Post by Pennyroyal_Tea (admin) on Jan 26, 2005 18:22:00 GMT -5
To read the rest of this interview with Bruno Sammartino
at www.liveaudiowrestling.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=12285.
M. S. – What was the deciding factor that told you we had taken the wrong turn in the sport?
Bruno Sammartino – It’s my opinion that it happened when Vince McMahon JR. took over after his father passed on. Then the WCW started hiring what I call “non-wrestling people” and trying to follow McMahon’s way thinking it was the way to go. They really weren’t knowledgeable about the business or its history. These changes all came about at that time!
M. S. – What did you think when McMahon came out and said the sport was fake?
Bruno Sammartino – It made me feel bad and I’ll tell you why. He was ridiculous in saying that. He had no business saying that because he didn’t know the history of the sport. If he went back to the days of wrestlers like Stanislaus Zybysko and guys from his time he would see that it was completely real. They may not have been the most exciting matches to watch but it was very real. Another thing is this, I didn’t consider it quite like that because we wrestled in the same rings that they had boxing in. Those things were like concrete! When you took the slams there was nothing fake about any of that stuff! I had many injuries with my back, knees and broke my neck in 1976. I had back surgeries and I don’t mean just a little disc surgery but I had spurs that had grown all over my back from the trauma. They were very, very serious operations. I also had a complete hip replacement! But you know, I never went to any rehab because I always did my own and today I still power walk seven miles a day and work out with my weights at home. Since I retired I’m down to 215-218. I think I’m in good shape!
at www.liveaudiowrestling.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=12285.
M. S. – What was the deciding factor that told you we had taken the wrong turn in the sport?
Bruno Sammartino – It’s my opinion that it happened when Vince McMahon JR. took over after his father passed on. Then the WCW started hiring what I call “non-wrestling people” and trying to follow McMahon’s way thinking it was the way to go. They really weren’t knowledgeable about the business or its history. These changes all came about at that time!
M. S. – What did you think when McMahon came out and said the sport was fake?
Bruno Sammartino – It made me feel bad and I’ll tell you why. He was ridiculous in saying that. He had no business saying that because he didn’t know the history of the sport. If he went back to the days of wrestlers like Stanislaus Zybysko and guys from his time he would see that it was completely real. They may not have been the most exciting matches to watch but it was very real. Another thing is this, I didn’t consider it quite like that because we wrestled in the same rings that they had boxing in. Those things were like concrete! When you took the slams there was nothing fake about any of that stuff! I had many injuries with my back, knees and broke my neck in 1976. I had back surgeries and I don’t mean just a little disc surgery but I had spurs that had grown all over my back from the trauma. They were very, very serious operations. I also had a complete hip replacement! But you know, I never went to any rehab because I always did my own and today I still power walk seven miles a day and work out with my weights at home. Since I retired I’m down to 215-218. I think I’m in good shape!