hotels - this is our life. And [Ric] Flair taught me that too. You can either go [dejected voice] 'Oh, we're going to Boise...' Or you can go: 'WE"RE GOING TO BOISE! WOOO!! We're going to Sufall? YEAH! They LOVE ME in Sufall!' It's your attitude. He was always upbeat and happy. That helped me a lot.
Curt influenced a lot of guys - Shawn Michaels, me, [1-2-3] Kid - about the way to do business. Like, if you're to going to put a guy over, man, you put him OVER - if a guy is good enough to beat you, man you make him look like ten million dollars. Curt was the first guy to take bumps and get a [crowd] reaction from them. Instead of just taking a bump, Curt would do whirly-twirls and stuff. Curt was way ahead of his time.
And then having him as a partner...Curt did ALL the work. Curt did everything...then he'd tag me, I'd make the comeback, I'd pin the guy. It got to the point where it was so ridiculous that uneducated fans would go, 'Hey Hall...get rid of Hennig, man! Get a new partner - he's holding you down..!' (laughs)
They had no idea I'd be lost without him.
He'd always feature me in matches - he always started the match, then he'd go to tag me and he'd go [to the crowd] 'YOU WANT ME TO TAG THE BIG MAN?' You always feature the big man. That's what Curt taught me.
Riding up and down the road listening to Hank Jr and Mearle [Haggard]. He was teaching me how to work and I was teaching him about nutrition and training. I'm eating tuna out of a can. Curt is ordering Pizza; Domino's with extra cheese.
God I miss you Curt.
You impacted this business like nobody else has. You made me better, you made Shawn Michaels better - everybody who crossed paths with you got better. Thank you for everything you taught me, Curt."
[/quote]
(Sources: Highspots interview, and 'Last Call with Scott Hall: Tribute to Curt Hennig', Wrestling's Glory Days)
Hall owed a lot of his earlier success to his mentor, 'Mr. Perfect' Curt Hennig. Hennig himself died in 2003 due to complications caused by recreational drug use. These are problems that Hall himself would later struggle with. But the man that Hall remembers is very different. Here, Hall pays tribute to his friend.
<blockquote class='quote\\_blockquote'><dl><dt>Scott Hall on Curt Hennig</dt><dd> </dd></dl><div>
When I came to Minneapolis I was green as hell. I'd only been in the business about eight months. I was bouncing strip clubs about eight months before that. Verne [Gagne] goes, 'He's got the look, but he can't work a lick...just put him with Curt.'
They put me with the best worker in the business.
This is in the days before you got guaranteed money - you know, you got paid what you got paid. The thing that I always remember about Curt, god rest his soul, is that we were both babyfaces so basically we were competing for the same job...but he went out of his way to help me.
He came and picked me up from my apartment and drove me to every town - 'cos I didn't know how to drive in that weather, y'know? And he talked to me about the business; about psychology, about how to act in the locker room, everything - his view of the business, which became my view...
What I learned from Curt was, you've got to have fun in this business. Because it's your life, y'know? I mean, we're on the road, we're in hotels - this is our life. And [Ric] Flair taught me that too. You can either go [dejected voice] 'Oh, we're going to Boise...' Or you can go: 'WE"RE GOING TO BOISE! WOOO!! We're going to Sufall? YEAH! They LOVE ME in Sufall!' It's your attitude. He was always upbeat and happy. That helped me a lot.
Curt influenced a lot of guys - Shawn Michaels, me, [1-2-3] Kid - about the way to do business. Like, if you're to going to put a guy over, man, you put him OVER - if a guy is good enough to beat you, man you make him look like ten million dollars. Curt was the first guy to take bumps and get a [crowd] reaction from them. Instead of just taking a bump, Curt would do whirly-twirls and stuff. Curt was way ahead of his time.
And then having him as a partner...Curt did ALL the work. Curt did everything...then he'd tag me, I'd make the comeback, I'd pin the guy. It got to the point where it was so ridiculous that uneducated fans would go, 'Hey Hall...get rid of Hennig, man! Get a new partner - he's holding you down..!' (laughs)
They had no idea I'd be lost without him.
He'd always feature me in matches - he always started the match, then he'd go to tag me and he'd go [to the crowd] 'YOU WANT ME TO TAG THE BIG MAN?' You always feature the big man. That's what Curt taught me.
Riding up and down the road listening to Hank Jr and Mearle [Haggard]. He was teaching me how to work and I was teaching him about nutrition and training. I'm eating tuna out of a can. Curt is ordering Pizza; Domino's with extra cheese.
God I miss you Curt.
You impacted this business like nobody else has. You made me better, you made Shawn Michaels better - everybody who crossed paths with you got better. Thank you for everything you taught me, Curt."
[/quote]
(Sources: Highspots interview, and 'Last Call with Scott Hall: Tribute to Curt Hennig', Wrestling's Glory Days)