Something Special


May 21,2003
I was a part of something very special this week. No I'm not talking
about my, 1:08 breaking, Battle Royal appearance, or for that matter
my 1:08 shattering match with Bill Goldberg, Monday night. I'm
talking about something that had very little to do with me. Monday
night at RAW, after the cameras went off, the locker room cleared
and hit the ring. This was not part of some post match run-in, this
was as a sign of respect and appreciation for one of, if the not,
the greatest performers in our industry. We hit the ring to give Ric
Flair a standing ovation.

I've talked about how much of a mark I am for Ric Flair, both as a
worker and a person. Well I am not alone when it comes to being a
big fan of "The Nature Boy". The crowd needed little encouragement
so as the ring filled up with his peers, the entire arena in
Greenville, SC was on thier feet in a sign of respect for the man
who has, "bled, sweat, and paid the price" more times than any of us
can remember. He's given us countless mat classics, some of the
greatest matches in wrestling history. If you've ever had the good
fortune of buying a ticket to see Ric Flair, "walk that isle" you
know what I'm talking about. For over 20 years he's been
a "limousine riding, jet flying, wheeling-dealing, kiss steeling,
son of a gun" whose always delivered. Monday night on RAW was no
exception.

Ric gave an emotional promo that gave me goose bumps. When Ric told
Hunter that he'd been in a 1000 matches like that, and never once
said he couldn't wrestle; Ric Flair owned that arena. Ric bumped and
chopped his way into all of our hearts one more time. Giving him a
standing ovation and the respect he deserves just seemed right.
There were no more heels or baby faces, there was just an arena full
of people who love Ric Flair and what he means to this industry.
Everyone from Vince McMahon all the way down to the guys who
wrestled the dark matches that night, stood in the ring and toasted
the Nature Boy. It was one of those emotional moments that you never
know when, or if, they will happen again.

Ric stood in the ring with tears in his eyes as the arena chanted
for a speech. The ring cleared giving Ric center stage, and in true
Ric Flair fashion he went on to put over everyone in the building
but himself. He thanked the office for the opportunity, the boys for
their respect, and every fan for being apart of his life for the
past 20-some years. This is what being a wrestling fan is all about.
It's about buying a ticket to see the matches, and ending up being a
part of history. It was moments like this and people like Ric Flair
that make me glad I became a wrestler.

Thanks you Ric, for everything you've meant to this business, and
for renewing my love for wrestling.

Till next week,
Lance