As these words are being written, so too is the final chapter---we think--in the storied career of "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. After 36 years (Flair himself always says 35, which says even he's lost track of time), Flair will "walk that aisle" one last time tonight at Wrestlemania 24 to face Shawn Michaels. It is expected that this will be the endgame for the "Dirtiest Player in the Game", and there will be one more standing ovation when the match ends. Even now, they're trying to set it up so that Flair does get the proper sendoff and have the main event slot he so richly deserves.

I have been priveleged to have seen 2 of Flair's greatest performances in person. The first was in November 1989 at the James Houston Field House on the campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in my hometown of Troy, NY. Flair was engaged in an "I Quit" match vs. Terry Funk on the "Clash of the Champions" on TBS. Flair & Funk put on a clinic in mat psychology that deservedly was one of the match of the year candidates that year. The late Gary Hart was in Funk's corner that night and would turn on Funk in the aftermath.

26 months later, in January 1992, there was the Royal Rumble at what is now Times-Union Center in Albany. Everyone knows this story by now. Flair, entering at #3, eliminated Sid Justice (Vicious), with a timely, albeit unexpected, assist from nemesis Hulk Hogan, to win the first of his 2 WWE titles. Flair set the longevity record for the Rumble, which has since been broken by Bob Backlund, the late Chris Benoit, and most recently, Rey Mysterio in 2006. This was one for the ages, but it saddened me to see a fellow fan, a disabled person at that, claim afterward that Flair had somehow cheated and wasn't the winner. This fellow claimed Hogan "won" when in fact Hogan finished 3rd, and as noted, was instrumental in Flair's victory.

In the 16 years since, between WCW & WWE, I have seen Flair on TV at his best and at his worst. Ever since Flair returned to WWE in November 2001, he hasn't been vintage "Nature Boy" too often, unlike his previous tour of duty from September 1991-March 1993. Why is that? The blame can't be placed on the usual suspects like Vince McMahon and Triple H, the latter of whom is one of the bazillion people to whom Flair has been an inspiration. I admit I was one of the voices that ripped Triple H for using Flair to further his own agenda, but it isn't his fault at all. The blame instead lies with Raw head scribbler Brian Gewirtz, who wasn't around during the early 90's. Gewirtz didn't do his research, didn't ask for any old tapes of classic Flair promos, and so cast Flair as just another wrestler acting as a lackey for Triple H, in the Horsemen-inspired group Evolution (2002-05). While Hunter talked us to death week after week, Flair stood either at his side or behind him, never allowed to be an equal partner when in truth that's what his role should've been. The 4 Horsemen were equal partners, making them icons. Evolution was perceived as a vanity vehicle for Triple H, and while it ultimately made Batista & Randy Orton into main-event players, the HHHaters couldn't see that, nor could they see that Hunter did all he could to restore Flair to his former glory. Their loss.

Gewirtz couldn't be bothered to actually sit down and talk to, if not Flair himself, others that had actually worked with him, like Steve Austin, who came up with the basic idea for the retirement tour storyline, William Regal, Arn Anderson, Dusty Rhodes, Big Show, Rey Mysterio, and Michael Hayes, just to name a few. If Gewirtz had actually done his homework, then maybe this story does have a happier ending, happier still if Flair were put in a position to win yet another world title. Instead, he kept his nose in his comic books and treated Flair as a mid-carder instead of a main event icon. Last night at the Hall of Fame, Flair got a standing ovation. He's going to get another one in just a few hours time at the Citrus Bowl, and there won't be a dry eye in the house. He just deserved a better coda to his career.

And speaking of the Hall of Fame, the Rock (Dwayne Johnson) returned to induct his father & grandfather (Rocky Johnson & Peter Maivia, respectively), and just owned the stage for about half of the tape-delayed broadcast. It was vintage Rock as he name-checked Austin, Mick Foley, Chris Jericho, Jon Coachman, Triple H, & Stephanie McMahon, acknowledging that the Princess is expecting child #2. Steph was blushing. Gene Okerlund was heard but not seen. Flair had the last part of the show, introduced by Triple H, but the editing department had a time trying to meet the deadline. As it was, the show signed off 10 minutes later than planned, a la Raw. The DVD, friends, will be a must have.

If this is the end, Ric, then it has been the wildest ride of all time. WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!