1. Deciding That Owen Hart Ever Needed An Elaborate Entrance
It's pretty fair to say that Owen Hart is one of the better in-ring performers that wrestling has ever seen. He was never going to be viewed as the most charismatic guy around, nor the guy who would be cutting the best promos, but when he stepped in between those ropes, he could simply "go". He got over doing it, too. He didn't need the glitz and glamour that other wrestlers often needed. Why, then, would Vince McMahon decide that Owen would require the Blue Blazer gimmick? Why, then, would Vince McMahon decide that Owen would require a flashy ring entrance, where he would descend from the rafters into the ring? To this day, coming up on 16 years later, it still makes no sense. Everyone knows the story... on May 23rd, 1999, Owen would have an accident during the Over The Edge pay-per-view. He accidentally triggered the early release mechanism on his harness, and he would fall nearly 80 feet, landing chest-first on the top rope and tumbling into the ring. It didn't air on the pay-per-view, as there was a pre-taped segment was being shown, but the live audience got to witness the fall. Many in attendance actually thought it was a work, like Owen was supposed to fall from the ceiling, as if it wouldn't do any sort of damage at all. This isn't to argue whether or not Vince should have allowed the show to go on after Owen's fall, or after he learned that Owen had passed away. This also isn't to argue whether or not Owen could/should have said he didn't want to perform the stunt, as it has been rumored he felt uncomfortable in doing it. Those are different discussions for a different day. However, the fact that Owen was even placed in the situation to begin with is an insanely stupid move on Vince McMahon's part, and he deserves to be called out for it.
Columnist/Podcaster/Director at LordsOfPain.net for nearly seven years, with nearly 2000 total columns written. Interviewed and/or involved in interviewing the likes of Tyler Black/Seth Rollins (twice), Diamond Dallas Page, Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, Uhaa Nation and more.