Wrestlemania 29 week: HOF + Hulk Hogan Uncensored & more (20130

It has been four years since I last attended a Wrestlemania – that time was in Houston and my nephew flew down to join me . I was actually down there to speak at a University and a series of DJ gigs and happen to fit it in. The whole thing was covered by a reporter from MSN.com that you can read here.
This time Wrestlemania was being held in the NY/NJ area – so naturally being just across the river I was planning on attending. This would be Wrestlemania 29 and my 5th to attend in person. Now if that sounds uber-fan like – what till I tell you about some of the people I encountered.
I found the numbering a little odd as they had the first one in NYC, than the 10th, than the 20th (that I was in attendance for) so naturally it would seem they would have next year’s 30th here so I don’t know why but I think the logic is that it mimics the Super Bowl in terms of a city has to bid and be willing to move forward and that’s what dictates where its held.

Another feature that is purposely mirrored after the Super Bowl is that its not just a one day affair on a Sunday – It’s a week long affair of events, press conferences, fan festivals, autograph sessions, charity drives, a Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the works.
On Weds the WWE held an official press conference at Radio City Music Hall and on Thurs a very high-profile private charity event on Wall St.

And though this is officially a week of WWE sponsored events with only its talent roster and their precense that mark any event “official” all of the other indie federations get in on the action too. Though the WWE would like for you to think that they are the only game in town, and to extent they really are, they can’t stop these other ones from cashing in on having such a captive audience of die hard wrestling fans from all over the world all in one place.
It’s also mecca for the fans because they have literally the entire american wrestling industry at their reach all in one place at the same time.

Friday – April 5th

So along with the official WWE events theirs a virtual buffet of things to choose from as well, especially if you pay attention to the indie circuit. Or maybe to see an old favorite signing autographs. It kinda becomes Class Reunion and more often than not it kinda becomes a sad case kinda like what is portrayed in
The Wrestler with old dogs vying for a piece of recognition.

I’m kinda of a sucker for those things as well because though fantasy doesn’t really work for me, I do enjoy nostalgia, but sometimes when you see these old dudes you kinda wished you could just remember them the way you used to. Of the list of things here were the most notable non-WWE events:

Iron Sheik Roast at Caroline’s Comedy Club in New York City

Pro Wrestling Syndicate “Supercard 2013”  from Sportsplex in Metuchen NJ.
Big Van Vader as Guest Commissioner
The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff appearing together for the last time.
Superstar Billy Graham to appear.
Rock N Roll Express vs. The Briscoes
& more

Ring of Honor were having their yearly get together over at Hammerstein Ballroom & right across the street from Madison Square Garden where the WWE Hall of Fame induction will take place on Sat, at the Pennsylvania Hotel the PWR Federation were holding a Hall of Fame Ceremony of their own on Fri, honoring
King Kong Bundy, Demolition & more.

TNA were also getting into the action with a live event up in Suffolk county on Friday.
However out of all of that to choose from, the one for Friday I decided on, based on geographic location, price & ability to access I went to something called
Hulk Hogan Uncensored: w/ Eric Bischoff at the historic Beacon Theater.

Hulk Hogan Uncensored: w/ Eric Bischoff – April 5th – The Beacon Theater – NYC

Again I chose this event because:

A) It was in Manhattan when alot of these were way out in NJ or up in White Plains
B) It was being held at the Beacon Theater, an historic venue I’ve always wanted to see the inside of.
C) Totally affordable and tickets were available. I was able to walk right up, get a ticket for $25 and get a good seat.
D) Love him or hate him, I will always in some form, be a Hulkamaniac.

A few notes about getting there: For one, even though its April it was still FREEZING in NYC – like in the 20s – when I got off the train, one of the dustier homeless men that NYC has to offer was screaming out front of the venue soliciting people for crack cocaine.
The Beacon Theater venue was a beautiful, classy setting for this event. It reminded me of some of the really well done Hall of Fame events at the smaller theaters in the past before it became just yet another block of programming. Not to mention how many amazing shows have been performed here.
I should also mention that this was NOT a kid’s deal – this didn’t start till after 10pm and the lines for liquor in the lobby were long.

I don’t know if was because of the compeition of all of the other events but even at this low ticket price, the place was less than a third full and this venue is not large at all. I guess fans wanted more action than to come to essentially to hear two people talk.
I was looking forward to the intimacy and a special evening, but an all male, drunk, NYC crowd had me worried and with good reason.

Soon after I got to my seat, the lights lowered and a very gray and out of shape Eric Bischoff strolls out in sweatpants and looks like he just woke up. It was very informal to say the least. He spoke briefly before introducing Hogan who came out to as much noise as about 100 drunk New Yorkers could make on a Friday night.

WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony – April 6th – Madison Square Garden – NYC

Ok this is going to take a bit of explaining and perhaps the weirdest part of the entire weekend. Not to mention my tolerance/patience for wrestling fans took a huge nose dive which was already pretty low after last night.
Again, for me this is the most special of the events because it celebrates entire careers, its done out of charachter and is meant to honor what its supposed to without any gimmicks. For a guy in his 30s, its also cool to see the older wrestlers I loved get some recognition if only for the last time.
This year, being held at Madison Square Garden is special just on that fact alone – but to really put it over the top is that they are finally inducting the legendary Bruno Sammartino. A name that is synonamous with professional wrestling at the Garden and has been responsible for more sell-outs at the worlds’s most famous arena than anyone in history.
For me and I’m sure others, this fully legitamizes the Hall of Fame. Sammartino and WWE head honcho Vince Mcmahon have never gotten along, and Sammartino, a total class act, distanced himself from the product that Mcmahon had turned the sport into.
However Triple H apparently reached out to Sammartino and buried the hatchet and showed him the companies growth that lead to him being here.
To see Bruno Sammartino headline the Garden one more time was my mission this evening.

Of the four previous Wrestlemanias I’ve attended I’ve only been to one previous Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, which was also at the last one I attended in Houston for Wrestlemania 25 where they inducted Stone Cold Steve Austin and my all time faves, the Von Erichs.
I was able to walk up and buy a ticket for $20 and walk right in an hour before show time. I knew that this being NYC and what was at stake with Bruno that it wasn’t gonna be as easy but I totally underestimated, not only this event but just how large wrestling has become in general.

I get over to the Garden where I’m told that the event is sold out and their was a large line of people waiting to buy tickets from possible cancellations etc.
Ok, this is going to be harder than I thought, plus I hadn’t brought any cash and I’m totally leery of scalpers in this town.
I know that wrestling fans aren’t really known for their intellect or fashion sense and I have a long but harmless lineage of making fun of Canadians but I’m going to unfold a story that is going to take your breath away:

My strategy was to go to the ticket window and see if I could get a ticket anyway – also people selling legit tickets hang around there where as the fakers are rightfully too scared to take it that far by going inside. Almost instantly I meet Joe, a 23 year old Jay-Z fan from Toronto. A decent looking kid dressed head to toe in Ed Hardy/Affliction wardrobe with a matching motorcyle jacket that looks simliar to the one that Daniel Bryan wears to the ring, again if it was marketed by Ed Hardy. Joe appears to be with people but sitting alone with an extra ticket for reasons that are yet unclear. I ask Joe how much he wants for the ticket and he says “Just face value” – which I soon learn is $120.00! Naturally I pass, but Joe makes an offer that if he can’t sell it by the time doors open I can have it for half that. About 20 mins pass before I see Joe again and it was to pay me the courtesy that he had indeed sold the ticket for $120 – A fact that he was greatly pleased with himself for.
An aquaintance of Joe’s, a guy we will call Matt, ALSO has an extra ticket that he is clearly exasperated to get rid of. The guy Matt is sitting with just sold HIS extra ticket for only $50 bucks that seems to be causing Matt great stress.
Ok, $50 bucks? Now we are talking but just to illustrate my naviete/arrogance/cheapness that was still a bit more than I had expected.
But it was time to make my move – I saw Matt and his friend following the $50 guy to the ATM and that’s when I decided to follow them and offer the same to Matt for his. Joe also decides to tag along to make the trip back outside with an agenda of his own – and that was to ask me to take a few photos of him with his Ipad in front of the building for prosterity.
I agreed and would have anyway but I admit I also had my own agenda was to buddy with Joe in order to have influence over Matt to sell me the ticket for the price I wanted to pay.
At first this is a strike out as Matt declines but I still take the photos for Joe anyway –
NOW here is where shit gets real dark –
Joe doesn’t ask me to take just a few photos of him by the WWE sign or the MSG sign – he suddenly becomes profoundly particular and asks me to take pic after pic after pic of literally the same pose – he even scolds my abilities at one point.
You know the typical “Excuse me, would you make taking a pic of me/us?” thing where they take two pics max and even if you don’t like them you thank the person and either move on or ask someone else after the first person has left? – Apparently this is not something that is practiced in Canada.
I must have taken about 50 pics of him in the same pose at the same spot – he just could not become satisfied. I put up with it until I got my ticket.
Suddenly Matt walks by, looking defeated, still not having sold his ticket: A bit about Matt – for some reason though this is a formal affair for the wrestlers Matt is wearing a nice suit but I get the impression that Matt is always in a suit – Joe stops him and points to me and tells him I’m looking for a ticket. He already knew what I was offering and exhaustively relents – I give him $60 and now I have a ticket – but not before I hear this gem of an exchange:

When Matt walked by as I was taking the 1000th pic of Joe – Joe asked Matt a series of questions that blew this whole thing wide open and I had an AHA! moment. He first asked “How’s your Pay Per View schedule looking?” – Matt responds “All of them” – to which Joe replies “I’m only going to seven this year” –
Then I realize – these guys didn’t come together – these guys buy two tickets but come seperatlely cause they have no friends –  they just simply recognized each other after continously seeing each other because they are FUCKING GROUPIES!!
This next question & answer will seal that – Realizing now that they haven’t seen each other since what ever last PPV that saw each other at – Joe, playing the student to Matt’s master – Joe asked “How’s the hotel?” – for which naturally I assumed was an inquiry into “How’s your accomodations this year as maybe compared to last year” – to wit Matt replied – “Oh its on total lock-down now” – to which they both nodded and smiled familiarly.
Then I realized they were talking about the hotel THAT THE WRESTLERS ARE STAYING AT!! – These two fucking zeros routinely track this info down and stalk where these guys are fucking sleeping!! – This is not something that are ashamed of, quite the opposite, this is information that they feel is priveledged and are quite proud of knowing. You can tell that Joe is envious that Matt has surpassed him in this capacity.

I asked: “How do you guys afford to follow wrestlers around?” – Matt without a hint of embarassment or self-awareness is quick to answer first:
He first adjusts his tie in a really creepy way and says that he works in politics like I’m a drunk teenager he’s trying to bang and this will get him to first base.
Joe apparently works in television in Canada.

Well I got a ticket and I’m headed inside finally – Joe follows me, again he has no friends and his here alone – He follows me because now I guess he feels that I owe him and can hit me up to take more pics of him – I am now Joe the Canadian’s personal biographer.
We get to his seat that is on the opposite side of the arena from mine – I’m feeling good so I oblige and he wants me to take his pic of course and again he obsesses over every angle, tried several different rows, doesn’t seem to mind at all that he is not only clearly taking advantage of me but alienating me simultaneously. This goes on and on for about a dozen or so more pics and he doesn’t seem to be anywhere near satisfied. At one point I accidentally hit the wrong button and it took me to a folder where you can see that he has tortured many people before me as they were THOUSANDS of pictures of just him and some they were HUNDREDS of him in basically the same pose – The theme to Psycho started playing in my head – so before contemplating throwing this fucking Canuck’s IPAD across the arena – I just handed it to him and turned around and walked away without a word.

So now I walk all the way to the other side of the arena to discover that man I got a pretty good seat – I knew I was going to be seated next to Matt so at least it was in a good location. When I see Matt he tells me that “he didn’t know” that his cousin was coming and would I mind switching seats “since I cut you such a good deal on that ticket” – He points to the new seat that was just a few over on the same row and across the aisle. The seat was acutally an improvement combined with my eagerness to get the fuck away from this guy – I committed a rookie mistake: I didn’t look at the actual seat number.
Come to find out my “new seat” was at the end of the next section now so far it was behind the stage and I couldn’t see anything.
I wasn’t having it – I went back to Matt and told him I knew what he was trying to pull that simply the cousin had a shitty seat that he had now stuck me with.
His reply was to shrug me off and suggested I take it up with an usher –  I was about to fucking kill this fatslob as the lights lowered so I just found an empty seat a few rows down where I could see – but with the anticpation that I would be ejected at any moment which threatened to ruin the entire evening.

Ok now on the ceremony! – It was fun watching all the WWE Superstars enter with their familes in formal wear, taking their seats and talking to each other.

Michael Cole announces that the ceremony will start in a couple minutes, but not before issuing a warning that heckling would NOT be tolerated. CM Punk holds up an “applause” sign and dueling CM Punk/UnderTaker chants begin. He is sitting with former wrestler Amy “Lita” Dumas, who was one of my all-time faves and they are clearly dating.
Jerry “The King” Lawler takes the stage and tells the fans, “This is awesome.” The fans proceed to engage in a loud “This is awesome” chant.
The inductees:

Mick Foley

Lawler announces that Mick Foley will be the first inductee. It’s an interesting move when you consider the fact that it looked like he was going to be the headliner a couple months ago before Bruno Sammartino’s inclusion.
Lawler introduces Foley’s presenter, fellow WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk. Funk calls Foley “nuts, crazy and out of his ever-loving mind,” but says that he “loves him like an ugly brother.”
Funk claims that Mr. Socko wants him to open an envelope in his jacket. Funk says, “Come on down Dude Love, Mankind, Cactus Jack and my favorite, Mick Foley.” The crowd explodes with “Thank you, Foley” chants.

Foley says that between himself, Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund, they held the WWE Championship for a total of 6,225 days. He then says that he held it for 47 of those days, and the crowd erupts. He tells the story of hitchhiking from his college to MSG in order to see the steel cage match between “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka and “Magnificent” Don Muraco.
He thanks The Undertaker. He says that long before Hell in a Cell, Taker put him on the map in WWE. He also thanks the late Paul Bearer for how much he helped him early in his WWE career.
Known for his love of Christmas he says that he invited a very special person, Santa Claus, but he couldn’t make it. and then says he has to live with the fact that he never beat Chris Jericho as the camera showing perfect timing shows Jericho shaking his head mocking him saying “Never, not once”
Then Jericho comes on the stage and lies down for Foley. Foley drops an elbow on Jericho and Punk breaks charachter by making the three count.