TNAwrestling.com has an interview up with Vince Russo where he talks about many things. Below are some highlights.
On how the current Russo is different from the Russo of years ago: I'm so much different. When I started with WWE and WCW, I was a man on a mission. It was all about the ratings, all about writing the best show I possibly could. It was tunnel-vision because it really was a personal challenge to me. Today, at 45, it's not about that. My goals today are much, much different from what they were 10 years ago. My goals today are to make the wrestling industry a better place and to really give the boys in the business a better working environment, to give them an opportunity, to give them a chance. I care a lot about people today, much more than I did 10 years ago. You certainly could say that, 10 years ago, it was me first and everyone else second. It's not that way today because it's not about the personal goals and the personal challenges. It really isn't. Instead, it's about trying to make a difference in an industry that I've been a fan of since I was a little kid. I really want to make a positive difference in the wrestling industry. That's what drives me today. I think that's what drives TNA as well.
On his goals in TNA: First and foremost, I want to give as many people as I can the opportunity. Create opportunities for them on the show. I really want to help make dreams come true for the talent. I want to do the same for TNA as well. They have worked so hard, and come so far, I just want to give them the best product possible within my talents.
On the addition of Kurt Angle to TNA: Huge. I think Kurt will be a locker-room leader, much like The Undertaker was at the WWF when I was there. The boys really respected The Undertaker, almost like a father figure, teaching them right from wrong and keeping them in-line, making sure they didn't go into business for themselves, that it was the company first. I think Kurt Angle, with his experience and what he's accomplished in this business, is going to have a great influence and a great impact on that locker room, which will really help the talent grow up in a hurry. And that's what they need because most of the guys are so young. That's why I really feel that Kurt will be just as valuable behind the scenes as he is on-camera – and that's huge unto itself. The move to prime time is the opportunity. Let's face it, 11 p.m. ET is when a lot of people go to bed, so that's a very difficult time to get people to watch the show. With a 9 p.m. ET/PT time-slot, it is now our job, our responsibility to keep those viewers who check us out. Every show needs to be the best possible show it can be.
On TNA's top guys: Wow, that's tough because there are a lot who I like.
I'd have to top the list with A.J. Styles because A.J. is wonderful on-camera, in the ring, but also a wonderful person away from the ring; he has a wonderful heart. Even though I'm at least 20 years older than him, I was looking up to him and the way he led his life before I turned my life around. And what he can do in the ring is just incredible; it's hard to describe it at times. Every time I watch him he seems to top himself. He no doubt is the future of wrestling, no question about it.
Lance Hoyt. I really like him. He's a big guy, a good-looking guy, someone who can do some incredible things in the ring. For whatever reason, the business of professional wrestling may have been what has kept him down. Hopefully not for long.
Ron "The Truth" Killings. He has all the talent in the world; which has made it tough for creative to match that talent. He has more energy than anyone I've ever seen.
Samoa Joe. I'm a huge fan of his in-ring work. I also really like the kind of human being he is; he's a great guy.
Kurt Angle. Kurt was coming into the WWF right when I was going out and, truthfully, the first time I really watched Kurt Angle was a few weeks ago on iMPACT! when he did the thing with Samoa Joe. The one thing that just blew me away was the intensity that Kurt has. And remember, I've worked with everyone in this business, from Hulk Hogan to The Rock to Steve Austin to Mick Foley. I know how important that intensity is, because you cannot teach someone intensity.
And to go into business for myself, and add a sixth favorite—I think LAX is one of the hottest things in wrestling right now. It's just real. Konnan and I go way back, and I've always respected him both as a talent and a man. He just always finds a way to re-invent himself.
On possibly working with Bill Goldberg: Bill Goldberg probably was the hardest and the toughest individual I've ever had to work with. Bill Goldberg came (to stardom) so fast, in such a short period of time. He became a huge, huge star in the wrestling business and there was a part of Bill Goldberg who believed he could lose it all as quickly as he got it. So, instead of looking at where something creatively might help him in, say, six months, he instead simply looked at how it would effect him immediately. But all talent has to realize, and this isn't just about Goldberg, that creatively we know where we're going with the character … and yet they, unfortunately, don't - they simply see what they're going that night. They're only seeing chapter one, not the whole book.
