|
RVD on the mend
By
RUSS COHEN - For SLAM! Wrestling
|
  
|
  Rob Van Dam |
Rob Van Dam was in Chicago, IL this past week to sign
some autographs and greet his fans at the 26th
National Sports Collectors Convention. He loved
chewing the fat with his fans and in the process he
really showed off how personable he can be.
"It's awesome man ... The favorite part of my job is all
of the positive energy that I get from all the fans,"
said Van Dam. "It's great, I love it ... It would be
different if everyone came up and said 'Rob you're a
dick and I hate you.'"
When last seen in the WWE, Mr. Monday Night was drafted from Smackdown to Raw, and took a
cheap shot from Carlito. As soon as he comes back from
his injury he has one thing on his mind.
"Actually I just kind of want to be consistent," he
said. "I've got a good job. I do what I do and I connect
with my people. Me and my people stay together
regardless of where they put me on the card ... what silly
storyline they have me do or whatever. I don't really
have any goals. For sure when I get back I want to
kick Carlito's ass and that's #1 on the agenda. I'm
not really thinking past that."
If you know about RVD's childhood then you know that
he was one crazy SOB. He used to jump off the roof of
his house and walk on his hands in the hallways of his
high school.
"I was a thrillseeker," said Van Dam. "In fact I would do
lots of things to seek thrills. That lasted until my
mid-twenties, probably when I started to fall in love with
my wife. Before that I even sky dived out of an
airplane twice and I think if you took my pulse I
don't think my heart rate jumped up at all. I was very
not exited about it. Bungy jumping was something I
wanted to do without a cord and into an air mattress.
I have always been about showing off."
RVD is a regular guy that has special skills. He knows
how to talk to people and he connects with the public,
young or old, it doesn't matter. He is a little
different than the average wrestler.
"I don't think I am as musically driven as most
people," said RVD. "I don't know anything about
sports ... If you asked me to name five celebrities ... the only
ones that I know are the people that I have met. It's
not that I hate it, it's just that I think I go about
my day a little bit differently than the normal
mainstream guy. With that approach is probably why I
looked at wrestling. That's why I came up with my own
moves and pattern myself after anybody in particular. I
think the fans appreciate that."
Many consider Van Dam a headliner that should have the gold
around his waist. When he comes back from his knee
problems expect him to get a title shot. Doctors told
him 15 years ago to give up the business but he won't.
"Every day here, 99% of my fans say 'RVD, man, you
deserve that gold; when are you getting a title shot?'
Who knows maybe that's coming up."
The master of the frog splash has looked ahead beyond
his wrestling career and has some outside interests
that could help him make the transition out of
wrestling someday.
"I have several interests outside of wrestling but I
find that I have very little time and very little
energy to put into it," Van Dam said. "Like my comic
shop, 5-Star Comics."
Van Dam has had some great wrestlers signing
autographs in his shop almost every other month since
it opened. He was once the most popular draw until he
had Bret Hart there.
"People went nuts to see Bret Hart. Before he showed
up I was always the biggest line in my store and he
blew that away. It was phenomenal that Bret wanted to
do that. It worked out well."
Did Van Dam smooth over the riff between Hart and WWE
owner Vince McMahon?
"Not to the best of my understanding. I don't think
they even spoke; if they did I sure don't know about
it. That wasn't part of the plan."
One thing is for sure, Van Dam is itching to get back
into the squared circle and should be back very soon.
More on Rob Van Dam
Listen to this interview on the next Ringside Wrapup
only on www.wrestleology.com.
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
RVD One of a Kind Double DVD Set
