05/23/1999

[The Crowbar King]

I know it is not until tomorrow, but I just wanted to give you all a reminder that this day will be the five-year anniversary of the day Owen Hart died in Kansas City, Missouri.

I could not believe it when it happened. In fact, at first I thought it was just a sick angle by the WWF. I was watching the pay-per-view at a friends house, and none of us really thought it could be true. It wasn't until I got home that night that I saw on the local news that it was true. Owen Hart was dead at the age of thirty-three.

I didn't how to feel. I didn't know what to think. I could only think about the Hart family and what they must be going through. Up until that point, the Hart family had been involved in the other biggest story in wrestling history -- the Survivor Series scandal in Montreal. My prayers were with Bret, but they were especially with Stu and Helen Hart. This made Montreal seem so minute and trivial. How could this happen?

I liked Owen Hart from the first time that I saw him as The Blue Blazer in the late-'80s or early-'90s, although I didn't know who was under the mask at the time. As most WWF gimmicks did at the time, The Blue Blazer did not stick around too long.

It didn't take me long to take to High Energy, Owen's team with Koko B. Ware. For those who remember, they wore very colorful, baggy outfits that Men on a Mission could have probably worn. When they got their shot at Money Inc. and the WWF World Tag Team titles, I was hopeful that they could come away with the gold. They did not. But the best was yet to come for Owen.

Owen had problems breaking out of the mid-card of the WWF until a feud with his own brother. In the 20-years that I have been watching the WWF/E, this is one of the greatest long-term feuds I have ever seen. I remember seeing a match on a brand new Sunday morning program between Owen and Bret that was billed along the lines of "The Final Encounter." I enjoyed this match just as much as their WrestleMania X and SummerSlam 1994 matches. I just didn't want the feud to end. I've always been selfish when it comes to good wrestling.

Owen had the perfect partner when he won his title in the WWF, the World Tag Team titles. His mystery partner at WrestleMania XI was Yokozuna, the man who had battled Bret all over the country for the World title for the past two years. That match wasn't about The Smokin' Gunns or Yokozuna, for that matter. That match was all about Owen.

I remember thinking a week before Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith lost the World Tag Team titles to Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels, "Hey, these guys have beaten everybody. Nobody can beat them. I wonder if they can take Demolition's record." Alas, it wasn't meant to be. However, for my money, they are to this day one of the ten greatest teams to ever hold those titles.

I felt elated and relieved when Owen defeated Rocky Maivia (I couldn't stand that guy) to win his first Intercontinental title. I felt as though the WWF had finally recognized what I had known for years -- that this Owen Hart guy needs to be at the top of the card. Owen would go to win the Intercontinental heavyweight title a second time later in 1997, this time from Farrooq. His second title reign was somewhat anti-climatic, as it was merely a bridge to give 'Stone Cold' the title upon his return from a neck injury. But, I did not care. Finally, one of my favorite wrestlers was getting his due.

The same night that Owen gave up the Intercontinental title to Austin, Montreal happened. At the time, no one knew where this left the WWF, Bret Hart, WCW, Vince McMahon, or Owen Hart. What would become of Owen, Davey Boy Smith, and Jim Neidhart? Could The Hart Foundation go on without its leader? No. However, as was always the case with Owen, he would persevere.

In my opinion, the only reason that Owen did not get a WWF World title reign in the aftermath of the Montreal incident was that Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin had already been plugged into the WrestleMania XIV event. I feel the WWF dropped the ball on the heat that would've come from giving Owen a reign with the Winged Eagle. I guess we'll never know.

Owen would become a mid-card player in The Nation of Domination. He became the right-hand man of the Nation's new leader, The Rock (By this point, I liked that Rocky guy). But by year's end, Owen would begin teaming with Jeff Jarrett and his manager Debra. The two jelled immediately. Wow, did they have it. Whatever "it" was, they had "it." There probably would not have been any need for The New Age Outlaws anymore if Kansas City had not happened. Owen and Jarrett were that good. Owen was not alive long enough for their new tag team name, Canadian Country, to take off. I loved that name.

I will never forget the Raw after Kansas City. What would they do? What would they say? It makes me sad even now to think about it. You know, I have many people say many things about Mark Henry. He certainly is not going to be mistaken for Lou Thesz. But I could never hate Mark Henry, if for no other reason than hearing him read a poem that he had written for Owen and crying uncontrollably while reading it. I had never realized until that moment that these characters were real-life people. That they had loved ones, family, and problems just like the rest of us.

I've never seen a bad Owen Hart match. Unfortunately, I will never have the chance to. I've always been selfish when it comes to good wrestling.

[edgehead1984]

I hope the WWE recognizes this sad date on RAW.

[RoaringElbow25]

I remember it so well....He was supposed to be wrestling the Godfather, but for some reason they just kept shooting shots of the crowd and talking about other things. Then JR what happened and I couldnt believe it, but he hadnt passed away yet. I always ehard they revived him in the ring and he even gave the crowd a thumbs up as he was wheeled out. Which is probably the reason the show went on. Then they told us he indeed did pass away, and I was devistated, I was always a big fan of the Hart family. I remember other ppl were joking around but it was serious to us. Stepping in that right every week some wrestlers do their job so well they touch you. owen was one of those guys. My friends and I created makeshift OH armbands and wore them to school all week. I remember hearing he was supposed to win the Rumble that following year and possibly when his first world title at wrestlemania 2000. Whenever I see someone drop from the rafters I get the chills. We all still miss Owen I know, but Im sure his family misses him more. Nothing can bring him back but hopefully his memory will live on for years to come

[edgehead1984]

The world lost a great wrestler that day to a preventable accident, and the WWF(E) hasn't been the same since.

[Pheonix_Chi25]

I actually met Owen Hart when I was 13. He was one of the most nicest guys you would have ever met. I cried when I heard he died on the FOX 32 News. Me and some friends would later send a card to the family.

Jeff Jarrett put it best "He was not a Nugget".

(Plays "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Flcyd in tribute to Owen)

[Luds]

Never met him but I saw him wrestle live at Robert Guertin in Hull.

He lost to Bret in about 15 minutes via rollup. That made me quite happy as I hated his guts like everyone else... Ah the good old days!

[edgehead1984]

As I thought no acknowledgement on RAW last night.

[Luds]

Yeah, I wouldn't expect anything else.

[RoaringElbow25]

I still have that poem Mark Henry wrote saved

You feel the burn when you cry
It starts to come when someone dies
The pain you feel as your eyes swell and the tears will up in the wells
The burn starts to choke you up the words come out slow and shaken
You close your eyes and wonder why
There is a burn when you cry
When Owen left it felt like hands around my throat
I couldn't talk I couldn't see
The Burn over whelmed me
My heart is heavy this is why
You get the burn when you cry
It digs down deep you can not sleep
You toss and turn in your sheets
Awaken with sobs and wet pillow cases
You wander aimlessly looking to the sky
You feel the burn when you cry


Thought maybe you guys would wanna see that