Good riddance to Hulkamania?

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

Good riddance to Hulkamania?

by Brian Solomon

Oct. 3, 2002

 

The word on the Internet has spread like wildfire that Hulk Hogan’s World Wrestling Entertainment contract is up. Apparently, everyone’s under the impression that the Hulkster’s contract was a lot shorter than the one-year deal it was assumed he had, and that all his obligations are currently fulfilled. However, allow me to debunk this rumor, courtesy of our Talent Relations department: Hulk Hogan’s contract is indeed a one-year deal, and so the reports of its expiration have been greatly exaggerated.

 

Nevertheless, the whole thing got me thinking. With the real expiration date just a few months away, it’s entirely possible that Hulk Hogan and WWE may be parting ways once again.

 

Now, in the time that I’ve actually worked within WWE, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of Hulk Hogan to this business and his place as the biggest star that sports-entertainment has ever produced. He possessed that certain something that you can never quite put your finger on. The combination of overpowering charisma, an unforgettable look and the knack for being in the right place at the right time. Were it not for Hogan, Vince McMahon may not have had the catalyst he needed to take this company national the way he did in the 1980s.

 

I can appreciate all that now that I, in my own small, marginal way, actually work within this business.

 

Nevertheless, as a fan, I could never stand the guy.

 

I started watching wrestling at about the age of 11, some time between WrestleManias II and III. From the beginning, I chose to root against the Hulkster. It didn’t matter who he was in the ring against—I didn’t care if it was the One Man Gang, Killer Khan, Sika or Hercules, I always rooted for the title to change hands. While all my friends screamed like little girls at a New Kids on the Block concert, with their foam fingers and Hulk Hogan friendship bracelets, I seethed inside.

 

There were a number of reasons for this. First and foremost was the boredom factor. It was just so damn predictable. You knew the guy was going to win every time. He had been champion for years, and it seemed like it would never end. Not only did you know he was going to win, but you knew exactly how he was going to win, because he had the same match every time. Only the challenger changed. You knew he’d make the comeback, the finger point, the whole deal. Big boot, legdrop, pin. Ten minutes at the most.

 

I just wanted to see things shaken up a little bit.

 

That’s why I couldn’t have been happier when Randy Savage emerged from the WrestleMania IV tournament with the belt. Seeing someone else as champion was really a big deal, and a refreshing change, especially back in those days. And the Ultimate Warrior? Although hindsight has shown me the error of my ways, I was the biggest Warrior fan on the planet at one time, and WrestleMania VI was definitely a major highlight for me.

 

Add to this the fact that Ric Flair was my boyhood idol, and the picture becomes even clearer. While the Hulkster was doing his superhero schtick for a few minutes maybe once a week with some goofy stiff in a Halloween costume—getting his match in before the intermission to beat the crowds—the Nature Boy was putting on 60-minute clinics on an almost nightly basis, sweating and bleeding with some of the best this sport has ever had to offer.

 

The business may have gone into a decline after Hogan left WWE in the ‘90s, but as a fan who had no personal stake in this business and only wanted to be entertained, I was as pleased as punch. The era of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels will always be a sentimental favorite of mine. Finally, athleticism was at a premium, and jaw-dropping matches weren’t reserved for the undercard alone. In spite of all the forgettable gimmicks that populated the lower rungs of the WWE roster at the time, you still had that feeling that there were a number of believable challengers to the title at any given time, something you didn’t have during many of the Hogan years.

 

Then, once the late ‘90s and the era of “Attitude” hit, not only was the product phenomenal, but the ratings and attendance started backing it up as well. During the days of Austin/McMahon, Undertaker/Kane, DX, Mankind, Rock/Triple H, etc., Hogan could not have possibly been further from the minds of WWE fans. It was now cool to root for the bad guys, and even the so-called “good guys” like Stone Cold acted the way heels did back in Hogan’s heyday. Things had improved so much from the Rock n’ Wrestling era—there was an edginess and sense of chaos that just wasn’t possible before.

 

When the Immortal One made his triumphant return earlier this year, I’ll admit I was intrigued. As someone who now worked for WWE, I appreciated his legendary status, and understood what the man meant to this business. It was as if Babe Ruth came back to the Yankees after playing for the Boston Braves.

 

Besides, it was kind of cool from a nostalgic point of view to be able to root against him again. The renewed wave of Hulkamania swept over WWE fandom in surprising fashion. Seeing him once again reigning atop the sports-entertainment world was definitely surreal, and acceptable to me because I knew it wouldn’t last long.

 

Now, Hogan and WWE are approaching a crossroads once again. Only time will tell how it will all work out, if his run is coming to an end or if there’s more Hulkamania comebacks in store. But there is one thing I know. Even though from a business perspective, I’m focused on the big picture and can objectively appreciate the importance of the sport’s most famous legend continuing his relationship with the company that made him famous, inside of me there’s still that 11-year-old fan who’s rooting for whomever is on the opposite side of the ring from him.

 

Credit: WWE.com

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I'm starting to really like this guys Columns. (Also did "Shut Up, And Wrestle")

 

Screw Jr!

 

Give me the "Solo Report" every Friday!

[Guest nikowwf]

Good freaking ridance if he's gone.

 

Go read what Scherer said about this on 1Bob. He's implying that the WWE is lying about Hogan being under contract. He says "What reason would Hogan have to lie?" as if he's never lied before.

 

Morons.

 

Niko

[Guest HartFan86]

If Hogan's gone for good, I guess you could say he left in the "right way" via getting destroyed by Brock. I kinda thought if he left at Mania would be a nice way...but who knows.

 

And isn't it funny this guy writes two articles in a row sorta as a heel? Sure, he told the truth in the first article, but I think something is up. If he rights an article about how Vince McMahon sucks next week, you know he's being told to write this.

[Guest AnnieEclectic]

no, BretHart4Life, the REAL Magnificent Seven is in the SWF.

 

*cheap shill*

 

heh, gotta pimp the product.

 

 

Back on subject, it does seem that this is some worked shoot writing coming from the site, even if it does hit a lot of smarks in the heart.

 

-Annie