Scott Hall is one of wrestling's most polarizing figures. As incredibly talented in the ring as he is difficult outside of it, Hall has contributed to some of wrestling's biggest moments and angles. His classic ladder match at WrestleMania X set the standard for which all ladder matches will be judged. His jump to WCW kicked off the biggest angle in the history of the business and he was side by side with Hulk Hogan for the most monumental heel turn we've ever seen. There's no questioning his contributions as a performer. But for everything great he's given us in character, he's had some low points to go along with them. Hall's struggles with drugs and alcohol are well-documented. ESPN produced a fascinating episode of E:60 that detailed his troubled background. Before getting into the business, while working security at a strip club he got into a scuffle with a man in a parking lot who pulled a gun on him. Hall was able to disarm the man and turn the gun on him, killing him in the process. Coupled with abuse he has experienced when he was young led Hall to a pattern of substance abuse. He was notorious for using his backstage pull to make political plays with management and a large number of wrestlers who worked with him have a negative opinion of him. He's one of the poster boys for having heat with his peers. There's a litany of stories involving him being difficult to work with. He's been let go by WCW and WWE despite being a top drawing star, and WCW even stooped so low as to infamously mock his problems with an on-screen angle in which Hall would appear on camera "drunk and in no condition to perform". The fact that the company he worked for chose to exploit his struggles rather than try to lend a helping hand speaks volumes of the people in charge at the time. His recent journey to redemption alongside the helping hand of Human Being Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page has been a pleasure to witness. Less than two years ago Scott Hall's name was one of the least likely people to make the Hall of Fame, if for no other reason than it wouldn't have been wise for WWE to associate with him at that point in his life. But now that he's back on the straight and narrow, reunited with his family and focused on sobriety it's time "The Bad Guy" gets his due.
Brad Hamilton is a writer, musician and marketer/social media manager from Atlanta, Georgia. He's an undefeated freestyle rap battle champion, spends too little time being productive and defines himself as the literary version of Brock Lesnar.
