SteveJRogers

That's fair, but the story as Heyman tells it, Lesnar bombed on a promo on Cena one Raw, simply walked to the back and said "I WANT MY JEW" meaning Heyman. Not "LET ME TALK YOU DILLWEEDS" or "CAN I GET SOMEONE TO SAY THE CRAP YOU ARE FEEDING ME?" And for what it's worth, Paul scripts his own promos, Lesnar could have gotten away with demanding that he'd do his own. Which again goes back to the point, they bent over backwards to appease him by bringing in someone who wanted no part of returning any time soon, and while the hatchet was easily buried at the point of his return, it does seem to speak to Lesnar having a lack of self awareness or social skills to consider the factors behind Heyman's departure at the end of 2006, and realize that it is a subject that probably should have been drawn out, and done with more tact (i.e. Triple H opening conversation channels for a possible HOF induction) than just a spur of the moment demand. I mean, think about it. A guy gets fired due to one last clash with management, after YEARS of constant butting heads and clashing egos with those above you. Then 5 years later, with the same people in charge, the company decides "you know, we really could use that guy back, even though we both were dicks and hate each other." Simply because the guy's protegee gets hired by the company and "demands" that the guy get a job (and not a "if I have a job, then you'll have one" deal). Sure hatchets can get buried, but only in entertainment, and sports (see Martin, Bill and Steinbrenner, George) would it be that fast, but you'd think in real life versions of that scenario, things like that would take weeks, maybe months of ego massaging negotiations, and not spur of the moment "GET HIM HERE NOW" demands.

To say nothing about his unwillingness to learn or grow as a "character." Perfect example, the reason Heyman is back despite a severly burnt bridge between Paul and the company, as well as Paul being DONE with the business, moved on and was in a healthier place to the point that he was never going back to ANY promotion. BUT Brock hated talking SO much, and didn't want to start fresh with a brand new mouthpiece, he demamded they bring back Heyman. It worked out of course, with Heyman adding more credentials to a HOF career, but it was only because Lesnar wanted nothing to do with talking and needed Heyman specifically.

While I'd imagine its a rareity among those who read the column, don't assume that someone that listens to Austin shows listens to other wrestling themed shows, especially the ones Court hosts.

They just put up all the HoF shows from 2004 to 2013. Full? With the Sherri speech? In all its rambling glory!

Speaking of which, watching 2006 right now from Chicago and Cena's induction of The Fridge...MY GOD! I want to retroactively go and explain to those fans that if everyone on the stage is breaking kayfabe all over the place, YOU CAN TO!

Probably to gauge interest in moving their ongoing YouTube series, like JBL & Cole, Cole's weekly kayfabed interviews, Top Ten, and Inbox onto the Network. I've seen suggestions that they should move that content over.

Yep. They couldn't even limit themselves to theaters. It's not surprising that anyone wouldn't skip on a huge gate like that, but it sure has become a less interesting, more embarrassing-to-be-a-fan night of television. Watching the 2005 one. You know, Canton has the same setup, essentailly an outdoor stadium, probably college sized, yet why are fans much more civil during speeches at the Pro Football HOF ceremonies?

They certainly were better controlled then they've been since moving the shows to arenas!

Amazingly sloppy by WWE's normally very high standards. Usually they've always been top-notch about preserving their footage...even dating back to the '70s and '80s. I wonder what the hell happened here. Pretty sure they weren't preserved since I don't think they were meant to be seen outside of a few clips on Raw or Superstars at the time. They were done in hotel ballrooms, and as far as I could tell it they didn't have a paying audience. This was right before the nostalgia bloom took off, so while they were still putting the older matches on tapes, they probably didn't see any profit being made from making the ceremonies commercially available, or treated as something beyond "this is what happened last week at this public appearance/movie premiere/etc" sort of clipped footage inserted into their programming.

Under the Hall of Fame show folder. Down at the end, sorted by years, even though Gene Okerlund and Renee Young portions were probably done last week!

They have what they can from those years now (weren't meant for full airing I suppose) From another forum:

According to Solie's title historiens, the Razor Ramon who held the USWA Heavyweight belt (defeated Bill Dundee 4/3/95, lost to Lawler 5/1/95) was in fact Scott Hall.

And Butch dancing into the Rumble, then dancing back out when he got eliminated.

The last 13 years? He Who Shall Not Be Named in 2004? Batista/Cena in 2005? Okay, since 2006 the Rumble Winner has pretty been either sentimental "favorites," former champions (which Bryan would have been either time, so it would have been the 2001 Austin road rather than his 1998 road) or underwhelming choices in terms of being positioned as "THE NEXT GUY" but you're being a bit harsh in the amount of years its been since they've been on the same page with guy winning the Rumble title shot and a guy the fans want as the face of the company.

A lot of it has to rest on the public humiliation and shame since it got picked up all over. I don't know if he has a private practice, but a case can be made with a correlation between the podcast stuff and a sudden down swing in work.

Also 2007 with Curt Hennig and The Sheik, 2010 with Gorgeous George and Stu Hart.

Thats a great choice. Have they ever featured more than one deceased wrestler during one Hall of Fame because if so id love to see Rick Rude get one as he deserves to be a nominee. The Florida HoF in '08 had Gordon Solie, Eddie Graham and Peter Maivia (although Rock inducting both him and his dad kinda softened things). 2004 had JYD and Big John Studd as part of the class.

Thats a great choice. Have they ever featured more than one deceased wrestler during one Hall of Fame because if so id love to see Rick Rude get one as he deserves to be a nominee. Do the Von Erichs count? OE: SMH...D'OH!

I'm picturing Johnny hosting the show akin to Kramer "hosting" a Merv Griffin style talk show after he found the Griffin Show set in the garbage somewhere.

OH WHO CARES ABOUT DOMINIC! -Larry Z

I probably was the only one anywhere that wouldn't have minded that! For one, it would have meant a Sheamus heel turn, something that the character needed, and second, I'm sure the storyline would play up a redemption angle for the infamous 18 seconds WM match. Not to mention an IRL redemption at 'Mania for the two going back to the year before with the US title match turning into a pre-show schmozz that turned into a battle royal.

Then kick Sunny out for her recent escapades. Also while the porn industry still has its unseemly reputation in the mainstream, there are those out there (i.e. Kevin Smith, Howard Stern and wrestling itself) who are making it seem more of a "legit" form of "entertainment" over the last few decades, so I don't think Chyna being a porn star will have the same PR/marketing disaster affect it would have years ago.

Depending on when you go, also try to catch a baseball game.

No one knew exactly what was happening. Just that Nitro on TNT was ending, in fact they were calling it the "season finale" as if the deal happened, the flagship program would retain the Nitro name. It wasn't until the weekend that the deal with WWF happened.