After eight years, this week will likely tell perhaps the final tale, at least for the time being, regarding a business reconciliation between WWE and Bret Hart.
As is well known, WWE will be releasing a likely three-disc DVD in November on Hart's career, and wants to induct him in its Hall of Fame at Wrestlemania in Chicago. The company also would like to get him back on television in a very limited capacity to help push the DVD, as well as publish two different books on him over the next few years.
Hart will likely have met with company officials before you read this. If he does agree to be involved with the proposed DVD, there is a very good chance his work in doing the DVD will also be taped before you are reading this.
Since Hart was fired by WCW, there have been numerous attempts at doing a business reconciliation and attempting to mend fences. All are documented, the most notable being an attempt to get Hart to referee the 2002 Wrestlemania title match with HHH vs. Chris Jericho in Toronto, and ideas floated to possibly appear at several different WWE tapings in Canada, as well as an open invitation for him to appear for an interview at a Madison Square Garden TV taping. Only the Mania appearance could be classified as a concrete offer that he discussed, but eventually, turned down.
McMahon and Hart talked at least a few times on the phone right after Hart suffered a stroke on June 23, 2002. This led to a meeting between Hart and McMahon, with Jim Ross involved in some discussions, as well, at McMahon's condo in South Florida regarding merchandising ideas, but when McMahon used the Montreal match in Raw storylines after their meeting, in an attempt for the company to get back at the Canadian audience, things sort of fell apart again. It isn't like they had a falling out, more like WWE probably knew he wouldn't be receptive at that point, and he wasn't calling them.
More must-reads: