Whether it's because he's nuts -- which he is -- or because of carelessness, Flair allowed Benoit and Malenko to feel like less than true Horsemen. He rarely included Benoit and Malenko when he did interviews, rarely came to ringside during their matches. Flair not only showed up Benoit and Malenko, but he compromised the all-for-one, one-for-all concept of the Horsemen, the gangland mentality of the Horsemen. When was the last time you saw the Horsemen beat down somebody four-on-one? I can't even remember. Benoit and Malenko are big losses.
But they're hardly irreplaceable. After all, the Horsemen have already replaced guys like Sting, Lex Luger, Barry Windham, Curt Hennig, Ole Anderson, Tully Blanchard and Paul Roma. Well, OK, maybe replacing Roma was easy, but not the others. The Horsemen have always attracted the cream of the wrestling crop. There are plenty of guys out there who would love to be Horsemen.
The thing is, which ones should the Horsemen pursue? First off, Flair shouldn't be suckered by DDP and Bam Bam Bigelow, his current running pals. Those two aren't team players. They're not Horsemen. They're out to squeeze whatever they can out of Flair in his role as WCW president, then leave him laying. Flair should watch his back around these two. That relationship will be short-lived.
The Horsemen need to be four guys and a manager. That was when they were at their most powerful. They've already got the manager. Arn Anderson can't wrestle anymore, but he can still fight, and he has the Horsemen tradition flowing through his veins. Flair, despite being mentally incapacitated, is still the centerpiece of the Horsemen. He's still a great wrestler, still a title contender. There's nothing wrong with him out front.
So, that leaves three spots. One should go to somebody that's already been a Horseman, somebody that can bring a little bit of pride back to the fold. Given everyone possible's availability and attitude, I'd narrow the possibilities down to Luger and Windham. Luger is currently out with an injured arm, but there's no mistaking that he's already a major player in WCW. Windham's hurt, too, but he's hardly a major player. Nonetheless, I'd go with Windham.
I think Windham would bring a sense of hunger to the Horsemen, a sense of urgency. I think Windham would see rejoining the Horsemen as a last chance to revive his flagging career, and I think he'd make the most of it. Sure, Windham turned on Flair when Flair first brought him back to WCW, but let's face it, Flair certainly doesn't have any room to hold that against Windham considering all the times Flair has turned on somebody. Another spot should go to a young guy. That young guy should be somebody to fill the old Tully Blanchard role from the heyday of the Horsemen. Somebody adept at both singles and tag-team wrestling. Somebody who takes one for the team occasionally.
That young guy should be Billy Kidman. He's been a tag-team champ. He's been a cruiserweight champ. He wrestles a very '90s style and looks very '90s, so he'd keep the Horsemen fresh. In terms of actual wrestling skill, there may be nobody better than Kidman in WCW. He has gang experience, having been one of the original members of Raven's flock. And he's a chick magnet. He'd help the Horsemen attract young girls, girls barely of legal age, which would be much to Flair's delight. Of course, they'd be of questionable moral virtue, which Flair would like even more. That leaves one spot.
He should be big. A killer. Somebody who can just mow people over with sheer power and brutality. Somebody who can protect Flair but still be a champ in his own right. It should be Goldberg. I don't really see the need to list his rather obvious qualifications. Goldberg has always been a loner, but he has also always considered Arn Anderson a big influence. Goldberg reportedly contemplated becoming a Horsemen several months ago. And let's face it, being a loner doesn't pay in WCW. It's become the land of gangs and of gang-beatings. Goldberg could use some guys to watch his back.
So, to recap: Flair, Windham, Kidman and Goldberg managed by Anderson. Sounds like a reason to hold up four fingers to me. Ric, Arn -- get it done.
