I do wanna say something, Eric, to you from me personally,
I don't think I would be where I'm at today if it was not for you, WCW and
the NWL, taking a kid from Cleveland, Ohio, and making him believe in
the industry of professional wrestling and really lighting a passion for
me to want to live out my own dream from WrestleMania to Raw, NXT.
So from me to you, thank you very much for everything that you have now
provided me in my life, because of what you did weekly for
me and the rest of the world with WCW and then in the WWE.
>> Well, Vic, that's and there's a moment right there.
Those are the things that really make me grateful for the career that I've had,
the opportunities that I've been able to be part of.
Because it's amazing and it's another thing I don't wanna go off on this
too far, but people need to realize because I've just now realizing it.
And I feel guilty about that actually.
But over the last few years, I've been doing personal appearances and
with 83 weeks we do live shows and things like that.
We often do the meet and greets afterwards.
And to hear the stories of people on how sports entertainment has
changed their lives.Or how monday night RAW or Nitro or whatever,
was that moment that a father and son or a father and a daughter,
mother and a son could bond, and brothers and uncles and aunts.
And It's important, and what we do, what you guys do, what everybody that
steps foot in the ring in front of the camera and behind the camera.
What we do really does affect people and can affect people for
the rest of their lives in a very positive way.
So you saying that means more to me than you can know.
>> I want to echo all Vic's sentiments.
And I want to just tell a little personal story,
to me that is still surreal as I sit back and think about it,
it was shortly after you rejoined WWE for a brief period last year or two years ago,
which I also thoroughly enjoyed.To me it was far too brief.
I loved our plane rides, just talking about the business and different ideas.
There was a moment for me when we were flying out of White Plains, New York, and
I was on a private jet with Mr.
McMahon, Shane McMahon, Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff.
And I was sitting with our good friend Mansoori in the back, and
I all of a sudden went, What the hell is my life?
>> [LAUGH] >> All of these figures who influenced my
childhood and encouraged me to follow these dreams,
and here I am with all of them.
It is totally surreal.
But yeah, I wanna echo all of Vic's sentiments.
But because this was originally my show, I get to do you one better.
Because Eric, after all these years and contributions you have made to the sports
entertainment industry, it is our honor and our pleasure to inform you that you,
Eric Bischoff will be inducted as a member of the 2021 class of the WWE Hall of Fame.
>> Congratulations.
>> Congratulations, Eric.
[APPLAUSE] >> Wow.
[LAUGH] Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> I don't know quite what to say.
Wow, is awesome.
It's a much deserved honor.I'd say it's well overdue.
We'll give him minute to process it [LAUGH]
>> Yeah, it'll take more than a few
minutes, guys.
Just wow, that's all I got, men for
a guy that could never shut the hell up on my own podcast.
I don't have anything to say.
I'm just speechless.
Wow, it's gonna take a minute >> Take your time Erica, this is awesome.
This was a thrill when we found out we were gonna get to break the news to you.
We were just both as excited as two kids who grew up loving this,
and now spend our time in front of the microphone.
Hopefully one of these days, at least me or
Vic could spend some time in a boardroom.
>> [LAUGH] Can I give you a little hint?
>> Please don't.
[LAUGH] There it is the biggest life lesson.
>> Just stay where we're at.
We're doing just fine.
We don't need any that extra heartache or pressure.
>> Now guys, this is it, I'm not gonna lie to you because every year
around this time, of course, I get emails and social media hits and all asking.
And I've always been pretty good at just keeping it out of my mind.
I don't think about it, I never have to any real degree,
but you look at some of the names associated.
Many of the names, all of the names associated with the WWE Hall of Fame and,
I'm gonna personalize this one for me.The kid that because I was in my early 30s.
The guy who got a job, his very first day working for AWS for
Verne Gagne back in 1987.
knew nothing, I was a big wrestling fan, I had no experience.
I was like this is wild eyed opportunity for me, I put Vern up on a pedestal.
And to think that if somebody would have come up to me and said, yo, 2021, you and
Verne Gagne are going to be in the WWE Hall of Fame, my head would have exploded.
It would have been incomprehensible, it would have been the same thing as somebody
coming up to me and saying, someday you're going to swim laps up on Mars.
Then I was like, What?This make no sense.
But it's the names that are part of the WWE Hall of Fame, and
just to be associated with those names, wow, it's just overwhelming.
So I can't say thank you enough cool ways for
people to know how much I mean it, but I really really do mean it.
>> We're happy for you, man.It's an honor.
Like I said, very very well deserved.
It's exciting for us.It's an honor for us, and we will see you at the Hall of Fame.
Wow [LAUGH] >> Yeah, and
you know what the best part is?The Hall of Fame has always been my favorite part
of WrestleMania weekend.It's not that I've not enjoyed the matches and
the spectrum, because nothing like WrestleMania,
it's the Super Bowl for >> Sure
>> But there's something special about
the Hall of Fame, in the emotion that gets created at the Hall of Fame,
because of what it is, and because It's so real to everybody involved.
It's really special.So to be able to be a part of that and
not just be in the audience as I have been in the past.
Wow.
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