Featured Article Shane Helms

JIMMY V's SPOTLIGHT - COLUMN

Jim Varsallone <Jimmy@essentialwrestling.com>

There's a whirlwind of talent in the World Wrestling

Federation but none can match the power, the might, the

force of the Hurricane. Shane Helms joined the WWF after

the fall of WCW left many wrestlers wondering where they

would land. Known as Sugar Shane, Helms began making

his mark with WCW, winning singles gold.

After signing with the WWF, Helms looked to set himself

apart from the pack, avoiding feeder groups Ohio Valley and

Heartland. A real-life fan of the comic book hero The Green

Lantern, Helms decided to bring truth and justice to the WWF.

"The creation of the Hurricane was a mutual thing

between me and the WWF," Helms said. "I have a tattoo on

my shoulder which is from a comic book character type thing,

and it evolved from there." The tattoo is actually from the

Green Lantern.

"The tattoo is will power," he said.

A native of Wendell, North Carolina, Helms has will power.

He grew up the smallest kid on the block. He overcame

his lack of physical stature by becoming one of the hardest

working athletes at East Wake High School. He wore his

heart on the wrestling mat and football field each and every

time.

"I was the smallest kid on the wrestling team and football

team in high school," Helms said. "When I decided to get

a tattoo, it seemed appropriate to get that type of tattoo."

Before wrestling amateur in high school, Helms attended

an independent wrestling show -- the CCWA -- in North

Carolina. At age 13, he already knew he wanted to become

a pro wrestler.

"I stayed after the show and told them I wanted to be trained

one day," he said. "I started doing odd things for them, putting

up the ring, being a ring boy, whatever I could to play in the

ring." Self-taught, Helms wrestled his first match for another

indie group in 1991. After wrestling the indie for years, Helms

landed a spot with WCW.

"I never sent it a tape of my work to the big promotions,"

Helms said. "I didn't know who to send it to or who to contact.

So I worked the indies a long time, and I went to Germany for

a little bit." When Helms returned from Germany, he sent a

tape to the right person, and WCW booked Helms to a tryout

match.

"Once I sent that tape in, that was pretty much it," he said.

After the tryout, WCW signed Helms. "I was kicking myself

for not sending a tape earlier," he said. "I guess I thought

they would just find me."

Helms has enjoyed his run in the sun in the WWF.

"It's been great, more than I hoped for," Helms said.

"Most of the input on the Hurricane is mine. One of our

writers is a comic book fan, so he kind of knows what

path to put me on as far as my promos and stuff.

Basically, they want me to say something, and I say it

as the Hurricane would."

The Hurricane persuaded Molly to leave Spike Dudley

and become his side kick the Mighty Molly. "It's fun for

her," Helms said. "It's a learning experience because she

has never been a heel per say. It's going to be different for

her but she learns quickly. It's definitely always fun having

something out there with you."

Super heros Batman and Robin have the Bat-cycles.

The Hurricane and Mighty Molly have the Hurri-cycles. After

Mighty Molly pinned Lita, The Hurricane called the Hurri-cycle

the Molly-mobile. "The WWF gets a new cycle for each

show," Helms said. "I need one myself. I will probably end up

buying one. I practice for a couple of hours every show because

I'm not really that proficient on a motorcycle. It's really fun."

Helms has spent most of his career as a serious wrestler.

Though, in WCW, he was a member of the three-man tag

team 3 Count, the satirical boy music group, before breaking

into singles success.

"People know I can wrestle and be a serious wrestler,"

Helms said. "Now I have a spot as The Hurricane where

I can be entertaining at the same time. To be successful

in the realm of sports entertainment, you need to be talented

in the ring or entertaining. If you can be both, that doubles

your chances of being successful."

Who better than Kanyon? Helms credits Kanyon for

helping him improve in WCW. He also received guidance

from Jimmy Hart.

"In the WWF, Matt Hardy Is a great friend of mine," Helms

said. "We were friends on the independent scene. He kind

of ease my transition in the WWF locker room. I didn't have

to go prove to everybody I was a nice guy. I had a great

friend saying I was ok."

Helms wrestled for OMEGA, an indie group

spearheaded by the Hardy brothers in North Carolina.

"Starting in 1991, I went to so many different indie wrestling

organizations. I couldn't even count how many," he said.

"OMEGA was special. It just seemed like everybody there

was just so talented.

"The thing about independent wrestling in North Carolina

anybody could do it. You would go to shows, and there

would be people who were just terrible. They didn't belong

anywhere near a ring. The OMEGA group was different.

Everybody was good, and everybody worked so hard. It was,

by far, the best independent show I'd ever seen or ever been

a part of. We were all close, too. Every show was a party

for us."

For more of the Hurricane interview, check out

www.ringfury.com and www.miami.com/herald click sports

and wrestling. Jim Varsallone runs both wrestling web pages

for the Miami Herald and St. Petersburg Times newspapers.

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