Bret declines WWF comeback

[Guest Patorick]

Bret declines WWF comeback

 

By BRET HART -- For SLAM! Wrestling

 

(http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestling/hitman_home.html)

 

I got a call from the WWF this week.

 

I can't say I was shocked. I wasn't even surprised. In fact, it was predictable because Wrestlemania is in Toronto.

 

It'd probably be the biggest pop in the history of pro wrestling -- Bret Hart walks out unannounced -- after everything that's happened.

 

For Carl DeMarco, the guy who runs the Canadian arm of the WWF, it would have been a huge coup. Imagine, delivering Bret Hart to Vince McMahon.

 

Anyone who knows me knows that it would have been an unconscionable sacrifice. Still, as an old friend, Carlo thought he had a shot at it. It didn't matter to him what I did on the show as long as I was on the show.

 

Since my concussion prevents me from wrestling, he asked me to ref the main event, Triple H vs. Chris Jericho for the undisputed federation championship.

 

It was brought up how my recent appearance on a WWA PPV was unfitting for me and that my stock is at an all-time low. I guess I need to point out I'm retired from wrestling and my minimal involvement with the WWA has been because the promoter is a reputable guy who I've wanted to help get off to a good start. At the very least, he's been good to his word.

 

The persuasive argument was this is Wrestlemania, much more fitting. You tell me how fitting it is for me to end up as a special ref in a semi-main event?

 

I listened to the offer but found it offensive the WWF would expect me to so easily dismiss everything that's happened and parade myself out there giving the impression to the world that our differences have been worked out. Montreal. Owen. The manipulated divide-and-conquer derision of the Hart family, showing no respect to my father or even my poor mother, who died without seeing any resolution to it. Why would I minimize any of that?

 

Because, in return, they'd give me access to video footage and still shots. They own every picture and every inch of film of every match I had over the last 16 years of my career.

 

So now, as a 'trade off', they offered me the same access McMahon already promised me when I met with him on a park bench in Calgary the day before Owen's funeral, two-and-a-half years ago.

 

Four days later, when my people called his to work out the details, they were told Vince recalls no such conversation.

 

It will no doubt surprise a lot of people to know Vince and I were going to set up a meeting when Raw came to Calgary last May in order to sort out my footage and air our differences. Vince cancelled the meeting, sending a message he was too busy, which I appreciated because I was having reservations about our talk myself. The time didn't feel right to me. At least we'd almost opened the door for some dialogue, which I thought was a huge step. But that very same day, they went and did the Montreal finish right here in Calgary -- and somehow I'm not supposed to view that as a slap in the face?

 

So now, 10 months later, the WWF says getting my archive is a trade-off. If I do this, they'll do that. Why are there now conditions to Vince's promise?

 

To be honest, I did consider doing it.

 

Before Montreal, we were about to start production on a comprehensive video anthology of my career. After Montreal, it was scratched. I thought it was a shame, especially since the screw job at Survivor '97 became the clear line of demarcation in the business, the time when the heroes of the Next Generation were replaced by the bombastic sexual ratings ploys of the Attitude chapter. I thought it was important to document what WWF wrestling was like in the era when I was champion -- for future generations who might never know or understand the time-honoured traditions of what pro wrestling used to be.

 

Also, I am in the process of writing a book and I thought it might be nice to put a few specific WWF photos in it -- which, I've been told, Vince won't let me do. Is it because they don't think the company will be portrayed in a good light? I think what everyone needs to realize is that for 14 years, McMahon and I did have an amicable, prosperous relationship. I haven't forgotten that.

 

With one last-ditch effort, the guy who runs WWF Canada gave me other options. Instead of being a ref, I could come out and punch Vince -- not for real, of course, just make it look like retribution!

 

In that one phony punch, everything that's happened would be minimized into an angle. Maybe wrestling fans would love it. My fans would hate it. And so would I.

 

Thanks but no thanks.

 

The guy who had it right, this time, was Vince. He said I'd never go for it.

 

Vince, thanks for the invitation. Now here's mine. If you want to air our differences, all you have to do is pick up the phone. I think a private conversation is in order, not some public spectacle at the expense of my dignity.

 

To all the boys on the card, I wish you a good show and I hope you understand and respect my reasons for not being there.

[Guest The Vanilla Midget]

i've said before, but i couldnt really care for his little crusade, but this gesture has incresed my respect for him tenfold.  he is sacrificing a lot of money both now and in the future (book), opportunity, and fame by sticking to what he believes in.  it may be wrong, and is sure as hell stubborn, but i just cant help but admire the guy fot it.

 

bret hart, with this gesture you have gained yourself a fan.

[Guest Risk]

Bret Hart, you have always had a fan in me.  Because the day Bret Hart was screwed, the evil that is known as "Sports Entertainment" was born.  Hart was the original concept of a face, a shooter.  Michaels was the heel, the sports entertainer.  Wresler vs. Sports Entertainer, Wrestling vs. Sports Entertainment.  We know who won...

[Guest mastermind]

I don't know I still think both sides are being stubborn here. I mean look at this line...."In that one phony punch, everything that's happened would be minimized into an angle". Um, didn't Bret make the whole Montreal screwjob into an angle at Starrcade with Goldberg? Going back wouldn't really be all that hypocritical to me because he done the angle over himself in wcw. Not to mention he didn't have an outcry when Sting still did the ceiling drop like Owen did. I guess Bret's fans are suppose to forget this?

 

Another line...."Before Montreal, we were about to start production on a comprehensive video anthology of my career. After Montreal, it was scratched. I thought it was a shame, especially since the screw job at Survivor '97 became the clear line of demarcation in the business, the time when the heroes of the Next Generation were replaced by the bombastic sexual ratings ploys of the Attitude chapter. I thought it was important to document what WWF wrestling was like in the era when I was champion -- for future generations who might never know or understand the time-honoured traditions of what pro wrestling used to be."

 

Um, without Bret coming back I don't think there would really be a chance in hell of him being remembered by the wwf for what he has stated above. His reigns weren't during the wwf's strong mainstream eras. The wwf has proven they can make their legends look much greater than they are. Bret deserves this more than being remembered as by being screwed by Mr. Mcmahon and Steve Austin battling him for about 2 years based off that incident.

 

This following line "Vince, thanks for the invitation. Now here's mine. If you want to air our differences, all you have to do is pick up the phone. I think a private conversation is in order, not some public spectacle at the expense of my dignity."

I think this was truly the gist of the whole situation and I agree fully with him.

[Guest Maurizio C... Version 2]

once again, Bret hart makes a complete fool out of himself, yup-de-dooo!

 

So let me understand this... Bret bashes brisco, Vince, the WWF, WCW, Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, his sister, Bulldog, Anvil, Dynamite Kid, Graham, Hogan... have I forgotten someone? So he bashes them at any opportunity, being it a big ppv or a radio show... the guy's obsessed with a fantasy he can't get rid of, that being "I got screwed, it's everybody's fault but mine"... you see, Bret's tirades are even better than comedy on SNLive!

 

- Bret was screwed bcause he, as a good canadian, wanted to keep the belt notwithstanding the fact that he was going to wcw in a matter of weeks... but hey, he volunteered to job to Shawn on Raw and house shows, so I think that makes up for being a mark for himself!

 

- Bret divorces, of course it's all Vince's fault since when Bret got screwed in Montreal he became bitter and his family suffered for it... it's basically Vince, you know!

 

- Bret's brother Owen gets *killed* by Evil Vince to get back at Bret, notwithstanding the fact that Owen was NOT over, had OLD catchphrases and was a stale act so the only way to give him the ic gold and get credibility was, in reality, to shit on him and make him ridiculous... but there's that other school of taught that believes Owen was just getting punished for not going for an angle where he'd have slept with Debra.

 

- Helen Hart dies... but it's not because she got sick, oh no, it's because she too was hurting for Bret's brothers and sisters bashing each other after Owen's death. So it's anybody's fault but human nature, ok?

 

... and what about Owen? what about "ding it right in memory of Owen?" I sincerely don't remember Bret EVER getting Owen over despite a few jobs at WM and some house shows here and there and a role in the Hart Foundation. You see, if I was the world champ I'd certainely push for my brother to be a future champ... but Bret was probably scared owen would, you know, *scoop* his heat, too!

 

Bret is dlusional, he's getting old, is rich and cool, he CAN afford to stay out of wrestling for good... except for a few indy shots where he bashes anyone despite acting like the good guy...

 

poor... ass... hole...

 

but I'll always remember Bret the wrestler.

[Guest RickyB]

Maurizio C you haven't got a fucking clue, have you?

 

Point 1: All of you fucking WWF marks (or Japanese marks) don't realise that Bret wouldn't job in Canada because:

 

a) he didn't want to lose his heat in Canada (the WWF had ALREADY killed his heat in the States) before he went to WCW

 

b) he didn't want to leave the WWF, Bret took a lower pay contract with the WWF just so that he could stay there so he wanted to leave the WWF in a good way.

 

c) he didn't want to job for Shawn Michaels in Canada, Shawn Michaels had made it clear less than a year previously that he wouldn't job in the States, if Shawn Michaels said that then why should Bret job to him in Canada?

 

Point 2: Bret never blamed Vince for his divorce, of course you'd expect what Vince did to affect Bret though.  Vince & Bret had been friends for 14 years, if someone you knew and trusted stabbed you in the back after a 14 year friendship I think it would affect you.

 

Point 3: Bret NEVER said that Vince killed Owen.  In fact a few days before Owen's funeral Bret met with Vince to talk to him.  He hoped that with Owen's funeral that both of them could put other things aside and talk again.  What Bret has always been pissed off at Vince for is that:

 

a) Owen NEVER needed to do that stunt, people compare what Sting did to what Owen did but they are very different.  Owen was expected to release himself from the harness *before* he landed on the turnbuckle.  Sting never released himself from the harness until he landed in the ring.  Plus from what i've heard Vince cut a lot of corners so that the costs would be cheaper for the stunt.

 

b) Vince recorded and shown footage from Owen's funeral, which he had no right, and was asked not to do.  Whatever you want to say about the matter, you can't argue the against the fact that Vince should never have used footage from Owen's funeral.

 

c) After Bret met with Vince, Vince McMahon went on TV programme badmouthing Bret.  Forgetting completely that Bret Hart was obviously in a bad state at the time because it was the day before his brothers funeral.

 

Point 4: I can't believe that you're making a coment like that, Bret never said that it was anyone's fault that his mother died.  He said that he didn't know if his family would be able to cope anymore because his mother always held the family together.  I don't know where you've heard that Bret blamed his family for his mother dying, but he's never said that (I read his Calgary Sun column on Slam Wrestling every week).

 

Point 5: That is another terrible thing to say.  Bret worked a feud with Owen for a long time to try and get him over, if Bret didn't put Owen over in matches it's because VINCE MCMAHON DIDN'T LET HIM.  Vince wanted Bret to be at the top of the WWF because he thought that he'd bring in a lot of business, don't try and say that Bret had a choice because he was never allowed any kind of creative control during his WWF career.  And also, I hate the fact that you're trying to imply that Bret didn't care for his brother.  Because Bret didn't manage to get Owen over as a World Champion calibre star that doesn't mean that he didn't care about him and it definatly doesn't make him a bad person - it's not like he knew that Owen was going to die.  I really hate the fact that you're trying to imply that Bret didn't care for Owen because you know that it isn't true.

 

And I wish that you wouldn't use Owen (Bret's brother) to bash Bret Hart.  Bret never blamed Vince McMahon saying that he outright killed Owen, he said that Vince shouldn't have made Owen do the stunt (which he shouldn't) and that he shouldn't have used clips from Owen's funeral (which he definatly shouldn't).

[Guest saturnmark4life]

Bret's in the right here, no-one was in the right in montreal, not Bret, Shawn or Vince, I think they should drop it and move on. I respect Bret's decision and agree not everything should be a public spectacle, which is ALWAYS vince's way of dealing with things. He's insane.

[Guest Maurizio C... Version 2]

Point 1: All of you fucking WWF marks (or Japanese marks) don't realise that Bret wouldn't job in Canada because:

 

a) he didn't want to lose his heat in Canada (the WWF had ALREADY killed his heat in the States) before he went to WCW

 

He's leaving a fed. I don't give a fuck if it's on good terms or not. He has to job.

 

b) he didn't want to leave the WWF, Bret took a lower pay contract with the WWF just so that he could stay there so he wanted to leave the WWF in a good way.

 

so that's to make him immune to the long standing rule of passing the torch?

 

c) he didn't want to job for Shawn Michaels in Canada, Shawn Michaels had made it clear less than a year previously that he wouldn't job in the States, if Shawn Michaels said that then why should Bret job to him in Canada?

 

the WWF resides in the states and it's an Merican federation. Shawns saying that is stupid and Bret reacting that way is even sillier.

 

 

Point 2: Bret never blamed Vince for his divorce, of course you'd expect what Vince did to affect Bret though.  Vince & Bret had been friends for 14 years, if someone you knew and trusted stabbed you in the back after a 14 year friendship I think it would affect you.

 

... is that blaming someone or something else for the disgrace you created?

 

 

Point 3: Bret NEVER said that Vince killed Owen.  In fact a few days before Owen's funeral Bret met with Vince to talk to him.  He hoped that with Owen's funeral that both of them could put other things aside and talk again.  What Bret has always been pissed off at Vince for is that:

 

a) Owen NEVER needed to do that stunt, people compare

what Sting did to what Owen did but they are very different.  Owen was expected to release himself from the harness *before* he landed on the turnbuckle.  Sting never released himself from the harness until he landed in the ring.  Plus from what i've heard Vince cut a lot of corners so that the costs would be cheaper for the stunt.

 

... again, isn't that blaming something or someone?

 

 

b) Vince recorded and shown footage from Owen's funeral, which he had no right, and was asked not to do.  Whatever you want to say about the matter, you can't argue the against the fact that Vince should never have used footage from Owen's funeral.

 

I'm down with that like you.

 

 

c) After Bret met with Vince, Vince McMahon went on TV programme badmouthing Bret.  Forgetting completely that Bret Hart was obviously in a bad state at the time because it was the day before his brothers funeral.

 

Bret's been in a bad mood since Owen's death for YEARS... but never enough to avoid an angle based on owen's death, hmmm, wcw anyone?

 

 

Point 4: I can't believe that you're making a coment like that, Bret never said that it was anyone's fault that his mother died.  He said that he didn't know if his family would be able to cope anymore because his mother always held the family together.  I don't know where you've heard that Bret blamed his family for his mother dying, but he's never said that (I read his Calgary Sun column on Slam Wrestling every week).

 

Point 5: That is another terrible thing to say.  Bret worked a feud with Owen for a long time to try and get him over, if Bret didn't put Owen over in matches it's because VINCE MCMAHON DIDN'T LET HIM.  Vince wanted Bret to be at the top of the WWF because he thought that he'd bring in a lot of business, don't try and say that Bret had a choice because he was never allowed any kind of creative control during his WWF career.  And also, I hate the fact that you're trying to imply that Bret didn't care for his brother.  Because Bret didn't manage to get Owen over as a World Champion calibre star that doesn't mean that he didn't care about him and it definatly doesn't make him a bad person - it's not like he knew that Owen was going to die.  I really hate the fact that you're trying to imply that Bret didn't care for Owen because you know that it isn't true.

 

 

Bret was the champ, he could do something like help form an union or something else. of course, you start talking shit when you find yourself out of the title picture or mainstream acceptance.

 

And I wish that you wouldn't use Owen (Bret's brother) to bash Bret Hart.  Bret never blamed Vince McMahon saying that he outright killed Owen, he said that Vince shouldn't have made Owen do the stunt (which he shouldn't) and that he shouldn't have used clips from Owen's funeral (which he definatly shouldn't).

[Guest RetroRob215]

WCW rarely went to Canada, so would it really matter if Bret didn't have heat there?

[Guest mastermind]

I read on another forum that MAYBE that article is a swerve because the wwf knows someone like Meltzer would have spoiled the surprise. This way it could be a bigger surprise. Everything's possible I guess.

[Guest RedJed]

I can understand some of Bret's points, but if anyone truly believes that he's not guilty for some stuff as well because of his stubborness, you're not seeing things realistically. It's true that Shawn way back when was being a lil beotch and was refusing to lose to Bret. This came off the heels of when they got into a legitimate fight in the back. This was sometime around 97 I believe or late 96. Anyway, around middle of 97 there was talk of seriously doing the program, and it wouldn't work is Shawn's attitude was still like that. Vince pretty much put him in his place and told him to shape up and Shawn actually moreless did.........even had many conversations that he would be fine with doing any jobs for Bret down the road. Bret wouldn't let it rest, and instead of being the better man here stooped to Shawn's level back then by refusing to lose to him. He DIDN'T agree to lose to Shawn at all, even after Montreal, to my recollection. Bret actually wanted to give the title to Shamrock more than anyone, and he did have some sort of pull since he actually have creative control in his contract. This was one reason why it was so rough going into Montreal.

 

And I have no recollection of Vince "badmouthing" Bret on air after Owen's death. When was this anyway? And during that time, we have NO IDEA what really went down between Vince and Bret right before that funeral......for all we know, Bret might have been the biggest f'n ass to Vince as Vince was trying to patch things up as best he could. Just sayin.....who knows.

 

Regarding the "stunt" Owen was supposed to do I'll say this much, and I feel this is why McMahon and the WWF were found off all wrong doing here. They had done ths stunt many times before, and so did the competition. There was no reason to believe anything would go wrong. I don't f'n buy that Vince cut costs on the stunt AT ALL, if that was true, then Vince would still be in court fighting this whole situation. The WWF was a cashcow in 99, and cutting costs on a stunt that DEMANDS all the protection in the world makes no sense whatsoever. I don't know where you got your info about this, but I feel it's off since if it was true, Vince would probably be in jail right now. Accidents happen........it was an ACCIDENT.

[Guest RickyB]

I can understand some of Bret's points, but if anyone truly believes that he's not guilty for some stuff as well because of his stubborness, you're not seeing things realistically.

 

I agree, but Bret is the least guilty IMO.

 

Vince pretty much put him in his place and told him to shape up and Shawn actually moreless did.........even had many conversations that he would be fine with doing any jobs for Bret down the road.

 

He refused to job to anyone in the states period.  It's been well documented that Vince could never control Shawn.

 

Bret wouldn't let it rest, and instead of being the better man here stooped to Shawn's level back then by refusing to lose to him.

 

He never trusted Shawn to return the jobs.

 

He DIDN'T agree to lose to Shawn at all, even after Montreal, to my recollection

 

Watch WWS, he said that he'd lose to Shawn or anyone at the next Raw in the States - which was in either Detroit or Denver if I remember correctly.

 

Bret actually wanted to give the title to Shamrock more than anyone, and he did have some sort of pull since he actually have creative control in his contract. This was one reason why it was so rough going into Montreal.

 

Yeah, he wanted to help elevate Shamrock, I think that if Bret stayed in the WWF Shamrock would have been a multiple time World Champion right now.  His Creative Control clause was only for the last 30 days of his contract and was their to make sure that he wouldn't get jobbed out during his final WWF days, his contract didn't let him have any say over anyone elses push.

 

And I have no recollection of Vince "badmouthing" Bret on air after Owen's death. When was this anyway?

 

"Off The Record" shortly after Owen's funeral.

 

And during that time, we have NO IDEA what really went down between Vince and Bret right before that funeral......for all we know, Bret might have been the biggest f'n ass to Vince as Vince was trying to patch things up as best he could. Just sayin.....who knows.

 

I'll admit that Bret could have been an ass to Vince, but I don't think he could be accounteble for what he did during that time.  His brother had recently died, do you think that you'd be thinking straight if your younger brother's funeral was going to be in a few days - think about it.

 

Regarding the "stunt" Owen was supposed to do I'll say this much, and I feel this is why McMahon and the WWF were found off all wrong doing here. They had done ths stunt many times before, and so did the competition. There was no reason to believe anything would go wrong.

 

No, people had never been asked to release themselves from a harness before they landed in the ring in either the WWF or WCW.  Most stuntmen wouldn't even consider releasing themselves from a harness before they landed - never mind a Wrestler.  Sting in WCW was only expected to release himself from the harness after he'd landed - and he always landed in the centre of the ring, not on the turnbuckle.

 

The WWF was a cashcow in 99, and cutting costs on a stunt that DEMANDS all the protection in the world makes no sense whatsoever.

 

I said that it had been reported that he had, and it has been.  I don't know if it's true and I hope that it wasn't true.

 

I don't know where you got your info about this, but I feel it's off since if it was true, Vince would probably be in jail right now.

 

What I read was that Vince cut costs by not hiring people from outside who were trained to set up the stunts like WCW did.  He let people inside the WWF set up the stunt thinking that because they'd done it before that it wouldn't go wrong this time - which I guess i'd understand.

 

BTW - The only reason he's not in jail is because he pain an out of court settlement if I remember correctly.

 

Accidents happen........it was an ACCIDENT.

 

I know it was an accident, Vince obviously wouldn't kill Owen Hart, but it could have been avoided.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Bret was in the right here...again. i'm glad he stood up for his princapals allthough i really really really wich he would've ref'd the main event but really it's too much to ask for him AND vince to both swallow their pride and forget all those years of bitterness.

[Guest old_mort_wwfe]

It was always my opinion that if Bret was ever the professional he claimed to be he woulda done his damn job and lost the belt when he was told to especially since he was leaving anyway. His problem simply was he took himself waaaaay too seriously and his "I won't job in Canada" nonsense was just that..nonsense. I mean even Hogan jobbed the belt when he was turfed and he lost in a fashion that was far more more embarrasing than Bret would have (virtually no offense, pinned by own finisher and bonzai dropped a zillion times)  and this was HOGAN..who did far more for the company than Bret did in my opinion. Thats just one example though, Jarrett did the job as well..to Chyna of all people. If Bret really wants someone to thank for Vince's apprehensions he can go track down Medusa and thank her for tossing the womens belt in the trash on Nitro. It seems like a small incident but i gaurantee it was in the back of Vince's mind. Maybe Vince should have been more trusting but given the fuss Bret was putting up about jobbing how could you blame him?..its his company and at the time it was in dire straights and didn't need the possibility of trouble like this. As for his life afterward..its unfortunate but he really needs to deal with these events properly. No one killed Owen and his mother died of illness and he feels the need to blame the wrong people and go off on tirades about others. As for Wrestlemania..well thats his choice and more power to him..i just don't get how some people can say this guy didn't help make his own life miserable.

[Guest Maurizio C... Version 2]

I remember reading the Torch report of Vince's metig with Bret after Owen's death... Bret was said to having acted a total ass, talking about Owen a fw minutes and then starting blaming Vince for the end of his marriage and hi slife, totally avoiding Owen's affair for "legal purpouses"... then I don't think it was Vince badmouthing Bret, just stating the facts.

[Guest dilk bathoon]

wcw vs. wwf- didn't pop ratings

nWo - didn't pop ratings

firing jerry lynn- didn't pop rating

 

*vince thinking* "hey, lets mend fences with brett! that'll pop the rating!"

[Guest Army Eye]

It was always my opinion that if Bret was ever the professional he claimed to be he woulda done his damn job and lost the belt when he was told to especially since he was leaving anyway. His problem simply was he took himself waaaaay too seriously and his "I won't job in Canada" nonsense was just that..nonsense. I mean even Hogan jobbed the belt when he was turfed and he lost in a fashion that was far more more embarrasing than Bret would have (virtually no offense, pinned by own finisher and bonzai dropped a zillion times)  and this was HOGAN..who did far more for the company than Bret did in my opinion.

Agreed completely.  But he has since said he had more of a problem with jobbing to Michaels than jobbing to Canada.  Just the same, I don't think he was justified with protesting the job.

[Guest InigoMontoya]

I think jobbing the title to Shawn in a respecatble manner would have done more for Bret than vacating it anyway. I would have had more respect for him if he done the job anyway.