Juicy Tidbits from HBK's Book

[Guest tony manero]

I just remembered that the item that HBK put in his fruity bicycle shorts was gauze.

 

The gauze incident and the Undertaker rib happened in the same interview.

 

-- Shawn came up with the idea of having a cover on the Hell in A Cell after watching a Tommy Rich-Buzz Sawyer match. It was Vince's idea to have it encompass the entire ring.

[Papacita 0]

I just remembered that the item that HBK put in his fruity bicycle shorts was gauze.

 

The gauze incident and the Undertaker rib happened in the same interview.

I've got that Raw on tape somewhere. That promo was so heavily edited (and OBVIOUS edits too) it's not even funny.

[Si82 0]

Oh, and I don't believe this for a second.

 

and that it was funny that Bret took pride in knocking out Vince when it was clear that Vince took a dive. Says that Vince had told them in the meeting the day before he was going to let Bret "hit him" cause he owed it to him

 

Didn't Bret break his hand in doing so?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

The way I took it was Vince took a dive by letting Bret get in a square shot. He wasn't trying to defend himself or evade the punch. He stated that he was going to let Bret hit him. He did, and broke his hand and fucked Vince up in the process. Shawn was saying it was funny how Bret was proud of it, because he basically knocked a guy out that was letting him do so.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't believe that for a second. I just don't believe that Vince McMahon let him punch him. I think it's total bullshit made up by Vince in an attempt to save face. Fuck Vince McMahon and fuck Shawn Michaels too.

[Scroby 0]

-- As a rookie in the WWF, Shawn talks about how, before shows, Andre would play Cribbage all day with his fellow wrestlers. All the wrestlers, especially the tenured ones like Hogan and Savage would come up to Andre, ask, "How's it Going Boss?" and every time, Andre would look up and shake the person's hand. Shawn, being new at this, thought he would do the same, but when he asked Andre, "How's it Going, Boss?" Andre would just ignore him -- with his head down -- and continue playing cribbage. This would go on for an ENTIRE YEAR, causing Shawn to lose hope. Then, one day, after a tag match involving himself and Andre, Andre finally stuck his hand out after the match and shook Michaels' hand. Shawn wondered why Andre didn't like him before and Andre said, "I didn't like you on the first day, but I liked you after that." This prompts Shawn to ask why he was ignored for the whole year, and Andre says, while laughing, "I was just ribbing you!"

 

Damnit we need more Andre stories, I'm strating a thread now!

[haVoc 0]

Says that he and Flair got over on their amazing wrestling ability, whereas Austin and Hogan -- guys who weren't such great workers -- got over on their promo ability.

 

Austin wasn't the greatest worker, but no way should he be put in the same group as Hogan.

[Hawk 34 0]

Says that he and Flair got over on their amazing wrestling ability, whereas Austin and Hogan -- guys who weren't such great workers -- got over on their promo ability.

 

Austin wasn't the greatest worker, but no way should he be put in the same group as Hogan.

 

HBK was correct in saying that Austin got over because of his promos and character, which is the same as what Hogan did with a huge promotional drive behind him because that was what got Austin over since his ability as a worker vanished during his run.

 

He was incorrect in calling himself someone of amazing wrestling ability. Bret got over because of his wrestling ability, Shawn got over for other reasons.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Hogan was a better worker than Michaels. Much better. Not a better athlete, didn't put on better matches, but when it came to working the crowd and working match, there were few better. What Shawn had to accomplish by flying around the ring, Hogan could accomplish just by looking at the crowd.

[Shanghai Kid 0]

Hogan was a better worker than Michaels. Much better. Not a better athlete, didn't put on better matches, but when it came to working the crowd and working match, there were few better. What Shawn had to accomplish by flying around the ring, Hogan could accomplish just by looking at the crowd.

 

Yep, Hogan is a much better worker than Benoit also, and Bret Hart. Cause when he looked at the crowd, they went CRAZY.

[Hawk 34 0]

Hogan was a better worker than Michaels. Much better. Not a better athlete, didn't put on better matches, but when it came to working the crowd and working match, there were few better. What Shawn had to accomplish by flying around the ring, Hogan could accomplish just by looking at the crowd.

 

Yep, Hogan is a much better worker than Benoit also, and Bret Hart. Cause when he looked at the crowd, they went CRAZY.

 

A good worker isn't just someone with good work rate. Hogan was a good worker.

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

Hogan was a better worker than Michaels. Much better. Not a better athlete, didn't put on better matches, but when it came to working the crowd and working match, there were few better. What Shawn had to accomplish by flying around the ring, Hogan could accomplish just by looking at the crowd.

 

Yep, Hogan is a much better worker than Benoit also, and Bret Hart. Cause when he looked at the crowd, they went CRAZY.

 

Over your head kid.

[Shanghai Kid 0]

Well I took 'worker' as in wrestler, but if we're looking at intangiblesI guess theirs other things to consider. Hogan could have the crowd in the palm of his hands and always had them in his matches. I still find the statement "Hogan was a much better worker than Shawn" a little false just from my personal opinion. If we're talking "working the crowed" Hogan is in an elite category.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

worker= overall package.

 

wrestler= workrate.

 

Hogan as worker > a lot of good wrestlers.

[Hawk 34 0]

Well I took 'worker' as in wrestler, but if we're looking at intangiblesI guess theirs other things to consider. Hogan could have the crowd in the palm of his hands and always had them in his matches. I still find the statement "Hogan was a much better worker than Shawn" a little false just from my personal opinion. If we're talking "working the crowed" Hogan is in an elite category.

 

That's the idenity of a good worker, someone who can work the crowd.

 

Jake Roberts and Raven were atrocious wrestlers but they are among the best workers in the history of the business.

[haVoc 0]

Says Owen Hart was far more talented than Bret and could work more styles. Kind of uses the same argument for Bret as a wrestler that Bret used about Flair saying Bret was stuck in a routine and didn't have the flexibility to change it up.

 

Says that Bret Hart was never a great wrestler, only a very, very good one. The reason being was that Bret was very inflexible with changing up his moves from time to time, and wasn't willing to experiment with different moves or any type of change.

 

What made Bret a great worker was he could work with and around other guys styles. Is Shawn saying Bret's matches with him, Owen, Taker, Davey Boy, Perfect, Nash, Hakushi, Lawler, Austin, etc, etc,etc, were all the same?

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

"Says he told his wife (Whisper of the Nitro girls) to wear a Shawn Micheals shirt to Nitro, and she did and happened to walk by Bret Hart who gave her a nasty scowl."

 

I love this.

[Promoter 0]

So, who's lying? Taker or HBK on the Mania 14 issue. I saw the interview with Taker too. Anyways, Hogan is a good worker or was. Hogan was a very good worker especially in 1984-1988. He had good timing and even though he did a limited moveset he knew how to stretch it out in his matches. That's not even taking into account how he made his matches seem like big boxing events. His crap started in 1989 with the Zeus nonsense and lazy really took over by 1991 with his feud with Taker. Hart and Austin are also excellent workers. Austin still put on great matches as heel champion in 2001, but I think people forgot about those matches with Angle and Benoit. He also came back full throttle unlike HBK in 2002 upon return. I'm a HBK mark, but he's way off with some comments. I will agree Hart started the whole mess between them by downgrading him after losing at Mania 12.

Edited December 1, 2005 by Promoter

[hbkhhhmark4life 0]

what was the whold deal on the sunny days comment???

[snuffbox 0]

-- Shawn came up with the idea of having a cover on the Hell in A Cell after watching a Tommy Rich-Buzz Sawyer match. It was Vince's idea to have it encompass the entire ring.

 

That match really deserves the dvd treatment...

[Guest Duke_The_Dog]

Its on Taker's Biker DVD IIRC

[snuffbox 0]

I doubt that. Its that second match I want...

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

- Says Owen Hart was far more talented than Bret and could work more styles. Kind of uses the same argument for Bret as a wrestler that Bret used about Flair saying Bret was stuck in a routine and didn't have the flexibility to change it up.

 

Pot. Kettle. Blackest Black. Flair & Michaels are the very DEFINITION of routine wrestlers.

[chaosrage 0]

"and there was really only one aspect of my life that I didn't like: school. It wasn't the classes that bothered me or even meeting new kids when I changed schools. It was roll call, and sitting in my seat, dreading the moment my name would be called. With a name like Hickenbottom, it's not hard to figure out why."

 

[The Niggardly King 0]

Did he actually write this book, or is it like The Rock's book.

[Guest JMA]

- Says Owen Hart was far more talented than Bret and could work more styles. Kind of uses the same argument for Bret as a wrestler that Bret used about Flair saying Bret was stuck in a routine and didn't have the flexibility to change it up.

 

Pot. Kettle. Blackest Black. Flair & Michaels are the very DEFINITION of routine wrestlers.

This is true. Flair's spots are very easy to call (Flair Flop, begging and eye poke, thrown off the top rope, ect al). And Michaels pretty much has the same routine with his kip-up, overselling of hitting the turnbuckle, and several other types of bumps. Bret had his routine but he was far more versatile than HBK and Flair.

 

As for Owen, he wasn't as good a technical or chain wrestler as Bret, and he wasn't as safe. That being said, he was a much better high-flyer than his brother. You couldn't say he was better all around, though. I doubt that Michaels really believes this--I think we all know why he's mentioning Owen while downplaying Bret.

[Guest JMA]

Did he actually write this book, or is it like The Rock's book.

Good question. Either he's a very shitty writer or the person that really wrote the book is one.

[Papacita 0]

- Says Owen Hart was far more talented than Bret and could work more styles. Kind of uses the same argument for Bret as a wrestler that Bret used about Flair saying Bret was stuck in a routine and didn't have the flexibility to change it up.

 

Pot. Kettle. Blackest Black. Flair & Michaels are the very DEFINITION of routine wrestlers.

This is true. Flair's spots are very easy to call (Flair Flop, begging and eye poke, thrown off the top rope, ect al). And Michaels pretty much has the same routine with his kip-up, overselling of hitting the turnbuckle, and several other types of bumps. Bret had his routine but he was far more versatile than HBK and Flair.

It's definitely hypocritical for him to knock Bret for being routine while praising Flair, but as far as Shawn himself goes, I dunno. If you're talking post-comeback, I'd definitely agree with you, but prior to the injury I'm not so sure. He had his routine spots and what not (and really, just about everybody does as far as WWF goes), but I thought he was fairly good at mixing things up. Generally, you didn't get the same style match between Shawn and Marty as you'd have with Shawn and Owen. Same with people like Austin and Foley, and even matches with big guys like Sid, Nash and Taker varied a great deal IMO. With Bret on the other hand--and I don't mean this as a knock at all--I found that with a lot of his matches you more or less knew what he was gonna do before he did it--for instance, you knew in advance that Bret vs a big man was gonna see a lot of leg work, or that spot where he'd knock his opponent into the ropes and dive at them with a cross body, only to end up crotching himself along the ropes, or that missile dropkick-to-sharpshooter counter that, as cool as it was, you could see coming just about everytime. And I'm a Shawn mark, so admittedly there could be some bias here, but I don't agree that Bret was significantly more versatile than Shawn.

[billdynamite 0]

I haven't seen the Montreal thing for a few years, since my Dad taped porn over it. Mind you, i wasn't too disappointed to see it. But I just saw it again and I wouldn't be surprised if it was a work. Russo firing Hogan with Jarrett laying down for him was a work, so why couldn't this be? It would be a way of Bret leaving with his dignity of not 'actually' losing and Shawn winning the belt. I know the Russo thing was probably in a way a parody, but would it surprise you if Vince died one day and on his death bed he said it was a work? It wouldn't surprise me one little bit.

[benoit4hor 0]

Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart sound like Ex-husband and wife.

[haVoc 0]

Triple H broke up the marriage.

 

HHH and Shawn were basically bosom buddies before Shawn's departure in '98. They'd often sit side by side and not say a word to each other for hours.

[cabbageboy 0]

Actually the Hogan/Russo thing was semi work/semi shoot. It started as a total work, but Hogan was offended by the comments Russo made in his speech and then bolted for real.

 

I am sick of this "Owen was better than Bret" talk. I think the Road Dog of all people said something like this in the late 90s (height of the Bret bashing in the WWF). Recently Eric S. had a Bret bashing column where he mentioned Owen being better than Bret. What exactly is this theory based on? I mean, what really excellent matches did Owen have outside of Bret and the Bulldog Euro title match? This isn't to disparage Owen necessarily, since he mostly wrestled in the undercard but somehow I don't see him having **** matches with Jean Pierre Lafitte and Hakushi.