So as we wound up the highway to Kansas City, we all talked about how incredible this event was going to be. Periodically, one or the other of us would just say the word "Backlash", and the other three of us would follow up by saying it as well. Nothing can really put you in that moment, the level of excitement and anticipation we felt just on the card ride. I'm a huge Triple H mark, to the point that I jump out of my seat when he just comes out on television, and my friend John is the same way about Hogan. So the two of us would go back and forth saying "Backlash.Triple H", then "Backlash..Hulk Hogan", then "Backlash.Hogan vs. Triple H", and finally "Backlash.Hogan vs. Triple H.for the title.we'll be there!" The car ride passed quickly, and we were soon on the outskirts of Kansas City. We stopped momentarily at a 7-Eleven, only to find all of the WWF cups had sold out. We then moved on to a Wal-Mart, where we searched the WWF toys, but ended up buying a can of spray paint; which was intended for a road sign later in the evening (we were going to spray NWO on it and then take a group picture as we did the DX crotch chop.but we're not freaks). The next stop was Toys R Us. Still finding that all things WWF had been bought up already, we simply headed for the arena.
We got to the arena at about 1:00, five and a half hours before the show started. I managed to stumble onto the backside of the arena, where they hadn't locked the gates yet, and I parked back near where the wrestlers were arriving. We saw Timmy White carrying his suitcase into the building, saw Rob Van Dam drive up, and a few cars with darkly tinted windows that we couldn't make out who they were. I had already made my signs weeks earlier ("Hogan Fears Rogaine", "I Like Girls", and "Tell Me You Didn't Just Say That"), but my friends made up their signs real quick in the back of my car. Then we headed to the front of the arena and got in line to get in to the building.
It was a solid two-hour wait (from 4:00 to almost 6:00) before they opened the doors. When they finally did, everyone was patted down before entering the building. Then we headed up for the souvenir stand. It took probably about thirty minutes to get up there to get anything. I walked away with a Triple H foam thing, a Triple H "Screw the Rules" shirt, a Triple H pendant, and a program. Sense a theme there? From the souvenirs, we went and found our seats. We were sixteen rows back behind Jim Ross and the King. I was wearing a bright orange Tazz shirt in an effort to stand out. That was in vein, as the bastards in front of us wouldn't sit down for more than a few seconds at a time it seemed. The only match we had a truly good view of most of the night was Billy and Chuck vs. Maven and Al Snow, since they didn 't care about any of those men. I turned to my friend John and I said "We' ve been waiting too long for this moment, and I'm not letting these sons of bitches ruin the moment for us.let's go to the rail."
So as soon as the tag title match was over, he and I headed for the guardrail. We were behind a few people, but damn close to the action. Then, they played the promo for the main event. I swear, from that moment forward, time stood still. After the promo, I turned to John, and we both just had absolutely elated looks on our faces, our dreams were about to come true. Neither of us is gay.but I swear, I love Triple H, and he loves Hulk Hogan. Then Hogan's music hit, and the place went fucking crazy. It was insane to, after ten years of watching this guy, and knowing what he has been to the world of wrestling for ten years before that, finally see him in the flesh. Then, it hit. Triple H's music hit the speakers. That opening guitar note just about made me pee in my pants.hell, I might have. I nearly shredded my vocal chords yelling at the top of my lungs as the Game stepped out onto the stage with the Undisputed World Wrestling Federation title and a bottle of water. As he stood at the top of the ramp, I briefly reflected, "this is IT.he's HERE.I'm HERE". Then he started to walk down the ramp. Thankfully, I was on the side of the ring where the steady cam was, and as he walked towards the ring, he took a drink of water, and tossed the bottle into the crowd. I flung my arm up, punching the guy in front of me in the back of the head as hard as I could to get him out of the way. I was drenched in water, and the bottle hit my wrist. Nonetheless, that son of a bitch I punched still caught it. I was briefly disappointed, until I looked up to see Triple H doing his water-spitting taunt. I nearly ejaculated. Triple H was five feet from me.I had touched his water bottle.Triple H had made me wet. I was in heaven.
Time stood still. I mean I have no idea how long that match lasted. The entire crowd was on their feet. When Hogan won, most of you probably think I nearly cried. I was a bit upset, yes. But then I came to this realization - I was just a part of history. I had just seen Hollywood Hulk Hogan win the World Wrestling Federation Title. No matter what, that can never be taken away from me. I had just seen Triple H fight an icon in our business, and kick his ass through the whole match. I was soaked from water from the Game's water bottle. What you may not know, that helped me not walk away a bit disappointed, is that after the cameras went off (I assume they were off), Triple H came back out to the ring with a bottle of water, and after doing Hogan's poses, the Game got Hogan to do the water spit. It was magical. I was 100% mark Sunday night, and I'm damn proud of it.
We never did get to spray paint a sign, as my friends all fell asleep on the way home, but there's always Smackdown in June. The night was over, and it almost all felt like one giant daydream that I had been there, and witnessed that. It wasn't until I woke up Monday morning and felt of my Tazz shirt and realized it was still damp from The Game's water that it all set in. Triple H may have lost, but I had the time of my fucking life. Backlash.how do I sum up my experience there? Unforgettable.
Until next time...
