Why is it called the Jannetty and not the Neidhart?

[Main Eventer]

When people talk about a wrestler how doesn't achieve as much success as his former partner they call him the Jannetty, but why not call it the Neidhart?

Marty at least got an IC and tag title run. While Jim did nothing unless he got to mooch off of other Hart family members.

[Brainbustaaah!]

Because there was no world in which Jim and Bret had equal potential as stars. There was a point where Shawn and Marty were both seen as having tremendous upside.

[Blindkarevik]

I always figured it was because, when Michaels and Jannetty were first paired up... it was Jannetty who was the guy with star potential and was trying to help Shawn along. Even back in AWA, Jannetty was the main talker and the guy the focus was on.... but Shawn had the balls to stand up wanted to work harder and achieve more than just being a tag team wrestler. However, shortly after the split, when they were to feud and see who to strap the rocket to... Marty got fired/injured/left (can't remember which) so that delayed the actual feud by a year... a year where Shawn had used to hone his new gimmick and set himself as a great singles wrestler. The point where they had a chance to feud on even footing had passed and Marty, who was initially the star, had to catch up to Shawn and was never able to do so.

[cabbageboy]

Pretty sure Jannetty was arrested and fired after attacking a cop in early 1992. He was on 6 months of house arrest. I do know I saw him at the first show I ever went to, which was Oct. 28, 1992. So that would put his return about 6 months later.

But really, Neidhart was never seen as any sort of potential singles star. By 1990 he was basically the guy holding Bret back from being a serious singles wrestler.

[Kevin Hamilton]

No one really saw Neidhart as more than what he was: a solid tag team guy.

Marty coulda potentially have been more.

Essentially being a Janetty is not living up to your own potential as well as not being as successful as your partner.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Yeah I never got it either. Michaels and Jannetty to me were always treated as equals with there never really being much of a difference with how they were presneted. They were always just presented as being a really good tag team. During their whole run as a team I never thought it super obvious that Michaels was so much better then Jannetty and was going to be a huge star like people in WWE documentaries like to say but at the same time I never really saw Jannetty being presented as more of the star/leader like people I've seen on forums on say over the years. I will say that I think the people in charge of WWF were always higher on Michaels even before they split up. Michaels always got the longer and better Survivor Series/battle royal showings and also got more bigger single match opportunities as he got matches against Dibiase, Perfect, and Flair all of whom were top heels during that period. Jannetty never got that.

The Hart Foundation on the other hand, probably because they were so different both in wrestling style and personality, were presented much more as individuals which makes Neidhart getting so much slack for his lack of single success compared to his partner so puzzling. I would say for the first couple of years of their team Neidhart was actually the bigger star and was given more focus as he had the more dynamic personality of the two with his crazy man character with the goatee and maniacal laugh. I would say it wasn't until late 87 when Bret started to get pushed as more of the star and was presented as being the bigger deal in the team as he had very competitive match on SNME with Savage that elevated his status a good bit even though he lost and then was given a very good showcase in the first Royal Rumble in which he drew #1 and almost ended up making it all the way to the end.

[wrestlingrecap]

Marty was always a solid wrestler while Neidhart blew in singles roles.

[Mozenrath]

The reasons listed, plus the storyline itself kind of drew attention to it, whereas Jim just kind of faded out of Bret's way.

It's much the same reason it's not the Stevie Ray. Booker T was always going to be the singles star. Even with their storyline, I don't think anyone was expecting Stevie Ray to get some push because he secured Booker T's T for Ahmed Johnson. It was just filler before he'd get out of Booker's way.

Also a factor would be the real life circumstances, where one of the reasons the Rockers broke up was Roddy Piper telling HBK he needed to dump Marty if he wanted to have a future. There were some real life acrimonious feelings involved.

[Tiger Millionaire]

It should be the Morrison.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Because Neidhart wasn't a coward who dived through a window trying to get away from Bret.

[gatordone]

It should be the Al Green.

[Futureraven: Britain's Butt]

Oct 9, 2016 1:08:10 GMT -5 Oh Cry Me a Screwball said:

Because Neidhart wasn't a coward who dived through a window trying to get away from Bret.

Actually a lot of truth to this, among other factors.

The Rockers were virtually identical, even off-screen they had similar issues with drugs, which makes it stand out more that Marty did so much worse.

The Rockers had the super memorable breakup where you can go "ok, from now Shawn went one way, Marty the other" whereas Neidhart just kind of faded away.

Marty had a few chances to make it, the 1993 Royal Rumble, his IC title run and failed despite a good push. Neidhart was clearly the lesser guy, no real push, just to bring in Owen, a lackey in the Hart Foundation, he couldn't really fail because they didn't give him anything big to work with.

[lizzurd]

Because Jannetty is the more embarrassing of the two? Neidhart's barrel chested tough guy look has a timeless blandness to it while Mary is like the Bret Michaels of wrestling. Glam metal died in the early 90's and he could never reinvent himself. 

[Bear Skin Rug]

Oct 8, 2016 21:30:00 GMT -5 Brainbustaaah! said:

Because there was no world in which Jim and Bret had equal potential as stars. There was a point where Shawn and Marty were both seen as having tremendous upside.

Great answer, but I feel like the initial idea of "The Jannetty" has slowly morphed into the opinion that one member of a tag team is simply far superior to the other, which would make them more of a Neidhart.

[mauled]

Simple reason is that Jannetty had genuine in ring talent and could have had a good singles career. Niedhart even by his own admission was never the greatest and was never going to be much.

TBH the most amazing thing is how many times Vince kept re-hiring them after all the times they kept getting themselves fired.

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Oct 9, 2016 1:08:10 GMT -5 Oh Cry Me a Screwball said:

Because Neidhart wasn't a coward who dived through a window trying to get away from Bret.

Will you stop!

[EvenBaldobombHasAJob]

probably because break-and-enter aside Jim Neidhart still had a halfway decent career after Bret's break-out. with Marty it wasn't just that he didn't get over on his own; it was that his career fell in on itself pretty spectacularly and it was all his own fault.

[Mozenrath]

Oct 9, 2016 3:31:51 GMT -5 mauled said:

Simple reason is that Jannetty had genuine in ring talent and could have had a good singles career. Niedhart even by his own admission was never the greatest and was never going to be much.

TBH the most amazing thing is how many times Vince kept re-hiring them after all the times they kept getting themselves fired.

Probably the same reason Goldust kept getting hired, before he did turn himself around: Vince or others making the call just wanted the guy to get his act together.

[gatordone]

To think there was a time when Jannetty was Sunny's first crush before his buddy got a hold of her.

[Deleted]

Probably because Michael's threw Jannetty through glass.