ERIC BISCHOFF: "Would I have STOPPED THE SHOW if OWEN HART died in WCW?"
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- Eric Bischoff reflects on whether he'd have continued with the show if a Owen Hart like tragedy had happened on his watch.
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eric-bischoff....
Hindsight is 20/20. You never know what you're actually going to do in a situation until you are in the middle of that situation.
Exactly 👍
I agree with you. Plus everyone seems to forget that the real bosses are the networks and affiliates, and contracts ect... And of course there are the fans.... When James Hetfield caught himself on fire, and they shut that show down. There was a mass riot. The real truth is that there is no right answer for that situation
@@lasher5520 if idiots want to riot, (especially over something like that) you put the riot down…duh
BS! If that was Shane McMahon the show would have ended right then and there! vince is a cold hearted greedy SOB!
@lasher5520 tbh it wasn't just James getting burned. Axl Rose was being a complete dickhead and cut their set short. He could've stepped up but acted like a primadonna
Its not so cut and dry, ending the show would mean having to refund everyone in attendance as well as those who bought the show, a logistical nightmare. Plus you run the risk of a riot started by upset fans, even if you tell them owen passed there is a chance they think its a work and think its bs. On top of all that releasing the crowd early puts a strain on local transport systems that are not prepared for the crowd dispersing early. Plus all of that is being considered while youre in a state of shock. Im not saying continuing was right or wrong, just that anyone who thinks it was an easy decision obviously doesnt understand the logictics involved.
The refunds are not the concern it. The concern is how the drunken fans would react. There is the very real possibility that cancelling the show causes more injuries and possible another death from drunken fans acting belligerently over stopping the show.
Not like they hadn't done it before. When the power went out at the in your house beware of dog show during the stone cold/savio Vega match. They ended up just redoing the show a couple nights later on, and it wasn't a big deal. I think Vince just didn't want to do it again if he didn't have to.
Those fans in no way would have rioted after Owen passed away. Crowd was done after the accident.
@@cuckertarlson3037 "Beware of Dog" was before the "Attitude Era". You did not have the raging drunks in the audience that you had by 1999.
@@cuckertarlson3037 Maybe they wouldn't have, the point is it had to be considered, that's how business works, it's why businesses have lawyers in this sue happy world.
@chriskay1449 crowd was deflated after Owen's fall. And they were sympathetic about you situation so very doubtful they would have rioted had they called off the show because someone literally died.
They realistically could have had the same situation with Sting if something went wrong with his harness.
Could've. But it helped that nobody was trying to kill Sting.
I've never been a huge fan of Eric Bischoff. But I've never respected him more than i do right now. Admitting years later that he probably would have continued the show. Because that's what most wrestling promoters would do. And don't forget Stu Hart (also a former promoter) said he would have continued as well. And I'm not saying the decision is right or wrong. I just respect him admitting he probably would have made the same decision.
Uhhh no. The decision was wrong. Point blank. It was always wrong. You shut it down, you take a fucking human life being lost seriously. Your company fucked up. You were the ones who didn't ensure safety . So you take accountability, you refund tickets, you refund PPV money, you do the right thing after a horrific oversight like that.
I'm tired of seeing people excuse that sub-human behavior. That's exactly what it is, sub-human. Bischoff admitting to doing the same thing isn't anything "respectable". There's absolutely no respect to be found in that. It's just another scumbag feeling comfortable enough to say something like that.
I've never seen a guy coast so much for the rest of his career in wrestling as Bischoff has on the single biggest heel turn the industry would see. And fuck THAT up within a year.
The guy is an absolute joke and that's being generous.
I became a fan because of his podcast with Conrad. Conrad COOKED him for the longest when 83 weeks podcast first debuted. Made for a must-listen experience.
@@MrMGR1986that Starrcade 97 "debate" was one for the ages.
@@jknight1984100%
Nothing said upstanding ethics like destroying crime scene evidence for entertainment
4:30 Eric is right in what he says here, like Hacksaw Jim Duggan once said, Not everybody can be the lead singer
In this situation, the show goes on.
This was a PPV, not TV. There would have been lawsuits for stopping the show due to legally binding contracts.
Then, they reached an agreement out of court with Owen's widow.
This was the Monday Night Wars. Everything had a butterfly effect. That extra lawsuit could have put the company another step behind Nitro and then everyone is out of a job.
I don't believe the riot fear.
Any one acting on legal binding stuff after a death looks like a scumbag ,, is a scumbag ,, feels wrong to me to continue the show
Bret said shorty after Owen died that Bischoff told him to take all the time you need. And now Bret shits on him, I don't get that
Unfortunately, Bret is a bitter guy. His criticisms are usually valid, but he seems unable or unwilling to move past them. I can empathize with that, to an extent. But I think at some point you have to let go of that so it doesn't dominate you.
Brett is just mad at the world
I think he's firing back at Eric's comments about "When Bret came to us he wasn't the same guy."
Who booked Brett vs Goldberg?
Bishoff shits on Brett when he gets a chance too as well.
It's kind of funny to have Malenko say the older guys needed to step aside cause he's only a few years younger than guys like Piper and Hogan.
I Thought Dean Malenko Was Born In 1958 Before 2015. I Thouhht He Was Okder Than Sting, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Rick Rude & Curt Hennig. Also The WWE New Generation Era Top Oldest Star Bret Hart Is 4 Years Younger Than Hulk Hogan. Bret Hart Called Hulk Hogan Old When Hulk Hogan Going To WCW. Hogan Got Him Back Saying I Drew Twice Of What You’re Drawing. In 1994, Bret Hart Was 37. When Kevin Nash & Scott Hall Went Back To WCW, People Talked Like They Were Getting Old, They Were 37. When Hart Joined The MWO, He Was Hogan Age When Hogan First came To WCW.
@allencollins5666 All I can think of is the effect hair has on how old someone looks. All the guys I thought were much older were bald or going bald.
TV age is different to actual age.
The longer that you've been on TV, the older the audience perceives you to be. That's why Natalya appears to be older than Asuka even though they're both the same age.
The one thing that's always bugged me whenever I hear wrestling personalities say "I would have ended the show", they've had 25 years to process what happened. Vince and company had 25 SECONDS while going through the same emotions that we all did. Denial is a dangerous drug. The need for the world to still be normal after death. Hours after my mom passed, I'm just going through her bedroom cleaning while the rest of the family was in the living room mourning.
Wrestling is just fucking weird when it goes wrong even when someone gets injured they still pin them instead of the ref calling it off like what would happen in any combat sport. I've seen people die in real sports and they call the game off but not wrestling you know the fake one lol.
It wouldn't take me 25 seconds to see that I probably shouldn't ask these people to continue working after their friend just died and the scene probably needs taped off for investigation.
@@maxxdahl6062 It would have taken you a lot more than 25 seconds, because nobody knew Owen was dead until almost an hour later.
@@LionHart630be honest, everyone knew he wasn't making that fall,.
People act is if there was a blueprint for a situation like this. Nothing as tragic had ever happened during a wrestling show before. It's Monday morning quarterbacking at this point. The people in charge that night had to have been in complete shock.
I mean, I would, it's not like the WWE would have gone completely under for refunding the tickets of one show, and you could let his friends and colleagues grieve for a bit.
@@maxxdahl6062smfh you are come at this from a selfish view point, it wasn't about going under they would of literally lost millions or dollars due to arena ticket refunds pay per view refunds plus money owed for canceling it early on pay per view I bet if it wasn't one of your favorites you wouldn't have the same opinion.
@@bms2010 Selfish by giving the friends and coworkers of a guy who just passed away the night off?
@@maxxdahl6062I would be more worried about the fans rioting. Attitude Era fans were mostly drunk guys in their 20’s. It was a different era back then.
@@johnepants I seriously don't think they'd riot. I think they'd totally get the deal if explained to them. I couldn't look to half that talent in they eye when they're breaking down sobbing and having them go out there and work still.
I think in every professional sports, performance situation - if a person dies during the presentation, play is suspended. They’ll postpone for rain delays…
Wrestling is far different that the regular sports leagues because a wrestlers mentality is far different. Wrestlers have "the show must go on" mentality. Basketball players, football players and others don't. As it is, they did not know Owen died until well after the accident happened. Eas for you to say that in hindsight and not in the heat of the moment when you aren't thinking straight.
They got word he passed about 20-30 mins before the show ended. I 100% agree with continuing the show.
I suspect paramedics knew he was dead on site. He fell from the godamn rafters. Ain’t a thing you just throw some dirt on. Anyways, if you think the show should go on when a guy falls ten thousand feet And you’re reasoning is “this is tha wrasslin business” you’re a piece of shit.
@@earlusmcdivett Val Venis said he knew Owen was dead when they wheeled him out backstage and he was by the curtain. Owen's eyes were open and nothing was there and he knew he was gone.
I get what you're saying. But wrestling is not a sport in which the outcome must be decided under fair circumstances, everything is predetermined. Ideally the show stopped and people got their money back, but obviously that didn't happen. Can't blame somebody for carrying on the show when I'm sure all of us in that situation wouldn't have the slightest of clue as how they should proceed.
Sting had two close calls with that exact situation bad rigging and his quick release latch. That's why they went to a secure caribeener and it took longer to open the nut that had tension on it.
Dean Malenko is one of the best to ever do it. The sad truth is that some characteristics that he had no control over, kept him from reaching that elite status. He definitely deserves a Hall of Fame nomination
Remember Buff Bagwell was injured very badly and they continued the show. Brian Pillman was found dead two hours before the show and same thing. The show would be immediately cancelled today but it was a different time. I remember thinking there is no way they would stop this show.
You think if they find a low-mid carder dead today right before a live show, they would cancel it? WWE finds Ricochet dead 2 hours before Money in the Bank, theyre subbing someone in.
@@robertfugate2232 well to be fair Bron breaker did just murder him on screen
McMahon put Pillman's widow on TV the following Monday night just for ratings.
What if it would have been Sting falling from the cable to his death should have been the question Conrad asked Eric . As that would hit home with Eric as Sting was a top dude there under the care of WCW and Eric .
What would canceling the show demonstrate?
Eric would ahve said the same thing. Using Sting like that is basically trying to prejudice Eric's answer.
@@chriskay1449 using someone he is closer with, works with, has history with, etc. isn't a matter of introducing prejudice to the thought process. It is more of being able to frame it in a way that would potentially better relate the circumstance. Now, not everyone necessarily needs such comparisons in order to connect or relate, but it can often help people better see themselves in those shoes.
They are all people. He would have done the same thing
Everyone would do the same. Eric is the only one honest about it apparently.
I'd say it was the right call to keep the show going & here's why... Think about it for a second... Had Vince stopped the show, the audience could have caused a major traffic jam, so by continuing the show, U keep the traffic inside allowing the medics to get Owen out & away from the venue as quickly as possible in a situation where Owen could have had even a 1% chance of survival, every second counts...
Bischoff raises an interesting take--and he did well in changing things up at the last second at 2011 Victory Road for Jeff Hardy's lack of professionalism in that match against Sting.
Malenko--PWI's #1 wrestler in the world in 1997. But he never made the PWI 500 top 10 before or sense. Strange.
There are protocols you follow. The reality is you wait for the doctors at the hospital to pronounce him dead. No one is going to do that ahead of time. Because of a thing called hope. While on everyone's mind. Once in the ambulance, within 5 minutes, he is out of sight. The show goes on. On the other hand, if something stupid happens, like the stands collapse, then you have to shut everything down and inspect the whole building.
Yeah that's a matter of safety to everyone in the building.
Yeah, let's have the show go on and contaminate the scene. Your reasons are asinine.
@@notthischannel LOL they did stop that Bills - Bengals game when that player had a heart attack.. Good argument to do that. If they can stop a critical NFL game with playoff implications. Then why not Entertainment Wrestling
Let's call it what it is wrestler's are dumb, carnie folk, stink of cabbage! Owen semi parlized stone cold, stold cold carrys on. pulls off a terrible school boy pin to end it hurting himself even more dumbass dosnt even change the finish when hurt knowing his going to be out of action.
They stopped the Bills/Bengals game when Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and they sent everyone home. I don't understand how they can't do the same thing here. The show should have been stopped and everyone should have been sent home with refunds. And people aren't mentioning that the cops should have been there inspecting the area to see if a potential crime took place. The show should have never went on after the accident.
It's easy to stand on a soapbox and preach to the choir of those that hate Vince McMahon anyway about how it was the wrong decision to go on with the show because it is low-hanging fruit.
The thing about it is that there is no right or wrong answer to this. Both decisions make sense from different perspectives and no matter what decision you make, people on the other side are going to hate you for it. It's a lot like the sham of our political-process, but let's not get into that.
I really like how Eric articulated it at the end. As a _talent_ himself, he would feel that it would be the ultimate gesture of respect to continue on with the show. I didn't know Owen. I never met him. My loss. However, from what I know OF him from others, and from what I have seen from him as far as his dedication to this industry on screen and off screen, if he had a choice to say whether or not the show should go on, it is difficult for me to envision him saying....
"No, it should not."
I'm *NOT* saying that he "would" have said that, nor am I saying it would be the right decision or the wrong decision. I'm just saying it's hard for me to envision _him_ saying that.
My take on the whole deal has ALWAYS been not whether the show should have been stopped or allowed to continue, but, Owen Hart should never have been up there in the first place......
El Perro Aguayo Jr died in the ring and they didn't even stop the match. I'm not sure canceling the event would have changed anything.
I went to the circus last week in Salt Lake City. I couldn’t imagine the show continuing if one of the performers fell to the ground paralyzing themselves or dieing right before our eyes.
It may not be cut and dry, but i would have ended the show at least after JR and Jerry announced that Owen passed. The man fell and died in that ring, and you're gonna ask other wrestlers to go out there and wrestle right where he died??? With bits of him still in the canvas?! (Even if it wasn't visible, unless they replaced the entire canvas and that turnbuckle, you still have Owen's DNA there)
There's never been a question about this my entire life. You end the show. This could happen with something you've seen a thousand times like a moonsault-- it's always a risk in show business and live stunt performances. You don't pretend a man didn't just die in front of the audience. You refund the tickets and go to commercial. The network should always have a backup show in case the live feed is cut or something tragic happens.
How would Eric would've handled wcw during a pandemic
One Of The Reasons The Pandemic Is Here Is Because Of Vince McMahon Buying WCW & Sabotaging It To Fail & Dirty Things Done To Their Wrestlers. Financially Some Karma. If WCW Was Still Around, No COVID. Plus Vince McMahon Challenged God & Mock. Him. Coronavirus Karma For Bad/Evil/Crook/Dirty Politicking/Evil
Awsome podcast 😁 legend Eric bishoff and conrad
Let's hope nobody ever has to make a decision like that ever again. Let's not have talent doing dumb crap anymore.
In WCW, the only person who had done this, I think was Sting, when he transformed from "Surfer" to the "Crow," all thanks to ideas from the late Scott Hall. Coming down from the rafters and either dropping: into the ring or being close to ringdside. I wonder if Sting was comfortable doing this stunt.
I would say it was NOT a difficult decision, everyone but Vince McMahon would have had the decency and common sense to stop the show when Owen died.
Yet Eric just said he wouldn't have stopped either.
I mean fans paid to see a show. At the end of the day you owe them. As cold as it sounds.
I agree, not only the money, fans took several hours out of their day, which was planned maybe weeks in advance, you don't waste thousands of people's time because of an accident.
He forgot to mention how it would have been having the Show go on in WCW as Bret being in WCW at the time.
I think bret rightfully so would have lost his shit and went ballistic
@@WingsofHistoryYou’re a mook😒
What do you mean if McMahon knew he died, they literally announced on the show that he had passed away. Vince McMahon knew full well he died
Classy question from a classy guy
The thing is people say Vince should have done this or that but over the years I’ve read and heard a lot about that night including interviews from the roster that was there. According to many of them they weren’t instructed to continue the show. They were giving a choice and collectively chose to continue the show. Which is exactly what Eric just said he would do if he were in that position. So I wasn’t there but that’s a very interesting. If it’s true then it completely makes any internet debate about this irrelevant.
Fr
@@tallaladil8206 Nope.
Honestly I think Vince McMahon did exactly what he thought was right. I think he did exactly what he would do. You can’t blame a tree for being a tree. So you can’t blame Vince for being Vince. I personally would have ended the show and just done an extended raw the following night where everyone could have the matches they missed or come back Thursday and done the show again but for free for the people who were there. But I neither condemn or condone it. It wasn’t me and I wasn’t there.
And Stu Hart backed his call
@@chriswarden420exactly and Bret opposed it. I just don’t feel there’s a right or wrong call.
Yes the family iwas really divided at the time
If Shane had fallen they’d stop the show
You can't say that for sure though. It's just moving the goalposts.
Funny you say that because according to Bruce Prichard Vince was freaked out about Kurt vs. Shane at KOR 2001 and almost stopped the match
If one is your worker and tge other is your son then yeah you would do the same
@@dgenerate707 to be fair, stopping a show & stopping a match are two different things. I immediately thought the same thing about what Bruce said. But thinking about it more they are two different ball games.
@@potato-ld1uj true, I just always found that funny that Vince damnear stopped that match with because of the glass cutting Shane but otherwise the show must go on
Wasn't just wrestling. The girls on Motley Crue's Girls, Girls, Girls Tour were rigged to a similar contraption.
When Eddie G suffered a medical emergency in the ring, remember Bradshaw and the other guys in the match didn’t know what was happening. Bradshaw got the quick pin to end the match. I believe that they should have stopped the event where Owen died.
You stop the show. You reschedule the event. That’s what bands do if something bad happens, for example Metallica in Montreal when James Hetfield had a tower of flame blow up from under him and damn near burned him to death. Fans who had their ticket stubs could use that as admission for the rescheduled date. Those who threw their ticket stubs away, make a note of what section, row, and seat they’re in and have them either call and or mail in their name, phone number, and the section, row, and seat they were in.
I'm a little surprised that there wasn't a firm protocol in place for a fatality in the ring on live tv . Well , maybe there was . I'm not sure if I've ever heard it said.
Why would there be one when it never had happened before? Nobody would think of making one when the midnset is "that will never happen".
Maybe they could of come up with one when owen nearly put stone cold out for good like 2 year before
@@L1am21 Why? Austin never lost consciousness and his vital signs where stable the entire time. That wasn't anything they hadn't went through before. See Marty Janetty's "Rocker Dropper" that paralyzed a joober.
I don’t get the question of “Did Vince know Owen had passed away?” They literally had JR announce Owen’s passing to the PPV audience. You cancel the rest of the show at that point, do RAW is OWEN the next night, and the do the major angle PPV matches on the following RAW.
They were referring to at the time of the incident. Owen wasn't known to be dead until much later and almost at the conclusion of the show. Unless you were there in the heat of the moment, you cannot possibly say "you should absolutely stop the show". Also what happens if you stop the show and drunken fans act belligerent to the point of more injuries or even another death over that decision? You never considered that did you?
People love sitting on their high horses acting like they have the definitive answer when there isn't one.
The biggest crime from that situation was that the fans at the arena who saw the fall live weren't told and only found out from rumors and hearing it after the show.
What good is there to announce to everyone there live crowd before the main event that Owen has died? Are you stupid? And that was way before all the internet social media
Could you imagine telling, I don't know, at least 10,000~ people that somebody they're a fan of has died? Would be chaotic, who knows how people would've reacted.
It would no doubt be a difficult decision to make on the spot given the magnitude of the people it affects, and also worth considering is the masses of young people in the audience that are also impacted.
Here’s a better thought: Don’t have Owen Hart do the stunt unless it was his idea. Then they could continue to show but if he dies they can announce it to the audience in attendance too but most of the money can go to the Hart Family.
Would he have stopped the show if it was Garret ??
It's really easy for people who aren't in the wrestling business to sit here and say they would've stopped the show. But you just don't know in the heat of the moment, there was probably so much chaos going on that you can't really think straight... people can hate on Vince for a lot of things, but you can't 100% say carrying on that show was the wrong move. It was the worst situation imaginable, it's pretty much impossible to put yourself in those shoes and make a decision.
Once you find out Owen is dead. SHOW OVER. Plain and simple
You stop everything & investigate the death
@@Daiyve Vince is not the law or a doctor
@@DaiyveYour take is bad and you should feel bad.
@@Daiyve Wrong. he is not a murder. Owen's death was ruled byt he coroner to be an accident. The police concluded it was an accident after watching the video footage suppplied by WWF. Apparently you never looked into the facts of it either.
The hook wasn't safe they changed it. They shouldn't of been allowed to change it.
@@L1am21 Easy for you to say after the fact. WWe was told the hook was safe before the match.
The show must go on
Imagine how much better this video would be if the person running this pave knew how to set audio levels
Imagine how much better this podcast would be if conrad had nothing to do with it
It’s a damned if you damned if you don’t.
If he would’ve canceled it, there would be people angry he didn’t take the time to honor and respect the situation, instead chose to “shut it all down” and not use the remaining for something to the effect.
doesnt matter if their angry, someone died, and its a crime scene. Show over, refund everyone. Period.
Such a loaded question
Stu Hart said he would have continued the show if a wrestler died accidentally during a big show.
Wow, Dean Malenko ranked #1 in PWI and they didn’t do shit with him. I see why the company folded.
This seems like one of those topics where people who were not alive in 1999 or who were just children have a much stronger opinion than those who actually watched the show live. The reaction as a viewer was shock and numbness. At the very least, watching the rest of the show offered a degree of comfort (for lack of a better word). I can't imagine how I would have felt if it was announced "Owen Hart has passed. So long everybody." then the screen just went dark.
And unless you were in attendance, you didn't actually see the accident, just the acknowledgment of it afterwards. With that in mind, it makes it easier to continue the show.
NOBODY in the Crowd was told that Owen had died. That's what you Fail to understand.
People have sometimes normalcy reactions to traumatic situations where when something is happening that is an emergency or a very traumatic even people sometimes freeze and try to act like everything is normal. It is possible Vince or another promoter would just have that response to carry on instead of shutting down the show.
But from what I have heard about Vince I think it was not a shock response but a business consideration to not want to offer refunds on the PPV.
I think in a sound of mind response you stop the show and don’t put your talent through that
There was a football came here in the UK a few months back now where a fan had a heart attack in the crowd (he sadly later passed away) and they stopped the game because of that. I know some people have the mentality of the show must go on but I do think it just shows common respect to the person to halt the show. Because the Owen situation you could see guys coming to ring and you could tell by there face they were genuinely disturbed by just what happened. The undertaker for example just looked so upset before his match when he was in the ring looking over to where owen had fell.
Different sport
Thats because they were following the protocol that was put in place 4-5 years ago, before that the game would carry on making it even more difficult for paramedics, drs,volunteer ambulance crews etc to actually work on a patient with the crowds jumping up and down, the risk of getting hit by wayward balls flying into the stands and things of that nature, now they stop the game and the crowd is made aware so they can calm down, make space and give the patuent the best chance
Yes, the game would've been paused, but the game wouldn't have been cancelled. The game wasn't cancelled when Christian Eriksen went into cardiac arrest. The players needed some time of course, but they did resume the game.
@@jamesmaskell3743 Thank you. I love when people remember Christian Eriksen
Why does Eric Bischoff look like Thomas Hayden Church now?
When Owen fell, it wasn’t immediately evident that he had died. Furthermore, by the time that Owen’s death was _confirmed_ the Over The Edge ‘99 event was 80% completed. Do you stop the show for the house audience and the PPV audience under these circumstances? Maybe not.
It's not a question anyone else has the right to answer because only one person was in possession of all the facts and managing the situation in the moment and that person was Vince McMahon. Cancelling an event in that time and manner has wide ranging effects beyond the promotion. There are hundreds of ancillary businesses, contracts and obligations that need to be considered and given such a tragic event the only thing you can trust to make a decision in the moment is your gut and I'm sure that's what McMahon did. Would he make the same call given more information and time to weigh the consequences? Who knows?
Was nobody's call but law enforcement. It was a crime scene that should not have been touched.
It was not a crime scene. This was negligence and not homicide. Nobody was ever held criminally liable for what happened.
@@mat2375Correct, at worst it could have been an involuntary manslaughter conviction on the person who was responsible for setting up the stunt
It was and would be the wrong decision to continue the show. The arena became a potential crime scene once he died.
I was watching the ppv when Owen died. They should have shut it down
Did they show it or was it edited out?
@@demonofelru3214 No it didn’t happen on camera, thank god. They were doing pre match videos about The Blazer. When they cut to live again it was just J.R. and The King; and Ross said something to the effect of “Folks, there’s been a terrible accident”
@@TherealHazlett Oh wow!
You let the show keep going, and you let anyone go home that wants to go home, then fill in the holes.
In a situation like this you still have people who need to get paid, you have people who will NEED work to get through what happened, you have fans who can either go home with Owen's death being the last thing they see or can go home having still experienced a full show. Most wrestlers that were there agree that Owen would have wanted the show to continue, I think that is all that matters.
It never should have been there call the second that happen the police should have been called and made the choice for them.
But why would the police have been called? It was an accident, we don’t know exactly when he died, and they rushed him away with emergency personnel to try to save him I’m sure. It’s not like Vince had him lying there dead next to him while he was at gorilla position in the back for the rest of the event. The humane thing to do would have been to cancel it, but the police would have had nothing to do with it. They investigated it later I’m sure, but at the moment it was just an accident.
@@georgen5882 what? That’s not how real life works. First, you have to determine that he wasn’t shoved off, so you saying police would have nothing to do with it, is simply wrong
@@bryanmack4054they have video footage they know he want pushed Mr. Investigator
@@bms2010 from the rafters as soon as it happened?…provide a source , lazy person. I’ll be waiting
It was an accident. No reason for police to be called in at that point.
you can't make that decision now. not knowing everything you know about what happened before, during and after. any choice now would be a fully informed decision. versus back them when everything was "fluid".
In hindsight, absolutely would've stopped the show. However in the moment, I honestly don't know how I would've responded.
It was a workplace accident/death. The event should have been shut down. The arena could have been considered a crime scene until the police deemed it otherwise. Security and arriving police would be in charge of moving patrons from the building.
If it's a potential crime scene YOU NEED to stop the show.
Not saying Eric is right or wrong on that decision, but one thing he said during this podcast was that he didn't know or does he know that anyone else know that Vince was aware that Owen had died during the show. Well that's actually incorrect. You can go watch the replay on Peacock and Jim Ross literally announces during the show that Owen had died. So yes. Vince knew. It's documented on video.
Gonna just gonna say, Kidman had ZERO business being in the ring with Hogan. Let alone a competitive match.
Here’s the true answer: The show should’ve been cancelled as soon as word came back to the people in the arena that Owen died. The ring became a literal crime scene (this was said on DSOTR). The police were the only ones with business being in there from that point forward. Drunk and belligerent fans acting rowdy and people’s plans revolving around coming to the show do not matter at that point. They could get refunds or use those ticket stubs for a future show.
Wasn't a hard decision. Someone dies you end the show
Sry disagree, ppl who think show should be cancelled,
Don't live in reality, in the perfect world, yes stop the show,
But we Dnt live in that fantasy, reality is, cancel the show,
U get cancelled down the line cos Ur unreliable,
Continue the show n some fans get a bad taste,
Wwe is in the business world,
Which means they put a performance out 2 generate revenue,
U clearly live in a bubble,
Best prep urself, cos a bubble pops 1 of 2 ways
Easy for you to say sitting on your coach and not in the heat of the moment. You are clueless.
You can’t stop the world when someone dies, so why stop a show
@@wullietheconqueror4762more about the workers than the fans. Owen had close friends in the locker room
Vince did what he thought was right at the moment whether you liked it or not, he thought the show must go on and it did...GET OVER IT
Anyone who says they'd have done this or that is an arrogant douche. It was an unprecedented situation. The show was in progress. Paying customers were in the building. You don't know how they're going to react either way. You don't even know how your brain will function. Sitting comfortably in your home proclaiming "well personally, in my considered opinion, I'd have done it like this" is complete a-hole talk. Less so from Bischoff since he's run shows, but he never faced that situation. Anyone who makes a judgment call on a situation like this that hadn't faced it needs to stfu.
I'm not arrogant, I just know the difference between right and wrong. It was wrong, and it was easily identifiable as wrong.
@@Tootbook Oh yes. You are not arrogant it is just that YOU know the difference between right & wrong unlike most the people...
so your gimmick you created (meaning McMahon created) kills someone in public and you just in poor morality keep the show going anyhow? 🤔. The ONLY reason Vince McMahon kept the show going was for money and greed and nothing more than that! That’s the bottom line
The fact that Bischoff still can't figure out in 2024 the show had to be stopped confirms the belief I've always had that he had no idea how to run a business. McMahon is just a piece of human crap; that's why he didn't stop the show. Sensible people know that long before 1999 workplace law dictated everything needed to shut down pending investigation.
I would've spoke with the talent, and if the talent thought the show should not go on, I wouldn't of carried on with the show. out of respect for I think Vince should definitely not have went forward with the show.
Thats wild tho . Dude dies on live tv they cut to commercials and when they return the show continues smh 😂
Bishoff was Better than McMahon in my opinion. Wrestlers took advantage of Bishoff.
Heck yes the show should've been stopped
I stopped watching when it occurred.
I made that decision for myself.
Fans can't complain if they kept watching.
The real topic is discussed on 8:00
Decision right or wrong it wasn't fair on the wrestlers that night
I HATED the old talent vs young talent russo did in wcw .. because Russo just told the audience hey our rosters full of outdated old wrestlers and the young talent alot of them just didnt have IT! meanwhile wwe made their talent look fresh and hip and they had some older wrestlers but didnt make them seem like an old horse that needed to be out out to pasture
I agree with continue the show because you have some fans drinking alcohol and all it would take one person to start something and you have a riot or someone throwing items and killing someone else and Vince would have gotten heat no matter what he did look at how many shows that got cancelled during it and people fought each other
The Best thing I can compare it to is Hank Gathers collapsing on the court, the game was immediately called off.. Vince should've stopped the show
In reality, the Kansas City police department should have stopped the show themselves. That ring and the rafters that Hart was hooked on was an active crime scene after Hart was fell and was critically injured.
Crime scene?
No it wasn't. Owen had not been pronounced dead so it ain't a crime scene. It was an accident thus nothing to investigate. People show their ignorance calling that a crime scene.
When anyone dies in a manner that is not considered "natural," the authorities do have to investigate the place of death to determine cause.
@@chriskay1449 You're showing YOUR ignorance on the subject. The term "crime scene" doesn't refer to someone dying. It doesn't refer to a place a crime has been committed. It refers to a location that may or may not have had a crime occur, and thus needs to be preserved so that all evidence, or lack of evidence can and will be preserved as close to it was when a situation took place.
There can be a man, laying face down in the grass at a park. If someone reports it, it's a crime scene. The guy may stand up, and he was just passed out. No crime took place, but the scene is preserved in case there had been.
THAT'S a crime scene.
And yes, when a man falls something like 70 feet against his will, if it's an accident, if it's on purpose, doesn't matter. That's a crime scene that needs to be preserved and documented so that investigators can determine independently what happened and when.
Ultimately, knowing what we know now, they could have (and should have) at the very least charged WWE with negligence, . and based on definition, could have (and in my opinion should have) charged him with involuntary manslaughter.
@@Lostmymind1 It's amazing at how confident people are when they are absolutely wrong on something. You are 100% correct.
It's not remarkable that he would have stopped it. There's few people on this planet who would have sent another match out there other than Vincent K McMahon.
I’m here to remind everyone that Brother Bruti was in the main event of Starrcade…😑
Dude I don’t give a F….what the circumstances or the business side etc…You have to stop the show at that point. And figure out a way to make it right for the fans in attendance. Not sure how that would even be possible, but who wants to continue the show as a talent under those circumstances?
Almost the entire locker room wanted to because that is their mentality. It is easy for you to sit on yoru high horse and say you stop the show. You weren't there in the heat of the moment not being able to think clearly. I guarantee it would not have ban as easy as you make it sound her if you were in the heat of the moment in shock. Get off the high horse.
@@chriskay1449 I think that almost the entire locker room was wrong!! I think that’s very disrespectful to the Hart family & I think his wife has expressed her disdain for WWE/WWF at the time. Regardless of the talent feelings, they should have stopped the show out of respect for that family until they knew what had just happened…..And Owen’s wife has had nothing for Brett over the yrs because of his love for the business & encouraging Owen to continue to wrestle despite him wanting to move on because of WWE not really using him. I side with Owen’s wife on all of her feelings.
@@shilledoutbyfers2445 And who the hell are you to dictate right or wrong on how they feel. You only dictate your own feelings, not the rest of the locker room.
Val venis didnt want to carry on so your wrong!
@@L1am21 Val Venis is one guy. The rest of the roster wanted to continue. Val had a match with Nicole Bass which was a nothing match. The main event talents wanted to continue, so I am not wrong.
Eric no sir, the spot where he landed literally broke the boards. Stop the damn show everyone in the arena watched Owen die in the ring. The show is over
He didn't die in the ring.
@@MotherHen2012 Let not do that.. Owen was gone in the ring, regardless if his heart wasn't was beating or not. owen was gone.. he wasn't Going to recover
I would have stop the show
Vince the prick didnt even leave with owen that night infact he still performed on the show.
I would have let the show go on.
Why does Conrad rock back and forth like a rocking horse ffs?
He's got the vibrator underneath
I would have ended the show right then and there. No, the show must not always go on. A person died. That means something. As a fan, if I were in attendance, I would have left. I wouldn't have felt right brushing the death aside to keep watching.
Fans in attendance have been quoted on saying they thought it was part of the show and it was a dummy that fell from the ceiling. The audience did not know it was a real person.
Owen also did not die as soon as the fall occurred. He was not pronounced dead until over 45 minutes later, and when the WWF was informed, it was literally about to be the main event. You cut off the show at the main event, you've got a drunk angry audience who aren't aware what actually happened and could potentially cause more violence.
@@LionHart630 No. People started leaving, heading out. Others at Kemper said "Everything turned Eerie and Lifeless after Owen fell".
@@Tornado1994 Sorry, this just isn't true. There's news videos and newspapers interviewing fans in attendance. People either thought it was part of the show or thought that he had survived until they got to their cars and turned on the radio. The only time anyone has ever claimed any fans left after the fall is one guy on Reddit in 19 years later claiming his dad made their family leave. Maybe it's true, maybe it's a lie for clout, but there's never been a report of multiple or mass fans leaving the show early in the 25 years since it occurred.
@@LionHart630 No. People Left. Many that did got word of Hart's unconfirmed passing from the Radio or from friends at Internet Cafes or Online at home. Literally that NIGHT, attendees were being interviewed by News being asked what they saw. Once they left Kemper Arena, News of Owen's death was being spread. Most in the Crowd after the Accident said the Atmosphere felt Eerie and Cold. I bet you assume that the Main Event was super exciting when you can literally see Undertaker CRYING with Swollen Eyes, and Austin looking Crestfallen, Shocked and completely dazed and puzzled. BOTH men slipped in and out of Kayfabe and worked the match completely Half Heartedly. Literally before the Rock and Triple H match is when Shane McMahon burst through the locker room exclaiming "Owen just fell from the Rafters, He's Dead".
"Everyone just looked at each other in silence. We were speechless until Sean "X-Pac" Morley shouted What The Hell just happen? Mick Foley tearfully explained what had happened. Mark and I were in complete and total shock. I don't even remember that match if not much of it at all but Vince gave the Order to continue with the Main Event with No Delays".~ Steve "Stone Cold" Williams 2018.
Just like benoit, malenko could have been champ. I wish he got the push
It’s funny bc Owen was important to me. Owen gave me a personal reference for wrestling school. But I always agreed with McMahon’s decision to go on. The show should always go on and I think it would be even worse to end it with what happened… do you want people to go home with that as the last thing? No right or wrong decision there really. It’s a just a lose-lose.
Ffs, of course any human would stop the show. Jerry Lawler told the watching audience ‘it doesn’t look good’ while Owen was in the ring. Vince knew Owen was dead, or more likely to die than survive (wasn’t he instantly dead anyway?). The audience would understand.
No. He died later on in the show near the end.
Conrad looks burned ,face is red as lobster
Eric saying all the right things but not a fan and I still wonder what he would have done.
If that happened to one of Vince's kids, would the show have continued?🤔