He might just be the best worker of all time, depending on what your definition of "worker" is.
The recent interview with Kevin Nash, presented by Grantland.com, is more than just an entertaining read; it's a success on every level. The writer receives praise and recognition for a great piece, the website makes money from the hits, readers get something to discu…debate, and Kevin Nash's stock goes up, even if it's only temporarily.
And you're naive if you don't realize it's the exact way Kevin Nash intended it. Yes, he's that smart. Negative or not, it's still attention.
I'm not defending Kevin Nash, by the way, as I'm sure some of you are already thinking this far into the piece. There's nothing to defend — Nash said some things he may or may not really mean and is getting the reaction he wants, which is ANY reaction.
I would argue the actual points Nash made in the interview, including the whole "wrestling died when Benoit and Guerrero won the titles" thing, IF I knew for a fact they were an accurate reflection of how he really feels. I don't, so there's no point.
(I would disagree completely, by the way, IF I were going to argue those points…but I'm not.)
I'm not claiming Nash is blatantly lying just to cause a stir — although I can't say that for sure either — but I do believe he's in constant "work mode". That's what makes him so good at it. I'm not even sure Kevin Nash, the wrestler, and Kevin Nash, the person, are two different people anymore.
There is one thing, however, that I'm certain both versions of Kevin Nash believe in with absolutely zero make-believe involved, and that's money.
In his mind, it's what makes him so successful in pro wrestling. And it's hard to argue that when you take emotions out of it.
During WrestleMania 27 weekend in Atlanta, WWE paid Nash good money to sign autographs, on multiple days, during Fan Axxess. He could have made his money there and relaxed the rest of the weekend. Rather, he hosted a late-night WM pre-party with his friend Sean Waltman AND crashed the nearby Wrestle Reunion convention Sunday morning to work a few more fans over for $40 a pop in about one-hour's time.
It reminds me of one of Nash's quote from the GrantLand piece, "If you go to an ATM for a hundred dollars and it keeps spitting twenties, when would you walk away?"
That weekend in Atlanta was spitting hundreds AND twenties for the former multi-time champion.
Why does the majority of the internet "smart marks" — and I hate that term with a passion — detest Kevin Nash so much? Is it what he says that makes some of you lash back at him with such venom? Is it honestly because you feel he was undeserving of the amount of success he had in wrestling? Do you truly believe he killed WCW?