I kind of like Bret. If you don't know him, here's a bit of info.
Enter the life of a man who built a legacy that was not only well received by his fans and followers, but also by his enemies and adversaries. Enter the life of a man that dedicated his entire life, and everything that revolved around it toward his one passion: wrestling. From the small child that had a dream, to the man that brought immediate life into the tens of thousands of fans in the buildings he performed in, Bret Hart was truly one of a kind. Even when professional wrestling turned itself into a debris of what he called ?trash?, and as some call it a period ?regression? and ?devolvement? in society, Bret Hart put aside his personal opinions and accepted that there was change coming into the ?tongue and cheek? style business he had grown up in and made a life out of. It is the same business that would eventually turn its back on him, be held responsible for the wrongful death of his brother, the disintegration of his family, and the blow to his head that would leave him with permanent brain damage. Bret gave his life to wrestling, and in the end, they took it from him, and never gave anything back.
To follow his challenging childhood to the legacy he built in the World Wrestling Federation, and to his tragic downfall, there are a few things one must understand. For instance how was his early life? What role has his family played in his life? What has he accomplished in his time spent in the WWF? How was his life after leaving the WWF and going to WCW? And finally what lead to the end of his career?
Bret Hart was born on July 2nd, 1964 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada as the sixth of eight boys, and the eighth of a total of twelve children . His parents Stu and Helen Hart were considered the matriarch and patriarch of professional wrestling. In the Hart household, wrestling wasn?t just a business; it was a way of life for them. Together they ran a highly successful wrestling school called Stampede Wrestling. At one point the organization stretched from Montana to all across Western Canada . Growing up into the Hart family, the boys could be expected to train in grueling conditions for several hours a day in their basement that they called ?the dungeon?. When local matches were taking place, all the kids helped out in one way or another, whether it be selling tickets or passing out programs. Even the four Hart daughters ended up all marrying professional wrestlers . Despite the highly successful Stampede Wrestling program, there was very little money to go around. One Christmas, the eight boys received just hockey pucks, which incidentally Stu had received for free after it was donated to his wrestling promotion . The boys shared everything, including their toys and clothes as a kid. However there was never a shortage of food in the household . Stu would often prepare large course meals that he shopped for and cooked himself. While the Harts were very prestigious in the wrestling industry, others didn?t look upon them too kindly. They were looked upon as circus folk and received poor treatment at school from their classmates .
Diana Hart was one of Bret?s four sisters, and ended up marrying a professional wrestler, David Smith, otherwise known as the British Bulldog . Their early marriage worked out well, but as Smith?s career took a bad turn, so did their relationship. It was at one particular event in which Smith was wrestling inside a steel cage that the downfall began. Near the end of the match, as Smith was exiting the cage, signifying victory, the steel door was slammed with incredibly hard impact on his back . Had the incident occurred to an ordinary man, it would easily have resulted in a broken spine and paralyzation. However being a professional wrestler, Smith was in top physical condition, and the blow was waved off as a common injury that Smith would have to sit out for. Unfortunately though, Smith tried to rush his return to the ring causing him more pain. This would lead to him taking painkillers on a regular basis, until he would be completely addicted to them to the point that it was impossible for him to walk, much less wrestle without them . Every couple of hours and even up in the middle of the night he would take some. When this was discovered, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon sent him to a recovery center in Atlanta where things only got better until his life took another disheartening turn. When he came back to Diana, he had changed, and their marriage suffered horrifically as a result. At one point David had been accused and convicted of attempting to murder his wife, and was arrested several times as well . In the end it is simply the story of a man who once was considered a national hero in his home country of England, and eventually ended up in the gutters. The distracations that Bret?s brother in law provided him was often too much for Bret to take, and often it created much resentment toward his sister. At one point the two were teammates in the wrestling ring, but outside the ring the two had great resentment for one another .
Another big success in the wrestling ring was Bret?s youngest brother Owen Hart. Owen made his debut in the World Wrestling Federation in 1988, two years after Bret did . After just a year, Owen and Bret had traveled across the entire country together, but it was too much for Owen to handle. The brutal nature of the business was not worth it for Owen, and so he tried to pursue a career in the fire department. He didn?t make it there however, and gave wrestling another shot at the turn of the decade . He had moved to Germany to wrestle, and while he was an immediate success there, he and his wife Martha saw themselves as carnival people. They traveled around in a caravan everywhere that they called home. Things got worse when Martha became pregnant, forcing them to move back to the United States where living conditions were at least satisfactory. The WWF accepted Owen back, and together the brothers were reunited once again. This time around the WWF would create a storyline in which Owen was seen as Bret?s jealous little brother . From then on the two brothers would wrestle each other in front of thousands of people night in night out, and create art and magic all at once. Even though it is no secret that professional wrestling is a staged act, there is much ring psychology and skill involved in order to make it appear as ?legitimate? and entertaining as possible in order to keep the fans into the matches. Together the duo put together a few of what many fans consider some of the best wrestling matches they had ever seen. Part of this was due to the fact that they knew each other very well, and part of it was that they had an incredible amount of trust in one another. In order for a wrestling match to work, there has to be two men involved, and the two have to have enough trust in each other in order to pull off some of the incredibly dangerous maneuvers that in the wrong hands, could result in serious injuries. Despite the risks however, the two brothers harmonically and methodically entertained fans across the nation, always sending them home happy.
Bret?s career in the WWF was considered to be one of the most successful ones in the nineties. As a new group stepped in to replace the old generation which included names such as Hulk Hogan, the Ultimate Warrior, Ric Flair, and Randy Savage, Bret was among the leader of the pack . While a wrestler?s popularity in the eighties was primarily based on charisma, looks, and personality instead of their actual wrestling skills, Bret Hart was one of the first stars to show that a person can get ?over? (wrestling lingo for being popular) with the fans through actual wrestling. All across the country people would gather not to see deep storylines or adrenaline pumped guys, but surprisingly they would come to see wrestling in its greatest form. Bret would go on to slowly build his legacy as the number one man in the company, and that was signified by him winning the World Title belt a then record five times . Even though it is pre-determined who wins the coveted World Title belt, it represented something much more than a just a piece of gold wrestlers draped over their shoulders or wore around their wastes. It signified the supremacy of a wrestler; much like what an Oscar does an actor or actress. Even though both ?prizes? are essentially voted upon by a select group of people, only a few select elite members can set claims to it. The title belt holder would feel a great deal of pride and responsibility in carrying it around in and out of the ring. Through the good, and through the bad, Bret?s achievements earned him the respect of his friends, colleagues, and even his adversaries. He would proclaim himself as ?The best there is, was, and ever will be? . It is likely that anyone that has ever worked with him would attest to that. One of his greatest achievements though, was that on top of the great matches he put on, Bret almost never hurt an opponent of his . In a business where on any given night one or two out of every five guys are wrestling with pain or some sort of inury, and are unable to get any time off due to the way their schedules work, Bret?s entire lifetime of perfecting every maneuver he tried paid off big time . It may be hard to believe that in a business where everything is ?staged? that guys can get injured at such a rapid rate, but with the secretive fashion that it operates in, these types of things are usually kept a mystery even to the most dedicated fans. So after nearly two decades, working around 300 days a year, Bret always was able to keep himself as well as his opponents healthy and well .
It was in 1997 that the WWF was in a big bust period, sustaining some of the lowest TV ratings in their history . This was the time that McMahon decided his product needed change, extreme change. The actual ?wrestling? part of the show would become more of a backdrop to the more soap opera-like based storylines. If it was controversial, it was in. The ?smut? and violence factor would increase over the old days of wrestling, and it was something that Bret Hart was strongly opposed to. He had grown up valuing two things, wrestling, and secondly, morality. The questionable material that would become a regular factor in WWF programming, and the increased risk factor to an already dangerous business, turned the workers into stunt devils and actors rather than wrestlers. It would be the ?attitude? version of the WWF that made Bret the bad guy, as his ?clean? way of doing business was received negatively, and what used to be cheers from his followers, turned into boos from his adversaries. This was only the United States however, because when they stepped across the border to Canada, and especially in his hometown of Calgary, Alberta, things were completely different, as Bret was still the hero . Where it actually counted however, in the United States, Bret?s popularity had diminished in an extraordinary fashion, and the fact that he was against a lot of what the WWF put on TV didn?t make life any easier. Even then, in 1996, Bret had actually turned down an offer from the WWF rival WCW, which would have resulted in more money, less working days, and less ?objectionable? material in the product. He did it because he felt he owed McMahon; the WWF; and its fans, his loyalty. So subsequently, rather than to leave for the better deal, Bret signed a twenty-year deal worth about $1 million each year that would still be active even after he hung up his wrestling boots . Bret would learn though, that a word from McMahon wasn?t worth a whole lot. In 1997 McMahon would want to break Bret from that deal. He felt that Bret?s ?wholesome? act wasn?t fitting for the direction that the WWF was going in; but instead of saying that directly to Bret, he told him he was in financial problems and couldn?t afford to pay him any longer, despite the fact that Bret?s salary accounted for only for a small percentage of McMahon?s payroll . Rather than questioning him however, Bret understood and would move to WCW where he made about three times as much money while working less. His diminishing body, which was a result of missing almost no working days for nearly two decades, thanked him for it. And so it was goodbye, and Bret?s parting with the WWF would mark the end of a twenty-year mountain climb. However, he wouldn?t leave with commendation and acclaim, but rather a stab in the back and a punch to Vince McMahon?s face.
The 1997 Survivor Series, which is an annual WWF Pay-Per-View event, would contain one of the most controversial and contested incidents of all time. Going into the November 29 event, Bret was the World Champion at that point, and the main event would pit him against what many called the second most popular wrestler in the nineties, Shawn Michaels . This would also mark the last Pay-Per-View that Bret would be involved in, because he was going to leave for WCW in just under a month. Therefore it was without question that Bret would have to drop the title eventually. Bret however, had two requests for losing the belt: one was that he wouldn?t drop it in his native land, and two, he wouldn?t lose it to Shawn, whom he despised more than anyone else on the WWF roster for personal reasons . Shawn was the person that Bret felt had epitomized the wrong direction that the WWF was headed in. The Survivor Series would incidentally take place on Bret?s home country of Montreal, Canada, and Bret would be facing none other than Shawn Michaels. Bret would agree in losing it to anyone else on the WWF roster, and to anywhere in the United States. He also wanted to make a final goodbye speech in his final appearance, and to leave on a high note with the WWF. McMahon was very reluctant to do all this, but he would agree to Bret?s demands due to the fact that Bret had a clause in his contract in that he would have control in how the storylines operated in his final thirty days . However during when the Survivor Series started to roll around, there were rumors circulating that McMahon would double cross Bret. Bret trusted McMahon?s word though, and had a deep sense of trust that he would do the right thing; after all, Bret had given him twenty years of his life and made his business the success that it was. Surely the least McMahon could do was to agree to Bret?s final inquiries. But as the days went on, Bret?s paranoia level went up until the day of the big event. Finally on the day of Survivor Series, Bret went up to the referee, Earl Hebner who a good friend of his, and told him he thought something fishy was going to happen . Hebner swore on his wife and children that he wouldn?t let anything bad happen, and coming from him, Bret felt safe .
Then, finally Bret stepped out into the Montreal crowd to a huge ovation, while his opponent Shawn Michaels was treated to boos. The ending of the match that Vince McMahon had planned, was to be that Shawn would put Bret into a ?sharpshooter? (a wrestling move), only for Bret to reverse the move . So as the end of the match neared, Shawn put Bret in the sharpshooter, and immediately, McMahon called out to Hebner to ?Ring the F?ing bell? . On command Hebner did exactly that, signifying the end of the match, and a new champion. Bret looked puzzled for a moment, but his puzzlement immediately turned to anger; Bret had been double-crossed by McMahon. Afterward, WWF officials escorted Michaels out of the ring to the back, and at that moment the television cameras were cut off and viewers at home were in major shock at what they just saw . It was the aftermath of that night however, where things became even more interesting.
After the cameras were cut off, Bret looked at Hebner like a stranger, and instantaneously forgot about their long and trusting relationship. He then looked at McMahon who was at ringside and felt the same way. But rather than make a scene out of it right away, he simply walked off toward the locker room in a professional matter as if nothing happened. As Bret was showering, McMahon came up and told him it was ?something he had to do?. Bret told McMahon that he had better be out of his sight when he was done showering, or else . McMahon didn?t abide by Bret?s commands however, and Bret would proceed to punch McMahon with all of his force and rushing adrenaline of anger that was pumping through his body. It would take McMahon?s son Shane, and several other WWF workers to break the ensuing fight between Bret and his boss. Bret would leave his home country embarrassed, angry, and betrayed. Tomorrow would be a new day though, because as Bret was leaving for WCW, he was looking forward to the new memories and legacy that he would build, or so he thought at the time.
For the majority of his time in the WWF, Bret was seen as the number one guy from the front office down to the fans, and always received number one treatment. He almost always flew first class while his fellow workers flew coach, and limos would always await him while the others rode around in taxicabs . His career in WCW though, was a different story. Nineteen ninety seven had been a changing year for Bret, and his burning flame of fame was slowly burning out. Even though he was among the highest paid wrestlers on the WCW roster, Bret was misused, and was always forced into doing things he was against. A proper comparison would be to see actor Tom Hanks or Russell Crowe star in the biggest movies of the year, only for them to end up in a meager role on a low budget film. That was the situation Bret was in, but even then, Bret continued on. WCW had a long reputation for messing everything up, and missing opportunities. At one point they had on their roster ?Stone Cold? Steve Austin, who would become the most popular wrestler of all time, and they did nothing with him. It was only until Austin moved to the WWF in early 1996 that he achieved more fame than any previous wrestler in history, including Bret Hart . Former wrestler Mick Foley said in his autobiography, ?WCW was the type of company that could ruin a wet dream? . And that?s what they were doing with Bret, ruining him. Once one top of the world, Bret turned into a second-rate and often times third-rate wrestler, something that was very hard for him to adjust to. He decided to continue working in the same business he had all his life though, and lived through the pain. However he had to do it alone, as a divorce from his wife came shortly after his move to WCW . There is little known about his divorce, but one can speculate that his work schedule and constant traveling may have lead to it.
There would come an incident that would further change his views on the WWF, and wrestling in general. On May 23, 1999, the WWF held their ?Over the Edge? Pay-Per-View event before a sold-out crowd of 16,200 in Kansas City, Missouri . Bret?s brother Owen Hart would perform that night, and perform one of the most magnificent stunts ever seen. Like an NBA mascot, Owen would sail from over hundred feet in the air down a rope attached to a nylon harness downward to the ring, with a braking device slowing his fall. Owen had performed it earlier in the day and it went smoothly . However, this time, his harness disconnected from the rope, freefalling him some seventy feet toward the mat. He then hit the ring post chest first, and lied straight down while absorbing in the final cheers of his life . Owen was dead. Paramedics rushed to the scene, but it was too late, Owen?s death was quick and almost painfree . A wrongful death lawsuit was soon passed by Owen?s widow Martha Hart, and was settled by the WWF for $18 million . It would tear apart the family due to the nature of the situation. And in the end, Bret had lost his favorite brother and best friend; and the company that he gave his life to only for them to betray him, was held responsible for it.
While traumatized and completely devastated by this event, Bret continued his work with WCW. Wrestling had become something that tore apart his life, and his family; a contrast to the time that it used to be something that brought them all together. Bret once said, ?One man?s dawn is another man?s sunset?, and while the sun had set, the dawn had come upon McMahon . Even though there was much controversy in the media and everywhere else, the following night of the incident on TV he held a show called ?Raw is Owen?, which became one of the highest rated TV events ever put on by the WWF drawing nearly eight million viewers . Further reports and media coverage made McMahon all the more popular. The phrase ?there?s no such thing as bad publicity? never held truer here, as while McMahon?s character had been diminished, his product had flourished. McMahon was never the type of man to care about anything that anyone ever thought of him, so long as he was making money . This would only serve to make Bret all the more saddened and depressed. The man he once looked upon as his God was now his devil, ruining everything he ever had in life.
Bret was now at a low point in his life at the time, not knowing what direction he was going and then losing a brother, but it would continue to drag on further. In January of 2000, Bret was going to go up against one of the biggest opponents in his career, figuratively and literally in Bill Goldberg . Goldberg?s tremendous level of popularity came from his Jewish heritage. His 6?9? 300 lb. figure and monstrous ways turned the heads of Jews across the world, and at one point was considered the most popular man of wrestling at the time . The vast amount of Jewish reporters across the United States wrote stories on him, and as people learned of him, Goldberg gained a cult like following. Wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike looked at him as a Superman who crushed everything in his path. Unfortunate, the next thing Goldberg would crush would be Bret. Near the end of their match, Goldberg delivered a kick square on to Bret?s head. Bret was knocked out completely in its immediate impact . Of course in a football game or other ?real? sport, Bret would?ve been taken off the field and would?ve had to sit out for the next few weeks at least; but not in the world of wrestling. When Bret was revived, he went on to finish the same match, only putting himself in risk of further harm. Even then, Bret went on the next couple weeks wrestling in his grueling schedule. Bret was in pain, but he continued anyway . It was a few weeks later when Bret finally saw a doctor, and was diagnosed as having received 10% brain damage. This wasn?t only the result of Goldberg?s kick, which some fans have labeled as the ?Hart stopper?, but the lack of protection and care taken afterward . Time went on and Bret would suffer from extreme, and sometimes daily migraine headaches. Each of which reminded him of not just the match from January, but also the wrestling business in general that killed him. Bret would be out for the next eight months, receiving a major pay cut for not being able to perform, and was told by doctors to never wrestle again . WCW would eventually cut him, leaving him heartbroken and unemployed. Soon after, Bret announced his retirement from all of wrestling . There were no big press conferences, no gathering of family and friends, not even TV time for the announcement, but rather just a few words on his website entitled ?We Are Never Prepared for what we Expect? . It seemed only fitting though that Bret would be forgotten so quickly in a business where there was no such thing as loyalty and devotion, as guys would be dumped and replaced ever so quickly. It was only a few years ago that Bret was idolized all across North America, but a common reaction around the streets nowadays would be, ?Bret who??
So that is the story of Bret Hart. A story of how far hard work and determination can get someone, while at the same time how faithfulness and dedication can be forgotten. For his entire life, Bret wrestled, and the amount of work that he put into it was the result of his desire to be number one. And when that day finally came, Bret still tried to improve himself on route of becoming one of the most celebrated wrestlers of all time. He had changed it from a business in which the quality of the matches didn?t matter, but only the characters involved; and made everyone see how artistic and captivating actual wrestling could be. And so it would seem only appropriate that with the changing of the guard away from wrestling and into entertainment, Bret?s career would take a negative turn. Bret would be embarrassed in front of his entire country, leave the business he was a part of for nearly twenty years by punching his boss?s face, see that same business be responsible for his brother?s death, and lose ten percent of his brain wrestling. He?s seen his fans turn into his critics, and his allies become his adversaries. There seemed to be a new motto in his life, you scratch my back and I?ll stab yours, and Bret?s last couple years were filled with double crosses and broken promises. He was diminished to the point where all that he accomplished and worked for in his life didn?t seem to matter at all anymore to the fans, and even to himself.
In a society where movies with sex and violence sell out theaters across the nation, a man like Bret Hart was truly out of his place. Wrestling was his passion, his life, and was what made him one of the most celebrated performers not only in his industry, but made him into a well-known superstar all across the world. In the present day professional wrestling has been unfairly associated to with the ?sins? of the Hollywood world. Its biggest critics are often those who base their opinions not on what they see on TV, but what they hear from the media. The connection between wrestling and its influences on the incivility and crudeness in society is undoubtedly an often-heard one, but is an argument that bears little proof and evidence of. It is certainly no more of a cause to the problem than Hollywood is, but its mysterious manners and concealed operations give it an impression that it is otherwise.
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