Bret Hart Interview

[Guest Aero]

I believe it's a New Zealand wrestling site... here's the link... Interview

 

Here's a full recap...

 

On May 7th, NZPWI's James Cardno had the privilege of interviewing one of the true legends and icons of wrestling - Bret "Hitman" Hart. A much-loved veteran of the sport, Hart has been entertaining audiences for over two decades.

 

Bret, who will be performing in Auckland as part of "WWA: The Reckoning" (live at the North Shore Events Centre, Sunday May 25th, tickets from Ticketek), took time out of his busy schedule to discuss a number of topics, including the role he will be playing at the WWA event - special guest referee in a match between NWA/TNA champion Jeff Jarrett and WWA champion Sting.

 

He also talked about his long and illustrious career in wrestling, his thoughts on the business, and his attitude towards important events from his past such as the Montreal Incident, his stroke and his former employer, Vince McMahon.

 

Bret will be appearing at WWA: The Reckoning, a wrestling PPV that will be held at Auckland's North Shore Events Centre on Sunday May 25th. Tickets available from Ticketek, usual charges apply. Many thanks to Sandra Roberts and the New Zealand Listener for clearing these portions of the interview for use by NZPWI.

 

Any questions or comments about this interview can be directed to James Cardno, or check out James' column, Get in the Ring now!

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

James Cardno: You're coming to New Zealand with the WWA tour. Is it your first time in New Zealand?

Bret Hart: Not officially, no, I was actually in New Zealand back in 1981 for a short time, for a wrestling outfit with Steve Rickard.

 

 

 

JC: Who in the WWA impresses you?

BH: I've always been a big fan of Jeff Jarrett, somebody who I've got a lot of regard for both as a friend and as a professional. I think the one thing about the WWA is that they've got a lot of really young, spirited guys who want to show everybody what they can do. A lot of the young guys are looking for a platform or stage to expose them so that they do eventually possibly wind up in the WWE. I think everyone will be really working hard

 

 

 

JC: What's it like planning spots and matches with the talent located in different areas of the country?

BH: Sometimes it can work to an advantage. When you're working with someone you haven't worked with before, it can be better. Sometimes, it can be a disaster. You don't really know til you get to it. Some guys can rise above it and work with it really well.

 

 

 

 

Bret surrounded by fans in the WWF years

JC: What do you think it would take for an organisation to compete with the WWE?

BH: I suppose the best thing is a fairly reliable bank account. I think you've got to set some short-range goals, don't overextend yourself. Just establish a relationship with a core audience, just establish your stars. It doesn't have to be on the level that the WWE has with the lights and the staging. A lot of times the wrestling matches are the entertainment. It takes some good hard working wrestlers and a good crowd.

 

 

 

Click here to listen to the below question in Media Player 9 format (18Kb)

 

JC: The “Hitman” character that you came to the WWF with has huge international appeal. Why do you think that character really stood out?

BH: I don't know, I think I was one of the few characters that was kinda lot like he really was. In the ring, I was a lot like that character outside. I was the same guy in the ring that I was at home, and I think people respected that about me. Even Vince McMahon said that, that I was the only guy that was really play(ing) himself.

 

 

 

JC: Who from the late 80s WWF do you think should have made it but never did? Shawn Michaels is the only one from that era…

BH: … who survived?

 

 

 

JC: Well, who is still really successful, I guess? Apart from Hogan, of course.

BH: There were a lot of guys. There was a big guy called the Warlord - 6'5”, built like a brick wall. I don't know what happened to him, but he's somebody who, if they'd had the right push from the promotion, would have gone a long way. I think “Mr Perfect” Curt Hennig could have gone a lot further than he did. I also think my brother Owen was held back for a long time with lame gimmicks and tagged up with Koko B. Ware.

 

Sometimes you've got to slog it for a while until the right thing comes along. I know that when I started, I was set to become “Cowboy” Bret Hart – rope, a cowboy hat, chaps.

 

I think I had a lot to do with even Shawn's success, to bring him to the front of the format of wrestling. My brother Owen is another one I helped to launch, in a way. I think even Steve Austin became Steve Austin while he was wrestling me and defined who he would become later. I don't deny that any of them had the talent to make it on their own, but I think I had a lot to do with helping them to where they were.

 

 

 

JC: Moving on, you formed a new Hart Foundation after a singles run, featuring wrestlers like Pillman, like Neidhart…

BH: That was my favourite time in the business - I loved that period. I think the Hart Foundation with Pillman and Owen and Davey and Neidhart was such a fun group because we really WERE a gang of guys who did get along… well, at that time, we sure did… and it was a fun period for us.

 

I think that whole Canada/US thing I imagine that would be kinda like NZ and Australia, even though you guys are close enough, there's always that rivalry. There really isn't that much animosity between Canadians and the Americans, but we sure got it going real good

 

 

 

 

 

JC: It's quite funny, because internationally, Kiwis all supported the Canadian team.

BH: Yeah, I think everyone else did. That was the whole thing - the only place that supported the American guys was America. You'd go to Europe, or wherever, and they'd all boo the American guys.

 

 

 

Click here to listen the below question in Media Player 9 format (34Kb)

 

 

The Hitman during one of his five WWF Heavyweight Championship runs

JC: Why is Canada such a strong territory with wrestling?

BH: I think it's something that was very regional, wrestling was always very regional up here and in North America. Even like in the southern, in like Mexico and California there was a lot of Mexican wrestlers, more flips and rolls…

 

 

 

JC: …the lucha style?

BH: Yeah. And that would never have worked up here in Canada, because Canada was more like… I think, a little bit like New Zealand's wrestlers, a lot of the same guys worked back and forth… but it was more about wrestling and ex-shooters and stuff going in there. And it had much more of a history up here. Even in the 30s and the 40s there was pro wrestling up here in Calgary, so there was a history of smoky little halls full of cowboys and farmers, y'know, sorta chewing their tobacco and stuff, watching wrestlin'.

 

There's always been a strong history of Canadian wrestlers, maybe because they were Canadian, I think they're always trying to break that 'sphere' and are trying to get into the States. I remember with myself, and I think I can speak for almost all of the Canadian guys - you always worked harder to get that extra edge.

 

 

 

Click here to listen to the below question in Media Player 9 format (36Kb)

 

JC: The Montreal Incident. What were you thinking? When you went to reverse the Sharpshooter and you heard the bell, what went through your mind?

BH: I just couldn't believe that McMahon would do that to me after being his “star”. I really went above and beyond the call of duty for him for years. I worked so hard for him, and I was such a loyal team guy that always went the extra mile for him. And it was like… If the thought crossed my mind, which it did, that he might try to do something like, but then I reasoned that he would never do that to me after everything I'd done, and when he did it I was more hurt that he would do something like that to me… and so… urmm… I let him know what I thought…

 

 

 

JC: When he “ran into your fist”, I believe the quote was from Wrestling with Shadows.

BH: Yeah

 

 

 

JC: So how much of the match was planned to go on after that? Was the spot reversal sequence the last spot in the match?

BH: Nah, it wasn't even… there was still another whole half of the match left. It would've been a great match if they'd left it the way it was supposed to go

 

 

 

JC: What did you think of Shawn Michaels admitting on Confidential that he knew the ending beforehand. Did you know that?

BH: I had the Undertaker, who's always been a good friend of mine, tell me the day after it happened that Shawn was in on the whole thing. So I always knew he was, but it used to drive me crazy when he'd deny it all the time.

 

 

 

JC: So if he was honest, you would've taken it better?

BH: Even in the documentary that they filmed they had Shawn swearing to God that he was innocent. And now I hear that Shawn Michaels is a born again Christian…

 

 

 

JC: You haven't spoken to him at all?

BH: Nah, I'm not really convinced that Shawn has seen the light. I think that sometimes that's a convenient out for some people

 

 

 

Click here to listen to the below question in Media Player 9 format (34Kb)

 

JC: Obviously you had the stroke, (and) it was really bad. Are you fully recovered, would you say?

BH: Nah, I'm not fully recovered. I think optimistically speaking, maybe 85-90% back. I'm very happy to be where I am in contrast to where I was. The thought of even this trip to be part of the WWA actually was something that when I think back to when I was in my wheelchair for most of the summer, and I couldn't even lift my hand and stuff like that, I remember… The idea of doing something like this and going down to New Zealand to see all the fans and to try to play some role as a commissioner and just to be out there again is something I found unimaginable a year ago… Not quite a year ago…

 

 

 

JC: Would you ever bump again in the ring?

BH: No… No.

 

 

 

 

Bret walks to the ring at WCW Nitro, US Heavyweight Championship around his waist

JC: Would you ever take up training duties at the Dungeon? Are you at the level where you could do that? Would you want to do that?

BH: No, I think I could maybe teach guys to wrestle. In time, we'll open up a wrestling school maybe, I've always wanted to do it, and I think I could do it again now. I think when I had my stroke it was something that I saw myself never doing, but I think my opportunities are starting to brighten a little bit that way. I think I still have the opportunity to teach guys and I think that I have things I could fall back on that would help wrestling.

 

Sometimes I wish I was on better terms with someone like the WWE so that some of the guys I teach may, in fact, work for them someday if they're good enough. But I think the way things are for me right now, if I opened up a wrestling school they might all get hired by WWA, but not by the WWE.

 

 

 

JC: Goldberg's in the WWE, what do you think of that after the rather messy match you had, with all the concussions?

BH: I think Bill did it as an accident, and I don't harbour any bad feelings towards him, but I think he does need to wake up to the fact that he's injured a lot of guys and I'm just one of them. I think bill's one of those kind of guys who's kinda read too much of his own publicity. He's kinda always thought more about himself than his opponents, he didn't really care about what it took to have a wrestling match.

 

 

 

JC: I'm not sure if you're aware of this, so I'll just read it out. At last night's SmackDown! tapings… have you read about this?

BH: No, I haven't read about it yet.

 

 

 

JC: To read from a major wrestling reporting site… The show opened with Vince cutting a promo to huge “you screwed Bret” chants, to which Vince smiled and replied that he did, and he'd do it to each and every one of us too.

BH: That was a while back wasn't it?

 

 

 

JC: Nah, this is the spoilers for last night's taping that will screen on… Thursday your time?

BH: I know they've done that a few times

 

 

 

JC: Does it bother you?

BH: Nah, I'm glad that the fans don't let him forget. I know the Canadian fans chanted every time they're up here, and they don't even let Earl Hebner referee anymore because they boo him out of the place too. He has more boos than the wrestlers.

 

I'm glad that people remember it, and I'm glad that people still remember me. I'm not on TV any more, so it's… There's an old saying in wrestling “out of sight, out of mind”. I've always assumed that whatever openings in wrestling that were available to me, they're closing all the time. But the more I think that, the more I find that it's not the case. That probably, I could walk back tomorrow and pick up right back where I left off

 

 

 

Click here to listen to the below question in Media Player 9 format (47Kb)

 

JC: Where do you and Vince stand now? Do you reckon you could come back to WWE? And if you could, would you want to?

BH: My feeling, and the way I left things off, is that I didn't want it to be the real serious animosities between us, I would rather just put away… I got tired of carrying it around. I think that Vince can be a bad enemy that way, where he never lets it die. He'll always poke you in the eye at every turn, and I didn't really want that. I have members of my family that maybe have aspirations of getting into the business and, maybe someday, could end up working for him, and I didn't want to be an obstacle in that. So, we're on sorta relatively good speaking terms, we're cool with each other. But, as far as working on a show, I've always made a promise to myself that I'd never work for him again.

 

 

 

JC: And you think you… You're gonna stand by that one, Bret?

BH: I think so, yeah, I don't see any change. There's nothing I really… I don't really know if going back and walking out on a WWF show, what is it gonna do for me? For all I know, I'd get booed out of the building, I don't know.

 

 

 

JC: You appeared on Contact: Talking with the Dead with a psychic who claimed to talk to Owen. How did you take it? Did you think there was something to it?

BH: I always think it's nothing ventured, nothing gained. I didn't have a problem with it, I thought that it was interesting and a lot of things he said were feasible enough. At the same time, I thought he was quite credible. I don't take too much of that kinda stuff very seriously. I kinda had an open mind about it when I did it, and had an open mind when I walked out and I thought it was interesting. I don't know, those kinda things you never know if someone's trying to pull the wool over your eyes or not. If they are, he did a pretty damn good job.

 

 

 

JC: Of course, your life's such public domain that it's quite easy to research.

BH: But I don't think he did, he did say a couple of things that didn't air on other stuff that I don't think is public knowledge.

 

 

 

 

Bret (sitting on the ropes) in the early part of his career

JC: You've been working on a biography. Any plans?

BH: I may… In fact, I'm looking at maybe writing three books on my career. At this point, I've done one, and I'm just about finished the second one, then I'll start working on the third one, but I don't know if I'll release any of them til I finish all three, so I'm getting close to the end. But there's a possibility, cos I'm almost finished the second one, maybe in the next day or so, that I may let an editor tell me whether he thinks I should release the first one. I may try to get something out in the fall

 

 

 

JC: The first one's about the early years?

BH: The first one's about the early part of my life, my early years in the wrestling business before the WWF.

 

 

 

JC: Also, a DVD… I read on a transcript of Off the Record that you met with Vince and discussed a lot of things, including doing a DVD of your best matches

BH: I did, and everything's thumbs up, and I'm not sure where that is right now anymore. We were waiting to get back in touch and see… there's a guy that was working on a coffee table book that was supposed to come out this fall that was gonna have all my WWF pictures and all that. That was kind of the olive branch that Vince passed back that he was going to let me have access to some of my pictures from through my career and all that. So we kinda buried the hatchet on a positive note with that, and then I talked to him about a DVD and he was very interested in it, and that's something that I'd like to see him do. I always told Vince McMahon that I wanted to be remembered and respected for what I contributed. He understood that, I think we have an understanding and something's going to be in the works there, but I've learned that sometimes what people say, unless you have it written down, people have a way of forgetting what they promised.

 

 

 

JC: What WWF wrestlers really impress you?

BH: I'm a huge fan of Kurt Angle. I really enjoy his wrestling, I think he's a great performer. I'm also a big fan of Brock Lesnar. I thought their match at Wrestlemania was excellent.

 

 

 

JC: And what do you think of the other Canadian wrestlers? Lance Storm?

BH: I like all the Canadian guys, I find the Canadians always go balls to the wall. They always go hard to give a good match. I think someone needs to show Rock and maybe Steve Austin how to put a Sharpshooter on. The Rock's is HORRIBLE. He should really do his homework.

 

 

 

JC: Do you feel like Raw is Nitro all over again with Nash and Goldberg?

BH: I don't have an answer to that because I don't watch it that much. I haven't seen Kevin Nash, I haven't seen what he looks like for at least two years.

 

 

 

JC: Seen Roddy Piper?

BH: No, but I can imagine…

 

 

 

JC: In a dream world, you mentioned on off the record that Curt Hennig would be your dream match. You never really had a farewell match. Practically, if you could bump, what would your dream farewell match be?

BH: Right now, if I could pick one guy in a fantasy in my head, Id probably pick Kurt Angle, because I enjoy him. I think I'd like to wrestle that just for the fun.

 

Pretty interesting interview, IMO. I pray that WWE puts out a DVD. I never heard anything about the Undertaker telling Bret about the Screwjob thing. Funny how he hates the Rock's Sharpshooter.

[Guest ViciousFish]

That was a really great interview. He really doesn't seem really bitter to anyone besides HBK anymore.

JC: So if he was honest, you would've taken it better?

BH: Even in the documentary that they filmed they had Shawn swearing to God that he was innocent. And now I hear that Shawn Michaels is a born again Christian…

 

 

 

JC: You haven't spoken to him at all?

BH: Nah, I'm not really convinced that Shawn has seen the light. I think that sometimes that's a convenient out for some people

 

 

I can't blame him for ever thinking that HBK will change knowing what kind of a relationship the two had.

 

JC: And what do you think of the other Canadian wrestlers? Lance Storm?

BH: I like all the Canadian guys, I find the Canadians always go balls to the wall. They always go hard to give a good match. I think someone needs to show Rock and maybe Steve Austin how to put a Sharpshooter on. The Rock's is HORRIBLE. He should really do his homework.

 

I've been saying that since the first time I saw Rock do a Sharpshooter.

[Guest Si82]

JC: And what do you think of the other Canadian wrestlers? Lance Storm?

BH: I like all the Canadian guys, I find the Canadians always go balls to the wall. They always go hard to give a good match. I think someone needs to show Rock and maybe Steve Austin how to put a Sharpshooter on. The Rock's is HORRIBLE. He should really do his homework.

 

I've been saying that since the first time I saw Rock do a Sharpshooter.

Hoorah!

 

Finally the master of the Sharpshooter speaks out against The Rock's crappy version.

 

Not only does it look badly applied but it looks like he's taking a shit while he's doing it.

[Guest ViciousFish]

JC: And what do you think of the other Canadian wrestlers? Lance Storm?

BH: I like all the Canadian guys, I find the Canadians always go balls to the wall. They always go hard to give a good match. I think someone needs to show Rock and maybe Steve Austin how to put a Sharpshooter on. The Rock's is HORRIBLE. He should really do his homework.

 

I've been saying that since the first time I saw Rock do a Sharpshooter.

Hoorah!

 

Finally the master of the Sharpshooter speaks out against The Rock's crappy version.

 

Not only does it look badly applied but it looks like he's taking a shit while he's doing it.

He really does look constipated while doing it. He looks like a hunter or something trying to squat in a bush

[Guest Downhome]

Great stuff here, especially about what he thinks of Rocky's "Shapshooter". In my eyes, he shouldn't even do it, it's just HORRIBLE, but we all know that!

 

I don't think Bret Hart will ever SIGN with Vince, but I do think we'll see him on WWE TV just once. One day when WWE is in Canada near Bret's hometown, they'll have him come for a one time appearance. Maybe around the time that his books/DVD comes out? I could just imagine Vince McMahon in the middle of the ring, with the fans (as always) chanting "You Screwed Brett" over and over, and then out of nowhere, Bret Hart's music starts out, and he walks out with the Canadian flag. The fans go APE SHIT, one of the loudest and longest ovations in the HISTORY of Pro. Wrestling. He comes to the ring, stares at Vince, and beats the fuck out of him and then puts him in the Sharpshooter.

 

He then would get on the mic and say something great about Owen and Bulldog, and then he'd say his thanks and goodbyes to his fans once and for all, and before he walks out (either to the back or into the crowd) to his music, he reminds everyone for one last time that he IS the best there is, the best there was, and the best there EVER will be.

 

That would be something great for them to do on a PPV that takes place in Canada, and after that he could finally have his closure which I know he wants with his fans, and could do it all without ever being signed to WWE again.

 

Can any of you imagine what the fans would do if this took place?

[Guest ViciousFish]

Great stuff here, especially about what he thinks of Rocky's "Shapshooter". In my eyes, he shouldn't even do it, it's just HORRIBLE, but we all know that!

 

I don't think Bret Hart will ever SIGN with Vince, but I do think we'll see him on WWE TV just once. One day when WWE is in Canada near Bret's hometown, they'll have him come for a one time appearance. Maybe around the time that his books/DVD comes out? I could just imagine Vince McMahon in the middle of the ring, with the fans (as always) chanting "You Screwed Brett" over and over, and then out of nowhere, Bret Hart's music starts out, and he walks out with the Canadian flag. The fans go APE SHIT, one of the loudest and longest ovations in the HISTORY of Pro. Wrestling. He comes to the ring, stares at Vince, and beats the fuck out of him and then puts him in the Sharpshooter.

 

He then would get on the mic, say his thanks and goodbyes to his fans once and for all, and before he walks out (either to the back or into the crowd) to his music, he reminds everyone for one last time that he IS the best there is, the best there was, and the best there EVER will be.

 

That would be something great for them to do on a PPV that takes place in Canada, and after that he could finally have his closure which I know he wants with his fans, and could do it all without ever being signed to WWE again.

 

Can any of you imagine what the fans would do if this took place?

That is the most perfect ending to a career that was that amazing. I would scream like a 12 year old girl at an N'Sync concert

[Guest Downhome]

Great stuff here, especially about what he thinks of Rocky's "Shapshooter". In my eyes, he shouldn't even do it, it's just HORRIBLE, but we all know that!

 

I don't think Bret Hart will ever SIGN with Vince, but I do think we'll see him on WWE TV just once. One day when WWE is in Canada near Bret's hometown, they'll have him come for a one time appearance. Maybe around the time that his books/DVD comes out? I could just imagine Vince McMahon in the middle of the ring, with the fans (as always) chanting "You Screwed Brett" over and over, and then out of nowhere, Bret Hart's music starts out, and he walks out with the Canadian flag. The fans go APE SHIT, one of the loudest and longest ovations in the HISTORY of Pro. Wrestling. He comes to the ring, stares at Vince, and beats the fuck out of him and then puts him in the Sharpshooter.

 

He then would get on the mic, say his thanks and goodbyes to his fans once and for all, and before he walks out (either to the back or into the crowd) to his music, he reminds everyone for one last time that he IS the best there is, the best there was, and the best there EVER will be.

 

That would be something great for them to do on a PPV that takes place in Canada, and after that he could finally have his closure which I know he wants with his fans, and could do it all without ever being signed to WWE again.

 

Can any of you imagine what the fans would do if this took place?

That is the most perfect ending to a career that was that amazing. I would scream like a 12 year old girl at an N'Sync concert

The thing, is that they wouldn't have to follow up on it at all, and either right before or right after, they help him promote his book/DVD, and then their relationship ends. It would be a perfect way for it to be done, in my eyes.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

great read

[Guest ViciousFish]

Great stuff here, especially about what he thinks of Rocky's "Shapshooter". In my eyes, he shouldn't even do it, it's just HORRIBLE, but we all know that!

 

I don't think Bret Hart will ever SIGN with Vince, but I do think we'll see him on WWE TV just once. One day when WWE is in Canada near Bret's hometown, they'll have him come for a one time appearance. Maybe around the time that his books/DVD comes out? I could just imagine Vince McMahon in the middle of the ring, with the fans (as always) chanting "You Screwed Brett" over and over, and then out of nowhere, Bret Hart's music starts out, and he walks out with the Canadian flag. The fans go APE SHIT, one of the loudest and longest ovations in the HISTORY of Pro. Wrestling. He comes to the ring, stares at Vince, and beats the fuck out of him and then puts him in the Sharpshooter.

 

He then would get on the mic, say his thanks and goodbyes to his fans once and for all, and before he walks out (either to the back or into the crowd) to his music, he reminds everyone for one last time that he IS the best there is, the best there was, and the best there EVER will be.

 

That would be something great for them to do on a PPV that takes place in Canada, and after that he could finally have his closure which I know he wants with his fans, and could do it all without ever being signed to WWE again.

 

Can any of you imagine what the fans would do if this took place?

That is the most perfect ending to a career that was that amazing. I would scream like a 12 year old girl at an N'Sync concert

The thing, is that they wouldn't have to follow up on it at all, and either right before or right after, they help him promote his book/DVD, and then their relationship ends. It would be a perfect way for it to be done, in my eyes.

The problem is Vince wouldn't see it that way and I can see him and Bret both being at least a little afraid that Bret couldn't perform up standard after the stroke. I don't know how good of condition he really is in.

[Guest Downhome]

Great stuff here, especially about what he thinks of Rocky's "Shapshooter". In my eyes, he shouldn't even do it, it's just HORRIBLE, but we all know that!

 

I don't think Bret Hart will ever SIGN with Vince, but I do think we'll see him on WWE TV just once. One day when WWE is in Canada near Bret's hometown, they'll have him come for a one time appearance. Maybe around the time that his books/DVD comes out? I could just imagine Vince McMahon in the middle of the ring, with the fans (as always) chanting "You Screwed Brett" over and over, and then out of nowhere, Bret Hart's music starts out, and he walks out with the Canadian flag. The fans go APE SHIT, one of the loudest and longest ovations in the HISTORY of Pro. Wrestling. He comes to the ring, stares at Vince, and beats the fuck out of him and then puts him in the Sharpshooter.

 

He then would get on the mic, say his thanks and goodbyes to his fans once and for all, and before he walks out (either to the back or into the crowd) to his music, he reminds everyone for one last time that he IS the best there is, the best there was, and the best there EVER will be.

 

That would be something great for them to do on a PPV that takes place in Canada, and after that he could finally have his closure which I know he wants with his fans, and could do it all without ever being signed to WWE again.

 

Can any of you imagine what the fans would do if this took place?

That is the most perfect ending to a career that was that amazing. I would scream like a 12 year old girl at an N'Sync concert

The thing, is that they wouldn't have to follow up on it at all, and either right before or right after, they help him promote his book/DVD, and then their relationship ends. It would be a perfect way for it to be done, in my eyes.

The problem is Vince wouldn't see it that way and I can see him and Bret both being at least a little afraid that Bret couldn't perform up standard after the stroke. I don't know how good of condition he really is in.

Oh yeah, the ONLY way I'd have that take place is if he was in good enough condition to pull it off. I'm not saying have a match, that's not needed. Just a basic beatdown on Vince, and then the Sharpshooter on him to allow the fans to "feel it" one last time.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Vince would have Bret turn and then do an Angle were he gets all the Canadians together and forms the NEW new new hart foundation.

 

Vince isn't classy, guys.

[Guest kurtangledoesnotsuck]

To be honest, if any ex-pro will boost ratings it would be Bret. I can understand his strong dislike for McMahon, but why shouldn't he sell out like the others have? If Austin was turned heel, RAW could have a good rivarly develop between the two in non-wrestling roles. Just a thought.

[Guest AndrewTS]

I definitely agree about Rock's Sharpshooter, but I think it's not so much his fault as it is the fact that his height is all wrong for the move.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Bret is a guy who prides himself on high moral standing and stature. That's why he wouldn't sell out. He wants to come back, so if he hasn't come back yet he probably won't in the future. And if he were to come back Vince would screw it up because Vince is Vince.

 

Bret would bring ratings, but the WWE wouldn't be able to sustain them.

[Guest ViciousFish]

I definitely agree about Rock's Sharpshooter, but I think it's not so much his fault as it is the fact that his height is all wrong for the move.

No its because the Rock is a shitty wrestler. he's a great entertainer but he's not very high on the skill factor. he can pull off a decent match but 9 times out of 10 its because his charisma is selling the match. Rocky needs to shit back farther on the Sharpshooter. As it is he bends the guys knees and hits. It looks as painful as sitting down

[Guest kurtangledoesnotsuck]

What about Piper? Said that he would never work in the WWF again and then his fat arse stood up on the apron at Wrestlemania.

 

Did anyone else hear Piper say "come on, Hulk" when he was getting ready to turn on him with the pipe of poison?

 

I'm sad.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Nobody was surprised to see Piper go back to the WWE - that's who Piper is. Certainly not someone of high moral fibre.

[Guest EternallyLazy]

It's so damn depressing that we'll never get Hart/Angle...

[JN News 0]

Bret would bring ratings, but the WWE wouldn't be able to sustain them.

Yeah, and wHHHy do you think that's the case?

[Guest godthedog]

rocky does know how to do it properly, i think he's mostly just afraid of hurting his opponent. if you look at his tv match with benoit from last year, he WRENCHES it in and it looks quite good. i'm thinking benoit just told him beforehand to go balls-out on the hold, & he did.

[Guest kurtangledoesnotsuck]

I don't mind the Rock's way. It's just a transitional move anyway.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

I didn't even think of the HHH implications of it...

 

... Shame on me

 

Oh, HHH would love to get his hands in that cookie jar, no doubt.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Well, Bret wouldn't have a long term impact because he can't wrestle anymore and even the return of wrestlers only provided a 2 week boost in ratings.

 

HHH doesn't have to be involved in everything.

[Guest AM The Kid]

I have a new sig quote, thank you Bret!

[Guest HartFan86]

BH: I like all the Canadian guys, I find the Canadians always go balls to the wall. They always go hard to give a good match. I think someone needs to show Rock and maybe Steve Austin how to put a Sharpshooter on. The Rock's is HORRIBLE. He should really do his homework.

 

Bret is so my god.

[Guest Slapnuts00]

Great interview!

Just to let you all know, I'm pretty sure Bret made the comment about Rock's sharpshooter in good humor, since Rock has named Bret as his mentor when coming up in the WWF and said Bret took the time to help him and was basically the only guy that gave him the time of day.

I'm hoping that DVD is released and can't wait to read Bret's books!

Healthy Bret vs. Angle would be some match...

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

I suspect he'll make an appearance once, but it will probably be at a Montreal Raw after the cameras have gone off.

[Guest Big McLargeHuge]

Loved the interview. Loved the idea of a Greatest Matches DVD even more. Please, let it happen. I hope they go balls out with it, too, and have like 2 or 3 discs of pure workrate.