I just wanna RANT for a second...

[Asics Johnson]

Hello folks. It's your old friend Asics Johnson here with a little something that I need to get off of my chest. I was looking at wrestlezone.com earlier today, and I came across this headline...

Ric Flair’s angle was changed from the original concept due to the fact that the Nature Boy has his supporters and detractors in the company. Many in the company don’t like the fact the Flair is going to end up beating a lot of top stars and then leaving.

Of course, it goes without saying that this is definitely "newz" as you'd call it. They name no names as to his supporters and detractors in the company, and they talk about an original concept that they probably heard about from some other "unnamed source." For some reason, though, it still really chaps my ass. I feel like there is probably some truth to that report. There are probably people in WWE who don't want Flair to have a blaze of glory retirement angle... and probably some people here on the board, too.

Let me tell you something (brother), this is Ric Flair we're talking about. He has given over three decades of his life to being a professional wrestler. He fought the odds to come back from a terrible plane crash, and went on to become one of, if not the greatest wrestlers of all time. Sixteen time World Champion, twenty-two or thereabouts if you count the unrecognized reigns. And at 58 years old, he still goes out and gives it everything he has. Sure, it may not be as much as he once had, but it is damn commendable that he even attempts it at his age. The live crowds still go crazy for The Nature Boy every time he shows his face. Hell, they acknowledge Flair every time ANY wrestler does a knife-edge chop, whether Ric is in the arena or not.

I know that no mainstream wrestler has ever really been given his "grand finale" like Ric Flair is expected to have... you're not supposed to look good on your way out the door, according to the wrestling industry. But god dammit, if anyone deserves to be the lone exception, it's him. It's not going to hurt Randy Orton or Triple H to lose to Flair once or twice. Especially considering that he will almost certainly cheat to win every match he has until he finally loses and hangs up the boots for good.

And when he does, that'll be it. Ric Flair will be gone... but the thing that just hit me is that this will end a huge chapter in professional wrestling. Maybe even an entire book in a wrestling library, if you will. Not only will Ric Flair be gone, but that means there is an entire generation of wrestlers who are long gone. A generation of wrestlers I grew up with. There is no more Ricky Steamboat. There is no more Randy Savage. No more "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. Everything that ties me to the wrestling I have watched for the last 20 years is gone once Flair is out the door. There are a couple of guys left, like Sting... but to me, Sting is kind of like Scottie Pippen to Flair's Michael Jordan. He just ain't the same when Flair isn't around. Other guys, like Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan, appear once in a blue moon. For the most part, now, we'll be stuck with guys like John Cena, Randy Orton, Batista, Ken Kennedy (who is mildly entertaining at best), Cody Rhodes, and Jeff Hardy apparently.

For the first time in my life, I'm unsure if I'll watch professional wrestling forever. I will be attending WrestleMania 24 next year, and it may prove to be my final experience. I will have come full circle in my wrestling fandom. Weird.

I don't know if I had a point with this, and I know it was the longest post ever... but I was bored, and I am saddened with the knowledge that the Flair/Hogan era of wrestling is about to come to an end. I wish I could say that someone will come along and make me change my mind, but I doubt it. I'm too picky nowadays. The current military issue haircutted, plain tights wearing, tribal tattoo sporting crop of talent just doesn't cut the mustard.

Damn, I will miss it. Someone change my mind, please!

[Matt Rogers]

No matter how dull wrestling may become at times, there will always be one of prophecy who will rise and bring it back to its former power once again. Believe, and it will be.

Or something. I guess wrestling has just changed the same way the world has changed, it's a shame.

[willywonka666]

I'll hate to see Flair leave too, and I don't like this angle either. Having said that, I'm not tuning in to see him wrestle right now as I'm pretty much through with wrestling of today, and have been for the last year or two. The only one I REALLY mark out for of the current younger stars is Mickie James. I'm so thankful for tapes and dvds though. So I'll never be totally out of the loop, unless this site shuts down.

[HRH The KING]

This whole angle is a waste of time.

No one seriously believes his career is on the line.

[Joker]

I still have The Undertaker to watch, so until he retires I'm not quite at your point yet Asics.

Having said that I do hope this Ric Flair angle makes for a good long entertaining run.

[Asics Johnson]

This whole angle is a waste of time.

No one seriously believes his career is on the line.

... because anyone seriously believes any angle in wrestling. Pfft.

I still have The Undertaker to watch, so until he retires I'm not quite at your point yet Asics.

Having said that I do hope this Ric Flair angle makes for a good long entertaining run.

I forgot about The Undertaker. I bet his days are numbered too, though, sadly. 15-1 anybody? It wouldn't surprise me.

[Libertine]

Well, they're all bound to retire someday. Were you not expecting this?

[skillz]

I reached that point a long time ago, Asics. It's sad when the thing you have stuck with for 20 years starts to deteriorate, but there will come a point where you have seen it all and will lose interest in the newer guys simply rehashing angles. I started watching the WWF in 1985. I lost interest in 1995, and actually quit watching wrestling in 1996 for a few months, but then Hogan turned heel and I was back again. I lost interest again in 2003, and stopped watching completely in 2004. I always assumed something would bring me back again, but it's been 3 years and my only wrestling fix has been talking about the 80's/90's on this forum and watching old tapes.

All my favorites are done (Hogan, Rock, Savage, Warrior, etc). I'm not the type of guy who gets aroused at the "new crop of stars" coming in. If my heroes are gone, then why stick around? So I can complain about the new guys? No thanks.

I think we're already at a point where the 80's are long gone, and Attitude has become the main point of nostalgia now. I'm not a Flair fan, but he really is the last link to the 80's.

[Redbeard's Ghost]

Im in the same boat as you are man. When Flair goes, it closes the last door from the golden age of wrestling to today. I will always look back on those days of Flair-Rhodes, Flair/Magnum, Magnum/Tully, Midnight Express/RnR Express and so on as what originally hooked me on this business. Ric Flair deserves to be able to go out with a fantastic finish, something to justify the years and tears he put into his career. I am hoping, praying, wishing....that they strap the belt around his waist one last time. Now THAT would be a Wrestlemania moment.

[Aaron E. Dangerously]

Flair is looking better than he has in a while. You can see him giving it all in every match. He's really working to make us believe the whole "Career-ending match, every match" set-up.

[Citizen Snips]

Are you ranting at the angle or the fact that his time is coming to an end? I could see ranting at the angle, as we can debate whether or not a 50-somethingish legend would be able to beat men in their prime through guile and determination.

But I don't get griping about his time coming to an end. It had to happen, didn't it?

[Loki]

While I see where you're coming from and I understand your point, I still think Flair doesn't deserve a "special send-off" consisting in a 4-5 months winning streak against pretty much the whole roster.

A lucky win against Orton or Triple H won't hurt them, but a 58 years old man defeating opponents half his age for half a year is just too much and it will make everyone else look weak.

Flair is a 35 years veteran, fine. Let's give him a nice NIGHT of glory as "thanks for the memories" moment, not five months of glory.

And anyway few of the older fans will really beleive Flair will hang his boots for good. So the whole angle should be "nullified" after some months/years when the Nature Boy will show up again.

[wrestlecrapcrap]

It's utterly ridiculous if some people in the company don't want him going out in this way. It's not as if he is going through all the top stars winning clean and holding them back, he will get count out wins, interference wins, probably some disqualificaiton wins as well. As you say though, this is Ric Flair. The only way he should go out is in a blaze of glory, anything else would be ridiculously sub par and an anti climax to a great career. Not to mention that the angle is entertaining and has the potential to last a fair few months, which is always good.

[Marksus]

Now if they put Taker vs Flair at Wrestlemania that would be perfect.

Streak vs Career

[Kevin Hamilton]

I'll watch wrestling until it's no longer fun for me to do so, I doubt that'll change even as stars I enjoyed watching retire honestly.

[Malcolm Tucker for PM]

Ever since WCW ended, my interest in wrestling just lessens every single year, but I don't ever imagine that I'll stop reading Rajah or Wrestlecrap and wanting to know what's happening. Like Asics, all the guys who got me into wrestling are either retired, sadly departed, or on their last legs and I'm not impressed at all with the current crop of superstars. Still, when I was idolizing guys like the Warrior & Savage 15 years ago, there were guys at my age now who would have felt the same way about the business back then. These things happen, just like I prefer the movies and rock bands that I loved when I was young.

As much as I loved Flair though, over the years I have been less than impressed with him as a human being and many of the things he has said in interviews has made me dislike him as a person. I wouldn't grudge him the very special send-off at Wrestlemania next year, but I don't particularly look forward to him winning countless matches via DQ and count-outs for the next four months as it's been hard enough watching him for the past five years personally. I'm not convinced that a WM victory over Flair would benefit anyone on the roster really either as much as a WM loss to him would be potentially damaging.

[wwerules60]

I really would like to see Flair go out on top. The man deserves it and it would be a proper retirement that we never really get in wrestling.

[littlenaitch]

A victory over Flair at WrestleMania would mean the same as beating Matt Hardy as Flair isn't on a huge pedastool anymore so a top guy losing to Flair definately would not hurt.

[themanchine]

It's probably a good idea to quit watching wrestling. I get frustrated in it every once in a while but there's usually something to draw me back. If there isn't then there's no reason to watch.
I do keep up with it in case something interesting turns up.

Although I'm a younger fan I've never been impressed by most of the wrestlers today.
Usually just watch the glory days.

[Red 'n' Black Reggie]

wow, now that you mention it, that is more or less all of the "old guard" gone. whether this being the final switch o the generations will be good or bad is yet to be seen, bu twatching ric flair walk out of the business forever (and despite what people are saying, i reckon he actually is gonna retire) is going t be one of the wierdest things ever. i p[ersonally enjoy the current product. i think people like MVP, CM Punk, elijah burke and matt hardy are all ready to step up and carry the wwe to a new age, but they aren't ric flair. i can't really tell if they are better or worse, becaus ethey are too different. for anyone wh ohasn't already done it, go back and watch flair/steamboat in tehir best 2/3 match at the clash. it's on youtube, so it aint hard to find. you won't regret it. that is one hour of pure wrestling. we will never see a match like that again. the wrestling business has changed so much that it simply isn't ever going to happen. wrestlinh nowadays is so detatched from what it once was that people like the first poster, who was a huge fan, are just abandoning the art form that they once loved. when flair does go, i really can't describe how i'll feel. sad, happy, whatever. but i knwo that i'll feel something. because that's what ric flair does best. he makes you feel emotion in a match. and i really don't know if i can do that with what wrestling is at the moment.

BISCUITS AND GRAVAAAY!