Hulk Hogan on "Off the Record" Part 2

[Guest pappajacks]

TSN aired the second part of the Hogan interview this evening. All I can say is that he has a huuuuge ego.

 

He said that Flair was a great worker, not a great wrestler. He said Flair never won any amateur wrestling competition like someone like Angle has. He said that someone that does head locks every 30 seconds does not constitute a great wrestler. He praised Angle a lot.

 

When the interviewer asked him about politics, Hogan responded that HHH is one of the best at it. He also said that Warrior wasn't so great at it. Warrior could have survived a lot longer if he played the political game.

 

Hogan described his relationship with Savage. He said he wished they can get along. They don't speak to each other.

 

Hogan also said that through the years, he only has 3 friends in the wrestling business: Jimmy Hart, Brutus and Vince McMahon.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

In the title you said he mentioned Hall........yet I don't see Scotty's name mentioned at all.

[Guest Downhome]

TSN aired the second part of the Hogan interview this evening. All I can say is that he has a huuuuge ego.

 

He said that Flair was a great worker, not a great wrestler. He said Flair never won any amateur wrestling competition like someone like Angle has. He said that someone that does head locks every 30 seconds does not constitute a great wrestler. He praised Angle a lot.

 

When the interviewer asked him about politics, Hogan responded that HHH is one of the best at it. He also said that Warrior wasn't so great at it. Warrior could have survived a lot longer if he played the political game.

 

Hogan described his relationship with Savage. He said he wished they can get along. They don't speak to each other.

 

Hogan also said that through the years, he only has 3 friends in the wrestling business: Jimmy Hart, Brutus and Vince McMahon.

What exactly is so wrong with all of that this time? What he said about Flair is true, so what's the problem? I'm one of the biggest Flair fans of all time, and I've never called him the greatest WRESTLER, WORKER yes, wrestler no.

 

It's great he acknowledges Kurt Angle, that's true also.

 

HHH IS one of the best at playing the political game, however sad and fucked up that it is, as for The Ultimate Warrior, I'm sure that's true also.

 

So what's the problem here?

[Guest pappajacks]

In response to Hall:

 

He talked about how some guys were just happy to make money and headline a few main events. He said some people are happier staying home and looking after their children while others can do a lot more like look after their kids and be on the road.

[Guest Downhome]

By the way, he didn't "put Flair down", he simply stated it how it is. Flair is great, and IS a great worker, but he is not the best wrestler out there. Kurt Angle is a far better wrestler, as is Benoit and the such. Flair is the greatest all around worker of all time, that is why he's thought of so highly.

[Guest CanadianChick]

papajacks forgot to mention that Hogan felt that while Ric Flair is one of the greatest, Hogan thinks that Flair is in Hogan's shadow and that Hogan will be in the record books as the best of all time.

[Guest Downhome]

papajacks forgot to mention that Hogan felt that while Ric Flair is one of the greatest, Hogan thinks that Flair is in Hogan's shadow and that Hogan will be in the record books as the best of all time.

While it isn't true that Hogan was "better" than Flair, that statement is true also. Hogan will go down as the best of all time. I mean, when you even ask someone who doesn't watch wrestler, 9/10 would mention Hulk Hogan before they would ever mention Flair. Hogan simply became so huge all over the world, that it's the sad truth.

[Guest pappajacks]

When the interviewer asked him who is the greatest of all-time, Hogan or Flair, Terry responded that the Hulk Hogan character is the Babe Ruth of wrestling.

 

He also put down Roddy Piper. He said that Piper headlined WM 1. He was given the ball. He didn't headline anything after that, while he (Hogan) headlined every WM until he left the WWF.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Angle is pretty overrated. Compare him to 80's ear Flair and it's no contest as who's better. Angle is still a relative rookie when it comes to intangibles like psychology and besides the point, what the hell does winning an amateur competition have to do with anything anyway?

 

If it was actual competition, then yeah, Hogan would be right, but it isn't, so it's just more of Hogan speaking through his ass like usual. Flair was a great worker and wrestler because he DID do the intangibles even if he wasn't the best athlete out there, something Kurt isn't even close to understanding at this point and probably never will, either.

[Guest Brian]

He's taking shots at all of Flair's work when he says headlocks every thirty seconds. Flair is the best wrestler ever.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Landsberg asked if a great wrestler can be a great entertaining (something along those lines) and Hogan said no - and asked Landsberg to name someone who was a great wrestler and could entertain - and Landsberg said Ric Flair. Hogan said Ric wasn't a great wrestler taking wrestler in its literal, amateur form (which is correct. The moment a match gets worked it becomes 'entertainment' and a great entertainer brings in buyrates, ratings, puts asses in a seat and generally 'entertains' the crowd) Hogan then said that Kurt Angle was slowly progressing into being a great entertainer while being a great wrestler.

 

I hate landsberg. Normally his wrestling interviews are top notch but he kept cutting hogan off just when hogan was starting up on a subject. They spent very little time on politics (well, directly talking about it) and he had the master of the game right infront of him. They could talked VOLUMES on the subject and we only got a few lines. And the thing that really bothers me, HOGAN WAS WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT!

[Guest Brian]

Hogan's views are incredibly jaded and trashed and there's probably other things to talk about, and a lot of other content. But there are alot of great wrestlers who were great entertainers, especially in their day.

[Guest pappajacks]

Recap of Hulk Hogan on TSN's Off The Record (Part II)

Date: December 26, 2002

Host: Michael Landsberg

Written by: Paul Nemer of WrestleView.com

 

Landsberg says that whenever Vince McMahon is asked about his opinion of WCW, he says that WCW made it by stealing his stars. Hulk says that it's Vince McMahon's opinion. Hulk says that WCW was great for him and resurrected his career. Vince wasn't the only game in town, when they were beating him in the ratings. Then he said that WCW was his ATM machine.

 

Hogan says that Bischoff has good instincts. He was a victim of his own success. He listened to the wrong people and got off track.

 

Vince Russo not a big fan of his?

 

Hogan said not really. He said that Russo was a writer for the WWF, he became closer to Vince than just a writer. Russo then went to WCW and was part of the demise of WCW.

 

What caused the end of WCW? What went wrong?

 

The first thing that went wrong is that they were competing against the WWF. The WWF is the McMahon's lives, they are wrestling. As far as WCW goes, five minutes after five, he couldn't reach anyone in WCW. It was sort of like a schedule from 8 to 5. WWF is always open; wrestling is in the McMahon family's blood. When WCW was up and Vince was down, instead of WCW kicking him and keeping him down, they let him up, and this was their mistake.

 

What went wrong with Goldberg?

 

Hogan said that nothing went wrong with Goldberg. He is making a lot of money now in Japan. Goldberg started out in a wrestling school and was noticed fast. He didn't pay his dues like other wrestlers, but he made it. Landsberg asked Hogan if Vince could make Goldberg a star. Hogan said yes.

 

Would you do the move (in bringing Goldberg back) if you were Vince?

 

Hogan said yes.

 

Walk us through the evolution of the nWo.

 

Hogan said that Hall and Nash left the WWF and signed with WCW. Bischoff came up with the nWo idea and were looking for a third partner. At that time, Hogan was filming "Santa With Muscles." Hogan heard about it and wanted to be the third man. The only thing that hasn't been done in wrestling was turning Hulk Hogan heel. It shocked the wrestling world, and when Hogan teamed with Hall and Nash, he said that it was BIG!

 

Hogan talked about the WWF bringing back the nWo and what went wrong there. The problem was that Hogan was getting cheered, and Hall and Nash were getting cheered with him and Vince didn't want that. Another problem was Scott Hall, he had many problems. They talked for a minute about Scott Hall. Hogan said that his goal in wrestling was different than Hall's goal.

 

COMMERCIAL BREAK

 

Where did Hulk Hogan come from and has anyone come close to what he has accomplished?

 

Hogan says that he doesn't know. Landsberg asks him if Superstar Billy Graham had an influence on him. Hogan said yes. When Hogan saw Graham wrestle, he said he wanted to be like him. Hogan never dreamed that it would be like this, as in Hulkmania being hotter and bigger than ever, even at the age of 49. Hogan said that it's been a blessing.

 

Landsberg points out that Hogan is married and has two kids, that's as a beautiful life, but how much of Terry Bollea is left? Terry Bollea was down while Hulk Hogan was on top. But now, at the age of 49, Terry Bollea is almost at the top with the Hulk Hogan character. He said that the Hulk Hogan character made him a better person.

 

Ultimate Warrior, is it true Hogan didn't want to put him over?

 

Hogan says that it's not that he didn't want to put him over, it's just that the timing was wrong. He told Vince McMahon that the Ultimate Warrior wasn't ready. Hogan didn't feel like Warrior was ready to take his spot. He brings up Roddy Piper as a example. He says that Piper was in the main event at WrestleMania I, but never main-evented a WM after that. Hogan said that he main-evented many WrestleManias.

 

Two names of the greatest ever, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, is it a tie?

 

Hogan says that it's not a tie. Hogan called himself the Babe Ruth of wrestling.

 

Difference between a great wrestler and entertainer?

 

Hogan said that Kurt Angle is a great wrestler who became a great entertainer. Ric Flair is not a great amateur wrestler, he's a great entertainer.

 

Landsberg asked him about Macho Man Randy Savage.

 

Hogan said that Randy Savage hates his guts. Randy had negative things going in his life (divorce). Hogan gives his side of the story about what happened. He said that his wife, Savage and Elizabeth were close at one point. Liz was invited to Hogan's house by his wife while Hogan was doing a movie. Liz came to spend time at Hogan's house because Hogan's wife invited her, and since then she left and divorced Savage.

 

In his WCW days, Hogan talked to Bischoff about bringing Savage to WCW and he did. Then something happened with Gorgeous Georges, and again Hulk Hogan turns into the bad guy in this. Hogan says that he loves Randy Savage and his kids like him too. At one point, after Savage and Hogan stopped talking, Hogan had to get presents and sign them under Savage's name to give it to his kids for Christmas, because his kids really liked Savage.

 

COMMERCIAL BREAK

 

Hogan's thoughts on Bret Hart. He loves Bret and his family. He is saddened about what happened.

 

Hogan had a letter written by Bret's agent/manager regarding Hogan's book asking him why he trashed Bret in his book at a time like this. Hogan said he didn't really understand the letter. Hogan mentions that Bret trashed him a couple of years ago in his Calgary Sun column. Then Hogan talks a little about what happened in 1993 before he left. He said that Hart thinks Hogan didn't want to job to him, then Hogan and Hart went to Vince's office and Vince told Bret that Hogan will drop the belt to Yokozuna and not to him. (More on this story is available in Hogan's book).

 

Hogan talks about his real friends in the business.

 

The very few friends that he mentioned are Jimmy Hart, Ed Leslie (Brutus Beefcake), and Vince McMahon. Hogan said that if anybody dropped the ball in his relationship with Vince McMahon, it was him.

 

Landsberg points out that wrestling is so political, is that the reason why you can't keep friends?

 

Hogan says that it was like that for a long time and it still is.

 

Does do you wish you were less political and do you think you would have more friends at the age of 49?

 

Hogan basically says no by saying that he wouldn't change a thing.

 

What man has been able to survive with political stuff?

 

He said Triple H. Politically, HHH is doing a good job, Hogan said.

 

Who would do a bad job politically?

 

Hogan responds by saying "He didn't have the talent, but it's Warrior." he said that Warrior could have hung around longer.

 

COMMERCIAL BREAK

 

Hogan tells us about his book.

 

Hogan says that everybody has got an opinion on wrestling. In this book, it's his view of wrestling, of what he's experienced, Riding the highs and survivng the lows. The book also goes back to when he was a fat kid.

 

What's the defining point of his book?

 

Hogan says "The one that recently happened." He'd been away from WWF for ten years. He was fired by WCW (the way he left WCW), he came to the WWF with a huge dark cloud over his head. People saying he's too old. So the defining moment was WrestleMania 18.

 

Landsberg said that his defining moment is Hogan calling him "brother!"

 

End of show.

[Guest Lemon Drop Kid]

Not to change the subject, but I wanted to quickly interject that I think Angle does a fine job with psychology and adding cool intricacies to his match. Sure, Flair was the best of all time at that, but there's no shame in being ONE of the best.

 

Other than that, I'd like to say that Hogan, among casual fans, will be for quite some time remembered as either the #1 pro wrestler of all time, or to some, #2 behind Steve Austin.

 

It's all about media saturation. I was bored one day last year and decided to peruse my parents' library of University of Tennessee football games ( ) and I for some reason settled on the 1986 Independence Bowl (I believe.. might have been Liberty) vs Minnesota... and what do I see mid-way through the first quarter, but a sideline interview -- WITH HULK FREAKING HOGAN! Completely in character!

 

"Well this is what it's all about in college football, brother. The Independence bowl, dude!" It should be noted that I don't think either team was ranked in the top 20 going into this game, and the Independence Bowl is certainly not what it's all about. Nevertheless, this cracked me up. If I had a capture card, I'd vidcap this. It has "cult favorite" written all over it.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

We all knew Landsberg meant great worker when he said great wrestler. Why he didn't rephrase the question once Hogan corrected him is beyond me though.

[Guest godthedog]

when the hell did bret hart trash hogan in his calgary sun column? i remember bret writing a GLOWING opinion of hogan earlier this year.

[Guest CanadianChick]

when the hell did bret hart trash hogan in his calgary sun column? i remember bret writing a GLOWING opinion of hogan earlier this year.

I think he meant *other* writers, not Bret Hart.

[Guest Mole]

When the interviewer asked him about politics, Hogan responded that HHH is one of the best at it. He also said that Warrior wasn't so great at it. Warrior could have survived a lot longer if he played the political game.

Hogan must be a BIG fan of Triple-Juice. In his book, this is exactly what he said:

He(HHH) doesn't care anymore who trows the frist punch or who knocks whose tooth out. He doesn't care who wins or loses. He just wants to do what's good for business. So what a nice surprise it was to meet Triple H again. Triple H the businessman has so much in common with me, I think we could actually become good friends

 

Need I say more?

[Guest godthedog]

Hogan had a letter written by Bret's agent/manager regarding Hogan's book asking him why he trashed Bret in his book at a time like this. Hogan said he didn't really understand the letter. Hogan mentions that Bret trashed him a couple of years ago in his Calgary Sun column. Then Hogan talks a little about what happened in 1993 before he left. He said that Hart thinks Hogan didn't want to job to him, then Hogan and Hart went to Vince's office and Vince told Bret that Hogan will drop the belt to Yokozuna and not to him. (More on this story is available in Hogan's book).

i've read all bret's columns since 2000, & i can't remember anything like this.

[Guest NoSelfWorth]

Were talking about Hulk Hogan here. He's not adverse to making things up to make himself look good. Heck, 90% of his book is crap.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

when the hell did bret hart trash hogan in his calgary sun column? i remember bret writing a GLOWING opinion of hogan earlier this year.

The recap is a little off. Hogan wrote something in his book about the incident in 1993, with him jobbing to Yokozuna, and how him and Vince said him jobbing to Bret was never the plan. He said than that they became good friends and always travelled together, etc. When he wrote that in the book, he said he got a *Scathing letter* from Bret's AGENT, because of it. I don't know how much of that is true, but he than went on to say that this surprised him because he loves Bret, and he didn't understand it, especially after the "beautiful column" that Bret wrote about him. So he did acknowledge it.

[Guest Mole]

Were talking about Hulk Hogan here. He's not adverse to making things up to make himself look good. Heck, 90% of his book is crap.

Yeah, I'd have to agree with you on that. The part when he talks about how Vince Russo screwed him, is such bullshit.

 

All Russo wanted him to do was to, gosh, job to someone. And Hogan didn't want to.