Now, I'm no new fan to the wrestling industry - I've been watching wrestling since a few weeks before Wrestlemania 3 back in February of 1987. I have seen a lot of wrestlers come and go, and lots fail to meet the potential put on them at various times.

Do I have a problem with Austin being inducted in the Hall of Fame? Absolutely not. Looking back since 1997 when the Attitude Era got underway, Austin has absolutely led that charge, and did a lot in making fans see heels and faces in a much different light. But, I don't agree with him going in yet.

I have a list of wrestlers I think deserve to be inducted before Austin gets his chance, and most of these people should have been inducted already...

Owen Hart - Why hasn't he been inducted yet? A lot of people would say he should have been inducted based solely on his tragic passing in May of 1999, but look at some of the matches he had throughout his career. His matches with Austin, Bret, Mr Perfect back when he was the Blue Blazer. He traveled the world and worked damn near everywhere to earn the spot he had in the WWF.

Jake the Snake Roberts - If not for this man, HHH, Booker T, Orton, Angle, basically any heel that used mind games as a tactic in the ring, would have had nothing. Jake wasn't the best wrestler in the world, but his character was flawless. His feuds with Ultimate Warrior before both left the WWF and his feud with Sting in WCW showed how his mind games approach really made him the ultimate heel.

Ravishing Rick Rude - Along with Jake Roberts, was the heel's heel. Played the ultimate mind games, but his were always very suggestive. I was watching Fall Brawl 93 the other night when he won his first World Title from Ric Flair, and even thinking of his fued with Roberts in the 80s, he used to put the faces of wives and female managers of his opponenets on the croth of his tights. If that didn't bring up rage and hatred, nothing would.

Road Warriors - The Dudleys may be the most decorated team in history, but nothing still tops the feat when the Road Warriors became the first team to hold all 3 major tag team titles in 1991 when they beat the Nasty Boys at SummerSlam. The Road Warriors, whether in the AWA, NWA/WCW, or the WWF were always the team to beat in order to make your name known. Matches they had with the Steiners, the Nastys, Doom, the Skyscrapers, and Harlem Heat helped each of those teams achieve greatness.

Ricky Steamboat - I don't need to say a lot about Steamboat, just watch matches he had with Randy Savage at Mania 3, against Ric Flair for the NWA World title in 1989, against Rude in WCW, and some of the matches he had with the Great Muta in Japan in the early 90s. Steamboat was never a talked, but a hell of a wrestler.

Chris Benoit - Yup, Benoit. I know the story quite well, thank you, and it doesn't change my decision. During the Eddie guerrero induction, Chavo said you could watch Eddie on TV and see how he was in real life. If that's true with wrestlers, then why do I see Benoit on TV talking about his friends or family, and have this huge smile on his face? We've seen plenty of evidence come out that says Benoit had some sort of brain damage from all his years in the ring. I know Vince removed everything concerning Benoit from shelves and magazines and such, but can we really punish him further because of an injury he suffered while entertaining people around the world, and while he worked for Vince? Hell, Kirby Puckett is in Cooperstown and he used to beat his wife and lock her in a closet. He also poured battery acid on her one time. Robert Parrish is in the NBA Hall, and he raped at least 2 women. Michael Irvin made Canton, look and his drugs, guns, and hookers charge during his playing days. I've read many things that say most wrestlers would rather fans not know of their personal lives anyway. I thought Benoit would be inducted because of his brilliant career? Hmmm....

Arn Anderson - Do I really need to explain Double A deserving to be in?

Randy Savage - Another that won't make it because Vince has a stern hatred for him. That's fine, but Bret Hart got in after the Montreal incident. They don't like each other? So what. Matches with Steamboat, Hogan, Flair, Warrior, Dusty Rhodes. His work with both Elizabeth and Sherri was brilliant.

British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith - Aside from Steamboat/Savage, his match with Bret Hart at SummerSlam in England was the best IC Title match I've ever seen. Davey Boy was far underrated and deserved to be a World Champion. Great matches with Vader, Rude in WCW, and his work in the Hart Foundation with Bret, Owen, and Anvil. And not to mention the British Bulldogs, with Dynamite.

The Von Erich family - Any and all of them. Watch the World Class DVD to see further into that long story and great history.

So there you have my list. Eddie Guerrero was a great wrestler, but was inducted at his specific time because of his passing. I have 6 people listed here that have passed on, but deserve the recognition anyway. My favorite Hall was Mania 21, with Hogan, Piper, Orndorff, Orton, Nikolai and Iron Shiek. They all got things started with Wrestlemania 1. Let's continue getting the guys in there that paved the way for who we cheer for today. As overused as it is, they did give today's stars something to work wih and improve upon. those are the stars who deserve to be there first.