Hosts Conrad Thompson and Bruce Prichard are back with another exciting edition of Something To Wrestle and this time their subject is none other than Sycho Sid (Sid Vicious, Sid Justice, Sid Eudy). Bruce Prichard highlights appear below.
(Transcription Credit: Michael McClead, WrestleZone)
On Whether Sid’s Reputation For Leaving Wrestling To Play Softball Was A Concern:
We may have heard about it, but I don’t think it was taken very seriously. We try to judge everybody with how they are with us and not listen to the rumor and innuendo, if you will. You think that people may perform differently in other situations and other environments, so you want to give them the benefit of the doubt. I don’t know that that was ever addressed, but I think that Vince probably just chalked that up to rumor and innuendo and, ‘Why would he do that here?’ I think that’s kind of how it was viewed.
On Sid’s Penchant For Softball & His First Exit From The WWE:
This was the first time is started to get talked about on a larger level. It was the third time it happened. Coincidentally, softball season, he went away. That was definitely the scuttlebutt and the rumor, and innuendo, and what have you. It did surprise me that Sid was gone so quickly because he was somebody that Vince would love and Vince would look to mold and make the guy, so that part of it shocked me, but I wasn’t there to be able to tell you what the dynamics were for any of that relationship during that part.
On Sid’s WWE Return:
I brought Sid’s name up because I wasn’t there. I didn’t go through all the things they went through, but you could tell that Vince kind of had a soft spot for Sid and thought, ‘Well, yeah, that could work. We’ll bring him back and see how the reaction is. We’re not gonna put him back in the ring right away. We’ll put him with Shawn Michaels and let’s see how this dynamic works and we’ll take it step by step.’ I don’t know, if there were any big guaranteed made to Sid. It was like, ‘You want to work? You’re not going back to work down south. I don’t think they want to have you and if you want to make money in the wrestling business right now, the only place to do it is here, so let’s try this. Let’s see what happens and we’ll take it on a day-by-day basis.’ That was the pitch.
On Sid’s Relationship With Shawn Michaels:
The idea of him being in Shawn’s corner was he was just bodyguard Sid. That was it. The funny thing was the relationship with Shawn. It was a very interesting dynamic between Shawn and Sid because here you got this big monster Sid and I remember him fixing Shawn’s hair when Shawn would get the coat on and fluff his hair out. He would help Shawn tie his tie and put him all together. It was just interesting. Here’s this big nasty looking bastard taking care of Shawn. He really looked after him, which was kind of funny in itself, but they kind of clicked together, they really did.
On Doubts About Sid’s Injuries:
I think that Vince takes everyone and gives them the benefit of the doubt; however, the boys, you get that rumbling of, ‘This is bullsh*t. He doesn’t complain about it. Said that it was an injury a long time, but doesn’t complain about it until long after the fact when things don’t look, as if they’re going his way.’ That was the scuttle butt. I think that Vince still wanted to take him at face value and give him the benefit of the doubt. You can’t do a whole lot for someone, if they don’t tell you they’re injured or that something else is going on, so you keep moving and if they’re not performing well, you attributed it to different things. You go, ‘This isn’t working well because of chemistry or whatever it was.’ If they don’t tell you they’re injured until after the fact it’s kind of, ‘OK, if you’ve been injured six weeks, why didn’t you tell us six weeks ago? We would have changed things.’ I do think people were starting to second guess, especially the boys. I don’t think any of them believed he was truly injured. I believe he was injured. I really do, but I don’t know as to what extent.
On Vince McMahon’s Reaction To Sid Quitting Via Phone Call In January 1996:
‘What the f*ck?’
It went from him working to getting this call saying, ‘Yeah, I can’t wrestle anymore. Doctor says I’m done.’ Vince is like, ‘Wait a minute, who says you’re done? Let’s get you to some experts. Let’s get you to some people who are the best in the field.’ Vince wanted him to get checked out. I don’t know if Sid was really receptive. Sid had almost accepted the fact that, ‘These two doctors said I’m done, so I’m done.’ It was a lot of frustration on our part.
On Sid’s Legacy:
I think that Sid’s destined to be a Hall of Famer. He’s one of those unique talents that, no matter what, people will always remember. He had a tremendous look. He cut a great promo and people remember him. He was a top guy for the majority of his career and the viewing audience don’t know about Softball Sid. They don’t know about all the other issues you have to deal with behind the scenes. They don’t know that Sid. They just know the big monster Sycho Sid, or the big monster Sid Vicious that they saw on television. I do think that his career and the things he’s done and to be able to get to that point in his career, that he’s gonna be Hall of Fame bound. If you look at everything that Sid has done in his career, I do believe that time he was working with Shawn leading up to WrestleMania 13, I think that’s gonna be probably the brightest spot in his career. I think that was the time he had his best matches, as well as some of his best promos, as well.
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