I finished reading Bret Hitman Hart’s autobiography today.  As expected of The Excellence of Execution, it was excellent.  This book is full of so many great little stories that seem crazy but somehow all too believable. I’m probably too biased in favour of Bret to know if it’s him hyping himself when he talks of other wrestlers congratulating him on his work as a wrestler but from what I saw in my youth and in his DVD boxset, I can’t see why they wouldn’t.  I really recommend it to anyone interested in what life at the bottom and at the top of Wrestling used to be like.  His tours of all over the world make for excellent reading in a similar way to Chris Jericho’s book which may be more entertaining than this but lacked the amazing drama that went on during Bret’s career (no offense Chris, you are still my favourite wrestler of this generation and wrote a great book).  Anyway, you should know that this book is Highly recommended for anyone that grew up watching wrestling in the 80s or 90s.

As a child of the 80s, it was an amazing read for me as Bret was always one of my favourites. Reading what was going on behind the scenes and happening to him while remembering how I felt while watching some of the matches he talks about was a super nostalgic experience and brought out the kid in me who used to argue with the Middle School Caretaker that wrestling wasn’t fake.  Yeah I was that much of a believer, the Hart Foundation matches were one of the reasons I believed in it. Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart looked like he could slam anyone and Bret always seemed capable of out wrestling anyone.  Bret’s pink shades were the first wrestling merchandise I ever got.

Bret doesn’t seem to shy from the truth even when it can be quite a shock to read how often he cheated on his wife or the stories of himself and especially other wrestlers pills, drugs and drink problems.  It’s strange that despite me knowing the ending of the book well in advance, it still made me so sad.  To read about how my hero was struggling to go out on TV while suffering injuries and making them worse puts me in awe and plenty of guilty that as a fan I couldn’t even tell.  Even the concussion that eventually finished Bret’s career he stubbornly carried on working through. When I see people skip a desk job with every feeble excuse under the sun, that devotion to duty and dedication seems incredible.

The sad breakup of his family, his stroke and the death of his parents really ends the book in a sad way. There is an afterword where he talks of being a survivor but even then, he mentions his friends lost along the way, wrestlers I grew up watching and I can’t help but think how I’d have liked a happier ending for all concerned.

Thank you Bret Hart. You went through so much for me, my brother and all your fans.  You put on good matches with everyone and I feel ashamed that I didn’t use a day off work to go and meet you when you were in London signing copies of this book. My copy is signed but I fear it wasn’t until I read your book that I remembered how much I truly appreciated all your work and if I had a time machine, going back and making sure I met you and told you this would be one of my top things to do.

Live long and enjoy your retirement Bret. It’s more than deserved. For me you always were and always will be, The Best there is, The Best there was and the Best there ever will be.

Gareth