Is Bret Hart Right to Criticize Goldberg Over the Kick That "Ended" His Career?

[Webster]

What Went Wrong?... At WCW StarrCade 1999, the main event was WCW Champion Bret "Hitman" Hart vs Bill Goldberg. Late in the match, Goldberg landed a side kick on Bret's head so hard he caused a concussion that would eventually see Bret retire from the ring a few weeks later.But was it just the kick to Bret's head? What about the elbow Goldberg landed earlier in the match? What about the Figure Four Leg Lock on the ring post that Goldberg failed to assist Bret with that saw the Hitman smack his head on the ringside mats. What about the nearly dozen matches that Bret had against the likes of Ric Flair, Sid, Chris Benoit, Jerry Flynn and, finally, Kevin Nash. If Bret had taken time off, would he have recovered and have been able to carry on wrestling?Over the years, Bret Hart has become more and bitter bitter and vocal of his disdain for Bill Goldberg. All Goldberg can do is apologise, and for Bret that isn't enough, so Goldberg on the Who Killed WCW documentary finally had enough and declared that he's done saying sorry. Who's in the right, who's in the wrong, and ultimately, are they both taking themselves too seriously that they can never get past what happened on that fateful pay per view?

 

[Dead2009]

- If Bret had taken time off, would he have recovered and have been able to carry on wrestling?

How much time would he had needed to take though? Because he didn't wrestle after Souled Out. The stroke he suffered afterwards is the main reason why he had to stop wrestling and I think we all know this.

 

[Webster]

The stroke he suffered afterwards is the main reason why he had to stop wrestling and I think we all know this.

Yeah, we know that's what ended Bret Hart's career; problem though is that, as seasoned a veteran wrestler as Hart was at the time (and considering that Goldberg was, at that time, a relatively new wrestler) he should've QB'ed Goldberg through the match - maybe called an audible and did another move instead. Worse, he'd already conked his head once in that match - the figure-four leglock at the ring post; Hart bounced his head off the mat hard and given how tight they make those mats (so that no one trips over them during a wrestling match) there's no give in them, even if they are made of soft materials.

So no, Goldberg does not and should not get all the blame here, Dead.
Did I say he shouldn't get any blame for the mule kick starting the chain of events that led to Hart's retirement? No, but Goldberg getting all the blame? I'm sorry but that dog don't hunt.