I hear that Greg stated, on Wrestling Observer Live, to Bryan Alvarez, that I, myself, walked out of the banquet to tell Bret that he shouldn't have said what he said. I didn't hear this myself but was told this in an email from Mike Lano. In fact, I walked out only because it was such an unusually awkward moment that I wanted to see what, if anything, Bret might want from me. I'll get back to that. Before I left, I saw that the first person to stand up and give Bret an ovation after Bret walked out was Harley Race. Next to stand to show his approval was Danny Hodge. Then other legends stood up, including Roddy. None of the wrestlers walked out and no fans walked out. I left a minute or so after Bret did. Bret asked me to get his notes, which he'd jotted down briefly just after sitting down at the head table (where seats had been reserved for Bret, Roddy and myself. ( when we walked in, late I initially sat next to Bret but then I chose to sit with Harley and BJ instead so I could see better. Also, although I appreciated the compliment of my seat assignment, I've always preferred to be behind-the scenes and wasn't comfortable being so visible at the head table.) Bret's notes were not about Greg Oliver, but pertained to his speech in general. He'd left them on the podium when he walked out. I didn't want to parade up to the podium in front of everyone so I asked Mike Chapman, the Director of the Museum to get the notes for me, which he did.

While Mike waited for an opportune moment to go to the podium I was standing just outside the door to the banquet room and one notable after another came out and expressed support to me for what Bret had said. As what they said to me was not in a public forum, I won't betray their confidences by revealing their exact words and identities at this time. No doubt, some will call that a convenient excuse or whatever, but frankly I don't care about that because the reason I've been around as long as I have is because I respect the honor of being trusted by these men; and I work hard and have paid my dues. One of them passionately expressed to me that there are no shortcuts in this business and that respect and honor have to be earned - and that Greg Oliver hadn't done so, in his opinion. That sentiment was echoed over and over to me by iconic men throughout the rest of the evening - and not so much that it was directed at Greg specifically, but at the so-called "wrestling reporters", especially internet based ones, whose egos have diluted whatever objectivity they might have started out with because they seem to enjoy the pseudo-celebrity that comes with the internet a little too much.

Nowhere in this account have I expressed my own opinion of Greg Oliver; and I won't. I've simply given you the facts of what happened. At CAC a couple of weeks ago, during his acceptance speech, Bret mentioned how he'd had the honor and privilege to watch and learn from Harley Race and Terry Funk (who were seated behind Bret, on the stage) when he was a kid. After Bret's speech, while Bret was being mobbed at the side of the stage by the Japanese and European media, I watched as an emotional Terry Funk took the mic, "I speak for both myself and Harley. That kid grew up to do it so much better than we ever could. And we love him for it." Terry Funk's supreme compliment carries more weight than how any reporter ranks Bret.

Marcy Engelstein
Sr. Consulting Mgr.
Bret Hart/ HItman Productions"