Making Skin Crawl

WWF Magazine, August, 1999

By Kevin Kelly

As the ink-filled needle pierces skin, pain - in the name of art - is acceptable. The amount of pain the subject chooses to accept seems to grow as ink spreads across the body. By the time the skin is saturated with color and bold lines, the fear once associated with the first stick of the artist's instrument is gone.

Those who pierce their bodies say it is an adrenalice rush to actually go through with the act of having metal breaking the skin in the name of art. The heightened sensations that follow remind the owner of the level of excitement and pain associated with the act of piercing. The more piercings, the bigger the rush.

For Droz and Prince Albert, the abundance of tattoos and piercings each man possessed shouts loudly about the amount of pain each man can endure. Now that this duo is trying to make unwilling pin cushions out of their opponents, the fear factor and intimidation associated wtih first-time jitters is intensified and these two are using it to their advantage.

The parallel paths both Droz and the Prince have walked are incredible. It is complete irony that these men are a team in the World Wrestling Federation. They competed against each other on the college gridiron with Droz suiting up for the Universit of Maryland and Prince Albert playing for Pitt. On opposing sides of the line, Prince Albert said that his notorious partner lived up to the nickname "Puke" by throwing up all over him. They met twice in college, splitting the pair of games.

Each man left college with NFL dreams and played for AFC West rivals. Droz was a member of the Denver Broncos and his partner a San Diego Charger. While neither lined up against the other as pros, the college experience was something they never forgot.

With football behind both of them and World Wrestling Federation dreams on the horizon, the soon-to-be team was reintroduced at a Federation training camp session conducted by Tom Prichard. Once the "Hey! I remember you!" thing was out of the way, the desire to team up was an instant. Their Federation trainer saw it right away.

"Droz had a lot of talent by himself, but I think that there was something that needed a spark. When Prince Albert came along, I think he added that spark. They both had size and talent, but together it made fora  better fit," Prichard says.

Now ti was time for impact. Together, Droz and Prince ALbert found that their mutual hobby, the final unifying factor in their ironin parallel journey, was to be their calling card. What better way to get attention than to show everyone the "joy" of piercing and tattooing? While many on the roster already sport ink and some even dabble with "heavy metal," the idea of being tattooed or pierced bu this intimidating duo is downright scary even to the experienced.

Droz and his hairy partner in crime certainly have exploited that intimidation. The briefcase they carry is a piercer's delight. Inside are a variety of different gasuge needles that pierce the skin and poke holes of various widths. The needles range from the kind for sewing buttons to those reminiscent of the knitting needles Grandma has in her crocheted bag next to the La-Z-Boy and the TV Guide.

With the fear of unwanted piercings a potentional distraction, the physical attributes of this tandem are even more impressive. At 285 pounds, Droz has the agility of a man half his size with the strength and street toughness to slug it out when times get tough. Prince Albert is a freak of a specimen. At 330 pounds, this mountain is the epitome of force in motion. Not too many men their size possess the super-human combination of speed, size and strength.

Focusing on their size they can intimidate opponents with their look and outlandish style. Concentrate on the appearance and they will beat you senseless. Take your pick. Choose your poison. Make any cliched analogy fit. Droz and Prince Albert will always inflict pain...in the name of art.