By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

WWE HALL OF FAME CEREMONY
APRIL 4, 2009
AIRED ON USA NETWORK

-Todd Grisham introduced the host of the evening, Jerry Lawler, who introduced Ric Flair.

-Flair walked out to a chorus of "Whoos!" He said was an honor to be standing there last year inducted by "Hunter" (Triple H) the night before he wrestled Shawn Michaels. He said he is now back to introduce the greatest opponent of all-time, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. A brief video aired of clips of Steamboat's WWF matches. (My 75 minute Torch Talk from 1995 with Steamboat is still available this weekend for VIP members; it will be replaced with the infamous Bill Watts "Torch Talk" from 1991 as our April featured Vintage Audio Torch Talk. To hear the Steamboat interview, act now and sign up here). The video showed Steamboat skydiving recently to show that he's still a risk-taker and high-flyer. A soundbite aired of Steve Austin saying he was his favorite opponent because he was so good.

[Commercial Break]

-After panning the crowd and showing a smiling Roddy Piper, Flair said when he's asked who his greatest opponent ever was, he always answers Rick Steamboat. He said he always had time for the fans. He also said the girls always loved Steamboat. "I'll put him up against the Von Erichs any night, and that's saying a lot." He said he gave the fans 100 percent every night. He said Steamboat helped make him a legend. He said he probably wrestled Steamboat 2,000 times and he never had a bad match with him. He said as good as his matches with him were in 1989, the ones from the 1970s were even better. He said unfortunately there weren't cameras around then. He said their work will stand the test of time. He said they've spent more time in the ring together than anyone else on the planet, sharing blood, sweat, and tears, and loved every minute of it. He then introduced Steamboat by saying it doesn't get any better than this. "He is the purest good guy who ever walked the aisle," he said.

-Rick Steamboat walked onto the stage to his WWE entrance theme. Triple H applauded. He looked like he had a stomach ache or something.

[Commercial Break]

-Back from the break, they showed an emotional Steamboat and Flair arguing and then shoving each other in a collar and elbow hook-up. They broke into smiles and then Flair walked off the stage. They showed a close-up of Sgt. Slaughter and ID'd him as a Hall of Famer. Superfly Snuka was sitting next to him. Steamboat wiped away tears as the crowd began a chant of "Steamboat, Steamboat." He looked at his notes and said when he looks back at his career, he can't help but be passionate and humble. He spoke of his friendships, great ones who have come and gone. He said they set the bar night after night. They cut to Pat Patterson in the crowd. Steamboat said a great moment was after a 60 minute draw lying on the mat and mouthing the words, "We got them." He spoke of wrestlers asking him to watch their matches and give his feedback. He then told a story of early exchanges with Triple H. He said he knew he was a young kid who would become something and he pointed at him in the crowd.

He named some of the wrestlers who shaped his career: Greg Valentine, Blackjack Mulligan, Sgt. Slaughter, Jack and Jerry Brisco, Don Muraco, Jake Roberts, Superfly Snuka, Roddy Piper... He paused and said he wanted to tell Jericho that he just mentioned Snuka and Piper and they're going to take him to school tomorrow. Jericho stood up and the crowd booed. Steamboat shot him an icy glare. Steamboat continued: Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Harley Race, Arn Anderson, and Steve Austin, "the guy I had my very last match with." Until Sunday night. He said he pushed those superstars and they all pushed back. He said, "And J.R., thanks for all those nights you did commentary on my matches." That was nice. He said people say a carpenter is only as good as the tools you have to work with. He said without their passion, heart, and love of the business, he wouldn't be here today. He said he wanted to thank them for being there to give this Hall of Fame moment and ring to him. "You know something, Mickey Rourke, tonight this is my Oscar." They cut to Rourke in the crowd, then Cena, Stephanie, Triple H, and Edge all in the front row. He said he stands before them proud and humbled and thanked everyone. Perfect speech from Steamboat.

The camera showed Big Show in one row, Sarge behind him, and Miz next to Sarge. Then another camera shot of the front row showed C.M. Punk, Melina, John Morrison, three Divas, and then Cena, Steph, Triple H, and Edge. It's always interesting to see who's next to whom and where in the crowd. Not that it necessarily means a lot, but collectively it's interesting to observe as there are some curious placements and pairings at times.

[Commercial Break]

-They showed Harley Race applauding in the crowd. Back to the podium, Lawler said tomorrow night WrestleMania is going to be special. He pointed to Shawn Michaels and his wife. He said he is Mr. WrestleMania versus The Streak. No sign of Undertaker. He takes his character so seriously, he doesn't break character and appear at these types of events. It's a bit a controversy behind the scenes as the only prominent star who's avoided most (or even all) of these character-breaking public events over the years. Lawler threw to videogame footage of the ring introductions of Michaels and Undertaker and some videogame footage of them wrestling. There were probably some old-timers who were confused because the last videogame graphics they saw were Super Mario. Lawler then introduced "Mean" Gene Okerlund.

-Okerlund walked out, looking strangely just like he did when I first started watching the AWA back in 1979. He said still to come was the induction of Austin, but first he asked for a round of applause for the Hall of Fame Class of 2009. Highlights aired of the Funks, Koko B. Ware, Kevin Von Erich, Bill Watts, and Howard Finkle. Lawler then said the next person didn't need an introduction, but if he didn't give him one, he'd fire him. He called him the greatest boss anyone could work for, Vince McMahon. They showed Triple H laughing hard at that one. Vince McMahon then walked out as they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

-They showed Mickey Rourke in the crowd. No idea of who he was sitting with. He fidgeted and rubbed his nose and shrugged, appearing nervous when he knew he was on camera.

-McMahon smiled at the podium and said he and Austin have a "strange relationship, an unusual relationship, actually." He said it's a love-hate relationship: "A love him and he hates me." A crowd shot showed Stephanie and Shane smiling, with Shane's wife next to him, and then Jericho next to her. Behind them it appeared Chavo Guerrero was sitting next to Linda McMahon (her hair is unmistakable), and then Patterson with R-Truth sitting next to or behind him. McMahon said he's convinced Austin hates him. He said he tried to run him over with a Zamboni, hit him with a bed pan, filled one of his favorite Corvettes with concrete, ran over his limousine with a monster truck, and he scared him so badly, he wet himself. He said Steve is a lot of things to a lot of people and if nothing else, the greatest WWE Superstar of all time. Stephanie always looks like the proudest daughter of any father whenever she is shown reacting to her father. Linda was shown clearly and was laughing at his speech, too. The crowd did the "What?" bit. McMahon threw to a highlight package.

-The video package included comments by C.M. Punk, Flair (saying he was the biggest star he was ever around), Jericho, Michaels, Ross, Edge, and Cena. How does Punk always get in these clips. No offense to him, but resume-wise, he's the guy who seems like he was hanging around in the production studio doing on a day they just happened to be getting people's comments. Punk even gave the middle finger to the camera and said, "You can digitize this, can't you?" They did digitize it. Hey, MVP snuck in there, too. Lots of classic clips both from WWE and mainstream, such as talk show appearances and magazine covers. It's still a shame that Goldberg instead of Austin made the cover of Entertainment Weekly. They actually had to release an explanation for that, during the peak of the Monday Night War era, because there was such outrage over that editorial judgment. Their explanation was that of the photos they had to choose from, Goldberg's they felt was a better cover shot than anything they had of Austin.

[Commercial Break]

-McMahon then introduced Austin. Not a lot of McMahon's speech - at least what aired on USA Network (we'll have reports later from on-site from our own James Caldwell detailing whether a lot was left on the edit room floor) - but it was good. (Anyone know who the twentysomething guy was sitting next to Triple H?) Austin soaked up the cheers as his entrance song played. The camera showed JBL and Teddy Long next to each other in row three. Rey Mysterio was in row two in front of them. I do miss when they had the previous inductees sit on stage the rest of the evening, but some of them probably didn't like being there that long in the spotlight, especially when every little reaction was judged and analyzed.

-Even before Austin spoke, you could see the charisma that oozed out of him and made him the biggest draw for any three or four year period in history. The crowd wouldn't let him speak, as they loudly chanted, "Thank you, Austin!" He first said he had to talk about his suit. He said he doesn't like to dress up much. He said he had the tuxedo made up at the Men's Warehouse and the damn button popped off backstage. He got a laugh for that. He said what he loves to do is cut a promo and sell tickets. He said the feeling he gets from that is hard to describe. He said it's hard for him to explain what the business means to him because it's been such a big part of his life. He said he has thought long and hard about producing a speech that would meet everyone's expectations, but if he falls short, he wants everyone to know, "Thank you so much." He got emotional and paused as the crowd stood and cheered.

"I want to thank you so much for always sticking with me," he said. "As hot as I got and as high as I got in this company, setting records and taking the business to the level I took it to, the times when I would go down with a neck injury and I would get a surgery on my neck, or blow a knee out, or get a divorse, or blow another knee out, or get my neck worked on again, and get another divorse - and then there was the time I took my ball and went home as the WWE was so fond of saying, and I was gone for a year, and every time I came back from something like that, you guys always took me back and I have always appreciated that." He said it was a privilege for him to earn his living in the squared circle. He said there aren't many things in live he's good at. The crowd chanted, "One more match." He leaned over and said, "Eh, I don't know about that." He said he's got a bunch of friends who have become football coaches or working in construction. He said his dad was an insurance man and his mom an interior decorator. He said as a fan of pro wrestling, he remembered in high school taking his aptitude test and a couple weeks later the info came back to guide you into a career of what you should do with your life. He said his test said "I would make a real swell park ranger." He said that was cool, nothing against park rangers, but it wasn't going to work for him. He said he had a blast in the business and met some of the greatest people. "And by the same token, I've met some bad ones, too, but I've got no complaints," he said. He said he's had his share of broken bones and surgeries, but he has a smile on his face and thanks everyone for it.

He said he wanted to close the door on his wrestling career, but not on the fans. He said as he moves away from pro wrestling and moves into the movie industry, he wants them to continue to support him and do whatever he can to entertain them the best he can. He said it's been a wonderful pleasure. He said he could talk another hour and had yet to use any of his notes. He asked the crowd if they were ready for WrestleMania. He told the wrestlers to get a good night's rest because it will be a good night in Houston. "I love you from the bottom of my heart, and that's the bottom line because Stone Cold said so," he concluded. His music played and then someone tossed him a couple beers. He banged the cans together and poured them into his mouth, onto his face, and yes onto his new Men's Warehouse suit. Then he handed Cena a can and they showed Cena drinking the beer. It was meant to be a symbolic moment. Maybe it was, maybe it was a bit orchestrated or forced. Overall, nice speech. The Men's Warehouse anecdote is a classic real-life Austin sense of humor moment. It would have fun to hear more details of his career or even a few specific thank yous or shout-outs to the most influential people on his life and career, but once you start on that list, it's tough to not worry about leaving someone off. But maybe he did live at the ceremony. We await word from on site.

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