Category: Documentary
Watching the DVD compendium, to the very mention of the name, Bret “The Hit Man” Hart, brought back a lot of childhood memories. From his signature catch phrases such as “The Excellence of Execution,” and “The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be” (Lifted from “The Natural” (1984) movie line) to his metallic visor, leather jacket, and even images of “Monday Night Raw” being the only Brand of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) (Known then as the “World Wrestling Federation” (WWF)) out on television every week.
Probably my greatest Bret Hart memory would be an episode of Raw wherein Bret stepped into the ring as his estranged younger brother, the late Owen “The Rocket” Hart and his ex-brother-in-law The British Bulldog (the late Davey Boy Smith) were about to come to blows. Bret took it upon himself to patch his relationship with the two men by focusing on the importance of family and his “It’s us against America” stand. This lead to the birth of the new Hart Foundation which also included another brother-in-law and former Tag Team partner, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart as well as the only American in the group, “the Canadian sympathizer,” the late Brian “The Loose Cannon” Pillman.
During this period in the history of the WWE, recognizable names such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Degeneration X, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin rose to prominence as “faces.” But it was the new Hart Foundation, led by an aggressive, vindictive, and sadistic (by way of an illegal ring post figure-four leglock that Hart would apply on his opponent entangled legs during matches) Bret Hart that I believe carried the show as “heels.” America hated them! But Canada and Europe sure adored the new Hart Foundation!
In the end, despite 23 years in the wrestling business (Stampede Wrestling, WWE, WCW, and various other international productions), I believe that Bret Hart’s career ended prematurely (due to a post-concussion syndrome brought about in 99’ by a Bill Goldberg Mule Kick to the head).
I guess I am still waiting for that magical moment wherein the electric guitar intro of Jimmy Hart’s and JJ Maguire’s famed “Hitman” theme would be blazing over the arena’s PA and out of the shadows would be Bret Hart, clad in his familiar Pink and Black, ready to take on all comers for one final match.
Cheers Bret! Best of luck in your new life and thanks for the memories!
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