New Internet Audio

Just letting you guys know there's a new podcast about wrestling that I'm doing now. It's called Kingsbridge Wrestling Connection. It's slightly less respectful than the work we're doing here, but it's funny as hell. Check it out: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kingsbridge-wrestling-connection/id358635491

Bret vs. McMahon: The real American storyline.

Wrestling has had a small problem in the last few years getting real emotion out of it's fans. A problem promoters always have is that the fans know it's a work, so they have trouble getting emotionally involved in the product. In the last 20 years there have been some exceptions: Shawn Michaels return match in 2002, Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero's title wins in 2004 after working their whole careers being told their too small, and the whole Austin vs. McMahon feud. Besides that, you would have to go back to Austin vs. Bret in 1997 for the last time the WWE had a feud on their hands that really tapped at the human emotion and had the fans forgetting that they are watching a "work." In a different world, under different circumstances Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon could have been the next major long term storyline in pro wrestling.

Vince McMahon vs. Steve Austin was the most successful storyline in pro wrestling, and was insanely simple. Austin was the every day working man and Mr. McMahon, as he was re dubbed, was the evil boss who did everything possible to humble him and make him subservient. Fans loved that Steve Austin would beat his boss up and were really able to live vicariously through him. Bret Hart, if he were able to perform on a weekly basis and were not suffering from major physical limitations would have an equally powerful storyline. A man works hard for his boss for 14 years, he shows up every day, never calls out sick, and on his last day, he does not get a gold watch, but he get humiliated on the way out.

How many wrestling fans feel unappreciated by their boss? More important, how many human beings feel unappreciated by their boss? Bret Hart, no matter how you feel about him can say a few things about himself. He started at the bottom of the ladder. He worked hard and kept his mouth shut. When he finally got a chance to be promoted he did everything in his power to make his boss proud. He never took major time off while under contract. After all that, a good worker expects his boss to tell him how much he has appreciated him and wish him all the best. Instead, Vince McMahon shows what he thinks of Bret Hart's dedication to his job by screwing him out of his pride and dignity on his last night with the company.

While Bret does not have the physical ability to be a top performer in the ring anymore, he can give wrestling fans the storyline finish if Vince and himself fight at Wrestlemania. "I worked for you for 14 years, you screwed me on my last day at the job, and now I'm going to beat you up in front of everyone." Austin vs. McMahon worked for all of the wrestling fans that hate their boss, but Hart vs. McMahon could work for all of the people who wanted to make their boss happy, and they never appreciated it. Unfortunately this storyline can not last forever due to Bret's limitations, but if the WWE plays their cards right, they can still make this one of the most real storylines in a long time.