Zachary FenellESPN E60: Scott Hall
October 24th 2011 22:58
Recently ESPN E60 dedicated time to document professional wrestler Scott Hall. Known as Razor Ramon during his first tenure in the WWE, Hall helped popularize the ladder match. When “The Bad Guy” jumped ship to WCW in 1996 he helped enable WCW to achieve success like never before. A nasty drug addiction however took the wrestler from “the penthouse to the outhouse” as Hall states on E60.
In a way ESPN E60’s look into Scott Hall proves refreshing. Too often a wrestler’s substance abuse problems only come to light after the grappler triumphs over the addiction or dies. The documentary on Hall provides fans a peak into addiction’s reality. With that said “The Bad Guy” fails to come off as sympathetic. Sure, a certain level of sympathy exists as any decent person hates to see another person suffer. However the sympathy wears thin because Hall continues to make poor choices time and time again.
No one should underestimate the power of addiction but at some point you need to demonstrate stronger willpower to maintain people’s sympathies. Yes, overcoming substance abuse involves great difficulty but it can be done. Guys like Shawn Michaels and Sting demonstrate this. Both HBK and “The Icon” discovered enough willpower to start living sober, healthy, and happy lives. Unfortunately as ESPN E60 insights into Scott Hall shows, not all drug addiction cases can result in fairy tale endings.
WWE has spent in the six figures on rehab expenses for Scott Hall.
In a way ESPN E60’s look into Scott Hall proves refreshing. Too often a wrestler’s substance abuse problems only come to light after the grappler triumphs over the addiction or dies. The documentary on Hall provides fans a peak into addiction’s reality. With that said “The Bad Guy” fails to come off as sympathetic. Sure, a certain level of sympathy exists as any decent person hates to see another person suffer. However the sympathy wears thin because Hall continues to make poor choices time and time again.
No one should underestimate the power of addiction but at some point you need to demonstrate stronger willpower to maintain people’s sympathies. Yes, overcoming substance abuse involves great difficulty but it can be done. Guys like Shawn Michaels and Sting demonstrate this. Both HBK and “The Icon” discovered enough willpower to start living sober, healthy, and happy lives. Unfortunately as ESPN E60 insights into Scott Hall shows, not all drug addiction cases can result in fairy tale endings.
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