President Ronald Reagan once said, during his farewell speech on January 11, 1989, “Whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone, I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears; to your confidence rather than your doubts. My dream is that you will travel the road ahead with liberty’s lamp guiding your steps and opportunity’s arm steadying your way.” Known as, “The Great Communicator,” Reagan was always able to deliver strong and claming words in times of sorrow – and put smiles on people’s faces in times of sadness. Tonight, I watched another “Great Communicator” say farewell in the most gracious way since “The Gipper” left the White House – the other “Great Communicator” – The Nature Boy Ric Flair.

Standing in front of a packed house in Orlando, Florida for Monday Night RAW one night after losing to Shawn Michaels who, just before ending the greatest wrestling career of all time with the words, “I’m sorry – I love you.” Flair, humble and steadfast, said, “Thank you for the memories, thank you for the support – and thank you for making me who I am today.” With people like the original members of The Four Horsemen, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Dean Malenko, Triple H, Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat – and even the man who beat him just twenty-four hours ago – Shawn Michaels – and eventually – the entire WWE roster – came out to celebrate the career of the one man who paved the way for every single wrestler that has come after him – the former 16-time World Heavyweight Champion – and in my opinion – the best man to ever lace up a pair of boots in this business.

When I was six-years-old, my grandmother, who was known as “Hatpin Mary” due to the fact that she would go to wrestling matches at the Tampa Sun Dome every week and literally stick the “bad-guy” wrestlers with her hatpin, took me to my very first wrestling match in 1978. Besides seeing names like Dusty Rhodes, The Magnificent Muraco and Bugsy McGraw – for the first time in my life – I saw Ric Flair – and I saw him hundreds of times more for the next thirty years…

…and now – I will never see him again.

I have so many great memories of Ric Flair that I could write a column about him that would take you thirty-six years to read. My personal favorite is when he won the Royal Rumble in 1992 and, for the first time, became the WWE Champion. Holding the WWE Championship for the very first time, he said, “With a tear in my eye, this is the greatest moment of my life.” I will never forget how excited I was that day. And truth be told – the list goes on and on. No matter where he was, who he fought – or what the result of the match was – neither Ric Flair nor his opponent was the winner – but instead was every single person who had the honor of watching the contest.

For close to four decades, Ric Flair has selflessly put his body on the line to entertain people he didn’t even know. Regardless of the federation he was in, the parameters of his match – or the result of the victory – Ric Flair always gave his all – and absolutely proved his own famous phrase time and time again – that to be the man – you have to beat the man. And despite the fact that Shawn Michaels beat Ric Flair last night – it is still Ric Flair that is – and always will be – the man.

And now, as the world of wrestling will continue without it’s greatest player – the dirtiest player in the game – it will evolve, and still entertain countless millions – but until the last time a man is pinned in a squared circle – something will be missing. No matter who comes and who goes – there will never be another “Natche.” There will never be another limousine ridin’, jet flyin’, scene stealin’, wheelin’ dealin’ son-of-a-gun. And I will never again be able to sit in an arena and bow down to the former sixteen-time World Heavyweight Champion…

…who still makes me feel like that six-year-old boy who saw a wrestling match for the very first time – and thanks to Ric Flair – made it a pivotal part of my life.

One of my favorite movies is Star Trek VI – The Undiscovered Country. In it, Captain Jean-Luc Picard was talking about time and said, “You know someone once told me that time is a predator that staked us all our lives. But I’d rather believe that time is a companion, that goes with us on the journey – and reminds us to cherish every moment – because they’ll never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we’ve lived.”

Thank you for leaving behind what you did Ric – you will always be remembered – and will always be the man.