From what I hear next years Hall of Fame class will be strictly for WCW wrestlers, creating a true WCW wing. Who, regardless of who they work for, should be the 1st inductees into the WCW hall of fame?
My 1st year Top Ten WCW Hall of Fame would go like this:
1) Sting (Franchise of WCW) 2) Ron Simmons (1st Black World Heavyweight Champion, and also multi-time WCW Tag Team Champions with Butch Reed in Doom) 3) "The Enforcer" Double A Arn Anderson (WCW Television Champion, & Tag Team Champion) (And member of the 4 Horsemen) 4) Goldberg (Hosting it from Atlanta, and Goldberg is expected to be back in WWE by then, perfect fit) 5) Steiner Brothers 6) Booker T 7) Big Show 8) Rey Mysterio Jr. 9) Chris Benoit 10) and last but not least J E Double F J A Double R E Double T, thats right The Master of the Stroke Double J Jeff Jarrett!
Originally posted by ecwfan4life2004From what I hear next years Hall of Fame class will be strictly for WCW wrestlers, creating a true WCW wing. Who, regardless of who they work for, should be the 1st inductees into the WCW hall of fame?
My 1st year Top Ten WCW Hall of Fame would go like this:
1) Sting (Franchise of WCW) 2) Ron Simmons (1st Black World Heavyweight Champion, and also multi-time WCW Tag Team Champions with Butch Reed in Doom)
Don't forget Iceman King Parsons, rooty-poot. :>
(edited by odessasteps on 24.5.10 0224) Mark Coale Odessa Steps Magazine ISSUE FOUR - OCTOBER 2009
Yes on 1-6. Hadn't really thought of Simmons, but you make a darn good case.
Big Show and Rey are really more identified with WWE at this point. (Exhibit A: You called him Big Show.) Besides, I'd wait until they retired.
I'm assuming you're aware that the chances of 9 actually happening are lower than the chance that you or will be selected. I've never been one who likes the idea of stamping Benoit out of history, but I can't say I think they should put him in the hall.
Jarrett isn't going to happen for other reasons (he's a key figure in the competition, and Vince still hates him for managing to get paid), but I can't say that particularly bothers me.
The Road Warriors are already in, from a few years back when they did that angle with Heidenreich, right? I'm thinking Harley Race is in, too, but if he's not he'd certainly belong. Maybe Vader? DDP?
I can't see a publicly-traded company going anywhere near Chris Benoit. Benoit will be the Shoeless Joe of the WWE HoF.
But I'll take the challenge here.. Though I'll limit my list to six inductees plus a celebrity, as that seems to be the typical class size:
Headliner: Sting 2nd Feature: The Four Horsemen (Flair, Arn and Tully with JJ Dillon)
Also: Steiner Brothers, Ron Simmons (Damn!), DDP, and Lex Luger
Celebrity: Dennis Rodman.
(Goldberg doesn't deserve the Flair HoF and WM match treatment, and even if Booker's done for WWE purposes, he'll make a good speaker for a future HoF class.)
Of your list, I'd say that Simmons and Anderson are very likely candidates. Big Show and Mysterio won't get in until they're retired. Goldberg is another good option. Booker T is a pretty good option, though didn't he leave WWE on not the best of terms?
As for the rest, doubtful. The Steiners didn't do themselves any favours after Scott's last run in WWE. Sting is a possible candidate in the future but not while he's still associated with TNA. Jarrett will never get in, and Benoit will absolutely never get in.
Other options....
* Diamond Dallas Page. People in the wrestling world seem to think he's a mark for himself and poke fun at him, but I've never heard of any real harsh feelings towards him. His speech would be great, too.
* Vader. He's one of the very top guys I think of when I think of 'WCW.'
* Brian Pillman. Austin would surely jump to give the induction speech.
* Teddy Long. Longtime career as a ref and manager in NWA/WCW, plus his WWE tenure, and he's a very good candidate.
It's be really poetic for the 2011 class to be the WCW class, not only because Wrestlemania's in Atlanta, but next year is also the ten-year anniversary of the day WCW went under for good.
I can't see them inducting Sting or Goldberg, as they're still either active or could become active at any time. In fact, you could say that for a lot of names on ecwfan's list. And no way they touch Lex Luger with a ten foot pole, not just because of the way he screwed over Vince by jumping to Nitro, but also because seeing him will make people think of the late Liz. His connection to Liz was not a good one, to say the least.
So who does get inducted? The Road Warriors seem like a no-brainer. Tully and Arn would be great, but seeing them get inducted before Flair seems very wrong and there's no chance of Flair's induction while he's making a parody of himself in TNA. (EDIT: Flair was inducted in 2008. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.) If there's a token Horsemen induction, I'd actually give it to JJ Dillon before anyone else. Beyond that, I'm drawing a major blank. Though I'd love to see Ron Simmons and Vader get in.
A pure WCW list is tough. If Flair and Sting had just retired instead of still trying to chug along in TNA, putting a list together would be much easier.
I am thinking Goldberg, Arn Anderson, Ron Simmons, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windhem, the Freebirds and a female along with another celebrity like David Arquett. The WCW HOF sounds like a good idea on paper, but the person who they need to get ie Sting probably won't do it plus Flair has to induct Arn not HBK or HHH or anyone else not even if Taker broke kayfabe do, it has to be Flair or there is no point in doing it. As for the Horsemen which one to do you put in Ole or Lex or Barry? Its probably better and more deserving to do them one at a time instead of a group. I can see the WWE bringing out Nitro Season One at the same time if Raw Season One/Two does well. It could be cool since last year's HOF was rather lackluster, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.
-Sting -Road Warriors -Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson -Nikita Koloff (No love for the Russians? Nikita was HOT, man!) -Rock & Roll Express -Steiners -Midnight, plus Cornett -Tony Schiavone (sp) was as closely identified with that brand as anyone... -Lex Lugar (Isn't he "safe" now that he's turned to Christ -- at least for a company whose ex-CEO is now a senate candidate? Lugar did far more for the company than Ron Simmons did... tho' Simmons would be the smarter political decision.)
Originally posted by ecwfan4life2004From what I hear next years Hall of Fame class will be strictly for WCW wrestlers
I don't believe this is true. Since WrestleMania is in Atlanta, the idea will surely to be induct people who are bigger names in Atlanta, but that doesn't mean it'll be strictly WCW.
This far out from the ceremony, they probably haven't even discussed names, much less heard back from people who are or are not willing to attend.
I think it will be a long long time before you see Luger. The whole "jumping to WCW with no notice to appear on the first Nitro" thing will not be easily forgotten.
Originally posted by ecwfan4life200410) and last but not least J E Double F J A Double R E Double T, thats right The Master of the Stroke Double J Jeff Jarrett!
I think there's a strong chance that Luger will go in in Atlanta, especially if they don't get Sting, which they won't. Vince loves taking back his enemies after the fact when they're in pathetic states of lowliness and playing the magnanimous godfather.
Fill out your HOF template:
draw: Goldberg secondary draw: Luger office guys/recent employees: Arn, Windham, Simmons, Malenko maximum one dead person: Pillman who can we get Austin to fly in to induct: Pillman girl: Missy Hyatt 60s/70s guy: Johnny Valentine (oops, he's dead too)
Originally posted by StaggerLeeYou can't have a HOF featuring WCW/NWA guys and NOT have both the Midnight Express or the Rock N Roll Express.
If the Midnights are inducted, I wonder if Jim Cornette gets invited back for one night, considering the negative PR he's created for himself over the last few years?
Originally posted by StaggerLeeYou can't have a HOF featuring WCW/NWA guys and NOT have both the Midnight Express or the Rock N Roll Express.
You can if it's capricious, political, and quasi-randomly selected, and if inviting the most important guy in the Midnight Express act could lead to him e-mailing you back death threats.
Some years Jim Ross has been able to get a guy he wanted in, like Danny Hodge and Gordon Solie, so it might be conceivable that he could get Cornette approved.
Originally posted by StaggerLeeYou can't have a HOF featuring WCW/NWA guys and NOT have both the Midnight Express or the Rock N Roll Express.
Some years Jim Ross has been able to get a guy he wanted in, like Danny Hodge and Gordon Solie, so it might be conceivable that he could get Cornette approved.
I think that would depend if the WWE has given him his outright "realease" or simpy used some other clause in his contract to keep him from working actively. The contracts these guys have are pretty labyrinthine affairs