sek69 Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Next week. 8/15. Raw. In Montreal. Let the Speculation Begin. It happens every time WWE heads north, but now it actually has a chance in hell of happening. Personally I hope it happens. I've never been a huge Bret fan, and as I discussed in the WOL thread, I don't think he was completely without blame for what happened. Having said that, if WWE never ever does anything right again they need to have him make an appearance next week. The reaction he would get would quite possibly be the biggest pop in wrestling history. It would make the reactions that made Flair and Hogan tear up when they returned look like X-Pac heat by comparison. Bret deserves his chance to say goodbye on his terms, Canadian fans have had to put up with Montreal getting rubbed in their faces since 1997, and WWE needs the closure to hopefully get the fuck over it already If they do it the right way, there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house, since you'd have to be a cold son-of-a-bitch to not get the least bit choked up at the thought of a guy dealing with what he dealt with and getting the chance to end things the right way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 What is sad is that there is already a thread for next week's RAW and not one thread for tonight's show. Did anyone even realize it happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted August 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I was going to start a thread about this week's RAW, then I realized absolutely nothing of note happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I just remembered today was Monday about an hour ago. It's surreal when you go back to school for the first day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slasher Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I doubt it'd happen. Bret did say he wanted nothing to do with the TV aspect. He just wants to do the DVD and get the hell out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Benjie Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 As long as a Bret appearance results in him kicking both Michaels' and Vince's ass, then I'm all for it. Anything less will be both a disapointment and a missed opportunity. And no, having Bret's final appearance in a match against Benoit isn't what we need. We need the promo I just mentioned instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drake Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 As far as Bret getting the biggest pop in wrestling history...I think thats an exageration. No doubt he will get a phenominal ovation anyway being in Montreal, but it wouldn't be the ear deafing cry you would expect. About Canadian fans getting Montreal rubbed in their faces...this leaves me confused. Not being from Montreal personally I can't say, but how is the incident rubbed in their faces? Do people in the States come up for vacation and taunt the citizens there? Are there signs posted in town saying "Bret got screwed"? As long as the fans continue to chant "You screwed Bret," WWE will use it, and the fans will continue to feel like the screw job is being rubbed in their faces, even if they had no part in the matter to begin with. WWE brings up the Screw job once a year regularly, and the only reason is to get some cheap heat in most circumstances. As far as getting closure, I seriously doubt its going to happen. Why? WWE still gets a reaction to this day...8 years after the incident, and years after Bret and Vince got back on speaking terms. They'll milk the whole thing as long as they feel they need to, as long as it sells tickets in Canada. There are lots of people that are sympathetic to Hart, there are people that can understand Vince had to do what he had to do. There are others that like to look at both sides of the story. In any case, not everyone totally sides with Bret. I would be blatently lying if I said the Hart family has been through a lot the last 5-10 years, but a lot of the tragedies that have occurred followed the Screw job. Its not like he lost his brothers, his father, his brother-in-law Davy, the stroke, and the concussion before Survivor Series. So, I can say I'm sympathetic to whats happened to him after Survivor Series, but everything that happened up to that point was meant to be and there really wasn't any way to change what happened. I guess what I'm saying is you wouldn't have to be a cold-SOB not to cry, you would just have to be a rational one. At any rate, I've heard Bret and his agent have stated they're only doing the DVD and no appearances or angles. I honestly wouldn't mind seeing him myself, if only to promote the DVD. It certainly won't kill me if he doesn't in fact make an appearance, I just think it makes sense from a business standpoint to get the people to buy the DVD. Bret could make a statement to his fans if he so chose, but I guess he doesn't want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slasher Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Can you blame him? He probably thinks that if he does agree to it, and comes out expecting just to plug the DVD HBK would come out and goad him into an angle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drake Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Yeah, because HBK is the same self-centered, selfish 30 year old with no responsibilties...like he was in '97. Its the writing team or McMahon that would goad Bret into any sort of angle to make money. Although, I'm pretty sure Michaels wouldn't turn down the chance for any angle with Bret if he agreed, it would be huge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 I don't buy that Shawn is a changed man at all. I think he's mellowed in his old age, but he largely just seems to be a different kind of bad now, meaning he's someone from the old guard that always gets his wins back and goes over guys he shouldn't and he's totally undercut Hogan in this feud. If it was anyone but Hogan, I'd be pissed, but as it is, it's hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alfdogg Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Yeah, because HBK is the same self-centered, selfish 30 year old with no responsibilties...like he was in '97.No, he's actually 40 now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Crucifixio Jones Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 The only thing bigger than seeing that pic of Vince and Bret shaking hands at WWE headquarters would be having Bret and Shawn hug in the middle of the ring on RAW in Montreal. I think that would be our generation's FINAL "I can't believe that just happened" moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted August 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 As far as Bret getting the biggest pop in wrestling history...I think thats an exageration. No doubt he will get a phenominal ovation anyway being in Montreal, but it wouldn't be the ear deafing cry you would expect. You haven't paid much attention to wrestling have you? Bret got some of the loudest pops in Canada before all the Montreal stuff happened, I can't see how he wouldn't get a monster ovation if he shows up this Monday. About Canadian fans getting Montreal rubbed in their faces...this leaves me confused. Not being from Montreal personally I can't say, but how is the incident rubbed in their faces? Do people in the States come up for vacation and taunt the citizens there? Are there signs posted in town saying "Bret got screwed"? As long as the fans continue to chant "You screwed Bret," WWE will use it, and the fans will continue to feel like the screw job is being rubbed in their faces, even if they had no part in the matter to begin with. The above quotes pretty much reveal you don't pay attention to wrestling, but just to catch you up, every time WWF/E has been back to Montreal since they have to make some reference to what happened just for the sake of it. There's also been the constant "re-enactments" of Montreal where they try to do the same finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drake Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 You haven't paid much attention to wrestling have you? Bret got some of the loudest pops in Canada before all the Montreal stuff happened, I can't see how he wouldn't get a monster ovation if he shows up this Monday. Uhhhhhhhhh, I didn't say he wouldn't get a great ovation. I said it was an exageration, I didn't say he'd walk out into Montreal with as much reaction as Billy Gunn gets...anywhere. The above quotes pretty much reveal you don't pay attention to wrestling, but just to catch you up, every time WWF/E has been back to Montreal since they have to make some reference to what happened just for the sake of it. There's also been the constant "re-enactments" of Montreal where they try to do the same finish. The above 2 quotes from you pretty much reveal you're 15, but thanks for catching me up...considering I've been watching wrestling regularly before your parents got drunk and conceived you. I followed Bret for a long time, man, as far back as his early days in WWF. I remember watching Survivor Series in '97, I saw Wrestling with Shadows, I've seen the reactions Earl, Vince, and Shawn get as soon as they step out onto the walkway. Needless to say, I know the history, and I've seen all sides to the story. Its just funny how some Canadian fans feel they were stabbed in the back as much as Bret, or worse. They say that the incident is rubbed in their faces today...if such a thing were true, its only because they're stupid enough to continue to chant the words "You screwed Bret" almost a decade after the incident. I'm sure a lot of people chant along just for fun, but there are people that are still pissed about it...when the outcome had nothing to do with them to begin with. The more you continue to relive the incident, the more WWE will use it against the fans. If people seriously feel like it gets rubbed in their face, they need to move on like everyone else has. When WWE realizes people don't care anymore, they'll quit using it eventually. The fans continue to buy into it though, so you can expect it will continue for some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted August 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 The above 2 quotes from you pretty much reveal you're 15 I was....12 years ago, but thanks for playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drake Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 I'm sorry, I apologize. Your fuzzy logic about my knowledge of the situation just threw me off. How you came up with the notion that I wasn't fully aware of the incident and its reprocussions puzzles me, as I never eluded to being clueless on the Screw Job and the events that followed. It just seemed like junior high detective work to me. If you look closely, what I was attempting to point out is Canadian fans that take this situation personally have to reason to do such, and they blow it out of proportion. In no way do they get taunted about it. WWE brings up the Screw Job as a way to get cheap heat, for entertainment purposes. They would quit using it all the time if they chants stopped, but because they continue the company uses it. Its not some slap in the face to the fans, and if you're looking for closure its not going to happen anytime soon. As I said, I know a lot of fans chant along just because its fun, not all of Montreal is still stuck in the '97 timewarp. Those people that are still agitated by the situation need to wake up, because if Bret and Vince can make up theres no reason fans that weren't involved need to continue holding the hatred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted August 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 It's a vicious cycle, WWE keeps mentioning it because it riles up the Canadians, and it riles up the Canadians because WWE won't stop mentioning it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drake Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Interestingly enough, Michaels hasn't directed an apology to Bret in person, or even a statement that is meant for Bret to hear. He has said a few times that he was sorry the situation went down the way it did, and he was doing what his superior told him to do. Theres an interesting question thats been addressed about the incident. Heres a part of a piece by James Caldwell from the PWTorch.com, which was stolen by some other website: WWE Raw Issue: ?Should Shawn Michaels apologize for the Bret Hart incident?? Some of us Stateside are tired of Canadian fans whining voicing their displeasure with Shawn Michaels over the Bret Hart incident from seven years ago. Should HBK suck it up and apologize to Canada and Bret Hart for screwing over their favorite son? Pro: Four men?s lives have been affected tremendously by the Bret Hart even in 1997. Bret Hart was embarrassed in his home country. Shawn Michaels became the martyr for Canadian hatred. Vince McMahon became the despicable boss who everyone loved to hate. Earl Hebner became the Nick Patrick of the WWE by throwing out his professional credibility for one Vince McMahon ordered event. If Shawn were to apologize, he could finally move on and actually play the traditional babyface in Canada instead of having the WWE staff rewrite storylines and matches for Canadian audiences. Bret Hart would finally be able to move on with his life away from the bitter resentment that has characterized his retired career. Canada could finally forgive Vince McMahon for authorizing the screw job heard ?round Canada. Finally, Earl Hebner would be able to walk into any Canadian arena to officiate in peace rather than receiving death threats and ?You screwed Bret? chants for ten minutes at a time. Con: The con side of the argument would argue that having Shawn Michaels appear at WWE events in Canada adds a certain edge to shows, specifically WWE Raw, where the fans are into the product by showing their displeasure. It adds another layer to ?bizarro world? by having the fans riled up for the product. If Shawn were to apologize, it would end a chapter in WWE lore that Canadian fans would have little left to become so head-over-heels upset about. No longer would Shawn fear for his life coming out on Raw in Toronto or Montreal. But, how can we assume that HBK apologizing to Canada will solve all the problems? Will the Canadian fans ever forgive him even if he does deliver a heartfelt apology...with Bret Hart standing beside him? If the Canadian audiences still won?t forgive HBK after apologizing, it just may not be worth it. (Here?s a follow up question for feedback?will Canadian fans forgive Shawn Michaels if he apologizes?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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