Greetings.
I’ve just returned from the annual Dan Gable U.S. National Wrestling Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Waterloo, Iowa, which not only honors distinguished amateur wrestlers, but professional wrestlers with legitimate amateur wrestling roots.
Among the honorees in the past have been my dad and my brother Bret, as well as others who trained in my dad’s infamous “Dungeon”, including Luther Lindsey, George Gordienko, Maurice Vachon and Gorilla Monsoon. One of those who was honored this year, with the distinguished Frank Gotch award, was longtime San Antonio promoter and wrestler Joe Blanchard (father of Tully), who, along with fellow Edmonton Eskimos football teammates, Gene Kiniski and Wilbur Snyder, was a Dungeon graduate and launched his pro wrestling career up in Alberta for my dad’s Stampede Wrestling promotion back in 1952.
The Iowa Hall of Fame function was first class all the way and it was great to hook up with old friends, such as Baron von Raschke, Larry “the Axe” Hennig, Stan Hansen, Barbara Goodish (widow of the legendary Bruiser Brody), Magnum T. A., Iron Sheik, Tully Blanchard, Brian Blair, Jimmy Brunzell, Big E Langston and Wrestling Observer publisher Dave Meltzer, among others – many of whom I hadn’t seen in years.
Probably the highlight of the event for me however was getting a chance to meet and talk with 1972 Olympic wrestling gold medalist, the legendary Dan Gable, who’s considered by many to have been the greatest amateur wrestler of all time. In talking with Gable, I was impressed with the regard he not only has for “old school” pro wrestlers, such as my dad and others like Lou Thesz, Danny Hodge, Kurt Angle, Jack Briscoe, Terry & Dory Funk, Harley Race, Verne Gagne and Dick Hutton, but the respect he has for professional wrestling in general, which is why he chooses to honor it at his Hall of Fame.
I take no pleasure or derive no satisfaction in denigrating them, but it pisses me off that, on the other hand, the WWE continues to manifest its lack of regard for professional wrestling by: choosing to invite derision and ridicule with an emphasis on “entertainment” rather than wrestling; too many swerve finishes, excessive extremism and gimmickry; pushing wrestlers who don’t seem to know a damn wrist-lock from a wrist watch and hyping so-called divas for their aesthetic rather than their athletic acumen, all of which reflects a distinct lack of respect for the wrestling business, in my humble opinion.
As my dad used to say: “if you don’t respect yourself, then how the hell can you expect anyone else to respect or look up to you, either?” That’s a question I’d love to pose to the powers that be in the WWE head office, but, all things considered, sure as hell won’t be holding my breath for a reply on.
I’m hoping, but also not holding my breath on that either, that sometime, in the not too distant future, the enlightened despots in Stamford, Connecticut might heed my impassioned plea (and the pleas of many of the legends I saw at the Iowa Hall of Fame) to cut back on the excessive non-wrestling bullshit and restore some semblance of conventional, old school wrestling to our sport. As Martin Luther King used to proclaim “I have a dream” (although, in recent years, I, all too often, find myself saying, somewhat sardonically saying, instead, “I have a nightmare”).
Anyway, on that somewhat reticent note, I’ll wind up this diatribe, but will look forward to catching up with you all next week, for my perspectives on the recent RAW – SmackDown talent dispersal draft, the next pay per view and whatever else is hot and not on the wrestling scene.
In the meantime and in between time, take care!
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