Who's Going to Miss Hulk Hogan?

[Perfection]

Here's an article about this subject from www.tsn.ca/wrestling

They say you never forget where you were for defining moments in history. My mother remembers where she was when JFK was shot. My father remembers where he was when Paul Henderson scored the goal in 1972. This week, I had my moment. I was walking through the halls at TSN when Double A tracked me down. "Hogan's gone, eh?" he said. I paused for a moment, trying to assess his seriousness.



Double A proceeded to explain what occurred, and how he was skeptical that it could be a work. But I was struck with a surge of excitement. I was excited by the idea it could be true. Now only if we could get rid of Mr. America, I thought. Hang on. They're both...Oh, nice.



In under a week, the WWE ridded themselves of two pieces of the wrong puzzle. At one time, Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper were the perfect pieces to the puzzle. They had a chemistry and rivalry that fueled the WWF in the 1980's. Piper was seen as a magnificent heel, and Hogan was oozing charisma. At least, that was how I remembered them. Before they came back.


Like any business, wrestling has changed over the years. Matches are faster and riskier. Performers are wittier and better actors. And I can't lie: when Hulk Hogan came back, I noticed a difference. I'm not just talking about inside the ring: I'm referring to his mic skills, too. Was it Hogan who changed? No, it was the business. Guys like Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold, and especially The Rock raised the bar when it came to mic skills. Upon his return, I didn't think Hogan measured up. Had his charisma deteriorated, or had I just come to expect more?



Anyhow, regardless of my thoughts, within months, he still managed to become champion. Against all odds, Hulkamania was alive again. Then, he was allegedly upset that the company wouldn't put him in the main event of Survivor Series with Brock Lesnar, and have him win. Brock Lesnar is the future of the company. Hulk Hogan is the past. Why would anyone in their right mind sacrifice the future for the past?



Anyway, upon yet another return, Hogan put on a mask and became Mr. America. Once again, he was picking up major television time. More than Benoit, Rhyno and Latino Heat. Possibly more than Brock. I don't time the segments, but it appeared to me that Hogan was getting as much, or more time, than any other performer. So naturally I was shocked when I read that Hogan wasn't happy with the creative direction. The guy made millions of dollars thanks to the WWE's direction. He held the title for the majority of a decade. And he was still getting loads of television time. What more could he want?



I, for one, will not miss him. At one time he was a brilliant commodity for the WWE. However, in my opinion, he's been holding them back of late. Giving an aging Hogan that much TV time takes away from what the younger guys get. Sure, ratings may be down, and he may have name value. But nobody else will ever achieve name value if you don't give them the chance. Ratings are cyclical. Bite the bullet now, and build your stars. Eventually, if they play their cards right, Brock and Cena could be what Piper and Hogan were in the 1980's. What Austin and Rock were in the '90's. But it takes time, patience, and exposure. And you can't expose the young when you're relying on the old.



Now comes the moment when I contradict myself. I don't feel the same way about Ric Flair. Unlike Hogan, I think Flair still has something to offer to the WWE. I enjoy Flair's presence as a manager/mentor in Evolution. I think the idea has some potential, and Flair is the perfect person for the role. He can still cut his promos, and he's a classic character who never goes out of style. He's the jet-flying, limousine-riding... you know the rest. But more importantly, I think Randy Orton can gain a lot from his exposure to the Nature Boy. In a business where too many stars refuse to job, it would be nice for one of the company's future stars to learn from the best.



As far as Flair's in-ring work goes, it's not what it once was, but he set the bar pretty high. I don't think Flair embarrasses himself inside the ring, and I have no problem watching him wrestle on a part-time basis. At least he's tried to evolve with the times. In his match with Michaels, he did the spot with the table, and for a man his age, who has dedicated that much to the business, that is pretty good. As far as Hogan is concerned, I can't think of any significant bumps. In fact, in my opinion, Mae Young takes harder bumps than Hogan.



Finally, I'm willing to stand by another veteran too. I refuse to put Kevin Nash in the same category as Hogan and Piper. I may be the only person to believe this, but I think Nash can offer something. I think he can help get ratings, and that, in turn, is good for the younger performers. It widens the audience they are being exposed to.



In my opinion, Kevin Nash's problems stem from the role the company has placed him in. Let's not forget the pop he got when he made his return. The fans were ready for the sharp-tongued heel that shined in the NWO. Kevin Nash is big, he's strong, he's slow, and he can be very funny when he's allowed to be. Kevin Nash should not be used as a face. He doesn't have any of the characteristics that successful faces have, with the exception of his humour, which he hasn't been allowed to use because he's been after revenge and had to remain serious and angry. I believe that if the company caters to what Nash does best, and make him a heel, he can be an entertaining member of Raw. And that is good for everyone involved.



When it comes to the older guys in the WWE, I don't think you can paint them all with one brush. Some still have stuff to offer, others don't. But what all of them have to realize is that their best days are behind them. As veterans, a main component of their job is to help make the kids better. And they should do it gladly. After all, they themselves would never have become stars had someone not done it for them.



Personally I won't miss Hogan. The only veterans (like Hogan) who in my mind still should be around are: Ric Flair because he'll Randy Orton become a star, Kevin Nash because he's still useful as a heel, Undertaker because he just turned 40 and he can still wrestle and work the mic, and Sting because we don't know how he'll do in the WWE yet.

[King Tech Quadafi]

I AGREE WITH THIS ARTICLE 100%

[OutSider]

Ric Flair

i have an uncle who looks like ric flair...


but anyways...i like the hulk..  

[pappy]

i didnt watch smackdown so i wont lose any sleep over it

[Trauma-san]

Well, I'm a little different than most people.  I love Hulk Hogan, but I also hang onto memories.  To me, a good song is always a good song, it never gets old.  Hulk Hogan bodyslamming Andre the Giant is still a monumental occasion to me, and it happened 15 years ago.  

So he can go, he can stay, he can die, (well, he's immortal, but anyways), it doesn't matter; I'll still have the same enthusiasm I have about him now, and he'll still be Hulk Hogan.  

I never understood why others don't feel that way.  If something's cool, it's happened... it doesn't change.  When hulk slammed Andre, he was THE man.  He was on top of the world; to me, he's still on top of the world... I mean, nothing he can do can negate that experience.  

It's the same thing with anybody, I was reading a commentary the other day, and they were talking about Arnold Swartza... whatever. Anyways, someone was talking trash, because Arnold lost so much weight.  The guy made the point, which I wholeheartedly agree with, that Arnold, at one time, was the most impressive physical specimen the world's ever seen.   No matter what he does now, or what happens, or who comes along... that's never gonna change.  He WAS the man, it happened, and it's recorded in history.

Anyways, so I don't care if Hogan's on t.v. or not, he's still the man.  

[TheSheriff]

I AGREE WITH THIS ARTICLE 100%

[PLANT]

I don't care if Hogan's on t.v. or not, he's still the man.  

[Blood Rain]

I don't care if Hogan's on t.v. or not, he's still the man.  

true that!!

[Skindiana bon3z]

He will be missed...

[M Dogg™]

I miss him already. I like Hogan. I was hoping his WWE career will end better than this. Who knows, he'll be back more than likely. WrestleMania at the Garden. He has to be back. You know this. It'd be tight if it was him verse Ric Flair, one more time to see one and for all, who is the greatest.

[Jay ay Beee]

Trauma - Good point.  

But

Unless you call it a day, you smudge the memories. Hogan should have gone out at the peak of NWO and not gone downhill, gone out on top.

[King Tech Quadafi]

Trauma - Good point.  

But

Unless you call it a day, you smudge the memories. Hogan should have gone out at the peak of NWO and not gone downhill, gone out on top.

word, Hogan is a cancer to locker room harmony and the careers of younger wrestlers. That egomaniac needs to go, and thank God hes done.

[ARYC]

i'm still doing a happy dance .it was cool at first to see him back then he started becoming the focal point of smackdown an it started pissin me off.

personally i think he should've retired after his match against the rock at WM 18

or after he faced Vince at WM 19

those 2 were high points that any wrestler would be honored to leave gracefully after ....but Noooooo he had to come back an do the mr.america/zach gowen/sable/vince/stephanie thing which is the worst thing to EVER happen to smackdown since Al wilson

[Perfection]

Hogan just wants to take away attenion from guys like Lesnar and Angle. Just look at the two previous weeks, Hogan was trying to take the spotlight from the two biggest names on Smackdown! Hogan hated the fact that he was becoming the 7th or 8th biggest name on Smackdown ! He didn't like the fact that guys like Lesnar, Angle, Big Show, Cena, Undertaker, Benoit, and possible Rhyno were getting more TV time then him or were about to get more TV time then him.