Montreal Screwjob - is it possible it was a work?

Its real. I doubt they would fake something like that.

That is one confusing @$$ed sentence. I can gather what you were trying to say, but you talked all around yourself there.

There are some pretty compelling arguments both ways. I tend to believe that it was a real swerve, but it's concievable that it was all worked. It's true that some of the elements were just a little too convenient . . . . but it might be like the old saying that "the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction."

Thanks. I was going to add that to my arguement as well. Years from now, this will be revealed as a work.

If it wasnt then why did Owen stay?

You cant use people staying or leaving as an arguement. Hell its really possible that it was just kept between Vince,Bret,Shawn,Hunter, and Hebner.

The documentary crew had been following Bret around for several months, not just for the Survivor Series event.

It was widely regarded as being his final match with the company, so why wouldn't they be present to film his last night when it was already decided he was leaving for WCW?

Also, in regards to Bret wearing the wire during the conversation with Vince, they wanted to be able to expose what Vince was saying on tape so that everyone was in agreement with the finish of the match. Bret had been skeptical and was told to watch out for any funny business going on so that a screwjob wouldn't happen, as has in the past with people like Wendi Richter. So, he wore the wire to have absolute evidence of Vince's lying if anything was to happen. And, as was shown, Vince lied and went with his own finish (i.e. originally Triple H's idea before Vince used it).

you do make a good point chicago, i wasn't aware of that information

The finish to the match that Bret and everyone else had supposedly agreed on was a double DQ involving the Hart Foundation and DX brawling at ringside.

Hence why when the actual finish went down, everyone came out to the ring because they had been waiting backstage for their cue to enter. Obviously, Vince, Earl, Shawn, Triple H and a few others knew what was going to happen, but in a sense, they didn't at the same time. The Wednesday prior to Survivor Series, Shawn was being taught some reverse holds in case Bret was to shoot on him in the ring due to the anger and frustration they knew he would feel. Thankfully for Shawn, he slid out of the Sharpshooter, played pissed off like he didn't know what was happening, and stormed to the back before things got worse. Then, Bret took all of his anger out at Vince's equipment ringside.

Also, as you can see on the documentary, Bret asks Shawn if he had anything to do with it while both were in the locker room and Shawn continues to play off not knowing. From several reports I've read and from Bret's account himself, while Bret and Vince were later in the locker room together arguing, Shawn was sitting in the corner of the locker room crying like a baby, as Bret put it. Then you have the punch that knocked Vince out, twisting his ankle on the landing, Shane McMahon trying to jump on Bret's back before Bulldog pulls him off, and the footage on the documentary of Vince stumbling out of the dressing room after regaining consciousness.

Honestly, why the hell would Vince feed the competition with Hart if it was real? The WWF was in financial peril, and couldn't afford Hart's contract. Shipping him off to WCW in such a manner would effectively cost them more in the long run.

^ Bret didn't "decide" to retire, he was forced to and no I don't think the MJS was a work.