Hart-Michaels Match Called Early?
Joshua P Hanna
It was pretty obvious that the Hart-Michaels match at Survivor Series was
called before it was scheduled to be. My roommate and I analyzed the tape and
had the following observations.
1. Both wrestlers were obviously surprised that the match was called
2. McMahon went over and talked to them both as soon as the bell rang
3. Michaels was pissed off, even though he had just beaten Bret Hart for the
title in Canada. There was no celebration whatsoever.
4. Hart spit a huge goober in McMahon's face in disgust
5. The referee being knocked out did absolutely nothing to the match. Here's
what we think was supposed to happen.
- With the ref knocked out, Michaels puts Hart in the sharp shooter. Hart
eventually reverses (like he was starting to when the bell rang). Ref still
knocked out. HHH (who showed up at ringside for apparently no reason) was to
interfere and break Hart's hold on Michaels. Then the ref wakes up with
Michaels on top of Hart and counts him out. Degeneration X goes wild and
taunts the Canadian crowd for five minutes or so.
- Instead, we had both wrestlers (and HHH) confused and pissed off, then
being hustled out by McMahon and some other suit, presumably having the
situation explained to them. The event ended 15 minutes early, which is
unheard of for a pay per view. The screen was blue for 15 minutes until the
replay started. Why?
We have no evidence, but our theory is that something happened which forced
McMahon to make the decision that the match needed to end as soon as
reasonably possible, so long as the right guy (Michaels) won and it looked
like a somewhat legitimate to end the match in. The sharp shooter provided
this situation, but it was obvious this wasn't the scheduled ending. We can
only speculate as to what this "something" might have been. Maybe some kind
of threat or fan violence? A bomb threat? A gun threat? There was obviously
not an injury to either one of them (like Stone Cold at Summer Slam). Does
anyone else have any guesses what it could have been?
We think something might have been going on all night, because McMahon wasn't
announcing like usual. Without question he made the call and let the referee
(but not the wrestlers) know during the match that it had to end as soon as
possible. Any ideas?
Josh Hanna and Keith Simon
Northwestern University School of Law
Joshua P Hanna
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. USA
j-h...@nwu.edu
Ryan McKay
Joshua P Hanna wrote:
>
> It was pretty obvious that the Hart-Michaels match at Survivor Series was
> called before it was scheduled to be. My roommate and I analyzed the tape and
> had the following observations.
>
> 1. Both wrestlers were obviously surprised that the match was called
- The look on both HBK and BH gave that away.... Especially Bret as he
went right to the reversal of the sharpshooter. If this was supposed to
be the ending one would assume that after HBK won by submission BH would
be laying on the mat for a little while.
> 2. McMahon went over and talked to them both as soon as the bell rang
- Like something is up.... Plus HBK bailing from ringside with HHH right
away.
> 4. Hart spit a huge goober in McMahon's face in disgust
- This is something that you do not see everyday. Kinda a taboo if you
will. A HUGE goober it was too. It was like Bret was saying thanks for
f.cking up my last match in Canada asshole!
> what we think was supposed to happen.
> - With the ref knocked out, Michaels puts Hart in the sharp shooter. Hart
> eventually reverses (like he was starting to when the bell rang). Ref still
> knocked out. HHH (who showed up at ringside for apparently no reason) was to
> interfere and break Hart's hold on Michaels. Then the ref wakes up with
> Michaels on top of Hart and counts him out. Degeneration X goes wild and
> taunts the Canadian crowd for five minutes or so.
Ya but why was MCMahon not at ringside for the SS brodcasting. I
honestly think that Vince and Bret were trying to work this whole
situation out backstage right to the last minute. Unfortunatly for all
of us Bret said screw it. I think Slaughter, McMahon, and other
mysterous suits were there to ensure Bret did not mess up the plan. It
sure seemed that way for the first few minutes when Bret kick the shit
out of HBK outside of the ring. Then as soon as the belt could be won by
HBK the ref was instucted to ring the bell. Look at it this way: if I
were Bret and I was in my country and this was my last match as the
champ I would say f.ck it and keep my belt. That way McMahon has to come
up with something really slick to cover his ass.
> - Instead, we had both wrestlers (and HHH) confused and pissed off, then
> being hustled out by McMahon and some other suit, presumably having the
> situation explained to them. The event ended 15 minutes early, which is
> unheard of for a pay per view. The screen was blue for 15 minutes until the
> replay started. Why?
It was only supposed to go 3 hours here from 4:30MST-7:30MST and ended
at 7:45MST. I
thought they were late..
> We have no evidence, but our theory is that something happened which forced
> McMahon to make the decision that the match needed to end as soon as
> reasonably possible, so long as the right guy (Michaels) won and it looked
> like a somewhat legitimate to end the match in. The sharp shooter provided
> this situation, but it was obvious this wasn't the scheduled ending. We can
> only speculate as to what this "something" might have been. Maybe some kind
> of threat or fan violence? A bomb threat? A gun threat? There was obviously
> not an injury to either one of them (like Stone Cold at Summer Slam). Does
> anyone else have any guesses what it could have been?
Maybe Gorilla died??? Maybe the theory I pose of Bret and Vince trying
to work it out and Vince being pissed off and attempting to embarrass
Bret at home. The other thing I found funny that night was the shortness
of Stone Cold and Owen match... Does anyone accually feel that Austin is
still really hurt and can't last 10 minutes in the ring?
My thoughts, not yours
--
Ryan McKay
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
rmc...@spots.ab.ca
--
RiddlerWB
It was Vince who messed up the plan. He obviously decided not to allow Bret to
leave the WWF gracefully, and used last night as a way to get back at Bret for
his sudden departure to the enemy, WCW.
Raw should be interesting tonight!
Jason Smith
i think vince set up bret.... he told bret that he could leave without
losing the title first... the match was supposed to end with bret
reversing the sharpshooter, and winning... but mcmahon told the ref to
end the match as soon as michaels had the sharpshooter on bret....
mcmahon gets revenge on bret for leaving... it was a conspiracy against
bret hart... but, i don't know if shawn was in on it... you make a good
point... shawn was pissed off too, and he was the winner..
www.webspawner.com/users/dgx/
Michael Falkner
In article <64797s$6...@junkie.gnofn.org>, Fred says...
>
> The death threat-bomb-unseen problem makes sense. The last minute
>deal-making also makes sense.
>
>As far as a dealmaking, I would think if things didnot work, Vince would
>have canned the match before rather than the way done.
It would've been so believable to have the situation called off and have Bret
forfeit the title, since he's basically gone anyway, in most people's opinions
[and mine too]...
>If it were a screwjob ending, I can imagine ways Vince could have made a
>screwjob ending work better without calling the match.
There's at least one idea on the Net that says that Vince was watching the match
VERY closely -- just WAITING for a shoot, and he decided to call it rather than
let it get out of hand.
>Bret's action makes him classless. It also makes him a good lead into
>WCW-NWO.....I wonder if he will appear on NITRO tonight???
No. I doubt if you'll see him _TONIGHT_ -- though it'd be the best way for Bret
to actually do things if he could....
>It makes stripping Hart of the belt for a no-show a smarter angle than
>what ended.
Agreed.
Mike
Fred Deaton
The death threat-bomb-unseen problem makes sense. The last minute
deal-making also makes sense.
As far as a dealmaking, I would think if things didnot work, Vince would
have canned the match before rather than the way done.
If it were a screwjob ending, I can imagine ways Vince could have made a
screwjob ending work better without calling the match.
Bret's action makes him classless. It also makes him a good lead into
WCW-NWO.....I wonder if he will appear on NITRO tonight???
My only independent observation is maybe he was afraid of injury
-or-
something more stupid that what he did was about to happen.
It makes stripping Hart of the belt for a no-show a smarter angle than
what ended.
I guess I just can't see what happen an angle, something must have been
up with Hart, HBK, an outside problem, and/or Vince.
It also makes raw a must see tv tonight.
> My thoughts, not yours
--
Fred Deaton
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\ "There is one word in America that says it /
/ all, and that word is, 'You never know'" \
\ --Joaquin Andujar /
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Thornton97
>It also makes raw a must see tv tonight.
yeah, it should be interesting to see what the ratings are....
Nice ploy by Vince, even though if he drove Bret from the WWF, he made a
monster mistake.....
"To be the man, you got to beat the man, and I'm the man! WOOOOOO!" - Ric Flair
Jonathan Snowden & Kristina Kendall
Thornton97 wrote:
>
> >It also makes raw a must see tv tonight.
>
>
> Nice ploy by Vince, even though if he drove Bret from the WWF, he made a
> monster mistake.....
>
> Thorn...@aol.com
>
> "To be the man, you got to beat the man, and I'm the man! WOOOOOO!" - Ric Flair
anyway. All the casual fans who swing the ratings are likely unaware of
the events that have transpired. I will watch both, as usual and look
forward to the spectacle.
J.S.