Why I Think Hulkamania Should Live Once Again

I was sitting here today after reading fellow columnist Jamie Kennedy's latest column regarding how we will miss Shawn Michaels when he finally retires and it got me thinking...

Am I the only one that misses Hulk Hogan right now?

I haven't done one of these in a while because there is nothing on the current WWE product worth talking about, nor am I happy with what I am watching these days. I am not burnt out but rather waiting for something great to happen again that makes me care and I think that I finally thought of something that would turn many wrestling fans heads and make me want to watch RAW again with eager anticipation... What could I be talking about? The return of one and only Hulkster!

Now I know that many of you out there claim that you "hate" Hogan and if he walked into your place of work you would ignore him, but I refuse to kid myself when I say simply that the WWE and all it's fans need Hulk Hogan more today, than they have in many years. And my reasoning is not purely because I am still a proud Hulkamaniac.

So please give me a second to explain to you why I am making this statement. I have been a lifelong wrestling fan and plan on always being one. But right now the product is killing me. I suffered through the mid 90's when it was at it's all time low creatively and think that now it's back to that sulking level in more ways than one. For me it seems that the reason I can put todays product on that same level is this... There are NO dream matches left. There is no big time feel to ANY PPV match these days. Sure there is the hopes that maybe the Rock will come back and face Cena one day but that is the only realistic match left.

Enter Hulk Hogan...

Before you crap on that idea, understand that I KNOW that he is past his prime by nearly 15 years and he is too old to carry match of the year caliber main events, but you CANNOT deny the man's drawing power and big match feel vibe everytime he wrestles no matter who it is against. The closest we came to having a match that mattered this year or last even was when HBK wrestled the Undertaker at WM25. I have been following Hulk's progress outside the squared circle and I know that he has had an up and down personal life but the second he walks thru that curtain you instantly forget about the drama his life has and instantly revert back to being 8 years old again when he WAS the ultimate hero.

Everytime the man comes back he gets a hero's welcome with nearly 10 minute or longer chants of his name. He can instantly make someone like a Jack Swagger or MVP a major name with simply a stare down or interaction. He is the type of legend that could come and go as he pleases and still be relevent when he returns. Any match he would be involved in would be considered a dream match because of all work he has put in his career. Simply put, alot of people still love the guy even though they pretend not to for some reason.

The thing is that if WWE would bring Hogan back in just for a retirement tour at least he would definately shake things up again. His mic work is fun to hear, and while his in ring work is very limited but you can't deny that the little he does do is what works for him and to top it all off the man is a living breathing cartoon character come to life (I mean that in a good way).

Most of you out there will probably think that I am crazy and are rolling your eyes, but please understand my intentions with why I want to see him back. He is a HUGE draw even to this day, he brings alot of history back into the limelight and regardless of how you feel about him he DOES make ever match he is in seem like a main event.

I want Hulk Hogan to come back to the WWE before he is completely done with wrestling. I want him to win some and lose some. I want to feel that big match vibe again when I watch a PPV. And finally I think that he is the man that WWE could use to help get some younger stars over on a main event level if he is willing to play along this time around (Which I bet he would at his age) since Triple H and John Cena won't.

In closing, I have a hard time reading when people crap all over Hogan because I believe... no scratch that... I KNOW that deep down inside of each and everyone of you there is STILL a Hulkamaniac waiting to come out, just like there is for me. I want Hulkamania to live now more than ever, even if it is for just a short period of time... It certainly wouldn't hurt the product in it's current stale state to take a chance once again. He is the ultimate big time match performer and can instantly make anything he is involved with seem important. That is what WWE needs right now to go along with the guest host gimmick, they need viewers to tune in, see the new guest host and see a main event that feels like a big deal and Hogan, even in his current state can still provide that, no doubt!

Well that's my argument, be sure to get on the Insanity Message Boards and let me know where you stand on my current idea with the Immortal One. Thanks for reading and be sure to train, say your prayers, eat your vitamins and last but not least "Stay Classy"....