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Mick Foley and 8 Over-the-Hill Wrestlers Who Never Knew When to Quit

Posted: Jan 26th 2012 By: mikeiles

"Bang Bang!"

At one point, when Mick Foley bellowed out those words, they struck fear in the hearts of wrestlers and riled up the fans who knew something special was about to happen.

That was a decade ago.

Today, Mick Foley's hardened persona is softer than ever?and so are his pudgy features?as he waddles to and fro the ring.

This past Monday on Raw, Foley's quest to be an entrant in the 2012 Royal Rumble reeked of someone who just couldn't let go of the glory, adulation and roaring approval.

Storyline or not, Foley's tired excuse to have "one more match" is as insulting to one's intelligence as his "cheap pop" routine.

Perhaps Foley will have "another match" at WrestleMania 28, and will wow the Miami spectators, but the image will still be that of a man whose peak outlasted him and his welcome.

While Mick Foley stands out?having appeared on this past Raw?he isn't the only wrestler to keep pushing beyond his expiration date.

In TNA and the WWE, Foley is one of at least nine wrestlers who don't have the decency to retire and allow the up-and-coming talent to make a name for themselves.

Let's take a look at the other eight men.

1) Kevin Nash. This past fall, he and Triple H engaged in a drawn-out, nonsensical feud that started at SummerSlam 2011. Week after week, Nash would limp out, brandish his new hair dye and proceed to slur his words on the microphone.

Fans heard the same lines over and over again about Triple H failing him as a friend. Suddenly, it became clear he and "The Game" were going to have a match at either Survivor Series or TLC 2011.

Lo and behold, the bout was announced for TLC 2011?a ladder match with a sledgehammer hanging from the ceiling. This prompted fans across the globe to wonder aloud how Nash would finish the match without tearing one or both quadriceps.

The match somehow went on without any injuries sustained, but at the end of the day, Nash's spot should have been given to someone thirty years younger who could benefit by being in such a high-profile angle.

Unfortunately, the Nash express hasn't ended; in fact, it will be any day now that we'll see "Big Sexy" walk out to the NWO theme like it's 1998 again.

2) Scott Steiner. Once upon a time, Scott Steiner was a diamond in the rough as one-half of the Steiner Brothers and one of WCW's best wrestlers.

In the late 90s, he reinvented himself as "Big Poppa Pump" en route to becoming one of Ted Turner's biggest stars.

Yet, here he is in the year 2012, recycling the same "Poppa Pump" routine by flexing his arms, kissing his biceps and delivering undecipherable promos.

Besides giving the most unintelligible interviews in history, his matches have become a sad reminder of how agile, flexible and graceful he used to be in the ring.

Simply put, Steiner should've retired after being exposed at the 2003 Royal Rumble in a horrendous affair against Triple H. At this stage of his career, watching him is like staring in agony at a car pileup.

3) Ric Flair. Remember when "The Nature Boy" retired following his classic match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24?

Suffice to say, that night in Orlando and the following "goodbye" on Raw have been sullied by a man who just couldn't let go.

Flair has had arguably the greatest career in professional wrestling, but at nearly 63 years old, it's a tragedy to see him chop his way out of the hearts of fans.

The honorable "Slick Ric" has become an ignominious character who still bumps and blades in the ring for a TNA audience that is not only too limited in scope, but is desensitized to the sight of blood and gore.

In some ways, Flair has become the real-life embodiment of Mickey Rourke's Wrestler. The former 16-time world champion pushes himself past his physical limits to quench an addiction and compensate for ill-advised financial decisions.

It's become all too obvious at this point that Flair would rather die in the ring than retire for good.

4) Hulk Hogan. If Flair is the greatest wrestler ever, Hogan is the greatest entertainer inside the squared circle.

To this day, history has proven there is no man with better name recognition in he world of wrestling than "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan.

"The Hulkster" is the only man to revitalize wrestling not once, but twice?in the 1980's WWF and as "Hollywood" Hogan in WCW.

But, like his legendary counterparts, Hogan's life force is powered by wrestling; he lives for the rush to entertain and put smiles (or frowns) on the faces in the audience.

Despite the fact that he has had innumerable hip, back and knee operations?or is one bad bump away from risking paralysis?Hogan should take immediate action to retire if only to preserve his inimitable legacy. Otherwise, the wrestling icon will become the poster boy for tragedy.

Realistically, there is nothing he hasn't accomplished in his career, so for the sake of his health?and clearing up half of TNA Impact's airtime?Hogan should hang up the red and yellow.

5) Rob Van Dam. "Mr. Monday Night"?now Mr. TNA?is an example of one who has refused to adapt with the times (not including High Times).

Van Dam still wears the same tie-dye singlets from the time he debuted in ECW. Moreover, his hair is still tied into a ponytail and his matches are chock-full of spots any experienced fan can see a mile away.

More so than his stale look, though, the problem is that the 41-year-old Van Dam is no longer the lithe, athletic wrestler he used to be. As a result, even his staple moves now look off-kilter and unpleasing to the eye.

Because he no longer has the youth to maintain his trademark in-ring style, it behooves Van Dam to revamp himself lest he become a caricature of his former self.

6) The Undertaker. The WWE has done an admirable job publicizing the legacy of "The Dead Man" to the point where most condone the fact he isn't what he used to be.

His persona is so enigmatic, his entrance music is so chilling and his mere presence is so captivating that viewers forget the man wearing the black trench coat is now old and frail.

Nevertheless, it is tiresome and morally wrong that he "returns from the dead" every year in time for WrestleMania, taking away a main event spot from someone who is more deserving.

Why is it that Undertaker gets to rest at home for nine months out of the year and prepare himself for literally one match in March/April?

Is that fair to someone who traveled, worked every house show and made countless appearances while Undertaker was lounging at home?

The good news is that "The Phenom" will likely retire, undefeated streak in tow, sooner rather than later.

As memorable as The Undertaker has been, the character?and the man playing him?has run its course.

7) Sting. The man called Sting, like Scott Steiner and Ric Flair, is another WCW relic who needs to walk away from the business that made him a legend.

The 52-year-old, like Undertaker, is one who fans have naturally gravitated towards. His "Crow" character?which has evolved to become an homage to Heath Ledger's "Joker"?still excites fans to this day.

In the last few years, however, Sting has won the TNA world title on multiple occasions to the exclusion of other homegrown TNA wrestlers who should be highlighted instead.

All the more head-scratching is that Sting, even as world champion, had to often wear a shirt to conceal a sagging physique. When your world title holder is too old or out of shape to bare his chest, there is a major issue at hand.

The only excuse for staying active as a wrestler would be if Steve Borden signed a one-year contract with the WWE, giving fans the opportunity to witness what they've always wanted to.

8) Triple H. While "The Game" has considerably slowed down as a wrestler, there is another, more compelling reason why he should permanently retire.

Currently, Triple H is, for all intents and purposes, second to Vince McMahon in the WWE's day to day operations. Quite frankly, it is a conflict of interest for him to be acting in a high-ranked backstage capacity and continue wrestling even if it's only on a part-time basis.

Furthermore, "The Cerebral Assassin" has had his day in the sun, and for the better part of the last decade, he's dominated WWE programming.

There is no argument to be made in favor of him being underscored as a top talent on television, which has had the effect of undermining the full-timers.

For instance, upon returning last summer as the COO, Triple H managed to steal a lot of the momentum CM Punk had been building since Money in the Bank 2011. For all we know, Punk could be an even more viable commodity if Triple H never showed up.

To conclude, it's time for the young, promising talent to shine in both the WWE and TNA. The crop of today's wrestlers deserve their shot at stardom, but for that to happen, the stars of yesteryear need to step aside.

Follow me on Twitter @ImaanJK