But what gets the mainstream fan interested in wrestling? PERSONALITY. CHARISMA. Like Heeko mentioned, you ask the general mainstream about wrestling and they could tell you who Hogan is, they could tell you who Stone Cold Steve Austin is, they could tell you who the NWO is. Mention Bret Hart and by and large, the mainstream population will vaguely know who he is. Except for Canada of course who worships a guy in "scripted wrestling".
"We want hitman, we want hitman, we want hit man!" you know who that is, an entire school of kids in Indea. Remember that Hart Foundatin vs America well Bret Hart was getting cheared in every country he wrestled in. Bret Hart was wrestling in Japan back when Terry Bolea was still working under the name of "Sterling Gold", and was riding in a car with a guy named Lue Thez to events when the "Hulkster" was still working in a bank and having matchs with the AWA World Champion when he was pretending to be a guitar player.
The Hart name in general is international, this is a family that blead the indastry, and people all over the world know who he is. Why believe other wise is far beyond my ability to understand. I guess the Rockets Red Glair, and the Bomb Burtsting in Air, have blinded you to the idea that anyone who isn't an American born wrestler might be well known beyond the borders of thier own nation.
primetime said:
You know why I mentioned McMahon? Because you are bringing up the screw job again. Who screwed Bret Hart in the screw job? McMahon. Every freakin chance you get, you talk about this vile hatred for McMahon. Everything always comes back to the Montreal Screw Job. This must be the single most devastating moment in your life. Get a freakin clue man! In the entertainment business, people get screwed. It's the nature of the business. As soon as you realize this, the sooner you will get over this stupid Montreal crap.
Yet again you have know idea what you are talking about. It is true that my dislike for Vince begins with Montreal, but it didn't turn "VILE" (good word by the way) untile the death of Owen Hart. Owen's death, while accidental, if solid proof that McMahon has absolutly NO regard for the well being of his performers. Add to this his constant need to cash in on the death of these men (Pilman, Hart, Guerrero, Beniot) if proves he is deserving of my "Vile Hatred (again great term). Consider this, when the WWE learned that Benoit was dead, the canceled a pre-recorded show, and did a tribute to him with out learning all the facts, why, because McMahon wanted to squeaze every last bit of profit from him (I would bet that the coast of advettising time probably doubled, no proof but I'd almost bet my soul on it).
A few days later, when more about it came out, Vince pops up before SmackDown and basicly Dis-Own Brenoit, and if you didn't get "Hard Nocks: The Chris Benoit Story" well you are shit out of luck because chances are you'll never see any of his stuff again. Then it comes out that Benoit had brain damage due to blund head trama from chair shots, so what does the WWE do, they post the "Top 10 chair shots of all time". Why because they are scum, and Vince is the boss so he is the big peice of shit floating on top.
primetime said:
You never answer a certain question brought up to you. How the hell is Bret Hart to demand that he doesn't lose somewhere? Bret Hart was NEVER big enough to demand this. McMahon is no dummy. He wasn't going to take the chance of Bret Hart going to WCW with the WWE Title belt. Bret refusing to "job" in Montreal probably made Vince nervous. Bottom line is, Vince is the boss, he is LARGELY responsible for making Bret Hart a star and YOU NEED TO GET OVER IT. Damn, that was 1997 for crying out loud. WWE is still functioning WITHOUT Bret Hart. Guess the screwjob wasn't as bad as your mind thinks it is.
Ok, I guess I have further educate you. First off all Monteal wasn't entirly about being in Canada (though that was part of it, and I'll get to that later). These "long honoured traditions" Vince likes to hide behinde like a racest claiming certain people bare the mark of Cain, work both ways. One if for the Champ who is "doing the Honourse" and one is for the guy "recieving the Honours". Now Bret was leaving, and it is tradtion for a departing performer to drop what ever title he is holding to anoteher guy on the way out, at the same time the guy he is going to drop the strap too is expected to show respect and decorem to the person droping the title to him. Shawn failed to do so, and in turn Bret said he wouldn't drop the belt to Shawn. However if you believe Mic Foley (and who doesn't) it is rummored that Bret cam up with altenatives that would have put the belt on either ManKind or Austin. However with Hunter & Micheals (sp) making up 2/3rd's of the booking crew that wasn't going to happen.
Now for the "Not Losing In Canada Thing".
I have thought about this, and I couldn't understand it myself for a while, then I was watching an old interview Bret did on a show called "Off the Record" here in Canada, and I relized where Bret might be coming from. I am a bit of a booker wanna be, so I will try to explain with another example from a another fued, I hope you'll get where I am coming from.
Remember going into Mania 19 how Hunter had his little face to face with Booker T. Trips said some pretty racial stuff, using terms like "Nappy" and saying "You not a wrestler, your an entertainer" and finaly saying "Do you're little spinnaroony for me Booker". By all rights Booker should have won, based on the Davy Duke impersonation Hunter was doing. He did everthing short of putting black paint on his face and singing Mammy, and it was bad booking to put him over Booker in that situation. Bret's going to WCW was intended to help them book events in Canada, and the fact that Shawn was running down Canada, sticking the flag up his nose and other bull shit, is along the same line as what Hunter did to Booker. For Bret to lose in Canada under thos conditions would not have been good booking. Then again had he lost the title State Side to either Shawn, or somebody else, then he could have gone over by Count Out, or lost by DQ, but Vince was more interested in shitting all over a (14 year) loyal employee who was leaving because HE asked him to, and had the gut to stand up for himself regarding stipulations in his contract. WOW what a terrible person.
primetime said:
NO ONE CARES ABOUT BRET HART GETTING SCREWED ANYMORE. Get it yet? I mean for crying out loud, it was interesting news back in the 1990's, but it's been almost 11 years. You must have no life if that "tramautic" event warped your life so much.
I disagree, Vince has, and continues to profit from the Screw Jobe via his Evil Mr McMahon Charactore (that sprung from the Screw Job) and the WWE doesn't mind taking Jabs by having Hebner come out when Shawn had Benoit in the Sharp Shooter at the Backlash in Alberta, or by bringing it up in SmackDown vs Raw 06 (Good game by the way). It hasn't warped my life, I have a very good life, pissing on the wwe and is just one of the ways I get my kicks.
primetime said:
As for Hogan, again, I never said he was a saint, but WHY should he care about Bret Hart's predicament? He was too busy being a big star in WCW with the NWO. So he didn't get the events right, who cares? I can barely remember what happened in Wrestlemania 9-12. It makes me wonder though. If Hogan supported Bret Hart and agreed with him, you would be fawning over Hogan. Tell me I'm lying...
Ok... you're lying.