Listen up!

Class is in session.

It's lecture time this week, and the topic is the new DVD from WWE: "Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen." In a word, kids: Woooo!

I'm not one to buy these things, but when the story of the greatest stable of heel wrestlers of all time was put right in front of my mask, I had to jump. Here, now, are four reasons you should grab this collection while you can:

1) The story is great.
Once upon a time, yours truly only really saw what was happening in the old AWA, my home territory. When TBS came along on cable, I started to see stars from other parts of the country, most notably the Crockett promotion featuring the National Wrestling Alliance. On the SuperStation, one heel group stood out for me: The Four Horsemen.

As the DVD explains, first it was Ole and Arn Anderson. Then Flair joined the group. A little later, Tully Blanchard came along with his fantastic manager, J.J. Dillon.

On the air one day, Arn blurted out that the group doled out pain in Biblical proportions, just like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. After that promo, a juggernaut was born. The Horsemen would become the first great group of wrestlers, and would play to sold-out arenas everywhere. The best thing about it was that the idea didn't come out of a booking meeting, but from the sharp mind of Arn Anderson. I'm not sure that could happen today.

2) Ric Flair in his prime.
Obviously, this DVD is filled with great video from yesteryear. What I like seeing is Ric Flair in his prime, as NWA World Champion. Back then (1985), Flair had the big bleach-blond mall hair, the huge sunglasses and the immaculate clothes. The look is outdated today, but was perfect back then. And kids, he could talk. He was the greatest promo man ever, in my opinion. As he put it to a TV crowd, "These shoes are more expensive than your house!" Just seeing him say that is worth the price of this two-disc collection.

3) Arn Anderson in his prime.
I think of Arn Anderson as the Dean Martin of professional wrestling. Like Deano, Arn was very smooth, but very underrated. I think it's one of those deals where he was so good for so long (both in the ring and on the mic), that you sometimes take him for granted. On the DVD, his promos were just letter-perfect in intelligence and intensity. My favorite line: "We're going to come out here and toot our own horns. So, 'Toot, toot.'" Perfect.

4) The stories are true.
I always thought that the non-stop partying of this group was a lot of horse hockey. But when you listen to these guys being interviewed, you realize they really were out of control. More than once, Flair is quoted as saying, "We just wanted to have fun." Blanchard also blushes a bit when asked about what really went on behind closed doors. "We were rock stars," Arn recalled. On the face of it, it seems preposterous that these four guys could get that type of adulation, but I believe him.

There, that's four reasons I think you should buy this disc. To be honest, I could write 40 -- it's that good. Bravo to WWE for shining a spotlight on great performers and performances. Of course, it would be nice if a new version of the Horsemen popped up. As I've said here on at least four occasions, Flair should get a short title run as champ, and then retire in a J.J. Dillon-type role, managing the New Four Horsemen. It would be a perfect way to wrap up his great career.

Speaking of wrapping things up, don't forget to download the fantastic Professor Wrestling podcast. Episode 28 is right here, and this week we talk the Cauliflower Alley Club convention in Las Vegas. My co-hosts George Schire and Dr. Mike Lano are there right now, shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of great legends. So download the show, give a listen, and then come back next week for more. You won't regret it.

That's it!

Now scram!

Class is dismissed!

(Professor Wrestling is a masked employee of Internet Broadcasting. Got a question, comment, complaint? E-mail him right here. )