WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page recently spoke with CBS Local Sports and below are some interview highlights:
Ric Flair’s generosity:
“I made sure Ric knew how thankful I was to him [at the WWE Hall of Fame]. Even though Ric and I have had adversity with each other over the years and said some things we probably both wish we could take back. We’re in a really good spot today, and I think the world of him. I wanted him to know that him putting me over for that world title, I know it put me one step closer to that Hall of Fame podium, and I will never forget it. Ric and I, we had such a good time when we were up there. I ran into him a couple times at the Hall of Fame. On the last night before we were going, he asks what time my wife and I are leaving. He asks what time our flight was and I said 7:30. Now, we’re both at the bar, and it’s 12:30 and I’m getting ready to go crash. He said, ‘Woo! Who made that reservation?’ I said it wasn’t me. He goes, ‘Forget that. I’ve got a Learjet. You’re coming with me. You and [your wife] Brenda.’ I said, ‘Ric, I’ve got so many bags’ and he said, ‘FedEx them home. You’re not taking that flight!’ So, Mr. Limousine Riding, Jet Flying us home in his Learjet. Then when he found out it was the day before my birthday, he took us both out to his favorite restaurant. We both live in the Atlanta area. He fed us and then sent us home in a limousine. It was the perfect punctuation to an unbelievable career and Hall of Fame weekend. It was amazing.”
At 73, Terry Funk coming out of retirement to climb in the ring:
[Laughs] “I’m going to call Terry. You know, one of my biggest supporters is Gerry Briscoe. He’s 70-ish now. He’s a former world champion and wrestled since he was six years old and had a really beat-up body. The last time I saw him at WrestleMania, he looked like Tommy Lee Jones. He looked like a million bucks. He’s the biggest advocate, along with Mick Foley. And Chris Jericho, he’s 46 and bumping around like he’s 23. Now, as much I love Terry, no one bumped around anymore than he did, but he ain’t going to be bumping around like he’s 23. It’s just because he misses it so much. He could get away with it his whole life because he’s so believable. He’s one of the nicest guys on the planet and another Hall of Famer. If there’s a way to see it on the internet, and he’s going to get in there, I’m going to watch. I’m going to call him and tell him I’m going to send him my DVDs, because I know they can really help him.”
Scott Hall and Jake Roberts:
“Scott still has bumps along the road. Even though he did really well with his transformation, but he never really wanted to stop drinking. He did, and he still will, but he doesn’t want to. Jake does. Probably since the movie (The Resurrection of Jake the Snake), he’s fallen once or twice. Technically he’s been sober for five years and without a bump for two or three years. Jake realizes that he doesn’t want to be that guy and Scott occasionally forgets that. I feel that it’s part of finding yourself. I’ve seen Scott at that point, and a lot of people have seen friends and family there. They’ve seen the person so close, and they’ve been sober for so long, and then they fall. Well, sometimes there are some little twitches or something that sets them off. Or, like I said, they don’t want to quit drinking. I could never have helped either one of them at the time if they didn’t want to. All I know is that it enabled them to both wind up where they belong which is in the Hall of Fame.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
