Owen 'The King of Harts' Hart: Worthy or Not?

[HBK-aholic]

I still don't know, and I probably won't come up with an answer after writing this, so really I'm just going to ramble on for a while. I ask myself the questions "Would this be an issue if he hadn't died how he did?", and with no answer to that, I can't answer how I think this should go. Should a death change how the wrestlers are thought about? I saiy no, and point to Eddie Guerrero as evidence. I think he was good, but completely overrated since his death.

Anyway, in the HOF as it is now, I'm going to say yes. Wow, I did come to an answer. He's done more than some of the people in it. His feud with Bret was great. But does one feud make a wrestler? Arguably, depending on what they do after that. We don't know what would have happened with Owen. In a 'legit' HOF, I say no. But I think he should be inducted to this one.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

No, based on the accomplishments he had already he should not be in the HOF. With hardly a memorable feud and a few mid card titles he does NOT deserve to be in the HOF. If he had not died and the rumors of him getting in line for a major push were true. Then if he won the World Title a few times. Then yes. But he didnt, if he were to get inducted it would just be on his death alone, where unlike Eddie Guerrero who accomplished much more got in after he died. Owen Hart should not be inducted on his merits.

 

[hoffman40]

I'm gonna say YES and for a few legit reasons

1. Owen was one of the best technical wrestlers of his era and in my opinion a much better wrestler than his brother Bret. Plus, he did everything in the ring. Not only did he keep a good match with just about anybody but he kept the crowd enthused.

2. Owen's involvement in many legendary moments in the WWE. Attitude Era, if you think about it...Owen really can be credited with helping kick off the attitude era with how devilishly he portrayed "The Black Hart" and "The King of Harts". Even feuding with his brother, an angle that at the time WWE fans were watching Garbagemen and Clowns wrestle, was a little on the edgy side for the audience they had at the time. Especially, the promo he cut on Bret after attacking him at the Royal Rumble when they lost there tag match with Bret being wheeled out of there injured!!!

3. The Accident. I know that Wrestling purists insist that this shouldn't be a factor and that we should look at Owen's career for the great times and not for the darkest moment in it. But, when you boil down to it Owen died in the ring!!! He died doing what he loved to do. How many guys can say that they loved the business so much that the died in front of the crowd?

Finally, if I had my way. Owen would be in the HOF solely based on the match he had with Bret Hart at Wrestlemania X. In what was easily the best match of the night with exception to Shawn Michaels v. A Ladder. It probably ended up being one of the best Mania matches of all time and launched him into a new phase of his career. It's a shame that he wasn't World Champion but I think WWE would've had a tough time marketing him.