Lance Storm Q & A
By CHRIS GRAMLICH -- For SLAM! Wrestling
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Lance Storm.
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What a difference a year makes, twelve months ago when SLAM! Wrestling first
talked with Lance Storm he was just starting to emerge as a superstar with
Extreme Championship Wrestling, after a few years of impressing almost all
who saw him. Fast forward to today and Lance Storm is a bonafide main
eventer. The Impact Players, with Storm and
Justin Credible, are the company's top tag-team and heels. His abilities
have continued to increase, along with his charisma and mic skills, all the
while gaining more knowledge of the wrestling game and climbing to the upper
echelons of ECW. SLAM! Wrestling recently had a chance to talk with Lance
and pose both questions from the fans and staff. Once again, special thanks
to Lance Storm and Jeff Marek from
The LAW.
Q: Where and when did Lance meet Dawn Marie? How did he get hooked up with Justin Credible? (Chris Perkovic, Edmonton -- dramatic pause -- Alberta, Canada)
A: "The first night in the arena that she [Dawn Marie] worked, that was the
first time I had ever met her. She was brought in as a foil for Tammy [Lynn
Sytch], because she [Tammy] had just jumped from New York [WWF] to us, so
she [Dawn Maire] was just more or less brought in for a one time deal. I
thought we gelled well together and I enjoyed working with her. I went to
Paul [Heyman] and said that if you'd like to keep her around I think that
would be cool, he agreed and now it's a year and a half later. Justin I
actually trained in Calgary, he came through the Hart camp in '92, I was an
instructor there at the time, I trained him then never really crossed paths
with him again 'til we ended up together in ECW. Both he and I begged Paul
to let us work [together] and he never did, then we had a chance to do a
three-way-dance with
[Tommy] Dreamer at the [ECW] arena and I think Paul saw
something in us and he ended up putting us together."
Q: Do you enjoy being in another tag-team situation? Because the last time we talked you had just broken out on your own after partnering with Chris Candido. (Gramlich)
A: "Yeah, I think I had just finished up with Candido at the time; I don't
know what it is but I just keep gravitating to tag-teams -- I'm having a lot
of fun with it. I've always enjoyed tag wrestling, it's just another chance
to do it with someone else, and PJ [Credible] and I seem to gel pretty good
together, so it's a lot of fun."
Q: Is Lance Storm worried about the long-term effects of these high-risk
spots at every PPV and TV taping? (Pascal Trepanier)
A: "I'm not worried about it as far as myself, because I don't do anything
that I consider too dangerous or high-risk, I'm pretty careful with what I
do. However, I think it sets a really bad standard when you see guys that
really raise the bar with danger, ala Cactus Jack or a New Jack, when they
start jumping off higher and higher stuff. I'm concerned for their health
and the fact that the fans will start expecting someone to jump from thirty
feet and it sure as hell won't be me."
Q: Is it kind of like when back in the day when the Piledriver was the
ultimate finishing move... (Gramlich)
A: "I remember back in the day when the abdominal stretch was a finish." [Laughter]
Q: Exactly, it's kind of like a continuing escalation, just taken to different levels. (Gramlich)
A: "Yeah, it's just getting really, really dangerous, it's like how far do
you have to fall? It's like
Balls Mahoney the one time -- with the flaming
table and thumbtacks. It gets to the point where you're getting powerbombed
through a flaming table with thumbtacks, and I remember one spot at a show
where they [the Dudleys] didn't light it on fire and just powerbombed him
through it with the thumbtacks and he [Balls] didn't think it was enough.
It's like they [the fans] are not going to believe that? Just getting driven
through a table with thumbtacks, I mean come on, give me a break."
Q: Do you think it will let up before someone gets seriously injured. (Gramlich)
A: "I don't think it will, I don't think it'll let up before someone dies,
personally. Guys get seriously injured all the time, unfortunately it is
usually with the small stuff that they get hurt, not necessarily the big
things, but I don't think it'll let up before someone dies."
Q: Today being Hardcore Thursday, with the Acclaim/ECW Hardcore Revolution
video game being released, what are your thoughts on the game. (Gramlich)
A: "I haven't actually played it, I've seen a lot of the promotional
package, which had some QuickTime stuff that I could watch on my computer,
it looks incredibly detailed and really, really cool. I'm hoping that the
buggers at Acclaim will send me a free copy at least relatively soon so I
can check it out. It is going to be a big thing for the company, I hope.
Giving us additional advertising, in addition to gaining new fans. I think
our relationship with Acclaim is a huge step, it's either going to benefit
both of us tremendously, or do nothing for either of us [laughter], so we
will see, hopefully the game will sell well."
Q: You've been very critical of TNN's support of ECW on your website, what
do you think some of the biggest problems are with TNN and ECW, in terms of
TNN really getting behind ECW. (Gramlich)
A: "I think the problem is our original deal was cut with CBS cable, not
TNN. I don't think anyone at TNN actually ever wanted us. I think CBS cable
wanted us, they put us on TNN and the people we had to deal with originally
were TNN people and they didn't want us, because if we succeeded it made
them look bad for sinking a pile of money into RollerJam, which isn't
succeeding. But now we're the number one program on their network, we're
drawing the numbers they want, but it still makes them [TNN] look bad.
Especially if our numbers go right through the roof, in that they sunk all
this money into RollerJam and it didn't pull any numbers, now they've got
this thing that is pulling numbers, it's like why didn't they just get us in
the first place? I think the TNN people and execs that made the call on
RollerJam didn't want the people at CBS who made the call on us to look
better than them."
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Lance Storm comes off the ropes.
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Q: Do you think that is why it has taken TNN so long to show you support,
even after you've proved you're the number one show on their network? (Gramlich)
A: "I think partly, and partly because I think they spent their advertising
budget plugging the crap out of RollerJam for the last year. I don't think
until this new year that they had any advertising budget left for us, it's
improved a little bit but we still have a ways to go. I've heard that
they've actually advertised on Heat and Thunder in some markets, not
nationally, which would be nice. I think unfortunately, though, in a Friday
night slot we're not going to grow too much. I thought at first we could,
but about a week ago I read an article that said we are practically the
highest rated show, period. Friday nights, nation-wide, on any network, as
far as male audience, seventeen to thirty-four, we are the highest rated
show, it's just their isn't too many people that watch TV on Friday nights,
they have lives."
Q: Has there been any talk of switching to another night, or time slot? (Gramlich)
A: "I don't think so, we were pretty much hired to salvage RollerJam and
that's when RollerJam is. Unfortunately, we're probably going to be stuck
with Friday nights, and it's hard to get people to want to stay home and
watch TV Friday nights."
Q: Is ECW planning on coming to Canada anytime soon? (Igor "the Polish Crippler" Horniatko)
A: "Yes, most definitely. Our beloved Greg "bag of donuts," as I call him,
our promoter guy, actually talked to me last weekend about who he would have
to contact about immigration and so forth to get us across the border. He
said he wants to run both Toronto and Montreal this year. It's kind of
funny, he told me that the Dome contacted him, I said 'SkyDome,' he said
'yeah,' I said 'that's probably a little optimistic Greg.' I'm all for going
to Toronto, but lets find a smaller building, so he is looking into it and
hopefully by the end of the year we will be in Toronto and Montreal."
Q: Considering how you and Justin Credible are head and shoulders above the
tag-team pack in ECW these days, when will either one of you make a run for
one of the singles titles. Especially considering the up-in-the-air
situation concerning the TV title with
Rob Van Dam's injury? (J. Pereiraiv)
A: "Can we just put in 'Ask Paul Heyman?' [Laughter] I don't think anytime
soon. I think with the tag straps and everything else we have close to a
year tied up in us, providing I don't leave at the end of this year
[laughter]. My contract is up at the end of this year, so we'll have to see
what happens after that, but I don't see us doing singles for awhile."
Q: When your contract is up would you like to return? (Gramlich)
A: "I'd be quite happy to stay, if an offer came from somewhere else that
was head and shoulders above anything ECW could offer me then I would
consider it, but I would like to stay put, I'm quite happy. ECW is growing
all the time and there is the potential for it to really bust through, so
there is certainly interest in staying. I have a lot of fun here, but I'm
certainly not going to close all doors and ignore other offers."
Q: Last time we talked you said that learning how to be a "ring general" was
more important to you than learning a triple-jump-moonsault. How far have
you come in attaining that knowledge in the last year? (Gramlich)
A: "I think I've come along quite well, I thought I was quite decent at it
last year. I'm certainly improving at it; more chances as a heel gives you
more of an opportunity to do that -- dictate the tempo of the match and
really run things [in ring]. I think now that I've been in ECW longer, the
majority of the locker room respects my work ethic and rate. For the most
part, most of the guys I work with will listen to me and let me dictate
pace. It's coming really well, you never stop learning, though, I imagine I
could do this for another fifty years and still have improving to do."
Q: By the same token, what has been the biggest improvement you've made in
any aspect of wrestling in the past year? (Gramlich)
A: "I think my promos are really coming together, unfortunately with the tag
promos I don't get to talk as much as I would like, you sort of have to
split it up the time with Justin and myself. I don't know what aspect has
come the furthest? I'm starting to be able to work as my character more,
originally the bell would ring and I'd get so tied up in working that I
wouldn't have the character as well while I work. I'm improving on that,
which is probably the thing I've gained the most ground with. A lot of the
time you do your promos as Lance Storm, but once the bell rings you slide
into just wrestling and you're no longer Lance Storm the heel, you're the
athlete."
Q: What I was wondering is if you could drop a few names of the better
Pro-Wrestling trainers in Canada. As I'm looking to get into the business.
(Mike Dove)
A: "I don't know all that many. I know Don Callis [Cyrus] runs a training
school in Winnipeg. I would say he would do a good job training. I don't
know what the Harts are doing, check out
www.Stampedewrestling.com to see
what they're doing. I think there is Sully's Gym in Toronto that has a
decent rep for getting guys development deals with New York [WWF]. That
would be a good route. Callis would be a good route and I really don't know
what the Harts are doing now."
Q: Again, last time we talked I mentioned something about the Sandman and
you stated that you weren't a big fan of the Sandman or his work, and that
you didn't think you could actually have a match with him. Since then he's
come back and you've had a couple of good tag matches with him, what are
your feelings on his return and some of the other returns to ECW? (Gramlich)
A: "Actually, it's funny with the Sandman, I don't know if he's changed a
lot or if I misjudged him the first time, but in the locker room I get along
better with him than I ever thought I could. I still don't see us having any
great wrestling matches together, we can get by with a match and we see eye
to eye quite a bit as far as what we do in the ring, he's actually quite
professional. He's still loud and abrasive, don't get me wrong, but I get
along with him better than I ever thought I could."
Q: When he first came back, were you concerned with how he would effect ECW?
(Gramlich)
A: "No, I knew that he would be good from a business standpoint as far as
getting a big pop and the crowd being happy and Paul knew that too, so I
thought that it was good that he would come back. I thought he would be more
of a pain in the butt in the locker room than he turned out to be, but I
wasn't concerned about it."
Q: What does your diet consist of and what kind of workout do you employ?
(Blong411@aol.com)
A: "Refer to website,
www.Stormwrestling.com workout theory. I just posted
it recently. It is relatively lengthy and would take a lot of time to
explain here."
Q: Do you still keep in contact with
Chris Jericho, and how well do you
think he is doing in the WWF so far? (Contributor unknown)
A: "I do still keep in touch, more via email than anything else because our
days on and off don't coincide very well. I think he has the greatest ring
entrance in the business right now, and I think he has got a little bit of
the politics of New York behind him and I think he's doing really well. He's
IC champ and is pretty much featured on every show; gets over really well."
Q: Come along ways from the Smokey Mountain Wrestling days? (Gramlich)
A: "Oh yeah, I imagine his paycheque has too. [Laughter]"
Q: Along the same vein, are you still close with the Franchise Shane Douglas? (Gramlich)
A: "Not really close, Shane and I didn't talk outside of the business all
that much, we talked on the phone occasionally. In the locker room we both
saw eye to eye and really respected each other a lot. I still have a lot of
respect for his ability and his work. I think he is a great guy and a
talented guy. With wrestling, a lot of times it is just once you go your
separate ways you go your separate ways, because with family and travel it's
just too hard to keep in touch with many guys. We exchanged Christmas cards
at Christmas and I hear rumours that he may be back so I may get to see him
again."
Q: Are you for him returning? (Gramlich)
A: "I think it would be good for business and I'd love to work with the guy.
If he and Paul can't get along then I'm not for it because it's a strain on
the company, but if they can put their differences aside I think he would be
an asset. You can't burn a bridge in this business, and if you do they'll
send a boat for you, get you across one way or another."
Q: What is the morale in ECW now, considering the number of injuries that
are plaguing your company, and the affect that's had on long-term angles?
(Contributor unknown)
A: "I don't think it has hurt morale all that much, I think a lot of guys
are figuring that this is a chance that they can get noticed a little bit
more. I think the only people who would be down about it are the guys that
are injured, because they are missing out and perhaps
[Mike] Awesome who had
a really hot angle that just disappeared. Especially since he's been champ
for a while now and this was his first chance to have an angle that people
were really going to care about him for. He was big and worked hard, but he
had never had an angle where people were going to get behind him. Here's
this hot angle that was getting a big reaction and half the people are gone
and we're going to do something else now, so he could be upset about it. I
think we will overcome it, we just need to focus."
Q: In the Impact Players you have Dawn Marie, Jason, you and Justin
Credible. Do you find things to be confusing at times, having to rehearse
things with so many people. (Digby, the Wonder Monkey)
A: "I don't find it confusing, or need to rehearse. Pretty much when I'm out
there I can run things and get things organised if they need to be. You've
got Justin and myself and our opponents and everything else, you get used to
working with that amount of people, and you can usually run things and
direct traffic not too badly."
Q: Please tell me why Jason still collects a paycheque? (Digby, the Wonder
Monkey)
A: "[Laughter] I don't know why! Actually, he's done a lot of things in his
career, he's one of those guys who stuck with Paul through a lot of hard
times, and Paul likes him. He's got his place. Sometimes I find that he is
really on and does a good job and other times he's not as reliable. I get
along great with the guy, and I like him and I enjoy working with him. He's
pulled his weight when the time came, when you need him for a spot he's
there and willing to do it, people just get on him. Anytime you have a
wrestler that doesn't wrestle anymore people just see him as dead weight,
but if he was a female doing as much as he does they'd think, 'boy this
person really does a lot.' He does a lot as a manager, but since he's male
and not actually having matches people think he's dead weight. I think he
gets a bad rep and stiffed in that regard."
Q: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard you've been getting more and more
input behind the scenes. (Gramlich)
A: "I have for quite awhile now, actually. Lately, Paul has been so busy
that I haven't been able to get to him, but I've had a relatively decent
amount of input for about the last year and a half. I love doing it; I've
always wanted to. I think the first time Paul realised that I had input of
value was when Tammy came back for the first time, where we did the thing at
the arena with Dawn Marie. We were sitting in the back trying to put the
finish of that thing together, and that was the night that she pinned me at
the arena, and it was my idea. As soon as I said it Paul's eyes just lit up,
'that's perfect,' he knew that I understood that as a heel this could work,
not only to get her over, but to get me heat as well. Whereas a lot of guys
are just concerned that they cannot do a job, let alone to a girl. I
understood the business aspect of it and knew that it would be a good move,
it is what really made me as a heel and put me over the top. I think Paul
realised then that I saw the big picture and I wasn't in it just for myself,
and I think from that point on he started valuing my opinion a lot more."
Q: ECW has come very far, especially in the last year. Where do you think
its going in the near future and what do you think the keys are to achieving
it? (Gramlich)
A: "I think the key is that we're going to need to expand the TV market,
either by moving the day or by moving networks. I think the video game is
going to take us one step further. I think we're are going to prove that we
are a very marketable commodity and perhaps a TV network would really jump
behind us and we'd have the chance to jump into the number two spot. I think
we are on that verge where we are just waiting and teetering, we could slide
back a bit or you could just bust over the top. I think the Acclaim thing
will really help and show people that we can be successful in the
mainstream."
Q: Finally, I hate to ask this, but what's the deal with
Sabu? (Gramlich)
A: "As far as I know he has contract to 2003, he had a
provision where if anything was missed, late, or there was any kind of screw
up on Paul's end, Paul has a time period that he can correct it. Sabu also
has a time period where he can say 'you screwed up,' I want out, and if he
does so in writing I believe he could get out. I believe something did
happen, Sabu didn't put anything in writing, didn't say anything to Paul,
just went to WCW, said 'I got an out' and tried to get a contract with them.
Since he didn't put anything in writing his contract [with ECW] is still
valid, and he made a big mistake, and he is still contractually bound to us,
and I think WCW has now washed their hands of him."
Q: Would ECW take him back, in terms of harsh feelings, he did try to leave?
(Gramlich)
A: "You pretty much have to, because if you don't you fire him and then he's
pretty much free to go to WCW, so I think you pretty much have to take him
back. There are harsh feelings, but if you fire him and he leaves you pretty
much open the door to anybody, it's like if you're under contract and you do
something in bad faith we'll just fire you for it and you get what you want
anyway. I think we can use Sabu, he's such an ECW name brand type person. I
don't have any hundred percent facts on that, it's just my take on what I've
heard from a billion different people, I certainly think you try to keep
him, it'll be a tense situation if and when if he does come back. They said
the Sandman would never come back and he's back, I've heard that the
Franchise is coming back, we brought back Raven, just bring everybody back,
all is forgiven. Bring Satan back, all he did was make her eat an apple,
what's the big deal?" [Much laughter]
