HOF: Should Connor close the show?

[No Count Pup]

The Macho Man will finally get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Hulk Hogan will give the speech. Pretty special, right? Yes but it won't compel the audience like Connor Michalek. His story is so emotional it deserves to headline the ceremony.

Doesn't it make sense to save the most important part of the show for last? The Warrior Award will be presented by the Ultimate Warrior's widow to the family of Connor Michalek. It will be hard for the audience to fight back tears. We may see the most emotional on-screen moment in WWE history.

Connor loved wrestling, he cherished his WrestleMania experience. Nobody was a bigger or better wrestling fan than Connor. If the fans going to Levi Stadium bring the same enthusiasm Connor did the show will be unforgettable.

Even if Macho Man goes on last at the Hall of Fame, Connor will be remembered that night as the headliner. For that reason, he may as well close the show.

 

[Navi]

I can't remember but doesn't the biggest names usually go first and then it fillers down from there. Considering this is the first year of this award, who knows where they will slot it in. But it will be emotional to say the least.

 

[Hem]

I believe that Connor should be the show opener. His story is the most emotional one of them all and like the poster above said, the main guy usually goes on early. This would make it seem viable that Connor would go on first. Afterwards you could have a guy who is just kind of mild, not emotional nor funny, go on. Second last should be something funny with Rikisihi and show closer should be an emotional Macho Man speech from Hogan.

 

[Sagg1298]

I don't remember the main guy being the show opener or going on early. The main guy or headliner always goes on last in the ceremony. Warrior was on last the previous year, Sammartino the year before that, Austin in 2009 and so on and on.

While its no set rule as to in what order the inductees are presented, its usually the main-event stars who go on during the latter part of the show. Regarding Connor, I don't think he should be the headliner. It will be a emotional moment and tears might be shed so it will perhaps better to end the show with a more... uplifting(?) nominee (can't seem to find the right word). Besides I do believe Macho Man deserves to go on last. We have waited 15 years for this induction. This is his class. Not trying to demean Connor's induction I must point out.

 

[MrHashasheen]

I'd rather not have some assholes chanting some dumb shit (you know it'll happen) to coincide with a memorial to a dead kid as the final segment of the ceremony.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Normally the headliner closes the show, however where the headliner is dead this may be different. While I get that it might be a "downer" to some, in some ways it might actually be the most uplifting way to end the show rather than Savage... Connor is actually a very positive story to end the HOF Ceremony on and A "Connor..Connor" chant ending the show won't be a downer, however emotional... As it's also the first "Warrior Award" it might get the final slot as a tribute to him as well... a "Thank You Randy" chant would be uplifting, but not in the same way.

If they want a living star to end the show, and they might then it'll be Nash if he's going in as expected. He's the most high profile of the others and Shawn inducting him will be "big", if they have a Kliq reunion onstage again etc... it makes sense.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'd rather not have some assholes chanting some dumb shit (you know it'll happen) to coincide with a memorial to a dead kid as the final segment of the ceremony.

^^^^
This


When I saw this thread, the first thing that popped into my head was that I don't really mind what spot this part of the ceremony is given because I'm more concerned with some smarky assholes crapping all over this. Acting like a douche during a match is one thing, if a wrestler can't stand to be heckled then he needs to learn to grow a thicker skin or find something else to do, but this is something different. It still pisses me off when I think of the way some of those fans acted during the HOF ceremony in 2013 when they showed the video clip for the Make A Wish Foundation.

 

[HeyYo]

This whole Conor thing is PR bullshit.

 

[CyberPunk]

This whole Conor thing is PR bullshit.

JH and MrHashasheen had called it.

Connor's story is a very emotional one and no doubt there will be teary eyed people in the audience; however, the biggest downer would be someone heckling his induction. Rather we can have him open the show.

 

[No Count Pup]

JH and MrHashasheen had called it.

Connor's story is a very emotional one and no doubt there will be teary eyed people in the audience; however, the biggest downer would be someone heckling his induction. Rather we can have him open the show.

That is a fascinating point. I am just not confident that those hecklers would be any less vocal at the beginning of the show than at the end.

 

[Seosa]

No.

Whilst I understand how emotional this whole story may make people, Connor was just one kid who the E decided to make a fairytale out of. The company used him to promote Stephanie and Cena & now its just blatant PR gold.

 

[rmp0012002]

It's nice to honor him and it's very emotional to many people but a fan should not be honored over a wrestler. I would open the evenings events with this award.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

Connor is receiving the Warrior Award, a special award essentially created for him, he's not really being inducted into the Hall of Fame. It really is a nice gesture as I'm sure it offers some kind of extra closure for his family & friends to know that Connor is being fondly remembered my many people but I see no reason why a sick child who passed away should be the headliner at a Wrestling/Sports Entertainment Hall of Fame Ceremony.

 

[Navi]

Quite honestly I don't see anything wrong with him being put into the HOF. This award was created in the memory of the Ultimate Warrior not for wrestlers, but for extraordinary people who don't lace up a pair of boots.

Like it or not if the PR work done goes into raising money to help find a cure, then what greater gift is that. In a case like this it's not about who wins and loses or who our favourites are. Sometimes it's just about being a little boy who loved the sport of wrestling. Giving him this award is hurting no one and raising awareness. There are thousands of Connors out there and this is for all of them.

 

[Elchicano15]

No, I don't think so. Does he deserve to be recognized? Absolutely!

We have 2 posthumous inductees this year. Savage (if he was still around) no doubt would be the closer/headliner. He still might, but I would rather the headliner be living to appreciate it and usually the fans go on a "Thank You" chant and its always nice to see the person on the receiving end take that in. For instance I'm hearing Nash is rumoured to be the closer, which I think is pretty cool. It is a bummer Savage or Connor isn't around to accept. If Connor was around, I would still put him at the beginning of the show maybe 2nd. As others have mentioned it's not really an induction into the HOF but more so getting a special reward in relation with it, as a kind gesture.

 

[StonewallBrigade]

No, I don't think so. Does he deserve to be recognized? Absolutely!

We have 2 posthumous inductees this year. Savage (if he was still around) no doubt would be the closer/headliner. He still might, but I would rather the headliner be living to appreciate it and usually the fans go on a "Thank You" chant and its always nice to see the person on the receiving end take that in. For instance I'm hearing Nash is rumoured to be the closer, which I think is pretty cool. It is a bummer Savage or Connor isn't around to accept. If Connor was around, I would still put him at the beginning of the show maybe 2nd. As others have mentioned it's not really an induction into the HOF but more so getting a special reward in relation with it, as a kind gesture.

I don't think Connor would be getting the award if he was still around.

 

[WhiplashUnited]

Having a PR exercise 'main event' the hall of fame would belittle what's left of Randy Savage's WWF legacy further than they've avoided showing most of his legacy to most of their audience (apart from the smarks).

 

[BenChillin]

No disrespect but no. Definitely not. I'm fast forwarding that.

I'm here for wrestlers. Not a video package I've fast forwarded already and emotional families thanking WWE for it.

Warrior's death still makes me sad and all that, but I don't care about an award that's basically done to highlight WWE's corporate image in a positive light.

 

[Dave]

Absolutely not. Whilst I am touched and moved by Connor and his story, I can't see a good reason why he closes the show. Randy Savage deserves that honour more than most other people who have been inducted, and certainly more than Connor I'm afraid. I'm not heartless, Connor definitely does have his place. But it isn't at the end of the show.

 

[MC_Live]

Word is that Kevin Nash is supposed to be the headliner/closer. It's nice what they're doing for Connor, but the same reason applies for him not going last and Savage not going last. They're not here to accept it. Although I think Lanny Poffo accepting Randy's award will be better than Kevin Nash's speech, I understand they want a living person to close the show. And I'll accept that. Besides, Connor wasn't a wrestler, and as stated before he's not actually going in to the HOF. It's just an award. And while his story will be emotional, I don't think it will so overwhelmingly emotional that the crowd won't be able to come back. Either they do the Warrior award first, or they put it towards the middle, and you follow it with the Bushwackers or the Governator.

 

[kadroan]

JH and MrHashasheen had called it.

Connor's story is a very emotional one and no doubt there will be teary eyed people in the audience; however, the biggest downer would be someone heckling his induction. Rather we can have him open the show.

Makes sense. Great way to open the show. I couldn't see any better option. Macho Man would make a great closer.

 

[Dagger Dias]

No he should not. I've never been a fan of inducting people who aren't wrestlers. I can understand why they did this, but it absolutely should not go on last. The last Hall Of Fame induction should go to the biggest name on the list. No one deserves it more to go on last at this year's Hall Of Fame than Randy Savage. His induction is a moment that many fans have been waiting for. One of the best of all time. His induction being last would make for a great moment to close the night as respected as he is. We do not want to run the risk of people in the audience being rude about it during Connor's induction as others have pointed out. Connor's being last has a pretty big risk of rude audience reactions ruining it, and you do NOT want that at the end of the night.

 

[relentless1]

Diesel is supposed to go in and he will probably end the show, Macho really should but I can understand why they wouldn't, he won't be there in person after all. No offence to the kid or anything but he really shouldn't close the show. Nash is the best option to do so out of all the entrants named...assuming his being in ends up being true