Bret Hart hates writers, loves self

Bret Hart was a victim of wrestling - there is no doubt about that. Having been unceremoniously booted from the WWF, to losing his brother to a tragic in-ring accident, to having his storied career ended by a boot to the face by the likes of Goldberg (I really need to go into the symbolism there), to finally being released by WCW, a company that was wasting money on the likes of Norman Smiley and Brian Knobbs - Bret Hart had good reason to be bitter. But if time heals all wounds, someone obviously forgot to tell Bret, because bitter is all he seems to be these days.

I can't say I often catch what Bret Hart says or writes, but this first came to my attention when he refused to show up at WrestleMania XXII with the other Hall of Fame inductees of 2006. It obviously was what the fans wanted - and eight years after the infamous Montreal Incident, surely one more appearance couldn't have hurt anything. But no, it was not to be. Eventually (about a day later) I forgot about it and moved on.

Today, I caught wind of Hart's induction speech into a Hall of Fame (doesn't say which one) in which he lashes out at a wrestling book writer and decides to take his ball and go home when the writer refuses to leave. Really - he did that.

I loved Bret Hart in his heyday. I could watch his matches all day. Unfortunately, since his departure from the industry, he has seemed to become a mound of self-pity - and that's a real shame. Instead of doing his all to help improve the industry he gave so much for (and in turn, trying to prevent repeats of all the ills that occurred to him) he sits and grumbles. Now, perhaps I'm wrong and I have this way off-base...but that's what it seems to me.

Of course, Bret's comments are completely off-base, they're just badly aimed. If you're going to complain about outsiders writing about wrestling, then don't target the one's who spend great amounts of time researching to produce a well-thought out book. Aim more for the "news sites" who spread rumors, gossip, speculate and complain without a shred of presented evidence - all the meanwhile thinking of themselves as "experts". If that doesn't work for you, hit up the bloggers (like the two here) who have nothing better to do than occasionally share thoughts on something that is obviously enjoyable enough to write about.

But pick better battles, Bret. All you look like now is a pouting has-been - and that's not what you deserve at all.