Wrestlers who gave back and those who didn't
 

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" images="" smilies="" redface.gif="" border="0" alt="" title="Embarrassment" smilieid="2" class="inlineimg"></o:smarttagtype> I’m just thinking about how a lot of wrestlers have died or had their careers end due to injury. It seems like a lot of yesteryear’s talent has vanished almost completely. Of course, then there’s the exceptions like Ric Flair who has been consistently contributing (like it or not) to the newer generations of wrestlers. So, I’d like to make a list of both the wrestlers who didn’t give back and the wrestlers who did and/or still do.<o></o>

Wrestlers who gave back:

• Hulk Hogan, despite the fact that I don’t really like him at all and despite the politics and burnt bridges, Hogan has managed to energize the business long after I would have assumed his fans would have given up. He made a lot of big stars in his heyday like Giant Paul Wight, Lex Luger (to some extent), everyone associated with the N.W.O. and for that I have to give him some credit.<o></o>
• Ric Flair, nuff said.<o></o>
• Sgt Slaughter, helped push a lot of superstars with his sparse returns to the ring in his trademarked Bootcamp matches.<o></o>
• Shawn Michaels, a tremendous athlete who has helped more young talent out than anyone I can think of.<o></o>
• Rowdy Roddy Piper, a personal favorite of mine, definitely did his part to contribute the business.<o></o>
• Bret Hart, continued training the next generation of mat technicians<o></o>
• Taz, has had a definite impact on the sport and continues mentoring the next generation (as he tries to hype them up from the announce booth)<o></o>
• Jeff Jarrett, though I haven’t enjoyed him since his white tights, tassels and bejewled past, he has helped out a sizeable portion of the indie-scene.<o></o>
• Steve Austin, actually goes on both lists, he did a lot to help out the business before getting the point where he can no longer wrestle. As was pointed out to me, he definitely built up Jericho<st1:city w:st="on"></st1:city>, Angle, RVD, Edge before he got to that point. However his current absence is sorely felt around the business.<o></o>
• The Rock, before leaving the WWE for Hollywood Rocky did his best to legitimize the locker room, The Rock lost a lot of big matches before leaving, Lesnar, Goldberg, Angle to name a few. Still on both lists.<o></o>
• Chris Jericho, someone who I can see taking a Ric Flair role down the line, Chris is constantly giving back to the business.<o></o>
• Terry Funk, nuff said.<o></o>
• Mick Foley, man made Triple H look like a monster, has continued to work for the business.<o></o>

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That list of course is not exhaustive.<o></o>
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Those who did not give back to their full potential:<o></o>

• Steve Austin is someone who could have been a sort of mix between Terry Funk and Ric Flair if it weren’t for his forced retirement. If he was still around giving 6-7 matches a year the business wouldn’t be where it is now (in my opinion).
• The Rock, he has so much potential to make a difference in the business but, he has seemingly very little interest in returning some of his momentum to the business that made him.<o></o>
• The Jobber (you know who I’m talking about)…hurt the business with his exit, never returned what he got.<o></o>
• Eddie G.: The business got a whole lot less versatile when this ring veteran passed.<o></o>
• Ultimate Warrior: Halloween Havoc<o></o>
• Brock Lesnar, should be a 9-time world champ by now, left the business on a sour note. Maybe he’ll return after he retires from the UFC? Doubtful.<o></o>
• Goldberg, I don’t blame this completely on the guy but, he ended Bret Hart’s career and because his character was designed to be a no-selling super-monster of the likes John Cena can’t imagine it was nearly impossible to give back to the business.<o></o>
• The Nasty Boys, still mooching off the talent of younger and more deserving wrestlers.<o></o>
• Kurt Hennig/Mr. Perfect, guy still had a lot to offer to the business before he passed.<o></o>
• Jake the Snake, once the go-to guy for promo-work and cerebral matches, now a shambling old addict, a leech on he business.<o></o>
• Glacier…heh<o></o>

what happened here?

How are the Rock, Goldberg, Stone Col leeches? Why would they stay in a business where injuries, deaths occur when they can make a better living doing things that don't result than injuries or deaths? Stupid thread.

just trying to :p:p read this :p:p gave me :p:p:p a headache:p:p:p

BAM! DENNIS CONDREY!

Stop making sense Gertner

Internet went out as I was fixing this...

I don't think that the Rock and Steve Austin are leeches.

Yeah, I heard about Dennis Condrey helping talent. Only things left to do is sign Bobby Eaton to the same deal Condrey has.

Ridiculous.

If Rock and Austin are on both sides (Austin is slightly understandable, but The ROCK?) then Shawn Michaels should be on both sides for the shit he did in the 90s.

The Rock put over so many people IN HIS PRIME. He was a star for like five years and put over a lot of guys in that time frame, this was in the midst of jobbing to Austin too.

Randy Savage should be on the list of guys who 'gave back', for sure.

He stepped up in WCW and worked with plenty of guys to help elevate them - and put a ton of work into said matches. He really became a 'team player' there, so to speak, and helped lift up some guys who weren't established, or were mid-carders, into that main event level.

I'm curious who exactly did Shawn Michaels put over who wasn't already as over as they were going to be?

Franchise
I'm not saying that Austin or The Rock are bad people, I'm just saying their full potential for giving back has not been reached. Austin's will never be reached thanks to his health and The Rock seems like he could be just as happy never wrestling again.

And HBK I agree that he was a dick in his prime but, how much more can he do to give to the business???

Kayfabeman, I agree, he deserves to be added for that but, I feel like he could still have a positive effect in the business.

Who has HBK put over? He's wrestled great matches and all but most of them have been with already established main eventers.

Exactly.

Finally.

Becides Triple H put Shelton over a year earlier.

I do remember HBK jobbing to Davari. He did essentially put over Legacy as viable threats. The only time I recall HBK burying anybody was the Spirit Squad.

Randy Orton?

How the The Rock not give back when he put over Lesnar on his way out, put over the Hurricane and came back and put over Orton and Batista?

He didn't bury people but he never "made" anyone either.

Legacy was already put over as viable threats by their association with Randy Orton, and then moreso with their feuding with Triple H. Shawn Michaels came in for the last third of that maturation process.

Foley put over Orton. The Rock was just in a match at Wrestlemania XX in which Foley took the pinfall.

The Rock did come back to lose which does say something about the guy.

Lol I love how DTTS brings up Hogan as a guy who gave back. When has Hogan EVER put anybody over? He didn't put over Luger one bit. You mean that 1 day title reign that he had only to lose it right back, and it took a "screw job" finish for Hogan to lose it to Sting? Hogan would only lose the belt during contract time or when he knew ratings were about to drop (during the NBA playoffs) so he could point to the low ratings and say that him losing the belt resulted in that. Don't get me wrong I'm a huge Hogan slappy, but he has never given back. He'd come back to the WWE to make short appearences and always win.

[QUOTE=The Show Off;2976500]He didn't bury people but he never "made" anyone either.



I feel like that not an entirely fair comment. I think the greats who give back put guys over and make them look like credible stars, but after that it's up to the guy receiving the push to "make" it. Some take it and run (Orton) others kind of languish (Shelton).

I agree that its up to the talent to make the run themselves and I'm not saying Shawn didn't give a lot to the buisness. Just in his matches and promos alone he gave plenty to the buisness.

However, their isn't one guy that anyone can point out that Shawn put over that wasn't already over.

The guy who went over his wife and son.

The WWE pretends he never existed.

You mean Chrispin Roy?

Maybe you're right...but he did put over Giant, DDP and Piper (though he went over them too). I still feel like his work in the NWO helped the business. And Lex didn't deserve more than a 1-day title reign, that was the only match I have ever enjoyed with Lex Luger in it. And I've always disliked Hogan, even as a kid.

Giant was really the only guy Hogan really "made."

DDP was "made" by Randy Savage. Piper was "made" on promos alone. And Lex Luger (like many before and after him) was made by Ric Flair.

If you've never liked a Luger match watch Luger/Flair from Starrcade '88 or Luger/Pillman from Halloween Havoc '89 those were about his best.

It'd be better than what he's currently doing: Wrestling in Gyms for less and less money.

how do you have SCSA and Rock on both lists but not Hogan?

Hogan's still wrestling and he's old as fuck.

I don't think continuing to wrestle past your prime necessarily means you're giving back

I agree with The Show Off. Savage made DDP and Flair made Luger. The NWO helped and hurt business as it failed to create any new stars. All it did was give guys new gimmicks and pretty much bury any faces. It killed the Horseman, and in the end failed to put over Sting. How WCW could build a year long angle and Hogan not put Sting over clean is beyond me. It essentially killed the Giant and any semi high card heel in the process not named Hogan Nash and Hall.

The only reason Goldberg was put over was to impress the Turner brass that was in town at the time. It was a political move, not a gracious one.
That was Goldberg's defining moment, no doubt, but he was over already. He just needed a heel to go over.

Hogan giving back??????? I guess him taking millions of Ted Turner's money, going over on everyone and holding back all the decent talent in the company (Benoit, Jericho, Booker, etc.) is giving back.......

Hogan givin back? Whut Are You Mad Same Goes For Flair & HBK, Those selfish bastards. Why Is Undertaker and Kane not on the above list ?

Taker fucking put over Khali AND MARK HENRY at times.

And Heidenreich

Shawn Michaels made: Marty Jannetty, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Ken Shamrock, Triple H, Kane, and Diesel.