Anyone else feeling uncomfortable with Bret's return?

[whitefox]

Sorry for posting another Hitman thread but this has been playing on my mind.

First of all I would like to say that I am not bashing Bret in anyway here. As a kid, he was my number 1 hero and I was as excited as anyone when it was announced that he was returning.

I'm not sure why, but during his 2 comeback WWE appearances, though I have enjoyed them I have felt nervous and slightly uncomfortable when watching him. Lets face it he wasn't exactly The Rock on the mic even during his heyday and I know he hasn't done anything like this in 10 years, but I constantly think he is going to forget what he is supposed to say.

I also cringed when things got physical on this weeks Raw, while his punches to Vince looked fairly good, he looks slow and stiff even when he is just walking. All this is very understandable, considering he has had a career ending concussion and a serious stroke. I know a few posters on here have said he is not as fragile as everyone makes out. I'm not so sure now. I can't see the one on one street fight with Vince at Mania that many predicted happening.

For the record I'm not sure that I will ever be able to bring myself to call it a mistake however it turns out, seeing Bret in a WWE ring is something I never thought I would see and I was delighted to see him return. But what will the more neutral or anti Bret wrestling fans make of it?

I want to know how everyone else feel about this? Have you felt at ease while watching the Hitman or have you found it hard to watch? I don't think any of us can yet label the comeback a success so failure after jus 2 appearances but how do you feel about it so far? Do you think him returning could be a mistake?

 

[lamo78]

I don't think it is a mistake to bring him back. Not only does he, Vince, and HBK need public closure, but the fans do as well. This could open up the door for so many other things and people. That is what I think of when I see it.

It is good to see the Pink and Black Attack back. I also think that some of the tentativeness is due to the WWE was not sure how fans would react to seeing Bret back. There are a LOT of younger WWE fans which is why Cena stays on top. They do not know who Bret is really. There are also some WWE fans who were WCW fans who are upset with how Bret was used in WCW. Bret was handled poorly for the last 3 years of his career.

I also think that it will be Cena and Bret vs. Batista and Vince in some way, shape, or form. There won't be a straight up one on one fight between Bret and Vince. Nobody wants to see that. 10 years ago, sure... but not now.

 

[MizzRandyOrton]

in my opinion vince was very disrespectful to him

 

[DiscipleofWrestling]

I'm personally glad to see Bret Hart back, no matter what his personal ailments might be. It was a long time coming for Bret to reappear. Whitefox, what you say makes a lot of sense. Bret does look a little stiff, a little fragile. He looks like someone who's been through a lot in the 10 years since he was in a ring. The fact that he is even walking right now is a miracle all in itself.

I have to admit to being a little taken back by this whole circumstance. It was great seeing Bret on 1/4 show. After watching this week's show, I can't help but think this isn't as great as I thought it would be. Nothing in life is ever as great as we think it will be, but this reminds me too much of the Shawn Michaels-Vince McMahon storyline from a few years back. Are we going to see Bret show up every week to get his ass kicked just so people will buy WrestleMania to see him destroy Vince?

That being said, for me as an old school fan, the storyline works for me because I want to see Bret lock in the Sharpshooter on Vince (even knowing that moment will likely NEVER happen before WrestleMania). But with the younger fans, I can't help but think they aren't as invested in this storyline. And why should they to be honest? Bret's a relic from the past brought back 13 years later with little or no connection to WWE TV in the last few years (especially if you count out the HOF appearance). I won't say Bret returning is a mistake. But it is a tough sell to most of the fans who haven't been long-time WWE fans. I look for Batista/Vince vs. Cena/Bret at Mania right now given the events of last night.

 

[Rip]

I've felt this way as well.

When I saw him return, I can see he has a rather large mid-section and would hate to see him in some kind of wrestling gear. Further, there is a reason he retired. Concussions are not something to mess around with. These guys who come back from concussions or broken necks... we sometimes forget that is a HUGE deal. Imagine having your neck broken, you lose feeling in certain parts of your body, you have to go through a scary surgery. Then you get back into the ring and get the neck pounded on night after night and risk breaking it (or worse) in the EXACT same fashion that it was broken in the first place. I commend Bret if he does get back in the ring. But getting in the ring is risky, so if he does I'm sure it's one last time EVER type deal. I will be very uneasy about the idea of him in the ring and getting physical. Plus, he probably has insane amounts of ring rust and if he looks bad in the ring it would be a sour note to end your career on, in my point of view anyway.

 

[DRoHoF]

yeah his "dont make me wait. It makes me madder" bit was a little off-putting. This whole Bret-Vince situation makes me wonder if Bret even wants to do this. I mean the guy isn't what he used to be and this thing isnt exactly making him look like a Legend.

 

[lamo78]

I've felt this way as well.

When I saw him return, I can see he has a rather large mid-section and would hate to see him in some kind of wrestling gear. Further, there is a reason he retired. Concussions are not something to mess around with. These guys who come back from concussions or broken necks... we sometimes forget that is a HUGE deal. Imagine having your neck broken, you lose feeling in certain parts of your body, you have to go through a scary surgery. Then you get back into the ring and get the neck pounded on night after night and risk breaking it (or worse) in the EXACT same fashion that it was broken in the first place. I commend Bret if he does get back in the ring. But getting in the ring is risky, so if he does I'm sure it's one last time EVER type deal. I will be very uneasy about the idea of him in the ring and getting physical. Plus, he probably has insane amounts of ring rust and if he looks bad in the ring it would be a sour note to end your career on, in my point of view anyway.

I hear what you are saying and agree for the most part. But I bet Bret at 50% is still better than a lot of guys at 100%. But Vince cannot tell a story in a match, and due to Bret's physical abilities, neither can he.

 

[Sean Valjean]

I've feel fine watching him just do promos, but I was cringing a bit during the whole beatdown last night. Bret's "assault" on Vince looked pretty bad. He was slow and stiff, and his punches were almost as bad as Shane McMahon's.

Then when Batista hit the ring and went after Bret, I was pretty nervous. I'm not sure if Batista meant to set him up for the Batista bomb and forgot he couldn't do it to Bret or what, but I was cringing that whole time hoping that Batista wouldn't be this generation's Goldberg to Bret.

I'll need to see Bret get physical again to judge more, but based on what happened last night, there's no way he can work any kind of match at 'Mania.

 

[Jetspete]

uncomfortable? this is awesome! tell me, how can you have a street fight at wrestlemania with little build up? Vince comes in to his old role as the evil chairman, picks on Brett's family, uses henchmen to help him, this is vintage storyline setting up vince's ultimate beatdown.

And a previous poster said vince cant tell a story in a match? Are you kidding me? Go back and watch some classic vince matches as recently as his feud with shawn michaels. What vince lacks in physical abilities he makes up for as a storyteller.

The beautiful part of this is its NOT going to be this retirement tour / swan song. Theyre not bringing Hart in like they brought Hogan in with his hbk/orton matches. The storyline is going to get dark, it is going to get personal and vicious. Vince called out everything people used to criticize Hart for, his lack of charisma, his stiffness, etc. I for one am pleased with this.

And finally to drohof, if anything Bret was overselling his pain last night, which would lead me to believe he really wants to do this.

 

[RockNWag]

I think we have to let this play out a little more before we can actually determine how frail Bret is. I admit, It kind of looked like he fell on Vince after the kick, but if anyone other than me (and my dad actually pointed it out) noticed, at the end of Raw, they showed Vince's face, and he had a welt by his left eye. In another post (that I didn't care to comment on) the poster said that his punches looked weak, but evidentally they weren't. Who knows though, maybe they're trying to make him look weaker than he is, just to play us for now.

 

[neildittmar]

"Uncomfortable" may not be the right word to describe how I feel about Bret Harts return, but it's close especially considering how "physical" his interactions are becoming.

The truth is, Bret Harts life is his own and he can do anything he wants with it. If he wanted to compete full time, assuming WWE allowed him to do so, there is no law or regulation preventing him from doing so. No matter how much anybody thinks how fragile he is or argues what a terrible idea his in-ring return may be, it doesn't matter in the slightest. Bret can do what Bret wants to do in the largely unregulated "sport" of sports entertainment.

Having said that, I definitely think Bret is making a potential (and possibly life threatening) mistake by getting physically involved in even a limited capacity. There's no such thing as a non-serious concussion. Bret has had a number of them. There also doesn't exist a "little" stroke. Bret has one of those on his scoreboard too.

If Bret is absolutely bent on getting involved once again with the company he adamantly insisted screwed him over time and again, it should be as a face and a mouthpiece. Someone to add credibility to some of the younger guys (Hart Dynasty?) or as an "ambassador" for the company. People do want to see Bret, so give him some TV time in other areas... not as an in-ring competitor. The fact is, those years are far beyond what Bret is physically capable of at this point in his life.

Watching Bret cut his promo last night was less about "uncomfortable" and more about "sad." Sad that a once great competitor was having trouble even speaking his lines. Sad that Batista and Vince had to work with him so softly, so the risk of injury would presumably be minimal. The saddest part of all is that I fear both Bret and the WWE are building a storyline in which he'll become an in-ring competitor once again, even if it is for one night only at the biggest event of the year.

The fact that Bret might have a partner in Cena or some other big name is almost inconsequential. Doesn't WWE tell its fans at the begining of every DVD release that accidents can happen and not to try this at home? One of the reasons is because the most horrific injuries in wrestling have come by way of accident. Timing was off, a spot was botched, somebody moved when they shouldn't have, etc. For a completely healthy individual, one mistake can effectively end a career. To hit a little closer to home, one mistake can result in the end of a competitors life. Think about how much that probability goes up when you've had severe and serious medical issues, regardless of how long ago they occured.

Ultimately, Bret wrestling again is more than just uncomfortable, its downright terrifying in my opinion. For every punch thrown and headlock administered, I'll certainly be holding my breath.

 

[Smart Mark]

I do not think it was a mistake as its something the public has wanted to see for a long time, i do though feel like how he's being used is a mistake. I was excited to see Bret putting over the new hart foundation group and solidifying them in the wwe as future main eveners, but instead it seems cena will take the spot. Now Cena does not need Brets help getting over leading up to a match, he is the most over guy in wwe right now, the amount of people chanting his name and cheering for him last night shows that he doesn't need the hitman to lead him into wrestlemania. The new hart foundation does. I really expected them to run out when Bret was getting beat up, and was excited to see the team have some purpose for once. I think it would be a mistake to not use Bret to get this team over and I hope they do something with them leading to mania because other wise this will have just been a huge missed opportunity.

 

[classicviolence]

It was only uncomfortable when Batista hit the ring. I thought that Batista was gonna seriously hurt the Hitman.

Other than that, im loving the Bret/Vince angle. Bret will end up locking Vince in the sharpshooter and everyone will be happy with this.

 

[gtajoker01]

I like bret hart but i just feel this is a huge waste of time. if they would let him be himself and if they would let go of the whole entire pg b.s maybe wwe's ratings and ppv buyrates would be better. its like they are trying to re-create the past or re-live the past and that is boring and what p'ed me off the most no one came to his rescue last night, i think its wwes way to make him look bad.. enough already, enough. is this the best they got? its sad, real sad.

 

[theHeadliner]

I thought Bret looked more bad ass than he did last time. I was surprised they had a physical altercation. Batista's punches looked to phony, but I understand he had to be careful. I don't like how both shows ended with Bret looking pathetic and beaten down. He's been doing fine on the mic so far considering what he's been through.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I am feeling a little uncomfortable about his physical well-being. I would really hate for this to take a terrible turn health-wise for Bret. I am not sure he has the ability to work a street fight at Mania, and I am not sure he should (even though I would love to see him kick Vince's teeth down his throat).

But as for cutting promos and being an on air character, it should be great. Bret always had way better mic skills than people gave him credit for. He didn't have a big flashy character or an overly entertaining gimmick, but he was a decent actor and was one of the best in-ring competitors you could ever imagine. I think he sounded much, much better on the mic this week as opposed to 1/4. He wasn't stumbling over his lines, and he actually showed a good deal of emotion. Mic wise, this will be a damn good storyline. Physically? Maybe, but only if Bret can handle it (and he shouldn't be able to, and that's not his fault...it's Goldbergs haha).

And as for this guy:

yeah his "dont make me wait. It makes me madder" bit was a little off-putting. This whole Bret-Vince situation makes me wonder if Bret even wants to do this. I mean the guy isn't what he used to be and this thing isnt exactly making him look like a Legend.

First of all, Bret Hart doesn't need to "look like a legend" because he IS a legend. Not only is he a legend, he is one of the greatest competitors in the history of professional wrestling. Bret doesn't need to convince you he's a legend. Is he what he used to be? Of course not, you moron. He had a stroke and multiple concussions. You probably weren't a big Bret Hart fan and/or you didn't watch when he was on top. Second, he said "don't make me wait. It makes me madder." How about you don't worry about his grammar, and go back and watch some tape of Bret, a REAL competitor (unlike most of the bum's out there today).

 

[emerald phoenix]

im kinda indifferent to this whole thing..... i mean it gives longtime fans closure and wwe needed a big moment to keep on pace with what tna is doing..... that said, the street fight wont be pretty and will likely come off as a "well its great for bret to beat vince but this was kinda a waste of time" moment....its gonna look like a scripted mma fight and come off horrible, but the main point is to give the longtime fans closure.......now if vince could only do this with savage.........

 

[TheLegendKiller777]

man there is just no satisying anyone is there? Bret hart returning was something everyone talked about for ever and he did now everyone is saying it was pretty much a mistake, i agree brett is a little rusty in some areas but him being out there doing that for the fans is a miracle in itself. and just like another poster said, maybe they are making him look weak and at mania be able to really hold is own.. unlikely? yes.. but still a posssibility, they obviously have a plan with this storyline and probably went over last nights angle, quit analyzing every little aspect of the show god just enjoy it, and i read everyones discussions daily but as you can see have only posted when i think somehing needs to be said, who really cares or has the time to rant over stuff on here, its not going to change anything, enjoy the show, one way or the other this bret vince saga will finally come to an end in favor of the hitman and everyone will leave the dessert happy when mania rolls around

 

[Demon 73]

Sorry for posting another Hitman thread but this has been playing on my mind.

First of all I would like to say that I am not bashing Bret in anyway here. As a kid, he was my number 1 hero and I was as excited as anyone when it was announced that he was returning.

I'm not sure why, but during his 2 comeback WWE appearances, though I have enjoyed them I have felt nervous and slightly uncomfortable when watching him. Lets face it he wasn't exactly The Rock on the mic even during his heyday and I know he hasn't done anything like this in 10 years, but I constantly think he is going to forget what he is supposed to say.

I also cringed when things got physical on this weeks Raw, while his punches to Vince looked fairly good, he looks slow and stiff even when he is just walking. All this is very understandable, considering he has had a career ending concussion and a serious stroke. I know a few posters on here have said he is not as fragile as everyone makes out. I'm not so sure now. I can't see the one on one street fight with Vince at Mania that many predicted happening.

For the record I'm not sure that I will ever be able to bring myself to call it a mistake however it turns out, seeing Bret in a WWE ring is something I never thought I would see and I was delighted to see him return. But what will the more neutral or anti Bret wrestling fans make of it?

I want to know how everyone else feel about this? Have you felt at ease while watching the Hitman or have you found it hard to watch? I don't think any of us can yet label the comeback a success so failure after jus 2 appearances but how do you feel about it so far? Do you think him returning could be a mistake?

While I too am a huge Hitman fan and yes he not the Bret of old.. he is 52, Bret is still Bret and I think he has kept himself in relatively good shape. I wouldn't think he could move around the ring as say Ricky Steamboat, but if in fact there is a 'street fight' on the horizon Bret could pull off a decent match. Bret is no dummy, and I think he is having a huge say in how his comeback is progressing. If it starts getting ridiculous I am sure will say screw it.

I think in the coming weeks we will see Bret start to get the 'upper hand' with Vince with some help (Cena, maybe Taker) or without. Who knows, maybe it will get to the point where they get Shawn involved - he starts to help Bret, but only if Vince gives him a date with Undertaker at Wrestlemania. (By the way, if that match does end up happening and HBK breaks the streak I will never watch wrestling again!!)

So really Bret will tease a bit more every appearance in the coming weeks... stay tuned! I know I will.

 

[scsafan]

A lot of people seem uncomfortable also because of the lack of fan reaction at times due to the younger audience. It seems like the crowd reaction doesn't sound that loud on TV. But people have to take this into account: come Wrestlemania, the crowd is going to be filled with hardcore fans which will provide for an amazing event. As much as the WWE caters to kids, the hardcore fan will always have a spot for WM and will always go to it. That kind of crowd will definitely clear up any type of unease people have about this storyline. Just imagine the noise level when he locks in the Sharpshooter on Vince at WM. That's just my opinion. I never go to any live events and the crowd reaction that I hear on TV often shapes my opinion as I'm sure it does for many other wrestling fans.

 

[Hitman27567]

Hey guys I was watching an episode of Off the Record with Michaels Langsberg on YouTube and his guest was Bret Hart. This interview happened after the stroke, and one of the questions that Michael asked Bret was can he still wrestle?...Bret replied and said that if he put his mind to it and trained hard enough he can...So take it for what it's worth, just wanted to through that bit of info out there....

 

[Armeniac]

I'm hoping the bit gets better. Brett's mic work is certainly not very good at this point, but that will improve over time, one hopes. As far as the action goes, I thought it was fine. It would be absurd for Batista or the Chairman, or anybody else not to go easy on Brett. My main worry is that his mic action will stay at this level, that would be a drag. And I know if it's on the show it's part of the "show" but it really seemed like the Chairman meant it when he said Brett was boring an dhad no personality. From his performance on Mondayit's hard to argue.

 

[ronalddeo]

Uncomfortable? Yes and No.

No – coz its great to see bret back, and to see him and HBK on the same show brings back lots of old school memories. No because of the nostalgic factor

Yes – Its hard to see a great wrestler as Bret unable to defend himself against others. We all know he had stroke etc… to me it feels like vince is milking him for all his got.

 

[Toroc102]

I was deifinately thinking about this, had been on my mind since I heard what the plans were. I don't mind seeing Bret return and get along with the crowd and all, but the him VS McMahon thing is not that great, I mean, McMahon VS. anyone has been done to death, I'm sure people are tired of paying to see him get his comeuppance at every PPV he's a part of. I was hoping he'd become some sort of authority figure instead of fighting Vince, since we all know it just won't be what it should be.

As for last night, man when Batista came in I thought he was going to give Bret a Batista Bomb and I was like DON'T DO IT!!!

All in all, I'll say that when they we're given the chance WWE should've just went the classy was and had Bret reconcile with McMahon as well as HBK and let things go from there instead of turning it into a storyline.

 

[BrucePettit]

I think everyone is looking too far into all this. I know he is old, and I know he has been through a lot in his life outside of wrestling, so after not being on TV for as long as he has, he will be rusty and won't look the best.

I get that.

The thing that makes me uncomfortable?

Fucking Vince McMahon's burial of Bret Hart. I know they are working a storyline, so Vince is being "evil." But it's been Vince stroking his own ego the last two shows. Had this been another legend coming back and starting something up with Vince, I'm not so sure he would have been spit on like Bret did. I found myself absolutely disgusted by that this Monday. I honestly didn't think that was necessary at all. I understand it being a build up to Hart finally getting the best of McMahon at WM, but there are ways to go about it other then spitting in the mans face.

I believe that Vince is truly letting all his anger and bits of hatred for Bret come out in his promos. He threw some small jabs in there that I am sure he truly feels. I just feel that he could of had Batista come in, beat on Bret, hold him up, and he could have gotten a few shots in on him, and then Raw would have went off the air. Instead, he had to just spit in his face, humiliate him, to show his ego a good time like Vince always seems to do. It's fucking tasteless.

I'm basically venting here, but it's the reason Sting wouldn't ever come to WWE, and quite frankly, I don't blame him. He doesn't want to be buried like they did with Booker T and DDP. To me, this is what he has done to Bret, at least in the last few minutes of Raw this past Monday, after a huge build up, knowing the ratings would be at a high point to see Bret "finally confront McMahon."