Hogan's Press Conference Debacle

[NSL]

I'm putting this here, because it has nothing to do with TNA.

The WZ main page is reporting (with pictures) that Hogan was attacked by Flair at his press conference, and was bleeding all over himself. Fans are saying it was overdone, reporters are saying it's a clear work...Either way, it's looking bad.

Why would he do this? Is he that desperate to get attention, that he would plan something like this? He's just signed a big deal with a major company, so why feel the need to go out there and pull this off, and just turn the fans even more sour on himself?

I love the Hulk Hogan that we say through the 80's into the mid-late 90's. I can't help but think he's further burying his legacy by doing stuff like this. I'm sure it's a stunt to get people to come out for the Hulkamania Tour, but if it's that bad, maybe he should pack it up and cut his losses.

 

[X]

How is this a debacle? People often bleed when they get attacked. That's a fact. All this is is a way to hype up the Hulkamania tour in Australia. How is this in any way going to turn any wrestling fan off NSL? Wrestling fans love blood, in fact this will likely give people MORE respect for Hogan for being willing to do something like this at his age (in fact I've already read people say that on this forum today).

No offense NSL, but it just seems like you're trying so incredibly hard to find anything to criticize Hogan for. You want him to fail. I don't know why, but you do. I don't get it.

This isn't even slightly a big deal. This won't turn anyone off, this is absolutely nothing new in the wrestling business. Omigod, Hogan bled?! He suckz! He only noez 5 moves!

 

[Blade]

As the saying goes, Controversy creates cash.
Last time Hogan was affiliated with TNA, Jarrett attacked him, causing him to bleed and people thought it was cool. Now I'm guessing Hogan had it in his mind that it would be just as successful the second time around and it would help him sell tickets in Australia, cause apparently Hogan and Flair in the same tour isn't enough to sell tickets.
Yeah, he's tarnishing his legacy. But you have to wonder at this point; Does he actually care? We know that by this point money is much more important than his image or the industry to Hogan. He would do a self depricating, anti-wrestling advertisment if it made him financially secure for the rest of his life.
And maybe there's nothing wrong with, he's destroyed his body for the industry and the fans and he would quit for good if he could, but he obviously seems to need the money whether it's for him or to help out his kids.
He pulled this work to sell tickets. No other reason. But there comes a point where you go so far that you're actually insulting wrestling fans, the same people he wants to sell tickets to. Any mildly intelligent wrestling fan can see how ridiculous that work was and it could even turn people off buying a ticket. And it didn't make that much sense, to be honest. Not to mention that it's sad if Hogan thinks he needs to do crap like that to sell tickets.
It would've been a much smarter to have a civil press conference. Tell the fans what an experience they'd have if they bought a ticket. Maybe tease a fight between Flair and Hogan breaking out. That would've been enjoyable, maybe even exciting. But what actually happened just made you question the lengths Hogan will go to for money and to give the finger to the WWE.
Although, maybe it worked. If it turns out the work helped sell out the Australian tour, I'll never doubt Hogan again.

 

[NSL]

I don't want Hogan to fail...That's the thing. I want him to go away, so we can remember the classics he had back in the day, not the shit he'll have now.

And I know he was supposed to bleed for getting attacked, but what was the point of the attack? Did it really have to happen to hype the tour? Couldn't he have just done the press conference, and had the "attack" happen at a normal time, like at the show?

I agree this is to hype the tour, and that's what makes it so disappointing. He's Hulk Hogan. Ten years ago, there would be no need for an attack to hype it. His name would have been enough.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'm with X here: this is nothing. How many times do you hear of someone in some sporting event doing something at a press conference to hype up an event? It used to happen every other day in boxing. There's always a staredown or something. WWE does this all the time too. When's the last time there was a signing or something where on guy wasn't attacked? Hogan and Flair are just going along with the flow of things. There's nothing to this at all.

 

[X]

I don't want Hogan to fail...That's the thing. I want him to go away, so we can remember the classics he had back in the day, not the shit he'll have now.

Right there is what I mean...how the hell do you know he'll have shit now? How do you know? Shit, go watch one of his "classics" and then watch one of his recent matches, and they're the same fucking thing. Same moves, same everything. The only reason they seem classic is because they're old and took place during the golden era

And I know he was supposed to bleed for getting attacked, but what was the point of the attack? Did it really have to happen to hype the tour? Couldn't he have just done the press conference, and had the "attack" happen at a normal time, like at the show?

Hard to hype a show when you do the attack at the show NSL. Can't exactly draw people to a show that's already happening.

I agree this is to hype the tour, and that's what makes it so disappointing. He's Hulk Hogan. Ten years ago, there would be no need for an attack to hype it. His name would have been enough.

His name is still enough. Do you think he isn't drawing? Because I assure you, he is. Several venues in Australia have been sold out for months.

What the fuck does it matter? That's my real question here. It seems to me like you started this thread just to take another shot at Hogan, when there's absolutely nothing wrong here.

 

[johnbragg]

I've never put an ass in a seat besides my own, so I'll go with Hogan and Flair's judgement as to what will sell tickets in essentially a virgin Hulk Hogan market.

This kind of thing is exactly what the Hulkamania tour should be--old school, flashback to Mid-Atlantic and Tuesday Night Titans type stuff.

And exactly what I am afraid that TNA will turn into--a platform for the same hokey, worn-out, fake-punch-and-stomp-the-mat, blade-while-hidden-from-the-camera second-rate magician crap that didn't even draw me in when I was 13 and Hulkamania was indeed running wild, brothers.

I don't mind that he's doing this. If he hadn't signed with TNA, I'd be hoping that the Hulkamania tour does well and fixes a lot of Hogan and Flair's financial problems. As it is, the better Hulkamania Down Under does, the closer we come to the TNApocalypse.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Hogan has been out of the spotlight for a while now. He probably wanted to do something that would call attention to the match between him and Flair. I don't think this is a really big deal because Hogan has bleed a lot before, the most recent time I can remeber was against HBK at Summerslam '05. Nobody will even be talking about this come next week. Now if this match were happening in WWE, they probably would've showed the footage a thousand times already...it would've probably toped the number of times they showed Orton punting Vince.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

I haven't seen the footage yet, but good. The more realistic, the better. And like Blade said (which he'll get a green Rep for) "Controversy Creates Cash".

The only thing I am going to criticize Hogan for, which may be a Thread Idea for your section, NSL ... is that it's time for Hogan to drop the Frat gig, and start standing on his own. Hogan being helped up by that pig, Brian Knobbs, and Jerry Sags for that matter, was an absolute disgrace.

If anything, surrounding himself with the likes of his usual pals, The Nasty Boys, Ed Leslie, Jimmy Hart, and others is bringing Hogan down, more than it is helping him. The Frat days are over, Hulk. And they've been over for a long time now.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

If anything, surrounding himself with the likes of his usual pals, The Nasty Boys, Ed Leslie, Jimmy Hart, and others is bringing Hogan down, more than it is helping him. The Frat days are over, Hulk. And they've been over for a long time now.

You know I was watching one of the many whacky promos for this match on Youtube a few days ago, and when I saw the Nast Boys and Jimmy Hart, I couldn't help but think to myself, "why the fuck are they even involved in this?" Serioulsy Jimmy Hart hasn't been relevant since he came to WCW with Hogan. And The Nasty Boys? The most entertaining moments i've recently seen from them came from Brian Knobbs when he was on Hogan Knows Best, and it had nothing to do with wrestling.

Yeah I wish the Hulkster would leave the Frat days behind him. But they're Hogan's buddies, so I guess we'll be seeing more of them.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

Looks like we finally have some footage from the Press Conference. Not nearly as wild as it was being made out to be. Hogan basically got slapped and fell of the stage. Then, he was tended to by the Hogan Frat Club (Nasty Boys).

A lot of over-acting on the part of Eric Bischoff too, which really disappointed me.

"What are you doing, Ric? What are you doing, Ric? Ric?"

Really, Bischoff? Really?

[YOUTUBE]b_r5M-GAlLA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Hulkamaniac]

This stuff is being broadcast on the network news Down Under. Seems like "brilliant" would be a better description then "debacle." As someone said, hogan and Flair, there aren't many other people in this business that know more about drawing big crowds and big heat.