A lot of history came together on November 9, 1997, as WWF headed perhaps into the most anticipated PPV on the inside of the business in the company’s history up to that point. What took place on that cold day in Montreal would be talked about for years to come, and was to become the most controversial topic in the history of professional wrestling.
Although the infamous Montreal Screwjob took place in November of 1997, the saga between Vince McMahon and Bret Hart began more than a year before that. It all began on Saturday, October 20, 1996, where we find our hero, the man that kids idolized for years, and Americans learned to love to hate later on, in a San Jose, CA hotel room. He’s about to make the most important decision in his professional career, as well as perhaps one of the most important decisions in his life. In front of him sits an offer from Eric Bischoff and WCW, which sees tons of money the likes of which only Ted Turner’s organization could have offered in the business at the time, combined with a lighter work schedule, a bright future, and even the possibility of accomplishing a life goal of Bret Hart’s – a shot at a movie career. As the hour wane, Kevin Nash tries his best to back up Bischoff’s offer, telling Bret how good life is down-south, how the lighter schedule is much better, and how secure his future is going to be if he joins them. On the other hand stays the man who gave Bret his shot and major break-through in the business – Vince McMahon and his WWF. He was also the man that Bret had worked for in the past eleven years of his career, and had developed a strong bond with. Vince’s offer was the now infamous 20-year contract, which would give Hart approximately $1.5 million per year as an active wrestler, and only three more years of wrestling at the very top spot in the company, after which he was to retire and work in the very front line in the office for a lesser, but still solid, amount of money, for 17 years guaranteed. An additional clause of creative control over his storylines was offered. McMahon was basically offering Hart to be WWF for life.
Trying to go back in time, it’s hard to imagine what was going on in the mind of Bret Hart. Here he is, recognized as one of the best workers in the business by many, with offers piling up on him, one after the other. Any human being would think that such a situation would result in nothing but pleasant decisions. However, just try to put yourself in Bret’s shoes for a moment. Eleven years. That’s a lot of time. Bret had been on the road for McMahon’s WWF for eleven years, on a grueling schedule, which was getting even worse in the past couple of years thanks to WCW’s competition. Hart was known to be one of the toughest guys in the industry. Since 1985, when he started with WWF, he had missed only two shows. That, in itself is a huge accomplishment in the wrestling business. Imagine how that feels at age 39. All the bumps, all the stretches, all the bruises – night after night; day after day; week after week; year after year. Hart wasn’t one to complain. In his mind his job was simple – show up, carry on as planned, do as told. The one thing that he put all of his energy in was what perhaps many others should do – his performance. He made sure that he gives 100% of himself to the audience every night he was wrestling. Stu Hart’s attitude and grasp of life had been passed over to the next generation.
How do you pass on a deal that guarantees you tons of money, a much lighter schedule, and perhaps a better future (definitely a secure one) with a company whose ratings keep increasing through the roof, and with a company who at this point in time is the clear winner of the most brutal war in the history of the business? It’s tough to pass on such a great opportunity. The likes of Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Hulk Hogan could certainly describe what it was like to be in WCW, as compared to WWF. But for Bret Hart, it was never the money. It was never the fame, or glory that came with the job. It was always the respect and appreciation for the business, for the profession, and for the people close to him. His father taught him to respect what he does, and he loved every second of it, whether it was a match of the unknowns with Dennis Stamp in 1976 (Hart’s debut) in front of a small shy crowd, or sixty unforgettable minutes of action at WrestleMania in 1995 in front of thousands of people – the purpose was always the same – excellence of execution.
After all was said and done, it only made sense that Bret stayed with WWF. He showed his true colors, and what he was all about. He remained loyal to the man he could call a friend in ’96, and to the company that made him. He stayed where his heart belonged, and wanted to help build up the company to the top again. That was the type of individual he was…
At least in the eyes of everyone, but Vince McMahon. The “bond” that was created over the past twelve years ended in 1997. McMahon told a shocked Hart on September 22, 1997 before the RAW tapings in Madison Square Garden that they will breach his contract because they simply can’t afford it. He added that Bret should sign with World Championship Wrestling and take their best offer right away. Shocking. It had become clear up to that point that McMahon had to shift his gear in a new direction, as WCW was winning the war. Shawn Michaels and D-Generation X, alongside Stone Cold Steve Austin seemed to be the direction to go. There was simply no room for the traditionalist that was Bret Hart. The man, whose gimmick was to be a hero to be looked up to just couldn’t fit in with a guy whose #1 gesture was the middle finger, and whose favorite thing to do after matches was to smash beer cans, consume tons of beer, and then pour even more of it on the audience. McMahon tried everything, including a heel turn that everyone seemed to hate, including Bret, but which helped push forward Austin. Only a year later, things between Bret and Vince had made a complete turn. Hart became vocal about the direction of WWF, and he was quite negative; that certainly didn’t sit well with McMahon.
Although Hart was catching on to it, he was still shocked that McMahon was ready to drop him. How can you not be? After having passed the opportunity of a lifetime (as many called WCW’s contracts to the top names at the time) once, he had his life set on WWF. And it was all about to end. “I didn’t feel comfortable doing it,” Hart said of McMahon’s suggestion to join WCW. “I feel like an old prisoner in a prison where I know all the guards and all the inmates and I have the best cell. Why would I want to move to a new prison where I don’t know the guards and the inmates and I no longer have the best cell? I felt really bad after all the years of working for the WWF.” Why was this happening?
Welcome to the business of professional wrestling, where things change overnight and there’s no place for friendship or human emotion. You’re in the middle of a gruesome war. Making more money than your opponent and beating him in every single aspect of the game is your only purpose. Everything goes – dirty tricks, backstabbing, and lies are allowed. In fact, they had become something of the norm by 1997. And here we have this man, this hero, this loyal soldier who refused to change camps for the life of him. He was the one exception from all the “big boys” that refused to play down-south. Sure, many people to this day say that Bischoff tried several times to get The Undertaker to go to WCW, but I am yet to believe it. I feel that it was mostly rumors WWF spread to get Undertaker’s popularity up the sky. Think about it – What good is Undertaker in WCW where he will not be able to use the copyrighted “Undertaker” gimmick? Nobody in the business had known him as anything but Undertaker at the time.
You see, what followed on the night of November 9, 1997, was the direct result of a decision made by a man who lived his entire life by the values, manners, and dedication he had been taught throughout his childhood, and career in the business. Maybe, just maybe, McMahon was right – “Bret screwed Bret.” Any man who dedicates himself to the fullest and lets his faith be sealed in the hands of a wrestling promoter such as McMahon is probably screwing himself. However, that’s the nature of the beast. If it’s not McMahon, it’s Bischoff, right?
Hart did go to WCW. His career was unfortunately ended early, thanks to a lousy kick by Bill Goldberg, and then an unfortunate stroke suffered on June 23, 2002, made it clear that he will never step inside the ring again.
A lot of history came together as well on August 4, 2005. WWE.com posted a picture that shocked everyone who followed professional wrestling in the past decade. A picture that even those who expected to see and were simply waiting on, were still shocked upon seeing. WWE.com had proudly announced that Bret Hart had agreed to be a part of a WWE DVD documenting his life story. The picture below was this one:
What are we to expect? What is next for Bret Hart and WWE? How hard is it to trust someone who once brought the stars down from the sky for you, made you forget about the entire skylight, and then told you to go to the moon a year after that? Such is the romantic tale of Vince McMahon and Bret Hart. It took eight years for Bret to give in and be a part of WWE again. Surely, they could have done the DVD without him and it wouldn’t be called “The Bret Hart Story: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be,” but instead it will be Shane McMahon’s brilliant idea – “Screwed: The Bret Hart Story.” Sure, it wouldn’t have been the story of a man who conquered the world of professional wrestling, performed like no other for two decades, and was recognized as one of the best ever. However, it would have been the story of a man who “screwed himself,” and who had it all, but lost it because he was ready to “sell out.” How quickly things change. The “sell-out” now becomes the best there is, was, or ever will be.
Over the past few days, there has been tons of talk about Hart’s future with the company. Is he back just for the DVD? Is he going to do the Hall of Fame? Will we see him at WrestleMania one more time in some type of special appearance that’s light on wrestling? Or, by God, will the miracle happen – will the blind see, will the deaf hear, will the handicapped walk – will Hart wrestle one last time? Like kids on Christmas, the people have taken their guesses, and have kept the rumor even hotter than it has been over the past eight years. And how convenient is it that Monday Night RAW takes place in Montreal this Monday? And how convenient is it that every biographical DVD has had a personal plug on TV, which logically would lead you to believe to some kind of appearance by Hart?
Don’t fall for it. This is professional wrestling. It’s a spit in the face yesterday, a handshake today, a hug tomorrow, and a kick in the crotch next week. This is the story of two men who if saw each other around noon, and one said “Good day” to the other, the other would look up to see the sun and make sure it’s day. McMahon said on RAW several days ago that he puts everything behind him when it comes to good business. He forgot to add, that he also puts everyone else behind him if it’s for good business, as witnessed eight years ago. I’m sure the DVD will be great, and far as the rest goes – don’t forget where the story began, and what happened. Maybe one day Bret will find himself on WWE television again. Maybe not. Until then, Bret Hart’s story is the same it has been over the past eight years – Screwed, or The Best There Is, The Best There Was, And The Best There Ever Will Be… depending on the mood.
Eddie
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