Ole Anderson told Vince McMahon to go (expletive) himself, Lex Luger okay with exclusion from Four Horsemen WWE Hall of Fame induction
When it was announced that The Four Horsemen would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year the night before WrestleMania 28 in Miami, Florida, the hot topic of debate quickly surrounded the incarnation of the group that was included.
The five men selected to go in are Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham and J.J. Dillon. That would be the most popular pairing of the supergroup but it's not the original.
No, the stable initially consisted of all the same guys except Windham. Ole Anderson was in that spot and there are many who credit him with being the brains behind the entire operation.
So why wasn't he inducted?
There are likely a few reasons. For starters, Ole has heat with just about everyone in the pro wrestling industry but most notably he and Vince McMahon still haven't kissed and made up from their court battle way back in the 80s over Georgia Championship Wrestling. That falls more on Anderson than McMahon, as you can see from an interview Ole gave to the Post and Courier explaining the situation:
"Vince McMahon hates my guts, and I don't like him. So that's all there is to it. To be a part of that, anyone with a brain knows who the first Four Horsemen were. It was me and Arn and Ric and Tully Blanchard, and J.J. Dillon was the manager. So if they don't know that, they don't know anything about wrestling anyway. So what's the difference? ... Vince McMahon is never going to call me. I hate his guts just like he hates mine. It's no big deal. ... I told Vince McMahon to go (expletive deleted), and I wouldn't change my mind now."
Anderson also explains that he has multiple sclerosis and his health is poor enough that there's simply no way he could logistically make it to Miami to take part in the ceremony. Add it all together and it was easier to avoid the headache and simply exclude him from the festivities.
Meanwhile another member of the Horsemen, albeit only for a short time, Lex Luger, told Busted Open Radio that he's happy Barry Windham is a part of it and he's looking forward to being in the audience to see it all go down:
"I think Barry Windham would be a splendid choice for getting inducted. What a great honor for him. I think it would be a great time in Barry's life right now, from what I hear, for him to receive that. I'm going to be down in South Beach for Wrestlemania. I wouldn't miss it. I will be in the audience cheering on the guys who gets selected as The Four Horsemen. I'm just thrilled that I was a part of it at all. I think Barry is a great pick."
Luger is referring to Windham suffering from some major health issues of his own, including a seizure and a heart attack/stroke that nearly took his life. He's recovering well, though, and is expected to be healthy enough to be in attendance at the ceremony.
So Flair, Arn Anderson, Blanchard, Windham and Dillon will be on stage accepting their induction, Luger will be in the audience happily cheering them on and Ole will be back home, grumpy and unhealthy, cussing out Vince all these years later.
The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh Cagesiders?
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I'm pretty happy with the lineup they chose.
Mostly because I think Barry Windham deserves some kind of recognition.
Although I think the ceremony and the build up to it needs more Mongo hehehehehe
Greatest lover ever during the day, Trainyard Sleeper at night.
The Ole version was the original AND the most successful
I’m a huge Barry Windham fan, but the original version was a bigger draw.
Frankly, I don’t see why they didn’t induct the Ole, Luger, and Barry versions. They were all well-regarded.
Like most fans...
I will just assume that all incarnations of the Horsemen will be blanket-inducted. The Flair-Anderson A-Blanchard-Windham-Dillon pairing is just the image used to represent the power stable in all its forms.
The only downside is that such an assumption has the connotation of Mongo McMichael and Paul Romo being worthy of the Hall, or that WWE still acknowledges that a certain deceased, disgraced wrestler was a Horseman at one point.
Time to spread a little chaos...
Most fans don't assume that
And they don’t because it is a false assumption. It is these five guys who are being inducted. If/when they induct nWo or DX, it will be the same thing. Just because groups shared the same name does not make them the same group. When a team is inducted into pro sports hall of fame, it is a specific year or years. A blanket induction would make absolutely no sense, because all forms of the group do not deserve the honor.
So go forth, my brethren, and proceed to mark the f*ck out
by C. J. Bradford on Jan 16, 2012 12:31 PM EST up reply actions
But then...
That implies that there could be multiple separate inductions of various incarnations of the Horsemen. Which is itself problematic.
Time to spread a little chaos...
There won't be.
Since WWE controls all of it, they are smart enough to avoud that problem
Greatest lover ever during the day, Trainyard Sleeper at night.
Possibly.
Still, I’d rather it be a one-and-done deal. Even if it does mean having to consider less-than-worthy individuals as Hall of Famers.
Of course, being solutions-oriented as I am, there is a mild fix. Just don’t give the undeserving ones (or their families) Hall of Fame rings. A symbolic “you don’t count” gesture, if a small one.
Time to spread a little chaos...
Multiple incarnations are not problematic at all
I like the idea of two different Horsemen eras being inducted separately. It’s an interesting idea. But IRodC is 100% correct. WWE controls the whole thing. It isn’t being voted on by writers or fans. So WWE has decided that it will be this incarnation, and it is doubtful that there will be any other one included.
And guess what, Shadow? They just did the “you don’t count” gesture. It will be these 5 inducted, and everyone else does not count.
So go forth, my brethren, and proceed to mark the f*ck out
by C. J. Bradford on Jan 16, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions
*shrugs*
I suppose they can do it however they wish. And Ole did basically exclude himself.
I have no feelings up or down on Luger, so I suppose I can live with this. As long as they don’t induct any other incarnation.
Time to spread a little chaos...
Explanation:
If this one incarnation is inducted and no other, it be be interpreted however one wishes. Hopefully, WWE will at least be smart enough to realize that.
Time to spread a little chaos...
They cannot be more explicit in how they are inducting this group
It is these 5 guys, and that is it. If someone chooses to hold onto a false idea, that is not on the WWE. That is one the person holding onto the false idea.
So go forth, my brethren, and proceed to mark the f*ck out
by C. J. Bradford on Jan 16, 2012 1:00 PM EST up reply actions
The group I remember watching the most was the group with Ole but considering by all accounts he is a dick and has used political clout to bury all kinds of talent in his day, I am glad he was excluded.
by DustinH(oo) on Jan 16, 2012 12:28 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
in other words...
Vince is actually a more sympathetic figure between the two?
Well, I suppose anything’s possible.
Time to spread a little chaos...
Actually, yes. Ole was lead booker for a long time in the NWA. And I’ve read various accounts of Ole only pushing himself, and his guys. To the point where if he didn’t like you then you were jobbing. I know he has a lot of heat with Flair because he ended up taking a lot that power as NWA became WCW. I’ve read nothing flattering about Ole. And Vince owns the damn business so he at least a right to maintain control over things. Ole did so out of insecurity and stubbornness.
by DustinH(oo) on Jan 16, 2012 1:45 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Luger will get in on his own
And I think they specified which Horsemen so people would get the hint not ALL Horsemen are going in. Mongo/Roma shouldn’t and won’t. Benoit should, but won’t. Sting will get there eventually. It’s a shame Ole isn’t going in, that kinda screws Gene/MWC (the team is deserving), but if he’s a dick, he’s a dick.
Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...
Bah. If you induct “The Four Horsemen,” then you induct all incarnations of the stable. If you induct the “Flair-Anderson-Blanchard-Windham-Dillon Four Horsemen,” then you announce that you are inducting the “Flair-Anderson-Blanchard-Windham-Dillon Four Horsemen.” Or, you don’t and you are obviously full of crap and once again trying to rewrite history to suit yourself.
Ya Paul Roma thanks you.
I've got something to say; it better to burn out than to fade away!!!
I'm still waiting for my CM Punk WWE Ice Cream Bar.
Go Chargers (oh yeah I said that)
X Box Gamertag: OneRabidDingo
It would lead me to believe that @bisping must have pissed off @danawhite something fierce. RT @drjamezkelske: @danhendo just out of curiosity, if the #ufc comes to you and asks you to fight Bisping again how do you respond?" -Dan Henderson
You're an idiot.
Follow @SBNLukeThomas
by Luke Thomas on Jan 5, 2012 1:40 PM PST up reply actions
Ole Anderson was a racist, I am black and I was like hell yeah when I saw the headline, my Vince hate will allow me to side with anyone against him.
by MVP Raiders on Jan 16, 2012 4:17 PM EST via Android app reply actions
Here's hoping the west texas rednecks get inducted into the hall of fame next year
RAP IS CRAP
Greatest lover ever during the day, Trainyard Sleeper at night.
by IRodC on Jan 16, 2012 4:19 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

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