Between The Ropes Radio Show
January 11th, 2008
Archived online at BetweenTheRopes.com
Former WWE and WCW World Champion Sid Vicious recently sat down with Brian Fritz of Between the Ropes to discuss Ric Flair, a possible return to WWE, and more.
Sid addressed the rumors regarding a return to WWE in the near future: â<80><9c>Well, honestly, Iâ<80><99>ve left in in their court over there. I did a show up in Connecticut â<80>¦ actually, I was working with (Jerry) Lawler. Johnny Laurinaitis at the time was the talent coordinator for that company. Now I heard last week and this week as well that he no longer has that position. And all these are rumors, of course, and I donâ<80><99>t know anything to be one-hundred percent true, but I feel like he has been replaced and I donâ<80><99>t think someone would tell me that if it wasnâ<80><99>t true â<80>¦ Really, these talent people, they donâ<80><99>t have the say-so; itâ<80><99>s going to be Vince or whoeverâ<80><99>s running the show. And Iâ<80><99>m sure that they know Iâ<80><99>m available and if they want to do business theyâ<80><99>ll call me.â<80>
Vicious spoke of his desire to become part of a booking committee when his active wrestling career is finished: â<80><9c>I talked with Vince about that a long time ago when I worked for him the very first time. My goal was to be in creative. When I was in WCW I worked in the office. I brought in Harlem Heat. I brought in Col. Parker. I gave them those characters. I helped them with interviews. I find that as challenging as doing it myself. And Iâ<80><99>m not trying to toot my own horn, but itâ<80><99>s real easy to get yourself over when youâ<80><99>re able to get over and you know how to get over. Itâ<80><99>s more challenging to try and get someone over who doesnâ<80><99>t know how to get over or doesnâ<80><99>t have all the tools you have. And itâ<80><99>s just as gratifying as getting over myself – maybe more gratifying. Iâ<80><99>ve always wanted to be on that side of the deal, but now how things have changed â<80>¦ first of all, you have to realize that in every aspect of this business thereâ<80><99>s going to be a lot of jealousy. I think if I was coming in as a creator, Iâ<80><99>d have to have the same jealousy as an entertainer. And I donâ<80><99>t know if I could do it now, because I know Iâ<80><99>m as smart – and probably smarter – than most people that are in that position right now. Iâ<80><99>d automatically walk in with a cloud over me, because people want to see people that are good fail. So I donâ<80><99>t know with the business being the way it is if I would be able to do something like that.â<80>
Sid says he has spoken with TNA, but he feels the company is unable to provide him with the opportunities he is looking for: â<80><9c>They called me a bunch of times. What I told them was this; Iâ<80><99>ve really had to work to get back to where Iâ<80><99>m at right now â<80>¦ To make money, you have to sell a lot of tickets to put people in seats. And I want to be in front of some really big crowds again. And not just ten or twenty thousand people, but I think Iâ<80><99>ve got one or two shows left in me where I could get seventy or eighty thousand people in an arena. And you canâ<80><99>t do that with TNA. And youâ<80><99>re never going to be able to do it with TNA. Now, if it was just for the money â<80>¦ but itâ<80><99>s not just for the money. One is for the money and the other is for self-gratification. I know what Iâ<80><99>m worth and I know what Iâ<80><99>m capable of doing, and Iâ<80><99>d really be handcuffing myself to work for TNA.â<80>
Sid also shared his feelings on Ric Flair â<80><9c>I have to commend the guy. For anyone who has worked so hard as he has done pretty well for himself inside the business. He hasnâ<80><99>t done very well outside the business. But heâ<80><99>s one of those people who had to stay in the business until heâ<80><99>s sixty years old, because heâ<80><99>s never saved any money. But you have to take your hat off to the guy for being able to take that physical wear and tear as long as he has. I would not want to be in the ring looking like he does, but if I could stay seriously in shape I would like to work until Iâ<80><99>m sixty as well.â<80>
Vicious stated that he only wishes to wrestle for another two or three years before possibly transitioning to the creative side of the business. However, Sid seems very pleased with how his career has played out overall: â<80><9c>In the last ten or fifteen years in this business, not many people have been as successful as I have. Iâ<80><99>ve had successful runs everywhere Iâ<80><99>ve went. Almost as long as Iâ<80><99>ve been in the business Iâ<80><99>ve been successful â<80>¦ Anytime where Iâ<80><99>ve been put in the position where I could be successful, I have. And Iâ<80><99>ve been more successful than Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, Rock, and all those guys. Those guys right there I just mentioned only had one great run. They didnâ<80><99>t have a bunch of good runs, they only had one. And thatâ<80><99>s the difference between me and a lot of different people.â<80>
