March 03, 2008

He's not going down without a fight

DAYTONA BEACH -- Not even 24 surgeries could put professional wrestler Kevin Nash down for the three-count.

The 48-year-old still steps into the ring for Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling, which has weekly shows in Orlando and can be seen locally on the SPIKE network.

Otherwise, the 6-foot-10, 295-pound giant likes to kick back with his family in his Wilbur-by-the-Sea oceanfront home -- getting out to the gym and to his son's school in his 1993 Ford Bronco.

His numbers are telling. In 18 years, he won seven individual championships and 11 tag-team championships in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation.

Along with it, he has undergone 13 knee surgeries. He had a shoulder operation last November and has also had operations on his ankle (two), right shin, wrist, elbow, bicep and neck.

"The biggest problem we have is our necks," Nash said. "I actually have a couple of bulged discs now. It's actually trying to fuse itself. It's 24-7. The pain is almost unbearable."

That doesn't stop Nash from making the drive to Universal Studios to tape shows a few days per week for TNA Wrestling.

Nash's contract ends next year, and he's thinking he might take on television production or a public-office run as future opponents.

BASKETBALL AND MILITARY

Nash was able to use his height advantage early in life.

"I've been this tall since I was 16," Nash said. "My great grandfather was a Cherokee Indian. My sister is 6-3. My dad was 6-4, 6-5."

Playing at Aquinas High School in Southgate, Mich., Nash was the No. 2 prospect in the state of Michigan in 1977. Behind some guy named Magic Johnson.

Nash decided to attend the University of Tennessee and majored in psychology. He also played basketball for three years -- averaging 5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as a center -- and he was on the 1979-1980 Sweet 16 team.

"The guy that recruited me to go to Tennessee, coach Ray Mears, had a nervous breakdown before our first game. So, I never played for the guy who brought me there.

"Then, my sophomore year, they brought in Don DeVoe, who was a Bobby Knight disciple. To say that we didn't get along would be probably an understatement.

"I had an altercation with him. He grabbed me, and I threw him down. And that was pretty much it at the University of Tennessee. It makes for a pretty good pro wrestling story."

Nash looked into attending Bowling Green and considered Tennessee Tech, but decided against both.

"I knew I wanted to be famous, I just didn't know how to get there," Nash said. "I thought basketball was it, and obviously that wasn't. I figured at 6-10 that God put me on this planet to do something more than get in trouble and run with the wrong crowd."

Somewhat of a lost soul, Nash joined the Army in 1981. There until 1983, he served with the 202nd Military Police Company in Giessen, Germany.

"It was probably the best thing that ever happened in my life," he said. "It taught me discipline. I grew up, became very organized, became more goal-oriented."

In 1983, Nash began to play basketball on Army teams in Europe. In 1985, he blew out his right knee after dunking a ball and awkwardly landing on another player's leg.

"I could just never jump again," he said.

Little did he know what was around the corner.

WRESTLING YEARS

Nash the wrestler was discovered in Georgia by Jody Hamilton, who was one of the original (masked) Assassins. He made his debut in 1990.

"He was the guy who also taught me the ropes," Nash said.

"In 1993, I made my first big jump. I went to the WWF (now called World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE). They were drug testing -- especially steroids. It was not one of these fake drug tests. It was a real drug test. By the time they were a year into the drug testing, I was the only guy that was the same size as when he came in."

Life on the road, known as 300-plus days in WWE and going to bed at 4 a.m. if you were lucky, wasn't easy.

"By the time you got home, you had been away from your wife for 17 days. You have three days off. The first day, you are awkward with each other because you haven't seen each other in 17 days. The second day, it's like, 'OK, I remember you. I'm in love with you.' And, the third day, you're packed and gone and . . . see you in three weeks.' "

Nash, who admits past steroids use, and his TNA Wrestling co-workers had their first official steroids test Jan. 22. WWE began testing its wrestlers in February 2006.

"Congress is coming down on us right now hard with the steroid stuff," Nash said. "There's still going to be collateral damage from my era of guys. We'll all lose years off our lives."

HERE AND IN THE FUTURE

While Nash is still involved in TNA Wrestling's weekly episodes, his importance in wrestling history is invaluable.

"He was one of the main driving forces in every organization he's been in," TNA Wrestling play-by-play announcer Mike Tenay said. "People recognize him as a main-event-level wrestler.

"You see how important he is, especially to the younger guys."

Wrestler Alex Shelley, 24, said Nash helps wrestlers like him become future stars.

"He's helped me a lot on how to cut promos (interviews) and how to work with bigger people in the ring. He's also helped me with financial advice."

Nash credits financial friend Joe Hardy for being smart about money. While he has made a good living from wrestling, Nash avoids unnecessary luxuries.

"I drive a 1993 Ford Bronco," Nash said. "This is a real town. This is real people. I like it here."

And the giant has to eat.

Nash eats 325 grams of protein a day, even if it takes him seven or eight meals. He tries not to eat many complex carbohydrates and instead eats green vegetables and salads. He also tries to keep his fat level below 50 grams.

In comparison, adults who weigh 175 pounds should eat between 63 grams and 166 grams of protein per day, depending on whether they're sedentary or active recreationally.

And when he's craving caramel nut chocolate, you'll likely see him eating a Supreme Protein Bar per day, and not just because he endorses it.

Nash, who works out every afternoon and spends his evenings with his family (wife, Tamara; son, Tristen), is signed with TNA through September 2009.

Afterward, he may run for office one day, like Jesse Ventura in Minnesota.

"I'm trying to figure what the next avenue I'm going to go into -- I don't think I want to do creative (writing) as much as I want to do production. Try to branch out the brand of TNA, start to learn the TV end of it so I can go out and sell it to different countries. More the business aspect of it.

"Save this body, so I can play hoops with my kid."