[WWW] Cody Monk 11.14.03 column - To Guerrero, 'Lie, Cheat and Steal' is 'the bad guy,' not Eddie

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/sports/columnists/cmonk/stories

To Guerrero, 'Lie, Cheat and Steal' is 'the bad guy,' not Eddie 

12:01 AM CST on Friday, November 14, 2003 

 Eddie Guerrero is never far from his Texas roots. The 36-year-old El
Paso native, who now lives in Tampa, says he talks to his brothers and
other relatives in Texas almost weekly. And, he says, the El Paso
influence is with him every time he goes to the ring or cuts a promo.

Guerrero, along with his nephew Chavo, takes on The Bashams on Sunday
at American Airlines Center as part of the E's "Survivor Series"
pay-per-views. The event is one of the E's mainstay shows and one of
only four times per year the RAW and Smackdown brand crews work a
pay-per-view together.

The Shakedown sat down this week with the king of "Lie, Cheat and
Steal" to talk Texas, Survivor Series and E business. And, yeah, The
Shakedown checked for the wallet after the interview.

Q: You and Chavo have really jelled as a team. What was the genesis of
your teaming and why do you think the two of you, despite being pretty
different ring-wise, have such good chemistry?

A: I guess you can call it blood, call it being so familiar with each
other. Call it what you want, but we love working together. At least I
love working with Chavo. When we're in the ring together, we don't
have to work on things. We just know where each other is going to be.
We know what's coming and what to expect with each other. Being with
Chavo is different than anyone else I've been with. I've had tags with
my brothers, but this is different. Our thought process outside the
ring is different, but with Chavo, it's like having someone thinking
just like you do.

  

Courtesy 
Eddie Guerrero (top) says when he's not on Smackdown, he's trying to
better himself, and that means inside and outside the ring.
 
As far as where it came from, [the company] just tagged us up one time
and they liked the chemistry. It wasn't someone's idea. They just
wanted to have Chavo be Chavo and Eddie be Eddie. Of course, the
thought was always there [for us to tag] but it was never the plan.

Q: With the way the E pay-per-view schedule is like now, you get to
see the RAW guys now, maybe, four times a year. What is the atmosphere
like backstage at a big event like this? Is it a class reunion-type
event?

A: It's exactly like a class reunion. I've got a lot of good friends
on RAW. At events like this, you get to see a lot of people you don't
normally get to see. For example, I love to see Chris Jericho. He's a
great friend of mine, but it's not like we get to see each other all
the time. At an event like Sunday, you get to see a lot of people you
worked with. Remember, I worked with a lot of those guys for a long
time. It'll be good to see friends.

Q: Being on Smackdown and normally working Monday house shows, how
much are you able to keep up with RAW?

A: I try to keep up best I can, because it's part of my job. There's a
balance to everything, and I have to focus on myself. When I'm not on
Smackdown, I'm trying to better myself. With me, it's God, family and
staying sober. (Note: Guerrero has been to alcohol rehab, been
arrested for DWI and been suspended from the E for his problems. He
now says he is sober.) Those are my focuses in life right not. There's
a balance there, and with me and some of the things and problems that
I have and am battling, I have to have that balance in line. But when
we're at a house show and there's a TV at the show, we're all gathered
around watching.

Q: Recently business hasn't been as good as it has been in the past.
You're a leader in the locker room. What do you tell a guy who comes
to Eddie Guerrero for advice on whether or not it will get any better
or if there are going to be bigger paydays ahead?

  

Courtesy 
Eddie Guerrero: "I'm a little cholo, a little Tejano. Why am I going
to be embarrassed to display La Raza? My people take pride in their
race. That's part of my culture. That's Mexican-American. Why should I
be embarrassed?"
 
A: Look, Eddie Guerrero grew up in this business. I'm 36 years old.
I've seen the business fluctuate up and down. I believe it will go up
again. Where we are right now, it might be time for a change. It might
be time to try new stuff. Those are things we've got to look at doing.

When I talk to young guys, I tell them to have faith in God and that
this is going to turn around. If everyone goes out there with a bad
attitude, that's how you're going to work. And that creates a bad vibe
for the whole show. People pick up on those vibes. I believe in my
heart that if we're negative, that the fans will pick up on it.

Q: Wrestling is ingrained in mainstream American culture and will
likely never hit the low levels it did in the early '90s. However, do
you see a return to big-time ratings and crowds anytime soon?

A: I can compare this to another time in my career. Right after the
Hulk Hogan era, wrestling was on its downside. That's just the way it
works. I do believe that this business will come around. I pray we've
reached a plateau. But, it might get worse.

What you have to realize in this business is that you have to be
willing to change with the business. I have the confidence that Vince
knows what he's doing

Q: You're an El Paso guy and a Mexican-American. Some might say your
low-rider gimmick and your "Lie, Cheat and Steal" catch phrase is
playing to stereotypes. Though it's obviously just part of your
character and not the real Eddie Guerrero, how do you defend your
character when you hear these criticisms?

A: I'm a little cholo, a little Tejano. Why am I going to be
embarrassed to display La Raza? My people take pride in their race.
That's part of my culture. That's Mexican-American. Why should I be
embarrassed? "Lie, Cheat and Steal" has nothing to do with Mexican or
Chicano race. That was my character. I was the bad guy. I was the
heel. To get ahead, it doesn't matter if you're white, black, Mexican,
whatever: Anyone has done that. That obviously isn't Eddie Guerrero,
because No. 1, I'm a Christian. I profess Christ, but I have made a
lot of mistakes in my life. Thank God I'm saved by grace. But this
stuff is just my character.

THANKS, BOYS 

  

Courtesy 
So what if it's shameless self-promotion. These guys hauled in Sign of
the Week honors.
 
The Shakedown is bringing back SIGN OF THE WEEK for one week because
The Shakedown, as most The Shakedown fans know, is a huge fan of the
self-promotion. So major props to Atlanta The Shakedown fans Will
Trotter, Charles Spry and Ash Miller for a nod to The Shakedown and
his recently published book on the Yankees' Alfonso Soriano. Check out
the nice truck driver Pabst Blue Ribbon hat on Trotter.

ON THE TEXAS TRAIL 

Trying to pump up domestic book sales, the E and UPN have produced The
Stone Cold Truth, a one-hour special on Stone Cold Steve Austin. The
title is the same as his book that is currently available. ... Tickets
are still available to Nov. 16's "Survivor Series" pay-per-view at
American Airlines Center. This is one of only four annual
opportunities to see both RAW and Smackdown workers. ... After
Sunday's "Survivor Series," Monday's RAW is in Beaumont and Tuesday's
Smackdown in Houston. ... Houston's Nidia has been off the tube lately
because she had surgery to help her, well, get bigger. ... Jake "The
Snake" Roberts of Gainesville has been in the wrestling media lately
trying to drum up support for his British wrestling school venture. In
an interview on TheInteractiveInterview.com, he had harsh words for
Chris Jericho, calling the host of the highlight reel "a tremendous
talent if he knew how to work." ... The Snake also said Charles Manson
was his hero and that Manson's mug is "the only refrigerator magnet I
have."

IN BOX 

Q: Shakedown, you think Goldberg keeps the belt Sunday?
Jarod, Baytown, Texas 

A: Jarod, Goldberg should walk out of the AAC with gold. If he
doesn't, The Shakedown will have quite the wrath prepared. Because of
the way he was killed on his debut, the Goldberg character still has
some building to do. That takes a while. You can't just strip the belt
off him for the chosen one (Triple H) just because Mr. Chosen is back
off the honeymoon.

The E needs some continuity in its titles. Having Goldberg hold on
will show that it's going to be tough to get the belt off him and that
we have an established and a continuing-to-be-established character.

PINPOINTS 

In what seems to be happening all too frequently in the business these
days, Mike Lockwood, who worked as Crash Holly in the E, died this
week. Though considerably undersized, Crash did the little man gimmick
week. Climbing over the ropes one by one, helping start the 24/7 rule
with the hardcore title. All greatness. Crash was fired earlier this
year for problems relating to substance abuse. He was running a
wrestling school in the Carolinas and looking to work more on the indy
scene when he died. ... Brock Lesnar will be on ESPN 2's Cold Pizza on
Friday, officially marking the first time any hint of "hip and cool"
has walked onto that stiff set. ... Matt Hardy is officially moving to
RAW. ... Nathan Jones hasn't been on TV recently because he has a
minor role in Brad Pitt 's upcoming movie &Troy. Did anyone really
miss the non-working Aussie?... For those of you suffering from "good
ole day" syndrome, check out NWA: TNA. Jeff Jarrett teamed up with Lex
Luger on Monday to take on Sting and A.J. Styles. Besides taking a
look at the three old-timers, Styles is one of the better young
workers in the biz. ... The match is Luger's first in the States since
March 2001. ... The Ultimate Warrior and his Jim Helwig gimmick have
been making the college rounds, giving speeches on the values of
conservatism. Helwig's latest stop was Penn State. Despite The
Shakedown's attempts to confirm, many sources could not confirm if
Warrior ran into the room and began the speech by shaking the lectern.
.. The E's new coffee table book Unscripted is available. One of the
major domos of the book is Ken Leiker, former editor of WCW Magazine.
.. Kurt Angle is working through a sore neck. He had an MRI earlier
this week. Angle had quick-fix surgery earlier this year. If any more
surgery is required, we could be seeing the last of some greatness.