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Chris
Kanyon Interview Q:
A lot of people thought change was needed when Bischoff was asked to step
aside, and it seemed that many of those same people were later anxious
to see him return. What was your relationship with him then…compared to
now? CK:
Things were not good when I went off to do Ready To Rumble. Eric was a
tired and beaten man. He was burned out and at that time I could see that
he had lost the fire that everyone knew he had. We (WCW) were losing and
a lot of people including Eric were tough to be around.
Eric was the reason WCW had won before, but I didn’t see his winning
spirit. But at the same time I had just starting getting closer to Eric,
and I think over that last year I had gained his confidence and trust.
I think having the opportunity to work on the movies (The Jesse
Ventura Story and R2R) had something to do with it since we talked a lot
and he would ask me my opinions of the technical work.
I always respected him and his opinion and after he was let go
I kinda kept in touch with him and had asked him for advice. Q:
When did you realize that things were going to be different this time
with Bischoff back in the picture? CK: In that first meeting I had with him right
before the first Nitro he and Russo came back.
The stress he had was gone, and when he said that by the very nature
of what we do…it should be fun. He was determined to have fun again. If
was obvious that he had the time to look at it all from a different position,
and with Russo on the same team it would give us the opportunity to have
fun and win. That sounded good to me and it immediately affected my attitude. Q:
Tell us about that first WCW staff meeting with everybody just prior to
the first Nitro? CK:
When we first met, Eric told me that he was going to have more to say
at that meeting. I asked him if the speech was going to be a “motivating,
let’s go out and get’em, football coach type” of speech or more like a
“state of the company” type of speech.
He told me that he really never gave that type of speech and I
knew it really wasn’t his style, but I told him I thought we needed it.
We were a team of individuals without a winning attitude and without
a coach. We needed to coach who could give us the fight
and spirit that a winning team has to have. Q:
It wound up being more like that wasn’t it? CK: Oh yea. It was a great meeting, and his speech
and others helped change the attitude of the room. When we went out of
that meeting I think we all knew that we could win again. Eric took me aside and thanked me for my suggestion
and we all went out and had a really great show. Q:
That had to feel pretty good knowing after where you had been with the
Bush-Sullivan era? CK:
Morale is great now, and I think you can see that the current angles have
shown that there is a new regime and the combination of Bischoff and Russo
creates opportunity for a lot more people. I’m excited again.
I look forward to going to the airport, and walking in the building
again. I’m excited about this week’s Nitro and Thunder…and
really I am looking forward to the PPV, much more than I’ve been in a
long time. Part
2 to follow |
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