How Do YOU Determine a Hall of Famer?

[chunkylover53]

Ok, everybody has a right to there own opinon over who should and shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame. But to me, there is a number of factors over who should be in the Hall and why.

For those who read my posts, I sometimes refer to this person as a Future Hall of Famer, but I will get into detail over why I do. Its basically a mixture of kayfabe standards(what they've accomplished) and the terms they're on with the company. For example, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is one of the company's biggest stars they've ever had. A former 6-time World Wrestling Federation champion and has career goes beyond the WWF/E. And since he makes occasional appearances, he's on good terms with the company. So considering all facts, he's likely to get into the Hall of Fame one day.

Now alot of people on these forums that call the HOF a joke because their guy is not in or it depends wheather or not you're friends with Vince McMahon. I will agree, alot of candidates in the Hall are questionable(Pete Rose, William Perry, Johnny Rodz), however, as the years go by, its getting more and more credible. Hell, its now expanding for people who barely have any history or none with the company(Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes, Nick Bockwinkel) etc. So by those standards, Sting can be inducted one day(slim to nil chance, but still possible).

Also, I don't think ANYBODY can get in. You hear the commentators refer to Undertaker and Shawn Michaels as future Hall of Famers and casuals and smarks alike can agree with that. However, they never refer to The Miz and Big Daddy V as such. When they talk about past stars who aren't in the Hall of Fame(Randy Savage, Bob Backlund, Bruno Sammartino), they don't refer to them as being in the Hall of Fame someday, possibly because of them being on bad terms with the company, and I wouldn't either because of it(though things can change).

So I would say my criteria for induction pretty much matches the WWEs.

Thoughts?

[threev]

Who I like and who I do not like.

["Hollywood" Cactus Matt]

This could turn into an interesting thread; I look forward to reading it as it goes on. Kudos to you.

As for my own personal criteria, I go a lot from kayfabe standards: what did this wrestler accomplish in the ring. Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Moolah, Superstar Graham - all legends, all of whom deserve to be in. Demolition, the Hart Foundation, the Road Warriors/Legion of Doom, The British Bulldogs - arguably the top tag teams of their era; all deserve to be in.

But then, of course, you have to think about guys who were never the "top dog," never won the World title - guys like Mr. Perfect, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Davey Boy Smith - and to a lesser extent, guys who never won any title in the WWF - the first name everyone thinks of is Jake Roberts - and think, "What did he contribute?" Whether it was a heated rivalry, a fond memory, a powerful, unique charisma, or some sort of mainstream recognition (for example, King Kong Bundy's numerous appearances on Married ... With Children) you have to have contributed something to make your name go hand-in-hand with the WWF/E.

All in all, I don't have too many gripes with who is in, although I think Vince is definitely pushing it with the Johnny Rodz induction. (I can excuse it for the simple fact that, as far as I know, he basically trained the majority of the original ECW's roster.) There are more people I would like to see in it than out of it, and I think someone like Rick Rude should have been inducted before someone like Don Muraco or Bob Orton, Jr. But that's semantics at this point.

I dunno ... I lost my train of thought. But that's basically it. I look at it mostly as kayfabe, and to hell with their relationship with Vince; he needs to put Randy Savage in there, before we end up using the word "posthumously" again.

SPEAKing of posthumously, I also think they need a "Left Us Too Soon" wing for guys like RW Hawk, Crash Holly, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero ... but definitely NOT Chris Benoit, because even though he was one of the greatest technicians of his generation, he does not belong in the Hall, IMO.

[gertner]

How would you guys feel about Rick MArtel getting in. He's one guy who accomplished alot flying under the radar

[gertner]

him and barry windham deserve to be in. They accomplished alot, they just didn't get the recognition

[britishbulldog]

I read that they have asked Bruno several times if he would like to be inducted and he always says no. Now as to what qualifies. Hard to say. I don' think Ace Orton should have been in, however I have no problems with the original Rock(Murrocco). Really they could put almost every main eventer with a run longer than 6 months in there and be justified. If you made money you should be in

[salsashark]

It should be based on a number of things:
1) How long you competed/have been in the business
2) How much you acheived (i.e. kayfabe: titles, Royal Rumbles, etc.)
3) How much you may have done for the business otherwise (such as been a trainer, or presented it in a really good way)
4) How good of a wrestler you were in the ring
5) How good you were at your persona(s)/gimmick(s)
6) In some small part, how your legacy will be remembered (This is why Benoit should NEVER be in the HOF)

I'm sure that list needs a few additions.

[plushtar]

Benoit may get in when everyone living right now is gone and future generations rediscover him.

[Crappler El 0 M]

plushtar said:

Benoit may get in when everyone living right now is gone and future generations rediscover him.

Or maybe he could get in as "The Four Horsmen" or "The Radicals." I doubt "Revolution" or "The Triple Threat" would get in. It's funny how Benoit and Malenko were together in all four of those stables.

[chunkylover53]

grapplercrappler said:

plushtar said:

Benoit may get in when everyone living right now is gone and future generations rediscover him.

Or maybe he could get in as "The Four Horsmen" or "The Radicals." I doubt "Revolution" or "The Triple Threat" would get in. It's funny how Benoit and Malenko were together in all four of those stables.

To the poster above, how he left this World WILL NOT be forgotten and thanks to that, it has a black cloud on his career. Same can be said about OJ's career before the murder.

If you want Chris Benoit to get in as a Horseman, then you would have to include EVERY HORSEMAN from Oringal to different variations. That includes Steve "Mongo" McMichael, or worse - PAUL ROMA.

[plushtar]

Roma was not that bad, he was not very charismatic, but no one here would compalin if the Horsemen group [entry] or the Radicalz were inducted.

[Arthur Digby Stamp]

plushtar said:

Roma was not that bad, he was not very charismatic, but no one here would compalin if the Horsemen group [entry] or the Radicalz were inducted.

I'd complain if the Radicalz were inducted.

Good? Yes.

Hall of Fame worthy? No. They barely even lasted a cup of coffee in the grand scheme of things.

["Hollywood" Cactus Matt]

dennisstamp316 said:

plushtar said:

Roma was not that bad, he was not very charismatic, but no one here would compalin if the Horsemen group [entry] or the Radicalz were inducted.

I'd complain if the Radicalz were inducted.

Good? Yes.

Hall of Fame worthy? No. They barely even lasted a cup of coffee in the grand scheme of things.

I agree. I marked for all of them to varying degrees, but to be quite honest, only two of them had HOF-worthy careers, and they are the two that are no longer living. Only one will (and should) ever make it into the HOF, and he already did.

[casualobserver]

Basically, if I feel like I can throw a name out there and not have to explain why he/she should be in, that to me is a Hall of Famer.

[The Thread Barbi]

Let the "workrate" brigade jump on me...I have no fear of you

Jim "Ultimate Warrior" Hellwig - HOFer

Kayfabe
------------
First ever IC and World champion
Never lost the IC title in his second run
Ended the longest IC reign in history
Hardly ever been pinned
Never, ever...eeeever beaten clean

Non-kayfabe
----------------
- One of the most popular wrestlers of the 80s and early 90s
- Shifted merchandise at a large scale (seriously, no one could have ever been a Hogan level seller at the time)
- Main-evented large venues - 80,000+, 60,000+
- Was a ratings catalyst everytime he showed up on screen
- Is still talked about to this day, nearly ten years after his last wrestling match - be it positive or negatively remembered, he still is remembered. See the Wrestlecrap forums - there's a thread about him nearly every week. Can't say that for Sid.

Walking out on the WWE etc. So what? Austin did it. HBK did it....but Warrior is a selfish bastard for doing it. "Didn't care for the fans or the business" etc. Maybe we are all so wound up about it because we really cared for the character.

Whereas he is controversial, his post-wrestling career and actvities should not affect his in-ring achievements.

[Loki]

My opinion will be vastly unpopular, but that's how I think HoF criteria should be:

1) Titles won [yes, they are fake titles, but they show the impact of a Superstar]
2) Impact on the industry [poster boys, innovators, groundbreakers...]
3) Longevity [meant in both senses of long career and freshness/popularity of the characters]

So the list of inductees according to my criteria would get massively cut...

As good as they were, guys like George Steele, Santana, Slaughter, Muraco, Valentine, Volkoff, JYD, Big John Studd, Iron Sheik, Bob Orton jr, Orndorff and Tony Atlas should not be there.

Not sure about Patterson, Bockwinkle, the Blackjacks and some more.

I have my doubts on Mr.Perfect and Eddie Guerrero as well... Great in the ring and whatnot, but neither man acheived a bona fide Superstardom (or left a permanent mark on the industry)

[Kevin Hamilton]

As I put in every thread where people discuss who's 'worthy'- since it's just an honorary distinction made up to give respect to names of the past and has no actual real criteria or merit, I'm pretty well fine with anyone they want to slot in there. The arguments on who should or should not get in make no sense to me.

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

Get loud crowd reactions.

Move a significant amount of merchandise.

That's about it.

[bjboston]

I thought the criteria was basically "guys who will show up and accept the award."

[Just Jay]

I think the HOF inductions are reserved for people who revolutionize the biz, or at least damn good at doing their jobs to the point that they demand recognition.

Bret Hart for example, revolutionized the buisness by being the first of a wave of smaller wrestlers as champions and really pulled through. Nevermind his uncanny technical wrestling skills and whatnot.

Ric Flair would get inducted simply because he was one of the greatest wrestlers alive who's mere presence today still gets overloading cheers. Talk about a man being the total package.

But then you have to remember, like the major titles in the E, not everybody wins or gets inducted. So when you see names like Lex Luger or the likes, it becomes somewhat apparent that that person, while a decent wrestler or having a decent career, is not HOF worthy.

So yeah, mines pretty much like the E's as well.