Curious to know what you and everyone else thinks of for the following people as it relates to the HOF. None of these guys are locks, nor should they be, but I can imagine some people thinking they deserve it.
Sean Waltman
Big Bossman
Harlem Heat (if you count tag teams as they're own thing)
Kevin Sullivan
Tony Schiavone
Joey Styles
Waltman: Seems likely at some point. He's on good terms with them and is featured all over their Monday Night Wars stuff.
Bossman: Shocked he's not in already.
Heat: What's the point? Booker's already in.
Sullivan: No chance. No name value, wrong political connections.
Schiavone: I doubt he'd have any interest.
Styles: I don't see it.
They could put in Stevie's slapjack. It would be the equivalent of the inanimate carbon rod.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why people care about a HOF where political connections is the main requirement.
ReplyDeleteI second that Bossman nod. He's a guy I've really come to appreciate looking back. Everyone in the business seems to have nothing but love for the guy too.
ReplyDeleteOr a Hall of Fame without a physical structure to visit.
ReplyDeleteI expect this to happen someday. Seems like something Hunter would want to do.
ReplyDeleteNancy Sullivan will make it in before Kevin Sullivan. And that's what they'll call her, too.
ReplyDeleteBossman is an underappreciated worker. He had a good character and at his peak he could usually be counted on to put on good matches.
ReplyDeleteAww, they were about to show the slapjack
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't personally vote for Waltman, but I wouldn't argue against him going in. Same for Bossman, although if there were a seperate Hall of Fame just for entrance music "Hard Times" would qualify in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteI'd forgotten Booker had already been put in, honestly... Stevie Ray deserves to go in for the phrase "fruit booty."
If only they still had WWF New York...
ReplyDeleteWaltman: Probably around the time DX goes in as a group.
ReplyDeleteBossman: Probably in the next 2-3, especially now that most of the more obvious Hulkamania era stars are already in.
Harlem Heat: No chance.
Sullivan: Like Scott said, doubtful.
Schiavone: Definitely a deserving candidate but he's so out of the loop within wrestling that it might not happen any time soon.
Styles: He works for the company so it's possible he'll be in once/if they start honoring ECW's contributions.
I think they'd go by Woman since that was her character name
ReplyDeleteIf I can try to make a case for Kevin Sullivan:
ReplyDeleteAll of the modern day cult leader characters, from Raven to Undertaker to Bray Wyatt (and I may have forgotten some), owe their act to Kevin Sullivan. Nobody did it quite like he did.
Ok, not the strongest case ever......
Can't really see her going in. That's drawing attention to something they'd most certainly like everyone to forget.
ReplyDeleteYeah I couldn't care less about it.
ReplyDeleteSo we don't want to see Stevie Ray call the audience a bunch of fruit booties to deafening silence? Kevin Sullivan goes into any legit wrestling hall of fame, but this is just a WWE revisionism society.
ReplyDeleteI hate to beat the dead Koko B Ware horse, but the way I see it, the standard is pretty much if the guy got any significant amount of TV time in the 80's or 90's, he's got a shot of going in. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Iron Mike Sharpe or Barry Horrowitz end up in eventually. I think everyone on that list is a shoe-in, if only because they're gonna run out of people at some point.
ReplyDeleteBecause it's nostalgia, and half the fun of being a wrestling fan is nostalgia. And it's connected to WrestleMania, of course. As far as seriously debating the merits of one's candidacy the way we would a baseball/football/basketball player, yeah, that's silly. But I'd say the discussion for the WWE HOF centers more around "if" (for largely the reason you said) than "should."
ReplyDeleteBoss Man should be a lock.
ReplyDelete"That'll put butts in seats!" -- Tony Schiavone on Tony Schiavone's HOF induction
ReplyDelete"This is the greatest induction in the history of our sport!"
ReplyDeleteIf this were a legit HOF I would argue that specifically Sharpe and Horowitz SHOULD go in before a lot of other names eventually will. They were as much a part of the 80s and, in Horowitz's case, pre-Attitude 90s as anyone else.
ReplyDelete"What am I going to say in this speech? TUNE INTO NITRO TO FIND OUT!"
ReplyDeleteGet it right gang... SAD SACK FRUIT BOOTY
ReplyDelete"Alright, we have seen the end of the Hall of Fame. For Bobby The Brain
ReplyDeleteHeenan. For Dust...For Dusty Rhodes...G-gene Okerlund...I don't
know...I'm Tony Schiavone...Triple H, you can go to hell!...we're
outta here...straight to hell!"
Hey, has anyone ever noticed that the manner in which the audience expresses their dislike for Sean Waltman differs from the manner in which they express their dislike for other antagonistic performers. It's almost as though they are offended by his very existence rather than his actions. Am I alone in this observation?
ReplyDeleteOh totally agreed. I wasn't naming them to be like "even scrubs like these guys will get in"... with that said, I want Dale Wolfe and Ricky Attaki in there also!
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain the issue with Sullivan? For that matter, can someone explain to me why Kevin Sullivan ever had as much pull as he did?
ReplyDeleteI'm also shocked Bossman isn't in yet. Maybe it's an oversight where WWE already thought they inducted him? Stranger things have happened.
ReplyDeleteThe rest are doubtful. Unless DX gets inducted as a group, but then there's the Chyna Problem.
The Twin Towers Should be a lock. Is OMG/Akeem still alive?
ReplyDeleteOk this topic should be completed avoided if we are not gonna talk about when Rick Rude will eventually be in it. The guy is one of the greatest heels of the last 25 years
ReplyDeleteYep, and working as a prison guard oddly enough.
ReplyDeleteHe actually seems to have a good mind for the wrestling business. And he knew how to play the political game. Being tight with Dusty also helped.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that really is a glaring omission.
ReplyDeleteYeah but god I hate the Dungeon of Doom.
ReplyDeleteBut if being all over the Monday Night Wars stuff means Waltman is getting in, then you could say the same thing for Sullivan.
ReplyDeleteEspecially from that email. Can you honestly tell me that any of the guys mentioned should be in before The Ravishing One?
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, the DoD was terrible and most of Sullivan's ideas were all outdated by 1995, but he still knew how to navigate the treacherous political waters of WCW. And he occasionally came up with good ideas.
ReplyDeleteRandy Savage, The Freebirds, Lou Thesz, Bruiser Brody, Lex Luger, Ivan & Nikita Koloff, Stan Hansen, Rick Rude, Owen Hart, Haystacks Calhoun, Paul Heyman.
ReplyDeleteWhen we get through them, then we can consider Tony Schiavone.
Sullivan should be in it solely based on the fact that he must the most successful midget in wrestling that's not even a midget.
ReplyDeleteI know he doesnt get mentioned as much but Waltman should totally go in as Syxx with the NWO. In the original days he brought a lot to that group and helped that he could be the dick in the cruiser division.
ReplyDeleteThey're just iffy about putting people in who died really young.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if being trolled or not...
ReplyDeleteIf they run out of inductees and need to do repeats, they can always induct Waltman as part of X-Factor
ReplyDeleteWhat could you put in a HOF video though? A few rambling promos? He only had one decent match in his life and unfortunately that was against Chris Benoit.
ReplyDeleteCan Uncle Kracker play them out?
ReplyDeleteThey just can't put Owen in, I don't think. Martha surely wouldn't want it, and they wouldn't want to bring up his death. It would be a total fucking bummer and I think it just can't happen.
ReplyDeleteTheyseem largely avoid guys who died young.
ReplyDeleteIf by some wild chance you're not being ironic plz Google 'X-Pac Heat'
ReplyDeleteBeardMoney is always straight as an arrow.
ReplyDeleteWaltman: Yes--but I see this happening way down the line. Triple H gets in by himself first and then gets his second induction with all of DX joining him.
ReplyDeleteBossman: Seems likely, but WWE doesn't like to have a lot of dead guys go in at once. The line is crowded in that category with Savage, Rude, etc.
Harlem Heat: No--Flair is the only 2-time HoF'er and I don't see Booker joining him.
Sullivan: Deserving, but very unlikely.
Schiavone: I doubt it, although he's probably the next most deserving announcer on the list.
Styles: I don't see any reason to induct Styles. His ECW work hasn't aged well, in my opinion, and he bombed as lead announcer in WWE. You don't see any wrestlers getting inducted solely for their work in ECW, so I can't imagine an announcer getting inducted for his.
I think the Steiners should go in. GIve BPP a live mic and let Rick bark a few times!
ReplyDeleteToots Mondt or i riot!
ReplyDeleteGold Dust Trio for the win!
ReplyDeleteExcept for the dozens of excellent brawls he had in Florida, Georgia, late 80s NWA, Smokey Mountain and Memphis....
ReplyDeletePeople that should get in this year:
ReplyDeleteRandy Savage
CM Punk
Eric Bischoff
King Kong Bundy
William Shatner
High Energy (Koko deserves to be in twice)
Big Bossman should absolutely be in, looking at some of the guy's who are already in. I wouldn't surprise me if you're correct about them just over looking him.
ReplyDeleteFrankie should go in, and Matilda. There should be an animal wing is what I'm saying.
ReplyDeleteActually, his speech would be a hell of a lot of fun, if he played with it like that.
ReplyDeleteThe WWE HOF is all about who sells tickets. Dead people don't sell tickets because the attraction is seeing the HOFer speak not his relatives or friends. As for Savage, I have no interest in seeing Lanny Poffo speak and seeing as how Lanny is on record as saying he believes all the rumors about Stephanie and Randy back in the day, I'm pretty sure Vince and family don't much care to have Lanny speak either. Unless they induct Savage with zero involvement from the Poffo family and with the expectations of Lanny going to the press to bitch and complain about how awful the WWE is for "desecrating" the memory of Randy, then there isn't much chance of Savage getting in. Which personally is no big deal. I'd rather have sharp forks stuck in my eyes than watch Lanny "I can suck my own dick" Poffo babble on for 20 minutes about his brother who was 4000 times more talented.
ReplyDeleteFirst animal inductee must be Damien.
ReplyDeleteI'd like you to clear up your feelings on Lanny Poffo if you don't mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually surprised they haven't done this already. I know there are a lot of initial costs with construction and all, but it seems like a pretty good revenue generator for future years.
ReplyDeleteDusty, Dustin, and Cody?
ReplyDeleteNono, Damien needs to be left out to give us something to bitch about.
ReplyDeletehis best work wasn't in WCW or WWF
ReplyDeleteThe All Marble Mouth Class!
ReplyDeleteSteiner Brothers
Sid
Warlord
Ahmed Johnson
Mark Adamle
That honor can go to The Kennel From Hell rottweilers.
ReplyDeleteLOL. What's funny is I loved the guy in the 80s. I thought is high flying (and he ws a high flyer for that era) was awesome and I loved it when he occasionaly won. But he's such an utter ass when he talks that I hate him now. But regardless of my personal feelings about Lanny, I reiterate that dead people dont sell tickets. We want to hear wrestlers talk, not family members and friends and based on Lanny's belief in the Steph/Randy story, I just don't see it happening
ReplyDeleteI think Hogan would induct Savage.
ReplyDeleteA few more suggestions - not all the 80s/90s have been mined:
ReplyDeleteSlick
King Kong Bundy (not Hogan/Andre/Rock/Austin famous, but a top ten 'known-to-the-mainsteam' guy, who did headline 'Mania 2
Rick Martel & Tony Garea
Honky Tonk Man
Cindy Lauper
DDP
The Conquistadores (even if not for real; put someone in a mask and have some fun for a mid-show comedy segment)
Bruiser Brody
Stan Hansen
The Freebirds
The Hebners (how are they not in already?!)
Mike Rotundo
the Steinier Brothers
Guys who should probably be in, but politics are keeping them out:
Demolition
Macho Man Randy Savage
Ted Turner (never happen - but hoo boy what a speech it'd be)
The Hebners (how are they not in already?!)
ReplyDeleteThey got busted selling merch out of the trunk of their car or some stupid thing. They're never getting in.
they had a prickly relationship and AGAIN, Lanny would raise cain to the press about the induction if the family isn't involved. Heck Randy himself was allegedly holding out for a complete Poffo family induction like the Von Erichs instead of just RAndy.
ReplyDeleteThey go in as a team.
ReplyDeleteSince WrestleMania is in the San Francisco area in 2015, maybe they can induct someone like Ray Stevens or Moondog Mayne.
ReplyDeleteHart Foundation: Get Neidhart, Owen, Brian Pillman, Bulldog in - and let Jimmy Hart do the talking.
ReplyDeleteDustin, Cody and Blue!
ReplyDeleteCelebrate the advancement of Gay Pride!
ReplyDeleteAdrian Adonis
Lanny Poffo
Goldust
Billy & Chuck
Dawn Marie
Tony Schiavone is the Koko B Ware of announcers.
ReplyDeleteGo rewatch the gimmick battle royal from WMXVII and whoever is alive and isn't already in should be enough for the non headliner HOF inductees for the next few years.
ReplyDeleteI mean, it is in the Bay Area this year.
ReplyDeleteSorry, low-hanging....fruit.
I'll stop.
I've always felt Sean Waltman has been short-changed by history, he was a major part of the nWo, Kliq & DX. He was a major part of the cruiserweight division in WCW, he was the first major star to jump from WCW to WWF during the Monday Night Wars and was so hated he created a new term "X-Pac Heat"
ReplyDeleteHe should be a lock for the HOF
Mickie too
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked the brawler isn't in.
ReplyDeleteThe Brooklyn Brawler
ReplyDeleteJim Barnett
Ronnie P. Gossett
Kid Romeo
Bert Prentice
Bob Ryder
Mel Phillips
Terry Garvin
Given the trend of inducting one female wrestler a year, things are going to be pretty interesting in terms of who eventually gets in, especially since the actual pool is fairly small. Mark my words, the following will get in:
ReplyDelete1. Mickie James
2. Torrie Wilson
3. Sable
4. Molly Holly (before Hardcore Holly too)
5. Michelle Mccool
6. Victoria.
I love this, but you know they would induct George "The Animal" Steele, complete with forced laughter from JBL
ReplyDeleteMickie James deserves to get in. Behind Trish she's the best female worker of the modern erase (AJ will catch her by the time she is done).
ReplyDeleteAll jokes aside, I do consider Tony's reaction at the end of BATB to be one of the greatest calls in the history of our sport.
ReplyDeleteI doubt Cornette's getting inducted anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteso the guy thinks his brother committed statutory rape on his boss' daughter, but the WWE is desecrating his family? That's a head-scratcher.
ReplyDeleteHow about the Abstract Plain of Fame? If nothing else, it'd make Roman Reigns s lock for it.
ReplyDeleteBob Mould
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, Sable, Chyna, Missy Hyatt & Cyndi Lauper, that's your next 5 women sorted.
ReplyDeleteAll of them legitimate HOF members.
Imitation merch. aye.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Benoit?
ReplyDelete-- World Heavyweight Airport Wrestling Champ, Kevin Nash
If you ever take a trip to deepest Africa...
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I agree with you. His jumping to the WWF and immediately joining DX made them superstars overnight. I don't know how they would have dobe as a group without him after losing Michaels.
ReplyDeleteWaltman: Either with DX, the nWo, or solo he'll get in one day.
ReplyDeleteBossman: Definitely, probably within the next couple years.
Heat: With Booker already in I doubt it.
Sullivan: Not a fucking chance just because of his connection to Benoit.
Fat Tony: Pretty unlikely.
Styles: Maybe if ECW goes in as a group, but even then I doubt it.
Two points. One according to the story she was 17 and the age of consent in Connecticut is 16, so it was legal. But yes in Lanny's mind inducting Randy without his and the family's participations would be desecrating Savage's memory. I dont' agree with it, but I'm telling that would be the narrative Poffo would sell if WWE did induct Randy and left Lanny and family out.
ReplyDeleteStraight as Pats Pattersons.
ReplyDeleteIn wrestling terms that's a pass. If Warrior, Snuka and Jesse Ventura can be forgiven...
ReplyDeleteyou gotta be kidding me
ReplyDeleteWhen did Snuka cross Vince?
ReplyDeleteThose other 2 guys were names. No one cares about Hebners.
Fuck yes. If we are mentioning Boss Man, Rude belongs in yesterday. Hell, I would put Rude's inclusion on the level of Jake Roberts
ReplyDeleteChyna? are you serious?
ReplyDeleteand the strange thing is that it wasn't even because of him being such a star but because of him specifically "choosing" the WWF over WCW.
ReplyDelete(to a smaller extent that's why Christian jumping from the WWE to TNA felt like a big deal as well)
you really believe people hated Sandman that much?
ReplyDeleteUnpopular opinion alert: Mickie was better than Trish.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
ReplyDeleteUh...the 9th Wonder of the World? Without a doubt. Well, if she gets sober. That's the doubt. Otherwise? Lock.
ReplyDeleteWhat you dont understand is the Hebners should be on your never getting in list. They are amongst the most blackballed in the company. They were for years selling bootleg WWE merchandise and got found out sometime in 2005. Gone forever and 100% likelyhood never coming back.
ReplyDelete*stands up, applauding*
ReplyDelete...touche
At the rate of one woman per year, there's easily enough legit candidates for the next decade, then we'll start getting into the likes of the Bellas getting inducted. You'd figure WWE can churn out at least a couple of other notable Divas through the years.
ReplyDeleteOther future female inductees: Linda and Stephanie McMahon, Lillian Garcia.
He didn't choose to jump, Bischoff fired him.
ReplyDeleteForgot X-Division pioneer too.
ReplyDeleteI really don't see Victoria, Torrie, Molly, or Michelle getting in. You've got Miss Elizabeth, Chyna, and Madusa as deserving candidates who I think will eventually get in in spite of various issues WWE might have with them. Sable will make it in and Mickie James has a shot. After all of them go in it will be time to induct AJ Lee and the Bellas.
ReplyDeleteI agree with that. Although I'd rank both of them behind Molly Holly.
ReplyDeleteFirst female to enter KOTR and Rumble. First to hold the IC title. Yea, I think he's serious.
ReplyDeleteYeah, he rubs me the wrong way too. His whole weird rant about saving money by not using toilet paper and patting himself on the back like it's the most brilliant idea ever concocted is a bit annoying.
ReplyDeleteCan we get Rick Steiner's dog that attacked Sting in there too?
ReplyDeleteI think he was known for coming up with really good finishes too.
ReplyDeleteI think the Von Erichs were mostly inducted as part of the deal when Vince bought the World Class tape library.
ReplyDeleteEhh, fair call - Vince can afford to be petty with those two. But then again, what's life without a little "ruthless aggression" *chuckle*
ReplyDeleteShe got HHH heat for the first time!
ReplyDeleteOh, I thought Lanny said Savage didn't do anything with Steph, and the real heat stemmed from Randy taking Slim Jim to WCW.
ReplyDeleteOne glaring ommision from the Hulkamania era.....
ReplyDeleteI get it!
ReplyDeleteShe deserves the nod for her work, she won't get in because of her post WWE shenanigans...which I totally haven't watched guys. Hand to god!
ReplyDeleteWell yeah, but the Macho Man is different and you CAN have one of the four or five inductees be dead.
ReplyDeleteIt should probably be Lanny, but if not him, why not Steamboat?
ReplyDeleteThat's always a fun question. If the NWO gets in, where do you stop the number? The original 3? Ted Dibiase and the Giant? Or do you just go the full monte and induct everyone, thus allowing Nick Patrick, The Disciple and Konnan to all have a HOF ring.
ReplyDeleteOh he totally should. I bet he'd do it too.
ReplyDeleteHey, if Warrior got in...like I said, if she gets sober it'll happen.
ReplyDeleteWarrior never made nine hardcore pornography movies. He went a little Ted Nugent Lite for a bit, but it's hardly a comparison.
ReplyDeleteLike I said, for her work, she deserves it, but...
Michelle McCool will go in the same year the induct Undertaker I'd bet.
ReplyDeleteShe made 9? Really?
ReplyDeleteHeh, 9th Wonder
I think there are very few former WWE workers in whose cases it is more unlikely they got into the HOF than it is with Chyna (for the obvious reasons: H's former girlfriend, had a weird fallout with the company, starred in porn movies).
ReplyDeleteHe murdered the Benoits, dammit! Vincent KILLER McMahon put him up to it for Nancy not admitting that Daniel was his love child! The chain match at WM3 was ***** easy!!! Blackblood was a GREAT gimmick!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, BJH and Ken Patera needed a run with the tag team titles in 1987
ReplyDeleteWhat's more, I bet he'd be funny and gracious and have a totally different take on the business.
ReplyDeleteCornette gets in if they induct the Midnight Express as a group. Eaton, Lane, Cornette.
ReplyDelete