10 Times WWE Used Real Life Misery For Storyline Gains
5. Road Warrior Hawk’s Alcoholism
Few tag teams are as respected as the legendary Road Warriors. Hawk and Animal spent years smashing all in their way, bruising their way to championship wins and proving that tag team wrestling can be a legitimate needle mover, headlining shows across the country. When people are listing wrestling’s most important tag teams, LoD is always in the discussion.
But time waits for no man, even if that man is wearing face paint and spiked shoulder pads. The Attitude Era passed the team by, and years of hard living had taken their toll on the duo, Hawk in particular. The legendary brawler’s well-documented battle with alcoholism was out of control.
WWE decided that the best way to deal with the issue was to make it a part of the story. Droz had been added to the Road Warriors unit as Hawk spiralled out of control, leading to an immensely regrettable segment in early 1999. Hawk’s issues became too much, and the street clothes-clad icon climbed the Titan Tron and threatened to commit suicide. The Attitude Era was just about as tasteless as it gets.