It appears that two representatives from the AL East will be punching a ticket for the playoffs. Currently Tampa Bay holds a five game lead over Boston for that coveted Wild Card spot. Minnesota is seven games out and Toronto, Detroit, Oakland and the Angels are behind the Rays by double digits.
In all likelihood, with an extended absence by Minnesota's Justin Morneau, Boston and Tampa will be battling down the stretch to join the Yankees in October.
NEW YORK YANKEES (64-36)
With a payroll of $206,333,389, the Yankees have put that money to good use as they currently hold the best record in the majors. In what has seemed like an endless string of deaths for the heralded franchise, owner George Steinbrenner, public address announcer Bob Sheppard, and former manager Ralph Houk, the Bronx Bombers have been able to keep their composure and dominate baseball.
The Yanks have 3 pitchers with double digit wins: the best Subway spokesman since Happy Gilmore has 13 wins, Phil Hughes follows with 12, and former PED user Andy Petitte has 11. A.J. Burnett and Javier Vazquez both have 9 wins.
Old reliable, Mariano Rivera, continues to clean up the ninth with 21 saves and a completely ubsurd 0.96 ERA. It's amazing how this guy never ceases to fail. I keep expecting a Trevor Hoffman-like collapse, but it never comes. Rivera has probably the best set-up man in baseball, in Joba the Hut. It just proves that no matter how afraid of bugs you are, you can still pitch in the majors.
After taking hitting lessons from George Costanza, that Yankees have been crushing the ball. They rank 4th in the majors with a team batting average of .273, 5th in homeruns with 119, 1st in RBIs with 524, and sixth with 934 hits.
Led by MVP candidate Robinson Cano, .330/19/69, success at the plate has been contagious for the pinstripes. Five regulars are hitting .275 and above, Cano .330, Nick Swisher .300, Brett Gardner .298, ARod .275, and Jeter .275.
Four players have 15+ homers and 60+ RBI, Mark Teixeira 20/72, Cano 19/69, Swisher 18/60, and ARod 16/82. ARod and his bevy of blondes still sits at 599 career homers.
Look at Swisher, he always seemed like a good guy for the locker room, but he has been producing on the field as well. The real question is, what is more impressive, this chucklehead to be producing at at .300/18/60 clip or the girl he is dating?
There is no question that the Yanks have the talent to repeat as World Series champs, the only question is, can they pull together as a team in October to win one final championship for The Boss.
TAMPA BAY RAYS (62-38; 2 GB)
With a payroll of about 1/3 of the Yankees, $71,923,471, the Rays have been in contention for the AL East crown since April. While their statistical rankings fail in comparison to their rivals from New York, the Rays manage to win games.
With the hooded genius of Joe Maddon, the superstardom of Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford, and a formiddable pitching staff, the team from Tampa will have their playoff lives in their own hands.
Only 2 games back of the Yankees for AL East supremacy, and 5 games ahead of Boston in the wild card standings, the Rays look like a good bet to be playing into October and try to add upon their magic 2008 season.
The team is led offensively by Crawford, .309/12/55, and Longoria, .296/15/67, as well as, the power of Carlos Pena and his 22 homers. Not eye popping numbers, but enough run support to help out a very good staff.
The Rays are led by All-Star Game starter David Price and his 13 wins and miniscule 2.90 ERA. He is joined by Matt Garza, the first pitcher in club history to throw a no-hitter, and his 11 wins. James Shields and Jeff Niemanns 9 wins and rookie Wade Davis' 8 victories. Off-season acquistion Raphael Soriano has registered 28 saves in perserving victories for his new club.
There is a new attitude concerning Tampa and their team. An attitude of winning and expected success. They should be able to produce enough offensively to give their pitchers a chance to win each night. Aside from a major meltdown, we should be seeing the Rays in the postseason for the second time in club history.
And now for the worst promotion for a major league team I have ever seen. A mix between Captain Planet and baseball.
BOSTON RED SOX (58-44; 7.5 GB)
Not only is it tough enough being in the same division with two of the top teams in the MLB, but the Red Sox have been T-Mac fragile this season. They have had to put regulars on atleast the 15-day DL, 13 different times this season.
Jacoby Ellsbury X 2: chest contusion and fractured ribs. Mike Cameron: kidney stones J.D. Drew: vertigo. I only thought Lucille 2 on Arrested Development suffered from that. Maybe a little Buster Bluth lovin' is all Drew needs. Dice-K X 2: neck and forearm strains Jeremy Hermida: fractured ribs Mike Lowell: hip Dustin Pedroia: broken left foot Josh Beckett: back strain Clay Buchholz: hamstring Victor Martinez: fractured left thumb Manny Delcarmen: right forearm strain
That is a lot of the BoSox $162,747,333 payroll on the DL. Even with all of the injuries they are only 7.5 games behind the Yankees for the AL East lead, and only 5 games behind the Rays in the wild card standings.
Offensively, the Sox have been pretty darn good. 6th in the majors in batting average at .271, 2nd in homers 135, 2nd in RBIs 510, 4th in hits 965.
Led by Adrian Beltre's .332/17/65, who is conjuring up his 2004 season with the Dodgers, he has been a great pickup for the Sox and major improvement offensively compared to Mike Lowell. With another under-the-radar season, Kevin Youkilis is quietly becoming one of the AL's most feared hitters. His .308/19/62 stat line proves he is one of the most reliable and consistant hitters in the game. After a very slow start and rumors of a benching, David Ortiz, has re-gained some of his offensive prowess. Now, supposively, off the juice, Ortiz is going old school and found his power. His 21 homers lead the team, and he is becoming a great protector in the lineup for Youkilis and Beltre.
Boston's ace, Josh Beckett, only 2 wins and a 6.33 ERA, has been on the DL since May 15, with a lower back strain. Stepping in to fill the ace void has been Jon Lester who with 11 wins and a 2.92 ERA has become a strikeout machine. He has been making hitters look like they are playing Dizzy Bat.
Along with Lester, Clay Buchholz has amassed 11 wins and a 2.71 ERA. Off-season pickup John Lackey, on the heels of destroying his former Angel teammates has earned 10 wins.
For Red Sox fans it's a shame that there is only 1 wild card spot, I just don't see them making up those games on the Yankees or Rays. Those teams seem too solid to collapse and allow the Red Sox to sneak in. But you never know.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (53-49; 12.5 GB)
It's hard to believe that the Jays traded away their best player, Roy Halladay, are over .500, but still are 12.5 games out of first place. This just goes to show how tough this AL East is. They beat up on each other but dominate teams from other divisions.
This is a home run hitting machine. Our friends from the Great White North lead the majors with 155 homers on the year. Led by Jose Bautista's MLB leading 30 HRs, the Jays put more bombs in the air than the U.S. in 1945.
A resurgent Vernon Wells, 20/55, has helped Bautista a the plate. Speaking of Bautista, where did this clown get this power. All I remember him doing in Pittsburgh is growing a mean 5-o'clock shadow and striking out. That's it.
A no-name pitching staff has been fairly consistant with Shaun Marcum's 9 wins, Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil's 8 wins, and Brandon Morrow's 7 wins, they have done enough to keep the Jays.
Here are some hosers teaching us some more about our neighbors to the north.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES (32-70; 33.5 GB)
Not too much to say about this team. They stink. They have a worse record than the Pirates. Enough said.
They have nobody hitting over .300.
The best ERA for a starting pitcher is Josh Guthrie's 4.23.
The team leader in wins is reliever David Hernandez with 5.
Their best player is journeyman Ty Wiggington .258/17/51.
John Barbero, long-time voice of Mellon Arena and the Pittsburgh Penguins, died yesterday because of complications from a brain tumor. The 65-year-old Barbero suffered from Astrocytoma, which made it that his brain tumor was inoperable.
Barbero was the Penguins public address announcer from 1972-2009. He was the voice behind every one of Mario Lemieux's home goals, and created a signature call for No. 66, in which he would drag out the 'uuuu' at the end of Mario's last name.
Barbero was diagnosed with Astrocytoma in February of 2009, but decided he would finish out the season as the voice of Mellon Arena. As a result of his bravery and will, Barbero was able to see the Pens raise their third Stanley Cup. His last game announced was a 2-1 win over Detroit in Game 6 of the Cup Finals.
As with all things that last 38 years, his voice in the arena became iconic. It was really strange and hard to get used to the new voice announcing goals. Barbero had a pacing and style to his calls that were second to none. Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Lange called Barbero, " a giant amont PA announcers in the world of sports."
While he will be most remembered for his announcements concering Lemieux's goals, I will most remember Barbero's call of 2009 mid-season defensive aquistion Phillipe Boucher. Granted Boucher didn't exactly light up the score sheet, but when he did tally a point, Barbero really let the crowd know.
The Pittsburgh goal scored by number 43 Phil-leeep Booooooooo-shay. Classic.
Barbero will always be a part of the Penguins and Pittsburgh sports tradition.
I guess it's fitting that old lady Mellon and it's voice will be able to rest in peace together. It is a shame his iconic vocals won't get to echo through the new Consol Energy Center.
Here is a video about Barbero, done by FSN in 2007.
NBA and NHL free agency is coming to an end and NFL training camp is a couple of weeks away, making the end of July a great time to take a trip around MLB. The All Star game is over and before the trade deadline, we can review what has happened up to this point, and what will happen the rest of the season. First up we tackle the NL East:
Atlanta Braves (57-41): In a surprise that rivals the ending to "Wild Things" the Braves hold a sizable 5 game lead in the NL East and have done so without major contributions from Chipper Jones, and Jason Heyward.Jones is hitting .255 with only 7 HR's and is contemplating retirement, and Heyward who started his major league career as hot as Uruguayan world cup star Diego Forlan's girlfriend Zaira Nara but has leveled off with producing only 11 HR's and a .261 average.The Braves have been led by a strong supporting cast and quality pitching, which has been a constant under Bobby Cox's watch.Martin Prado is third in the league in hitting and All Star Omar Infante has been a big offensive surprise. The Braves were the first team to upgrade in the trade market acquiring Alex Gonzalez from Toronto.In Bobby Cox's and maybe Chipper Jones' final year, the Braves are all in and with their pitching depth, they should be as tough to catch as Paul Walker in a Honda Civic.Tim Hudson leads the starters with 10 wins and a 2.47 ERA while the young arms of Tommy Hanson and recently healthy Jair Jurrjens are capable of getting the ball straight to closer Billy Wagner.In a mix of young and old that is more realistic than the love plot in "Lost in Translation" the Braves are contenders and should be heard from in October.
Philadelphia Phillies (51-46):The story of the Phillies season so far has been injuries and their Jim from "American Pie" like inability to score consistently.Ryan Howard has been the only Phillie regular to produce along the lines of what was expected.Injuries to Rollins, who has an OBP of .288 and Utley (.277, 11 HR, 37 RBI), along with Polanco and Ruiz for various parts of the season, have left the Phillies chasing in the division.The Phillies did fire hitting coach Milt Thompson this week and replaced him with former hitting coach Greg Gross. Hopefully for their sake Gross is more successful in his return to hitting coach than Saturday Night fever sequel "Staying Alive" starring John Travolta and directed by Sly Stallone.
Jayson Werth could use a different voice as he has struggled, and has been mentioned prominently in recent trade talks.Roy Halladay has been as good as advertised with an ERA under 2.30 and Cole Hamels' turn around are both reasons for the Phillies to be optimistic about a hot streak and another postseason run.The Phillies will look for bullpen help before the trade deadline and would like to add a reliable third starter as Kendrick, Moyer, and Blanton have been as reliable as Marion Jones' steroid testimony.
New York Mets (50-49): Recently the Mets have dropped like BP stock as they have gone 2-8 in their last ten games and have lost 6 of 7.The Mets are 22nd in team batting average and 23rd in HR's as Rod Barajas has doubled big money free agent pick up Jason Bay's home run total, 12 to 6 up to this point in the season.Ike Davis and David Wright's strong years have not been enough to make up for Bay's lack ofpower display (.749 OPS) that rivals a guy on the Bachelorette and Carlos Beltran's limited action, 7 games up to this point in the season due to reoccurring knee injuries.
Young starters Jonathon Niese and Mike Pelfrey had kept the Mets near the top of the division for most of the season, but recent struggles and injuries, primarily to Pelfrey, have put the Mets in a tailspin and have left Jerry Manuel fielding questions about his job security.The Mets vastly over estimated the ability of Oliver Perez and John Maine to fit behind Johan Santana in the rotation. Jose Reyes' injuries have robbed the once promising shortstop of reaching his star potential as a leadoff hitter comparable to Rickey Henderson.The Met's recent play has left them closer to sellers than playoff contenders.
Florida Marlins (50-49): It is not a good sign when your star player and reigning NL batting champ has his best night of the season in the HR derby.Hanley Ramirez was the first player the Marlins decided to lock up long term and what looked like a can't miss move has turned into New Coke.Ramirez called out former manager Freddi Gonzalez who had the audacity to ask Ramirez to hustle after a ball while playing defense.I mean really what kind of tyrant asks a multi-millionaire professional to hustle on defense, Gonzalez must have forgotten who was in charge and in turn was fired a few weeks later.
Ramirez's .293 average and 13 home runs leave him behind team leaders Gaby Sanchez and Dan Uggla in those categories.The Marlins have a decent core, but as in most Johnny Depp movies, if your star does not perform you are in for a long year.Josh Johnson leads the league with a 1.61 ERA and his 9.45 K/9 show how truly dominating the best pitcher in baseball has been this year.Leo Nunez has also found the magic that seems to await every closer that goes to Florida and his 23 saves and 10.18 K/9 leave him atop the list of contenders looking for power arms in the bullpen and could give the Fish a chance to turn Nunez into prospects that can replace the promising turned disappointing Ricky Nolasco and Cameron Maybin.
Washington Nationals (42-57): The most talked about last place team in the history of the game, is due to the emergence of Stephen Strasburg (9 games 5-2, 2.32 ERA) who has inspired Chuck Norris jokes at the rate of Tim Tebow.Stephen Strasburg doesn't wear a watch, HE decides what time it is and he can also divide by zero.
His 12.42 K/9 and 1.07 WHIP are record low and he has lived up to the considerable hype that preceded him. Adam Dunn has also been a pleasant surprise for the Nats, Dunn power (23 HR's 61 RBIs) was expected, but his .278 avg and 96 hits are a major surprise.Dunn has combined with Ryan Zimmerman and Josh Willingham to form a potent middle of the order that rivals the healthy Phillies in the division.One of the Nats issues is the inability of the top of the order to get on base.Regular leadoff man Nyjer Morgan has an OBP of .320 and Willy Tavares and Cristian Guzman have also been unable to steal first.The starters behind Strasburg are as unimpressive as the Hills series finale, but a team that would seem to be a natural seller has taken the attitude of an English Premier League team fighting relegation. The Nats management wants to keep the enthusiasm high around this team and in turn will probably not trade Dunn to the AL where he can DH.Dunn, is as miscast playing defense in the NL, as Magic Johnson was hosting a talk show.
The Nats will continue to hit and once every five days they will be a major story when Strasburg pitches.One out of five is probably the same odds of catching a watchable episode of Walker Texas Ranger.
Almost a week after the death of George Steinbrenner, the baseball community was dealt another blow. James Gammon, who played Indians manager Lou Brown in Major League and Major League II, passed away at the age of 70. Gammon had been battling cancer of the adrenal glands and liver.
Gammon may be recognizable from roles in movies such as Vision Quest and Cold Mountain, and his run as Nick Bridges on the television series Nash Bridges.
However, he will be most remembered as the exasperated coach in the Major League movies, who almost didn't take the job as manager because he had a guy on the other line asking about white walls.
Las Vegas and Orlando are two popular vacation destinations for Americans and are where the NBA stages their annual summer leagues. Saying Vegas is the more desirable location for NBA players is like saying Mel Gibson might have a temper, in turn plenty of veterans make their way there to have a good time under the guise of working out with their summer league team.While filling up my DVR space with day games and going through doubleheaders at night, below are some observations of interesting teams, players and stories from the summer.
Washington Wizards: John Wall's first games in the Washington uniform were must see TV for NBA fans and he didn't disappoint.He averaged 23.5 ppg, 7.8 apg, and 4.0 rebounds in four wins for the Wiz and showed that his speed and ability to get to rim will translate well to the NBA.He struggled a little with turnovers, committing 8 in his first game and only shot 37% from the field, but showed why he was the consensus number 1 pick and allows the Wiz to continue to shop Arenas.Javale McGhee a second year pro from Nevada-Reno also had a nice week as the 7 footer shot 68% from the field while averaging 19.5 ppg and 9.3 rpg and showed good chemistry with Wall.An athletic 7 footer who can run with Wall would be a valuable piece for a team that traded their best big man last year.The good vibes since winning the lottery continued this week for the Wiz and talks off a possible trade of Arenas to the Cavs would also be welcome news. Wall also showed leadership while on the court and the Wiz had the most entertaining coach of the summer in Sam Cassel, who was as entertaining to watch as Jon Gruden coaching high schoolers.
Sacramento Kings: Watching Damarcus Cousins was about as anticipated as Wall and he also had a good week overall.He showed quick feet, ability around the basket, and led the summer league in rebounding.He surprised with his jumper and took full advantage of 10 foul per player rule in the summer league with a points, rebounds and fouls triple double in the Kings second to last game. He averaged 14 pts and 9.8 boards for the five games, even as he slowed down considerably in the last two games.Cousins showed that passing on him could be a mistake as haunting as Lindsay Lohan missing her alcohol classes and the Kings also had nice showings from Donte Green, Omari Casspi, and second round pick Hassan Whiteside (5.2 rpg, 2.8 bpg), who could be nice bench guys for a team with a bright future if Paul Westphal can keep them from re-creating the Real World house in Sacramento.
Los Angeles Lakers: The reigning NBA champs usually don't have much going on in the summer league and very few roster spots to fill, but is it any surprise that the front office that stole Pau Gasol was able to draft two prospects worth second looks in the second round.Derrick Caracter averaged 15.4 ppg, 8.6 rbg, and 1.8 apg while shooting 59% and showed the ability to score in the post and should challenge for bench minutes. WVU's Devin Ebanks as expected rebounded at a high rate and unexpectedly showed NBA three point range.Both fill specific NBA bench needs and could be welcome additions to a Laker team that is remaking their bench on the fly.
Oklahoma City Thunder: As Lebron deserted his hometown and in turn became as likeable as Zack from Wedding Crashers, Durant quietly signed an extension and the organization taking over for San Antonio as the best in the league was in the Orlando. Like Durant and Westbrook before him James Harden was in Orlando working on specific aspects of his game.He averaged 17.5 pts/game while playing within himself and the offense.The Thunder expect a big jump from Harden this year and he came to Orlando in good shape and focused. Harden's play could be a microcosim of the Thunder, if he plays well a trip to the finals is not out of the question.Second year guards Eric Maynor and Kyle Weaver also showed versatile games for the Thunder as they continue to acquire depth.
Indiana Pacers: Also in Orlando, Paul George and Lance Stephenson showed why Larry Bird was so high on them.George averaged 15.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg through 5 games while Lance Stephenson averaged 14.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.3 apg through 4 games even after leaving the fourth game early with a sprained ankle.Some felt George was drafted too early, but if he continues to play like he did in Orlando he will be a steal.Stephenson scared most teams off with his Carlos Zambrano like attitude and baggage, but as he showed in draft workouts and on the court in Orlando, when focused and engaged he is a top ten talent.Most surprisingly he showed the ability to handle the ball and get to the rim which is much needed in Indiana.Josh McRoberts also averaged 14.0 ppg for the week and could also be an interesting bench piece.
Toronto Raptors: The forgotten team as everyone focuses on Miami and Cleveland after the fallout from "The Decision" aka "The Debacle".Toronto loses Bosh and smartly works a sign and trade for the trade exception.Chris Bosh was their best player but to call him a superstar is like calling David Spade a lead actor.Few teams bring their best player to summer league but that is what the Raptors did with DaMar DeRozan, he averaged 21 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 1.5 apg and was surrounded by some interesting young pieces.Sonny Weems showed the ability to score (17.5 ppg), Joey Dorsey showed the ability to rebound and not back down (9.8 rpg), and Ed Davis showed he might break the trend of recent Carolina big men no showing in their rookie years.Unlike Wright and Hansborough, Davis should play effectively in his rookie year showing good touch on his jumper and was efficient in limited minutes on the defense end.A 5-0 summer league will be the highlight of the upcoming Raptor year like the Indians having the best spring training record this year.
Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs summer league was anticipated due to Rodrigue Beaubois and his array of off the dribble moves as he looked to take another step towards starting next to Kidd.Beaubois was the talk of Dallas last year as the Mavs collapsed in the playoffs and he showed he can be a part of the guard rotation after his week in Vegas averaging 14 ppg, 3 apg, and 2 rbg while concentrating on his jump shot. Dominique Jones and Jeremy Lin stole the spotlight from Beaubois after their weeks in Vegas.Jones, who the Mavs traded for after his highly productive career at S. Fla showed the same ability to score in Vegas.He scored 28 on 9-17 shooting and held John Wall to 4-19 in the most entertaining game of the week. His averages of 16 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.4 apg showed they he can play offensively, but his defense might be the most welcome addition to the Mavs. Lin who was invited to camp after his senior year at Harvard showed the athleticism that was questioned and the reason he was not drafted. Lin, a big guard who averaged 9.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.8 apg for the week already got a contract offer which shows how impressed the Mavs brass were with the former Crimson star.
Other big weeks were had by Greg Monroe who finished with 27 and 14 in his last game of the week and averaged 14 ppg, 6 rpg, 8 apg.
Quincy Pondexter had 26 points in his finale for New Orleans and had seemed to defend John Wall as good if not better than Jones and the Mavs.
Larry Sanders showed he is versatile enough to make an impact for the Bucks from Day one.He averaged 14 ppg, 8.4 rpg, and 3.2 bpg and is immediately Milwaukee's most athletic big man. His step back crossover jumper in the teams last game was reminiscent of Gordon Hayward in the tourney and even made Scott Skiles smile.
On the other end of the spectrum, Minnesota continued to make the Raiders look like a model front office after GM David Kahn tried to compare Darko to Chris Webber who was announcing the Wolves game for NBA TV.Coach Kurt Rambis also on air tried to make the case that Al Jefferson and his 20/10 was not a good fit for the team that was last in the league in points scored per game last year.The Minnesota front office would make great additions to BP management.
After a much needed corporate retreat to Dewey Beach, the I'll Be Frank staff is tanned, well rested, and ready to work. We will be working harder than Dane Cook trying to make his jokes funny.
A few things in the world of sports happened during our sebatacle:
1. George Steinbrenner died. The Pirates quickly traded Pedro Alvarez and Ryan Doumit to the Yankees for a reserved seat at the funeral, a funeral wreath, a funeral procession flag, and a minor leaguer to be named later.
For anyone interested TBS will be airing a tribute to Steinbrenner, by showing 10 episodes of Seinfeld, in which Larry David portrayed the Yankees' boss. All this week from 7-8 p.m on TBS.
2. The National League won their first All-Star game in years. America didn't care to watch Marlon Byrd battle Matt Thornton. The game experienced miserable ratings and the few people who did watch it, didn't even get to see Omar Infante's amazing utility work put to use.
3. Miami Heat beef up roster with signings of Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem, and Zydrunus Ilgauskas. Heat roster goes from Olsen Twins thin to D.J. Tanner chubby.
4. T.O. feels shunned by NFL. I understand he is a nuisance and a negative force in the locker room, but Donte Stallworth killed a man, went to jail, has injury problems, never had a season comparable to T.O., and yet he is signed, and Owens is jobless. Hardly makes sense to me.
5. John Daly shot a 66 at the British Open. The last time he saw a 66 was when he split 6s at a blackjack table at an Indian casino after a weeklong bender that followed losing endorsements from 84 Lumber and Hooters.
To get back into the swing of things I will now continue with the rasslin' countdown starting with wrestlers 15-7.
Quick recap of wrestlers 25-16:
25. Doink 24. Yokozuna 23. Captain Lou Albano 22. "Double J" Jeff Jarrett 21. Hacksaw Jim Duggan 20. British Bulldog 19. Vader 18. Harlem Heat 17. Sgt. Slaughter 16. Diamond Dallas Page
15. The Rock (WWF 96-04)
Do you smmmmmeeellllllllll, what The Rock's cookin'?
Wrestling's first third-generation superstar, The Rock gave up a career as professional football player to follow the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
The Rock was a defensive lineman on the 1991 Miami Hurricanes' National Championship team. After an injury left him sidelined, he was replaced in the starting lineup by his back-up Warren Sapp. Ever hear of him?
The Rock began his career as Rocky Maivia, a clean-cut character lacking experience in the ring, but within 3 months he was already the Intercontinental Champion. With the rise of the Attitude Era led by Stone Cold Steve Austin. Maivia joined the Nation of Domination and took over a heel persona.
While with the Nation, The Rock began to perfect his patented third-person promos by hurling insults at the crowd.
Because of his entertaining interviews and rising popularity, the WWF tossed The Rock into the spotlight as he became the youngest WWF Champion in history. As with most wrestlers he had a constant flux from hero to villian status, but because of his in ring persona, interviews, eyebrow raising, and self-proclamation as the "People's Champion," The Rock remained a fan favorite until his early retirement in 2004.
Arguably the best set-up to a finishing move in the history of wrestling. The lead up to the People's Elbow was as entertaining as any of The Rock's Hollywood movies.
The Rock may just be the most charismatic and entertaining wrestler in the history of the industry. The delivery of his famous catch phrases and his on-mic interviews were some of the greatest in the history of the sport. His in-ring performances, gimmicks, and mannerisms, are no less inspiring than his performance in the Razzie nominated "The Tooth Fairy."
His acting career has even had some high marks, as is evident by him landing a co-starring role with X to the Z, Xzibit, in The Gridiron Gang. True acting magic. Sort of like Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in Shawshank.
14. The Ultimate Warrior (WWF 87-92,96 WCW 92-96)
Probably the most coked-out and steroided wrestler of the late 80s, The Warrior was known for his high-energy entrances, where he would run at full sprint into the ring and shake the ropes as if they were electrifying him.
The Warrior was recognizable by his zubaz pants-esque face paint.
The Warrior was kicked out of the WWF for a supposive positive steroids test. Steroids in pro-wrestling? No way.
His early exit did not come before one of my first memories of pro wrestling.
The Warrior was locked in a coffin by the Undertaker and Paul Bearer during Bearer's Funeral Parlor segment. After repeated attempts to free The Warrior by WWF officials, they finally were able to open the coffin to reveal a lifeless Warrior. After being revived by CPR, The Warrior led a crusade against the Taker.
In his mission to beat the Undertaker, The Warrior was befriended by Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Roberts offered to lead The Warrior through 3 tests that would give him "knowledge of the dark side" and help him defeat the Undertaker.
Test 1: The Warrior was re-locked inside a coffin. Test 2: The Warrior was buried alive. Test 3: The Warrior was put in a room full of snakes and told that the answer he was looking for, was waiting for him in a chest in the middle of the room. After manuevering his way to the chest, he opened it only to reveal a King Cobra, which bit The Warrior in the face. In a weakened state, The Warrior learned that Roberts was in collaboration with The Undertaker and Paul Bearer, and left The Warrior with a final remark, "Never trust a snake."
13. Triple H (WCW 94, WWF 95-Present)
The first current wrestler to make the list rings in at #13.
I don't remember this but Triple H burst into the pro wrestling scene in 1993 for WCW under the hilarious name: Terra Ryzing. Come on WCW that is just Terra Bull.
He didn't really make an impact until his jump to the WWF in 95 when he dumped the Terra Ryzing moniker and introduced himself as "The Connecticut True Blood" Hunter Hearst Helmsley. He was quick to offer promos about proper etiquitte and subsequently poke fun at Northeastern elitists.
Hunter wasn't very well received until he started making his ring entrances with a different valet on his arm. He was escorted by numerous Playmates, but none more famous to the wrestling community than Sable. The first true WWF diva, Sable, was the blonde bombshell, that all the men sitting at home with salsa stains running down their t-shirts fantisized they could be with.
Triple H never made the leap to superstardom as the blue blood, that progression would take place when he replaced his equestrian regala for tshirts and leather as he and Shawn Michaels formed D-Generation X. With the catch phrase "Suck It" and the crotch chopping sign, Triple H had arrived on the main stage.
His departure from D-X for a solo career is comparable to Beyonce leaving Destiny's Child. Just mentioned Destiny's Child because it gives me reason to post a picture of Beyonce.
Triple H dubbed himself "The Game" and started a feud with his real-life father in law, WWF Chairman, Vince McMahon. Rivalries with top-stars Steve Austin and The Rock propelled Triple H into championship contention.
Currently he has held the World Championship 13 times.
Triple H has gone through many gimmick and character changes throughout his career, but with the departures of Austin and The Rock during the mid-2000s, he has been the glue that has held the WWF together. He has ushered in new talent, while still remaining at the top of his game. For this the 13X champ, gets #13 on our list.
12. Mick Foley (WCW 91-94, WWF 96-08)
The split personalities of Mick Foley during his run in the WWF were legendary. He began as Mankind with promos that warned of his arrival. In the videos, he would be sitting in boiler rooms, talking to rats while spontaneously screaming "Mommy." It was a dark and tortured character that resembled the Hunchback of Notre Dame. He wore a mask to hide his suppossed mutulated face, and would rip out his hair. He would use the "mandible claw," in which he would stick his fingers down an opponents throat to get them to submit.
Mick's next character was Dude Love, a laid back hippie that was the free-loving opposite of his Mankind persona.
Next he introduced Cactus Jack, the extreme, hardcore wrestling persona of Foley. While using the Jack character, he teamed up with extreme wrestling legend Terry Funk and they became the tag team of Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie. As Jack, Foley showed off his crazy side, resorting to hardcore tactics such as using barbed wire bats, leather straps and Dumpster matches.
In '98 Foley switched back to Mankind to take on the Undertaker at King of the Ring. In what has been regarded as one of the greatest matches in wrestling history, Foley and the Taker destroyed each other, as well as, the cage in their Hell in a Cell match. Foley received numerous injuries as results from taking two falls from the top of the cage. The first fall had the Undertaker throwing Foley from the top of the cage and onto an announcer's table some 16 feet below. After witnessing the fall, Jim Ross shouted, "Good God almighty! Good God almighty! They've killed him! As God as my witness, he is broken in half!"
The second fall occured when The Undertaker choke slammed him through the top of the cage. As he fell to the canvas, a chair landed on Foley's head, knocking out his tooth and leaving him unconscious. After waking up he was able to continue wrestling. That wasn't the end for the pain. Foley was slammed twice onto a pile of tacks, leaving his skin impaled by the nails.
I don't care how fake wrestling is; falling from 16 feet and crashing through a table has to be ridiculously painful. Then to actually get knocked unconscious and get up, only to be slammed into a pile of nails, that is insane. I know wrestling is "pretend" but just think what has to be going through your mind as you send a man, with a family and kids, flying 16 feet through the air onto the ground. It was almost like they really hated each other. Check out the clip below to see how gruesome it really was.
That match sent Foley into main-event status, and cemented him as the most hardcore of the WWF wrestlers.
11. NWO (WCW 96-00)
4 Liiiife.
The NWO started off as a gang-style take over of WCW. Started by Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, NWO gained extreme momentum when Hulk Hogan legdropped partner Randy Savage and declared that he was sick of his image and was joining Nash and Hall as The Outsiders. Hogan soon became Hollywood Hogan and grew a beard underneath his signature handlebar mustache.
Others to soon join NWO:
WCW president Eric Bischoff Ted DiBiase The Giant nWo Sting Syxx Vincent Miss Elizabeth Nick Patrick Buff Bagwell V.K.Wallstreet Masahiro Chono Big Bubba Rogers Scott Norton Randy Savage Dennis Rodman The Great Muta Konnan Curt Hennig Rick Rude Brian Adams The Disciple Dusty Rhodes Scott Steiner Louie Spicolli
After some internal rifts, mainly the non-renewal of Syxx's contract and the removal of Scott Hall from television, a new faction of the NWO was born. The Wolfpac.
Led by Nash, Hall and Savage, The Wolfpac challenged Hogan's NWO Hollywood, for supremacy of WCW.
Personally, I was always a Wolfpac guy. They just seemed to be having more fun and with the Red and Black it was just Tooooo Sweeeeeeeet.
My favorite Wolfpac member had to be Konnan or K-Dogg. He was supposed to be a sterotype for a Mexican gang member: The backwards bandana, baggy pants, shirt open except for the top button.
The NWO was great for WCW. WWF had dominated the wrestling world in the early '90s, but their top wrestlers' contracts were beginning to run out. Wisely, WCW snatched up these free agents, and billed them as "The Outsiders" Of course everyone who was a WWF fan knew these characters, but once they jumped to WCW they took on new names and personas. NWO was a great way to incorporate the new wrestlers, as well as, grow their fan base. During the late 90s, WCW and Monday Nitro, with the help of the NWO, made WCW the top wrestling commodity on t.v.
10. Lex Luger (WWF 93-95, WCW 87-92, 95-01)
Arguably my favorite wrestler during his run with the WWF. I couldn't wait for the weekly feuding between Luger and the Indian stereotype Tatanka. In fact one time, as a kid, I was competing in a trivia contest, and not being a comic book fan, came across a question that read, "Who was Lex Luther's arch-enemy?" Not knowing, at the time, that Lex Luther was the nemesis of Superman, I thought it was a typo and the question meant to refer to Lex Luger. Naturally, I knew that Luger and Tatanka hated each other and thus wrote in Tatanka as my answer.
Luger like The Rock played football at the U.. Luger, however, toiled in the professional ranks with short stints in the CFL, NFL, and USFL.
Luger was in a motorcycle accident and had a metal plate put into his arm, which he incorporated in the ring. He would pat his bicep, supposively where the plate was, and destroy opponents with a vicious clothesline, before subjecting them to the torture rack.
Luger became my favorite wrestler after he successfully body slammed Yokozuna on the USS Intrepid during a 4th of July celebration and emerged as an American hero. As I stated before I vividly remember the Luger/Tatanka feud because they were portrayed as friends and allies before Tatanka turned on Luger and joined Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation. Luger joined with the British Bulldog to create the Allied Powers and battle the Corporation.
Luger then jumped ship and re-joined WCW and revisited his past role as a heel, when he opposed Hogan for the World Heavyweight title. During his second go-around in the WCW, Luger was an intregal part of WCW stance against the Outsiders and the NWO. Eventually Luger would turn on the WCW and join the Wolfpac.
Luger like most wrestlers of this time period fell from grace rather quickly. Once their star faded, they were forced out of the business. Following wrestling Luger faced a few legal problems. In 2003, Luger was arrested for a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, better known as the Macho Man's manager Miss Elizabeth, in which Luger was accused of hitting her. Elizabeth had two bruised eyes, a bump on her head, and a cut lip. Two days later he was arrested again for driving under the influence after rear-ending another car.
His legal troubles continued a few weeks later when Luger was arrested after a search of the residence revealed a number of illicit controlled substances, including anabolic steroids, OxyContin, synthetic growth hormone, testosterone, and Alprazolam. The search was a result of the death of Miss Elizabeth from the mixing of hydrocodone, Xanax,and anabolic steroids with vodka. The death was ruled an accident, but Luger pleaded guilty to 14 counts of drug possession, 13 of them felonies.
In October of 2007, Luger suffered a spinal stroke that left him in a quadriplegic state. Luger issaid to be able to stand on his own for short periods of time and walk using a walker. The once chiseled body-builder has withered away to 170 lbs.
9. Macho Man Randy Savage (WWF 85-94, WCW 94-00)
Oohhhh Yeeeah!!
The WWF named Savage their greatest champion of all time. They credited him for bringing "a higher level of credibility to the title through his amazing in-ring performances. Best known for his raspy voice, energetic performances and knack for winning titles, Macho Man is an all-time great in the the realm of wrestling. Among his 20 titles, Savage is the 7-time World Heavyweight champion: a 2-time WWF Champion, 4-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, 1-time USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion, and Also a 1-time WWF Intercontinental Champion.
Over his long career he has feuded with some of the giants of the wrestling industry: Hogan, George Steele, Bruno Sammartino, and Ric Flair to name a few. But it wasn't until he teamed up with Hogan to become the Mega Powers that his superstardom arose. The Mega Powers battled mostly with The Mega Bucks a team comprised of Ted Dibiase and Andre the Giant.
The Powers dissolved after Hogan accidently eliminated Savage during the '89 Royal Rumble and took Savage's manager Miss Elizabeth as his own. At Wrestlemania V, Savage lost the WWF title to Hogan after holding onto the title for 371 days, becoming the sixth longest reigning WWF Champion in history. No wrestler after Savage would hold the title for more than a year until John Cena did it nineteen years later.
2 years later at Wrestlemania VII, Savage faced off against the Ultimate Warrior in a Career-Ending Match, with the loser having to retire. Savage lost the match even after delivering five consecutive elbow drops in which Warrior somehow managed to kick out of. The Warrior was able to procure victory after several flying clotheslines and shoulder blocks. After the match, Savage was attacked by Queen Sherri as he lay in the ring. This attack was too much for Miss Elizabeth, who happened to be in the audience. Elizabeth rushed to Savage's aid, fighting off Sherri and reuniting with her one-time love to huge crowd ovation.
Savage eventually returned to the ring to feud with Jake Roberts and Flair before uniting with the Warrior as a tag team known as the Ultimate Maniacs. He continued in the WWF for a few more years with great success, but like most wrestlers of the era, his contract ran out and he joined WCW.
While at WCW, it wasn't hard for him to just re-create his WWF image. It was popular with the fans and he was good at it. In the WCW, he began to feud with old rivals, most notably Flair. The rivalry lasted a while and was only flushed out by the turning of Hogan against his old friend Savage.
Savage was the victim of the attack, in which Hogan revealed himself as the 3rd member of The Outsiders. After a short battle with Hogan, Savage's contract expired and he left WCW.
The exit was short-lived, as he returned at SuperBrawl VII to this time help Hogan, in defeating Roddy Piper and declaring himself a member of the NWO. The NWO reaked havoc throughout WCW, before internal issues started to tear the faction apart.
At the Spring Stampede in '98 Savage was given the opportunity to face Sting for the WCW Heavyweight Championship. Feeling that he was the only member of NWO that deserved the title, Hogan tried everything he could do to stop Savage from winning. But with the help and protection of Kevin Nash, Savage defeated Sting, despite tearing his ACL during the match. The next night, Hogan challenged Savage for the title. When it looked as though Hogan would win, Nash, for the second consecutive night, came to Savage's aid and powerbombed Hogan. Savage was unable to take advantage of this help, but held onto the title after a Bret Hart interference.
The clash with Hogan allowed Savage to join Nash and Scott Hall as members of the Wolfpac.
After a run in the Wolfpac, Savage turned on Nash and left the group. He became rogue and debuted a new look and heel character. He had new music, a slick-backed ponytail and a 22-year-old girlfriend.
In 2000, his WCW contract expired again and he left the company for good.
As good as Savage was as a wrestler, I will always remember him as a spokesman for Slim Jim. There would always be an explosion, followed by that raspy voice peddling the product. Pure advertising genius. I love Slim Jims, I don't know anyone who can honestly say that they don't like that beefy, spicy goodness. I know when I need a little excitment, all I have to do is snap into a Slim Jim.
8. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WCW 91-95, WWF 95-10)
The beer guzzling, middle finger waving, authority defying texas rattlesnake was identified by WWF owner Vince McMahon as the most popular wrestler in the company's history.
Of course he was the most popular of all-time, along with his numerous catch phrases there were two things you could count on with Austin, he was down for a fight anywhere, anytime and with anyone, and secondly that he would gladly accept beers, s thrown from the audience, smash them together, and down them in the middle of the ring.
He was as anti-corporate as Peter Gibbons from Office Space. Austin hated Vince McMahon, and their feud was always entertaining, as McMahon was usually made to look like a fool.
Still to this day anytime I hear glass breaking, I think of Austin's entrance and expect a ruckus to ensue.
Austin didn't care who he offended, did not adhere to the concept of political correctness, and gave a performance that really played to the crowd. To the fans, Austin was just another backwoods tough guy that didn't take crap from "the man" and thoroughly enjoyed a cold beer and dishing out a big ol' can of whoop ass.
For Austin his career started off in the WCW where he was portrayed as the very antithesis of his Austin character. In his run at WCW he was known as Stunning Steve Austin and was part of a tag-team known as The Blonds. With a flowing mane of blonde hair, and a narcissistic attitude, he was the very person that the Stone Cold character hated. While never even coming close the the success and fame he would have in the WWF, Austin was still able to become the WCW Heavyweight Champion on two different occasions.
After moving to the WWF, he became known as the Ringmaster, and wrestled under the manangement of Ted Dibiase. After a short run as Dibiase's Million Dollar Champion, Austin took on the role of Stone Cold.
With the invention of Austin 3:16, which would become one of the most popular catch phrases in the industry's history, Stone Cold escalated to stardom. The 3:16 idea began during a feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Austin and Roberts, who was portraying a born-again Christian, battled in the finals of the '96 King of the Ring. After beating Roberts, Austin said, "You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere! Talk about your psalms, talk about John 3:16... Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass!" And the legend of Austin 3:16 was born.
At the '97 SummerSlam, Austin wrestled Bret Hart for the Intercontinental Championship. A stipulation was added to the match, that said, if Austin lost he would have to kiss Hart's butt. During the match, Hart botched a piledriver and dropped Austin on his head, resulting in a legitimate broken neck for Austin and temporary paralysis. As Hart stalled by baiting the audience, Austin managed to crawl and pin Hart to win the Intercontinental Championship.
Austin wasn't even afraid to scuffle with Mike Tyson. After McMahon declared Tyson "the baddest man on the planet," Austin took offense, confronted Tyson and after threatening the former Heavyweight Champion of the world, began a brawl in the middle of the ring.
Other than his uncensored vocabulary, beer drinking, and bird flipping, Austin will be most remembered for his feud with McMahon and his family. Every incident turned into an event. Whether he stole Vince's limo and set it on fire, or drove a monster truck into the arena, every McMahon/Austin confrontation was classic. On one instance, after being fired by McMahon, Austin kidnapped his boss, drug him to the ring, held him at gunpoint and threatened to shoot the owner of the WWF. After pulling the trigger, it was revealed that the gun was a toy, as a flag appeared with the words BANG 3:16 on it. Austin made sure to share with the audience that McMahon had indeed peed his pants in the middle of the ring.
Austin was arguably the most popular wrestler in history. He was the face of the Attitude Era, when rebels such as the NWO, ruled the wrestling world. Austin was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009.
A list of his accomplishments:
2 x WCW Heavyweight Champion 1 x WCW Tag Team Champion 2 x WCW Television Champion 6 x WWF Champion 2 x WWF Intercontinental Champion 4 x WWF Tag Team Champion 1996 King of the Ring 3 x Royal Rumble Champion ('97, '98, '01) 2009 Hall of Fame inductee
7. Razor Ramon/Scott Hall (WCW 91-92, 96-00; WWF 92-96, 00-02)
After a year stint with WCW as the Diamond Studd, the 6'7" 280 lb, Scott Hall transferred to the WWF and began to pitch an idea of a Cuban bully from Miami in the mold of Pacino's Scarface.
Immediately WWF brass took to the idea of a shady but flashy and stylish Cuban bully. Armed with a Cuban accent, enough bling to make Diddy jealous, and a finishing move known as The Razor's Edge, Hall dove right into the Razor Ramon character. With classic sayings, such as "Chico" and "Say Hello to the Bad Guy," a star was born.
What an entrance the guy made, a nice leisurely strut to the ring. Greased long hair flowing over an opened vest that revealed a sweater of chest hair. A Fort Knox worth of gold swaying from his neck, as he made his way directly to the camera and tossed his patented toothpick right at the lens. When Ramon finally made it to the ring, he was accompanied by a display of fireworks that would make the Pirates SkyBlast jealous, all the while Ramon mouthed words to the camera with an arrogant smirk on his face. A truly classic entrance.
Ramon got thrown into the spotlight early in his WWF career as he interferred in a WWF Championship match between Randy Savage and Ric Flair. Ramon's interference allowed Flair to win the title away from Savage. This led to a Ramon/Flair tag team matchup at Survivor Series againts Savage and the Ultimate Warrior. However, Warrior was fired, and Mr. Perfect took his place. Razor and Flair lost the match because they were disqualified for constantely double teaming their opponents.
For most of his WWF career Razor Ramon was in the mix for the Intercontinental Championship.
Razor went on to begin a feud with Shawn Michaels over the Intercontinental Championship. Ramon had defeated IRS for his first title at the 94 Royal Rumble. However, Shawn Michaels had vacated the title because of a suspension, and felt he was the rightful owner of the belt. Upon return from suspension, Michaels had fabricated his own Intercontinental Championship belt and began wearing it on-air. In what would become the 1994 Match of the Year, Ramon and Michaels faced off in a ladder match at Wrestlemania X. Whatever wrestler that was able to successfully climb a ladder and retrieve both belts that were suspended above the ring, would become champion. After an intense and grueling match Razor was able to climb the ladder and grab the title.
The feud with Michaels would continue as Ramon lost the title to Michaels' body guard Diesel, Ramon's future NWO co-founder Kevin Nash, due to interference by Michaels. At the 94 SummerSlam, with Chicago Bears' great Walter Payton in his corner, Ramon regained the title from Diesel as Michaels inadvertantly hit his bodyguard with some Sweet Chin Music.
Ramon would then go on to feud with Jeff Jarrett for the Intercontinental Title. After losing the title to Jarrett at the '95 Royal Rumble, the rivalry continued into Wrestlemania XI, where Ramon won by disqualification, due to interference by The Roadie, and Jarrett kept the belt. To combat the interference at WM XI, Ramon faced off against Jarrett and the Roadie in a handicap match, and won.
Solidifing himself as the king of ladder matches, Ramon defeated Jarrett to become the first ever three-time Intercontinental Champion. However, this win was accidental. Jarrett was written in as the winner of the match, but was injured to the point where he couldn't keep Ramon from climbing the ladder and reaching the belts. In order to not break performance, Ramon finished the match and won the belt. Three days later, a healthy Jarrett, regained the title.
Micheals had defeated Jarrett for the IC title and Ramon was given another shot, in what was promoted as a WM X ladder rematch. This time around Michaels was victorious and kept the belt. A few weeks later, Michaels forfeited the title to Dean Douglas, and Ramon was able to beat Douglas to earn his 4th IC championship.
After losing the IC title to newcomer Goldust at the '96 Royal Rumble, it was time for Ramon to once again rejoin the WCW.
Hall's first appearance on WCW television after leaving the WWF was an unannounced interview where he appeared from the crowd in street clothes, claiming to be "an outsider. In the following weeks he was joined by Kevin Nash, and the two claimed they were going to begin a hostile takeover of WCW. At the '96 Bash at the Beach, Nash and Hall became known as The Outsiders. With the help of a mystery partner, they took on Sting, Lex Luger, and Randy Savage. The mystery partner was revealed to be Hulk Hogan, and the three formed the NWO. The NWO grew as Syxx-pac, The Giant, and Buff Bagwell joined.
At Halloween Havoc in '96, Hall and Nash defeated Harlem Heat for their first Tag-team championship. The team would go on to win matches against the Nasty Boys, Faces of Fear, and the Steiner Brothers to keep their title. Because Eric Bischoff was a member of the NWO, he would use his power to allow Nash and Hall to keep their titles whenever the lost them.
With Nash and Syxx out with injury, Hall focused on his solo career, and in what would become his greatest moment in the WCW, he won the 60-man Battle Royal at World War 3 in 1997, to earn a shot at the WCW Heavyweight Championship.
In the title shot he earned from winning at World War 3, Hall lost the title match to Sting, due to interference from Dusty Rhodes. An upset Hall threatened to cause Havoc on the WCW because of the loss. In order to keep him in check, Bischoff suspended Hall from television. During his absense, the NWO was split into 2 warring factions, one led by Hogan, the other led by Nash. Upon his return, Hall joined Nash in the Wolfpac.
However at Slamboree, Hall and Nash defended their Tag-Team titles against Sting and The Giant. In a surprise move, Hall turned on Nash and cost them the titles. This move made it clear that Hall would join Hogan in NWO Hollywood.
Hogan lost the WCW World Heavyweight championship to Goldberg, and blamed the defeat solely on Hall. Hogan and Hall were matched up against each other on Nitro. It appeared that Hall was finally sick of Hogan and was ready to leave NWO Hollywood. Nash, in an effort to regain his friendship with Hall, was ready to jackknife powerbomb Hogan, when he was again attacked by Hall. Hall solidified himself with Hollywood.
Soon Hall's character began to grow out of control, often bringing alcohol to the ring. These issues mirrored Hall's real life substance abuse problems, which led to a physical confrontation between Hall and the Wolfpac at a bar.
Hall and Nash finally faced off against each other at the '98 Halloween Havoc. Nash destroyed Hall with 2 Powerbombs, but in an act of mercy, left the ring and was disqualified by count-out.
After being ousted by NWO Hollywood, Hall began referring to himself as The Lone Wolf. Hall needed a tag-team parter to face Scott Steiner and Horace Hogan, but declared he would fight them himself. To protect an old friend Kevin Nash said he would join Hall for the match. Nash and Hall proved to be formidable once again.
To repay Nash for his friendship, Hall dressed up as a security guard and used a stun-gun on Goldberg, that allowed Nash to win the WCW Heavyweight Championship, and deliver Goldberg his first career loss.
With Nash and Hall back to seeing eye-to-eye, Hall won the U.S. Heavyweight title from Roddy Piper at SuperBrawl IX, but had to forfeit it a few weeks later due to injury. During the injury, Hall and Nash would show up to television tapings and declare that "the band was getting back together."
Once he returned from injury, Hall defeated Goldberg, Bret Hart, and Sid Vicious, in a Texas Tornado Ladder match to win his 2nd U.S. Heavyweight Championship. A few weeks later he also defeated Rick Steiner to win the WCW Television Championship, and simultaneously hold two titles.
In typically Hall fashion, he vacated the T.V. title by throwing it in the trash, and was forced to give up the U.S. title because of another injury. However, Nash and Hall eventually teamed up and defeated Bret Hart and Goldberg for their 6th Tag-Team Championship.
Personal problems once again arose for Hall, and his time with WCW was soon over. In all, while at WCW, he won 7 Tag-Team titles, 2 U.S. Heavyweight titles, and 1 Television title. But what Hall will be most remembered for, is the founding of the NWO, and the impact it had on wrestling in the late '90s.
In 2008, Hall was arrested during a roast of the Iron Sheik in New Jersey. During the roast, comedian Jimmy Graham joked, "After The Sheik and Hacksaw Jim got caught snorting coke in the parking lot, his career fell faster than Owen Hart." An enraged Hall charged the stage and knocked Graham off the podium, then grabbed the microphone frand yelled about how he was disrespecting Hart. Graham described the incident on his MySpace page, adding that he loved Hart as a wrestler and as a man and believed Hart would have laughed at the joke. He also claimed that Hall was drunk at the time of the attack.
