I consider myself a bit of a WWE HOF expert. I have nothing to prove this, but I think that I've been able to decipher some trends among the way the bring people into the HOF. So here's my two cents on a bunch of people previously mentioned.
Sting - Obviously his career needs to end first. Then Vince will need to analyze whether or not he wants to put him in, despite never working for WWE. It's not unprecedented, since Verne Gagne, Nick Bockwinkel, Eddie Graham, and Gordon Solie are all in, though technically Gagne and Graham worked shows for either Capitol Wrestling Federation and World Wide Wrestling Federation. Now assuming Vince wants him in, and I think he will, Sting will have to accept it. That might be a bigger question, since he may not agree with "the product" and things of that sort.
Randy Savage - Whatever bad blood there is between him and Vince needs to be resolved. Maybe the DVD release will help? Maybe not?
The Ultimate Warrior - He's mad with WWE because of the DVD, and I could see why he would be. At the same time, I think he deserves the abuse he receives, because it's a product of his own attitudes and behaviors over the years. I actually don't think Vince would object to inducting him, since he knows it would attract ratings. I do think he might be afraid to give Warrior an open mic since who knows what he might try to say.
Bruno Sammartino - Well, he hates Vince. He hates today's wrestling. He thinks the HOF is a joke because Pete Rose was inducted and also because it isn't an actual building or place he could visit. He's been asked and he's refused. In doing so, Bruno has condemned himself to irrelevance. The younger people who watch wrestling today don't care about Bruno Sammartino. Heck, I'm 28 and I never saw Bruno wrestle and don't care much about him either, other than knowing he belongs in the HOF. Bruno is much too old-school for his own good. When you come right down to it, Bruno was never as good or as important as he would like to think he is. He was essentially a regional champion, it just so happens the region where he wrestled is the one succeeded in going national, and had the right demographics for his personality (heavily Italian-American). Still, he belongs in the HOF, and only he is preventing that.
Bob Backlund - Another no-brainer. Supposedly he's been offered and declined, supposedly because he believes he has another run as a wrestler left in him. I don't know if that's foolish optimism or signs of a delusional mind. Sounds like a combination of both. Whenever he gets past that, or feels that he's had that run, I'd imagine he'll accept. He'll definitely be in some day, that's not even a question.
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash - I'll group these two together since they're so closely tied together in their histories. They both have the talent, accomplishments and importance that, in my mind, makes them worthy of the HOF. But other issues may prevent it from happening. For Hall, it's all about the drug use. I read a recent interview with Nash where he made it sound as if Hall is beyond the point of anyone's help with his addictions and that he needs to straighten himself out. I would be pessimistic about that happening. For Nash I think it depends more on Vince's attitude towards him and his relationship with TNA. Whenver he's done with TNA, I'd have to think Vince would consider him, and it would just be a matter of when.
Jake Roberts - Basically see Scott Hall. If he has his addictions in check, I know Vince would induct him. Also see Ultimate Warrior. If Vince knew he could trust Jake with an open mic, I know Vince would induct him. He said as much on Jake's DVD. Again, I think this will happen, but Jake needs to be straight.
Owen Hart - This all hinges on his widow. If she remains steadfast in wanting nothing to do with Vince and WWE, he'll never be there. I know that Bret Hart has several times complained about Owen not being in, to which I'd always like to remind him that, presumably, his sister-in-law is holding that up, not Vince. This is still a big question mark.
Brian Pillman - Pillman's a bit borderline in terms of actual ring accomplishments. In terms of innovation, both in-ring work and character development, Pillman is on top of the heap. That said, his career was kind of short. It's somewhat debatable as to whether he belongs. My personal opinion is that he does belong. I don't see why Vince wouldn't induct him, and I can't see where Pillman's wife would be opposed.
Ted DiBiase - He'll be in. Don't know what's taking so long, but he'll be in. No doubt.
Rick Rude - He should definitely be in as well. Again, don't know what's holding this up, except possibly the fact that's he's deceased, which is also probably what's preventing Pillman from being in. I expect Rude to be there one day.
Brock Lesnar & Bobby Lashley - I don't know why they're being discussed. They'll NEVER be in because their careers where way too short. Now, if they should come back, we can discuss them again. But to me Lashley was extremely overhyped, overrated and overpushed. There was nothing spectacular about him except his physique, and that's not good enough to get in. Lesnar was certainly on a track, but he basically threw away everything he was given. He would have a much more compelling case than Lashley, if that's saying anything, but it's not going to happen unless he returns, which looks extremely doubtful.
Eric Bischoff & Paul Heyman - In my estimation, both deserve to be in. There are very few promoters who have made contributions that truly enhanced the wrestling business in lasting ways. Bischoff & Heyman belong in that group. In my mind, they were both better promoters than Bill Watts, at least in terms of storyline innovation, if not in pure business terms (then again, all 3 of their promotions eventually went under, so maybe they're all on equal footing there). The relationships between WWE and these two seem to be shaky right now, so it will probably be a while. Also, Vince McMahon should be in before these guys and I don't think Vince is going to induct himself, so we'd have to wait for him to pass on before these two get in.
Chris Jericho - Just mentioning him because someone said that his current gimmick will prevent his induction. Um, no. Gimmicks change all the time. Jericho will get in one day, his current disparaging of gimmicks aside. Remember, Sgt. Slaughter was once an Iraqi sympathizer who burned the American flag as part of his gimmick. Last time I checked, he was in the HOF.
Kurt Angle, Booker T, Scott Steiner, Mick Foley - Well, when they're done with TNA, they've all got a chance. The bridges between them and Vince will have to still be open, which is all depends.
Jeff Jarrett - He doesn't have a chance because he's so invested in TNA and Vince doesn't think much of him. I say he deserves it, but what I say doesn't matter.
Chris Benoit - Yea. Never. Never. Never. I am interested to hear whatever Vince says about him on the upcoming ESPN E:60 special this Tuesday, but I can't imagine he'd publicly say anything different now. It doesn't matter anyway, because he'd never be able to justify putting in a double murderer, no matter what he did in his career. As much as I like to separate his in-ring work from his last act, in this case you simply cannot do that. He'll NEVER be in.
Now, here are some I don't recall being mentioned.
Ole Anderson - Ole belongs in, whether as a member of The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (with Gene Anderson) or as a member of The Four Horsemen, or just by himself. However, he hates Vince just as much as people like Bruno Sammartino. He also never worked for Vince. It sounds as if he's not on the best of terms with guys like Ric Flair and Arn Anderson who might try to go to bat for him as well. So just like Bruno, he's too old-school for his own good, will not be remembered as he should, and has no one to blame but himself.
Bruiser Brody & Abdullah the Butcher - I'm putting these two guys together because they're so "mythic" in stature for their styles of wrestling. But Abdullah never worked for WWE and Brody barely worked for WWE. So I think these guys deserve to be in, but it's a question of whether or not Vince wants them in.
The Fabulous Freebirds - Again, they barely worked for WWE. But they're very deserving. So long as Michael Hayes remains an employee and in Vince's good graces, which seems to be shaky as well right now from what I've read, this may not happen.
Jim Cornette - He is one of the legendary managers of all time. But he had a very messy departure from WWE and still criticizes them, so he may never got the honor he deserves.
I can't really think of any others right now, and I've rambled long enough as it is. Respond at your own peril.
