[quote name='metaphysicalstyles']Let's face it... regardless of whether Hall is healthy and sober, or ill and relapsing, the guy has no business being in a ring. I'm tired of seeing these washed-up former pros trying to make a buck... when in all actuality, they are nowhere near a physical or mental condition to work a legit match. If you want to slap a "name" on your indy show in hopes of making a buck... fine. Just don't throw these broken old bastards in the ring. Have them sign autographs and pose for photos.
I'm not condoning all older wrestlers. Some of the guys can still go (i.e. Taker, Corino, Sting).[/QUOTE]
Corino has really adjusted his style in a way that's magnificent. I don't think he's all that old, really (late 30s, perhaps?).
So many of these guys retire and hit the convention circuit, though. Promoters book them because the hee-haw yokels who love pro wrestling won't go see an indy show, but they will come out to see a "star." I only went to a few Heartland Wrestling Association shows in my life before WWF made them a developmental group and shipped off 15+ WCW guys there (not that I was starstruck to see "Reno" wrestle entertainment, mind you). After that, I went each week - $3 ain't bad. So the promoters have financial incentive to bring in name guys, otherwise the house is going to be shit and they'll make substantially less money, or worse, take a loss.
Now, to be fair, you could say "well, Scott Hall clearly has no place in the ring, so hire some of the guys WWE shitcans - a Luke Gallows (who is hilarious on Colt Cabana's podcast, as I think KaneRobot pointed out), for example - he's young and still has a career in front of him." I'd agree that you can put "names" on your card without exploiting the elderly.
So promoters want to mitigate their risk, so that's understandable. Wrestlers aren't smart people, on the whole. I'm sure D'Lo Brown's past as a CPA meant he has been very sensible with his money, but for every D'Lo there are dozens of dropouts and people with little in the way of life/career skills. Superstar Billy Graham lives in an extended stay motel, FFS. So he has to make money somehow, and if there's still a mark that will pay for his painting, or his Hall of Fame ring, then god bless the free market.
Several weeks back I was having lunch in a Wendys, and saw this guy who couldn't have been under 65, walking around the dining room and bussing tables, wiping them clean and removing garbage. I'll be up front where I say I was damn near choked up seeing this guy. He had limited mobility, moved incredibly slowly (not deliberately, but like his body simply couldn't put up with it any more). Lest you think he was one of those retirees who takes a job to be social, he never said a word in the 20 minutes or so we were in there - and his eyes. Man, his facial expression was just soulless. One of those people who had clearly just abandoned any hope and enjoyment in life, and lacked the will to kill himself. Now, I'm surely extrapolating far too much from watching a single dude wipe down tables over a 20 minute time frame - but you've seen people like that before. No hope, no happiness, just going through the motions, waiting to die.
I don't want that for anybody. And if someone like a Billy Graham or a Scott Hall can make money at a show, making themselves happier and making some two-digit IQ ham-n-egger happier, more power to everyone involved. How many of us really know, in depth, about Hall's day to day condition? We had no idea, honestly, until word came out that he wasn't going to WM weekend. A reasonable conclusion from him wanting to avoid temptation is that he got clean and wanted to stay that way - not that he's having significant health problems.
anyway, I'm rambling now. I see your point, but I also see the other side of the coin.
[quote name='silentevil']I feel for the guy. I saw the vid when it first came out. Looks like the guy is having a stroke.[/QUOTE]
I thought this, too - again, his muscle control/motor skills are virtually nonexistent. If he's on 10 meds, there's a good chance that somewhere interaction problems occur.