Let's take a look at the 2005 inductees WWE revealed this week:

Excellent, excellent choice. And if the rumors are true that Hollywood Hogan is on his way into the HoF this year, then the induction of Orndorff in 2005 is better still. Not only will Mr. Wonderful get his due as one of the greatest main-event heels of the Hulkamania era, but his biggest rival will be staring across the stage at him during the ceremony.

If the cameras happen to catch Orndorff and Hogan in a friendly handshake, I will undoubtedly get visions of Orndorff pulling the Hulkster into a short-arm clothesline, reliving the infamous doublecross of 1986 all over again.

THE IRON SHEIK

Of the five announced inductees, Sheik and Orndorff are the two I had on my original list. Therefore, once again, I concur with the choice. Hopefully his acceptance speech is more understandable than his promos were. It will be odd, though, to see the Iron Sheik in a situation where he has to thank people and express gratitude. Somehow I don't think "Iran Number Von! Russia Number Von! America? HACK-PUT!" would cut it this time.

All kidding aside, I am happy to see the Iron Sheik in the Hall of Fame. He's one of those classic characters that would belong in the Hall of Fame even if he'd never held the WWE World Title. The fact that he did (briefly) reinforces him as a choice, but it's the icing on the cake, as opposed to the reason he should be a Hall of Famer. Nice to have his buddy Nikolai on stage with him, too. Will they give each other's induction speech?

"COWBOY" BOB ORTON

Show of hands... who is surprised at this choice?

There are a few different schools of thought on why Bob Orton gets into the Hall of Fame in 2005, all of them with a grain (or several) of truth:

-- Orton was a more-than-capable mat wrestler in his prime and made a good heel. Orton may never have been a champion in WWE, but he was a solid go-to guy (sidekick, if you will) to the top heels of the era, from Harley Race to Don Muraco to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.

-- Until Randy came along, "Cowboy" Bob Jr. was the most famous of the Orton wrestling clan, and WWE is usually very receptive to families with wrestling tradition. If nothing else, it proves he is/was a "lifer," and truly belongs as part of the pro wrestling fraternity. It's worth honoring a guy like Bob Orton, Jr., because pro wrestling is his life, and he would truly appreciate it.

-- As opposed to inducting Bob Orton in five years, WWE can exploit the occasion this year to help keep Randy Orton in the limelight. Randy Orton will no doubt take the stage to give a speech on behalf of his father.

Would it seem odd if Orton, Orndorff, and Hogan made it into the Hall of Fame this year and Roddy Piper had to wait longer?

NIKOLAI VOLKOFF

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Volkoff requests that you all rise and respect his singing of the Soviet National Anthem.

Come on. You know he's gonna sing it. It's the closest thing to a catch phrase the guy had in his career.

Volkoff wasn't on my list either, and there are several people I think should go into the Hall of Fame before he does. Still, I respect this choice. Fans from the 1980s really do remember him as one of Hogan's top adversaries, and he and the Iron Sheik going into the Hall of Fame together is probably a fitting way to do it.

Not to mention that Volkoff is, by most accounts, a pretty well-liked guy among the wrestlers. It's always nice to see a good person get rewarded. Maybe we'll all get to put the memory of Volkoff's Million Dollar Man association, and the cents symbol on his tights, behind us for good.

"MOUTH OF THE SOUTH" JIMMY HART

Since Jimmy Hart is arguably Hulk Hogan's best friend from the wrestling business, his inclusion in the Class of 2005 seems to bode well for the Hogan rumors. If WWE announces next week that Brutus Beefcake is getting into the Hall of Fame this year, too, we can bet Hollywood Hogan will only be a formality at that point.

But on the subject of Jimmy Hart, he's another deserving guy. Along with Mr. Fuji, he's one of the few managers that spent a reasonable amount of time in WWE that isn't in the Hall of Fame yet. Even before WWE, Jimmy Hart had quite a run in Memphis with Jery Lawler and the famous Andy Kaufman feud. Hart's got history with everyone from Randy Savage, to Hogan, to the Honky Tonk Man, Greg Valentine, King Kong Bundy, the Hart Foundation, and tons of other legendary wrestlers, so he earned his spot. Congrats, Mouth.

But please, leave the damn megaphone home this time, OK?