Kemo
07-28-2017, 08:43 PM
Former WWE Superstar Al Snow recently spoke with RealSport101 to discuss a wide variety of topics. Here are some of the highlights.
On Josh Matthews:
“I couldn’t be prouder, Josh is one of my kids. You know, Josh was probably one of the most physically talented ones of Tough Enough 1, the show. Maven had the charisma, Chris Nowinski had the size, the look and had that innate heel charisma, just something that made you not like him for some reason and then Josh Mathews had the physical talent and ability, he just didn’t have the size. A lot of those guys at the time, I remember having the conversation with Josh saying: ‘Listen, if you don’t win the contract, don’t worry, the right thing will happen at the right time for the right reason here and you’ll have a career.’ You know, John Gaburick and I saw Josh when we were at Stamford, Connecticut. Josh kinda was joking around and did some color commentary one time when we were at the studio and I could see he had a talent and so did John and we got him an opportunity to be a commentator. He had an amazing career with WWE and was able to use that as a way to get an opportunity with Impact Wrestling and you know he just keeps going forward. I could not be prouder of Josh, his success is my success. I’m thrilled by it.”
On working for Jeff Jarrett & Dixie Carter:
“For me, it wasn’t much of a difference because it was still the same thing, which was working with the talent and just so you know, when I first started with Impact my primary job was to do the women’s division for several years and I loved it. I loved working with the girls but my focus, whether I’m working with the girls or the guys or with Jeff or Dixie, my job was to work with the talent. It was to make them understand what business was to be conducted with their particular segment, help lay out that segment to ensure that that particular business was done. To ensure that chapter of the story was told, or that character was exhibited, or that idea, thought, impression, or emotion was transmitted in that segment of television so that we can make as much use of that television time as possible and make it as effectively as possible and that didn’t vary or change whether Jeff Jarrett was in charge or Dixie Carter was in charge. It was a great place to work, not just as a producer but as an artist, as a wrestler, because you’re given the freedom and the responsibility to do exactly what you’re supposed to do which is go out there and create and make it happen.”
On almost quitting WWE in 1997:
“Oh, back in ’97, yeah. At that time, I was pretty frustrated and had a pretty bad attitude and was pointing fingers at everybody else instead of pointing them at myself as far as my not taking advantage of opportunities that were presented to me. That invasion, I think probably saved my career because that partnership and cooperation between Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman allowed me to recreate myself. I tried to quit WWF at the time. I had a contract and asked for my release and kind of to teach me a lesson, I wasn’t allowed to have the release, but I was able to talk to Chris Candido, God rest his soul and he talked to Paul Heyman and Paul Heyman talked to Vince and got me put on loan to ECW, so I could take advantage of an opportunity to go somewhere else, recreate myself and to get myself back over, make myself a brand or product that they would ask me to come back and it worked and I’m so grateful for that chance.”
On Josh Matthews:
“I couldn’t be prouder, Josh is one of my kids. You know, Josh was probably one of the most physically talented ones of Tough Enough 1, the show. Maven had the charisma, Chris Nowinski had the size, the look and had that innate heel charisma, just something that made you not like him for some reason and then Josh Mathews had the physical talent and ability, he just didn’t have the size. A lot of those guys at the time, I remember having the conversation with Josh saying: ‘Listen, if you don’t win the contract, don’t worry, the right thing will happen at the right time for the right reason here and you’ll have a career.’ You know, John Gaburick and I saw Josh when we were at Stamford, Connecticut. Josh kinda was joking around and did some color commentary one time when we were at the studio and I could see he had a talent and so did John and we got him an opportunity to be a commentator. He had an amazing career with WWE and was able to use that as a way to get an opportunity with Impact Wrestling and you know he just keeps going forward. I could not be prouder of Josh, his success is my success. I’m thrilled by it.”
On working for Jeff Jarrett & Dixie Carter:
“For me, it wasn’t much of a difference because it was still the same thing, which was working with the talent and just so you know, when I first started with Impact my primary job was to do the women’s division for several years and I loved it. I loved working with the girls but my focus, whether I’m working with the girls or the guys or with Jeff or Dixie, my job was to work with the talent. It was to make them understand what business was to be conducted with their particular segment, help lay out that segment to ensure that that particular business was done. To ensure that chapter of the story was told, or that character was exhibited, or that idea, thought, impression, or emotion was transmitted in that segment of television so that we can make as much use of that television time as possible and make it as effectively as possible and that didn’t vary or change whether Jeff Jarrett was in charge or Dixie Carter was in charge. It was a great place to work, not just as a producer but as an artist, as a wrestler, because you’re given the freedom and the responsibility to do exactly what you’re supposed to do which is go out there and create and make it happen.”
On almost quitting WWE in 1997:
“Oh, back in ’97, yeah. At that time, I was pretty frustrated and had a pretty bad attitude and was pointing fingers at everybody else instead of pointing them at myself as far as my not taking advantage of opportunities that were presented to me. That invasion, I think probably saved my career because that partnership and cooperation between Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman allowed me to recreate myself. I tried to quit WWF at the time. I had a contract and asked for my release and kind of to teach me a lesson, I wasn’t allowed to have the release, but I was able to talk to Chris Candido, God rest his soul and he talked to Paul Heyman and Paul Heyman talked to Vince and got me put on loan to ECW, so I could take advantage of an opportunity to go somewhere else, recreate myself and to get myself back over, make myself a brand or product that they would ask me to come back and it worked and I’m so grateful for that chance.”