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Joe Babinsack Looks At The Legacy Of Ric Flair

Posted: Feb 2nd 2008 By: CMBurnham

With Ric Flair's role as an "active" wrestler seemingly reaching a point of real retirement -- although with Flair, such talk had plagued his career for much of the past two decades -- it seems the time to start talking legacy, and reflecting upon his impact, not just lauding him for his longevity, and watching the torch pass to HHH.

There is little question that Ric Flair has achieved much, has been at the top of the popularity charts and has been acclaimed one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time. I don't wish to diminish any of Mr. Flair's professional accolades, but I do want to point out some peculiarities and some real analysis of his legacy.

The 1980's were less than arguably Ric Flair's decade.

According to Wrestling Observer awards, and notably the "Wrestler of the Year" awards, Ric Flair dominated the industry, winning from 1982 until 1992. His style, technical excellence and placement as NWA Heavyweight Champion of the world all contributed to his well-deserved placement.

In that decade, Flair bested many of the greats of the sport, from Harley Race to Dusty Rhodes, from Ricky Steamboat to Sting, as well as Ronnie Garvin and the tragic figure of Kerry Von Erich, just to achieve that standing as the champion of the (then) largest, and still arguably most prestigious promotion in the history of professional wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance.

Along the way, Flair beat the -- not just "a" -- Who's Who of challengers. Far too many to list, but in being the king of the NWA, even in its fading glory, Flair did travel the circuits and the regions. Just like the Funks, Brisco and Race, like Kiniski and Thesz and the title holders going back to the golden age of the sport, Flair headline against the best and the brightest, often on their home court, and even traveled the world to establish the dominance of the NWA, and of course his own talent and reputation.

Yet, there remain some points of contention.

For one, the demise of the NWA came, among other situations, business dealings and economic realities, by the acquisition of James Crockett Promotions of the title, and by having Flair under contract, it gained an otherwise undo control of the legacy of the NWA.

Flair was, undeniably in the early 1980's, "THE MAN."

But come the mid 1980's, was he truly still the single greatest wrestler known to modern man, or was he the recipient of a lot of merited but growingly expected accolades, the bolstering of the magazine trade, and, in many ways, the epitome and counterweight to the growing popularity of Hulk Hogan?

Did the hardcores and passionate fan base of professional wrestling cling to Flair as the savior of the industry, against the new found and often disdained influence of the sleek packaging, "prayers and vitamins" and mainstream acceptance of Hogan?

As well, Flair became the rallying point of not only old school sentiments, but also of the intelligentsia of fans who simply resented the WWF, Vince McMahon, MTV and a cartoonish version of a beloved and established American cultural apparatus.

Flair became the steadfast champion against the encroachment of McMahon's empire, an empire that swallowed up Race and Rhodes , Kerry Von Erich and Ronnie Garvin, the Funks and the other Brisco, and virtually every name player the NWA, aside from Thesz and Sting, and through that domination, and ill conceived opposition strategies, the WWF became the industry.

All that despite the talents, popularity and reputation of Ric Flair.

Am I calling Flair a loser? Hardly. It wasn't Flair that overspent or overbooked or underplanned the ascension of WCW and JCP's acquisitions.

It also wasn't Flair that tarnished his own reputation, putting over Garvin, getting sidetracked into various feuds, and finding himself, as the 1980's wore on, as a champion with a belt and a reputation and a legacy, but too few deserving or pushed contenders.

Don't start with me about Steamboat and Funk. I'm talking about the period of 1986 until those great matchups with Steamboat and Funk. I can get sidetracked into explaining the history, and again, Flair was more the victim of Crockett's inability to plan and completely hideous buyout and dismantling of the UWF, as well as the booking of Dusty Rhodes.

But still, it wasn't the lack of a title match between Flair and Steve Williams that doomed WCW to also-ran status.

WCW/NWA still touted Ric Flair as the perennial champion, and still built a lot of popularity around the Four Horsemen. The legacy of Flair from that era, as well as the domination of the Horsemen, pervaded the 1990's until fans turned to "ECW" as the new alternative.

Which leads me to some underlying points.

Flair's reign as "Wrestler of the Year" lasted from the early 1980's, to the early 1990's.

1992, to be exact.

Is it ironic, or moreso, that Hulk Hogan's departure from the WWE was in 1992, and that Ric Flair's WWE reigns were in 1992?

1992 was the year that Ric Flair finally dethroned Hogan, in the "reality" of the WWE, the dominant promotion of the time, and was rewarded with his last "Wrestler of the Year" accolade.

Furthermore, who dethroned Flair? Who dominated the 1990's? Vader, Sabu, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, or Steve Austin?

Vader held the promise of a huge guy who could go, and who could himself challenge Hulk Hogan in terms of power, visually and with expectations of much greater things. But Vader's domination of the US scene was far more fleeting than could have been expected.

Sabu? I loved Sabu, and apparently so did much of the insider community, but his daredevil brand of wrestling and unique approach lasted only about a year before he was no longer all that unique. Also, his own style of being a daredevil was one that he perfected, but far too many have copied to their own self-destruction.

Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and Steve Austin all have claims to greatness.

Michaels was, in the mid-1990's, the heir apparent. He had a look, the skill, the showmanship and the expectations to be one of the very best. But Shawn had some unfortunate injuries, and more so, an unfortunate attitude at the prime of his career. Unlike Flair, who would put over anyone that the company asked of him, The Heartbreak Kid played politics, pouted and claimed far too many a coincidental injury to be allowed to rise the level of Flair's greatness.

Even as Michaels establishes his legacy and longevity, he will always have the asterisk, or a frowny face beside his name, a symbol of the smile he lost when he was asked to do a job he just didn't want to do.

Bret Hart, in terms of being a pure wrestler, surpassed Mr. Flair in greatness. But the Hitman gimmicked and the personality quite frankly paled to the Nature Boy. Wrestling is an artform, but it also is a popularity contest. Tragedies aside, Hart could outwrestle, but never could outshine Ric Flair in terms of all-around greatness.

Stone Cold rose to a pinnacle of mainstream viability that Flair never achieved, and took the industry to heights of profitability that may never be seen again. In terms of toughness, in terms of connecting with more of the fan base, and in terms of taking pro wrestling to a higher plane of popularity, Stone Cold surpassed Ric Flair mightily.

But, in terms of domination of reigns or years, and simply in terms of being the epitome of a champion, even Steve Austin fell short of Ric Flair's grandeur.

We can re-argue that debate of whether the 1990s, or a decade, century or millennium ends at 9, or at the 0, but I'll say the decade ends at 1999, and deftly avoid commentary on HHH. I mean, if HHH is chasing Flair's greatness, in terms of a mythical number of World Championships, then HHH must think the world of THE MAN.

But, back to Ric Flair's greatness.

On promos, he was the king. Full of passion, enough comedy to be interesting, enough yelling, screaming and catch-phrases to be the fore-runner of the Rock's success, and Flair could put people in the seats, sell a great feud and put over an opponent in the right way. Of course, come the end of the 1990's, some of it became pass?.

The heart attack angles were more an extension of his on-air personality and momentum of his expected promo level than an unfair imposition. Being over-the-top became commonplace for Flair. But still, it is hard to argue against him having been, and continuing to be, one of the greats on the microphone.

As a wrestler, it has been said that Flair could put a broom over. Of course, there would be the Flair Flop, the Flair Flip and the slam off the top rope, a lot of begging off, and an eventual Figure Four and reversal spot. I'm less concerned about Flair figuring out how to put the Figure Four on a broom's handle, and more so about how the broom will throw him off the top rope when he lingers too long, but still, he can pull off such a match, even at his present age.

Once again, Ric Flair is great. His legacy will always be of one of the great champions, and one of the sport's biggest icons. So, if you want to argue with me about my take on his legacy, go right ahead.

I'm still a Bruno Sammartino guy -- Bruno's impact on attendance, his ability to change up his style, and the still glowing passion he instills in his fans cannot be disputed. I still think Lou Thesz was unquestionably great. I still argue that the Funks surpassed Flair in pure wrestling talent and professionalism and longevity. Misawa and Kobashi and other Japanese stars were certainly equal to the task of comparisons on most levels.

Once again, for most of the past two decades, discounting of course those great years and feuds with Steamboat and Funk, and with Savage, and arguably some of the historic battles with Hogan, most promotions were looking to put Mr. Flair out to pasture.

He was readily let go to change from WCW to WWF and back again, with little effort (aside from that big gold belt) to keep him from moving. WCW in the ascension of its fortunes, and throughout most of its fall, constantly buried him. At a time when his leadership and presence, let alone wrestling talent, could have been used by the WWE in the post WCW takeover era, he was once again mishandled and strangely positioned.

And now, in the true twilight of his career, even with the eternal arguments about his superiority by wrestling intelligentsia, the adoration of one of his peers and strongest political animals in the business, and the ongoing support and appreciation from a majority of the fans, Ric Flair still cannot get a spotlight on his talents.

That "last hurrah" storyline, one that apparently Stone Cold pitched and sometimes seemingly approved and greenlighted, is a no-brainer, and one that would undoubtedly connect with the larger portion of the fans. It would be set up by expectations of Flair talking and wrestling, based on his otherwise undeniably great legacy and the support of some of his biggest fans on the WWE's creative and support payrolls.

Even being in the ring with this great talent, whether it be Kennedy or MVP, or a host of others, could and should elevate their status by the rub.

But all is amiss.

To me, Ric Flair was great, and Ric Flair has a true legacy on the industry.

Forgive me if I refuse to call him the greatest.

And if you think I slight him, then what do you truly feel about those who are doing more to harm his legacy, and denying him a possible crowning moment of his career?

Tags: Ric Flair, NWA, Dusty Rhodes, Sting, Kerry Von Erich, WWF, WCW, UWF, Steve Williams, ECW, Vader, WWE