Nature Boy Ric Flair In April of 2008 perhaps the Greatest Wrestler of all time will hang up the trunks for good. When I was approached to write this article, I sat and tried to come up with the best way to describe Ric Flair. There are so many different ways to describe what he has meant to me as a fan. I fought with myself about exactly how to go about this. Then after taking the time to watch some of his interviews from years past, it suddenly became so obvious. Just write and say whats in your heart, because thats exactly what the man did for the entire time he wrestled. Ric Flair was the guy that at one time or another, every single wretler in the locker room wanted his head on a platter. When he was the villian he could piss off a building full of people to the point that the cops had to be called to get him out alive. When he was the hero, he'd stand and fight no matter how out numbered he was.

Flair was, for all intents and purposes, the template for what we see alot of today. He was the Original Rated R superstar. He made being 'The Bad Guy' cool before everybody had a tshirt that said this. While some wrestlers relied on the outside media and Hollywood to help them get attention outside the ring, Flair simply went from one town to another and did exactly, as he put it, what the marquee said..wrestle. Ric Flair became , as his career went on, Timeless. His feuds are legendary and will be talked about long after he's gone from this world. The fistfights with Snuka, The Bloodbaths with Greg Valentine, The Scientific clinics with Steamboat proved that Flair was exactly what he said he was..the Best Wrestler Alive.

While so many others came and went, Flair remained the one constant that the sport never saw change. From the plane crash in 1975 that, by all rights, should have ended his career before he ever got a sniff of a World title, to the lawsuit in the late 90's that threatened to finacially ruin him, Flair, like always battled back and won in the end. Flair proved that nobody or anything puts The Nature Boy down.

Flair was a household name while some future 'icons' were still trying to get a tryout match with the local carnival shows. Today he's still here and they're all gone. And there have been so many that vowed to finally put down The Man. There was a Dragon, a guy with Hands of Stone, a Son of a Plumber, A Total Package, a Russian Nightmare, A Pair of Road Warriors, A guy named Magnum, a Superfly, A Chief, A cowboy named Mulligan, his kid named Barry, Two Rock and Rollers, The Hammer, a Stinger, a Dead Man and a Game. Yet in the end, The Man always stood tall and stood alone.

Every fan alive should take a minute and honestly appreciate the one thing the man did for us all. He gave us a gift we can never hope to give back. He allowed us to escape the reality of our day to day lives and enjoy a world that we all would like to live in. The World of Ric Flair. We were able to forget about work, school, problems, the car payment, the rent and so many other burdens that we carry.

Today the young cocky outspoken champion has been replaced by an older, wiser and MUCH more experienced person. The skills that helped him defend 16 world titles have somewhat faded, but the legend remains. However the chops still hurt like hell and the Whoo's still echo. Flair now has what so many others dream of..respect. Wether youre 8 years old or 88, if you're a fan of wrestlng; chances are good that you know who Ric Flair is. Thats called respect. When a unknown upstart in a high school gym working an indy show in Ferrum Va throws a knife edge chop and the 36 fans that are there all WHOO at once..thats RESPECT.

Wrestlemania will quite possibly see the final match of..in my opinion..the Greatest Heavyweight Champion of all time. I was so very lucky to have been around to see his entire career..from start to finish. I like to think Im perhaps one of his biggest fans and Im proud of this fact. We shouldnt think of it as our last memory of the man being a loss at the biggest show of them all, instead we should appreciate the fact that its so very fitting that the Greatest of all time go out on the biggest stage of them all.

As a fan I can only say..Thank you Ric. I'll always remember The Man.