Brian Pillman HOF?

[Romeo Hotel]

Who else wants him to be inducted next year?

[randomranter]

I know he was talented and all that, and I know that for some reason, once a wrestler dies, the people on these boards seem to want to remember them as being better/more important than they really were.

But what exactly has Pillman done to warrant inclusion into the HOF? He was a low-to-midcarder in WCW, and was one of Bret's lackeys in the WWE. The most memorable thing he did was the "Pillman's got a gun" angle which will probably never be acknowledged again, and his last angle centered around him wearing a dress. He had solid matches, but none where we sit here and say "Remember that Pillman vs. <whoever> match? Wow, that stole the show!"

Talented?? Yes. HOF worthy? Don't think so. Then again, the same thing could be said for half the guys who are in there anyway, so who knows. I still don't think he's worthy though.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Jun 14, 2008 23:36:38 GMT -5 randomranter said:

I know he was talented and all that, and I know that for some reason, once a wrestler dies, the people on these boards seem to want to remember them as being better/more important than they really were.

But what exactly has Pillman done to warrant inclusion into the HOF? He was a low-to-midcarder in WCW, and was one of Bret's lackeys in the WWE. The most memorable thing he did was the "Pillman's got a gun" angle which will probably never be acknowledged again, and his last angle centered around him wearing a dress. He had solid matches, but none where we sit here and say "Remember that Pillman vs. <whoever> match? Wow, that stole the show!"

Talented?? Yes. HOF worthy? Don't think so.

I tend to agree. For some reason, with Benoit being the notable exception, being a wrestler and dying, suddenly you had more talent than anyone. This was true of Bam Bam, Crush, Crash Holly and a handful of others. Benoit was the only one who died and suddenly had no ability, despite being the most talented of all the recent wrestler's who've passed. Yes, I understand the circumstances of his death were different than the rest, but still.

It's a HOF, not a graveyard.

[Romeo Hotel]

I agree to some extent he was one of the greatest cruiserweights in this business and inspired people like Eddie Guerrero,Rey Rey,Malenko that even if you are small you can do great things in this buisness.

[canDELjak]

I think he had a hand in the beginning of the attitude era as well as ushering in the age of high flyers.

[jzbadblood]

Sure, Pillman isn't a HOF wrestler, but Pete Rose is in the Hall of Fame. I think pretty much anyone can get in unless they murder their family or sleep with the boss's underage daughter(allegedly).

[Aceorton]

I can buy the HoF argument. Pillman was a trailblazer for cruiserweights moving up the card, he was a prominent figure in at least three major feds, he was constantly over, he was a significant influence on the Monday Night Wars and the Attitude Era, and his "Loose Cannon" antics were landmark stuff as far as blurring the line between "work" and "shoot."

Give it five years and I think he's a worthy induction.

[Gillberg: 0-175]

Jun 14, 2008 23:36:38 GMT -5 randomranter said:

I know he was talented and all that, and I know that for some reason, once a wrestler dies, the people on these boards seem to want to remember them as being better/more important than they really were.

But what exactly has Pillman done to warrant inclusion into the HOF? He was a low-to-midcarder in WCW, and was one of Bret's lackeys in the WWE. The most memorable thing he did was the "Pillman's got a gun" angle which will probably never be acknowledged again, and his last angle centered around him wearing a dress. He had solid matches, but none where we sit here and say "Remember that Pillman vs. <whoever> match? Wow, that stole the show!"

Talented?? Yes. HOF worthy? Don't think so. Then again, the same thing could be said for half the guys who are in there anyway, so who knows. I still don't think he's worthy though.

Pillman vs. Liger. Nuff said.

[T.J. "the Crippler" Stevens]

I'm begining to think that if WWE made a Ted Arcidi DVD people would be calling for them to put him in the Hall of Fame.

[Aceorton]

Jun 15, 2008 0:51:27 GMT -5 T.J. "the Crippler" Stevens said:

I'm begining to think that if WWE made a Ted Arcidi DVD people would be calling for them to put him in the Hall of Fame.

Well, he did popularize the upside-down bearhug AND wrestling in sneakers.

[General Zod]

I love Pillman as much as the next guy, but HOF worthy? No, assuredly not. I can think of several guys in wrestling worthy of the HOF honor who haven't gone in yet, all of which should be inducted before Pillman even gets considered.

What footage would they use to make his HOF video package? Him wearing a dress, or getting his head stuck in the toilet by Stone Cold? Perhaps the time he filmed his escapades with Marlena, much to the dismay of one Golddust? Or maybe his crowning HOF moment was when he sat at ringside and held the titles for the Hart Foundation while they wrestled their matches?

Surely, that in and of itself is HOF worthy, right?

Keep in mind, I'm not knocking his prior work. His early WCW stuff was phenomenal, and nobody loved the Hollywood Blonds more than yours truly. Hell, I even loved his work as the crazy Horseman.

But guys, face it - that was the end of his legacy. He did f*** all for the WWE, or even for ECW. Sadly, a different man crawled out of that horrible car wreck, and we never got to see if Pillman was worthy of a HOF induction.

[the-gaffer]

Pillman was a massive loss, I fully believe that given enough time he would have been a world Champion in the WWF, I see him taking the same sort of path Triple H took

[the-gaffer]

I don't think he should be in the HOF though, how long was he in the WWF? about 6 or 7 months right?

[strykerdarksilence]

I think he should definately be in there as a pioneer of US Cruiserweights.

[Cyborg Franky]

I said Yeah, he should be in it. He was an early cruiserweight, and part of one of WCW biggest tag teeam, The Hollywood Blondes.

[Loki]

No.

Dying young after some months as sidekick during the Era where even my grandmother would have gotten decent material to work with aren't even remotely enough to grant a HoF spot.

His work outside of WWE may have been groundbreaking all you want, but HoF is still heavily WWF/E oriented, so I think there are dozens of people who should go in before Pillman.

And yes, there are already some very questionable "Superstars" in the HoF, but that shouldn't mean every moderately successful wrestler should be in.

[Ben Wyatt]

Id say no, but not by a whole lot.

[Mac]

I'd start by saying :why not" the WWE Hall Of Fame doesnt really seem merit based as much as it is just a random collection of guys, some great, some medicore. So if someone like Bob Orton Jr. is in the HOF I think it's open to just about everyone.

What Pillman needs is some type of political connection to the WWE, if thats not there I think he's on the backburner. I think WWE's last dance with Pillman was the DVD.

[Bobby Womack]

had he been around longer he would have probably had a HOF career but as it stands he has nowhere near done enough to be in the HOF along with a slew of dead wrestlers that the iwc want inducted and probably didnt give a second thought to when they were alive

[A Dubya (El Hombre Muerto)]

Jun 15, 2008 0:03:22 GMT -5 Aceorton said:

I can buy the HoF argument. Pillman was a trailblazer for cruiserweights moving up the card, he was a prominent figure in at least three major feds, he was constantly over, he was a significant influence on the Monday Night Wars and the Attitude Era, and his "Loose Cannon" antics were landmark stuff as far as blurring the line between "work" and "shoot."

Give it five years and I think he's a worthy induction.

I am with you. He was way ahead of his time according to people like Paul Heyman, Theodore Long and Eric Bischoff. He was definitely a pioneer for the high-flying, death-defying athletic style of wrestling that became popular later in the business. I think a good argument can be made for a HOF induction for Pillman.