In Defense of… 04.19.06: Hulk Hogan (Part 4 of 4)
Posted by JP Prag on 04.19.2006
Is Hulk Hogan the ultimate savior of professional wrestling, or is he the worst thing that has ever happened to it? Only you can decide. Every vote counts, and this is your only chance to weigh in on the biggest case of the year!
In Defense of…
By JP Prag
Issue #51
Hulk Hogan (Part 4 of 4)
Intro
Hello people who have waited a year for this issue, and welcome back to In Defense Of…! It's still Passover, but that won't stop me from bringing you more Hulk Hogan. "More?" you say? Why yes, you can check out the rest of our case in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. And while you are at it read Mathew Sforcina's Evolution Schematic of Hulk Hogan Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8!!! I figured I owed the kid I plug since I ripped off so much of his stuff. That, and he groveled at Larry's feet, and that's just wrong.
Don't want to read any of that? Fine! For those new to the concept, this article has a pretty simple premise:
Certain people, events, organizations, and storylines in wrestling history have gotten a bum wrap. Some writers have presented overtly critical comments and outright lies as fact, and others have followed suit. Well no more! "In Defense of…" has one reason: to bring the truth to the wrestling fan!
And that's what I intend to do.
Me? I'm the One and Only JP, and I just wanted you to know how much matzo, hard boiled eggs in salt water, and brisket slow down your insides. Now you know. Are you happy about that?
Old News
Once in while before jumping into a case, I like to go back in time to put myself over. First off, I was in Fact or Fiction last week taking on Ryan Byers. Here's a bit of what went down:
4. The first Thursday Impact will draw at least a 1.3 rating.
JP Prag: FICTION. As much as I love TNA and wish it were true, the highest rating we have ever seen from them is a 1.1. Even if the Ultimate Fighter gets a 3.0 rating, that does not translate into everyone coming over to watch TNA. It is still 11:00pm at night. Also, you need to understand how Nielson ratings are calculated. Since college students (probably the largest group that would watch TNA at that time) are not counted, TNA's numbers are mostly reflected by middle-aged mid-west families. The vast majority of these people have to wake up for work/school in the morning, so TNA with little branding might not keep them awake until midnight.
Ryan Byers: FACT. Though I don't think it will go much higher than the 1.3, if at all. History has shown us that TNA's ratings are strongest when one of two things occur 1.) Sting is in a major role or 2.) there is a strong UFC lead-in. We're going to have both of those factors present on Thursday night, and the UFC lead will probably be the strongest of all time given that last week's debut did a whopping 1.95 household rating. The Sting factor is also as strong as it possibly could be, with his first free TV match in five years taking place. On top of that, there's the Joe/Daniels match that will essentially guarantee all of TNA's core audience tuning in, and the elimination of the Monday night replay will result in more of a "must see" factor for those same individuals. Though my esteemed colleague claims that the rating will be hurt by college students not being factored in, he fails to mention why exactly this would set a ceiling for the rating at 1.1 of all figures.
Although I think that's pretty clear, let me explain. The largest population of people interesting in ultimate fighting and/or that stay up past 11pm are college students. Since college students are not included in ratings, they will not bolster TNA's ratings. TNA will be dependent on (a) people under the age of 18 who live at home (and generally have earlier bedtimes), (b) people over the age of 25 who stay up late and/or don't have to be up early, and (c) people between the age of 18-25 who live at home and don't go to college. That is not a group of people that are going to change viewing habits very easily and/or be available at 11pm on a Thursday. How do I know that? I was right! From the newsboard:
TNA Impact scored a 1.1 rating for this past Thursday's Impact debut, with 1.3 million viewers watching the show. The show was the most viewed in TNA history.
As far as lead in numbers, UFC Unleashed scored a 1.0 rating, and the Ultimate Fighter scored a 1.3 (1.7 viewers), down from the 2.0 debut rating from last week.
So bottom line, I was right to the money. Now expect the rating to hover there, go up a little bit, then go down for a week, everyone to panic and say TNA is going to be cancelled, only to have the highest rating the following week making IWC "experts" scratch their heads.
You see what doing your research can do for you?
One man who did not do his research this week is Ronny Sarnecky who called for the end of the Brand Extension this week… again. Sigh.
Everyone, if you read that, or if you didn't, go back and read In Defense Of… The Brand Extension (Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3). I basically blew every one of his arguments out of the water… SEVEN MONTHS AGO! I did my research, and I'm always sad to see the same old tired arguments, especially with such a weak backup to an even weaker conclusion. A brand losing Lance Storm is not a major loss! You want an argument, this is an argument (from Part 3):
[If you recombine the brands now, y]es, there will be a big pop like at this year's Vengeance when RAW had both the WWE and World Champions in matches. What then? Then every problem still exists.
Does the WWE want to have two touring units? How can you tell the fans that only half of the main eventers can be there? People know who is on RAW and who is on SmackDown!, but if they are combined they will expect both and feel ripped off otherwise. Well, there went the second touring group. How many matches can you fit on a PPV? Somewhere in the neighborhood of eight seems probable. Are those main eventers going to give up those PPV spots to Carlito? Just look at all the stars that were not at Summerslam, and all the titles that were not on the line. There just simply is not room.
And speaking of room, SmackDown! has 40 people listed on the roster and 47 over on RAW. Is there room in a combined WWE for 87 people? Most likely not, which means cutting at least 25% of the lower and mid-card. Where is the future of the WWE then? How can they develop new talent when they have to fire most of them and there are so many main eventers that there is no room to grow?
Besides, a recombined brand does not solve the WWE's deeper problems. Does a combined WWE have a more creative department? No, it will still be the same people writing the shows. Does it make WWE legal more forgiving of alleged trademark infringements? No, the legal department still will not allow Justin Credible and Billy Kidman to walk around with those names. Will cruiserweights be allowed to fly off the top rope? No, Paul London will still get that whiner gimmick. Will wrestlers be able to work to their top ability? No, Doug Basham and Rob Conway will still be told to kick and punch and not show what they can do.
The WWE has other problems that are not so quickly solved with a recombined organization. Nor are those problems any easier to solve with a combined roster. If anything, recombining now will create more problems that will take years to solve, all the while causing several more years of loss after the initial pop.
Why go back now when the upside is just starting to become visible?
Ok, now that that is done, what else is there to do? Oh right!
Stenography
Only a couple of more days left of Passover, but I still haven't invited my stenographer to Seder. Stenographer, why don't you bring us to speed and I'll consider it?
You are awful! Well, in Part 2, we said this about Part 1:
Last week we started crazy case number five of five because the readers demanded it. Or demanded it not be done, which means that it had to be done. Hulk Hogan began running wild over this article, but not in the way you would think.
You see, long before the "birth" of Hulkamania in 1984 (a disputed point we'll get to), Hulk Hogan was a man named Terry Bollea. Terry was mostly un-athletic growing up, weighing 195 pounds by the time he was 12. When the family relocated to Tampa, FL about when Terry was 14, his life changed. He got involved in a Christian Youth Ranch which helped bring his life into focus. He began to work on his interests in guitar and baseball more seriously than he ever had, becoming quite proficient at both. And most importantly: he discovered a gym and began to sculpt his body was flabby nothingness to one of the most defined bodies in the world at that time.
But Terry was not satisfied with just having cultivated his body, spirit, and interests, he also wanted to cultivate his mind. It was with his innate determination that he enrolled in college to study business.
Despite his wants and desires, college and life were expensive for the poor Hogan, but that would not stop him. Although involved in body building, that would not pay the bills, so he was also a full-time bank teller, part-time bouncer, part-time musician, and all around busy guy. Terry was determined to make his dreams happen, but more importantly put in all the work necessary to make them happen.
Terry never did get to complete his degree, though, because another destiny came calling. He had become acquainted with the Brisco Brothers, who encouraged Terry to begin training as a professional wrestler, and even sought out a trainer for him. That trainer would be Hiro Matsuda, who promptly broke Terry's leg. Terry wasn't sure what to do next with a broken leg, but continued playing with his band until he heeled up. He then went back to Hiro, earning the veteran's respect and the proving his undeniable spirit.
Under Hiro, the future Hogan (I'm calling him Hogan from now on since we are talking wrestling) not only demonstrated a quick affinity for wrestling, but also for connecting with the audience. That is why a year later (1977) he was able to make his pro debut as… THE SUPER DESTROYER! Wrestling the independents and changing his name around, Hogan realized he was spinning his wheels. As a man determined to get ahead, wrestling seemed to be holding him back from his rock and roll dreams and the ability to complete his education. Having enough for a while, he took a job as a longshoreman for a while. But then Terry Funk came to Hogan and convinced him to rejoin the circuit.
Already three wrestling legends had urged to be a part of the sport. They saw the potential in Hogan, though probably never thought he would transform the entire industry. This trip back into the industry proved worth it as Hogan's stock climbed in the independents, most notably SECW where he eventually captured the South East Heavyweight Title. Of course, through most of this Hogan was a hated heel. Moving on to NWA Georgia in 1978 he even got two shots at the NWA Championship.
Also while in SECW he picked up the nickname "The Wrestling Hulk" and while in Memphis he teamed with the future Brutus Beefcake known then as Dizzy Hogan. Wait… Hulk… Hogan… I thought those were McMahon inventions?!?! Well, it seems like not.
In 1979, the newly christened Hulk Hogan made his way up north to the WWWF. Hogan was doing well and was involved in high profile feuds with the champion Bob Backlund, Tony Atlas, and Andre the Giant. Then, in 1981 something really interesting happened. Hogan was personally offered the role of Thunderlips in Rocky III (well before Vince Jr. came into the picture). Concurrently, Vince Sr. was planning on loaning Hogan out Crockett down in the Carolinas. McMahon wanted Hogan to just be a wrestler and do what he was told, but Hogan knew a golden opportunity when he say one and took it. The two parted ways as Hogan worked on the movie and spent some time in Japan, where he was very well received.
As Rocky III was in post-production in 1981, Hogan returned to the states to join Verne Gagne's AWA. Although he was a heel, the fans took to him, especially after his movie premiered. Hogan would go on to have two title victories for the AWA championship that were reversed on him. Much like with RVD in the WWE today, the AWA refused to pull the trigger on his title win. His frustration with the glass ceiling grew to the point where he could not take it anymore. Instead of just complaining, he headed back to Japan in 1982/1983 and then gave his notice to the AWA.
In Japan, Hogan employed a more mat-based arsenal then most in the states were used to seeing from him, but was even more well received by the Japanese crowd. He became the first every IWGP Champion by defeating legend Antonio Inoki by knockout in the finals of the tournament. The two would together go on to earn the MSG Tag League tournament twice. Hogan also released a rock album while in Japan, well before Rock-n-Wrestling ever existed.
Back home, Vince McMahon Jr. had bought his father's company for an insane upside, but planned on making it the first ever national organization. He lured Hogan back to the States to spearhead this effort. Having seen Hulkamania (before the word existed) running wild in the AWA and Japan, McMahon knew that Hogan was the multi-media star he wanted at the head of his organization. The Iron Sheik then won the title from Bob Backlund, who in turn dropped the title a month later to Hulk Hogan.
It was January 23, 1984, and wrestling would never be the same again.
What else?
Funny you should ask that, because in Part 3, we said this about Part 2:
Revisionist history would have us believe that as soon as Hogan took the title off the Iron Sheik that wrestling and the WWF suddenly took the world by storm. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although Hogan was very popular, he was not an icon and the WWF was not the be all end all of wrestling. First things first, Hogan had to finish his commitments in Japan and lose the IWGP title to Antonio Inoki. Only after he completed these commitments could he turn his attention to the WWF and Vince McMahon's crazy idea of creating a national promotion.
And despite Vince's wishes that he created Hulk Hogan and the characters of the 80's, this too could be nothing further from the truth. You see, Vince Jr. really did not have a the total grasp of the industry like he does today, and had very few of the connections. It was Hogan who helped Vince lure away the great talent from the AWA, WCCW, GCW, JCP, and others. That list included the likes of Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat, Paul Orndorff, Randy Savage, Brutus Beefcake, Jake Roberts, King Kong Bundy, Junk Yard Dog, Greg Valentine, "Mean" Gene Okerland, Bobby Heenan, and Jesse Ventura. It was only with Hogan's help, experience, connections, and wisdom was Vince able to assemble this never before seen roster. Don't let Vince fool you, these men created their own paths long before the WWWF dropped a W. Vince may have some talent at creating stars today, but he was never above stealing them from someone else. Although he may have chastised WCW for the same tactics later in life, it was an incredibly smart business move at the time.
And with the roster assembled, Hogan and McMahon again looked for ways to branch out. Hogan, already the multi-media star (movies, music, and wrestling) was able to help bridge the gap to MTV an the rising stars of the day, most notable Cindi Lauper. Their connection help blossom the Rock ‘n' Wrestling Connection. Hogan's friendship with Mr. T also led to the two working together both in the ring, and at Saturday Night Live before the inaugural Wrestlemania.
All of that paid off when Wrestlemania came around. Though not the first supershow, it was a risk to be shown in arenas around the country on closed circuit TV. Although not very successful by today's standards, it was enough to get the WWF in the black and for Hogan to really boom.
And boom he did: first, onto his own Saturday morning cartoon show. Then on the cover of Sports Illustrated (the first and last wrestler to be in that spot). And then into every type of merchandise you could imagine, from t-shirts to plush dolls to light switches.
Although the Rock or Austin may the highest dollar generating superstars of all time, it has to be put into context. Hogan had one shirt for ten years while the former two had new shirts every six months. Hogan's shirts cost $10 while those guys got to sell for $25. Most of the extra merchandise they had did not exist in Hogan's era. When you add it all up, adjust for inflation and rising prices, and put it per capita and availability, Hogan is by far the best selling champion in history. No contest!
Once Hogan established himself in finality at Wrestlemania III, even the early smarks and naysayer boys had to admit that he was the top of everything. Andre only let people he felt worthy beat him, and he let Hogan beat him in the largest show in American history.
As the years went on, all Wrestlemanias were really built around Hogan. A Wrestlemania was created by turning one of Hogan's friends against him. Also of note is that guys like King Kong Bundy, Roddy Piper, and Ted DiBiase still came to be considered some of the greatest despite never defeating Hogan for the title, that's how powerful a reign he had. The few who did beat Hogan like Savage, Warrior, and Sid were legitimized beyond anything with their reigns.
Also of note is that people hungered for more. They wanted to see Hogan and these guys fight on bigger stages. It was because of this that events like Survivor Series even came into existence. Vince wanted to get Hogan and Andre in the ring together, but not give away another one-on-one match until it was time. And that PPV drew 21,300 people to the arena and a 7.0 buyrate at home. An excellent move.
As the 80's became the 90's, Hogan was also getting more involved in movies and less involved in defending his title. He was not just starring in them, but also producing them, meaning his work was not over when the film wrapped. And sure, they were not huge box office smashes, but no one expected them to be. They were just lighthearted family movies meant to do a little entertaining on a low budget. That is exactly what they did, as they went on to earn plenty of profit to continue to line Hogan's pockets even today.
In 1993, Hogan and the WWF parted ways. Many felt that this was over the Steroid trial or that Hogan planning to jump to WCW. Both of these were proven false as Hogan was just tired of fifteen years on the road and wanted to work on his TV show Thunder in Paradise. It was on the set that Bischoff and Hogan met by happenstance, and that eventually led to Hogan coming to WCW and helping to pull that company out of deep financial trouble. It was with his presence that Time Warner was willing to launch Nitro (a la Sting and iMPACT moving to Thursdays).
Unfortunately, Hogan could only help for so long as his act was not working in WCW nor in the growing modern era. He took some time away, and Vince even offered him a deal to go back to the WWF. But as it happened, at the same time Bret Hart was supposed to become the third man of the nWo, but pulled out at the last minute to sign a new contract with Vince.
When Hogan got word of this, he wondered what his role would be in the new WWF. Bischoff came to visit him just to talk things over, and mentioned how he was in pickle with the 3rd man since Bret was no longer an option. It was then that the two came up with the idea that Hogan could be the third man in the nWo, and a new contract and era was born.
Don't you have anything else to say?
I am so tired! Ok then, this is what happened last issue (Part 3):
Hulk Hogan's turn at Bash at the Beach was one of the most shocking moments in professional wrestling. No one saw Hulk Hogan turning, no one. And no heel turn has ever again made such an impact. Fans literally pelted the ring with garbage, truly angry in the most kayfabe sense of the word. Not even Austin's heel turn years later you come close to this level of shock. That felt contrived, this was natural. Hogan was upset with the fans becoming indifferent and belligerent to him, and his heel turn was a way to represent his true feeling about the situation.
And this heel turn propelled the nWo into a major storyline and brought Nitro to record ratings. Just seven weeks after the turn, Nitro broke the 4.0 barrier for the first time (with a 4.2 cable rating), a first for wrestling and a level thought impossible. A year to the day later, in a non-head-to-head night Nitro scored the first ever 5.0 rating (while RAW a few weeks earlier in a non-head-to-head night scored a 4.1). Hogan, the nWo, and WCW literally redefined wrestling, creating the anti-hero, the cool heel, and most everything that would eventually morph into "Attitude" and help lead to the second genesis of modern wrestling.
Meanwhile, everything old was new again. Evil Ric Flair, Giant, Roddy Pipper, and Kevin Sullivan were the heroes trying to destroy Hulk Hogan. It was a crazy time, one fresh and exciting every week.
Yet despite this, many still blame Hulk Hogan for the death of WCW. They say Hogan's speeches sunk ratings, yet his any appearance he made actually popped ratings, even just talking. His talk with Warrior in the ring that is long hated scored a 6.4 rating to RAW's 3.1.
So if it wasn't his drawing ability that killed WCW, what was it? Many claim it was his creative control clause. First off, what writer or booker can possibly think to tell Hulk Hogan what to do in the ring and what to say? The man defined the term "superstar" and became the first true national and international champion, even more so than in the 1920's with the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship. Second off, Hogan was willing to do any program, so long as there was a plan for him afterwards.
In the Vince Russo Era, Russo thought older guys like Hogan were not the centerpiece of the company and wanted to put younger talent. Hogan was fine with that idea, and lost to Billy Kidman twice. Leading up to Bash at the Beach 2000, Hogan was challenging Jeff Jarrett for the World Heavyweight Championship (we might have said defending instead of challenging, typo!). Earlier in the day, Hogan asked Russo what the plan was for him after the match (which Hogan was scheduled to lose). Russo had no plan for Hogan, and Hogan was furious.
Hogan did not want to be out of a job, so he invoked his creative control clause to change the ending of the match. It was nothing personal against Jarrett, it was just business. He had never used the clause to change the ending of a match before, but this was necessary to survive. It made no difference, as Russo had Jarrett lay down in the ring and then broke kayfabe to lambaste Hogan, leading to a defamation of character case still outstanding today.
But that does not matter as only one thing killed WCW: AOL Time-Warner. When ATW decided to cancel the highest rated show on all their networks (a year after Hogan left) when they already had a buyer lined up in Fusient Media Ventures, that killed WCW. WCW still had the ability to be a viable brand (as the rebounding ratings and slower rate of loss showed), but ATW and one of their stooges who was close to Vince McMahon engaged in some shady shenanigans in order to make that deal fall apart. That alone killed WCW, nothing else.
For a while, Hogan stayed quiet, depressed that what Russo said about him might be true. But he got back in shape, helped Jimmy Hart with the XWF, and got someone else's attention: Vince McMahon.
McMahon decided to bring back the nWo of Hall, Nash, and Hogan in his feud with Ric Flair, except they were watered down as the establishment and not a renegade promotion (Vince never understood what the nWo was). But funny thing happened: no matter how evil Hogan was, even to the beloved Rock, the fan loved him! This all culminated at WrestleMania where Rock and Hogan had to do a double turn in the ring based on fan reaction alone. In the real world, Hogan felt new life. The red and yellow was reborn—Hulkamania was back!
After defeating Triple H for a one-month reign as Undisputed Champion, a humbling pass out loss to Brock Lesner on SmackDown!, a return for a program as Mr. America, Hogan and the WWE parted ways over money. In the end, it's still a business, and Hogan—despite everything he does have—does need to be paid his worth.
What is his worth? Well, Hogan Knows Best weekly scores a first run of a 1.3 (showing Hulk Hogan by himself draws more than the entire TNA roster [1.1 last week]), while reruns do 0.9 ratings. In three normal runs of his show, Hogan does a 3.1 rating, which is almost as high as a single night of RAW. Not bad at all.
Despite the argument over money, Hogan and the WWE have maintained a decent relationship, including Hogan coming back for a short program with Shawn Michaels and getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. When there is good business there for both the WWE and Hogan, you can bet he'll be around.
Yet, there are those who would argue that Hogan would have been nothing without his steroid abuse. Well, last issue we laid bare a lot of the testimony from the trial. Here are some points to take away:
- Hogan used to go to his doctor that prescribed him steroids for all of the normal reasons you go to a doctor
- Hogan did not use steroids to grow in size, but used them to heal injuries, as they were intended to be done
- Steroids were not illegal substances at the time and he obtained all of them with a prescription that he thought was legal
- He never distributed steroids, only gave them to other people who were prescribed them who would later give him the same amount back later, kind of like bumming a cigarette off a friend
- Vince McMahon did not pressure him or anyone else to use steroids
- Hogan never experienced roid rage or any of the other common symptoms of steroid abuse because he used them responsibly and knew how to cycle off based on schedules and his body heeling using the drugs as intended
- When his wife became pregnant, they agreed that Hogan would completely cycle off for good, and he did
- Hogan's arms were just as big in 1994 when facing Ric Flair, years after completely cycling completely off
There was a lot more than that, but… hey, look over there!
What? Oh… damn it, Stenographer escaped. Ah well, that pretty much wraps up the career of Hulk Hogan. Now what did I miss en route?
Here comes the prosecution!
Ten pages in and we can start new content. But I'm not even going to start! I asked you, the readers, last week what were some items that made you hate Hulk Hogan that I did not cover. Here they are (and whoever said them first gets the billing, sorry if you are not here). First up is someone many of you will recognize, fixxer315 who said:
1. Curt Hennig is scheduled to win the Royal Rumble in 1990, but Hogan pushed to get it changed to him winning.
That was never the plan at all. Curt Hennig had been in the WWF since 1988 and was still a very young man. He had a year-long undefeated streak that ended in an early shot at the WWF Championship against Hulk Hogan. Think of this as when John Cena faced Brock Lesner for the WWF Championship early in the former one's career. It was a huge push just to get a shot, nonetheless against the best. As the months were moving on, it became obvious that Warrior was becoming the huge face of the company. Hogan, wanting to take a smaller role and film more movies, agreed to move to the side. In order to build that match at WrestleMania VI, Hogan won the Royal Rumble to set up the initial confrontation, defeating the last man in the ring Mr. Perfect.
So just two years into his WWF career and Hennig had already gotten numerous title shots and proved he could hang with Hogan, a la Pipper, DiBiase, Bundy, Hercules, et al.
And please take into consideration the WWF booking strategy of the time: the WWF title was to he held by a face for a long period of time who did more showmanship than wrestling. The Intercontinental Title was for those who were good enough to be champion but they just couldn't have them win the belt. And so when Warrior won the WWF Championship off of Hogan, Curt Hennig was the one to win the tournament for the vacant title.
It was never a depush or a plan by Hogan, it was a plan by Vince and the WWF to transfer the WWF Championship to Warrior, phase down Hogan, and give Hennig the reward he deserved without disrupting the top of the card.
Next!
2. Hogan pulls one of the most crass political moves ever as he walks out of WM9 with the world title, making Yokozuna and Fuji look foolish by challenging him after just winning the title. He then takes a vacation with the belt, rarely appearing on WWF TV until his KOTR defense. He is supposed to drop it to Bret at Summerslam, but Hogan refuses, so McMahon pulls the plug on Hogan's run and has Yokozuna squash him at KOTR, and that's the last you see of Hogan on WWF TV for about 9 years. (That wouldn't be the last time Hogan screwed over Bret, but I'm not gonna get into Starrcade 97
The WWF was in a bad position come WrestleMania IX. The steroid scandal was in full bloom, business was way down, and nothing seemed to help. Vince came to Hogan as a desperation plea to help out his company. The problem was Hogan already had a crazy schedule with starring and being executive producer of two movies while also preparing for his new television show Thunder in Paradise. It was a mistake by Vince to put so much on Hogan when Hogan was not available. Anyway, Hogan's contract was coming to an end, and Vince decided it was worth pulling the plug on the reign early in order to get the title back into the main picture. He did not refuse to job to Bret Hart, it was just timing. Hogan's contract did not go until SummerSlam, and he was already scheduled to start filming Thunder in Paradise episodes. So he dropped the title back to Yokozuna, definitely not making him look foolish then, and then going on to film movies. As we covered in Part 2, Hogan did not leave the WWF to avoid putting over Bret or go to WCW, but he went to film his new TV show. He thought he was done with wrestling until he met Eric Bischoff months later.
What else?
3. Hardly ever defending the title while in WCW, at least not in the pre-Nitro days.
This is the same story. Now we are just jumping ahead a few months. Hogan has signed a limited engagement contract because the intention was to use Hogan to bolster WCW but also allow him time to do his show and movies. And that is exactly what he did! WCW's ratings and buyrates hit new highs. Besides, Nitro was launched while Hogan was champion. His presence was one of the reasons WCW got a Monday night show. He even jobbed in a non-title match to Arn Anderson on Nitro. It was just a timing and booking decision by Bischoff to bring WCW to a new level, and that is exactly what happened.
Can we try a different story?
4. Using his backstage stroke to bring in all off the WWF castoffs whose gimmicks were getting old even in the early 90s. (Earthquake, Duggan, Ed Leslie, Honytonk). Come on--Ed Leslie headlining Starrcade? The end result was to push many of the traditional WCW wrestlers to the side, as Sting didn't see the main event from mid 94 until late 95 unless he was tagging with Hogan. Flair couldn't be shunted aside as easily, but he was made into Savage's bitch. And all of the up and coming talent such as Pillman, Austin and Johnny B Badd were either removed outright or were put into supporting roles.
You have this backwards. Remember back in Part 1 where we talked about how Vince used Hogan to make contacts with all the stars of the AWA, WCCW, JCP/NWA, etc… and then lure them over? Pretty much the same thing. Bischoff was looking for more recognizable names to bolster WCW's roster. Do not forget how many people WCW lost from 1991-1993, a loss they were still recovering from. Bischoff wanted names that may or may not bring people in, but at least were recognizable. How they were used after that is not Hogan's fault. Sure, he probably wanted some of his friends to come over and have good jobs, but why is that a bad thing? You've never recommended a friend for a job before? These were all qualified people. The up and coming talent were not pushed down the card, and met mixed success later. We can look back now and say, "Oh my god, they were bad to Austin! He didn't get a push because Hogan was a around!" But that wasn't the case at the time. Austin was some blonde haired guy who had not found his niche yet. He was a competent wrestler and was showing some signs that he could be good, but he was no higher on the card nor more important than, say, Ken Kennedy today.
You can't build the second floor of your house without the foundation first. Hogan and the older stars were the foundation that would make WCW strong. Only then could those younger stars grow. It just so happens that none of those three became main event stars in WCW (though only Austin did in the WWF/E), but there are others who were there then and later who did get to become stars because of the foundation that was built, including DDP, the Giant, and later Goldberg. And that's just the main event. Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Steven/William Regal, Booker T… all were able to get the first major exposure in WCW in the years to come because of the foundation and risk Bischoff took through Hogan's contacts.
Next up in Jim Moore with a conspiracy theory:
[T]ry to save face for Hogan for the Fast Count That Wasn't A Fast Count, when he colluded/paid off Nick Patrick to not do the fast count when he pinned Sting at Starrcade.
I believe you are referring to this version of history provided by Wikipedia:
Rather than the triumphant victory that one would expect the most popular wrestler in the company to gain over the hated man he had been chasing for over a year, as Sting had Hogan, the finish was confused and chaotic, with the live audience visibly displeased at the entire spectacle. Hart "restarted" the match, and Sting quickly won the title, but given the circumstances, excitement was rather muted. It is rumored that Hogan paid Patrick a sum in cash backstage before the show in exchange for failing to execute the planned finish, with the intent of protecting Hogan's image. The entire debacle resulted in the title being held up for another Hogan-Sting pay-per-view match, which many WCW fans took as a slap in the face and a hapless attempt to draw additional money to see the result WCW had failed to deliver the first time around.
And that is why sometimes, Wikipedia is a VERY unreliable source. Commentary, psychological analysis, and ex-post facto examination of long term impacts do make a good history book. Anyway, as I learned on Veronica Mars last week, follow the dollar signs.
The first dollar sign was Bret Hart. The Montreal Screwjob was a shock to the wrestling world. Bischoff did not expect that he's be able to get Bret Hart that way, and wanted to strike while the iron was hot. So he brought Hart in quickly without much direction because he just wanted him there. This created the need to get him involved in Starrcade and mess up the booking that had been in place for months. So Bret Hart was a combustible element that most were not used to working with.
Next was what happened after Starrcade. The "controversy" led to the title being held up and a rematch being set. Have you considered that this was just a swerve to get more buyrates. Do you know what the buyrates were for the next PPVs? 1.02, 1.10, and 1.10! Plan successful!
Now, if Hogan really did pay off Nick Patrick, how in the blue hell did he maintain a job in WCW for four more years and then be one of five refs to survive from WCW in the WWE. Even Earl Hebner got fired in the WWE, so how could Nick Patrick, if he were that corrupt, actually survive in these jobs. How could this be the only time he's allow this to happen?
And why would Hogan pay him off? Why not just use his creative control clause and change the ending of the match? He already had it in his contract!
Now, I cannot speak for Nick Patrick, and he has never spoken aloud about it. Did me mess up and forget that this was the time to count fast? Or was this the story to set up more Hogan/Sting and eventual move a heel Hart (who don't forget was a heel coming from the WWF and didn't exactly make his intentions clear in WCW for almost his entire run) into the mix? I can only speculate on that. But Hogan paying him off? What would be the point and the actual possibility? Too crazy of a conspiracy for my tastes.
Manu Bumb brings us back to reality:
You kinda glossed over that whole part where Hogan lost to Lesnar on SD, then disappeared for a long while, at first to sell Lesnar's brutality, but eventually, didn't they have a problem causing hogan to walk away sometime after that match, and before he returned to SD (prior to NWO and his WM match vs Vince)?
I did gloss over it for time purposed but touched on it in the stenography because you and a few others mentioned it. But the bottom line is money and contracts. Vince and Hogan could not agree on how to use Hogan and what to pay, but eventually came to an understanding. In the end, Hogan is still a businessman and knows his best product is himself. He does not need to work and will do it for the right fun and the right dollars. But not without a good combination of both. Since he came back after that, this point is rather moot.
After that I heard from Steffan Jones in the UK who just needs me to answer one thing before he votes Not Guilty:
[O]ne issue i still have with Hogan which I'd like to you to answer is that i read in the UK's Powerslam magazine that HBK agreed to put over Hogan at Summerslam as long as Hogan returned the favour at Unforgiven. After Summerslam Hogan basically blew them off, and refused to put HBK over and work Unforgiven for some reason or other. I'm a true HBK mark, so i gotta say, i view this as just plain bad sportsmanship, as HBK did a hell of a job putting Hogan over. Also, i heard it's written into Hogan's contract with WWE, that whenever he appears on a WWE ppv, he always has to be the highest paid wrestler on the card, even if it's just a quick mid-card run in, like WM 21. How can he justify this if he's only making a one off 10 min appearance in the mid-card?
Hogan's contract with the WWE was only through the match at SummerSlam, that is it. He never agreed to further matches and actually was quite busy trying to get his daughter's music career going. The whole point of Hogan Knows Best is to give his daughter publicity (and its working), and that is why she seems like the main centerpiece of the show—because she is! He may have verbally agreed to coming back, but life and offers take you by surprise. Just a couple of months later and Hogan was on the set of Little Hercules (where he twisted his ankle and was on crutches).
Hogan does not have many matches left in him. His injuries, replaced body parts, and needs of his family means that he cannot just keep coming back to win and lose matches. He has no problem losing, as demonstrated by losses to Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle (by tap out!), but he will not just come back for a match he's already had. He wants to wrestle Steve Austin, as he challenged him at Homecoming and teased it at the 2006 Hall of Fame Ceremony. That is his concentration now, not returning a "favor" to Shawn Michaels, a favor that Michaels does not need. Is Shawn going to be less over because of his loss to Hogan? Nope, it does not seem so. Hogan never got his win back over Goldberg, and never would have got it over the Warrior if Warrior had not come to WCW. He'll never get his back over Brock Lesnar! So Shawn has one person he's never defeated, it's no big deal. Magnum TA will never defeat Ric Flair, it does not take away from his career.
As for being the most paid person on the show, that is not what happened. It just so happens that on some shows he may be the most paid person on the show. But show pays are based on a number of things. First, there is the base pay. Most contracted WWE wrestlers have lower base pays than in the past, but Hogan only signs contracts with a high base. He will not be dependent on match residuals. And that's where the rest of the money comes from. First, there are the buyrates, of which wrestlers on the card get a cut. Then there is the actual gate and merchandise. This is where Hogan kills others. Despite the years, when Hogan's merchandise is available in the arena and he is there, it tends to be the top, if not near the top, of the sales list. And Hogan, due to his knowledge of contracts and his value, gets a higher cut of his revenues than other wrestlers like John Cena. While the WWE owns and copyrights everything John Cena related, Hogan owns almost everything related to his image and the WWE has to pay him to use his likeness in that way.
So yes, given the correct variables, Hogan could be the highest paid person at the show, it is very possible. But it is all dependent on Hogan being able to draw and sell himself, not just on the base pay of the contract.
All right, any other prosecutors?
Only repeaters of same or similar issues and Andrew F. accusing Hogan of vicariously creating Randy Savage's rap career, but that's for another day. There's also still the question of the relationship between Hogan and Hart, so I'll get to that first…
Do you have a Hart?
A lot of people claim that Hogan and Hart have a terrible relationship, and that Hogan has always held Hart back. They claim that throughout his career, Hogan has done everything possible to hold Hart back and Hart despises him for it.
The problem? Bret Hart totally disagrees. From Bret Hart's Calgary Sun article on June 8, 2002:
Hulk Hogan.
He hasn't changed a whole heck of a lot from the way he was the first time I met him back in ‘79.
The first time I met Terry Bollea we were both working for Georgia Championship Wrestling, which eventually evolved into the WCW.
Back then he was known as Sterling Golden. He was very green. And very impressive. On the day I left Atlanta to come home I knocked on his door to say good bye and told him if he ever wanted to learn to wrestle he was welcome to come up and work for my dad any time. He thanked me, and meant it, saying he'd keep it in mind.
The next time I saw him was in Japan. He'd just shot his cameo for the Rocky III movie and was on the verge of mega - stardom that nobody could have even begun to imagine.
Still the same guy.
When I started with the WWF, in August of ‘84, he was on his way to being, without question, the biggest name in the history of wrestling.
I can remember, even during the glory days of Hulkamania, how Terry would come into the dressing room and say hi to every single wrestler. Every night he headlined there was a sell out and throughout the night all the wrestlers would come up to him and whoever his opponent was and thank them both for the house, for putting food on their tables and making wrestling something worth respecting.
I can say that Hulk Hogan was not only a hero to millions of Hulkamaniacs, but to all the wrestlers too.
If Vince McMahon was Julius Caesar, then Hulk Hogan was Alexander the Great.
I remember one time at an airport, in about 1987, when Hulk signed one autograph after another to the point where it took him 45 minutes to get to the gate. They were closing the doors as he was boarding the plane and this one fan asked him for his autograph. He said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I can't, I'm gonna miss my flight ..." and he got on the plane. I was right behind him and I heard a bystander flippantly remark, "Just like I figured. I always thought he was a jerk." I thought to myself, that person has no idea how many autographs he just signed. Being a hero like Hulk Hogan it's hard to make everybody happy but for a guy that's been wrestling as long as he has he's certainly done a heck of a job.
Hulk was especially considerate of me when I joined him in the WCW.
I saw him a few days ago at Davey's funeral and despite the sad backdrop it was nice to catch up on things.
So then I opened up my paper and saw a picture of Hulk, taken in Calgary, with a fifteen year old girl named Amanda Marqniq who dreams of being a pro wrestler but needed a heart transplant.
It brought back what I remember most about Hulk Hogan, even more than his feats as a great wrestler. The countless times the office came to get him from the dressing room to make the wish of a sick or dying child come true. Despite the fact that he was pulled in too many different directions and had little time for himself or his family, Hulk always had all the time in the world for kids who needed him to be their hero. He somehow knew just the right things to say. It was never a burden to him. If anything, it gave him a sense of real purpose. I've always tried to follow his example.
In Friday's paper I read how Amanda has now gotten her new heart. I thought I might just give Hulk a call and let him know. He'd be happy to hear that.
Some things in wrestling have always been real and Hulk Hogan is one of them.
That sounds like a man who respects and admires Hulk Hogan, not only as a wrestler but as a human being. And notice about that remark about Hogan helping Hart in WCW? If Hart believed for a second that Hogan had paid off Nick Patrick or any other such thing, he would never say such a nice remark. Hart has never been one to pull punches, and if he had something to say against Hogan he would say it.
Sure, Hart would have liked to get that big one-on-one match with Hogan for the championship, but due to many reasons that we have covered it just did not happen. I understand that we are angry that we'll never get to see this dream match, but that is no reason to take it out on Hogan. The hands of fate and time do not make a man guilty of crime, and we cannot hold Hogan responsible because too many events did not align.
All right, with the big questions out of the way, one huge one remains…
Can Hogan wrestle?
The title says it all. Can Hulk Hogan actually wrestle? We've touched on his training and some specific matches, as well as how he thinks of showmanship over athletics. But what about his actual in-ring prowess?
For the first time in In Defense Of… history I submit video evidence for the jury. Below you can see video evidence of Hulk Hogan performing submission move after submission move rarely if ever seen in the US. Oh, and Muta kicks out of the Atomic Leg Drop! The video is made available courtesy of Youtube is also available here.
Just goes to show you: Hogan could wrestle and chose not to. Doing less moves elongates the career. Like I've said previously, why do a bunch of crazy moves when one punch can have the crowd eating out of the palm of your hand?
Now what?
So what is Hogan up to today? He spends most of his energy working on his daughter's music career, of which she recently signed a record deal. He is helping his son find direction and meaning in life. He is keeping his wife happy. He is starring in the highest rated show on VH1. He's in Arby's commercials. Hogan is still in demand, and will be for years to come.
He is the immortal one…
Hulk Hogan is a man who at least twice revolutionized wrestling. He ushered in the ages of Rock ‘n Wrestling and "cool to be bad". His presence has done more to define what it means to be a wrestler, and what the wrestling industry is. He has saved two companies from death. He has traveled the world defending his titles against the best the world has to offer.
Hulk Hogan has been the largest drawing wrestler of all time and created the true definition of the multimedia superstar. No one has been able to truly reach the cross-culture iconic status that Hulk Hogan has set. Maybe no one ever will.
Yet despite all this there is hatred for the man. People question his place in wrestling history, they question if he is still valid today. They look at and older man today who does a few brief appearances and retroactively add it to the past. Forgotten are his great glories and in their place are events that never took place.
As a man who has been in this industry for so long, rumors run rampant. Most are untrue, and have long been proven untrue, yet they continue to this day.
Why? Why do these rumors persist?
Because when a man gets so big, so great, there are those that inevitably want to tear him down.
Some were peers who could never reach his level. Others were outsiders who felt that their heroes deserved placement above this showman.
But nothing they say can ever take away from the truth.
Hulk Hogan is beyond the sport of professional wrestling. He's beyond famous. He's beyond legend.
Hulk Hogan is one thing:
Immortal.
The defense rests.
Hung Jury
Well everyone, that wraps up our twenty-third case (and last one of the year). So what do you think?
And please take into consideration the rules (well, they're more what you might call guidelines than rules) of a fair court system:
(1) All parties, events, circumstances, etc… are innocent until proven guilty. In this court, the defendants have already been found guilty without trial, and so therefore this is an appeals court. Finding a defendant guilty means you disagree with the evidence presented.
(2) The jury must find the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt. That means that if there is doubt in your mind that the defendant is guilty, then you cannot find the appellant guilty. Reasonable doubt means that the average person, looking at the facts presented, could not find the defendant guilty on all counts despite personal feelings.
(3) This is a court of fact, not fiction. Fantasies of what could have been or should have been do not fly here; especially fantasies of the impossible (such as a wrestler not getting injured at an untimely moment). All we have is what did actually occur and the intentions of those being accused.
(4) A defendant cannot be judged by events outside the case at hand. For example, if we were trying a particular contract signing by a wrestling promoter, you cannot use that ten years later that wrestler died from a heart attack relating to the drug use that the wrestler started when he signed with the promoter. One has nothing to do with the other in terms of the case at hand.
(5) You do not have to like the accused before or after the case at hand, and a vote of not guilty does not change your personal preferences. You can make it clear that you feel the accused is the worst thing you have ever seen, but if the facts compel you to see that the accused cannot be found guilty beyond reasonable doubt, then voting guilty would be unconscionable.
Keeping the rules of this court in mind…
IN THE CASE OF THE IWC VS. HULK HOGAN, HULK HOGAN HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING A DREG ON THE SPORT OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING WHOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN GROSSLY EXAGGERATED, ESPECIALLY BY HIMSELF. HE HAS DONE MORE TO HURT WRESTLING THAN EVER TO HELP IT, AND HIS CONTINUED PRESENCE IN WRESTLING ONLY DISRUPTS THE INDUSTRY OVERALL.
Wow. That's all I can say. Wow. This was quite the case. My head is just hurting thinking of all the research, reading, disseminating, and screening I did. Think of it this way: for every source I quote there are probably fifteen other sources I read/watches/listened to for reference or found nothing vital in. Now multiply that out for four issues. I'm looking forward to the results and taking a nice long nap!
Well that's it kids! We did it! A year of cases, not a week missed. It's been a wild and crazy ride so far, and I've really enjoyed it. But fret not, there are plenty of cases to go! But not next week. Next week we take a break from the normal routine and take a look at all the criticism I get. That right, when we return it is: In Defense of… In Defense of… (Part 1 of 1)!
In the meantime, be sure to check out Hidden Highlights—the most positive article in the IWC, as voted on by you, the readers! Don't forget to send JT and I your Hidden Highlights for RAW, SmackDown!, Heat, Velocity, Impact, or any other show you saw this week (that includes house shows and indy events, you know)!
Until then, the next time you read some throwaway line presented as fact, challenge it. The truth matters, and you have a right to know.
Know a particular person, event, organization, storyline, etc… in wrestling history that needs a defense? E-mail the One and Only JP at lookforme@mikefine.com, and I'll be glad to hear your case.
