TPWW Forums - View Single Post - Bruno Sammartino: Wrestling Legend or Bitter, Old Man?

**Majunior** · 07-11-2010, 04:38 PM

This is tough.

Legend, certainly. But bitter? I'm not sure.

The thing is, he's from a different era. I'm not just talking Wrestling, I'm talking in general. Things we take for granted were completely unacceptable back then. Bruno isn't the only person from that time that objects to the way things are today. It's a completely different mindset.

I think that comes through -- at least as a factor -- in how he sees wrestling today. Even more so, the "Attitude Era" we all know and love, but wrestling as a whole. As a father of a 4 year old, I get what he's saying. I would have never let my son watch wrestling back then. Not at 4, not at 8, maybe even not at 12. And it would have been for some of the same reasons Bruno mentioned.

That being said, as for the Hall of Fame... he's right. It's just about as bullshit as Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak.

Yeah, I said it.

'Taker's streak doesn't impress me. It's not a true undefeated streak like in MMA... he's been allowed to win every Wrestlemania he has been in. That's all it means -- he wasn't told to job to anyone. Similarly, the Hall of Fame isn't a true Hall of Fame. To the best of my knowledge -- and please correct me if I'm mistaken -- there's no building in Connecticut where you can go walk the halls and see memorabilia and watch classic matches for anyone who has been inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame.

So, like 'Taker's streak, it makes for a grand show and is recognition of what you've done for the company, but beyond that it doesn't mean much.

As for everyone who said Bruno doesn't matter and no one today knows who he is... well, that could be because WWE has turned him into persona non grata, like Savage and Benoit. Had he never been buried, people might still care. It's a tough call, and we will never know for sure because that's not how it happened. I can say that if he -- in addition to very understandable feelings about how the business has evolved and been treated -- is bitter about being buried after everything he contributed, well, I can understand that too. But I don't for a moment think that's the only reason he's "been stubborn."

And for the record, I can pretty much respect anyone who stands by what they believe in.

07-11-2010, 04:38 PM	#35
Majunior Posts: 399	This is tough. Legend, certainly. But bitter? I'm not sure. The thing is, he's from a different era. I'm not just talking Wrestling, I'm talking in general. Things we take for granted were completely unacceptable back then. Bruno isn't the only person from that time that objects to the way things are today. It's a completely different mindset. I think that comes through -- at least as a factor -- in how he sees wrestling today. Even more so, the "Attitude Era" we all know and love, but wrestling as a whole. As a father of a 4 year old, I get what he's saying. I would have never let my son watch wrestling back then. Not at 4, not at 8, maybe even not at 12. And it would have been for some of the same reasons Bruno mentioned. That being said, as for the Hall of Fame... he's right. It's just about as bullshit as Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak. Yeah, I said it. 'Taker's streak doesn't impress me. It's not a true undefeated streak like in MMA... he's been allowed to win every Wrestlemania he has been in. That's all it means -- he wasn't told to job to anyone. Similarly, the Hall of Fame isn't a true Hall of Fame. To the best of my knowledge -- and please correct me if I'm mistaken -- there's no building in Connecticut where you can go walk the halls and see memorabilia and watch classic matches for anyone who has been inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame. So, like 'Taker's streak, it makes for a grand show and is recognition of what you've done for the company, but beyond that it doesn't mean much. As for everyone who said Bruno doesn't matter and no one today knows who he is... well, that could be because WWE has turned him into persona non grata, like Savage and Benoit. Had he never been buried, people might still care. It's a tough call, and we will never know for sure because that's not how it happened. I can say that if he -- in addition to very understandable feelings about how the business has evolved and been treated -- is bitter about being buried after everything he contributed, well, I can understand that too. But I don't for a moment think that's the only reason he's "been stubborn." And for the record, I can pretty much respect anyone who stands by what they believe in.