Hello, and welcome to a new column that’ll be coming to Pulse Wrestling every Monday! Each week I’ll be digging into the world of wrestling with both hands, not unlike a dog. And like a dog that has not been properly secured within a yard, I’ll probably attack anything that comes into my line-of-sight, metaphorically speaking. And like that same unchained dog, I also stand a good chance of being run over by a bus. I hope they can at least save my legs.
A little more than a month removed from the latest WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony and rumors are already swirling about concerning the 2012 Hall of Fame class. The HoF has become a lightning rod over the last few years as fans have questioned the motives and operations of WWE when it comes to their selections.
“Hacksaw†Jim Duggan? Koko B. Ware?! DREW CAREY?! I mean, what kind of sh-…
Okay, let me cool down here. To ensure that I don’t gnaw my own arm off out of frustration, I’ll refrain from getting into the worthiness of certain inductees. Instead, I’ll focus my energies on the more important question: how legitimate does the ‘E want their Hall of Fame to be?
It’s a fair question; if Vince doesn’t care about being seen as truly legitimate, and instead wants to celebrate the careers of loyal WWE workhorses—and make a few bucks—then he’s free to do whatever he likes. The fans just might not support it. But the inclusion of celebrity inductees, past legends who are unrecognizable to the casual wrestling fan, a huge lead-up to the actual ceremony, and a ceremony date that coincides with the company’s biggest event of the year seems to point to a desire for legitimacy.
The main roadblock to the HoF’s legitimacy is the lack of transparency. Arguably the most hallowed Hall of Fame in professional American sports is Major League Baseball’s. Induction is the greatest honor that can be bestowed upon a baseball player—or official, manager, owner, etc.–and while there may be arguments about whether steroid-abusing players should be allowed in, nobody doubts the legitimacy of that institution.
But here’s the rub: baseball players are selected by a committee and then voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America, or chosen by the Veteran’s Committee. No one really knows how the WWE chooses its inductees; it’s most assuredly by committee, picked from stars who are currently in the company’s good graces. The only way the MLB can block a player from induction is via a lifetime ban, which is reserved for rare offenders like Pete Rose. The ‘E can refuse an induction just because Vince woke up on the wrong side of the bed one morning.
So maybe Vince just wants to drum up some good publicity for the company. Of course he won’t court former employees if they’re going to use the spotlight to condemn the WWE! But why would Vince and company try repeatedly to induct Bruno Sammartino? Many have noted Bruno’s absence from the HoF as proof of its illegitimacy, but that’s not for lack of trying. Bruno has rebuked the ‘E’s advances in order to make a statement about the company’s booking and storylines.
While Bruno has mentioned in interviews that he could, at some unforeseeable point in the future, accept the WWE’s invitation, the fact that Vince is willing to make overtures to a man who has long been critical of his company shows that he believes that the HoF won’t be complete without Bruno. The inclusion of greats not affiliated with the WWE, like Antonio Inoki, also bolsters the notion that Vince wants his Hall to be seen as the ultimate honor for wrestling greats.
WWE has also been announcing inductees on episodes of Raw leading up to the company’s flagship event, Wrestlemania. The fact that the company is trying to attract as much attention to the HoF as possible seems to indicate that they want to drum up the kind of passion and discussion that precedes the HoF ceremonies of the MLB and NFL. Trying to spark an interest in who, and who does not, get inducted would seem to indicate that the ‘E wants fans to invest themselves into the HoF. But again, the lack of transparency in regards to the machinations of the HoF makes this pure speculation; the ‘E’s own website only lists the inductees and gives a short bio of each talent, but it doesn’t have an obvious mission statement to let visitors know what the ultimate goal of the Hall is, or how it works.
While fans are forced to play mind games with the company, games that often reach Cronenberg-esque levels of ridiculousness, there are two performers who pose a true litmus test for how seriously fans should take the HoF. Sting and “Macho Man†Randy Savage are two of the greatest, most iconic (iconic-est?) talents of their generation. A Hall of Fame that includes Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Ric Flair, and Ted DiBiase should include both of these men as well. Now, to be perfectly clear, I’m not saying that any of the legends I’ve listed here aren’t deserving. I’m simply saying that a list of the truly great wrestlers from this period has to include “Macho Man†and Sting as well.
Unfortunately, these are also the two men most likely to be snubbed by Vince. Sting is inarguably the greatest wrestler of his era to never work for the WWE. And what can I say about Randy’s situation? There is obviously some bad blood between Randy and Vince, a rift that no one in the business is willing to talk about. I won’t go into the details now, because it would be nothing but ugly rumor and innuendo that could fill about twenty pages worth of hysterical ranting. While Randy has been discussed favorably on the WWE’s website, and included in the company’s most recent video game, the talk regarding his Hall of Fame chances have been nonexistent for years.
Now, it would be easy to point out that Randy or Sting could simply shoot down a HoF offer, which could give the false appearance of a snub on the part of the WWE. But if Vince would open the fans up to how the HoF works, and make fans aware of possible conflicts between the company and wrestlers, they wouldn’t be blamed for their absence. As fans, we’ll simply have to wait and see what the future holds. But one thing is clear: the WWE needs to build legitimacy into its Hall of Fame, not just expect fans to accept it.
Who knows, maybe Vince—or Stephanie and Hunter, when they take over the reins—could create a HoF governing body constituted of retired industry pros that is independent enough to vote on the nominees that they see most fit. Maybe all these questions will seem ludicrous a decade down the road, and we won’t have legendary talent that shies away from induction because of their own personal distaste for the company or industry. Maybe we’ll spend more time discussing the Hall of Fame worthiness of superstars, and not have to consider that the HoF might just be a cynical cash-grab. Maybe the WWE can let go a little, and the HoF can be something that everyone appreciates, whether you like the WWE or not, and not be this mysterious entity. But considering Vince’s notorious control fetish, I’d say that’s pretty damn unlikely.
