Tossing Salt - Worldwide News: September 14, 2011

Tossing Salt - Worldwide News
September 14, 2011
Doug Maynard

Hi there. Did you miss me? I'm Doug and this is professional wrestling's most eclectic column ever (and I do mean ever), "Tossing Salt - Worldwide News!". I've been away for a while. I'm back. And let the fun begin...

In just six short months from now, it'll be time for the WWE's biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania. And along with a main event of The Rock taking on John Cena, part of the excitement will include the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012. And more importantly, who will make up the list of Inductees for the HOF? I have no idea who the WWE might be considering, but I have my own ideas for a strong and kick-ass class of 2012.

In keeping with the WWE's plans to have a celebrity inductee, as well as at least one female inductee, and in keeping the names of deceased wrestlers to a minimum as well, it wasn't really easy. But I think I came up with a great group of well deserved superstars for this honor. Let's do this...

Before I really get started, I want to address the most obvious admissions from the Hall of Fame that will NOT be inducted this year and probably not until either they pass away and have no say in the matter or until hell freezes over.
The biggest name is Bruno Sammartino. The man was the WWWF Champion twice and held the title for close to eleven years. Vince McMahon and the WWE want Bruno in the Hall of Fame, but Bruno keeps saying no. He doesn't like Vince McMahon and has been very outspoken about the direction that the WWE and pro wrestling in general has gone over the past several years. It can't really be called a legitimate Hall of Fame without the man who carried the WWE (then WWWF) through their first decade in existence. I'm hoping that eventually, Bruno will decide to put his personal feelings for Vince McMahon aside and give in for his fans, the men and women that were there cheering him on each and every match for so many years. The fans want Bruno in the HOF. Vince wants Bruno in the HOF. The only hold-up is Bruno and that's sad.

The next person that comes to mind is former WWF Champion Bob Backlund. Like Bruno, Backlund has been offered the chance to go into the HOF many times before and he certainly deserves it. He was the main man, the WWF Champion, for over five years and had some great matches against the likes of Don Muraco, Superstar Billy Graham, Greg Valentine and so many others. But also like Bruno, not being a part of the HOF is Backlund's decision. Backlund still makes the occasional in-ring appearance and doesn't want to be classified as an "old timer", even though he most definitely is. He feels that being a Hall of Famer will hurt his chances for one last big run.

I've got news for ya, Bob. It isn't going to happen. In my opinion, I think if he had the title "WWE Hall of Famer" attached to his name, it would increase his marketability and chance for regular work with the WWE again. But you can't force a man to be in the Hall of Fame and until Bob Backlund decides that he's ready to be inducted, it's not going to happen.

Now we move on to Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express. Is Jim Cornette a Hall of Fame manager? Damn straight he is. And The Midnight Express was having legendary matches against The Road Warriors and The Rock & Roll Express (who also deserve to be in the Hall of Fame and will be eventually) twenty years ago and are still wrestling as a team. Usually it's Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey wrestling, but every so often, Stan Lane pops up as well. This grouping deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

But there's just one small problem. Jim Cornette and Vince McMahon don't like each other. It all stems from a small incident where Vince and the WWE fired Cornette from his job at Ohio Valley Wrestling, a company that Cornette was a co-founder of. And Jimmy Cornette holds a grudge. It'd be nice to see Vince and Cornette kiss and make up so Bobby, Dennis and Stan could get the recognition and honors they deserve, but I doubt we'll see it in our lifetime.

And finally on my list of the top people who deserve HOF honors, but WON'T get inducted, how about the greatest wrestling tag team of the 70's, bar none. The Minnesota Wrestling Crew, aka Ole and Gene Anderson. When you talk about tag teams that stood out and dominated their opponents, no one stands out more than the no nonsense brawlers who dominated the Mid-Atlantic and Georgia territories for well over a decade. And it was so simple - isolate a body part (usually an arm) and just break it down until the match was over and they won.

And then when you add their careers after the team ended (Gene as a manager, Ole as part of the Four Horsemen, as well as the booker for Mid-Atlantic Wrestling AND Georgia Championship Wresting, a time when both territories thrived), they definitely should be part of any true wrestling Hall of Fame.

But Vince McMahon screwed Ole over and stole Georgia Wrestling out from under him (due to some major back-stabbing by Ole's then partners, Jack and Jerry Brisco) and well, Ole holds a grudge. The hatred that Ole has for Vince McMahon makes Jim Cornette's dislike of Vince very pale in comparison. I'd love to see the Anderson's get the recognition and honors they deserve, but it's not going to happen. Not in the WWE. Actually, I'd just like to trap Vince and Ole in a room together for a few hours and record it. It would be... interesting. And probably a lot of fun for everyone not named Vince or Ole.

But that's who's NOT going into the WWE Hall of Fame. Not now and probably not ever. Well, Bruno and Backlund will go in just as soon as they agree to be inducted, but Cornette and Ole. Not gonna happen. Not now and not ever. (And now watch - they'll probably both be inducted within the next year or so - just to make me wrong.) Now let's move on to who I think WILL be going into the WWE Hall of Fame, and probably (if I was the one doing the inductions), this year. Let's do it!

Mick Foley: WWE is going to need a headliner for the Induction ceremony and who better than Mrs. Foley's little baby boy, Mick? Whether he was using the name of Cactus Jack, Mankind, Dude Love or his real name, Foley has been a big part of the wrestling world for a long, long time in World Class Wrestling, WCW, Japan, ECW, TNA and the WWE. He's the Hardcore Legend. And let's not forget that he's a multiple-time best selling author. And when you factor in that Mick recently left TNA wrestling and has been working his way back into the WWE circles, it's all just a matter of getting Mick down to Miami and getting the right person there to induct him (Terry Funk). Mick is going in, sooner rather than later. Of that, I am pretty sure.

Ivan Koloff: Along with Bruno and Backlund, not having "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff in the WWE Hall of Fame is a major disappointment. He's the man who ended the first WWWF title reign of Bruno Sammartino. He headlined wrestling events all over the world, holding numerous titles. And he was always the consumate heel in the ring, but truly a respectful and honorable gentleman outside of that squared circle. When you talk about legends and icons, few men have a resume that can match Koloff's. And I'm not sure exactly what the deal is with the WWE that Ivan hasn't been inducted yet, but it's an oversight that needs to be rectified as soon as possible. As for who does the induction, I'm sure that the "Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff would be available.

Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (The Brain Busters): Two of the founding members of the original Four Horsemen. That alone would deserve these two men a spot in the Hall of Fame, but there is so much more. Tag team titles in both the NWA and WWF. Countless singles titles between the two of them. Tully's work as a minister since leaving wrestling. Arn's work as an agent in both WCW and the WWE since injuries forced his retirement. It's hard to find any kind of reason not to induct these two men, whether as singles stars or as a tag team. I can't think of any, so just induct them already.

And if Flair ends his time with TNA in the near future, as rumors seem to indicate might be in the works, bring back Ric Flair to induct them. If he's not available, call J.J. Dillon. It really doesn't matter who does the inducting, so long as these two icons get their due recognition.

"Macho Man" Randy Savage & Miss Elizabeth: Another no-brainer. I really don't see how the WWE can NOT induct Macho after his recent death. It's been a big omission for so many years and is long overdue. As for Elizabeth, she may have eventually become his ex-wife, but they were on friendly terms, able to work together in WCW after their divorce and their names will forever be intertwined. They should go in together and it should be as soon as possible. For Randy, I'd have his brother "Leaping" Lanny Poffo aka "The Genius" do the induction. As for Elizabeth, Lex Luger is the obvious choice, but that might stir up too many bad feelings for everyone involved. So Trish Stratus should be the one to step up and do the honors.

Madusa Micelli: I can already here the naysayers out there. "It won't happen! Micelli dumped the title belt in a trash can. Vince will never forgive her!". Well, when you consider the history between Vince and Wendi Richter or the history between Vince and Verne Gagne, who are both in the Hall of Fame, is it really hard to think that Vince would welcome Madusa back to the WWE family? What Madusa did was at the orders of Eric Bischoff, who himself went on to work for the WWE for six years. She's admitted in interviews several times since that dumping the belt into the trash was a mistake and she regretted it. And WWE.com did a spotlight feature on Madusa not so long ago, spotlighting her career, both in the ring and as a Monster Truck Driver.

So even if things are not perfect, the healing and mending of hard feelings between the WWE and Madusa has already begun. And as for why she deserves the spot, she's a former AWA and WWF Women's Champion. She was an extremely successful manager in the AWA. She's a former WCW Cruiserweight Champion. She's got the resume and credentials. Now, she just needs to be inducted. As for who should do the induction for her, how about either Beth Phoenix, who is much like a modern day Madusa, in my opinion, or "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Madusa worked with Steve as part of the "Dangerous Alliance" in WCW and they have a history. Works for me.

James Crockett Jr.: Here's another long-shot that probably won't happen. But then again, it's the WWE and as they like to say, anything can happen. When Vince started the national expansion of the then-WWF, he swallowed up territory after territory, either buying them out or forcing them out of business through all sorts of means and shenanigans. One promotion managed to not only survive Vince's expansion, but fought back and expanded themselves, eventually taking over Florida, Bill Watt's UWF, Georgia and Toronto, adding those areas to their already strong Mid-Atlantic promotion. That was Jim Crockett Promotions. Eventually, Jim Crockett sold his business to Ted Turner and WCW was born.

But Crockett gave Vince a helluva fight for a long, long time and one thing about Vince is that he respects a fighter. I think that's why he inducted Verne Gagne to the Hall of Fame. Vince may not like Verne, but Verne fought back with the AWA. And Crockett falls into that same category. I don't know what Vince's personal relationship with Jim Crockett is like, but I know that both Jim and his brother, David Crockett have participated in quite a few of the WWE's DVD's, so I'm sure it's amicable.

And that, plus taking into consideration that Jim Crockett Promotions and the Mid-Atlantic territory was one of the strongest wrestling territories for well over forty years, creating such stars as Ric Flair, Barry Windham, The Rock & Roll Express, Magnum TA, Nikita Koloff, Arn Anderson, and so many others, the boss-man of the company should be a shoo-in. It'd be a nice nod of recognition for the entire Mid-Atlantic wrestling territory and their long and glorious history. And it should happen. Bring in Bob Caudle (the voice and face of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, who deserves an induction in his own right) to do the honors of inducting his former boss. Tony Schiavone would be a great person to bring in to induct the man who gave him his first announcing job as well.

Magnum T.A.: Terry Allen was well on his way to becoming one of wrestling's biggest stars when his career was cut short by a horiffic car accident. So his potential was never quite reached. But in the few short years, he did pretty well regardless by establishing his name originally in the Mid-South region with feuds against such stars as Ted DiBiase, Jim Duggan, Kamala and Mr. Wrestling II.

And then it was to the Carolinas where his feuds with Tully Blanchard, Nikita Koloff and especially Ric Flair took him to new heights. If that car crash hadn't occured, the question isn't if he would be the NWA World Champion, but when. Even now, his "Best of Seven" battle with Nikita and the "I Quit" match against Tully Blancard are extremely popular with wrestling fans, who never got the chance to see Magnum TA in action live. He's still one of the most recognizable stars of the NWA from the eighties and he deserves to be recognized and given his just due. Why not now in the WWE Hall of Fame?

Regis Philbin: If the WWE wants to have a Celebrity induction each and every year, who better than Regis? For close to fifty years, Regis has been one of professsional wrestling's biggest supporters. Regis has always made it a point to feature wrestling stars on his show, like Bobby Heenan, Rick Rude, Freddie Blassie, Georgous George, Buddy Rogers and so many more. He's made appearances at Wrestlemania for the WWE. And the Monday following Wrestlemania on LIVE!, be with with Kathie Lee or Kelly Ripa, you always knew the first topic of Host Chat would be what happeed at Wrestlemania and the WWE. Regis is finally wrapping up an amazing career, retiring from his show, "Live! with Regis and Kelly" in November. What can he do for a follow up after that? How about being part of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012. It works for me.

And there you go. My predictions and who I would select to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame come Wrestlemania weekend. Do I think the WWE will listen? Well, maybe on Foley, Arn Anderson and the "Macho Man", but the rest? I'm not going to hold my breath. But it's a good list with something for everyone and no one can deny that these men and women deserve to be recognized for their accolades and are all Hall of Fame worthy. If James Dudley can be there, anyone can... and the people I named, they actually deserve it!

Before I close this out, I have a couple of cheap plugs. Alice Cooper's new album, "Welcome 2 My Nightmare" came out yesterday. It's a follow-up of sorts to the classic Alice album "Welcome To My Nightmare" from the seventies. The tracks I've heard so far are awesome and truly some of Alice's best work. So check it out if you get the chance.

And for wrestlng fans in North Carolina, I have to give a shout out to the superstars of ACW (American Championship Wrestling), truly one of the best and hottest Indy wrestling companies in the United States today. They have two shows coming up - one in Rockingham, NC this upcoming Saturday night (9/18) and then next weekend in Laurinburg, NC (my home-town) on September 24, 2011 with such stars as Ethan Storm, Chris Steele, Ty Tyson, the IWA, Red Thunder and so many others. I do have to warn you though. ACW is NOT the WWE or TNA. It's BETTER! It's true... It's damn true! So if you're in south-eastern North Carolina and want to have a great time and see great wrestling, Rockingham this upcoming Saturday and Laurinburg next week with the stars of American Championship Wrestling (ACW) is the place to be. Check it out.

And that's going to do it for me. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on who should make up the Class of 2012 for the WWE Hall of Fame. Write me at Doug28352@yahoo.com and let me know what you think.

Also, come visit me at Facebook at www.facebook.com/saltpalace. Add me - you know you want to. Thanks for reading. I'm Doug and I'll catch you on the flip side. Take care! Ubuntu!