'Rasslin's got a hold on Eskimo Myers

By SCOTT ZERR -- Edmonton Sun   You can tell a lot about a player by the pictures fastened to his locker room stall.

Edmonton Eskimos receiver Shannon Myers is no exception. While family members and heroes of the game are the most common portraits on display, Myers has adorned a portion of his spot with a newspaper article about his idol, professional wrestler Ric Flair.

A good ol' boy from North Carolina where World Championship Wrestling's roots are deep, Myers is an avid fan of Flair and his rough-and-rugged posse, the Four Horsemen.

He takes a ribbing from his teammates over his love of the "sport," but that doesn't stop him from catching WCW television broadcasts and rooting for his favourite grapplers.

"Flair's coming back and I think he's going to be a 14-time champion and with the Horsemen being reinstated, he's got a little backup. I think he's going to do it," said Myers, who grew up watching figure-four leglocks, piledrivers and NASCAR racing.

Even after an exhaustive day on the gridiron, Myers has plenty of time to discuss the goings-on of the wars within the squared circle.

"The Horsemen have always had a muscle-man and that's Mongo (former Chicago Bears lineman Steve Montgomery), and they've always had an underachiever and that's Benoit (Edmonton's own "Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit)," regaled Myers, who was obviously eager to talk a little 'rasslin' with a fellow efficinado.

"(Dean) Melenko is the only one I have a little doubt in because he's a new Horseman. I have a right to be. Once he proves himself, I'll know he can do it."

Myers was intrigued to learn the rumour mill has Bret 'the Hitman' Hart slated to join the Horsemen down the road.

"I think he'd fit, he's got the nastiness. We need someone nasty in there. We need somebody in there to create some ruckus, kind of like in hockey, an enforcer. I'd welcome him in there."