That Time Of Year Again....Screwjob Thread

I thought it was just weird that for the ENTIRE year, Bret Hart complained about getting screwed out of the Title.

After In Your House in Dec. 96 he complained.

After the Royal Rumble 97 he complained.

After he lost the title to Sid on Raw.

After he lost the rematch to Sid in the cage.

For the entire time he always said how he was getting 'screwed out of the WWF Title'

Another reason why I felt the Survivor Series screw job was a work. Bret got screwed yet again.

There's also no way it could have been real either.


Nobody will ever know the real truth about that whole situation.

I think diehard Bret Hart fans want to believe it's true, and I get that.

But Wrestling is all about working the fans, and who knows, maybe Vince, Bret and HBK worked everyone that day in Montreal.

Maybe you're right then!  Cause I was thinking, a year later, the same thing happened to Mick Foley at the 98 Survivor Series too!!  Vince screwed him out of the title.


But seriously, why would Vince McMahon allow the dude who did Wrestling With Shadows to film all that stuff and release it, knowing Vince wasn't making a dime off of it??  Vince didn't want Beyond The Mat released cause he wasn't making anything off of it, yet he was okay with Wrestling With Shadows??

Also, Vince doesn't like to be seen weak in any situation, yet he gets 'punched out' and comes out staggering and such for the camera to see.  Now the Mr. McMahon character would allow that, but not Vince himself.


I know you believe it's real Anvil Fan, and I get that.  But I can also see it both sides.  Sure, I can see it being real, and it just all came off as coincidental.  But I can also see it being a work.  It would be nice if you could see it being a work too, as well as real.  Because at the end of the day, it's pro wrestling.  And any angle in wrestling can be real or a work.  That's why wrestling is so fun to watch.

I think Wrestling With Shadows is actually the biggest reason to believe it was work. Not that I think it's a work, but I wouldn't say it is crazy for others to believe it may have been the greatest angle in pro wrestling history. Simply for the fact that there were many coincidences.

#1 "My friend said" crap will never fly.
#2 Because WCW.

Because if Vince wasn't going to honour Bret's contract, he couldn't stay. That's like asking me why I don't just walk into WWE and start wrestling, just because I want to. Bret can't compete without a contract.

It was either go to WCW or stay at home, and clearly he didn't want to hang them up yet.

They were filming him WAY earlier than July 97. It started with the contract negotiations in 96 between WCW and WWF. They'd actually wrapped up shooting, but Roach said they didn't have much of an end to the documentary, and they had decided to record Bret's last match in the WWF as the end of the film and Obviously they got more than they bargained for.

To an extent, Bret didn't care about the money as shown by the fact that he took a deal that payed him the same for 20 years work that he would have got for 2 years in WCW. But there's obviously a line for anyone. Bret knew his worth, and there's an element of respect that's associated with money. Bret wasn't going to do it for free, no one would. And yes, he was considering going to WCW (of course he had to weigh his options) - 2 years of work would have set him for life. But like I said, if Vince wasn't willing to provide Bret a valid contract then Bret's hands were tied.

See, now that was the one that always confused me.  Cause I remember hearing and reading that Vince didn't want Bret to show up on Nitro with the belt, so I just assumed Survivor Series was his absolute last day in the company.

So why would Vince just let Bret drop the belt on Raw??  The ratings for a WWF Title change on a live Raw would have been huge.  I mean, if he HAD until December 14th, then they could have done so much still with Bret.  They could have even made Bret a mega heel by saying he was leaving with the belt, thus making even Owen challenge Bret to try and keep the Title in the WWF at the time.  It could have ended up being Bret vs. the company, and finally he loses the belt.

But if the screw job is indeed legit real, then having Vince's sex partner HBK win the belt seemed about right sadly.

again,I think it comes down to Michaels wanting the Belt - and the rub - by being the guy who "beat" Hart for the Belt on his way out. the other half,I believe,was that since this was the first time Bret ever refused to do a job,Vince couldn't let him have that one little "victory",even if his contract stated that he was allowed to do so.

for WHATEVER reason,Vince was absolutely adamant that Bret lose it at SS. Bret,even after getting disrespeccted in the dressing room,WAS still willing to drop it to Shawn on one condition - if Shawn was willing to lay down for Bret at SS,then Bret would drop the Belt to him the next night on Raw,and then be done shortly thereafter. Bret even told Vince this would be the better scenerio,as it gave him a win over HBK before he left and be the canadian Hero,and then Shawn would win the title at Raw,where MORE people would see the title switch than the PPV. but Vince just steadfastly wanted it at SS. so you had a situation where Bret wouldn't drop it at SS,and Shawn wouldn't lay down for Bret at SS so he could win the title the next night. so,really,the only feasable option was for the double-DQ that was planned.

in MY mind,my opinion, once Shawn refused to lay down at SS,he knew he wasn't beating Bret,and he had to find a way to do so,hence his playing on Vince's fears to allow the Screwjob. Bret showing up on nitro with the Belt REALLY wasn't a factor until Triple H brought it up"

VM: "Shawn,barring some miraculous change this weekend,we are going to work a DQ. The next night Bret has promised me that he will come out and give up the Title.He will then go off to WCW,and we can work some sort of tournament or something like that.I'm not comfortable with that,but Bret has given me his word. I feel I can take him at his word."

HHH: "Maybe I'm out of line here,but what kind of business is that? Who in the world says, 'I don't want to drop the belt'? You helped him to get a better deal there and he is leaving.That isn't right.That's b.s. How in the world can you trust him? This is the same guy who while he was off,after dropping the title to Shawn,went behind your back and negotiated a deal with WCW only to come back and renegotiate a twenty year way out of bounds contract with you. He has not done good business since,and now he is leaving to get more money, by you giving them the impression that you wanted to keep him. We have people leaving in the middle of the night and taking their belts and dropping them in trash cans in WCW. We can't afford for that to happen with the World Wrestling Federation Championship!"

couple points here:

A) again,Bret had creative control,WHICH VINCE AGREED TO!

B) VINCE pushed Bret to go back to WCW and try to get a deal. I don't know if this was something Hunter forgot about or what.

C) Bret was a free agent,and Eric Bischoff came after HIM,and asked HIM what it would take to get him to come to WCW. Bret informed Vince of WCW's offer,which led Vince to make his 20-year offer. Bret wasn't playing games with either company.both companies wanted him,and he took the longer contract,for less money,than go to WCW. he didn't try and negotiate with WCW,WCW came after him and wanted to negotiate with him. in fact,Bret was hoping to become a full-time actor on the Lonesome Dove TV series after WM 12, but the series got cancelled.

D) both Aludra Blaze/Madusa and Lex Luger showed up on Nitro cause they legally COULD! they had no contracts with Vince at the time they left. Bret WAS still under contract for a few more weeks when SS happened,so legally he couldn't show up unless he wanted to get his ass sued into oblivion.