Tom Zenkin his own words

QuestionWho originally came up with the concept “Can-Am Connection?”

Rick came up with the name. He had the jackets made, the blue jacket he sent me in Portland. I had the flags and the trunks made.

QuestionDid Martel discuss with you anything about his plans for WWF?

All I heard back [from his meeting with McMahon] was that Vince wanted all white instead of all blue jackets and trunks for the tag team. Rick tried to convince McMahon that it was Vince's idea all along - to make Vince the genius that Vince wanted to be. Rick was a good worker and put Vince over. They made a deal.

QuestionDid you ever get the feeling that Martel was maneuvering you to increase his own career longevity by bringing you onboard?

Yes, I knew Rick had been thinking about the Can-Am for a long time and Lutte Internationale’s imminent collapse triggered his plans. People told us that we looked like brothers.  And it was common knowledge among the wrestling community that Rick couldn't give an interview because he had a hard time with English.  After the Montréal promotion's decline, it was obvious that he needed a new "ticket to ride," and, I guess, I was it!   The Can-Am try out in Japan

QuestionCan you tell us a bit more about the contract negotiations with WWF. Were you involved at all in the discussions or did you take it on trust and leave it to Rick?

Rick conducted the negotiations with McMahon in the US while I was still working in Montréal. [This was before the Japan tour]. He told me "a ship can only have one captain" and I agreed, given his long experience in the business, that he would be "the captain" . He treated me like my brothers would treat me and I trusted him.  He was a caring, good guy. He was nice to me. I was raised on respect and I respected him. You've got to take a chance on someone and I took a chance on him. At the same time I was concerned at the way he'd made a deal behind the backs of [Gino] Brito, [Dino] Bravo and Tony Mule - his partners in Lutte Internationale.

QuestionWas it your understanding that both of you would be drawing the same pay from WWF?  And do you think there was any intention by Martel or McMahon to deceive you into believing this?

We signed separate contracts. I signed in Montréal. Rick would never let me see his copy of the contract. I said I didn't want to sign a separate contract - I was pushing his buttons to guage his reaction. He told me "Vince needs you to sign the contract. Vince is very big on loyalty."  I think Rick thought I was a mark for the business, a young guy with "stars in his eyes" who was just happy to be in the ring. Veterans think they can work "naive", "dumb", young wrestlers  -  but I always regarded wrestling as a business. I was in it for the money. My understanding was that Rick and I were signing as equal partners. And a "partnership" to me, means 50 - 50.  Do you think, honestly, I would go along with him taking more money than me - or did they just forget to tell me? I assumed that, in any negotiations, it would be me and Rick against the promoter. But Rick had worked for Vince before and Vince went along with the idea of Rick taking a larger share of the contract money. He didn't tell me any details of the negotiations and I never got to meet or speak with McMahon himself. In fact Rick blocked me everytime I said I wanted to speak to Vince. So I'd say, yes, he deceived me purposely.  When I finally got to know the details, I left it alone for a while so that Rick could dig himself into his own lie. As far as I'm concerned, I was totally honest with him. And it was he who broke the trust between us. It was ultimately Rick, with his greed, who split the Can-Am Connection.

QuestionMartel has argued that he was a veteran offering to help a younger wrestler into the spotlight.  He uses this to justify taking a larger share of the contract money. Is there any merit in this argument?

Rick had experience but, on the other hand, I had youth. From my point of view, it was a combination of equal partners. Rick wasn't doing me any favors. If I couldn't have held the spot, Rick would never have had me! In fact, neither Rick nor Vince McMahon would have had me! At that stage Rick had the reputation of being a "quitter" who'd lost the AWA title by submitting to Hansen in the boston crab. He was known everywhere as a "quitter" and that really troubled him. As AWA heavyweight champion, Martel couldn't draw money and the Gagnes' were looking for a hot heel to replace him. Martel took his revenge on Verne by hand-picking Stan Hansen to drop the belt to. By choosing Hansen, Rick knew there would be very few opportunities for the Gagnes' to make any money out of  title defences in the US, because Hansen's bread and butter work was in Japan. On the other hand, Rick knew there'd be big money opportunities for himself challenging Hansen in Japan. When Martel was booking in Montréal he'd done some favors for Baba, like promoting Toshiaki Kawada during his tour of Canada. That gave him an 'in' with Baba and he was looking for $10,000 a week to wrestle Hansen in AJPW as the former AWA Champion.

Rick always claimed he had a back injury going into the match with Hansen. But that was just a story he'd planted in the wrestling press to prepare fans for his upcoming loss. Like many other wrestlers, Rick had a huge ego and was reluctant to do a clean job or finish. The fake injury story suggested that despite everything,  Rick was a man of his word who was willing to risk the AWA title against the odds, toughing the match out, despite being less than 100%.   Rick really thought people would fall for the finish but the whole thing backfired. After losing the title to Hansen, Rick was regarded as "a quitter to the boston crab" and his career nose-dived. He was effectively relegated to smaller promotions in Canada and Puerto Rico.

QuestionSo you're saying that, although Martel was a veteran, his experience wasn't enough to justify a larger share of the contract money?

Well despite loads of experience, Rick's career WAS floundering. On the other hand I had youth and I'm convinced that I made up at least half of the Can-Am's appeal. Rick found out his real net worth as a veteran when I left. I mean, according to Rick and the rest of the team at WWF, when I left I took away "no knowledge" and "no talent." And they replaced me with a really good worker, much better than me - Tito Santana - another veteran much closer to Rick's age - and look what happened! They never drew the same! They never made the same money!  Rick found out his true value, his true net worth without me, in 'Strike Force'. I think that sums it up!

QuestionCan you tell us something about appearing at Wrestlemania III, working before such an enormous crowd. How generous were Muraco and Orton in putting you over?

They wanted us to start off Wrestlemania III with a hot match. I think we had 5 minutes and 30 seconds with a little cutesy finish. Who pinned them? - Martel of course! Everything was on cue and we did all the spots. A few weeks before Wrestlemania, the WWF hooked up teams that were going to wrestle at the big event to make them comfortable working with each other when the big day came, and also to allow them to work out some high spots for the match. Anyway Orton and I became friends inside and outside the ring because I kept my mouth shut and listened. We also partied on occasion and I think, among most of the boys,  I had no heat because I was humble and liked to party with the heels. Orton was a great guy, a great technician, a guy that I respected and liked as a person, a guy who accepted me and helped me in the ring,  a second generation man who took the time to help me perfect my craft, as well as taking care of me in the ring. And someone I liked to shoot pool with! Don Muraco - another great guy, funny too, again always took care of my body in the ring.

QuestionWere you satisfied with the money deal from Wrestlemania III ?

No - I wasn't satisfied. I got $10,000. Other guys in bad matches got $20,000. They even paid Mary Hart more. I asked Rick "How much do you get paid". "Uh, the same as you." Then I heard from the other guys what he really got paid. Between us we should have received $100,000. I never had any problem with Vince - he was a good pay-off man - but he still owes me.

QuestionWas there any other way you were financially tied to WWF?

My girlfriend had found a nice house - an acre, prime real estate at a modest price. WWF was willing to go guarantor on mortgages to tie in their workers financially. But they turned me down three times because Patterson didn't want to get me my house. They wanted me to buy something bigger, around $400,000. Because they wanted to tie me in as a slave to the grind. I've never played the game. At the same time, my girlfriend was getting anxious so I told them if they turned it down again, I'd quit. Three strikes and I'm out. Eventually Martel spoke to Hogan. The Hulkster phoned Vince and I got the house.

QuestionDid you ever get a chance to put your case to McMahon?

No, no.  When I said "I want to talk to Vince" Rick would say "Wait until we get the belts - we'll have more leverage then." When I said it'd be better to get things sorted out right away, Rick said "No. Two-on-one wouldn't be a good idea." I said "Two wrestlers against Vince McMahon is hardly ganging up on him"  but he simply didn't want me talking to Vince. And it was tough getting to see McMahon, getting past his stooges.

QuestionI understand you were in Boston on the day of the split. Was there a big match coming up?

No it wasn't a big match - it was a TV interview with Gene Okerlund at 10 a.m. the next morning. I think we were in Worcester, Massachussets. A number of things were coming to the boil. There was the money and Rick's refusal to meet with McMahon to renegotiate. The money sucked. I told Rick the money sucked. That was the third time I'd tried to get our deal renegotiated.  But by then I knew he had his own deal. Japan wanted us - so he must have had something better. You don't want to go back to Japan and work for $5,000 a week!! -  then you MUST have a better deal. Then Garvin and Patterson had been using their stroke in the office to harass me - cock-watching in the showers, crude remarks, and then petty harassments if you snubbed them - like Terry Garvin had started warning me about supposed dress code violations.  I'd heard rumors about them and the way they'd tried to manipulate guys like Barry O. Trying to hit on them. We were in a Mac Big Boys on the road to Worcester, Massachussets and I said to Rick "you'd better get your French Connection buddies squared away or you're going to be working alone." I used to tell Rick that his friends were his friends. I didn't want to know them.  After that he gave me the cold shoulder in the car the whole way to Worcester. He acted real huffy - and when we arrived at the hotel, he threw the car keys at me. I went to my room to think things over.

QuestionWhat happened next?

I called the airlines from my motel room and booked the first flight to Minneapolis. Then I called my girlfriend and asked her to pick me up from the airport. I left Rick a note with the car-keys saying - "Thanks for the opportunity. I really appreciate it. Without you it wouldn't have been possible. But things didn't work out the way you said. You'll do better on your own."  July 10 is my mother's birthday. I was back in Minneapolis in time to celebrate my mother's birthday.

QuestionAs you headed back to Minneapolis, were you resolute in your decision or were you still open to changing your mind and having another shot at it ?

No. "Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me."  I hated to do it but I figured I owed it to Rick [to teach him a lesson.]

QuestionAnd what were your feelings towards Martel at that time?

I was disappointed after all we'd been through. I'd helped him out by moving from PNW (Portland) to Lutte Internationale (Montréal) after the Rougeau's left. I thought "when does he equal out?" Any great team equals out. But with Martel it just never equalled out.

QuestionAccording to Martel, he visited you in Minneapolis three days later. Can you describe the meeting, where it took place and what was discussed?

I was fixing up the new home I'd bought a few weeks earlier. He came with 'Blackjack' Lanza. I was working in my garage, refinishing the kitchen cabinets. Rick was honest - he said I can understand what you're doing. And he gave away how much he was earning. I didn't discuss in detail the real reason for what I'd done. I was so mad. I told him "I'm done." He told me we were going to win the belts and work a program with Demolition ....but the hot heel team draws the money - that's the tradition - so we wouldn't have held the belts for long. Jack Lanza came in. Jack Lanza was one of the guys in AWA who had encouraged me to go to Portland (in 1985) and I owe Jack an apology. I hurt his feelings. Only he was in the line of fire and I told him "Get out of here. You're just a stroke for the office." Rick had tears in his eyes. It was sad to see but he'd been so unnecessarily greedy. He asked me to go back for one final match - they planned to 'finish my career' with a pile-driver from the Islanders. He told me "Haku will pile-drive you, break your neck and then we'll say you're out of the business." I said "No Rick. It's finished. OVER."

QuestionDid Martel or McMahon offer any improvement in your contract conditions to encourage you to stay?

No. Rick didn't mention more money. Jack Lanza didn't mention money at all.  After they left the garage and got to the Chevy Blazer that Lanza drove, Rick turned to me and said "I hope you can't sleep at night......" I went back to the refinishing my kitchen doors, there was plenty to do. I never have regretted to this day leaving the WWF.

QuestionAfter the meeting with Martel, when did you next hear from WWF? What was the legal fallout from WWF and how was it resolved?

After they'd read the kayfabe sheets.  I felt I was never going back to wrestling. But when WWF heard I was going to work in Japan, they hit me with a law suit - November 1987 - saying I'd damaged them financially for all the TV they'd invested in me. I contested that their TV had done nothing to enhance my marketability in Japan since their program had been scrapped in Japan as fake after only a week on-air. I told them "You can sue me in Japan. No court in Japan will find for you." They wanted to sue me for breach of contract and garnish 10% of all my Japan earnings. Real class act that Vinny McMoney. I strung them along for over 2 years to keep WWF paying a heavy retainer to their lawyer. Finally their attorney told me "Believe it or not Mr. Zenk, I have more important cases than this. Just settle this with them." Eventually we settled for $827 - WWF later told me "We had to have something to show that you didn't get off scott-free with our contract."

QuestionAfter things had quietened down, did you have any regrets or second thoughts about your decision?

Not a one. I laugh everytime I think about it. I know Vince, Hulk, Jack Lanza, etc., all knew we were the best tag team ever. But it really wasn't my decision to regret. It was Rick and his greed that split the Can-Am not me. I gave him the benefit of the doubt. We agreed on a 6 months try-out in WWF. I gave him the 6 months. After that, I saw the exit and pulled the rip-cord on my parachute.

QuestionAny feedback from other people in the business?

Orndorff told me a bit later "You and Martel really had it. If only you'd stayed together you'd have made a lot of money." But I wasn't making lots of money. They always say it as if I'd made a mistake. But I didn't make a mistake - I wasn't getting big money - there was nothing to make a mistake over.

QuestionAt that time did you have any plans to return to wrestling sometime? For example, resuming your work in Japan?

At that time wrestling was finished for me.  Nothing means nothing for a lot of people in the business - they get caught up and carried away and forget that they're only just wrestlers. They forget that others lose to put you over. I yielded to get guys over. I never baulked. That's the business. People seem to forget that humility is part of the business- that's when they start to lose touch with the real world.

QuestionWhat did you do in the meantime - before your trip to Japan in November 1987.

I had money saved and lived on what I had put aside. I worked on refinishing the house.

QuestionHow did you feel about the way you were being portrayed on WWF TV as a 'quitter.'

That was their right. It was a TV show and it helped them enhance their product. I thought they could do better - it wasn't really creative and Martel didn't look believable.