Lance Storm - The Dancing Fool

This past week on Raw, I saw something I thought I would never see.

Lance Storm was dancing. And smiling. And had a hip, new trendy entrance theme.

What is the world coming to?

It's been a while since Steve Austin appeared on the Raw stage, pillow and blanket in hand, and announced to the world that Lance Storm was officially boring. Now, over the past few weeks, we've seen one of the best wrestlers in the world gradually broken down until he resembles nothing more than a dancing fool.

For me, Lance Storm was one of the best wrestlers in ECW history. He was one of the highlights during the dying days of WCW. Despite their faults, the WCW obviously had faith in the guy as a wrestler. If they hadn't, they wouldn't have put three singles titles on him in less than four weeks.

But now Lance Storm, pound for pound one of the greatest wrestlers currently working for Vince McMahon, is now being portrayed as something that he isn't, and to quote a certain wrestling announcer, I don't like it, not one damn bit.

So why was Lance Storm proclaimed boring? Is it because he's a bad wrestler. No. Lance Storm comes from a long line of men that have graduated the infamous Dungeon in Calgary. He had a great teacher, and down the years his work has only improved.

Is it because he's bad on the microphone? No. When compared to other excellent wrestlers such as Rob Van Dam and Chris Benoit, Lance Storm is probably one of the most competent workers when the stick is put into his hands. Unlike his contemporaries, Storm's delivery doesn't sound forced. He doesn't sound like a second-rate b-movie actor. He sounds confident. He knows what he has to say and goes about saying it.

But the fact that the creative team up in Connecticut thinks that to get over with the fans, Lance Storm has to prance and smile like a reject from Pop (American) Idol, says a lot for the brains behind the shows.

Let's compare Storm, if we can, with a certain other famous Canadian wrestler - Bret "Hitman" Hart. Let's take a look at the style, at the gimmick that eventually led to Bret becoming the top headliner in the two biggest wrestling companies in the world. Did Bret prance away like a drunken pony on his way to the ring? Did Bret spend most of his time grinning from ear to ear like he'd downed two dozen happy pills with a bottle of Jim Beams?

What took Bret Hart to the top of the wrestling mountain was the fact that he was a great wrestler. He didn't need fancy rap music and snazzy dance moves to introduce himself to the wrestling audience. He didn't need to have a grin fixed to his face the likes of which Jack Nicholson would have been proud of in the first Bat Man film.

Bret got over with the crowd without any of this. Bret was confident in the ring, and was confident on the microphone. He didn't need a scriptwriter telling him to dance down the aisle. He was Bret "Hitman" Hart, the best there was, the best there is, and the best there ever will be. He was the excellence of execution.

There are certainly many comparisons to be made between Bret Hart and Lance Storm, beyond the obvious ones that is. The only time Bret Hart was ever made to look a fool was in Montreal in 1997. But that's a different story entirely.

Lance Storm is a former ECW Tag-Team champion. Lance Storm is a former WCW U.S., Cruiserweight and Hardcore champion. Lance Storm is a former WWE Intercontinental and Tag-Team Champion. What is Lance Storm now?

A dancing fool. It makes you wish for the time where he was still teaming with William Regal. At least then, he still had some dignity.

Storm is just doing what he's told. It makes you wonder though if he's had any input on this new character direction. But then again, with the WWE being the only circus in town right now, Storm is probably doing this because he has no other choice. And when his career comes to a close, what will Lance Storm be remembered for?

Perhaps I should ask you what Bret Hart will be remembered for, shouldn't I?