Rob
04-16-2013, 11:31 PM
Bret Hart recently was interviewed by the Timmins Press, a newspaper in Ontario, Canada. He spoke on several different topics, including the possibility of writing another book and Owen among other things. For your Convenience, here's the article in its entirety.
The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be
By Chris Ribau, The Daily Press (Timmins)
TIMMINS - Sitting across the table from the legendary Bret “The Hitman” Hart was surreal.
Here was the man whose technical prowess in the ring was unmatched.
His gimmick was simple, but the ability he displayed was complex, built up over years and years of grappling in the “Dungeon” under the watchful eye of wrestling's first patriarch Stu Hart.
Hart was in town this past weekend for Gold Rush 2013 held at École secondaire catholique Thériault where more than 550 spectators gathered for an unforgettable night.
“I get some pleasure seeing the young guys and how excited they get,” said Hart. “More wrestlers should give back and help promotions like this.
“So few of them take the time to give back like Hulk Hogan or Ultimate Warrior. They forget where they came from. They forget they were 20 years old once upon a time too. It's a bit of a tradition. I give back because it's in my blood.”
I got to have dinner with Hart Friday night and in doing so, was able to meet my favourite wrestler of all time.
He was easy to talk to, approachable and lucid, which took me by surprise considering he suffered a stroke in 2002 that temporarily rendered him a wheelchair user, and not to mention all the chairs he has taken to the head.
We talked wrestling and we talked about life outside of wrestling, all in all, his honesty was uncanny.
With a career that has spanned decades, Hart has been all over the world.
He was quick to point out that Karachi, Pakistan was probably the worst place he has visited and can you blame him.
Once a slave to his suitcase, Hart explained the formula he uses when it comes to making appearances.
“I don't see myself doing anything permanent because I'm limited in what I can do, plus I don't want to be slave to my suitcase anymore,” said Hart. “It's freeing to pick and chose where and when you want to go. I like doing the odd wrestling tours and shows like this where you bolster young independent promotions.
“It's really nice and can be really fun. I used to be in a lot of different cities all the time and I never got a chance to see them, but now I get to take the time to back for a few days. Lots of times for me, the deciding factor on whether or not I do an appearance of this nature is finding out who else will be on the card.
“Like if Jim the Anvil or Greg Valentine. Hacksaw Jim Duggan is a good friend of mine that I always see, but everyone once and a while an appearance or something comes up and certain guys are going to be there and it's like I'd like to see those guys.
“I appreciate those moments because there is a lot of guys from my era that aren't around anymore. We lost of guys in the last 15 years or so, but there’s still a lot guys around.”
In 1999, the Hart family suffered a devastating loss when youngest brother Owen Hart fell to his death in a real-life accident at the World Wrestling Federation's pay-per-view Over the Edge.
The loss he suffered was immense, which was compounded by the fact that Hart only heard of the news after the fact.
Hart said “he's a man of few regrets,” but in the case with Owen, he's convinced the tragedy could have been averted.
“I'm a man of few regrets, but I do wish that things could have been worked out better, more professionally with WWE and Vince McMahon and that whole problem with Shawn Michaels, especially considering we're good friends today,” said Hart. “It's just sad we had to go through that. I wish I had never left the company only for the simple reason that I think If that screwjob thing had never happened and we worked it out, my guess is that I would probably have left and gone to WCW and come back to the WWE and got right back online and finished my career there.
“I believe wholeheartedly that my brother Owen's tragic death would have never happened if I were in the company. I don't berate myself over it, because it's not something anybody could ever imagine. I do know if I had been in the company, Owen would have come to me for sure and say 'hey, they have this idea to drop me from the ceiling.'
“They had that idea for me too. There was talk about me doing it one time when Shawn did it. I said you couldn't pay me enough money to risk my life to do that. When Owen's accident happened, I didn't actually know about it until after, but I knew the second I heard it, that if I had been there I would have talked him out of that in a couple of seconds.
“I knew Owen was this great wrestler and it wasn't about his entrance. It wouldn't have never made any difference to his career doing that entrance all it did was end his career, his life and it was a bad idea. But that's the way it went.”
Hart's wrestling career began with his love of amateur wrestling.
At Ernest Manning High School, Hart became standout student in the amateur wrestling division and would go on to win significant championships throughout Alberta, which included the 1974 city championships in Calgary.
Hart's dedication and passion to amateur wrestling continues to this day.
Gold Rush 2013 was held in support of the Thériault Lutte (wrestling team) to help offset some of the costs associated with tournaments.
“For me to help amateur wrestling, I can't think of a more worthy way to spend my time,” said Hart. “I'm sure that I wouldn't haven't been the great wrestler in the ring, as far as being a professional, if I hadn't had the background I had as an amateur wrestler.
“You could feel that in my style that I was always had the right background and a good upbringing as far as wrestling went.”
So you can imagine when the International Olympic Committee took amateur wrestling took wrestling out of the games, it didn't sit well with Hart.
“I can't think of anything more stupid,” said Hart. “It's really sad to think one of the purest sports, one of the original sports of original Olympics; maybe the oldest one of them all, is overlooked because it's not interesting enough.
“When in fact, at least in this county there is really an incredible history of great wrestlers that have come out this country. Especially in the last couple of years, like Daniel Igali when he won the gold medal.
“For the Olympic committee to take out is really sad and tells me how far off the mark these people are. You get too many people who try and run sports who don't know anything about them. This is a prime example.”
As far as his professional wrestling career goes, three matches, in no particular order, standout as Hart's greatest, and possibly the greatest of all time.
Wrestlemania 13 when Hart and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin had a war, which resulted in a blood-soaked ring.
It was mostly from Austin's head, which was split open during the debacle.
I still remember the grimace on Austin's faces as he reached for the ropes in an attempt to force Hart to disengage his signature move; the sharpshooter.
Wrestlemania 12.
The Iron Man match between Hart and Shawn Michaels, to this days is considered one of the greatest matches of all time.
Michaels won the match and the championship with a super-kick in sudden death overtime.
Wembley Stadium was the third.
With more than 82,000 screaming fans looking on, Hart squared off against Davey Boy Smith at Summer Slam in 1992.
Hart lost the match, but the impact of wrestling in front of so many fans has stayed with him to this day.
And as he looks on wrestling these days, Hart harkens back to the '90s, an era he and many others consider one of the greatest.
“I think the wrestling from my era was as good an era as ever,” said Hart. “I don't think they wrestle better today then we did in the '90s. Wrestling was more simple and more complex at the same time. It was more clear cut; who was a good guy, who was a bad guy.
“It's funny how the simple things you can do to get reactions in contrast to today's wrestlers who fall through scoreclocks and tables and chairs, you know I like both for what they deliver, but sometimes I like to go back in time.”
For a man who has accomplished much in his career from amateur wrestling medals, to holding WWF/E belts, to writing a book, to acting, you would think there isn't much left for him to accomplish.
Hart confessed he is an avid drawer with aspirations of possibly writing a children's book.
“There's always something to do,” said Hart. “Maybe write another book. Writing a book was one of the hardest things that I ever did. It was really time consuming it took me seven years to write that book and I suffered a stroke in the middle of it.
“I think how tough that was and to sit down to write another one, I think will eventually happen, but it's not an easy job to do. As long as I have something to say it'll be worth doing.
I have a lot of hidden talents. I like to draw and I may do a children's story sometime. Little things like that. It doesn't always have to be big weighty things like books, movies and stuff like that. I always have an open door as far as ideas go. It could be television or it could be something else.”
Whatever he chooses to do, I'm sure it's fair to say, it will be excellently executed.
The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be
By Chris Ribau, The Daily Press (Timmins)
TIMMINS - Sitting across the table from the legendary Bret “The Hitman” Hart was surreal.
Here was the man whose technical prowess in the ring was unmatched.
His gimmick was simple, but the ability he displayed was complex, built up over years and years of grappling in the “Dungeon” under the watchful eye of wrestling's first patriarch Stu Hart.
Hart was in town this past weekend for Gold Rush 2013 held at École secondaire catholique Thériault where more than 550 spectators gathered for an unforgettable night.
“I get some pleasure seeing the young guys and how excited they get,” said Hart. “More wrestlers should give back and help promotions like this.
“So few of them take the time to give back like Hulk Hogan or Ultimate Warrior. They forget where they came from. They forget they were 20 years old once upon a time too. It's a bit of a tradition. I give back because it's in my blood.”
I got to have dinner with Hart Friday night and in doing so, was able to meet my favourite wrestler of all time.
He was easy to talk to, approachable and lucid, which took me by surprise considering he suffered a stroke in 2002 that temporarily rendered him a wheelchair user, and not to mention all the chairs he has taken to the head.
We talked wrestling and we talked about life outside of wrestling, all in all, his honesty was uncanny.
With a career that has spanned decades, Hart has been all over the world.
He was quick to point out that Karachi, Pakistan was probably the worst place he has visited and can you blame him.
Once a slave to his suitcase, Hart explained the formula he uses when it comes to making appearances.
“I don't see myself doing anything permanent because I'm limited in what I can do, plus I don't want to be slave to my suitcase anymore,” said Hart. “It's freeing to pick and chose where and when you want to go. I like doing the odd wrestling tours and shows like this where you bolster young independent promotions.
“It's really nice and can be really fun. I used to be in a lot of different cities all the time and I never got a chance to see them, but now I get to take the time to back for a few days. Lots of times for me, the deciding factor on whether or not I do an appearance of this nature is finding out who else will be on the card.
“Like if Jim the Anvil or Greg Valentine. Hacksaw Jim Duggan is a good friend of mine that I always see, but everyone once and a while an appearance or something comes up and certain guys are going to be there and it's like I'd like to see those guys.
“I appreciate those moments because there is a lot of guys from my era that aren't around anymore. We lost of guys in the last 15 years or so, but there’s still a lot guys around.”
In 1999, the Hart family suffered a devastating loss when youngest brother Owen Hart fell to his death in a real-life accident at the World Wrestling Federation's pay-per-view Over the Edge.
The loss he suffered was immense, which was compounded by the fact that Hart only heard of the news after the fact.
Hart said “he's a man of few regrets,” but in the case with Owen, he's convinced the tragedy could have been averted.
“I'm a man of few regrets, but I do wish that things could have been worked out better, more professionally with WWE and Vince McMahon and that whole problem with Shawn Michaels, especially considering we're good friends today,” said Hart. “It's just sad we had to go through that. I wish I had never left the company only for the simple reason that I think If that screwjob thing had never happened and we worked it out, my guess is that I would probably have left and gone to WCW and come back to the WWE and got right back online and finished my career there.
“I believe wholeheartedly that my brother Owen's tragic death would have never happened if I were in the company. I don't berate myself over it, because it's not something anybody could ever imagine. I do know if I had been in the company, Owen would have come to me for sure and say 'hey, they have this idea to drop me from the ceiling.'
“They had that idea for me too. There was talk about me doing it one time when Shawn did it. I said you couldn't pay me enough money to risk my life to do that. When Owen's accident happened, I didn't actually know about it until after, but I knew the second I heard it, that if I had been there I would have talked him out of that in a couple of seconds.
“I knew Owen was this great wrestler and it wasn't about his entrance. It wouldn't have never made any difference to his career doing that entrance all it did was end his career, his life and it was a bad idea. But that's the way it went.”
Hart's wrestling career began with his love of amateur wrestling.
At Ernest Manning High School, Hart became standout student in the amateur wrestling division and would go on to win significant championships throughout Alberta, which included the 1974 city championships in Calgary.
Hart's dedication and passion to amateur wrestling continues to this day.
Gold Rush 2013 was held in support of the Thériault Lutte (wrestling team) to help offset some of the costs associated with tournaments.
“For me to help amateur wrestling, I can't think of a more worthy way to spend my time,” said Hart. “I'm sure that I wouldn't haven't been the great wrestler in the ring, as far as being a professional, if I hadn't had the background I had as an amateur wrestler.
“You could feel that in my style that I was always had the right background and a good upbringing as far as wrestling went.”
So you can imagine when the International Olympic Committee took amateur wrestling took wrestling out of the games, it didn't sit well with Hart.
“I can't think of anything more stupid,” said Hart. “It's really sad to think one of the purest sports, one of the original sports of original Olympics; maybe the oldest one of them all, is overlooked because it's not interesting enough.
“When in fact, at least in this county there is really an incredible history of great wrestlers that have come out this country. Especially in the last couple of years, like Daniel Igali when he won the gold medal.
“For the Olympic committee to take out is really sad and tells me how far off the mark these people are. You get too many people who try and run sports who don't know anything about them. This is a prime example.”
As far as his professional wrestling career goes, three matches, in no particular order, standout as Hart's greatest, and possibly the greatest of all time.
Wrestlemania 13 when Hart and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin had a war, which resulted in a blood-soaked ring.
It was mostly from Austin's head, which was split open during the debacle.
I still remember the grimace on Austin's faces as he reached for the ropes in an attempt to force Hart to disengage his signature move; the sharpshooter.
Wrestlemania 12.
The Iron Man match between Hart and Shawn Michaels, to this days is considered one of the greatest matches of all time.
Michaels won the match and the championship with a super-kick in sudden death overtime.
Wembley Stadium was the third.
With more than 82,000 screaming fans looking on, Hart squared off against Davey Boy Smith at Summer Slam in 1992.
Hart lost the match, but the impact of wrestling in front of so many fans has stayed with him to this day.
And as he looks on wrestling these days, Hart harkens back to the '90s, an era he and many others consider one of the greatest.
“I think the wrestling from my era was as good an era as ever,” said Hart. “I don't think they wrestle better today then we did in the '90s. Wrestling was more simple and more complex at the same time. It was more clear cut; who was a good guy, who was a bad guy.
“It's funny how the simple things you can do to get reactions in contrast to today's wrestlers who fall through scoreclocks and tables and chairs, you know I like both for what they deliver, but sometimes I like to go back in time.”
For a man who has accomplished much in his career from amateur wrestling medals, to holding WWF/E belts, to writing a book, to acting, you would think there isn't much left for him to accomplish.
Hart confessed he is an avid drawer with aspirations of possibly writing a children's book.
“There's always something to do,” said Hart. “Maybe write another book. Writing a book was one of the hardest things that I ever did. It was really time consuming it took me seven years to write that book and I suffered a stroke in the middle of it.
“I think how tough that was and to sit down to write another one, I think will eventually happen, but it's not an easy job to do. As long as I have something to say it'll be worth doing.
I have a lot of hidden talents. I like to draw and I may do a children's story sometime. Little things like that. It doesn't always have to be big weighty things like books, movies and stuff like that. I always have an open door as far as ideas go. It could be television or it could be something else.”
Whatever he chooses to do, I'm sure it's fair to say, it will be excellently executed.