Bob Backlund - The Forgotten Face of the WWE?

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Born on August 14th 1949, Robert Lee 'Bob' Backlund is a man who has had an illustrious career in the squared circle, and had a 30 year+ ring career. Backlund was an All American in pro wrestling and he turned pro in 1969, eventually signing with Vincent J. McMahon in 1977. He would receive several shots at then WWWF Champion, Billy 'Superstar' Graham and was managed by 'Golden Boy' Arnold Skaaland. It took Backlund several attempts, but at Madison Square Garden, on February the 14th 1978 Bob Backlund won the WWWF Championship. Backlund would go on to have a five year title reign.

The title reign was laced with controversy as Backlund never officially lost the belt in that period but did unofficially lose it on at least one occasion (possibly more) to Antonio Inoki in Japan. Whilst there was controversy, Backlund also had a lot of prestigious events in his time as champion, wrestling several cross-promotional matches with the World Champions of the NWA (Harley Race multiple times and Ric Flair once) and the AWA (Nick Bockwinkel). He also had well noted matches with Jimmy Snuka, Billy Robinson and Ken Patera.

Backlund would later lose the WWF Championship to the Iron Sheik following Vince K. McMahon's bid to move the championship to Hulk Hogan (who Backlund refused to fight because both were faces). Backlund dropped off the radar shortly afterwards, only to make a comeback in 1992 and go on to win the WWF Championship at the 1994 Survivor Series in the brilliant 'Throw in the Towel' match against Bret Hart. Bob then lost the belt in 8 seconds four days later in MSG. Backlund's mark had been left on the WWF for all to see.

Now despite all of this, Bob Backlund is very rarely mentioned in the same vein as stars like Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, or even Bruno Sammartino, and yet he had a five year title reign which included multiple classic matches, had a triumphant comeback where he re-captured the WWF Championship and has clearly had a Hall of Fame worthy career. Some could even say he was the prelude to stars such as Kurt Angle (Whom Backlund briefly managed) with the transition from amateur wrestling to pro wrestling leading to major success.

So my question here is: Is Bob Backlund the forgotten face of the WWE?

 

[Ding_Dong_#2]

Appalling how Backlund isn't in the Hall of Fame. There doesn't seem to be any bad blood there, as there is with Savage & Sammartino so it's very hard to see why he is the "forgotten man".

Arguably, it was Backlund's match with the Iron Sheik that started the modern era. It was a highly publicised storyline that caught people's attention and that momentum kept going until Hogan won the belt and you know the rest.

Although there appears to be no bad feeling, it doesn't make any sense whatsoever why he is being excluded. It's appalling that Vince decides to write and re-write WWF/WWE history whenever it suits him and a real insult to longtime fans and followers.

 

[mrbrownstone]

Yes he is certainly WWE's forgotten face, however there is probably good reason for this. I mean he isn't mentioned in the same vein as Hogan or Austin because he is nowhere near there level.

Like you said he was a prelude to a Bret Hart-esque character, a great in ring technician but lacking on the gimmick and charisma fronts that are really needed to get the crowd as solidly behind you as someone like a Hogan.

You also have to take into account the time period during which he wrestled, wrestling wasn't what is is today, there was far less exposure to a wider audience. I have no doubts that if Backlund had wrestled on a regular basis from 1985 onwards he would be remembered at least in the same vein as a Bret Hart or Randy Savage type guy.

It really is a travesty he isn't in the hall of fame though, he seems to be on reasonable terms with Vince and he carried the title for five fucking years. surely that is worthy of an induction? I mean if Koko B Ware is in there then the man who was face of the WWF before Hogan was should be in there too.

 

[nbkush]

He definitly deserves to be in the HoF. It should be noted that during his title reign, PWI stripped the WWWF of its "world title" status, leaving the AWA and NWA as the only American promotions that had "world titles".

 

[MHardy_Fan]

The only thing he is remembered for is getting pinned by Nash in like 10 seconds to lose his title. I think WWE should bring him up as someone who was once great, but he basically jobbed his title away and it is for that very reason that Backlund is rarely mentioned. I loved the chicken wing though.

 

[Mustang Sally]

The only thing he is remembered for is getting pinned by Nash in like 10 seconds to lose his title.

That may be the only thing people of our generation remember him for, but I've spoken to people older than me who remember him as a great wrestler and great champion. Just because something happened before we were born doesn't make it any less significant.

My Dad recalled a match between Backlund and Greg Valentine that went to a 60 minute draw. He said it was some of the best pure wrestling he ever saw and that both men were in good enough shape to go hard the entire hour.

When you think about it, there is no place for this kind of performer in today's pro wrestling, and it goes a long way in showing why Backlund is "forgotten." Fans today don't have the patience to watch a long, technical match without selected "spots" the wrestlers are supposed to hit. Today, if the match goes longer than 10 minutes, you see the people at ringside reaching for their cellphones or looking anywhere in the arena except the ring.

But even Bob Backlund adjusted to the times in his later years, becoming a heel and behaving like an arrogant blowhard. Personally, I'd love to see some of the matches he had in the late 70's and early 80's. He was a champion for five years because he earned it.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

Bob Backlund is a very important figure in WWF history. He had an important part to play in the inception of Hulkamania. Not only did he lose the WWF title to Iron Sheik, but he was also singlehandedly responsible for Hogan's face turn. These words from Backlund were the symbolic passing of the torch:

He's changed his ways. He's a great man. He's told me he's not gonna have Blassie around".

Plus as we all know Bob was the face of the WWF before Hulk and held the title for five years.

So why is Bob Backlund forgotten. Well there are two reasons for this. Firstly he was the champion before WWF went global and so he is not talked of in the same league as Hogan or Austin simply because he did not have their mass popularity. Secondly, its because he lost under 10 seconds to Diesel in a title match in his second run. His second run was fun to watch and the story with him not exactly accepting the modern era was believable but his title loss to Diesel, in that manner was completely unneccesary. I mean when he could go 30 minutes with Bret Hart it made no sense for him to lose under 10 seconds to Diesel. Can you ever imagine that happening to Hogan or Austin?

 

[JGlass]

As someone who got into professional wrestling long after Bob Backlund's glory days were over, I think it's safe to say yes. The only reason I have heard about Backlund is because of his most recent Title Reign that lasted all of 3 days and ended in an 8 second match. In fact, the only reason I know about THAT is because I just happened to be watching Survivor Series 94, and that's the night he beat Bret Hart for it.

And even then, it wasn't so much his doing as it was Owen Hart's doing. The gimmick was that the manager had to throw in their wrestler's towel when they thought they couldn't go on anymore, and Bret Hart had Bob Backlund tapping out, but Owen refused to throw in the towel, and then tricked his parents into throwing in Bret's towel. Backlund won the championship to further the feud between Owen and Bret, and he would drop the belts 3 days later to Diesel who won the match in 8 seconds.

And as a general wrestling fan, one that tries to learn as much as he can about the industry, I'm sad to say he sort of falls through the cracks of time. When you hear and learn about the old WWWF days you talk about Bruno Sammartino, Billy Graham, Pedro Morales, and Andre the Giant. For whatever reason Backlund slips through the cracks.

Now I am no student of old school wrestling, so guys like KB, X, and Lariat would probably be able to give a more accurate reason for why Backlund is a forgotten face or not, but I figured it would be interesting to get insight from a guy in my position, who was not alive for the days of Bob Backlund but has done research about him, has seen some of his matches, and has a halfway decent grasp on the days of the WWWF.

 

[Hitman-HBK United Inc.]

Backlund has never gotten the respect he deserves. I mean, I know a lot of people cite blandness as a major issue in Backlund's case. And maybe by modern standards, his run way back when would feel that way. But the guy was champion for nearly six years, I'm sorry, but even though Vinny Mac has made mistakes in the past, Vinny Mac SR, always knew who'd draw the crowds at MSG, and the surrounding territories. You can keep a belt on a guy for 5 or 6 months who doesen't draw a dime (Kane or Jarrett), but you don't keep a belt on a guy for nearly SIX years, that ISN'T drawing money. And if you watch the old Backlund stuff, the crowds are INSANE for him. He may seem bland, but his so called blandness, was obviously seen as a down to earth kind of pro, and the fans took to him!

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Backlund's problem is more in how he was portrayed when he came back rather than anything he did wrong. When he came back, at times he frankly looked dumb. He would jump around, grinning like a loon... Bobby Heenan would call him Opie and his blandness was totally at odds to everything the WWF fans had been programmed to accept in the last 9 years...

That was many people's first impression of Backlund, a good old school wrestler, with the ring presence of Special Ed from Crank Yankers.

Then he went into Mr. Backlund, total psycho... it worked to an extent, but his mic work was totally horrible... I never forget KOTR in Philly when he was shooting on a Philly Cheese Steak...

Bob hasn't been in the HOF as there is almost a format for it now... 1 or 2 massive names, a tag team, an old school lower carder, a dead wrestler and a former promoter/announcer. He doesn't easily fit any of those moulds... I think he'll get it one year, but there are others who will first... As most people who go in have useable footage... Most of Bob's old matches are not of the video quality to use... his later stuff makes him look goofy and stupid...

Sadly, Bob Backlund is one guy who, however over or great he was... sacrificed his legacy for another run...

 

[Hitman-HBK United Inc.]

Then he went into Mr. Backlund, total psycho... it worked to an extent, but his mic work was totally horrible... I never forget KOTR in Philly when he was shooting on a Philly Cheese Steak...

That whole angle revived his career, he got massive heat from the crowds....and his Mr. Backlund For President gimmick started catching a cult following! I don't think he sacrificed anything, he just made himself significant again. His promos were excellent, sometimes they were quite amusing, and sometimes just laugh out loud funny. Other times, he was quite angry and effective, especially during his feud with Bret.

 

[8thwotwATG]

I remember Bob Backlunds' first title reign very well and it is a mystery to me why this man is not in the HOF. This guy was SO over w/fans for the vast majority of that 1st reign, and had the in ring skills AND bonafide amatuer wrestling ability to go with it. Bob Backlund was such a training fanatic and was so powerful, he could shoot on most any other wrestler who would have tried to take advantage of him. Perhaps this is why Vince McMahon Sr. kept the strap on him for as many years as he did. I have read elsewhere that Vince Sr. liked to have guys w/some actual wrestling ability as the titleholder, to help to keep the legitimacy of the champ intact back in the kayfabe days. That being said, its a shame that Bob doesn't get the respect that some other old school wrestler's recieve, because if anyone deserves it, it's him. His cage matches w/Pat Patterson were absolutely brutal, and I recall a series of matches the man had w/Stan Hansen that were some of the most violent, stiff exhibitions of pro wrestling that i have ever seen. If Backlund is indeed forgotten, he really shouldn't be, because he was for real.

 

[The Crock]

Certainly. Backlund was a workhorse, a guy you could depend on. The WWE totally depended on him. Backlund's 5 year WWF Title reign will back me up when I say that he is one of the greatest superstars of all time. He deserves to be in the same breath as many of those you mentioned, not only because of how good he was, but the competition he took on. Backlund faced Antonio Inoki in legendary matches, Stan Hansen, Hulk Hogan, etc. He faced the best and looked the best. Backlund carried the company for years, like any good face, and he really did what was best for the company. The only blemishes against him are the fact that near the end of his 5 year WWF Title reign the title had been reduced to regional title status by some magazines, and the fact that he "held back" talent. The true fans know, though, that Backlund is a legend.

It truly is a shame that he isn't a Hall of Famer, but he'll get there fairly soon, I believe. Backlund is a guy who's on good terms with the WWE, so there shouldn't be any hiccups. Another thing that bothers me is, just like some people have said, nobody knows Backlund for his legendary matches. Instead, they only know him for his humor angles and his embarrassing moments. A legend of his caliber certainly deserves more, but you can't blame him or the WWE for it that a lot of the fans don't know their history.

Great thread, FunKay.

 

[dd23beatlesfan1]

The reason that Bob Backlund isn't in the WWE HOF has nothing to do with any grudges or anything with Bob getting shafted by the WWE. Jim Ross stated a few years ago on one of the Legends of Wrestling roundtable shows on WWE 24/7 that Bob was offered a spot in the HOF a few years back, but that Bob turned it down, because he felt that wrestlers should only go in a HOF when their career is over, and he believes that he's still in good enough shape to keep wrestling! Jim Ross also stated this just recently on his website on his Q&A section.

So Bob Backlund will most likely go into the HOF when he's ready to go in.

And yes, Bob Backlund is definitely a forgotten figure in the history of WWE unfortunately. I think his lack of gimmick, his lack of groundbreaking stature, his association (both in wrestling style and gimmick) with the old school era of pro wrestling, and his lack of promotion from WWE is what keeps him forgotten by today's fans. The most often mentioned names in the WWWF era are Bruno Sammartino, Gorilla Monsoon, Andre the Giant, and Billy Graham. Bruno for being one of the biggest stars in WWE history and for pretty much establishing it as a legitimate wrestling organization. Gorilla Monsoon for being so loyal and an integral part of the company, which is why WWE continues to pay tribute to him and promote him to today's fans, Andre the Giant for being one of the biggest pop culture icons in pro wrestling history and for being such a beloved figure, and Billy Graham for being such a groundbreaker who would've fit in perfectly with the modern era of pro wrestling.

Bob Backlund's wrestling style and character was associated with the pre-sports entertainment era of pro wrestling, so he is kind of considered to be of that era which makes it harder to be remembered. Also WWE has done little to promote his legacy and career in recent years, so that doesn't help. And he wasn't much of a groundbreaker like Billy Graham, so that hurts his chances of being acknowledged. And he wasn't a beloved figure in the company ala Andre or Gorilla, so that also hurts his chances of being continuously promoted.

But I'm sure he'll be inducted down the road. It's really up to Bob to decide when he's ready.