biography_legends_s05e04

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00:00:04KONIEC

00:00:30KONIEC

00:01:00impressalni

00:01:03honestly

00:01:10incre вся

00:01:11myślenie

00:01:15minds

00:01:16i was mr. joe straight and arrow

00:01:30Total excess, wszystko you did.

00:01:32Whoa!

00:01:34Three times he was rushed into an ER for drug overdoses.

00:01:38Coulda died.

00:01:40At that point, I was really pissed at him.

00:01:42Felt like I was being deserted by my partner.

00:01:45It got to the point where he's like, I can't babysit anymore.

00:01:50But they needed each other.

00:01:53The beauty of them was together, not separate.

00:01:56We got the cherry!

00:01:58They were brothers.

00:02:00He goes, Joe, I love you.

00:02:02I said, brother, I love you too, Mike.

00:02:04I didn't think I was going to get upset, but it was a very, um, it was very emotional.

00:02:08I never got to say goodbye.

00:02:11The greatest team of our time, the greatest team of all time.

00:02:16They were the best that there was.

00:02:28Well, this is where it all began.

00:02:30We had six kids in the family, and, uh, Mike was number five.

00:02:36Mike is a kid.

00:02:38Mischievous.

00:02:40I was in trouble for something.

00:02:41And a kid just running around and playing, but a little harder and a little heavier than everyone else.

00:02:49He wasn't a troubled kid, you know, growing up, but, uh, I mean, he was, for whatever reason, he liked

00:02:56to fight.

00:02:57That was, you know, I mean, that was Mike's sport, you know, it was kind of fighting.

00:03:02He had a very short temper, I mean, he could, if he felt you crossed him, he was probably going

00:03:06to knock you out.

00:03:37And that, that's one thing that he valued and that he kept through his whole career was his friends.

00:03:47Check, one, two, three, four.

00:03:49Hawk and I grew up in Minneapolis.

00:03:51We went to two different high schools because we lived in two different parts of the city.

00:03:55Here we are, a little bit of nostalgia.

00:03:56This is Hawk's all-neighborhood here.

00:03:59My dad and Hawk lived fairly close.

00:04:02Like, I think they could have ran into each other at, like, any moment in time.

00:04:06It was just, they hadn't yet.

00:04:09My dad, of course, in his high school years, played football.

00:04:14Joe was highlighted in the Minneapolis Star Tribune as an all-conference football player out of Irondale High School.

00:04:21At the time, I was at Golden Valley Lutheran College playing football.

00:04:25I was part of the recruiting team.

00:04:29I told him who I was, invited him over for a night to tour the campus

00:04:34and see if he would entertain the idea of coming and playing football with us.

00:04:40And he made a decision to come.

00:04:43I met Joe Laranitis here in 1978 in the fall when school started.

00:04:50And after that, it was love at first sight.

00:04:56He was a very good football player.

00:04:58That didn't quite work out.

00:05:01Life went a different direction for him.

00:05:06That's when he found out Nancy got pregnant.

00:05:12So, he was going to do the noble thing and drop out of college and marry Nancy.

00:05:19That was just the right thing to do.

00:05:23I found out that we were going to have a boy.

00:05:27And then we had Joey in February of 1981.

00:05:33It was like just a light switch.

00:05:36It was just he just stopped doing whatever he was doing and just became a dad.

00:05:40As simple as that.

00:05:41You know, I know that he and Joey's mom tried to be together and stay together and everything.

00:05:45And I understand that that didn't work out.

00:05:47But they were able to be parents at, you know, such a young age.

00:05:50And I think they did a pretty good job.

00:05:53We ended up getting divorced in 1982.

00:05:57Now I think back and I'm like, yeah, we were young.

00:06:01Now you're a brand new father.

00:06:03You're 20 years old.

00:06:06What was going to be his future?

00:06:14Growing up, my dad was, he was a more of the fatherly figure that was a provider.

00:06:19You know, my mom was probably a little bit more of the, you know, one that, you know, gave the

00:06:23love, I guess.

00:06:25Our mom died young, 57.

00:06:29She was a sweetheart.

00:06:31Yep, yep.

00:06:33Yeah, she had a real heart.

00:06:38And Mike was, you know, like, just out of high school.

00:06:41So I didn't know how much it affected him.

00:06:44But, you know, some of his friends told me that it really had a hard time.

00:06:50That was his time of transition.

00:06:53What am I going to do in life, you know?

00:06:55And his direction was a little lost.

00:06:59He also didn't like school.

00:07:01He didn't care for school.

00:07:04And that's where he started, you know, his whole workout regimen.

00:07:09In Minneapolis, there was a gym that became known as the Mecca of the Midwest called just simply The Gym.

00:07:17All right, here we are.

00:07:18We're at The Gym.

00:07:1913,500 square feet are the toughest powerlifters, bodybuilders, weightlifters, anything you want in the state of Minnesota right here.

00:07:26One day, I go to the gym.

00:07:29Mike happened to be there.

00:07:31And I'm doing incline.

00:07:33I'm doing, like, 315 or 350 or something like that on the incline.

00:07:36He looks at me and he goes, you're not right.

00:07:39He goes, a young kid should not be doing that.

00:07:41He just opened hands and goes, whack!

00:07:43You know, and from there, you know, we became real good friends.

00:07:47You know, once they kind of met officially, then it just kind of became like they were just meant to

00:07:53be.

00:07:54They met at the gym, but at the same time, they were bouncing at the bars.

00:07:59I can't remember.

00:08:00Was it Grandma B's or whatever he used to talk about all the time?

00:08:03Well, here we are at the infamous Grandma B's.

00:08:06They loved it.

00:08:08because they got to get paid to beat people up.

00:08:11That's what we were known for.

00:08:12We were like old dogs backed up in the corner.

00:08:15We were vicious.

00:08:17Also for my dad, I think he was honestly willing to do whatever he needed to do to, you know,

00:08:23pay for diapers,

00:08:24pay for whatever, you know, whatever the little baby Joey needed.

00:08:30Here we are at the Baltimore Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland,

00:08:33talking to the wrestling fans coming to see Georgia Championship Wrestling.

00:08:37Meanwhile, Oli Anderson, a legendary wrestler and promoter at Georgia Championship Wrestling,

00:08:42sees a movie, Mad Max, The Road Warrior.

00:08:55It puts a light bulb over his head and gives him the idea for a tag team.

00:09:00A guy named Eddie Sharkey is a trainer who's also working as a bartender at Grandma B's.

00:09:07And he knows Oli Anderson, the promoter.

00:09:10And Anderson one day calls Eddie Sharkey and says, I'm looking for a couple of guys.

00:09:14Oli comes to Minneapolis, meets with Eddie Sharkey at Grandma B's, and says, hey, who you got?

00:09:22You know, I need some talent.

00:09:24Who do you have?

00:09:26Oli sees Joe and Mike and he thinks, there they are.

00:09:32Like, that's it.

00:09:33And from then on there, you know, we went into the wrestling camp that Eddie Sharkey had.

00:09:38We went there three months straight, five days a week.

00:09:40And we really beat the heck out of each other.

00:09:45So now they get called down south to Georgia Championship Wrestling as the Road Warriors.

00:09:51For two guys that just happen to be tough guys to go directly from bouncing to maybe a smidge of

00:09:59training

00:10:00and then to Georgia Championship Wrestling, which was one of the top professional wrestling territories

00:10:06in the country at that point, is totally unheard of.

00:10:10They literally just took this chance and didn't even know what was going to come of it.

00:10:15Mike, at that point in his life, was still wandering.

00:10:21You know, Joe, from the get-go, was this family guy.

00:10:25So much harder for Joe than it would have been for Mike, because Mike had nothing to lose.

00:10:31But for my dad, you know, you're potentially leaving a job, leaving a baby, and like, what are you doing?

00:10:36It was kind of a weird spot for him, where it just felt like it was like, now what?

00:10:46The Road Warriors.

00:10:47Here they are at Georgia Championship Wrestling.

00:10:51First things first, they needed a manager.

00:10:54I want to take a moment, if I may, to talk to precious Paul Ellering.

00:10:58Here is a gentleman who has made...

00:11:00Oh yes, rumors about to...

00:11:03Oli pulled me aside with him and said, uh, these are going to be your boys.

00:11:10First, we molded the look.

00:11:13I just started with face paint first.

00:11:16Then Hawks said one day, Joe, you know, you should get a mohawk.

00:11:20And then I'll get the double mohawk.

00:11:23And then our heads will be one.

00:11:25Two, make one.

00:11:28Then we said, come up with names.

00:11:30And Oli points to the animal, and he says, you look like an animal.

00:11:34Hawks said, I think I'm a hawk.

00:11:37We choose which.

00:11:39This is hawk, this is animal.

00:11:40They were natural heels.

00:11:43Bad guys.

00:11:45They had the face paint.

00:11:47They had the hair.

00:11:48They had the names.

00:11:50The only thing they needed was the song.

00:11:56Their music for the ring entrance, that song would set the tone.

00:12:02The Road Warriors getting set to move into the ring.

00:12:07A big, impressive pair of individuals.

00:12:10You felt like two monsters from hell were coming out of the back of that Dagon dressing room.

00:12:15And they're going to wreak havoc.

00:12:19When they first came in, you see them, it's just, wow.

00:12:27Look out.

00:12:30These two guys were the coolest things I had ever seen.

00:12:35Just badass.

00:12:37Brother, you talk about vicious, bizarre individuals.

00:12:41They were taking people's heads off.

00:12:46It wasn't old school wrestling.

00:12:49Grab the hold, work the hold.

00:12:51I mean, what happened to professional wrestling?

00:12:53These guys are just rough and tough.

00:12:55Animal and Hawk completely turned the tables over.

00:12:59Now it was slam, bam, in your face, man.

00:13:04Y'all better get used to this.

00:13:05Because it's coming down, baby.

00:13:07They were themselves.

00:13:09That's who they were.

00:13:10We did it all our life.

00:13:11We've always got our way.

00:13:12I've been slapping people since I was yay high to a grasshopper.

00:13:16They forgot.

00:13:17This is not real.

00:13:19This is make-believe.

00:13:20Ooh, brother.

00:13:21I have never seen anybody as completely vicious and as overwhelming as a road warrior.

00:13:26They just rolled with it.

00:13:28Once the ball got rolling, it just picked up speed.

00:13:30You're looking at one of the most dynamic, trend-setting courses in the sport of wrestling today.

00:13:40The road warriors were so successful early on that they were able to work successfully in Georgia championship wrestling,

00:13:51in Jim Crockett promotions, National Wrestling Alliance, and AWA.

00:13:57They were able to do it all, and it just meant more exposure for the road warriors.

00:14:03At that time, cable TV, that changed everything.

00:14:07Coming up next, the road warriors, right here on ESPN.

00:14:10And cable TV, when it started to spread across the United States, everybody could see wrestling.

00:14:18I'm here in Dallas at the Reunion Center.

00:14:20We've got the greatest talent in the world.

00:14:21I've got the road warriors, you name it, and they're here tonight.

00:14:24So, it made regular stars, superstars.

00:14:29What'd you come here to see?

00:14:31The road warriors.

00:14:32I watched these guys get big fast.

00:14:35I want to see the road warriors, yeah!

00:14:37You know, I was like, oh my God.

00:14:40You know, these guys are monsters now.

00:14:43And that's when I heard the roar.

00:14:45The road warriors, and the road warriors, and the road warriors, and the road warriors!

00:14:52The reaction from the fans, it was something else.

00:14:56Every night.

00:14:58There were bad apples, bad guys.

00:15:01But fans loved it.

00:15:03It was huge.

00:15:06They had the look that gets the look.

00:15:09They had the it factor.

00:15:10And they just fed off of each other.

00:15:13There's gonna be a rumble tonight!

00:15:17Cause we're the warriors!

00:15:19That's right!

00:15:20They had chemistry.

00:15:23Ying and yang.

00:15:24Tell them, brother.

00:15:25Hey!

00:15:26Hawk and I had a unique telepathy, man.

00:15:28We were two guys they found in the wrestling business to put together.

00:15:32We were two guys that were friends.

00:15:34We bounced.

00:15:34We worked out together.

00:15:36We've known each other for years.

00:15:37So I think that gave us a little bit of an edge.

00:15:39Notice how Hawk and the Animal tag in and tag out.

00:15:42Watch this!

00:15:43Oh!

00:15:44It's almost like, I don't know, they were just tied together.

00:15:48Animal and Hawk, as a team, they were great.

00:15:51These men are the most devastating tag team I've seen in my career.

00:15:55But behind the curtain, they were completely opposite.

00:16:04Joey lived with his mother.

00:16:07But Joe would see him all the time.

00:16:10He missed him when he was on the road.

00:16:12It was hard.

00:16:12It really was hard for him.

00:16:14He was a very good father.

00:16:19And I always wanted to be with him and see him.

00:16:22And as much as he traveled, he saw Joey as much as possible.

00:16:27You see life different when you're a parent.

00:16:31And Hawk didn't have children.

00:16:32And so, you know, that was the difference.

00:16:37I think Joe was more subdued.

00:16:40Hawk was more of a fiery type of guy, you know.

00:16:44He would go out at night.

00:16:46At first, it was just drinking.

00:16:49And Hawk always had a good time.

00:16:52But Animal was the one that the promotion always knew we could reel him back in and, you know, make

00:16:58sure that they made their shows and did the things that they were going to do.

00:17:05They were two drastically different wired people.

00:17:11Hawk really was able to jump right on that lightning bolt in the life of the fast lane and turn

00:17:16it up about three more notches.

00:17:18While in the short term, if one member of a tag team wants to have a certain lifestyle and the

00:17:24other wants to live a completely opposite lifestyle, that can be fine.

00:17:28But it's really not sustainable.

00:17:31Eventually, something could give.

00:17:39Russia and the United States have always been at it for years and years.

00:17:44And the Cold War continued in 1985.

00:17:53Now, for the business, it meant something.

00:17:57Perfect time for the Russians to come.

00:18:02Introducing first, from the Soviet Union, Ivan Koloff and Crusher Khrushchev.

00:18:12The Great American Bash in 1985 was a huge deal.

00:18:17You had 27,000 Americans, all with one thing in common.

00:18:23They hated Russia.

00:18:26The Russians, in our culture, they were the bad guys.

00:18:32And then when you have the road warriors,

00:18:38this hard American, take no prisoners,

00:18:42and you Russians, you want to try something, we're just going to knock the hell out of you.

00:18:49People wanted the Russians to really get beat up.

00:18:53They want the road warriors to beat them up.

00:18:56The road warriors are our bad guys.

00:19:03Both teams have been disqualified.

00:19:06A double disqualification.

00:19:10Even though the match ended in a draw,

00:19:13the road warriors went from being bad guys to now being good guys.

00:19:18USA! USA!

00:19:21That entire interaction with the Russians

00:19:24ends up making the road warriors even more beloved.

00:19:28Look out!

00:19:29Look out!

00:19:30The winners!

00:19:31Fuck and edible!

00:19:32The road warriors!

00:19:35So now, they're more popular in a much better position

00:19:39when it comes to dealing with the guy who decides how much money they'll make.

00:19:44The man with the checkbook, Jim Crockett.

00:19:46Let's bring in Mr. Jim Crockett, president of Jim Crockett Promotions.

00:19:49Animal and Hawk wanted guaranteed contracts.

00:19:53So we talked to Jimmy, and he was going to come up with a deal.

00:19:59And so, before we did the deal, we got a hold of Vince.

00:20:04I got a hold of Vince.

00:20:06You know they're going to meet with Vince.

00:20:09Why not?

00:20:10I mean, you know, they're going to go back and forth to see what they can get.

00:20:14We have to remember, the mid-80s were gigantic for WWE.

00:20:19The involvement with celebrities like Cyndi Lauper and Mr. T,

00:20:23and the eventual formation of this event called WrestleMania

00:20:28completely transformed WWE and the wrestling business as we knew it.

00:20:32And this, of course, plays right into the road warriors' hands.

00:20:35They can now threaten Crockett with the idea that they could defect to WWE if they wanted.

00:20:40We're going to be the ones walking out.

00:20:42You're the ones that are going to be laying.

00:20:44And Vince, he said, I'd really like to have you,

00:20:47but I just can't give out guarantees.

00:20:50Nobody here has one.

00:20:51So we said, okay.

00:20:53And then right before he leaves, he says,

00:20:55you know, I know you're negotiating with Crockett.

00:20:58If you want to use me, you can in the negotiations.

00:21:04And we went back, and Jimmy came up with a very nice deal for us,

00:21:09and it was guaranteed.

00:21:11Mr. Crockett, you've been a very busy man

00:21:12with some very successful negotiations.

00:21:15I'm a very happy man right now, Jim.

00:21:16Animal and Hawk both got $500,000 per year for three years.

00:21:24And that was money in the bank.

00:21:26You know, nobody was getting that kind of money back then.

00:21:29Guaranteed.

00:21:32How would you handle the success and the success they had?

00:21:36Their ways of handling and coping with that success

00:21:39and your choice of how you move forward with this.

00:21:43You know, they just had different ways of going about doing things.

00:21:50We actually lived two different lifestyles.

00:21:53You know, I was Mr. Joe straight and narrow,

00:21:57and Hawk was Mr. whoosh.

00:21:59Hawk, you know, he enjoyed the nightlife.

00:22:04He started to become full speed, man.

00:22:06He was searching for a good time,

00:22:10and most of the time, he followed it.

00:22:12He made no secret about his reputation outside the ring

00:22:16in terms of, you know, the party life.

00:22:19I went to the ring, and things were kind of hazy.

00:22:22Everything seemed a little bit slowed down.

00:22:24But I never saw impede...

00:22:27Bob Gipsey!

00:22:29...his performance in the ring during that point.

00:22:32Oh, look at this!

00:22:34The tremendous strength of the Hawk!

00:22:37Oh, and power slam!

00:22:42So, no one knew at the time

00:22:44that it was going to, you know, take on a life of its own

00:22:47and become this growing issue.

00:22:52Whoa!

00:22:54Hawk was drinking a lot.

00:22:57And then, you know, it would progress.

00:23:08He started, obviously, doing a lot of substances and stuff.

00:23:16You know, at the time,

00:23:17you don't look at it the way we reflect on it now.

00:23:22Yeah?

00:23:23There wasn't any real discussion of,

00:23:25hey, you think you should cut back or whatever.

00:23:27Hawk was going to be Hawk,

00:23:29and that's how he rolled,

00:23:31and the guys he rolled with.

00:23:34So, we didn't really see the dangers

00:23:37and where it was headed.

00:23:46Joe and I met at the gym.

00:23:48A friend of mine from high school,

00:23:50we decided we wanted to lift weights,

00:23:52and we were at a club

00:23:53that the women lifted on one side

00:23:56and the men worked out on the other side,

00:23:57and we would always go to the men's side,

00:23:59and they didn't like that.

00:24:00But Joe kind of fought the fight for us,

00:24:03so that was the beginning there.

00:24:05Very soon after he met her,

00:24:07I could tell he was smitten, as I say.

00:24:12They were very happy together.

00:24:14That would eventually lead to marriage.

00:24:17That would eventually lead to James and Jessica,

00:24:20the two children they would have together.

00:24:27And even when he married Julie,

00:24:30he never really lost touch with Joey.

00:24:33He still had a responsibility to raise him

00:24:35while starting a new family

00:24:37and eventually raising James and Jessica.

00:24:44He made sure that we knew that we were loved.

00:24:48Like, family was number one

00:24:49out of anything that he was doing.

00:24:51Oh, jeez!

00:24:54Look at those teas!

00:24:57Safety, very warm!

00:25:00I think the most important thing

00:25:01was just togetherness.

00:25:03So when he came home,

00:25:04it was all about family,

00:25:05and Nahak did his own thing.

00:25:10Oh, Mike is Mike.

00:25:11He's just crazy.

00:25:13But a very caring,

00:25:15extremely caring, loving person.

00:25:18and he had an amazing heart.

00:25:20Hawk was the best.

00:25:22To know Hawk is to love Hawk.

00:25:25One day, we were in Midtown, New York,

00:25:28and there was a guy in an alley,

00:25:31and Hawk, he stops,

00:25:34and he gives a guy a hundred bucks.

00:25:37That's the way Hawk was.

00:25:39He would give you the shirt off his back.

00:25:43I was in the NWA,

00:25:45and I was making like $500, $600 a week,

00:25:47and I got a tax bill,

00:25:49and it was like $500 that I owed back taxes.

00:25:52Hawk seen me sitting over there.

00:25:54He said, what's the matter?

00:25:55I said, well, I just got stuff I got to take care of.

00:25:57I told him what was going on,

00:25:58and he said, man, don't worry about it.

00:25:59Gave me $500.

00:26:01For someone who is,

00:26:03at the time,

00:26:04whose character was larger and bigger than life,

00:26:07the guy, he had a heart.

00:26:10He was a great guy,

00:26:12super nice guy,

00:26:14but Hawk would go out two, three days at a time

00:26:18and not sleep,

00:26:19and party nonstop

00:26:20with some stimulants and things, yeah.

00:26:25Three times he was rushed into an ER

00:26:27for drug overdoses.

00:26:29Three times.

00:26:30OD could have died.

00:26:32Drug overdoses.

00:26:34A head-on collision with an 18-wheeler

00:26:37driving an old pickup truck

00:26:39with no seatbelt

00:26:40and rolled the truck six times

00:26:42and walked away without a scratch.

00:26:44One time, him and a buddy,

00:26:46northern Minnesota, November,

00:26:48cold, snow, icy lake,

00:26:51falls out of the boat,

00:26:52drunk as a skunk.

00:26:54He's sinking, sinking, sinking.

00:26:57Mike said he's looking up,

00:27:00and it's pitch dark,

00:27:01and he sees, like, a pin light,

00:27:04and he's like,

00:27:04I don't know what that is,

00:27:06but whatever it is,

00:27:07if I don't make it to that pin light,

00:27:09I'm done.

00:27:10Like, I'm done.

00:27:12I'm dead.

00:27:12I'm done.

00:27:14And he gives a last-ditch effort.

00:27:16Well, what it was

00:27:16was his buddy

00:27:18found a flashlight in the boat

00:27:20and was shining the flashlight

00:27:22in the water.

00:27:29And that's what saved Mike,

00:27:32was the flashlight.

00:27:34In his effort to get to that pin light,

00:27:37his buddy grabbed him

00:27:39and pulled him in the boat,

00:27:41and that saved him that night,

00:27:44that flashlight.

00:27:47At the time,

00:27:49Joe kind of started to get,

00:27:51you know, frustrated with Mike.

00:27:54It got to be a heavy load sometimes.

00:27:56I wanted to live up to the respect

00:27:59that our name had in the business.

00:28:02But Joe definitely had a loyalty to Mike,

00:28:05a loyalty to the business,

00:28:07and the loyalty to the road warriors.

00:28:10No matter how much Mike

00:28:12started to go off the rail,

00:28:14Joe was able to reel him back in

00:28:17and keep him focused

00:28:18and on track to what,

00:28:20you know,

00:28:20what the ultimate goal

00:28:21for the two of them was.

00:28:24A brother can talk to another brother.

00:28:27I mean, come on,

00:28:28we got this opportunity.

00:28:29Let's, you know,

00:28:31get it and let's get it going.

00:28:32I think Hawk accepted

00:28:33when there were some things said.

00:28:36You know,

00:28:36he knew what the deal was

00:28:37and he got in mind.

00:28:38But I think they understood each other.

00:28:42Hawk was there for the match.

00:28:44Had to have a couple cups of coffee and go.

00:28:47This event is for the world's

00:28:50tag team championship.

00:28:54My God, look at this.

00:28:57Their career continued

00:28:58to really just blossom.

00:29:08They were still hot.

00:29:09Real hot.

00:29:12Hey, road warriors.

00:29:14Now, you guys are invited to my party Saturday, too,

00:29:16you know.

00:29:16We don't mingle.

00:29:17We mangle.

00:29:18They were able to take this meteor

00:29:20rise to the top

00:29:21and stay on top.

00:29:23The number one team in wrestling,

00:29:24of course,

00:29:25the incomparable road warriors.

00:29:28Their early road warrior days,

00:29:30you know,

00:29:30first they didn't have the shoulder pads,

00:29:32but then they really dialed it in, right?

00:29:34They got those shoulder pads

00:29:35and, like, spikes on them.

00:29:38It was amazing.

00:29:39I loved it.

00:29:40It was hardcore shit, man.

00:29:42Well!

00:29:44And then I think Mike's wit came out

00:29:47on the interviews.

00:29:49We live life on the edge.

00:29:51What a rush!

00:29:53Oh, what a rush.

00:29:55Hawk came up with it.

00:29:56It was in a movie.

00:30:00Oh!

00:30:00What a rush!

00:30:02Oh!

00:30:03What a rush!

00:30:05It was great.

00:30:06Fans loved it.

00:30:09By this point,

00:30:10the road warriors

00:30:11are just that tag team.

00:30:13They're clicking on all cylinders,

00:30:14hot as can be.

00:30:15Road warriors!

00:30:17They're number one!

00:30:18They're the champs!

00:30:20The warriors!

00:30:22You know,

00:30:22they had conquered the AWA.

00:30:24You know,

00:30:25there was the NWA

00:30:26and then there was WCW

00:30:27and the WWE.

00:30:29I think it's something

00:30:30that they always wanted.

00:30:32There's only one way

00:30:33to measure your success

00:30:35and tag team wrestling

00:30:36and that's to go up

00:30:38against the best

00:30:39so you know how you rate.

00:30:41At that particular time,

00:30:42we needed to take the next step

00:30:44and go to the Big Daddy,

00:30:45which everybody was calling

00:30:46the WWE,

00:30:47the Big Daddy,

00:30:47all right,

00:30:48and make our presence there.

00:30:53The guys wanted to leave

00:30:54for WWE

00:30:56because pride has to drive you

00:30:59and you're proud

00:30:59that you are the best.

00:31:03You're proud

00:31:04that nobody else

00:31:05can do what you do.

00:31:08And I said,

00:31:10you guys go,

00:31:10but I'm going to finish out

00:31:12my contract

00:31:13because I've always been

00:31:15a man of my work.

00:31:17So it was time

00:31:19to go separate ways.

00:31:22It was tough

00:31:24because I'm the dad

00:31:27and they're my boys.

00:31:30And that's what started

00:31:32the ball rolling

00:31:34to move on.

00:31:46Vince McMahon wanted

00:31:48to get the Road Warriors

00:31:50up to the WWE,

00:31:52but they had

00:31:53such a good deal

00:31:54and the money

00:31:55they were making

00:31:55that the WWE

00:31:57couldn't match

00:31:58because Vince

00:31:59did not guarantee money.

00:32:01But the Road Warriors

00:32:03had already hit the ceiling

00:32:04at WCW.

00:32:06So they decided

00:32:08at that point

00:32:08to make the move

00:32:09to WWE

00:32:10so that they could be

00:32:12more than what they were.

00:32:14They call themselves

00:32:17the Legion of Doom!

00:32:21The Road Warriors

00:32:22was a name

00:32:23that was associated

00:32:24with the movie.

00:32:26So it was difficult

00:32:27to clear legally.

00:32:29And since WWE

00:32:31being a global company,

00:32:32you want to have

00:32:33a name

00:32:35that you can clear

00:32:36and Legion of Doom

00:32:38was something

00:32:39that we could get cleared.

00:32:44What a ride!

00:32:46It's out of all in the heart!

00:32:50When they did arrive,

00:32:52they

00:32:55took the place by storm.

00:32:57Oh, look at this!

00:32:58The Legion of Doom

00:33:00what's in the shadow

00:33:02of no man

00:33:04on this earth!

00:33:05They just went out there

00:33:06and just ran through people.

00:33:08Look out for the whole line!

00:33:10They beat the hell out

00:33:11of everybody

00:33:11they got in the ring with.

00:33:13The only reason

00:33:14they beat the hell out

00:33:15of everybody was

00:33:16they didn't know

00:33:17what else to do.

00:33:18Time to get even!

00:33:20Comes across

00:33:21with a close line

00:33:21at the top rope!

00:33:27Both Joe and Mike,

00:33:28they were intense as hell.

00:33:31But when you get them

00:33:32out of the ring,

00:33:34they were also

00:33:36wonderful people.

00:33:37How's the food here, Joe?

00:33:40Huh?

00:33:40How's the food here?

00:33:41Any limitations?

00:33:42That's good.

00:33:42Taste pizza.

00:33:43Taste pizza?

00:33:45Mike enjoyed being around fans.

00:33:47Enjoyed

00:33:48that part of his job,

00:33:50I think.

00:33:50We're going to kill

00:33:51the Beverly boys tonight.

00:33:52Yeah, you know it.

00:33:53Are you coming?

00:33:54I saw...

00:33:55Can you come?

00:33:57I ain't got no way

00:33:58to get here.

00:33:58I got no way to get here.

00:33:59No tickets in that.

00:34:00Well, I'll get you tickets

00:34:01and you'll get a way to go.

00:34:02He had a heart of gold.

00:34:04That's just the kind

00:34:04of guy he was.

00:34:05He had a heart

00:34:06that was bigger than himself.

00:34:08Tony,

00:34:09if he gets a chance

00:34:10to get...

00:34:11when he gets healed

00:34:11to get to a wrestling match,

00:34:12can you somehow

00:34:13can you get his name?

00:34:14How many tickets

00:34:14do you think you want?

00:34:15How many tickets

00:34:16do you want?

00:34:16Oh, we'll do better now.

00:34:20He could light up a room

00:34:20when he came in there.

00:34:21I don't know,

00:34:22for whatever reason.

00:34:23See you tonight.

00:34:24They're going to make a ring.

00:34:25Great guy,

00:34:27but Mike had demons

00:34:29that would prevent him

00:34:30from making good choices.

00:34:34What a rush!

00:34:36It just got to the point

00:34:37where in the 90s,

00:34:39it was total excess,

00:34:41everything he did,

00:34:42you know?

00:34:43if we'd go out drinking,

00:34:44it was just...

00:34:46he would drink

00:34:47to the point

00:34:48where, you know,

00:34:48he would just not stop.

00:34:50It was tough

00:34:51to watch sometimes.

00:34:55Luke the Bushmucker

00:34:56had a beach house.

00:34:59The pool was

00:35:01behind the townhouses,

00:35:03and people would put

00:35:04lawn chairs

00:35:05on this side of the pool,

00:35:06and the beach was out there.

00:35:08So they had their backs

00:35:09to the pool,

00:35:10and they were looking

00:35:11out at the beach.

00:35:12So when my wife

00:35:13and I pulled up,

00:35:14I see Hawk crawling

00:35:16towards the deep end

00:35:17of the pool.

00:35:18I think he's just

00:35:19screwing around,

00:35:20you know,

00:35:20having fun.

00:35:21I saw him, like,

00:35:22go in the deep end

00:35:22of the pool

00:35:23and slither

00:35:23and slide down the pool

00:35:24like a snake.

00:35:26I was getting my bags

00:35:27out of the car,

00:35:28and as I walked by,

00:35:29he's on the bottom

00:35:29of the pool.

00:35:31Just there,

00:35:32like, sleeping

00:35:32on the bottom

00:35:33of the pool.

00:35:34So my wife was,

00:35:35oh, my God,

00:35:35is he playing around?

00:35:36She goes,

00:35:36no, go get him.

00:35:38So I went,

00:35:38I got him

00:35:39and pulled him

00:35:39out of the pool,

00:35:40and I guess he'd

00:35:42eaten a bunch of things

00:35:43that were putting him

00:35:44to sleep, you know?

00:35:46And that was

00:35:47a real close call

00:35:48at that time.

00:35:49But I got him

00:35:50out of the pool,

00:35:50and they resuscitated him

00:35:51and got him going,

00:35:52and that was the beginning

00:35:54of, I knew

00:35:54we had a problem

00:35:56on our hands.

00:36:00Even though Mike

00:36:01had his vices

00:36:02and his challenges,

00:36:04still at that point,

00:36:05Joe was incredibly

00:36:06loyal to Mike.

00:36:08Joe developed

00:36:09a real love

00:36:10in his heart

00:36:10for Mike.

00:36:11You know,

00:36:11he certainly wasn't

00:36:12happy with his choices,

00:36:15but that love for Mike

00:36:16and not giving up

00:36:18on him

00:36:18or just throwing

00:36:19in the towel

00:36:20and saying,

00:36:20you know what?

00:36:21Dude,

00:36:21I'm just,

00:36:22I'm tired of your antics.

00:36:23I'm tired of your life.

00:36:25I'm just,

00:36:25I'm done.

00:36:26I'm out of here.

00:36:27You go your way,

00:36:28I'll go my way.

00:36:28But that wasn't Joe.

00:36:31It was the bond

00:36:34that's built

00:36:35and forged

00:36:36in those early years

00:36:38when they were,

00:36:39didn't have all the money

00:36:40and, you know,

00:36:42building their

00:36:43relationship together.

00:36:45Joe wasn't willing

00:36:47to throw in the towel,

00:36:48saw an opportunity

00:36:51of hope

00:36:53that Mike could make

00:36:55a lifestyle change.

00:36:58and all the thought

00:36:59with Hoff hitting

00:37:00a couple speed bumps,

00:37:01he'd straighten out.

00:37:04But he really didn't.

00:37:06It kind of kept

00:37:07getting worse.

00:37:11At the time,

00:37:13Mike failed the test

00:37:16and the test

00:37:17was for illegal drugs.

00:37:20He needs help.

00:37:22Need to get him

00:37:23out of here

00:37:24and we'll do

00:37:25whatever it takes.

00:37:26to help him

00:37:27and get him

00:37:28on the road back.

00:37:30We tried rehab

00:37:32and, uh,

00:37:33but he just

00:37:34didn't do it.

00:37:36After Hawk

00:37:37failed a drug test,

00:37:38the WWE

00:37:40had to suspend him.

00:37:41They tried

00:37:42to send him

00:37:42to rehab,

00:37:43but Hawk

00:37:44would not go.

00:37:45He had become

00:37:46a full-blown addict

00:37:48and the only one

00:37:49who didn't realize

00:37:50it was Hawk.

00:37:53Okay,

00:37:54does everybody

00:37:54understand

00:37:55why we're here today?

00:37:58That's right.

00:37:58We're here to talk

00:37:59about drugs.

00:38:01Drugs are going

00:38:01to get you nowhere.

00:38:03All drugs do

00:38:04is ruin you.

00:38:06They make life

00:38:06real hard.

00:38:09And instead

00:38:10of going forward,

00:38:11you end up

00:38:12going backwards.

00:38:15we did an intervention

00:38:17at one point in time.

00:38:19We sat down

00:38:20with him

00:38:21and just, you know,

00:38:22told him, you know,

00:38:23how much we love him

00:38:24and are concerned

00:38:25for him

00:38:26and his health.

00:38:27We were hoping

00:38:28that he would

00:38:29listen

00:38:30and get some help,

00:38:31that this was not

00:38:34something he could do

00:38:35on his own

00:38:36and get some help.

00:38:37And he didn't.

00:38:43He was not ready.

00:38:47I think that with Hawk,

00:38:49the way they used

00:38:50to do interventions

00:38:50was not going to work

00:38:53from the beginning

00:38:53because he's stubborn.

00:38:55and I think

00:38:55when they said,

00:38:56you can't

00:38:56or you need to

00:38:57or you should,

00:38:58he went,

00:38:59oh yeah,

00:38:59I'll show you

00:39:00because that was

00:39:01how he was.

00:39:02And so,

00:39:03I think he would

00:39:03run the other direction.

00:39:08Hawk,

00:39:08at that particular time,

00:39:10he was making money.

00:39:11One of the top

00:39:11tag teams,

00:39:13if not the top

00:39:13in the world.

00:39:15Everything you want,

00:39:16you've got

00:39:17that you've worked

00:39:18for your whole life.

00:39:19So, who knows

00:39:20what's really going on

00:39:21with somebody's mind

00:39:22or what's happening

00:39:23inside of you.

00:39:26I don't know why

00:39:27it turned out

00:39:27the way I used to.

00:39:30His personality

00:39:30was just,

00:39:32and I think

00:39:33that is a trait

00:39:34probably in the

00:39:35Hegstrand family,

00:39:36there's a bit of it,

00:39:38of addictions

00:39:38and then you had money

00:39:41and you had fame

00:39:42and you had an image

00:39:44to be the wild guy.

00:39:49Whoa!

00:39:51Yeah, you know,

00:39:52a lot of us

00:39:53will have the thing,

00:39:54and the little voice

00:39:55that goes off

00:39:56that says stop

00:39:57and Mike didn't

00:40:00and a lot of that

00:40:03was fueled

00:40:03by being Hawk.

00:40:06Well,

00:40:07best man Mike

00:40:09wishing you

00:40:10one happy marriage.

00:40:12He probably

00:40:13had been fine

00:40:14if he'd stayed

00:40:14in North Minneapolis

00:40:16and had been more grounded

00:40:17but I think

00:40:20Road Warrior

00:40:21Hawk kind of

00:40:23took over

00:40:24and he lost himself

00:40:26in there somewhere.

00:40:26He's never seen

00:40:28this bottle of whiskey.

00:40:32there were times

00:40:33when he would come home

00:40:35and he was high

00:40:37and you just

00:40:38you didn't really

00:40:40want to be around him.

00:40:44So, it was a sad time

00:40:46because you just knew

00:40:49this wasn't going

00:40:50in a good direction.

00:40:59Welcome to

00:41:00jam-packed

00:41:01Madison Square Garden

00:41:02and welcome

00:41:03to SummerSlam!

00:41:07At the time,

00:41:09Legion of Doom,

00:41:10they were popular.

00:41:12They were very popular.

00:41:13A Legion of Doom

00:41:15with the opportunity

00:41:15of a lifetime tonight

00:41:16as they meet

00:41:17the nasty boys

00:41:18for the World Wrestling

00:41:19Federation Tag Team Titles.

00:41:21They were attractions.

00:41:23They drew money.

00:41:25Listen to this ovation

00:41:27here in the government!

00:41:29And they delivered

00:41:31when they got into the ring.

00:41:33And now it's Animal

00:41:34who's on fire.

00:41:36Goes wide

00:41:36and another one.

00:41:38Oh, heaven to the head.

00:41:41Oh, look at this.

00:41:42He got him up.

00:41:43I can't believe it.

00:41:45Hawk is up there.

00:41:46He nailed it.

00:41:49We're going to do

00:41:50cheerio.

00:41:50He got him!

00:41:52What a knife!

00:41:57For winners of this boat,

00:42:00the new sports

00:42:02Christmas celebration

00:42:04and the champion

00:42:05of Peter

00:42:08of Doom!

00:42:13That SummerSlam

00:42:14of 1991

00:42:15really was the pinnacle.

00:42:17of everything

00:42:18that those two

00:42:19had accomplished.

00:42:21That was

00:42:22the peak.

00:42:23What a moment

00:42:24for Legion of Doom!

00:42:26Legion of Doom

00:42:27getting those tag titles

00:42:28in WWE,

00:42:29that's a big deal.

00:42:31At that point,

00:42:33Legion of Doom

00:42:33were it.

00:42:34Here we are

00:42:35at Toys R Us

00:42:36and

00:42:37the Legion of Doom!

00:42:39Oh, yeah!

00:42:40New WWF tag team figures!

00:42:42It's Tuesday!

00:42:43Oh, what a rush!

00:42:44You know,

00:42:45they had other business

00:42:46going.

00:42:46They had, like,

00:42:47their own clothing line.

00:42:48This company

00:42:48not only has

00:42:49a good product,

00:42:50it has a great gimmick.

00:42:52They're partners

00:42:53in a company

00:42:53called Zubaz.

00:42:55Those pants

00:42:56were one of the

00:42:56most popular

00:42:57pieces of apparel

00:42:58in the world.

00:42:59Their company

00:43:00grossed about

00:43:00$20 million

00:43:01last year.

00:43:02They were kind of like

00:43:03pioneers,

00:43:04you know,

00:43:04parlaying their fame

00:43:05into other ventures.

00:43:07so they were

00:43:08in it together

00:43:08with everything.

00:43:10As for Hawk

00:43:10and Animal,

00:43:11they've learned

00:43:12how to succeed

00:43:13inside the ring

00:43:14and out.

00:43:15And they have

00:43:16no intention

00:43:17of losing

00:43:17in either one.

00:43:23At the time,

00:43:25Hawk was still

00:43:26struggling

00:43:28with his demons

00:43:29and I think

00:43:30his lifestyle

00:43:31was taking a toll

00:43:32on him for sure,

00:43:33mentally

00:43:33and physically.

00:43:36Joe was his

00:43:37babysitter.

00:43:38You know,

00:43:38he would try

00:43:39really hard

00:43:39but it got

00:43:41to the point

00:43:42where he's like,

00:43:42I can't,

00:43:43I can't babysit

00:43:44anymore.

00:43:45Paul Ellery,

00:43:47welcome

00:43:47to Wrestlemania.

00:43:51I have

00:43:52returned!

00:43:55Animal felt

00:43:56that Hawk

00:43:57was better

00:43:57when I was around.

00:43:59They said,

00:44:00well,

00:44:00it sure would be

00:44:01nice to have you back

00:44:02and next thing

00:44:03you know,

00:44:03I got a phone call.

00:44:05Paul was also

00:44:06a great role model

00:44:07for them

00:44:08and so I think

00:44:09with Hawk,

00:44:10I think that they

00:44:10were kind of hoping

00:44:11that maybe the two

00:44:12of them together

00:44:13could kind of,

00:44:14you know,

00:44:15hone him in

00:44:15a little bit.

00:44:20At that time,

00:44:23Paul Ellery

00:44:23had a brilliant idea.

00:44:27He brought out

00:44:28a dummy,

00:44:30Rocco,

00:44:30who was supposedly

00:44:32their long-lost

00:44:34childhood doll.

00:44:36What is this?

00:44:39Animal.

00:44:40Paul,

00:44:40hey,

00:44:41what is this?

00:44:42That's Rocco!

00:44:43And now Rocco the dummy

00:44:44was supposedly

00:44:46going to inspire

00:44:47Hawk and Animal,

00:44:48take them to higher heights.

00:44:49All this rubble,

00:44:51we got one piece

00:44:52of memory left.

00:44:53By then,

00:44:55their biggest

00:44:55positive,

00:44:57money-wise,

00:44:58was their

00:44:59merchandise sales.

00:45:01Well,

00:45:01I want something

00:45:02that would help

00:45:03sell a lot of

00:45:03merchandise.

00:45:05And I thought

00:45:06we could do that

00:45:07with Rocco dolls.

00:45:10Remember the Rocco?

00:45:12We didn't even talk

00:45:12about that, right?

00:45:14The man.

00:45:15Can I take him?

00:45:16I want to take him

00:45:17to the ring.

00:45:18He can be our master.

00:45:19Let's take him

00:45:20everywhere.

00:45:21I can't believe

00:45:22an animal

00:45:22after all these years.

00:45:23I remember

00:45:24talking to Joe

00:45:25at the time

00:45:26how much

00:45:26he couldn't

00:45:27stand that

00:45:28dummy.

00:45:29Paul,

00:45:30this is

00:45:30f***ing

00:45:31oh,

00:45:32f***ing

00:45:33both

00:45:33Hawk and Animal

00:45:35hated

00:45:36that dummy.

00:45:37Hey,

00:45:38check out

00:45:39the haircut.

00:45:40I would like

00:45:41to point out

00:45:42I had

00:45:42absolutely

00:45:43nothing to do

00:45:45with Rocco.

00:45:46Aw,

00:45:47you guys

00:45:47have sure

00:45:48changed.

00:45:50I gotta tell you,

00:45:52I thought

00:45:53it was Rocco.

00:45:55I'm sorry,

00:45:56it was rotten.

00:45:59Rocco

00:45:59did not belong

00:46:01with the Legion of Doom.

00:46:04You got these

00:46:05two badasses.

00:46:07Ugh,

00:46:08what a rash.

00:46:10Hi,

00:46:10I'm Rocco.

00:46:11I'm your friend

00:46:12from when you

00:46:12were a little kid.

00:46:13it made,

00:46:15it just

00:46:15made absolutely

00:46:16no sense

00:46:17to me

00:46:18whatsoever.

00:46:19The development

00:46:21wasn't there.

00:46:22It didn't get

00:46:23what it needed

00:46:24from creative.

00:46:26We are the

00:46:27nudgeons

00:46:28of destruction.

00:46:30I would have

00:46:31fought to the death

00:46:32to not f***ing do that.

00:46:34Eventually,

00:46:36Rocco

00:46:36somehow

00:46:37disappeared.

00:46:39Trevor.

00:46:41over 80,000 fans

00:46:44welcome you

00:46:46to the grandeur,

00:46:48the spectacle

00:46:49of SummerSlam.

00:46:55SummerSlam 92

00:46:56was gigantic

00:46:57for the WWE

00:46:58because it was

00:47:00truly an international

00:47:01event.

00:47:03This was the beginning

00:47:04of the WWE

00:47:06going worldwide.

00:47:0882,000 people

00:47:09in Wembley Stadium

00:47:10in England.

00:47:12I mean,

00:47:13that's a

00:47:13WrestleMania crowd.

00:47:15If you mess up

00:47:17the WWE,

00:47:19they don't look at you

00:47:21the same way.

00:47:22They're sticking

00:47:23millions of dollars

00:47:24of investment money

00:47:26in you.

00:47:28and we built up

00:47:29to it so much.

00:47:30Months and months

00:47:31of interviews

00:47:31and time spent

00:47:32because you want it

00:47:33to be nothing

00:47:34but the best.

00:47:35This was going to

00:47:36be the big thing.

00:47:37Money Inc.

00:47:37against Hawken

00:47:38Animal the Road Wars.

00:47:39It was going to be

00:47:39a big night for us

00:47:40and we were all excited.

00:47:42It's SummerSlam

00:47:42and SummerSlam

00:47:43and I can't wait, baby!

00:47:44Legion of Doom,

00:47:45don't think this is

00:47:46a chance for you

00:47:46to get even

00:47:47with Money Incorporated

00:47:48and IRS.

00:47:49This was two

00:47:49of our major

00:47:50tag teams, you know?

00:47:52Two of the biggest

00:47:52tag teams we've ever

00:47:53had up there.

00:47:54But then we get

00:47:55ready to go

00:47:56and Elring comes

00:47:57to me and he goes

00:47:59oh my god.

00:48:00I said what's wrong?

00:48:01He goes it's Hawk.

00:48:02He was not in good shape.

00:48:09How much do you

00:48:10want me to tell you

00:48:11about that night?

00:48:14He was really unhappy

00:48:16with that little puppet

00:48:18the thing that they

00:48:19had going at that time

00:48:20and seemed to be

00:48:22in a very self-destructive

00:48:24mood.

00:48:25Hawk was by the sink

00:48:26and he just took

00:48:28about four or five

00:48:29Placidils

00:48:30and threw them

00:48:31in his mouth.

00:48:32I've never taken

00:48:33a Placidil

00:48:34but they're

00:48:35for sedating

00:48:36a horse or something

00:48:37or an elephant

00:48:37or something.

00:48:38If you take enough of them

00:48:39I'm sure they'll kill you.

00:48:41And I remember

00:48:41he stuck them out

00:48:42on his tongue

00:48:44and they were all

00:48:44stuck to his tongue

00:48:45and then he

00:48:47he just downed it

00:48:48with a drink.

00:48:49That's like suicide.

00:48:51Like what are you doing?

00:48:54What was terrifying

00:48:54was riding the motorcycle

00:48:56out

00:48:56because he was

00:48:57in no shame

00:48:59to do that.

00:49:03It wasn't good.

00:49:04Hawk shouting

00:49:05to this capacitive crowd.

00:49:07Hawk was just

00:49:09just a train wreck

00:49:10that day.

00:49:11I'm not sure

00:49:12Hawk even knows

00:49:13where he's at right now.

00:49:14With Hawk

00:49:16you never knew

00:49:17what you were going to get

00:49:18so we dealt with that

00:49:19as best we could

00:49:20and that's

00:49:20all I can say about it.

00:49:23Doesn't look much like Hawk.

00:49:24To me it looks more

00:49:25like an old dirty pigeon.

00:49:27I felt so bad

00:49:28for Joe.

00:49:30Imagine how frustrating

00:49:31that is for an animal

00:49:32who's looking on.

00:49:33Sometimes Hawk

00:49:33as a partner

00:49:34really failed him.

00:49:35Ring the bell Rush.

00:49:36Ring the bell.

00:49:37He's out.

00:49:37He's at it.

00:49:38When you're a team

00:49:40it's so important

00:49:41that one half

00:49:42of that team

00:49:42doesn't let

00:49:43the other half down.

00:49:44Everything with your

00:49:45career is tied in

00:49:47with his.

00:49:48With Hawk

00:49:49everybody really

00:49:50jumped in

00:49:50to try to cover up

00:49:51what was going through

00:49:52and happening with him.

00:50:03So we kind of

00:50:05pulled it out.

00:50:06Look at this.

00:50:07Power stop.

00:50:08One, two, three.

00:50:23You know, I wish

00:50:25it could have been

00:50:25a lot better

00:50:25looking back

00:50:26if we could have

00:50:27done it over again.

00:50:29The animal, Joe,

00:50:31he was very disappointed.

00:50:34Joe was a very proud man.

00:50:37He lived the road warrior gimmick.

00:50:40He was proud of that.

00:50:41And now

00:50:42for it to be tarnished

00:50:45that did not sit good

00:50:47with him.

00:50:49After the match

00:50:51Joe and I

00:50:52met at the airport.

00:50:53Hawk's not here.

00:50:56We flew back.

00:50:58At the next TV taping

00:51:00which was shortly

00:51:01after that event

00:51:02Joe Laurinaitis is there.

00:51:05Animal's ready to go.

00:51:07Here is

00:51:08Animal of Legion

00:51:10of Doom.

00:51:15Hawk's nowhere

00:51:16to be found.

00:51:23After SummerSlam

00:51:24Hawk,

00:51:26he just walked away.

00:51:28Where's Hawk?

00:51:29I don't know.

00:51:30Where is he?

00:51:33After that show

00:51:34Hawk went.

00:51:35and he met up

00:51:36with some bikers

00:51:37in England

00:51:38and he disappeared

00:51:39for, I don't know,

00:51:42two or three weeks.

00:51:43He disappeared

00:51:44and there was

00:51:45all kinds of rumors

00:51:45that he had taken off

00:51:46with the Hells Angels

00:51:47and it was just

00:51:49nobody knew.

00:51:51No one had heard

00:51:52from him.

00:51:53The last known place

00:51:55that he had landed

00:51:56was in Amsterdam.

00:51:59Well, Hawk,

00:52:01he was a cat

00:52:02who had

00:52:0313 lives.

00:52:05I knew he'd be alive.

00:52:07I just didn't know where

00:52:08and I was hoping

00:52:09he wouldn't get hurt.

00:52:14Then, finally,

00:52:15he had his lawyer

00:52:16drop something

00:52:17where he wasn't

00:52:18coming back

00:52:18to WWE.

00:52:23Hawk had called

00:52:24and talked to

00:52:25Vince's secretary

00:52:26at the time

00:52:26and said,

00:52:27this is Hawk.

00:52:28I've had enough.

00:52:29I quit.

00:52:31And that was it.

00:52:33It's hard to say

00:52:34why Hawk

00:52:36would just

00:52:36walk out

00:52:38on WWE

00:52:38at that time.

00:52:40Despite

00:52:40whatever

00:52:41at SummerSlam 92,

00:52:43despite Rocko

00:52:44the dummy,

00:52:45the Legion of Doom

00:52:46were on top

00:52:46of the world.

00:52:47but

00:52:48when you have

00:52:49this side

00:52:50of you

00:52:50that is just

00:52:51desperate to rebel,

00:52:53it becomes

00:52:54real hard

00:52:54to silence

00:52:55that side.

00:52:57Now,

00:52:58everything they

00:52:59built up

00:52:59is gone.

00:53:02Joel,

00:53:03he was

00:53:03disappointed.

00:53:05He was hurt.

00:53:07He was angry.

00:53:09He was

00:53:10devastated.

00:53:12He was

00:53:13mad.

00:53:15Hey,

00:53:15I've got a

00:53:16family.

00:53:17You know,

00:53:17I have kids.

00:53:19Animal said,

00:53:20I'm so disappointed.

00:53:21I am so hurt.

00:53:21We've got

00:53:22a great tag team.

00:53:23We're the biggest

00:53:24company in the world.

00:53:25And now,

00:53:25he goes and

00:53:26pulls this.

00:53:27He said,

00:53:27that hurts

00:53:28not only him,

00:53:29but it hurts me.

00:53:30It hurts my family.

00:53:31It hurts everybody.

00:53:33It felt like

00:53:33I was being deserted

00:53:34by my partner.

00:53:35He forgot

00:53:36that we're a team

00:53:37and he made

00:53:37a personal decision

00:53:39which affected

00:53:40a team.

00:53:41You know?

00:53:41And you can't do that

00:53:42when you're a member

00:53:43of a team.

00:53:43There's no I

00:53:44in team.

00:53:46So now,

00:53:47Paul's gone

00:53:48and all of a sudden

00:53:49this partner's

00:53:50dangling out there

00:53:51by himself

00:53:51and they had to

00:53:51put him with

00:53:52other members

00:53:53and single matches.

00:53:57Joe never really

00:53:58made it as a

00:53:59solo performer.

00:54:01I think people

00:54:03looked at it

00:54:03as a lesser

00:54:05than version.

00:54:06It just

00:54:07didn't work

00:54:08because people

00:54:08wanted the

00:54:10original road warriors,

00:54:11the original

00:54:12Legion of Doom.

00:54:14You separate them,

00:54:15they're just not

00:54:16as good as the

00:54:17sum of both parts.

00:54:21So,

00:54:22Animal needed Hawk.

00:54:24Joe, on his own,

00:54:26didn't have as much

00:54:26success.

00:54:27That's just the way

00:54:28it was.

00:54:29It just wasn't

00:54:30as important to Hawk.

00:54:35Hawk didn't need

00:54:36Joe as much

00:54:37as Joe needed Hawk.

00:54:38I ain't saying

00:54:39that I can't remember

00:54:39because, like,

00:54:40you know.

00:54:44He was going to

00:54:45try to make it

00:54:45work.

00:54:48But it's,

00:54:49I can't imagine

00:54:50him not being

00:54:51with Hawk.

00:54:57At that point,

00:54:58Hawk decides

00:54:59to go to Japan

00:55:00and tag with

00:55:02Japanese wrestler

00:55:03Ken Sasaki.

00:55:04When Hawk went

00:55:05to Japan with

00:55:06Sasaki,

00:55:07they did a

00:55:08road warrior clone.

00:55:12Joe was very,

00:55:13very upset about it.

00:55:14It was kind of like

00:55:15a stab in the back,

00:55:16you know.

00:55:17I wasn't sure

00:55:18at that point

00:55:18that they would

00:55:20ever, you know,

00:55:20would ever be back

00:55:21to normal.

00:55:22You know,

00:55:23you can make

00:55:23that right.

00:55:24It was kind of

00:55:25maybe taken

00:55:26a little bit too far.

00:55:28Hawk being heavy

00:55:29in his addiction

00:55:30at the time,

00:55:31instead of saying,

00:55:32hey, I screwed up

00:55:32and blah, blah, blah,

00:55:33blah, blah, blah,

00:55:34you know,

00:55:34he just went,

00:55:35oh, that's,

00:55:36I didn't do

00:55:37anything wrong.

00:55:39At that point,

00:55:40I was really pissed

00:55:41at him.

00:55:42I wasn't so much

00:55:43against him doing it,

00:55:43I was against him

00:55:44going without asking

00:55:45me to go with him.

00:55:46He should know

00:55:47after all those years

00:55:47that anybody

00:55:48that was going

00:55:48to have his back

00:55:49was going to be me.

00:55:51at the time

00:55:53Joe had injured

00:55:54his back,

00:55:54that one was

00:55:55pretty bad.

00:55:57You know,

00:55:57it's one of those

00:55:58you're like,

00:55:58do I keep going

00:55:59or should I maybe

00:56:00take some time off?

00:56:01And I think

00:56:02with the situation

00:56:03that was going on

00:56:04and with Hawk

00:56:05and with, you know,

00:56:06him having to do singles

00:56:07and it was just

00:56:08kind of a perfect storm

00:56:09for a perfect time off.

00:56:12Put your arms up, James.

00:56:15Hey, like daddy does

00:56:17in the ring.

00:56:18At that time,

00:56:19he was away from wrestling.

00:56:21Every game,

00:56:21every practice,

00:56:22any school event,

00:56:23anything that we were doing,

00:56:24he was just always there.

00:56:26Don't stick that in.

00:56:28I just think it's

00:56:30a true testament

00:56:31as to who he was.

00:56:33He was a dad.

00:56:36As far as Joe

00:56:37and Mike go,

00:56:37I would say

00:56:39that it was probably

00:56:41over a year

00:56:43that they did not

00:56:44speak to one another

00:56:46because of that

00:56:46stab in the back,

00:56:47you know.

00:56:48Joe was very hurt by it,

00:56:49very upset by it.

00:56:51So,

00:56:52we talked a lot about,

00:56:54you know, quitting.

00:56:55We talked about,

00:56:56you know,

00:56:56getting a normal job.

00:56:59But that pull,

00:57:01I think,

00:57:01of being road

00:57:02where you're animal

00:57:03and the business

00:57:04was just too strong.

00:57:08Mike realized

00:57:09that the beauty

00:57:11of them

00:57:11was together,

00:57:12not separate.

00:57:14They are real workers!

00:57:16They are real workers!

00:57:21It's almost like,

00:57:22you know,

00:57:22they got divorced,

00:57:24but they,

00:57:24you know,

00:57:25needed to,

00:57:25you know,

00:57:26reunite

00:57:26to get back together again

00:57:28because they were meant

00:57:29to be kind of a thing.

00:57:30But I think

00:57:31they were just drawn,

00:57:33drawn to the business,

00:57:34drawn to each other.

00:57:35It's like,

00:57:35you know,

00:57:36having a fight

00:57:36with your brother,

00:57:37you know,

00:57:38you're mad at each other

00:57:39for a while

00:57:40and you f***ing

00:57:40they come

00:57:40because you love

00:57:41each other,

00:57:42you know?

00:57:42So,

00:57:43they loved each other.

00:57:46They were brothers.

00:57:48No matter what happens,

00:57:49you're brothers.

00:57:52It was a blood thing

00:57:54with that.

00:57:55It took off

00:57:56to learn

00:57:58for a while

00:57:58who his true best friend

00:58:00in the wrestling business

00:58:00was,

00:58:01and it was me

00:58:01all along.

00:58:02Because I stuck with him

00:58:03through thick and thin.

00:58:04I stuck with him

00:58:05because I believed in him

00:58:06and he was my partner

00:58:07and I loved him

00:58:07and I grew up with him

00:58:08and I grew up with him.

00:58:08I grew into business with him.

00:58:09My family learned to love him

00:58:11and I grew up with him

00:58:11and I loved him.

00:58:12So,

00:58:13I said,

00:58:13let's just try it again

00:58:14and see what happens.

00:58:19Hey, y'all,

00:58:20somebody smile over here.

00:58:24In 1996,

00:58:25we met with both of them

00:58:27and Animal and Hawk

00:58:29seemed like

00:58:30they were in

00:58:31a really good place

00:58:32and they expressed to us

00:58:34the desire

00:58:35that they really did

00:58:36want to come back.

00:58:38Coming up next,

00:58:39we have a huge surprise

00:58:41right here on Raw.

00:58:43It was one of those,

00:58:44look,

00:58:45we're going to try this.

00:58:46If it works great,

00:58:47if it doesn't work,

00:58:48then we're going to cut bait.

00:58:56And a total combined weight

00:58:58of 575 pounds,

00:59:01the region of fear.

00:59:05It's cool

00:59:07when you've established yourself

00:59:09to a point

00:59:09that you can go away

00:59:11and be missed.

00:59:13Animal,

00:59:15Hawk,

00:59:16listen to this reception.

00:59:18And then when you come back,

00:59:19people are super hyped

00:59:21to see,

00:59:21oh my God,

00:59:22these are my guys,

00:59:23they're back.

00:59:25And that energy carries

00:59:26and they still have

00:59:27the same energy

00:59:29just like they never left.

00:59:32For me,

00:59:33it was even cooler

00:59:34because I just hadn't

00:59:34seen them in a while.

00:59:37LOD had some great moments

00:59:38when they came back

00:59:39in 1997.

00:59:40Wait a minute,

00:59:41here we go.

00:59:43Winning the tag titles.

00:59:44Wait a minute,

00:59:45wait.

00:59:50to see them in the ring

00:59:51together was fun

00:59:52and their charisma

00:59:53was so good

00:59:54with each other

00:59:55and on the wrestling.

00:59:56It was good wrestling,

00:59:57but for me,

00:59:59I think it was more about

01:00:01the trust.

01:00:03Can we trust him?

01:00:06Are we going to be able

01:00:07to trust that he's going

01:00:08to show up

01:00:08or that he's going

01:00:09to be sober?

01:00:11Animal gave Hawk

01:00:13another shot

01:00:14because they were

01:00:15so closely bonded

01:00:16together.

01:00:18But Animal

01:00:19sort of was

01:00:22waiting for the next

01:00:22meltdown for Hawk.

01:00:25You know,

01:00:26it's like nobody

01:00:26could stop it.

01:00:27He was going to

01:00:28self-destruct,

01:00:29he was going to

01:00:29self-destruct

01:00:30and it didn't matter

01:00:31what the consequences

01:00:32were.

01:00:32It didn't matter

01:00:33how it affected

01:00:34everything else

01:00:35that maybe Joe

01:00:36had on the line

01:00:37and, like,

01:00:38whatever happens

01:00:39to Hawk

01:00:40affects him.

01:00:42That was kind

01:00:43of the sad part

01:00:43about it.

01:00:47Hawk was really,

01:00:48like, he was going

01:00:49through a rough spell

01:00:50then and

01:00:52it just made you sad,

01:00:53you know,

01:00:54and you try to look

01:00:55out for him

01:00:56because he was

01:00:56the kind of

01:00:57going to look out

01:00:57for you.

01:00:59It's Hawk, man,

01:01:00that's,

01:01:01he deserves our

01:01:02respect and we

01:01:02need to look out

01:01:03for him.

01:01:08Sometimes it's

01:01:09a good thing

01:01:10to work in

01:01:12real-life situations

01:01:14into the creative

01:01:17because you can

01:01:18feel it

01:01:19and it is real.

01:01:21In this particular

01:01:22case,

01:01:23we took

01:01:25Hawk's

01:01:26real-life addiction

01:01:28and real-life issues

01:01:30that he was

01:01:31dealing with

01:01:32on a daily basis

01:01:33and put it

01:01:34on screen.

01:01:35He's walking

01:01:36drunk,

01:01:37it looks like.

01:01:37Hawk has not only

01:01:39fallen off the wagon

01:01:40but the wagon

01:01:41has run him over.

01:01:43I hate it.

01:01:46I f***ing hated

01:01:48when they use this

01:01:50addiction and

01:01:51storyline stuff.

01:01:53Hawk's no shape

01:01:54it can be here,

01:01:55King.

01:01:56What is wrong

01:01:57with this guy?

01:01:57Well, he's got a

01:01:58problem, obviously.

01:02:01It was painful,

01:02:02you know,

01:02:03it was painful

01:02:03and it didn't help

01:02:06him with any issues.

01:02:09It was just like

01:02:10a, what are you doing?

01:02:12Look at you!

01:02:14Look at you!

01:02:15I didn't like it

01:02:16and I know

01:02:17Animal didn't like it.

01:02:19Things he had him

01:02:20doing on live

01:02:21on TV,

01:02:22he said,

01:02:22this is too close

01:02:23to home, man.

01:02:23This is opening up

01:02:25some old wounds

01:02:25we're trying to put away.

01:02:27I don't think

01:02:28Hawk can even

01:02:28defend himself here.

01:02:30And if Hawk

01:02:31would have said

01:02:31I don't like it,

01:02:32well, that would have

01:02:33been perfect.

01:02:34But he said,

01:02:34I'll do it.

01:02:35So we did it.

01:02:38In addition to that,

01:02:39we introduced

01:02:40another character

01:02:41in Draws

01:02:42where the idea

01:02:44was if

01:02:46Hawk can't work

01:02:47because Hawk

01:02:48was dealing

01:02:49with issues,

01:02:50well, you've got

01:02:51Draws that can now

01:02:52be a part of

01:02:53the Legion of Doom

01:02:55with Animal.

01:02:57Nice teamwork there

01:02:58by Draws

01:02:59and Animal.

01:03:00Remember Hawk

01:03:01from his problem

01:03:02with painkillers

01:03:03is now an alternate.

01:03:05Anytime you do that,

01:03:07it doesn't work.

01:03:09The audience

01:03:09doesn't accept

01:03:10that they want

01:03:11the original.

01:03:12Well,

01:03:13let's just say

01:03:14that dwelling on the past

01:03:15is something

01:03:16the old LOD would do.

01:03:18They want their guys,

01:03:19man.

01:03:21Draws and Animal

01:03:22were not

01:03:22the Legion of Doom.

01:03:23Oh,

01:03:25what a rush.

01:03:26Hawk,

01:03:26you know,

01:03:27like,

01:03:27he wasn't happy.

01:03:30He was trying

01:03:30to be a pro.

01:03:33There's Hawk

01:03:33right there.

01:03:34What's he doing?

01:03:35I thought he was

01:03:35going to come out.

01:03:36He's climbing up

01:03:36on the Titan Tron.

01:03:38The storyline

01:03:39culminated

01:03:40when Hawk

01:03:41is now

01:03:43threatening

01:03:43to jump off

01:03:44the Titan Tron.

01:03:46Hawk

01:03:47has threatened

01:03:47to jump.

01:03:49Draws,

01:03:49climbs up

01:03:50to help

01:03:51Hawk

01:03:52to get him down.

01:03:52Get on!

01:03:54And then they do

01:03:54this thing

01:03:55where Draws

01:03:56puts his hands

01:03:57on Hawk.

01:03:58Don't touch me!

01:03:59Don't touch me!

01:04:00Go!

01:04:02Get a shark!

01:04:03Oh!

01:04:04Go away!

01:04:09Fuck!

01:04:11Every fan

01:04:12hated it,

01:04:13I think,

01:04:13and as a family,

01:04:15I wasn't,

01:04:15it bothered me,

01:04:16you know,

01:04:17but I kind of,

01:04:18I guess I thought

01:04:19there might have been

01:04:19a better ending

01:04:20to it

01:04:20than how it ended.

01:04:21The audience

01:04:23didn't believe it

01:04:25and the audience

01:04:26didn't want it

01:04:27and as far as

01:04:29Hawk went,

01:04:32the audience

01:04:32just felt sad

01:04:34for Hawk.

01:04:35This character

01:04:36who was once

01:04:37just this

01:04:39invincible

01:04:40force of pure

01:04:42and utter destruction

01:04:43is now

01:04:44almost pathetic.

01:04:46It was

01:04:47another negative

01:04:49to be brought up

01:04:50and

01:04:51when you lose

01:04:53your respect

01:04:54and your pride,

01:04:57that's a lot

01:04:58in this business.

01:05:02Maybe a look at

01:05:03reality

01:05:04is the end here.

01:05:07If it isn't,

01:05:08it's close.

01:05:21The sad fact

01:05:22was

01:05:22is the

01:05:24Legion of Doom

01:05:25wasn't the Legion of Doom

01:05:26anymore.

01:05:28Father Time

01:05:29does no jobs

01:05:31and

01:05:32Father Time,

01:05:33it hit them

01:05:34off.

01:05:35and

01:05:36during that

01:05:36time period.

01:05:39The Attitude Era

01:05:40is exploding.

01:05:41There's new

01:05:42massive stars

01:05:44that are popping up

01:05:45every single week

01:05:47on Monday Night Raw.

01:05:48So,

01:05:49the Legion of Doom,

01:05:51I think they were

01:05:52more looked at

01:05:52as kind of a

01:05:53washed up old team

01:05:54because this is now

01:05:56a young man's time.

01:06:01It would have

01:06:02managed to have

01:06:02a nice little

01:06:03year or two run

01:06:04and retire as champs

01:06:06in a fairytale world.

01:06:08But unfortunately,

01:06:09we don't live

01:06:10in a fairytale world

01:06:10and that's not

01:06:11going to happen.

01:06:13So,

01:06:14unfortunately,

01:06:15we left WWE.

01:06:19When their contracts

01:06:20weren't renewed,

01:06:21they were not quite

01:06:22ready to hang up

01:06:23the boots.

01:06:24they hit

01:06:25the independents.

01:06:29In 2000,

01:06:31Hawk and Animal

01:06:32are bouncing around

01:06:33the independent circuit

01:06:34in Australia.

01:06:36And one night,

01:06:38Hawk collapses

01:06:39with a medical emergency,

01:06:41a heart issue.

01:06:44It was a toll

01:06:45of all the drugs

01:06:46that he had done

01:06:46over the years

01:06:47and just not taking

01:06:49care of himself

01:06:49the way he should have.

01:06:52Animal got him

01:06:53to the hospital.

01:06:54They wanted to keep him.

01:06:56They wouldn't let him out.

01:06:58And Animal took him out

01:06:59because Hawk said,

01:07:00I can't stay here.

01:07:01I just can't.

01:07:02I don't want to die here.

01:07:05And he lived in Florida now.

01:07:08So Animal flew him

01:07:10back to Tampa

01:07:10and Animal went back

01:07:13to Minneapolis.

01:07:15and that was it.

01:07:20Mike was looking at life

01:07:22after wrestling

01:07:23and trying to figure out

01:07:24what to do.

01:07:26Announcing or doing

01:07:27something

01:07:27and trying to figure out

01:07:29next steps.

01:07:32He was working out

01:07:33with me every morning.

01:07:34One of the girls there

01:07:36that did aerobics

01:07:37was this gorgeous

01:07:37dark-haired lady

01:07:38named Dale

01:07:40and Hawk.

01:07:41Well,

01:07:41Hawk,

01:07:42that girl over there.

01:07:43So I introduced him,

01:07:44you know.

01:07:46I said,

01:07:46Dale,

01:07:46I don't know

01:07:47if you remember Hawk

01:07:47or not,

01:07:48but he wants

01:07:49to take you out.

01:07:50So they ended up

01:07:51going out

01:07:53and they ended up

01:07:54marrying her.

01:07:55She was a great influence

01:07:57on him

01:07:58and a huge part

01:07:59of his life.

01:08:01He loved her a lot.

01:08:03She loved him a lot

01:08:04and they,

01:08:04they were,

01:08:05I think,

01:08:06good for each other.

01:08:08At the time,

01:08:09Joe,

01:08:10he did a lot

01:08:11of independent wrestling,

01:08:12but he never really liked it.

01:08:15You know,

01:08:16when you don't have

01:08:16that person in the corner

01:08:17that you kind of

01:08:18always relied on,

01:08:19whether he's reliable

01:08:20or not,

01:08:22he was,

01:08:22you know,

01:08:22they had gone through

01:08:23a lot together.

01:08:25You can't have

01:08:27Rotary Animal

01:08:28without Hawk.

01:08:29You couldn't have

01:08:30one without the other.

01:08:35One day,

01:08:36I invited Joe

01:08:38to a conference

01:08:39out in Phoenix, Arizona.

01:08:40It's called AIM,

01:08:42Athletes International Ministries

01:08:44for College

01:08:46and Professional

01:08:46Christian Athletes.

01:08:47Joe immediately said,

01:08:49can I invite Mike?

01:08:50I want to invite Mike.

01:08:53I'm like,

01:08:54Joe,

01:08:54you know,

01:08:54it's like a Christian

01:08:55conference, right?

01:08:56Like it's,

01:08:56and he goes,

01:08:57I know,

01:08:58but I just feel like

01:08:59I'm supposed to invite him.

01:09:01I'm like,

01:09:02well,

01:09:03by all means,

01:09:04invite him then.

01:09:09And he called me back

01:09:11and he said,

01:09:13and he said,

01:09:14he wants to come.

01:09:17That first night,

01:09:19Mike's whole personality,

01:09:21attitude,

01:09:22everything shifted

01:09:23and changed.

01:09:25Oh,

01:09:26my gosh,

01:09:27like there's a genuine change

01:09:28in this man.

01:09:30There was a sense

01:09:31of genuineness about him,

01:09:33a sense of joy

01:09:34that he maybe didn't have

01:09:36prior to that,

01:09:38and a change,

01:09:39not just a change

01:09:40of attitude,

01:09:41but a heart change.

01:09:46After that,

01:09:47he was just trying

01:09:48to just,

01:09:49you know,

01:09:50straighten up

01:09:51all around.

01:09:53And here we are.

01:09:54Let's go.

01:09:56Finally,

01:09:57he was ready for that

01:09:58and Hawk got clean

01:10:00and sober,

01:10:02which is a great story

01:10:04on Hawk whip.

01:10:05Nobody thought Hawk

01:10:06would ever pull it off.

01:10:09It was like night and day.

01:10:11It was just a wonderful

01:10:13thing to see.

01:10:14It was a miracle.

01:10:18It took us all

01:10:20by surprise

01:10:20and obviously

01:10:21in a good way.

01:10:23He just seemed

01:10:24really happy.

01:10:27Life will be good.

01:10:28You've got,

01:10:28you know,

01:10:29you have Dale,

01:10:29you have your place

01:10:30in Florida,

01:10:31everything.

01:10:32It seemed like

01:10:33it was falling

01:10:34into place,

01:10:35knowing that,

01:10:36okay,

01:10:37you don't have to worry

01:10:37so much about Mike

01:10:39anymore.

01:10:41The road he was on

01:10:43is no longer

01:10:45the road he is on.

01:10:46Now he's on

01:10:47a new road.

01:10:48On this road,

01:10:50he will fulfill

01:10:51his life

01:10:52and his destiny

01:10:54in life.

01:11:03September 2003,

01:11:05I got to spend

01:11:06time with Hawk.

01:11:08We just sat there

01:11:09and soaked up

01:11:10some sun

01:11:11and talked about

01:11:13the old days

01:11:15and where we can

01:11:17go from here.

01:11:20It was Saturday

01:11:21morning.

01:11:22He was getting

01:11:23ready to move.

01:11:24He calls me up

01:11:25and he goes,

01:11:26I got to get

01:11:26right in here.

01:11:27I got to go help

01:11:27Dale pack

01:11:28and help her move.

01:11:29He goes,

01:11:29I'll call you back

01:11:30later tonight.

01:11:30He goes,

01:11:31Joe.

01:11:32I said,

01:11:32what?

01:11:33He goes,

01:11:34I love you.

01:11:35He goes,

01:11:35you know that,

01:11:36don't you?

01:11:36I said,

01:11:36yeah,

01:11:36man,

01:11:37I know that.

01:11:37I said,

01:11:38brother,

01:11:38I love you too,

01:11:39Mike.

01:11:39I said,

01:11:40I'll talk to you

01:11:40tonight.

01:11:52Yeah.

01:11:56I always get

01:11:57this way.

01:12:05Mike and Dale.

01:12:09They were moving,

01:12:11you know,

01:12:11and they were

01:12:13moving a lot of

01:12:14furniture and boxes

01:12:16and stuff.

01:12:17And from what I

01:12:19understand,

01:12:19he wasn't feeling

01:12:20well,

01:12:20you know.

01:12:23He said,

01:12:24I'm tired,

01:12:26I feel real good

01:12:26or something,

01:12:27went and laid

01:12:28down.

01:12:31And,

01:12:32yeah,

01:12:33yeah.

01:12:38I think an hour

01:12:39later,

01:12:40Dale went in

01:12:40and he had

01:12:42passed.

01:12:48The guy

01:12:49with the big

01:12:50heart dies

01:12:52with a heart attack.

01:12:57Yeah,

01:12:58the hardest part

01:12:59was just,

01:13:03yeah,

01:13:05didn't expect

01:13:06him to die.

01:13:12All the times

01:13:13that he could

01:13:14have died

01:13:14in his life,

01:13:15it was

01:13:17unexpected,

01:13:18which sounds

01:13:19crazy.

01:13:24Joe's phone rang.

01:13:26It was Dale.

01:13:28He just,

01:13:29like,

01:13:32like,

01:13:32collapsed.

01:13:33He, like,

01:13:33just, like,

01:13:34fell to the ground.

01:13:36Joe told me

01:13:37when he got

01:13:38that phone call

01:13:39that Mike

01:13:40had passed away,

01:13:42he said he sat

01:13:42down and he

01:13:43just cried

01:13:44like a baby.

01:13:48Animal called

01:13:49me up,

01:13:50said,

01:13:52Aka's gone.

01:13:59and I cried

01:14:00and cried.

01:14:06It was hard.

01:14:13Welcome back,

01:14:14ladies and gentlemen.

01:14:15We're live here

01:14:15on Raw

01:14:16this past Sunday

01:14:16morning.

01:14:17Road warrior

01:14:17Hawk

01:14:18passed away

01:14:19unexpected

01:14:19at the age

01:14:20of 46.

01:14:24Even though

01:14:24he had gotten

01:14:25clean,

01:14:26I think,

01:14:27as we all know,

01:14:28that kind of

01:14:29partying,

01:14:30the strain

01:14:30on his heart

01:14:31had caught up

01:14:32with him

01:14:32at a time

01:14:33when he'd

01:14:33gotten clean,

01:14:34so that was

01:14:35kind of sad.

01:14:36We definitely

01:14:36lost him

01:14:37way too early.

01:14:41Hawk

01:14:41was a nice

01:14:42guy,

01:14:43so

01:14:45it was just

01:14:46a really,

01:14:47really tough

01:14:47one.

01:14:52Growing up

01:14:52in the 60s,

01:14:54I don't remember

01:14:58my dad

01:14:59ever giving

01:15:00me a hug.

01:15:02And

01:15:03Mike brought

01:15:04that back.

01:15:07And

01:15:07I got

01:15:09our dad

01:15:09to hug us.

01:15:11We hugged

01:15:12our dad.

01:15:14And we hug

01:15:15each other.

01:15:18that's the way

01:15:18I remember.

01:15:26My brother

01:15:27Hawk,

01:15:28man,

01:15:28I'm telling you,

01:15:28there's not a day

01:15:29that goes by

01:15:30that I do not

01:15:30think about

01:15:31that man.

01:15:33I knew

01:15:34Hawk better

01:15:34than anybody.

01:15:35If I could

01:15:36explain the

01:15:37connection that

01:15:37Hawk and I

01:15:38had,

01:15:39I would,

01:15:40but I can't

01:15:40explain it.

01:15:41And Hawk,

01:15:44we fed off

01:15:44each other,

01:15:45It was one

01:15:46mind,

01:15:46one team,

01:15:47one body.

01:15:49And I will

01:15:49forever miss him

01:15:50and be

01:15:52indebted.

01:15:59Around

01:15:59that time,

01:16:00we were in

01:16:01Missouri.

01:16:02We lived in

01:16:03Missouri for a

01:16:04long time.

01:16:04My brother was

01:16:05playing for the

01:16:06St. Louis Rams.

01:16:08And then we

01:16:09were down

01:16:09there for

01:16:10quite some

01:16:10time that

01:16:10St. Louis

01:16:11really became

01:16:11our home.

01:16:13My dad,

01:16:14he did wrestling

01:16:15appearances here

01:16:16and there.

01:16:17You can tell

01:16:17he definitely

01:16:17missed it,

01:16:18but he

01:16:19continued to

01:16:20be a family

01:16:20man.

01:16:21And he

01:16:21was just

01:16:22a grandpa

01:16:22to all of

01:16:23his little

01:16:24grandkids

01:16:24and just

01:16:24loved that.

01:16:25I mean,

01:16:25he wished

01:16:26he could

01:16:26have been

01:16:27living near

01:16:28everybody

01:16:28in his

01:16:29family and

01:16:29just we

01:16:29all could

01:16:30have just

01:16:30lived on

01:16:30a compound

01:16:31together

01:16:31and he

01:16:32would have

01:16:32been

01:16:32happy.

01:16:36When I

01:16:37had my

01:16:37son Jacob,

01:16:38which was

01:16:38April 19th,

01:16:392011,

01:16:41my dad

01:16:41ended up

01:16:42like not

01:16:44being able

01:16:45to breathe

01:16:45like very

01:16:46well.

01:16:46So he

01:16:47ended up

01:16:48going into

01:16:48the hospital

01:16:49and he

01:16:49got diagnosed

01:16:50with congestive

01:16:51heart failure.

01:16:53But after

01:16:54that, he

01:16:55definitely

01:16:56was like

01:16:56hyper-focused

01:16:57on his

01:16:58health and

01:16:58just trying

01:16:58to make

01:16:59sure that

01:16:59he was

01:16:59as healthy

01:17:00as he

01:17:01could be.

01:17:04It was his

01:17:05family.

01:17:06100%,

01:17:07you know.

01:17:15Sorry.

01:17:19He told

01:17:19me that

01:17:20he wanted

01:17:20to watch

01:17:21Jacob grow

01:17:22up as

01:17:22his grandpa

01:17:25and he

01:17:25wanted to

01:17:26watch him

01:17:26play high

01:17:27school sports

01:17:28and go

01:17:29to college

01:17:30and all

01:17:30that stuff.

01:17:31So that

01:17:32like at

01:17:33that moment

01:17:34he wanted

01:17:35to be

01:17:35there for

01:17:36him and

01:17:36you know

01:17:37for everybody

01:17:37else in

01:17:38the family

01:17:38and that

01:17:39was

01:17:42that was

01:17:42definitely

01:17:43what was

01:17:43driving him.

01:17:46There were

01:17:47times that

01:17:47I know

01:17:47he wasn't

01:17:48feeling okay

01:17:50but I

01:17:51know that

01:17:51he pushed

01:17:53through it

01:17:54like every

01:17:54day, you

01:17:55know, just

01:17:55to be there

01:17:56for us

01:17:57and whoever

01:17:58else needed

01:17:58him.

01:17:58he was

01:17:59determined

01:17:59to be

01:18:00there.

01:18:04I knew

01:18:05Joe had

01:18:06some heart

01:18:06issues

01:18:08but I

01:18:08didn't know

01:18:09just how

01:18:10serious

01:18:10they were.

01:18:11it was

01:18:15September

01:18:1622nd,

01:18:172020.

01:18:19He ended

01:18:19up going

01:18:20into

01:18:21the hospital.

01:18:24He was

01:18:25having a

01:18:26heart attack.

01:18:28I remember

01:18:29at one point

01:18:30they told me

01:18:31that they

01:18:31had been

01:18:31like trying

01:18:32to revive

01:18:33him for

01:18:33like 30

01:18:34minutes.

01:18:38and I

01:18:38knew at

01:18:39that point

01:18:39he wasn't

01:18:40going to

01:18:40make it.

01:18:44I just

01:18:44knew.

01:18:45You know,

01:18:46it's just

01:18:46that feeling.

01:18:50Seeing him

01:18:51laying there

01:18:51on that

01:18:52table,

01:18:53just knowing

01:18:54he wasn't

01:18:54coming back.

01:19:00I just

01:19:01like fell

01:19:01to the

01:19:01floor.

01:19:02My whole

01:19:02world just

01:19:05just

01:19:06stopped.

01:19:12I didn't

01:19:12think I was

01:19:13going to get

01:19:13upset but

01:19:13it was a

01:19:14very,

01:19:14she was

01:19:15very emotional.

01:19:18The

01:19:19Minnesota

01:19:19professional

01:19:20wrestler known

01:19:20as Animal

01:19:21has died.

01:19:23Joe

01:19:23Laurinaitis

01:19:23died at

01:19:24the age

01:19:24of 60.

01:19:25TMZ is

01:19:26reporting his

01:19:26death was

01:19:27from natural

01:19:27causes.

01:19:29To get

01:19:30that call

01:19:30of his

01:19:30passing

01:19:31was

01:19:32heart

01:19:33wrenching.

01:19:36I saw

01:19:37Hawk a

01:19:37month before

01:19:38he died

01:19:39and I

01:19:40saw Joel

01:19:41a month

01:19:41before he

01:19:42died.

01:19:44I never

01:19:45got to

01:19:46say goodbye.

01:19:53well we're

01:19:54going to the

01:19:55hockey rink to

01:19:56go meet

01:19:57my son and

01:19:58play a

01:19:59little hockey

01:19:59and I

01:20:01got to

01:20:01still try to

01:20:02school him a

01:20:02little bit

01:20:03you know

01:20:03because I

01:20:04still tell him

01:20:04I'm better

01:20:05than him but

01:20:06I don't know

01:20:07he's pretty

01:20:07good.

01:20:08hey.

01:20:12don't

01:20:13have a

01:20:13cat on

01:20:13here.

01:20:15the way

01:20:16that my

01:20:16dad raised

01:20:17us was

01:20:17just to

01:20:18love each

01:20:18other.

01:20:19you know

01:20:20and of

01:20:20course

01:20:21everybody

01:20:21parents

01:20:22I think

01:20:22a little

01:20:22differently

01:20:23than like

01:20:23how they

01:20:24were raised

01:20:24but

01:20:25I catch

01:20:26myself

01:20:26I'm the

01:20:27same way

01:20:27with

01:20:27Jacob.

01:20:28let's

01:20:28pass

01:20:29around

01:20:29a little

01:20:29huh?

01:20:31oh yeah

01:20:33that love

01:20:34for family

01:20:35I just

01:20:36don't know

01:20:36anything

01:20:36different

01:20:37than that

01:20:37that's

01:20:37literally

01:20:38all I

01:20:38was used

01:20:38to.

01:20:39my dad

01:20:40he's just

01:20:40in the back

01:20:41of my mind

01:20:42you know

01:20:42all the time

01:20:43just what

01:20:44would he do

01:20:44or what

01:20:45would he

01:20:45say

01:20:48and of

01:20:48course

01:20:48the dedication

01:20:50the hard

01:20:50work like

01:20:51just teaching

01:20:51the work

01:20:52ethic

01:20:52I've

01:20:53definitely

01:20:53kind of

01:20:53instilled

01:20:54that in

01:20:54Jacob

01:20:54and I

01:20:55do

01:20:55explain it

01:20:56to him

01:20:56like

01:20:56hey

01:20:56papa

01:20:57would have

01:20:57done

01:20:57this

01:20:58or

01:20:58you know

01:20:58what I

01:20:58mean

01:20:58I kind

01:20:59of use

01:20:59that

01:20:59because

01:21:00there's

01:21:00a lot

01:21:00of stuff

01:21:01that my

01:21:01dad

01:21:01and of

01:21:02course

01:21:02my mom

01:21:03taught us

01:21:03that it's

01:21:04like

01:21:05you need

01:21:06to keep

01:21:06going

01:21:06you need

01:21:07to try

01:21:07to be

01:21:07the best

01:21:07you need

01:21:08to try

01:21:08to do

01:21:08this

01:21:09you know

01:21:09and I

01:21:09definitely

01:21:10will have

01:21:11to kind

01:21:11of throw

01:21:11papa's

01:21:12name

01:21:12around

01:21:12a little

01:21:13bit

01:21:13just to

01:21:13get

01:21:13Jacob

01:21:14to listen

01:21:14to me

01:21:23go back

01:21:23to the

01:21:24early

01:21:24days

01:21:25at the

01:21:26gym

01:21:26and

01:21:26grandma

01:21:27B's

01:21:27and

01:21:28them

01:21:29crossing

01:21:29paths

01:21:30with

01:21:30one

01:21:30another

01:21:31whether

01:21:32it

01:21:32be

01:21:32fate

01:21:33or

01:21:33whatever

01:21:33else

01:21:34it

01:21:34is

01:21:34that

01:21:34brought

01:21:34the

01:21:35two

01:21:35of

01:21:35them

01:21:35together

01:21:36to go on

01:21:37to have

01:21:37this

01:21:37legendary

01:21:38tag team

01:21:39career

01:21:39it's pretty

01:21:40amazing to think

01:21:41about it

01:21:42and look back

01:21:42back on

01:21:45for the road warriors

01:21:47I think the legacy

01:21:54would probably be

01:21:56and brother

01:21:57they are

01:21:57carnage

01:21:58unlimited

01:21:59nobody was tougher

01:22:00nobody was stronger

01:22:02nobody was more

01:22:02intimidating

01:22:03you want a piece of the warriors

01:22:04hop in the ring

01:22:06they made their own destiny

01:22:08what a moment

01:22:10for region of doom

01:22:11they wrote the book

01:22:17then they lived

01:22:18the book

01:22:19they were the best

01:22:21of their time

01:22:21they were the best

01:22:23of all time

01:22:24but

01:22:25the best things

01:22:27in life

01:22:28are not things

01:22:30they're relationships

01:22:36outside of being known

01:22:38as animal

01:22:39and hawk

01:22:39they were

01:22:40Joe and Mike

01:22:42and

01:22:43they developed

01:22:44the loyalty

01:22:45to one another

01:22:46and stayed together

01:22:48through the highs

01:22:49and lows

01:22:50the thick

01:22:50and the thin

01:22:51and

01:22:52it led to

01:22:54a

01:22:54long

01:22:55lasting

01:22:56love

01:22:57for one another

01:22:57Joe Laurinaitis

01:22:59and Mike

01:23:00Hegstrand

01:23:01were true brothers

01:23:02they would have

01:23:04never found

01:23:04the success

01:23:05they had in life

01:23:06without each other

01:23:08the road

01:23:08that they traveled

01:23:10was together

01:23:11and

01:23:12they may have

01:23:13drifted apart

01:23:14at times

01:23:14but they always

01:23:15came back together

01:23:17they never really

01:23:18left each other

01:23:19they were really

01:23:19always there

01:23:20for each other

01:23:21right to the end

01:23:25it's a lot of destiny

01:23:28that next thing

01:23:29you know

01:23:29you're making memories

01:23:33of all the things

01:23:34in the world

01:23:36it's the memories

01:23:39that matter

01:23:41the boys are smiling

01:23:44and the boys

01:23:45to the end

01:23:47you

01:23:48you

01:23:51you

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