Thoughts on Bret Hart

Big fan of The Hart Foundation and one of few good things during the WWF New Generation Era, but often comes across as a bitter old man in recent years and I lost some respect for him after reading his autobiography

My second favorite wrestler of all-time. I always enjoyed his wrestling matches, I think he is the best technical wrestler that I have ever seen. Great story teller, worked well with all types of wrestlers. Definitely should have been given the title of Mr. Summer Slam over Edge a few years back. He has what many consider the two best matches in Summer Slam history (vs. Bulldog and vs. Mr. Perfect) but he also has three really good tag team matches (vs. Demolition at 88 and 90 and vs. the Brain Busters at 89) and 2 more really great singles matches (vs. Owen at 94 and Taker at 97). He definitely had some of the best matches in WWF/E history. I still think his match with Steve Austin at WM13 is the best in WWF/E history. The story telling, the psychology, the brutality, and I don't remember any botches. Unfortunately I think he gets a bad rap for the mid 90s/new generation era, wrestling was down as a whole so its hard to blame him on how bad the WWF was doing at the time. WCW had Sting, Flair, Steamboat, Rude, Vader, Austin, Bulldog, Boss Man, among others and they didn't do any better than WWF at the time. The only time that WCW out-sold WWF was when Hogan and Savage finally showed up, but that wasn't on a consistent bases. WCW didn't start outdoing the WWF consistently until the NWO angle and that was when Shawn was in the top spot of the company and Bret was taking time off. For me, had Bret not been there during the new generation I wonder how well the WWF would have done. Personally I think Bret should have dropped the belt to Shawn at the 97 Survivor Series, but if what Bret says is true and Shawn said to Bret that he would never job to him again, I can't blame Bret for not wanting to help Shawn (plus Bret said that he told Vince that he would drop the belt to just about anyone else at a house show leading up to the SSE 97 to Taker or Austin or Shamrock). His WCW run was not great, but I put more of the blame on WCW management, they didn't seem to have a spot for him. It seemed like every nitro Bret was turning on someone. One week he was a good guy the next week he was a bad guy then back to a good guy the following week. I think had they put him as either a face or heel and kept him that way he would have done much better. It's a shame that he got concussed and had to retire. It would have been nice to see him have a real farewell match against some of the guys in the WWF at the time he seemed to make an amends (2005/06). Bret vs Angle would have been fun to watch. Plus he and Jericho as well.

Always was a fan of his. Loved the Hart Foundation run,His big singles run from 91-96 and the classic heel turn at WM XIII. His mic work was definitely subpar but his in ring work always made up for it.

No comment on his WCW run as the less said about it the better lol.

I believe this was the reason he said he started wearing glasses. At first during the interviews with he and anvil, he said his eyes should how nervous he was so he needed something to hide them. 

I always thought about this and to me it kind-of worked with his nickname, you don't really thinking of Hitmen being too talkative, they just go out and let there actions do there talking for them.

That's a good way to look at it. Although I will said his mic work in 97 during his heel run with the Hart Foundation was great.

Bret was at his best when he turned heel in 97. His mic work was better too.

Favorite wrestler of all-time. A Canadian hero.

I don't mind Bret on the mic. He trails off a lot and meanders a bit but at least it's genuine. You know it's him talking. That said, Bret was a far better talker when he was heel. The same issues were there but I feel less so. When he got to get angry and let loose, that's when he was best on the mic. The episode of 97 Raw where he snaps is one of my all time favorite things.

One knock against Bret that I always hated was when people call him too serious. Specifically I recall Scott Hall ripping on Bret for never taking it easy. That's fine with me. He was always professional and wanted to do the best work he could. Admirable.

In the late 80s, Bret Hart was the complete opposite of what we were used to seeing. Here was this guy, who had a cool look, cool hair, cool tights, just oozed coolness, and who could wrestle! He was just awesome.

Of course looking back now, I see Bret had a certain style, where he had his set moves and that's what you got with Bret.

But I will always be a fan of his!

Best of all time. Simply put, he's the reason I'm a wrestling fan. But if you want to take my bias out of it, Bret Hart has the respect of all of his peers, or at least did the time of his performances - I think this is the biggest factor to consider when you start the greatest of all time conversation. I think Bret's legacy has been tarnished somewhat by all of his tweets, and his book.. But I've read Hart's book, and I didn't think it was that damning. The guy just had a stroke after writing it so its understandable if some stuff is hazy or emotions on certain events are hazy.