I see that you are not currently registered on our forum. It only takes a second, and you can even login with your Facebook! If you would like to register now, pease click here: Register
Once registered please introduce yourself in our introduction thread which can be found here: Introduction Board
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
The EC - “We are now drawing closer to the Platinum induction, but first, we asked our council to vote in one on-screen character this year. He could be a manager, announcer, commentator, interviewer, or even an authority figure. The man that was chosen not only scored the most points out of any nominee in the entire voting process, but also beat out his next closes contender by the widest margin. Now being inducted into the Pulse Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame for his many contributions as both a manager and an announcer -â€
BOBBY “THE BRAIN†HEENAN
[The fans applaud the honorable inductee as his photos are displayed far and wide across the large video screen.]
The EC - “Heenan initially made a presence in the wrestling world in the realm of AWA as a part-time wrestler and manager, and little did anyone know at the time that he would inevitably turn into one of the most recognized on-screen characters to ever grace the microphone. And despite perhaps being one of the most relatable, sociable men in the backstage area, his heel aura oozed out inside the wrestling ring and on the microphone, and unlike any other during his age, Heenan was a constant. You could count on him constantly using the slimiest tactics he could, never pandering to the crowd, and winning at all costs. He launched more careers and guided more superstars towards immortality than any other man in this business as a manager, and as an announcer, he kept audiences listening anxiously for his next witty remark. Some say that Bobby is a legend in the industry, but we’re here now to solidify it. So ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased now to induct Bobby Heenan into the Pulse Pro-Wresting Hall of Fame!â€
“However due to a factory error, we could not receive Heenan’s plaque in time for this event, unfortunately. Nevertheless, enjoy this tribute!â€
[We return to the Pulse HOF Memorial stadium. Things are close to coming to close soon, and we’ve got Troy twirling his hair, Castiel playing Pokemon Fire Red on an outdated Gameboy Advanced, ViperRKO slitting his wrists, and Crimson Tide being necessitated by paramedics. The EC once more comes to his spot at the podium.]
The EC - “Now it is, as you all know, time for our platinum induction. This is a man who’s greatness need not be explained, but since we must, I’m glad to hand over the reigns to Fuji Vice, to prelude this man’s induction.â€
[Fuji Vice once more waltzes up to the podium for one final speech.]
Fuji Vice - “There aren't many words that need to be spoken about our next inductee. In fact, some of the words that could be spoken simply don't do him justice. Words like "great", "incredible" and "excellent" are just not enough. To be quite honest, I believe that there would need to be new words created to encompass exactly what this next individual has meant to the wrestling world. Not only was he a consummate in ring professional, he is the very definition of a professional wrestler and what every young up and comer should aspire to. He has held countless championships and been a part of some of the most important moments in wrestling history, but even these accomplishments seem almost pale next to the very aura of the man himself. Capable of transcending the sport of kings like nobody before or since, he truly is nothing more than the man. And as we all know, to be the man, you have to beat the man, but nobody will every truly be able to beat The Nature Boy -â€
RIC FLAIR!
[Vice claps and we quickly cut to a video profiling Flair with some highlights. In between the highlights, we are shown interview clips from random fans on the street, talking about what Flair means to them.]
“For me, Ric Flair at his best is the best wrestler I've ever seen in my life. Not only was he a great wrestler, but a classic personality with tremendous promo ability. My favourite ever match involved Flair: the second in his 1989 trilogy with Ricky Steamboat. And around this time he was having this caliber of match with pretty much everyone he wrestled, whether it was Vader, Sting, Steamboat, Luger, Harley Race to name just a few. Despite him sticking around forever, he still always tried to put on an amazing show for the fans. Perhaps the most telling thing for Flair's ability and commitment to wrestling wasn't his countless classics in the late 80's, but looking back to his final WWE run: despite being an old, broken down man whose offense was little more than chops, he still went on to have some tremendous matches against the likes of Triple H, Edge, Mick Foley and Shawn Michaels. He was still having good matches 20 years after his prime. To me, I think he'll go down as quite possibly the best wrestler in North American history and rightly so."
- Stuart
“Memories are a funny thing. Reminiscing can take you places you don't particularly expect. I am a child of the 1980s and was weaned on a combination of WWF and Stampede Wrestling. I was aware of the other territories but rarely got to watch. I learned about the "southern style" from a combination of wrestling magazines and the rare opportunity to watch programming on (old school huge dish) satellite. That athletic, realistic style held a special mystique to me and I suppose it still does. And of all the stars I came to know - Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, Sting, The Rock n' Roll Express, the Midnight Express, Nikita Koloff, the Horsemen... none represented it more so to me than Ric Flair. Even through his first WWF run, the Bischoff era WCW, his second WWF run... even TNA to an extent... Flair has always kept the mystique to me. In so many ways, he has some to represent what professional wrestling truly is to me (good and ill). We have the tendency to toss around terms like Legend, Icon, and Hall of Famer with frequency and openness that has dulled their meaning (sorry Koko) but Flair represents all of those things as their most meaningful. When I think back to the young wrestling fan I evolved from, its not just the WWF that I watched on a weekly basis that invokes that warm fuzzy feelings of nostalgia, but the exotic world of Ric Flair. To me, Flair has and still does represent the best of what it means to me to be a fan of professional wrestling.
[The video package ends and The EC is standing at the podium with Fuji behind him, holding the plaque displaying the face of Flair.]
The EC - “What further description is needed? Why should I need to elaborate on the legacy of this man and his contributions and consistent excellence in the world of wrestling? Must I mention the Steamboat Trilogy? Do I need to remind you of all of Flair’s battles with Macho Man at WrestleMania VII or SuperBrawl VI? Is there any need to recall the instances of Flair’s epic retirement match against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV? I would hope not. I would think that his many accolades, including becoming a 16-time world champion would be sufficient enough evidence of his brilliance and pre-eminence over the wrestling world for a solid two decades, packed with unforgettable promos and bone chilling blockbuster match-ups against the best the world has to offer. Some considered Flair riddled with uselessness towards the end of his run. Many cynics and doubters of Flair felt like he had drawn out his career far worth its worth, but as soon as he was given a chance, o the grandest stage of them all in Orlando, Florida, Ric Flair taught us, and ensured us once and for all that a good fifteen years after his prime, he could still duke it out with the best of them, and deliver an absolutely bona fide five star classic! Flair left us all on the right note, wrestling a match for the ages and leaving a trail of blood and sweat behind him to serve as a reminder of what was, and what will forever be, the greatest pro-wrestling career of all-time. If there is any one of you out there with audacity to try and repute Flair’s excellence, or refuse to acknowledge the divinity that is The Nature Boy, I can only feel upset, because all you are doing is fooling yourself, and robbing yourself of the ability to properly appreciate the glory of Flair, and all the men and women he paved the way for, so that they too could compete in this glorious business that we all know and love. If we are here for one reason, it is to honor those who brought pro-wrestling to new heights and made it into the greatest sporting spectacle in all the world, so it’s only fitting that on this night, we recognize and appreciate the vast superiority that Flair holds over just about all other pro wrestlers, alive or dead, retired or active, or even those who are yet to come. I couldn’t be awarding this honor to a more deserving man. Naitch, you are a wrestling God. You molded the industry and have built those who come after you in your image. Many men have tried to emulate you, those many men have failed. We will never be able to recapture your glory in any other wrestler, but we can pray that those who will eventually join your ranks can at least hold a candle to the extraordinary career that you had, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Ric Flair!!â€
[The fans in all their ranks, ages, and tastes show gratitude for Flair. The EC and Fuji together clutch the plaque and take it to the front of the page, holding it up before putting it in the center of the Hall of Fame display.]
The EC - “That will be it for us, folks. We’ve had some good times, some wild times, some not so flattering times, but had a time, huh? I would like to thank all of you in attendance on behalf of the Pulse Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame committee, and a special thakn you to my co-inductor, Fuji Vice, for lending us his intelligence and wrestling savvy. We’d like to leave you on one.. Final noteâ€
[The lights dim down and soon enough, The EC and Fuji have performed a duet of “Memories Are Made of This†by Dean Martin, preceding the final video tribute of the night, to the impeccable, remarkable, unforgettable Ric Flair.]
Well.. this whole thing turned into a bigger responsibility than I ever expeted. But at the end of the day the entire thing only ran two days late, and I still have two plaques to make, but.. it worked. I don't know whether to be underwhelmed or impressed by the amount of the feedback. I didn't know what to expect, but I liked the feedback nonetheless. I appreciate all those who participated, and especially Fuji who helped things end smoothly. I hope we can do this again next year and have some fun. I'll be sure to do some more planning, and I hope that next round, we get even better inductions and even more feedback and even more love! That's the show folks, I hope you enjoyed.
You'll notice that Ric won the Golden Age class, but since he also won the Platinum class, he wasn't able to be inducted this year. Andre also managed to tie Ric, but the tiebreaker came down to title reigns and the prestige of said title reigns, and Ric took it easily. Furthermore, Sting, Mach and Frank Gotch each got their wins by only 1 point, while Heenan won by a whopping 13 points in his class.
Also, Bruno Sammartino, Dusty Rhodes, Mr. Perfect, Andre The Giant, Macho Man and Ric Flair all got nominations in mutliple categories, while Ric and Mach were the only ones to be inducted.
