History Rewritten: WrestleMania 2000

As I look at the Main Event of WrestleMania 2000, I see what could have and should have been. You had the two biggest stars in WWF/E at that time who were not named Stone Cold Steve Austin. Those stars were The Rock and Triple H. Leading up to this, Rock and Hunter already had a well built rivalry.

Background:
By the Summer of 1999, Stone Cold was on the shelf after an injury. As a result, The Rock took his spot as the most popular star in the WWF/E. Things were coming together even more for Rocky. He became an even bigger ratings magnet in the eyes of the media. The Rock and Sock Connection connected very well with the fans, as the "This is Your Life" segment broke ratings records. On the other hand, Triple H made his emergence as the top villain in the company. That summer, The Game would win his first WWF Championship. The Great One and The Cerebral Assassin would go blow for blow over the title.

At the start of 2000, Hunter's feud with Cactus Jack reached its peak as he defeated him at consecutive PPV's (Royal Rumble & No Way Out). The Rock would win the Rumble that year, by last eliminating the Big Show. It seemed as though the road would be crystal clear for The Rock and Triple H to clash at the first WrestleMania of the New Millenium "WM 2000". This is otherwise known as WrestleMania 16. Naturally, they already had a well-built rivalry from their time as Rocky Maivia/Hunter Hearst Helmsley, to the DX vs. NOD battles to their emergence in the main events. Their careers followed each other closely. It seemed like destiny would take place. Unfortunately, that never happened. Instead, we got this.

WM 2000 Main Event:
Vince McMahon & co., had so much success dominating WCW in the Monday Night Wars, that they got complacent for this show. They clearly had a really bad hangover following the success of Royal Rumble 2000 and No Way Out. Instead of making the biggest show of the year surpass those events, they just threw up the biggest pile of vomit known as WrestleMania 2000. The show was filled with mixed tag matches, triple threats and fatal four ways. It was a giant cluster from start to finish. The only redeeming part of the show was the Triangle Ladder Match between E&C, The Dudleyz and the Hardy Boyz. The Main Event was no different than everything else. Typically, the main event is supposed to set the course for the rest of the WM Card. This one was a major disappointment. The Main Event was a Fatal Four Way between Triple H, The Rock, Big Show and Mick Foley with a McMahon in every corner. (Stephanie: Triple H, Vince: The Rock, Shane: Big Show, Linda: Foley). The company's ego got too big and they felt that they could experiment with the first WM of the 2000's Decade, and it blew up in their face.


What Ruined It:
WWE decided to give Mick Foley another chance, even though No Way Out was his "retirement". That was the first problem. He had his opportunities and failed both times. This was the feel good story gone wrong. I guess this was their way of giving Mick his "WrestleMania Main Event" as a lifetime achievement award. So, they decided to continue the feud between Foley and Triple H, when Mick was a stepping stone on the way to Hunter's showdown with The Rock. Imagine if WM XV was a Triple Threat between Austin, Rock and Mankind. That would be a disaster. As a child, I did not say anything. Now that I am wiser, I see the blunder that this match was. Next, they decided to involve Big Show in the match to create a rivalry with him and The Rock. This should not have escalated beyond the Rumble, because The Rock clearly won and was the Undisputed Number One Contender. I am not a big proponent of Triple Threat and Fatal Four Way Main Events for WrestleMania, because they damage the chemistry and flow of the match. Traditional Main Events need to stay 1-on-1. Instead, you had too many Chefs in the Kitchen.

Rewrite:
This is very, very simple and easy. Get Foley, Big Show, and the McMahons out of the match. They were all dead weight. Just leave it as The Rock vs. Triple H. Instead of Triple H winning, have The Rock win the title seeing as he never won the WWE Title at WrestleMania. He would always lose the title match. Their match at Backlash is exactly what should have happened at WrestleMania 2000. The Rock & Triple H have a rivalry that DESERVED to be in the Main Event of WrestleMania. At this point, both were at the Top of their Game (pun intended) and it is what fans deserved to see. That is the one element that their feud was missing. For the most part, every legendary rivalry had a 1-on-1 WrestleMania Match. (Rock vs. Austin had a Trilogy. Hogan vs. Andre, Hogan vs. Savage, Bret vs. Shawn) With that said, Triple H vs. Rock should have been in that category.

In Conclusion, if this main event were just a straight 1-on-1 for the WWF Title, the quality of the show would have been better.

History Rewritten: Bret Hart's 1992-93 Title Run

 

 

For this edition of "History Rewritten", I would like to explore the world of wrestling. Like in other Sports, wrestling is filled with events that I would like to go back and change. In this case, I would like to rewrite the first title run of one of the greatest champions of all-time: Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

 

What made it Great:

By 1992, Bret Hart was taking wrestling by storm as he emerged to Main Event Status while transitioning from his time as IC Champion. He defeated Shawn Michaels in a number of matches that year, including the first official ladder match in WWE history (7/21/92, the day after my Birthday). The Summer of 1992 might has well been called the "Summer of Bret" because of his success. The culmination of his reign took place at Summerslam in Wembley with Brother-In-Law Davey Boy Smith. Bret was quickly cracking through the glass ceiling. At this point, Vince McMahon was under heavy fire from the Federal Government for the Steroid Scandal that tainted the image of the number 1 wrestling promotion in the world.

 

As everyone knows, the face of the wrestling phenomenon, Hulk Hogan was front and center as he was found testing positive for steroids. The Golden Image of the WWF was dealt a black eye because of his involvement. Other massively built stars like The Ultimate Warrior also had blood on their hands from the controversy. The climate was changing naturally, even without steroid issues. The Aura of Hulkamania was fading fast, as fans would start to cheer anytime Hogan lost (Survivor Series vs. Undertaker) or was eliminated (Royal Rumble 1992). The Hulkster's golden charm had truly become stale. Roddy Piper was fading from the scene as he would leave following WrestleMania VIII. Piper was not one of the top commodities on Vince's agenda like he was with Hogan during 1984-85 in the midst of the expansion. Sgt. Slaughter would retire that year following a heated run as a villainous WWF Champion the year prior. Mr. Perfect was dealing with injuries. The stars that Vince McMahon relied on previously were moving on in different ways. It was time for McMahon to inject new blood into the Main Event Picture. Bret was quickly rising through the glass ceiling to obtain the "Brass Ring". On October 12, Bret defeated Ric Flair at a House Show in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. By this point, things had fallen into place for the Hitman. It was truly the breakout year that would set the course for the rest of his career.

 

 

Best Opponents:

After defeating Flair in a rematch, Bret would defeat the likes of Papa Shango, Rick Martel and The Berzerker (Not exactly a Hall of Fame list of dance partners). By Survivor Series, Bret's quality of opponents would improve as he put on a fairly underrated but special match with Shawn Michaels.

 

 Even though they were not advertised on the front of the marquee, Bret and Shawn did a fine job closing the show as we were moving on to a time without the Red & Yellow (or so we thought). The show was "fairly decent" overall, but not as much of a spectacle as the ones prior. It was a sign of the changing times. Bret would defeat Flair in a series of House Shows before heading into the 1993 Royal Rumble, where he would headline the show with a fast rising heel, Razor Ramon.

 

 

 

 

The Hitman would defeat The Bad Guy in a fairly excellent match, with his patented Sharpshooter. That night, Bret's biggest challenge to date would win the Royal Rumble as their paths would cross. That challenger would be none other than Yokozuna.

 



 



What hurt his Title Run:

 

Bret's Size: The biggest criticism of Bret Hart among the higher ups was his size. The corporate big wigs were not sure if the Hitman would be very special, because he did not have the action figure/cartoon physique of Hulk Hogan or the Ultimate Warrior. Today, people complain about Daniel Bryan, CM Punk or Dolph Ziggler having raw deals because of their size. Bret was one of, if not the first to deal with that stigma. The landscape has come a long way because of Bret, but at that time wrestling was truly the land of giants. Anything that did not look like Hulk Hogan had a huge mountain to climb. If you were not 6'7", 300 lbs with receding blond hair and a handlebar mustache, you had to prove yourself even more. Whether they were built like sculpted figures or giant piles of mass like King Kong Bundy or Earthquake, size was the top priority. The Hitman had to prove them wrong by telling his story in the ring. Bret would hold his own and proudly building the grassroots following that naturally came from his homecountry of Canada. The Hitman would build a larger International Fanbase during his rise as the MVP of the company. Unfortunately, his size would come back to bite him once WrestleMania Season came along. He would run into two massive obstacles.

 

Roadblock 1:

 

Even though Bret carried the Title as the Champion for the people, those in charge still wanted to hold on to the outdated mindset of size matters over everything else. As a result, Yokozuna enters the title picture. Yoko was very talented for a man of his size, but he was the product of the idea that you needed to be large in order to be a great champion. Bret was proving that theory wrong as he was the definition of a true workhorse. At WrestleMania IX, Bret's world would come crashing down against this mammoth Samoan that was from "Japan". Bret fought back valiantly as an underdog champion. He even had Yoko in the Sharpshooter. Hart managed to wrap a pair of 500 pound legs around for his Finishing Submission hold. This is not Shawn Michaels, Razor or even Bam Bam himself. This was a man that weighed half of 1,000 pounds!!! Think about that. The Hitman launched an arsenal of attacks at his opponent. While Bret looked like he was going to vanquish his enormous foe, things went downhill from there.

With a handful of powder to the face and a Banzai Drop, Bret Hart's first momentous reign came to an end. His 5 & a half to 6 month reign as a promising champion crashed. The result did launch a great rivalry that would culminate the following year at WrestleMania X. Bret did not look like a scrub while losing the title. If anything, this was the least of his problems. Things really hit the fan in the aftermath of the match. Just when the fans thought that business moved on, they were sadly mistaken.

Roadblock 2:

"When it comes crashing down and it hurts inside!". The moment that the fans heard that music, everyone knew that this would turn out to be the worst. Hulk Hogan sticks his giant mustache in someone else's business to steal their thunder. Even though he pinned Yokozuna, Hogan ultimately stole Bret Hart's thunder. Technically, Bret lost the title to Hogan with Yokozuna as the channel that the belt would have to pass through in between. Hulk decided to resurface in WWF after things cooled off for a while. Hogan comes to check on Bret to see if things are fine. The bosses still had an affection for the glory cartoon days, when Hogan set the world on fire by Bodyslamming Andre the Giant. They still saw dollar signs in the Hulkster as if they were still in 1985. Fuji challenged Hogan to an impromptu match. Bret signals for him to go after Yokozuna. Deep inside, Bret was saying "Go ahead Hogan, steal my spotlight that I worked so hard to gain". The Hulkster gets in the ring, when Yoko holds him for Fuji to throw the salt in his face as he did with Bret. Hogan ducks, as Yokozuna is blinded. In typical Hulkster fashion, he sends Yoko to the ropes for the Big Boot followed by a Legdrop for the 1,2,3!

People talk about Cena hogging the title. Right now, at least he is in the Midcard picture. Hogan NEVER stepped foot in that scene. However, the biggest similarity is that the belt found its way back to them. For Hogan, it was even worse because there was no place for him in the long term landscape of the promotion. In the eyes of many, Hulk Hogan had worn out his welcome by 1993. With a simple Legdrop with the 3 Count, Hulk Hogan was officially a five time WWF Champion. The match ended faster than Sheamus vs. Bryan at WrestleMania XXVIII. Bret Hart really looked like a clown, because the prize that he scratched and clawed to win was cheapened with a legdrop from a guy that was only going to stick around to put himself over. It was a very salty way to end his run. Hogan wanted to be a glory hog, and refused to work with Bret because he was "too small". News flash, Randy Savage and Bret were identical in size. Macho had more muscle tone than Bret, but were not much different physically. Then again, Hogan took the title from Savage and never gave it back. When you say "too small" that means, "this guy is a threat to my place in the company and I have to stop him". The Hulkster played his Master Political Chess Game by refusing to pass the torch to Bret like he did with Ultimate Warrior at WM VI. The biggest difference is, Bret showed more promise as the Company Champion than Warrior. According to Bret, the original plan was for him and Hogan to have a match at Summerslam. Hulkster waved his finger in the face of creative and said "No, brother" as if he was staring Andre in the face. Hogan would fade from sight after losing the belt to Yokozuna at King of the Ring, as a cameraman blinded him with a flame from his camera. Bret and Hogan would meet again in WCW, but their "dream match" was a disaster.

Rewrite:

Plain and simple. Get Hogan away from the title.

If Warrior and Jake did not have such bad blood, they would be ideal opponents to make Bret look stronger.

Have Bret gain his revenge on Yoko by defeating him at KOTR with the Sharpshooter. From there, you move him into the feud with his jealous younger brother Owen. That feud could be the featured story as it would headline WrestleMania X, with Bret emerging as the champion. Following the feud with his brother, you can transition into the war with Shawn Michaels as they could headline WrestleMania 11 with Bret remaining champion. Bret would tear the house down with Owen and Shawn. WrestleMania 12 would still be the legendary Ironman match with HBK as the new champion. In between those WrestleManias, you could see a series of exciting Summerslam matches involving steel cages and ladders. There could even be a Triple Threat. Bret, Shawn and Owen. Talk about money. Diesel and Yoko could keep each other busy. Undertaker would be a nice piece to keep in the title picture. Then, you insert the emerging Stone Cold Steve Austin as another player in the mix with Bret.

With this scenario, Owen is a made man even without having to go over. He is instantly elevated. Shawn Michaels was naturally groomed to be Bret's equal and eventual successor. Austin and Bret would still have the defining submission match.


Conclusion:
With that said, the 1993 blemish can be erased so that this piece of Bret's history can be written the way it deserves to be written. With Hogan out of the way, Bret would not have to deal with a washed up Jerry Lawler who was not even a contender for a championship. Lawler is disqualified altogether as a result. Bret can enjoy a healthier tenure as champion. If that one blemish is taken away from otherwise an excellent reign as WWF Champion, just maybe, we are in a position where Bret would not expose himself to possibly be screwed in a more detrimental way in Montreal. His tenure can be that much better which would add to an already outstanding legacy. 

History Rewritten: NBA MVP Awards (1969, 1970)

Here I am with another Installment of "History Rewritten", where I will look back on history from my perspective, and do my own reevaluations. This is coming from the world of my views, as I crown who I feel deserved to win certain awards, especially MVP Awards. This time, I will revisit the 1969 and 1970 NBA MVP Awards. This award was even more suspect than the 1962 MVP Race. Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson each had the strongest cases for that year's Award. Russell was the Centerpiece (pun intended) for a Celtics Juggernaut, as he reigned supreme to win his second straight out of three MVP's at that point in his career. Bill dominated in his typical fashion, as the Defensive Architect and Consummate General. Wilt Chamberlain poured in an Astronomical 50/25 that season while shooting roughly 51% from the floor. The Big O also did the unthinkable when he recorded a full-fledge Triple Double. Never seen before, and never seen since. In the end, I had to revisit and crown Wilt as my MVP that season.

That race was more respectable, despite the favoritism that went in Russell's favor. However, the next MVP race that I will cover was even fishier than that. That is the 1969 MVP Race. The winner of the MVP that season was also the Rookie of the Year:

Wes Unseld:

Unseld's Season Statistics: (13.8 ppg/18.2 rpg/2.6 apg/47.6% FG/60.5% FT)

Don't get me wrong. Wes is a Hall of Famer and a Basketball legend, but there is no way that you could convince me that he was the Most Valuable Player of the entire league. He is in the history books next to Wilt Chamberlain as the ONLY two players to win both ROY (Rookie of the Year) and MVP (Most Valuable Player) in the same season. Wilt, I could understand. From the start, Chamberlain was an Unstoppable Beast on the court. You don't need metrics or analytics to determine how obviously great a player that Wilt was. On the other hand, Unseld did not come across to me as someone on that level that could win MVP as a rookie. I might be wrong, but there were players more compelling than him to win the MVP.

Here are the stats for Unseld's rivals that season:
Willis Reed: (21.1 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 52.1% FG, 60.5% FT)
Billy Cunningham: (24.8 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 42.6% FG, 74.7% FT)
Bill Russell: (9.9 ppg, 19.3 rpg, 4.9 apg, 43.3% FG, 52.6% FT)
Elgin Baylor: (24.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 5.4 apg, 44.7% FG, 74.3% FT)


Unseld won the MVP with 310 voting points and 53 first place votes.

Unseld's Competition:
Willis Reed: 137 (18 first place votes)
Billy Cunningham: 130 (15 first place votes)
Bill Russell: 93 (11 first place votes)
Elgin Baylor: 89 (6 first place votes)

With all things considered, my MVP choice for that season would be none other than the future MVP for the next season:

 

The Knicks were a team on the verge of breaking the glass ceiling to win their first NBA Championship. Reed was a major player during that season, and his production is proof of that. The Knicks were on the doorstep, but were held from going inside because the Celtics still held the key in Bill Russell's final season. Speaking of Russell, it is a testament to how special he was to even be considered as a candidate. At this point, I would not have voted for him but interesting. Billy Cunningham took on a new load after Wilt Chamberlain left the 76ers to go to Hollywood and play for the Los Angeles Lakers. That season, Cunningham played at a level worthy of MVP Consideration. The Kangaroo Kid was a very significant part of the Sixers Championship Season in 1967. He was very much in his prime, so it made perfect sense. Elgin Baylor had a great season with still something left in the tank to offer even though his knees would start to betray him. Jerry West and Wilt would have been nice considerations as well. Reed would win my MVP Award, with Cunningham in second place and Unseld in third.

 

1970 Season:

 

Now, time to move into the very next season. As we know, Willis Reed enjoyed a storybook season. He became the first player in NBA History to win All-Star, Regular Season and Finals MVP in the same season. Along the way, the Knicks would win their first of two NBA Championships in Franchise History.

 

After doing some homework, I have come to realize how tough the 1970 MVP Race was. The 1969 Race was a bit of a throwaway season that is not the most memorable or exciting in league history.

 

Reed's Seasonal Statline: 21.7 ppg/13.9 rpg/2.0 apg/50.7% FG/75.6% FT

 

Reed had another exceptional season, as it mirrored the previous season. His production was practically identical, but with a major increase in his free throw shooting. Willis was certainly the catalyst for the Knicks success. Collectively, the Knicks enjoyed the best campaign in team history. However, there were also some other players that were giving Reed a run for his money. Like with Russell, I believe that Reed received extra favor from the media.

 

Here are the other Candidates from that season:

Jerry West: (31.2 ppg/4.6 rpg/7.5 apg/49.7% FG/82.4% FT)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Lew Alcindor: (28.8 ppg/14.5 rpg/4.1 apg/51.8% FG/65.3% FT)

Walt Frazier: (20.9 ppg/6.0 rpg/8.2 apg/51.8% FG/74.8% FT)

Billy Cunningham: (26.1 ppg/13.6 rpg/4.3 apg/46.9% FG/72.9% FT)

Connie Hawkins: (24.6 ppg/10.4 rpg/4.8 apg/49.0% FG/77.9% FT)

 

Jerry West was the league's leading scorer that season, as he and Reed were separated by a difference of 10 votes between them. Kareem was also in consideration, as he would finish the season with the Rookie of the Year. He also had a very strong case for the award. If anything, Kareem had a better overall stat line than Willis except in FT %. Reed's very own teammate Walt Frazier was even in the running. Frazier had a higher field goal percentage than Willis, even though he played the point. Billy Cunningham was very impressive in his own way, but his Sixers were struggling. That hurt his case. Same with Connie Hawkins in Phoenix. He was one of the ultimate "What If?" stories in Basketball History.

 

Willis Reed won MVP with 498 votes and 61 first place votes. Here are the votes for his opponents:

 

Jerry West: 457 (51 1st place votes)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 335 (30 1st place votes)

Walt Frazier: 50 (4 1st place votes)

Billy Cunningham: 27 (2 1st place votes)

Connie Hawkins: 27 (2 1st place votes)

 

Reed beat West for the Award with 41 extra voting points. With everything considered, the Most Valuable Player of that time frame and my MVP will be, Jerry West:

 

 

 

West was without question the MVP for his team, and the MVP for that span of time in NBA History. Wilt Chamberlain was injured that season, and longtime teammate Elgin Baylor was breaking down even more. Jerry carried the largest load for the Lakers. Behind Chamberlain, Russell, and Robertson, West was the biggest star of his era. Now that Russell was out of the way, West took the time to excel even more. Unfortunately, the string of losses in the Finals are what kept The Logo from winning MVP in the eyes of the writers who were part of the voting panel. Jerry's constant shortcomings to Boston clearly had to be taken into consideration, regardless of how great he was as a player. West also had more Win Shares than Reed (West: 15.2, Reed: 14.6). Even Walt Frazier had more Win Shares than Willis (15.0). West and Frazier also had more Win Shares/Per 48 Minutes than Willis. (Frazier: 236, West: 234). The Logo was without question the Alpha Dog of the NBA, as he averaged 31.2 ppg. Jerry went from not even being in the race the previous season to being second place in voting. This season was an even better case for Mr. Clutch to win the honor. I would consider moving Kareem to second place, Frazier and Reed would be in 3rd and 4th place. Sadly, Mr. Clutch would suffer more heartbreak in the Finals as the Lakers ironically lost to the Knicks in 7 games. If only the three point line existed in those days. Jerry's legacy would be seen in a better perspective. The fact that Wes Unseld has an MVP instead of Jerry West, to me is absurd. With that being said, this is my chance to rewrite history in my own way. Jerry West is Mr. Clutch and Mr. MVP.

History Rewritten: NBA MVP Awards (1962)

Throughout the course of NBA History, we have seen our share of definitive NBA MVP Award Winners. Other years, it seems like the race can be fishy. This has been an issue that I have wrestled with for years because even great players have won Awards in seasons that I felt were not quite their best campaign. After reading literature such as Bill Simmons "The Book of Basketball", I have been inspired to do my own reconstruction of history. I may not have a DeLorean like Marty McFly with a Flux Capacitor to travel back in time, but I will use this platform to do just that. For today's case study, I would like to examine the 1962 NBA MVP Award.

1962 NBA MVP: Bill Russell:

Bill Russell's Season Statline: 18.9 ppg, 23.6 rpg, 4.5 apg, 45.7% FG, 59.5% FT

Already a two-time MVP winner, Russell peaked this season like many others, averaging an incredible 19-24-5 for a 60-win Boston team as he was the superhuman anchor of a great defensive minded team. Bill was certainly one of the defining players of his generation. On the other hand, this was one of the most competitive MVP races in NBA History and the most competitive of that era.

Here are his rivals from that season:

Wilt Chamberlain: (50.4 ppg, 25.7 rpg, 2.4 apg, 50.6% FG, 61.3% FT)
Oscar Robertson: (30.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 11.4 apg, 47.8% FG, 80.3% FT)
Elgin Baylor: (38.3 ppg, 18.6 rpg, 4.6 apg, 42.8% FG, 75.4% FT)
Jerry West: (30.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 5.4 apg, 44.5% FG, 76.9% FT)
Bob Pettit: (31.1 ppg, 18.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 45% FG, 77.1% FT)
Richie Guerin: (29.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 6.9 apg, 44.2% FG, 82% FT)
Bob Cousy: (15.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 7.8 apg, 39.1% FG, 75.4% FT)

That was a very stiff battle, especially among the likes of Wilt, Big O and Elgin with West not too far behind. Wilt's numbers were just unheard of then and are still unheard of now. Oscar averaged an insane triple-double, regarded as the best point guard season in history outside of Magic Johnson. Elgin averaged 38-19-5 while only playing 48 games because of military duty that season. Fellow two-time MVP Bob Pettit still played at a high level and was among the elite scorers with a career-high of 31.1 ppg. His numbers were obviously eclipsed by those ahead of him in the race.


Russell won the honor with 297 votes. Here is the MVP voting breakdown:
Russell: 297 (51-12-6)
Wilt: 152 (9-30-17)
Oscar: 135 (13-13-31)
Elgin: 82 (3-18-13)
West: 60 (6-8-6)


Bill Russell took home the award with 51 first-place votes. Wilt finished second with 30-second place votes, 9 first place votes, leading to 152 overall votes. Oscar finished third with 31 third place votes but received more votes in first than Wilt. I have come to believe that perhaps Chamberlain was not very popular among the voters, as some of them happened to have been players themselves. Robertson finished with 135 votes. Elgin and West would round out the votes with Pettit, Guerin, and Cousy carrying the rear. Russell's season was very dominant and it should never be taken away from him. The stamp that he left on that team is remarkable. However, when it comes to that season, I would like to respectfully object to the voting as I look back on it. Bill had a great system around him, even though he did have a huge hand in making several teammates look better. He also had a Hall of Fame Architect named Red Auerbach as his coach.

Rewrite:
With Bill Russell's already impressive line of MVP Awards, I would like to rename the MVP for that Season. It will be none other than his archrival. A man that was the single most dominant force of that time, both physically and statistically. This MVP should go to none other than the other player that would have a stronghold on that trophy along with Russell. This player would also define the NBA during that Era.

That man is none other than, Wilt Chamberlain:

The Season that Wilt recorded is transcendent, regardless of the era. Statistics like those have never been seen before or since, even from Chamberlain himself. Contrary to what some may say, Chamberlain's supporting cast did not perform as a unit the same way that Russell's did. Nothing against Wilt's teams, but Russell's teammates collectively played like a machine. Chamberlain was the standout story that season. From his 100 point game to averaging 50+ ppg, the things that he did were astounding. Oscar's Triple Double was spectacular in and of itself. If Big O had those numbers without playing against Wilt and Russell, he would easily win the award. However, Wilt stood like a giant shadow over that season. He went above and beyond many of his contemporaries that season.  This is in no way to slight his peers. Some may accuse him of being a ball hog (he may have had a tendency to concern himself with stats sometimes), but he brought plenty of value to that team. Chamberlain added value to his team, as they would not have been the same if he was not there. This MVP Race seemed somewhat fishy, but it was given to someone who was equal to Wilt's caliber. In the end, Wilt was the king of that season. No offense to Russell, but I look at Wilt's resume and feel as though that 1962 Season ended without the proper respect. That kind of season should not have gone without the recognition that it greatly deserved. In my book, for the 1961-62 Season, Wilt Chamberlain was the REAL MVP.

Defining Champions: Bret Hart

Today, I would like to start a series about the journeys of great champions in wrestling history. The man whose journey that I would like to spotlight will be none other than a childhood favorite of mine and others who grew up during his WWE tenure, Bret "The Hitman" Hart. Bret's path to the top of the wrestling mountain became a standard blueprint for others to follow in the future. At a time where wrestling was moving away from the glory days of their 80s boom period of Hulkamania, Bret was the ideal star to lead wrestling into a new age. Bret's polished ring generalship and psychology have earned him the title of the greatest in-ring technician ever by a large consensus of not only fans, but also writers and fellow wrestlers. The Hitman is one of the most important legends that has built the modern format of pro wrestling. He was very believable and was a nonstop workhorse that could tell a very elaborate story in the squared circle. What he lacked in style, Bret made up for in substance. Bret was the most successful graduate of the Hart Dungeon.

Ladies and Gentlemen, here is Bret's journey:

Beginnings:

Born to Stu and Helen Hart on July 2, 1957, Bret was trained in his Dad's Dungeon as a youngster. Bret started out in his Father Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling Promotion way, way back in 1976. Initially, Bret worked as a referee. On one fateful day, one of the wrestlers scheduled could not make it in time to perform. Out of desperation, Stu asked his son to step in. The Hitman's road to stardom began in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Of course, Bret was a regular performer in Stampede since his Dad owned the place, as he received prominent training from Japanese greats Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada. It was only a matter of time before Bret would come into his own and electrify crowds with his technical prowess in highly intense matches with the likes of Dynamite Kid and others.

Most importantly, Bret did not use his Father's name as a coattail to ride for success. He wanted to make his own name, without having to leech off of his family bloodline. He remained one of Stampede Wrestling's top draws until Vince McMahon, Jr. purchased the promotion in 1984 as he was creating his dream empire to take over the wrestling world.

Hart Foundation Era (1985-1991):

Originally, Bret was going to debut as a singles wrestler in the WWF using a cowboy gimmick "Cowboy Bret Hart". However, Bret refused as he once famously said "if you called yourself a cowboy, you'd better be one." Instead, WWF let Bret join his brother-in-law Jim Neidhart with manager Jimmy Hart (no relation) to form the legendary stable "The Hart Foundation". By June 1985, Bret had been billed as "The Hitman" after he read a news headline about Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns retiring from Boxing. That was the inspiration for his nickname (read his autobiography). The Hart Foundation were a classic heel tag team, as Bret and Anvil both wore sunglasses. Bret admits that he wanted to wear sunglasses, because he was intimidated by the camera during promos. The shades were the perfect way to hide his fears. The dynamic had officially been established, as Bret would be the faster, workhorse of the group while Jim was the powerhouse. Initially, they did not wear pink. Instead, they wore blue, red or yellow to mix with the black. They would change to the trademark pink in December 1986.

Gorilla Monsoon would give Bret the nickname "The Excellence of Execution". Bret would call himself "The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be" as he borrowed the line from the movie The Natural. The Hart Foundation would dominate the tag division as one of the first great tag teams in WWF History. Their signature rivalry was with The British Bulldogs, who were also Stampede graduates. In 1987, the Hart Foundation won the tag team titles from the Bulldogs. They would also feud with the Killer Bees and the Rougeau Brothers.

In between his incredible run of dominance as a tag team star, Bret would briefly explore what it felt like as a singles wrestler. On March 8, 1986, Bret had his very first singles program in a match with Ricky Steamboat at Boston Garden. Hart says that this was one of his favorite matches, and it is truly an underrated gem. The match itself was a sign of great things to come from The Hitman. This Boston Garden classic is featured on Bret's 2005 DVD. Stone Cold Steve Austin mentioned it on his Podcast during his Interview with Hart. By late 1987, Vince McMahon approached Hart about turning face. Vince Jr told Bret that he had received more fan mail than Hulk Hogan himself. That says everything. Clearly, there was something about Bret to cheer for. Vince always gets what he wants, so he decided to have his cake and eat it too. Seeing how over (popular) the Hart Foundation were, Vince turned them face by dumping Jimmy Hart as their manager. Bret would also have a series of matches with an emerging Mr. Perfect. The Hart Foundation would eventually break up after losing the tag titles to the Nasty Boys in WrestleMania VII, but Bret had no problem with it at all. By the dawn of the '90s, the rocket was officially strapped on Bret's back for the near future.


Intercontinental Title Era (1991-1992):

By the turn of the Decade, Bret was "Mr. Wrestling" as he would defeat Mr. Perfect at Summerslam for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Hogan/Warrior vs. Slaughter & co, may have been on the front of the marquee, but Bret vs. Perfect was the match that fans walked away remembering the most right next to Savage & Liz's wedding. Bret would hold the title until January 1992 when he lost it to The Mountie, smh. Roddy Piper would save the title by winning it from the Mountie at the Royal Rumble before Bret would regain it in a very special match at WrestleMania VIII at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. During this period of time, Vince McMahon was under fire from the Federal Government because of the notorious steroid scandal surrounding the World Wrestling Federation. The names at the top of the list were golden boys Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior. The promotion's image took a serious hit, as McMahon had no one else to turn to but Bret. Vince would be forced to groom Hart as the new face of the WWF. During his time as Champion, Bret would defend the IC Title like the World Title. Hart's second reign as champion would be his best. He would start his feud with longtime archrival, Shawn Michaels. Here are some of their most notable matches:

April 12 1992
WWF Intercontinental Title: Bret Hart (c) defeats Shawn Michaels
WWF European Rampage Again Tour @ Brighton Centre in Sussex, England, UK

TAG TEAM DREAM MATCH
July 12 1992
Dark: Bret Hart & Randy Savage defeat Ric Flair & Shawn Michaels (17:16)
WWF Superstars #308 @ Worcester Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA



FIRST EVER WWF LADDER MATCH.....
July 21 1992
WWF Intercontinental Title Ladder: Bret Hart (c) defeats Shawn Michaels (13:46)
WWF House Show @ Civic Center in Portland, Maine, USA
 In total, The Hitman defeated Shawn Michaels a total of 44 times during this particular run of matches.

Showdown at Wembley:

Bret would close out an historically noteworthy tenure as IC Champion with the best match of his run at Summerslam with Brother-In-Law, Davey Boy Smith (British Bulldog) at Wembley Stadium in London, England, UK. The loss to The Bulldog freed Hart to move on to greater horizons, specifically the WWF Championship.


Becoming Champion:

On October 12, 1992, Bret Hart defeated Ric Flair for his first WWF Championship. What made the match even more special was the fact that it took place at a House Show in the same place where Bret had his first match, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada. Bret's journey had officially come full circle. During the match, Hart dislocated one of his fingers, but decided to pop it back into place to continue the match. That is determination and dedication to your craft. The overall match was very well executed "pun intended" as Bret made the most of the opportunity that was presented to him.

"If Hulk Hogan was the Elvis of Wrestling, I was the Robert DeNiro."

Bret was not a champion that focused on the spectacle and parade of wrestling, but was about providing substance. He knew that since he lacked the size of Hogan and Warrior, he had to make up for that with his ring prowess. The climate of wrestling was rapidly changing, and Bret was the choice to spearhead that change. Hart went from being someone that Vince McMahon would have passed over, to becoming the focal point to launch a New Generation of stars.

Bret would make the best meal out of what was given to him by Vince McMahon. By this point, the top names of the previous era were phasing out, and Bret made the most out of it. He would defeat the likes of Papa Shango, Berzerker and Warlord to name a few before he found himself in the Main Event of Survivor Series in a Title vs Title match with an all too familiar face: Shawn Michaels. At Survivor Series, Bret defeated HBK with the Sharpshooter in another overlooked classic. In a matter of one year, Survivor Series went from Hogan vs. Undertaker in the Main Event to Bret vs. Shawn. It was truly a sign of the changing times. Bret would defeat more noteworthy foes near the end of this first run such as Razor Ramon and Bam Bam Bigelow.

Title Momentum Derailed:

Bret Hart defeated Razor Ramon to retain his WWF Title at the 1993 Royal Rumble. His largest challenger was around the corner in the form of the 500+ pound walking bulldozer of mass destruction, Yokozuna. Yoko won the Royal Rumble that night as the stage was set for WrestleMania IX. Bret was on the path of proving himself to Vince & others that he could be a legitimate champion that could carry the company. However, the corporate suits did not see things that way. Unfortunately, Hart's first momentous reign as Champion would come to an end from a dark cloud of controversy. At WM IX, Bret had Yoko in the Sharpshooter with the win literally in his grip. Suddenly, Mr. Fuji blinded Hart when he threw powder in the champion's face. With a blinded champion, Yoko took advantage by crushing him with the Banzai Drop. Moments later, Hulk Hogan would stick his nose and giant mustache into the main event as he took the squashed Yoko with the outdated Big Boot and Leg Drop. Bret's reign ended with salt in the eyes, followed by a squash Leg Drop from Hogan to Yoko. In the end, the belt found its way back to Hogan. This was definitely one of the black eyes in wrestling history, especially Bret Hart's career (pre-Montreal). Bret would cement himself as the Alpha Dog of the company by winning the 1993 King of the Ring Tournament to rebuild his momentum while being preoccupied with a feud with Jerry Lawler.

Return to the Mountain (1994):

Bret Hart would start off 1994 in a strong way by winning the Royal Rumble, even though he was a co-winner with Lex Luger. Bret seriously should have been the sole winner of the Rumble, but Vince was obsessed with making Lex Hulk Hogan 2.0 with the Real American garbage that was a sensation back in 1984. By 1994, times were changing as Bret was the engineer of that change. The Hitman was also occupied with a feud involving himself and his younger brother Owen. Bret and Owen would start off WrestleMania X by tearing the house down. Bret would lose the opening match, but would have the last laugh by winning the WWF Championship back from Yokozuna in the Main Event. This would cement Bret as the leader of the New Generation, as this was the first official WrestleMania without Hogan's involvement. Hart would have the strongest title run of his career, as he would feud with Owen through much of the year. Sadly, his run would come to an end at the hands of an ancient relic named Bob Backlund at Survivor Series. With all of that said, Bret would once again rank #1 out the PWI Top 500 Singles Wrestlers of 1994, just as he did in 1993.

Hitman versus Heartbreak (1996):

By 1996, Bret Hart had become a three time WWF Champion after defeating Diesel at Survivor Series 1995. He also defeated Undertaker by DQ at the 1996 Royal Rumble. At this point, Bret had firmly established his place as a future Hall of Famer. Upon the horizon of WrestleMania XII, The Hitman would face his ultimate counterpart, Royal Rumble Winner Shawn Michaels. This reign was when Hart was booked as a lame duck champion to keep the belt warm for the latest incoming King, HBK. The Showstopper would defeat the Excellence of Execution with 2 Superkicks in Sudden Death Overtime.

Hart Foundation Reborn (1997):

Bret Hart would find resurgance during his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin and with America, as he turned heel. During Hart's heel turn, he reformed the Hart Foundation as a stable. Bret drew major heat as a villain in America, while drawing admiration as a hero in Canada. Bret's 1997 heel run reached its peak when he defeated The Undertaker at Summerslam to become a 5-time WWF Champion. Hart would join Hogan as the first two men to win 5 WWF Titles. Bret's reign and tenure in WWF would come to a bitter end at Survivor Series (we all know how that story turned out).

Through his many ups and downs, Bret Hart has enjoyed a storied journey as a champion. Bret's rise was momentous, as well as his reign at the top. Hart was a champion that defined his era, at a time where wrestling needed someone to be the symbol in a post Hogan/Action Figure Era of Wrestling. In the Tag Team Division, Bret and his tag partner Jim Neidhart were a dominant, game changing team. In the Midcard, Bret displayed signs of things to come as he carried himself like a future main event player. In the Main Event, Bret proudly carried the WWF Flag everywhere he went as the ultimate workhorse champion. He carried that title with pride and honor, and defined what that belt meant to me growing up. The Hitman was the bridge between the Rock & Wrestling Era and the upcoming Attitude Era that would follow in the time to come. For those reasons, he was a defining champion in every way during his career.

Owen Hart Tribute

Today, we celebrate what would have been the 50th Birthday of one of the most beloved wrestlers of all-time Mr. Owen James Hart. Born on May 7, 1965 Owen was the youngest child of Stu and Helen Hart. Wrestling was in his DNA, as he would become the next biggest star in the family behind his older brother Bret. His other older brothers, Smith, Keith and Bruce were also wrestlers. Like the rest of his family, Owen was trained in his father Stu's Dungeon before getting his start in Stampede Wrestling.

Owen made his wrestling debut for Stampede Wrestling in Calgary in 1986, where he first honed his craft. During his time with Stampede, Owen teamed with Ben Bassarab and won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship. The success of the team along with Owen's impressive skills earned him the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year Award in 1987. After losing the tag titles, Owen and Bassarab feuded with Johnny Smith and Dynamite Kid. During 1987, Owen would branch out on his first tour of Japan with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, Owen wrestled Keiichi Yamada both unmasked, and later under Yamada's masked gimmick of Jushin "Thunder" Liger. On May 27, 1988, Owen Hart defeated Hiroshi Hase for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Hart became the first non-Japanese wrestler to win the title. On June 24, Owen's reign would end as he lost the title to Shiro Koshinaka.

Hart's success in NJPW and Japan's relationship with the World Wrestling Federation led him to sign with WWF in the summer of 1988. Instead of being promoted as Bret Hart's younger brother, Vince McMahon and his creative team gave Owen the gimmick of a "masked" superhero called "The Blue Blazer". This gimmick fit in with his high-flying style at the time. Starting out, The Blazer defeated jobbers such as Terry Gibbs, Steve Lombardi (later The Brooklyn Brawler) and Barry Horowitz. The Blue Blazer made his pay per view debut at the 1988 Survivor Series, teaming with The Ultimate Warrior, Brutus Beefcake, Jim Brunzell and Sam Houston vs. Honky Tonk Man, Greg Valentine, Outlaw Ron Bass, Bad News Brown, and Dangerous Danny Davis. The Blazer was eliminated by Valentine, but his team won the match. As the Blazer, Owen continued to defeat enhancement talent, but would fall to more established names. On Saturday Night's Main Event (3/11/1989), The Blue Blazer lost to Ted DiBiase. At WrestleMania V, he lost to Mr. Perfect.

Shortly after WrestleMania, Owen left the WWF to return to Stampede Wrestling until it closed in December of 1989. During his collective tenure at Stampede, Owen forged relationships with fellow Stampede alums such as Flyin' Brian Pillman, Bad News Allen (later Brown) and a young Chris Benoit. In March of 1991, Owen made a brief appearance in WCW as he had five TV matches. That is right, Owen Hart was part of WCW but not in a significant way. Owen was engaged in contract discussions with WCW, but a deal was never done since he did not want to move himself and the family to Atlanta. Instead, he signed for another stint with the WWF.

During his return to the WWF, Owen Hart was paired together with Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. The Hart Foundation was a popular and successful tag team that consisted of Owen's brother Bret "The Hitman" Hart, and his brother in-law Jim Neidhart. After WrestleMania VII, the team was split up as Bret would venture for an incredible singles career while Neidhart floundered. Together, Owen and Jim became "The New Foundation", a spin-off of the legendary tag team that featured Bret as the star. Owen was used as the replacement for Bret as the workhorse of the group. However, the team floundered as Jim would soon leave the WWF. Owen would pursue his own singles career. At WrestleMania VIII, Owen Hart defeated Skinner. After WrestleMania, Owen Hart would team with Koko B. Ware to form the very colorful tag team "High Energy". Like the New Foundation, this team would wear bright, neon colors and parachute pants with checkered suspenders. They only had one PPV match as a team, where they lost to Headshrinkers at Survivor Series. At the start of 1993, the team was quickly dropped with Owen on his own once again.

In mid-1993, Owen stood by Bret's side as the Hitman's feud with Jerry Lawler ignited. Owen would also fight against Lawler in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), where most of the WWF wrestlers played heels. It was bizarro land in Memphis, while Lawler was the heel in WWF. Owen defeated Papa Shango for the USWA Championship. In the summer of 1993, Owen's participation the USWA feud was cut short due to a knee injury. Hart returned to the WWF in the fall of 1993, as he would team with his brothers in a Survivor Series match with Jerry Lawler and his "knights". However, Lawler could not make it because of his legal issues. Shawn Michaels would replace him as the team captain. During the match, Owen and Bret accidentally crashed into each other, causing Owen to be eliminated. After the match, Owen returned to the ring in a heated confrontation with Bret while Keith, Bruce and their father Stu tried to calm things down. The confrontation resulted in Owen leaving the ring to a crowd full of boos. The seeds were being planted for a feud with his brother. The next night, Owen changed his image to pink and black tights, pink sunglasses and the Sharpshooter similar to his brother. Owen would enter the feud that would bring new life to his career. At the 1994 Royal Rumble, Bret and Owen teamed up to challenge the Quebecers for the Tag Titles. However, Bret suffered a knee injury and continued to wrestle without tagging Owen. This left Owen frustrated, as he let out his anger after the match by kicking his brother in the leg. In the opening match of WrestleMania X, Owen pulled the upset of the year when he defeated Bret. Jerry Lawler said it best, "Owen did not step out of his brother's shadow. He jumped out of it". This was the push that saved Owen Hart's career. The feud with Bret elevated his career from wrestling in floundering tag teams to become a featured player. Bret & Owen feuded throughout the summer of 1994, as Bret successfully defended the WWF Title against Owen in a Steel Cage Match at Summerslam of that year. The rivalry won the PWI "Feud of the Year" Award. Owen also won the 1994 King of the Ring Award, calling himself "The King of Harts".

Following the success of his feud with Bret, Owen would capture tag team gold with stars like Yokozuna and Davey Boy Smith (British Bulldog). He would also call himself "Mr. Slammy" as he popularized the Slammy Award. By 1997, Bret would reform the Hart Foundation as a Faction. The group featured Bret as the leader, along with Owen, Bulldog, Anvil and Pillman. The Hart Foundation would find collective success as a stable, as they feuded with the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and other American stars. At Calgary Stampede 1997, The Hart Foundation defeated the team of Stone Cold, Ken Shamrock, LOD and Goldust. Bret was the World Champ, while Owen was the European Champ and Tag Champ with British Bulldog. At Summerslam, Owen defended his IC Title against Stone Cold. However, the match will be forever known for the accident that nearly ended Austin's career. Owen was going for a variation of the Tombstone Piledriver. Unfortunately, Austin landed the wrong way. Steve would go on to win the title. Things started to truly unravel at Survivor Series with the Montreal Screwjob. With the departure of Bret and Davey Boy, Owen was left on his own.

By 1998, Owen Hart would change his gimmick from King of Harts to the Black Hart. He would feud with Triple H over the European Championship, but to no avail. By this point, Owen was being used to elevate younger stars from Triple H to Rocky Maivia. Later in the year, Owen Hart would join the Nation of Domination during their feud with DX. The Atmosphere of the WWF had drastically changed as they were deep into the Attitude Era. Owen was highly against many of the storylines that portrayed immorality. Hart would also feud with Ken Shamrock in the Summer of '98. He would later team with Jeff Jarrett to win the WWF World Tag Team Titles during 1999. May 23, 1999 would be a day that no one would ever forget. That night, WWF held their PPV "Over The Edge" in the Kempner Arena in Kansas City, MO. Owen would come to the ring as "The Blue Blazer" from the ceiling with the help of a cable, just like Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII and Sting in WCW. He was booked to wrestle Godfather for the IC Title. Sadly, the cable broke as he was coming down. As a result, Owen fell from the rafters and landed head first on the turnbuckle as he was instantly killed. He was only 34. Jim Ross made the announcement during a break in the show.

The next morning, I will never forget as a child watching the news report Owen's death. I could not believe it for myself. That night on RAW, there was a Special Tribute Show in honor of Owen Hart. The aftermath of Owen's death opened up Pandora's Box to a new world of controversy against Vince McMahon. The Hart Family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against WWF. On Nitro, Bret would defeat Chris Benoit in a Tribute Match to Owen.

Sadly, Owen's legacy has been tainted by the circumstances of his death because of his widow Martha Hart's bad blood with the company. His legacy cannot be featured properly, because his likeness cannot be used in any form, from video games to any other outlet. In the early 2000's, Acclaim featured Owen in their Legends of Wrestling games, as he was closely connected with Bret. Now, today's fans have a tainted view of the career of Owen Hart. However, Owen's legacy needs to be remembered more for what he did in the ring than how his life ended. It is the reverse of Chris Benoit. Benoit disqualified himself from the Hall of Fame or any other type of celebration. Meanwhile, Owen's widow is hindering WWE from celebrating him.

Enough is Enough and it's time for a change. Owen Hart will forever be a legend in wrestling. Hart was a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, European Champion, Tag Team Champion, 2-time Slammy Award Winner and 1994 King of the Ring among other accolades in his career. Mr. Owen Hart, today we celebrate you.

Impact of Verne Gagne

The World of Wrestling lost one of its Giants recently with the passing of Legendary Promoter and Wrestler, Mr. Verne Gagne. Verne was the founder of the Minnesota based Promotion the American Wrestling Association (AWA).

After one year of college, Verne joined the United States Marine Corps. He decided to return to the University of Minnesota, where he captured two NCAA Titles. Gagne also spent some brief time as a football player in the NFL when he was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1947. However, that time would not last as wrestling was a deeper calling for him.

Verne Gagne started his professional wrestling career with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in 1949. During his time there, Gagne won the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title in a tournament. Verne also won the Chicago Territory version of the NWA United States Championship twice, along with the Tag Team Titles. Gagne became very well known in wrestling thanks to the golden age of television, thanks to his exposure on the Dumont Network, where he amazed crowds with his savvy as an in-ring technician.

In 1960, Verne Gagne formed his own promotion known as the AWA out of his hometown of Minnesota. Naturally, Gagne would become the company's top star since he was the promoter. During his time as a wrestler, Verne's biggest feuds were with Gene Kiniski, Dr. Bill Miller, Fritz Von Erich, Dr. X, The Crusher, Ray Stevens, Mad Dog Vachon, Larry Hennig, and his biggest rival, Nick Bockwinkel. Gagne would be a 10-time AWA World Champion, the most in the company's history. He also had one of the longest World Title reigns in Wrestling History, holding the AWA title from August 31, 1968 to November 8, 1975 (7 years, 3 months) before losing it to Bockwinkel.

Legacy as a Promoter & Trainer:
Besides his in-ring career, Verne Gagne's biggest impact came as a promoter & trainer. The AWA has showcased a lineage of Hall of Fame Talent:
Hulk Hogan
Ric Flair
Ricky Steamboat
Sgt. Slaughter
Curt Hennig
The Iron Sheik
The Rockers
Jerry Lawler
"Mean" Gene Okerlund
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
The Road Warriors (LOD)

As a promoter, Verne was known for putting on an "old school" show that was counter culture of Vince McMahon's emerging cutting edge production of "sports entertainment" wrestling in the World Wrestling Federation. A bright, young 6'7" 300 pound, standout star received a huge break in Minnesota before running wild for the rest of the decade. Even though Gagne preferred amateur-style wrestlers over the muscle bound monsters of the 1980's, he still gave a young Hulk Hogan an opportunity to shine after his falling out with Vince McMahon, Sr. Hogan would soon become the top draw for the AWA, which led to Verne giving him the spotlight to feud with AWA mainstay Nick Bockwinkel. Hogan made a name for himself in the AWA, which helped to create leverage for him in the WWF. The rest is history. Two of Hogan's rivals were also AWA alums. The Iron Sheik and Sgt. Slaughter.

Iron Sheik:

On January 23, 1984 Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik to win his first WWF Championship to catapult a four year run as champion.

Sgt. Slaughter:

On March 24, 1991 (WrestleMania VII), Hogan defeated Sgt. Slaughter to win his third WWF Championship.

Slaughter and Sheik would feud with each other during the summer of 1984.

Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat reached the greatest heights of their career when they feuded with each other in the NWA/WCW.

Curt Hennig would become one of the AWA's greatest champions before making the jump to the WWF where he would be one of the most significant Intercontinental Champions in history.

The Road Warriors were the biggest draw as a Tag Team in the history of the AWA. This was one of the many territories that Hawk and Animal conquered in their journey to legendary status.

Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty would enjoy their greatest success as a Tag Team in the AWA as the "Midnight" Rockers before making the move to Connecticut/New York.

The AWA was a platform that gave opportunities to many up and comers before they made their mark on the larger, national platform of WWF. The AWA was critical in the growth of future legends, immortal icons, and showstoppers. Verne Gagne will forever be a staple in the wrestling industry, because of his overall contributions. Wrestling has never been the same, because of the impact of Mr. Verne Gagne. Rest in Peace.

Painting Courtesty of: Rob Schamberger
Twitter: @RobSchamberger
www.robschamberger.com

Talk Is Jericho Podcast w/Stephanie McMahon Review

Chris Jericho's recent Interview on the WWE Network featured Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley as his Special Guest. The Interview was highly anticipated by the Network as WWE was ending their free trial for the month of April. Some were expecting this to be like the previous interview with John Cena as well as Austin's Interview with Stephanie's husband, Triple H. (The key word is "some", not all) However, this had more fluff than it had bark and bite. This interview was more of a feel good story between two former rivals who are obviously best friends. For my Comic book fans, it was like Wolverine and Mystique becoming friends. For my Anime fans, it was like Vegeta becoming friends with Android 18 after years of bad blood. For many fans, this further drives home the idea about Chris Jericho officially becoming a "Sellout" and a "Corporate Puppet". This was more like a walk in Candyland instead of what we expect from Stone Cold. Instead, it was more of a live chat between friends. Austin has become the measuring stick for anyone that does interviews, and the backlash against Jericho has intensified. While I do not have any hatred towards Y2J like the other fans, I felt as though a number of punches were held back. Jericho's Interview style is very entertaining in its own way. Other times, there are some things left unsaid. His "Talk Is Jericho" Podcast provides more substance, as it is not a show that it is completely sanctioned by WWE. Jericho is able to have full control of that vehicle, much like with his books. Now, I don't expect him to become Sherlock Holmes or Inspector Gadget trying to do Detective Work about a certain Canadian Crippler who no longer exists in WWE (*coughs* Chris Benoit). On the other hand, I understand why he holds back on certain things. Jericho likes to stay in good graces with WWE, and does not want to receive any of the horrendous company backlash that others before him have received because they were on Vince's bad side.

Jericho joked about "hard hitting questions", as a lead in to talk about a company "Christmas Party" that he was not invited to. This set the tone for the rest of the interview.

Now, I will go into the points that were brought up in the Network Exclusive.

Contrast in Austin and Jericho's styles: Stone Cold has gained a well built reputation of respect among fans, because he holds nothing back in his questions. You can walk away with assurance that nothing was left unsaid. Austin's interview style mirrors the way that he wrestled: Straightforward, but with a few elements of laughts. Jericho has more of a fun, and playful approach. Do not expect Austin to ask Stephanie who her childhood crush was.

WWE Ambassador: Stephanie explains the role that she plays as an Ambassador for WWE as she travels to different countries proclaiming the good deeds of a cultural phenomenon. Jericho and Stephanie talk about how funny it is that WWE is still seen by some as a Neanderthal sport, when it has redefined society for many, many years. She also talks about her contributions to the "Be A Star" Campaign against bullying. Jericho has the opportunity to drill her about why she plays a heel character on TV, while being front and center for an anti-bullying campaign. Stephanie gives a fluff response, and Jericho does not go any further.

(Side Note: Vince McMahon is standing in the background at the start of the interview, then leaves. Jericho and Steph point that out.)

Childhood Stories in Wrestling: Stephanie opens up about growing up the daughter of Vince McMahon and how she was often picked on because of that. Some kids thought that she would be a snob, because of her background. She shares a fun story about her friendship with Andre The Giant. Stephanie gravitated to Andre, because she felt that he was treated like an outcast since he was a Giant. Stephanie also says that growing up, she was a fan of Tito Santana and The Killer Bees. Steph did not like Hulk Hogan at all. Instead, she was a fan of the heels. I know she had to be furious about Hogan defeating Andre at WrestleMania 3. With that said, I see why she does her job so well as a villain. It was actually fun to hear about this.

Spitting Image of Vince: Stephanie talks about how she has the same relentless drive that her father has to obtain and maintain success. Her brother Shane calls her the "Vinceess". McMahon says that she closely observed her father's work as a showman and executive for years.

Beginnings: Steph says that she worked the phones for WWE (WWF at the time) when she was 14. She worked as an intern in the marketing department. Stephanie even says that she created a clip reel for Summerslam one year. I wish that she mentioned which one it was. She also talked about interacting with fans in the AOL chatrooms (I remember those days). McMahon shares those stories to let fans know that her parents did not hand her a high level executive position. Stephanie even said WWF, and was never censored.

Relationship with Triple H: This is where Stephanie opened up the most. Jericho and Stephanie talk about her relationship with Triple H. Steph says that originally, her father did not want her to be in a relationship with wrestlers. She says that Vince felt that it would be too much of a risk. Except there was one star that Vince had a special spot for in his heart, Triple H. She said that Vince "threw them together" at first. Then, he would "take away his blessing" so that they would be separated for some time.  For those of you looking for any mention of Chyna, this was the wrong place. Apparently, Vince does not want that name to resurface again as we know the headlines that it created in Austin's interview with Triple H. Clearly, things worked out in the end between Triple H and Stephanie. Their story ended in a fairytale way. When Jericho asked who wears the pants in the family, She says "both of us".

Lack of Ronday Rousey: Jericho brings up Ronda Rousey as his next topic of discussion, because of her relationship with WWE. As we know, Dana White announced that he has no plans of having Ronda make any more appearances for WWE. Rousey's appearances at Summerslam 2014 and WrestleMania 31 were huge attractions for the company. As Stephanie said that she did not know what was next with Ronda, she also said "Never say Never".

Future of Divas Division (#GiveDivasAChance): Like the Triple H topic, the biggest missed opportunity came when Stephanie was addressed with the topic about the Twitter war that her and AJ had about the #GiveDivasAChance movement. Stephanie was being diplomatic when she said that she was proud of the former 3-time Divas Champion for speaking up. With the bad blood surrounding CM Punk, I am sure that Stephanie sees AJ as a thorn behind the scenes. The fate of the Divas Division should not have to single handedly depend on Stephanie McMahon alone. It should be a collective effort on the Women in the locker room to step their game up in their own way. As her father would say, they have to fight for the brass ring themselves. However, Stephanie does have a strong deal of influence. The CBO (Chief Brand Officer) seems to agree with AJ about the state of women's wrestling. Steph sees the lack of ring time and stories that the females are given. She says that it is something that has to be worked on. Stephanie says that she desires a change in that department. She tells Jericho that she is "pushing for it everyday". Hopefully, the #GiveDivasAChance tweet does not do more harm than good. What was expected to be the hot button point was cooled off and swept under the rug.

Overall, this Interview does not leave me in anticipation for the next guest on the show. WWE is in a comfort zone as an award winning network with no desire to go for more press. Austin provided the headlines that they needed to give them an edge and reach 1,000,000 subscribers. Now that they have reached personal goals, they have no desire to continue to create buzz. Stone Cold's Interviews left us walking away with topics to discuss among our friends, coworkers, etc for the rest of the week. Jericho's interview with Cena provided some nice headlines and gave us a deeper look into Cena when he is away from character. Fans walked away with a better understanding of John Cena and realized he is a regular guy like the rest of us behind the pomp and circumstance. This interview was just Vince's way of staying complacent and avoiding anything that could be seen as "controversial" on any level. Jericho is the guy that the company has in their vision for who they want as a staple for future interviews. Austin was the figure head to save them from going out of business. Y2J is the figure head that they look at to conduct interviews. It is safe to say that he has now built himself as the true suit and tie company guy.

This Interview gets 3 out of 5 Undisputed Title Belts.