And Steve Austin Gets a Free Pass Why???

[Dave]

I like Austin but I was kinda disappointed when his name was announced for the Hall of Fame. I mean sure he did a lot for the business but I honestly can't believe that in 2002, he just upped and walked away. This reminds me of a little baby who didn't want to play anymore. I was watching the video on Youtube earlier and when Vince was giving the fans an explanation as to what had happened with Austin, the continually boo'ed him. Fuck the fans. We know jack shit about what goes on behind the scenes. When Austin returned in 2003, the fans loved it, they lapped him up but I just couldn't get over what he had done. He came back and the fans immediately welcomed him with open arms as soon as the "glass smashed".

No one man is bigger than the club, organization, team or entity that employs him. Stone Cold forgot this and for this Austin lost a lot of my respect. Although he did gain a little bit back last night when he referenced him walking out.

 

[Tastycles]

I think it's actually a question of the age of the IWC as to why Austin isn't derided by all. Whether you agree with the first post or not, you can't argue that Austin is pretty much the only big named wrestler of the last 20 years that gets shit of hardly anyone.

For me, the reason is actually quite simple. If you look at the average age of people on this forum, it is somewhere in the vicinity of 20 years old. Niow, this means that when we were watching wrestling as kids, Austin was the star of the show, hte hero. When you look back at those matches now, you are viewing them with the rose titnted spectacles of seeing your hero in action.

Compare that to Cena and Hogan and you have two other problems. With Hogan, you were either watching him when he was old and not very good anymore in WCW, or you have watched his 1980s matches in hindsight. The problem is, is that through adult eyes, his matches are extremely one dimensional in the same way that Cena's are if you watch him now.

Austin's character is also still heroic to adults, because he catered for a different audience than Hogan and Cena. You don't feel childish getting behind a man who is disgruntled with his boss.

Personally, I don't think Austin is that bad. Sure, he politicked but it's hard to think of a main eventer that never has. The Undertaker has literally never had one successful title reign, but he gets one whenever he wants and nobody chastises him for that. I'm not condoning wife beating, but again lots of wrestlers have skeletons in their closets, people rarely talk about HBK's vices back in the day or the fact that half of the current roster clearly take steroids, wellness programme or not. I don't think you do hear that much about Bret Hart being a wanker on here, even though just about everything that I have read about him from primary sources is definitively negative.

Austin's promos may have been samey, but they were good whenever he first did them. Catchphrases don't become catchphrases unless people care about your pomos. He gave us 3:16, the bottom line, can of whipass, What? amongst others. Repetitive maybe, but certainly no more so than Hogan, brother.

As for his in ring work, I find the 5 move argument assinine to say the least, largely because just about every wrestler has a limited arsenal, that's why they're called movesets, you do a set of moves, not all of the moves. But even ignoring that, I struggle to think of an Austin match that I thought was poor.

Austin revolutionised the business, and he did it himself. In the same way that McMahon couldn't put anybody else in Hogan's position, he couldn't have put anybody else in Austin's. You can argue that it was McMahon till the cows come home, but it really wasn't. If it was, all of the people who stood up to the corporation would be megastars, but I don't see X-Pac in the hall of fame. Austin gave WWF an edge that it did not have before. Even with Mr. McMahon running amok, it needed someone that the crowd could get behind and relate to, and Austin, who is the epitome of a wrestling fan stereotype fitted the mould perfectly.

I wasn't a huge Austin fan, even when I was a child, but I respect his impact on the business enough not to deride him. That being said, I'm not the sort of person who goes into threads saying that Cena and Hogan are shit either, because they evidently aren't, and I think the people that do do that, leave Austin be for my initial point: because Austin was their hero. I'm sure if you took the IWC in 10 years, there would be an awful lot more hate from people who never saw Austin in his prime and who do find his whole routine boring, but for now Austin remains untouchable.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

This place is dead for a WrestleMania weekend and I'm bored to fuck.

So as an avid Hulkamaniac, and a pretty vocal one at that, I have been the victim over the years of simply being a Hulk Hogan apologist.

I honestly thought it was a new thing. I was sure you were in the Hogan is Shit club with me until about 18 months ago. I figured you'd just remembered that you liked him as child so he couldn't be all bad.

Being a Hogan fan, pretty much is the kiss of death of being a member of a wrestling board.

That is where you're wrong. Times are a changin'. People are turning on the indy stuff, the Shelton Benjamins and the general overrated these days.

Why might you ask, well simple, because Hogan SuKs n OnLy NKws 5 muvs n Stff.

I'm sure he knows plenty.

For years I've read this nonsensical dribble, and always thought to myself, why in the hell does Steve Austin get a free pass from criticism.

Really?

Look around the internet, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone willing to go out of their way to bash the rattlesnake, and I ask, why.

That is true, but he's one of the only wrestlers like that who I don't feel is overrated.

We here it all the time, Hogan and Cena and their five moves of doom.

Not anymore with Cena you don't. Not much anyway.

I ask you, when Steve Austin was at his hottest, was he any different.

Yeah, he was intresting. Cena isn't and you were a child when you started watching Hogan.

You want to sum up a Steve Austin moveset during his prime of 98-99, I'll sum it up for you, Punch, Kick, Lou Thesz Press, Middle Finger, Stunner.

Chairshot. It's official, he has 6 moves.

Pretty much does it all.

Yeah, but he was wrestling Mick Foley. Something that Cena & Hogan never really did. We all know how awesome Foley is.

Steve Austin, after his neck injury, became a five trick pony just like everyone else that gets criticized,

Most wrestlers really only have 5 moves that you can remember. If anybody states a big long list then they're just nitpicking.

yet the Rattlesnake is above praise for doing the same exact thing.

It's because he was part of intresting angles. Cena really isn't and when Hogan was around he didn't really need them.

Oh, of course, Austin was a great technical wrestler, and I won't deny that before the neck injury.

Arm injury, Shocky. Arm injury. He wasn't much good in ECW and as The Ringmaster now was he.

But when people point to how great say an Andre or a Hogan were in Japan, it's often laughed at and dismissed, why?

Hogan was great, I'm yet to bother looking up Andre more than once. What I saw was abysmal.

I am an avid critic of Triple H,

Rightfully so.

most on here are critics of Hulk Hogan.

Not really a critic, I'm just not a fan.

Shawn Michaels has gotten his fair share as well,

But he's so boring.

yet Steve Austin has become the forgotten figure of backstage politics, why?

It's the Triple H hater effect, we only talk about things we see.

Steve Austin has destroyed the potential pushes of people that he thought was beneath him during his prime.

Beneath him is the key word here.

Kevin Kelly on these very forums spoke about the Main Event of Wrestlemania 15, and how Steve Austin blocked Mick Foley, a man that has given more to this business then almost anyone ever has,

Apart from a really catch T-Shirt slogan.

because Austin didn't want to share the spotlight, and didn't want to split the pay day.

I don't see the point in multi man Mania main events. Seems me and Austin think alike.

Later in that same year when the WWE was trying to build up newer stars, the politicking came out again.

Tell me more.

Billy Gunn was in the middle of a push, and creative was pushing hard for him to work a program with Steve Austin, yet Austin felt that gun was beneath him.

There's a moral here. I think it might be something to do with Austin being right.

Austin only wanted to work with established stars, hence why for the majority of Austin's main run threw 98-99, we got to see pretty much Austin vs. Foley, Undertaker, and McMahon, with a little of the Rock thrown in at the end, that's it. Why? Because Austin felt everyone else was beneath him.

They were though.

Fast forward just a few months later, and Vince Russo was pushing for Jeff Jarrett to be in the main event. But for some reason, Steve Austin vetoed that as well.

Because he was a career mid carder, maybe. He'd hardly shown any potential to be a headline act in the 10 years so so he'd been wrestling.

Why would a man like Steve Austin be afraid of being in a match with Jeff Jarrett, a former 6 time Intercontinental Champion at that point, petiness, that's why.

Maybe because it was beneath him. Undertaker should have put him over.

Steve Austin worked for Jeff Jarretts father in Memphis, a man that pushed Steve Austin like no other. What happened, While Austin was paying his do's in the business, he became jealous that the owners son was living a life better then his.

Where did he find the money for TNA?

God forbid that a person with the last name of Jarrett was more over in a territory that Austin wasn't established in yet.

He who laughs last, laughs loudest.

So what happens, Steve Austin sees an opportunity to screw Jarrett out of the Main Event spotlight and pay day, and vetoes this maneuver by creative.

The Rock could've put him over. Just like he did Billy Gunn & The Hurricane.

This ultimately led to Double J and Russo leaving the company.

Russo was leaving anyway and it probably worked out better for Double J. Every cloud and all that.

Then we get to Austin being injured, leaving the company, and he came back with some spots of brilliance, I won't deny that.

The more this goes on the more I lose intrest in Austin.

His match with Triple H at No Way Out 2001 was the best of his career post neck injury,

I prefer his match with The Rock at Mania.

but then you get to 2002 and Steve Austin begins to show his ass.

He should have teamed with Billy Gunn to get him over. I'd have called them Whoop Ass.

After disagreeing over the planned finish with Hulk Hogan at Mania,

That match that didn't happen?

Steve Austin no showed, I repeat, no showed the Raw after Mania.

Oh well, he didn't used to wrestle on post PPV Raw's anyway.

That's right, one of the highest rated Raws of the year traditionally,

He wasn't needed really was he.

and Austin no showed because he thought he was being treated right, even though he was supposed to have the match with Hogan in the first place.

Was Kevin Nash injured, I can't remember. That would've been a better match.

So Steve Austin bales on a scheduled appearance.

He was in character.

Austin comes back, and is put in a big feud with both the Undertaker, and Ric Flair, pretty much getting everything he asked for.

It wasn't very good.

The WWE brings back Eddie Guerrero to the company, to feud with Steve Austin.

I think they just bought him back because he was clean.

Mr. Veto is at it again, and decides that he is too big of a star to feud with the likes of an Eddie Guerrero.

He was.

Fast Forward yet another month, and a red hot rookie by the name of Brock Lesnar is set to get the push of a lifetime.

I think it's rewind not fast forward.

Creative yet again comes to Austin asking him to do the job, but Mr. Veto himself blocks this move yet again.

You can't say this wasn't one of his better ideas.

Brock Lesnar would go on to get the rub from guy slike Hogan, Flair, Rock, and the Undertaker,

The rub off The Undertaker? That was some serious HHH shit right there.

yet Steve Austin was somehow too good to do his job.

Too good to job on RAW. Cena needs to adopt that stance.

So you know what happens, Steve Austin no showed raw, for the 2nd time in 2 months. That is criminal.

Have you never pulled a sickie?

So why does Steve Austin get a free pass where others like Hogan or Triple H get bashed repeatedly?

'Cus he's better than both, is my guess.

People can name you guys that Hogan gave the rub too,

Vote Beefcake.

Triple H has at least made Batista look good in the ring.

Those matches were shit and you won't be saying that when Triple H get's his revenge in feud number two.

So I ask you, who in the hell has Stone Cold Steve Austin ever made to look good besides an established star in the ring.

Debra.

What young up and comer did Steve Austin go out of his way for and make look good?

Billy Gunn. The Rock was better at selling that Austin ever was.

Steve Austin walked out of the company, not once, but twice.

He also only had one or two more matches.

The Ultimate Warrior to this day gets crucified by the IWC for holding McMahon hostage at Summerslam in 1991,

Nobody talks about that. He also doesn't like gays you know.

the IWC crucifies Jeff Jarrett for "Holding Hostage" the WWF for 300,000 for his out of contract IC title match with Chyna at No Mercy 1999.

250,000, I'm notpicking now.

Sounds like Mr. Veto screwed over somebody who's a bit of an aresehole.

Christian was out of contract in 2005, he showed up at Cyber Sunday for free. That match with Chyna looked like fun anyhow.

The difference being, Warrior and Jarrett still showed up,

For a fee. Austin did a fan signing two years a go for free after the promoter did a runner. Cool guy.

Steve Austin left everyone hanging, and failed the company and it's fans.

I'm still angry that nobody cut short Cena & HBK in London so I could see Orton vs. Edge.

Why does this man get a free pass?

Because more people can relate to him.

Steve Austin and his promos sucked.

Better than Cena's.

All the time you hear about guys rambling on, making no sense, cutting shit promos.

Orton is soooooooo dull.

Steve Austin was the king of shit promos.

Fans at them up, like Hogan.

The guy couldn't go more then a sentence without uttering the word ass, or hell, and when things got real tough, he'd flip the camera off.

It's why people prefer the Attitude Era to any other time in wrestling.

Way to go Steve, king of cheap heat.

Wait till TNA start having Brutus Magus call everybody a ''caant''.

So why does Steve Austin get a free pass when it comes to his piss poor mic work?

Because shit promos make cool shirts.

The guy made a career out of uttering blasphemy, yet he gets a free pass, why?

Because he's like verybody else. Except rich and muscular.

You read it all the time about people bashing wrestlers for what happens in their personal lives.

Booker T should still be in jail imo.

Bret Hart was a miserable family man,

The Harts never invited me round for tea.

Shawn Michaels was an asshole,

I object to the religious side of him more.

the Hogan family is screwed up.

Brooke seems well adjusted.

Yet Steve Austin is a wife beater, and he gets nothing for it.

Geeze Louise, it was the Attitude Era.

Hulk Hogan gets crucified for trying to consul his son in a private setting in what was supposed to be a private conversation between a son and a father, yet is recorded and exposed publically.

Yeah, and while we're at it that was an intimate moment between Chyna and X-Pac.

Hogan gets shit on all the time for that,

I've never seen it bought up.

yet Steve Austin gets nothing for beating his wife?

If Debra was attractive I'd have a real issue with it.

Why does Steve Austin get a free pass for being a 225 pound man that beats up his 120 pound wife?

Silicone is heavy as fuck. Add about 50lbs onto that 120 mister.

So I ask you, the IWC, the supporters of Austin 3:16, on the Weekend he is immortalized into the WWE Hall of Fame, why in the hell is it okay to bash every single other wrestler for what they do,

Because Orton is boring, HBK is boring, Triple H isn't feuding with THE Brian Kendrick and Chris Jericho is having a match against three old people.

yet everyone seemingly turns a blind eye to Stone Cold Steve Austin and his history of politicking behind the scenes and personal issues?

If only Hogan kept out of the spotlight. I blame Hogan Knows Best.

Why is it that everyone seems to turn a blind eye to this man, and criticize everyone else?

This post almost has as many question marks as a Y 2 Jake post.

Why does Steve Austin get a free pass when clearly he is a man that doesn't deserve it?

Probably because his status was cemented in 2003 and he hasn't done anything outside of wrestling to really mess with it since. Maybe.

 

[Andres_cena]

You want an answer i'll give it to you, its simply because 90% of the internet wrestling community loves, misses, and will always be comparing with today's wrestling the attitude era, they just can't accept the fact that attitude era is gone and it won't ever come back the same way with the same characters, all the IWC wants is to have the glass breaking and "if you smell..." characters all over again with lots of "kiss my ass" clubs, girls dancing almost naked and guys attacking girls, and of course, swearing. Yes, they call that "the greatest era of wrestling". I've learned from around 2 years of being in here than there's no way these guys will be happy, they'll bash everyone but Rock/Austin/Foley or attitude era stars. Steve austin was the main star of the attitude era so there's no way he's gonna get bashed/blamed/hated for anything.. Its simply said hulkamaniacs with access to internet in the 80's. There's no way he's gonna be hated by them because steve austin made them love wrestling and now that we have new stars they just can't get used to it, If you take a close look at it, its not so different recently than what we would've seen back then.. Orton attacking Stephanie, kicking Mcmahon in the head and Triple H beating him at his own house plus Jericho giving a brutal beat down to a 60~ year old man is attitude'ish, yet you don't see 1000 posts saying "OMFG OMFG ORTON KICKED THE BOSS!" as you would've seen if austin would've gave him a stunner. Yes, austin doesn't get blamed because internet wrestling society is just attitude era fanboys that will never..ever.. EEEEEVER get used to the new guys.

 

[FallenAngelV2]

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin and his move set: We here it all the time, Hogan and Cena and their five moves of doom. I ask you, when Steve Austin was at his hottest, was he any different. You want to sum up a Steve Austin moveset during his prime of 98-99, I'll sum it up for you, Punch, Kick, Lou Thesz Press, Middle Finger, Stunner. Pretty much does it all. Steve Austin, after his neck injury, became a five trick pony just like everyone else that gets criticized, yet the Rattlesnake is above praise for doing the same exact thing. Oh, of course, Austin was a great technical wrestler, and I won't deny that before the neck injury. But when people point to how great say an Andre or a Hogan were in Japan, it's often laughed at and dismissed, why?

2. Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Politician and ruiner of careers.: I am an avid critic of Triple H, most on here are critics of Hulk Hogan. Shawn Michaels has gotten his fair share as well, yet Steve Austin has become the forgotten figure of backstage politics, why?

Steve Austin has destroyed the potential pushes of people that he thought was beneath him during his prime. Kevin Kelly on these very forums spoke about the Main Event of Wrestlemania 15, and how Steve Austin blocked Mick Foley, a man that has given more to this business then almost anyone ever has, because Austin didn't want to share the spotlight, and didn't want to split the pay day.

Later in that same year when the WWE was trying to build up newer stars, the politicking came out again. Billy Gunn was in the middle of a push, and creative was pushing hard for him to work a program with Steve Austin, yet Austin felt that gun was beneath him. Austin only wanted to work with established stars, hence why for the majority of Austin's main run threw 98-99, we got to see pretty much Austin vs. Foley, Undertaker, and McMahon, with a little of the Rock thrown in at the end, that's it. Why? Because Austin felt everyone else was beneath him.

Fast forward just a few months later, and Vince Russo was pushing for Jeff Jarrett to be in the main event. But for some reason, Steve Austin vetoed that as well. Why would a man like Steve Austin be afraid of being in a match with Jeff Jarrett, a former 6 time Intercontinental Champion at that point, petiness, that's why. Steve Austin worked for Jeff Jarretts father in Memphis, a man that pushed Steve Austin like no other. What happened, While Austin was paying his do's in the business, he became jealous that the owners son was living a life better then his. God forbid that a person with the last name of Jarrett was more over in a territory that Austin wasn't established in yet. So what happens, Steve Austin sees an opportunity to screw Jarrett out of the Main Event spotlight and pay day, and vetoes this maneuver by creative. This ultimately led to Double J and Russo leaving the company.

Then we get to Austin being injured, leaving the company, and he came back with some spots of brilliance, I won't deny that. His match with Triple H at No Way Out 2001 was the best of his career post neck injury, but then you get to 2002 and Steve Austin begins to show his ass. After disagreeing over the planned finish with Hulk Hogan at Mania, Steve Austin no showed, I repeat, no showed the Raw after Mania. That's right, one of the highest rated Raws of the year traditionally, and Austin no showed because he thought he was being treated right, even though he was supposed to have the match with Hogan in the first place. So Steve Austin bales on a scheduled appearance.

Austin comes back, and is put in a big feud with both the Undertaker, and Ric Flair, pretty much getting everything he asked for. The WWE brings back Eddie Guerrero to the company, to feud with Steve Austin. Mr. Veto is at it again, and decides that he is too big of a star to feud with the likes of an Eddie Guerrero.

Fast Forward yet another month, and a red hot rookie by the name of Brock Lesnar is set to get the push of a lifetime. Creative yet again comes to Austin asking him to do the job, but Mr. Veto himself blocks this move yet again. Brock Lesnar would go on to get the rub from guy slike Hogan, Flair, Rock, and the Undertaker, yet Steve Austin was somehow too good to do his job. So you know what happens, Steve Austin no showed raw, for the 2nd time in 2 months. That is criminal.

So why does Steve Austin get a free pass where others like Hogan or Triple H get bashed repeatedly? People can name you guys that Hogan gave the rub too, hell, Triple H has at least made Batista look good in the ring. So I ask you, who in the hell has Stone Cold Steve Austin ever made to look good besides an established star in the ring. What young up and comer did Steve Austin go out of his way for and make look good?

Steve Austin walked out of the company, not once, but twice. The Ultimate Warrior to this day gets crucified by the IWC for holding McMahon hostage at Summerslam in 1991, the IWC crucifies Jeff Jarrett for "Holding Hostage" the WWF for 300,000 for his out of contract IC title match with Chyna at No Mercy 1999. The difference being, Warrior and Jarrett still showed up, Steve Austin left everyone hanging, and failed the company and it's fans. Why does this man get a free pass?

3. Stone Cold Steve Austin, the one trick Ass, I mean pony: Pretty much the name says it all. Steve Austin and his promos sucked. All the time you hear about guys rambling on, making no sense, cutting shit promos. Steve Austin was the king of shit promos. The guy couldn't go more then a sentence without uttering the word ass, or hell, and when things got real tough, he'd flip the camera off. Way to go Steve, king of cheap heat. So why does Steve Austin get a free pass when it comes to his piss poor mic work? The guy made a career out of uttering blasphemy, yet he gets a free pass, why?

4. Stone Cold Steve Austin, a miserable human being: You read it all the time about people bashing wrestlers for what happens in their personal lives. Bret Hart was a miserable family man, Shawn Michaels was an asshole, the Hogan family is screwed up. Yet Steve Austin is a wife beater, and he gets nothing for it. Hulk Hogan gets crucified for trying to consul his son in a private setting in what was supposed to be a private conversation between a son and a father, yet is recorded and exposed publically. Hogan gets shit on all the time for that, yet Steve Austin gets nothing for beating his wife? Why does Steve Austin get a free pass for being a 225 pound man that beats up his 120 pound wife?

Ok, buddy, you do make a few decent points. I agree that everybody seems to forget about Austin's personal issues in 2002. Of course it was wrong for Steve to hit Debra. I think a lot of people simply like to ignore wrestler's personal live and just acknowledge what they see from them from 9-11 P every Monday. If this was done fairly to people like Hogan, then it wouldn't be a big deal. I can realize that an actor like Christian Bale is a freaking psychopath, but still enjoy his acting on screen. So I think you got a point on that.

As far as Austin's politicing, sure he didn't want to put work with Jarrett, but come on! Was Jarrett even in Austin's ballpark, let alone league at that time. That would have been like a demotion if you ask me. I have never heard of the Billy Gunn issue, so I am not going to comment on or acknowledge it. As far as Wrestlemania XV, it was not Austin that didn't want Foley in the match. If you have read Foley's book, Foley is Good, he talks about the original idea for a triple threat match featuring Rock, Austin and Foley, being changed due to HBK getting in McMahon's ear about how the main event at a wrestlemania should always be one-on-one (ironic, since HBK competed in the first triple threat world title match in mania history). That is why Foley was not featured. On to 2002, sure Austin was acting a little like a brat that year. But I think he was going through some serious mental issues stemming from the fact that he knew his career was almost over. Imagine how you would feel and react if you has busted your ass for 10 years to become a star and then had your reign on top cut short by a failing neck. Sure he handled it wrongly and that shouldn't be forgotten, but I can sympathise with why he acted that way. Oh, and while he didn't want to put over Brock, Austin asked to face Guerrero, not the other way around. Steve was tired of facing guys like Big Show and wanted someone like Eddie with a great work ethic.

As far as your other arguments, his "shit" promos, as you described them, is your opinion and is clearly not an opinion held by the fans who love Austin. I for one thought he had some great promos and some not-so-great promos. And for the love of god, would everybody in the IWC stop nitpicking these guys' moveset. Cena, Hogan, Austin, to a lesser extent The Rock, all have/had much larger movesets than you saw on a regular basis. I mean, lets face it, you're not going to see a every move a wrestler does in every match.

There's my rebuttal to your arguments. And that came from a guy who on the whole was not a big Austin fan, even during the height of the Attittude era. I was always more of a Rock fan.

 

[KoffinMade4_2]

one word.. ATTITUDE. he changed this sport when hogan tried destroying it. hogan was a sellout just like the rock. which brings me to who he helped push. THE GREAT ONE! and the olympic gold medalist. he helped create both of them

Correct me if I'm wrong. If The Rock is a sellout for going to JUST movies, why does Austin get a FREE PASS for on his induction speech to the HALL OF FAME say that he is only doing MOVIES. Thank you, come again.

 

[snowdogg438]

Austin doesn't get a free pass for saying he's just doing movies, however based on the fact the Austin physically can't get back into the ring to wrestle, I'm ok with the statement. The Rock however is perfectly healthy and has no excuse for not going back to what made him a household name. If wrestling was good enough for his father and grandfather why is he now too good for it?

And strangely enough I will now defend both Hogan and Austin, but I will point out my dislike for both of them. For those of you that say Hogan never gave more then a 5 move match you have to look no further then Hogan vs. Flair from 1994 in WCW I don't remember the ppv but it was a cage match for the world title and Hogan mat wrestles Flair in a very impressive showing, As far as Austin and saying that after his neck injury he didn't wrestle more then a five move match look at 2001 going into king of the ring to defend the title against Benoit and Jericho, on Raw and Smackdown he faced each man one on one and wrestled each for nearly 45 minutes in two of the greatest technical matches I can remember.

And for those of you that keep bringing up the Benoit tragedy to make points, let it go. We were all disgusted by it, but the way I see it, the man that commited those crimes was Chris Benoit the man, not Chris Benoit the entertainer. I can seperate the two.

 

[KoffinMade4_2]

Austin doesn't get a free pass for saying he's just doing movies, however based on the fact the Austin physically can't get back into the ring to wrestle, I'm ok with the statement. The Rock however is perfectly healthy and has no excuse for not going back to what made him a household name. If wrestling was good enough for his father and grandfather why is he now too good for it?

No excuse? He's trying to make it in the movie business. He already gets slammed by critics for having been a wrestler. If he kept going back he would be nothing more than a joke (example: HOGAN). He recognized that. The man put just as much effort into the business as anyone else. Made JUST as much money as any other top draw. You can't fault the man for being career savvy, and if you do you might as well fault McMahon for every business decision he's ever made.

 

[snowdogg438]

You're right I can't fault the man for being career savvy. My issue with the Rock isn't that he is making movies, my issue is the fact that you used his father and grandfather's names to get himself into the business, used the wwf/e and the fan to get popular and to make himself a star, and then turrned his back on everything in his past to make bad movies. Have you seen a Rock movie? The Rock plays the Rock in every movies. I would simply like Dwayne Johnson to realize that being a wrestler is the only reason he is where he is and to get over the whole wrestling would kill my career.

 

[wolvdog316]

I don't mind Rock doing movies. Who can turn down 10-20 million and not be hurt 350 days a year.

Just don't act like I'm fucking stupid. Don't piss on my leg and tell me its raining. And don't tell me you give a crap about this business cause you don't.

Those that LOVE this business can't leave it. Hogan, Flair, Austin, HBK, Taker, HHH. They just can't. And what do you know, your talking about 5 of probably the top 10 wrestlers of all time.

Don't tell me you miss the rush, cause you don't. Don't tell me you miss the fans, cause you don't

Just be a man, tell me you got tired of wrestling, you wanted to be an actor and now you don't have to work 350 days a year. Just....be honest

Now onto Austin, sorry but you can take your hate somewhere else. The man sold more in a 3-4 year window than ANYBODY in this business. He worked with a hurt neck, hurt knee's, he jobbed enough early in his career.

Yeah it sucks he might have acted like a dick to a few, but so what. When YOU reach the pinnacle of your profession, when you can say you are bonafide no doubt #1 at what you do in the WORLD, then lets see what power you abuse

 

[ChrisKessaris]

I think you're being a little bit unrealistic with this post.

Austin didn't want to work with Jarrett because he didn't feel like it would be a hot angle. He just figured that a guy fresh off a Feud with a woman and D-Lo Brown wouldn't generate enough buys. Plus nobody in WWE every felt Jarrett was a true blue Main-Event Player sans Russo and Ferrara. And they all jumped ship simultaneously. It wasn't just Austin but everyone involved.

As for the Brock Lesnar deal, Austin felt like that could have been a GREAT ppv match and would have had no problem putting him over with some build up. But to have a big up and comer destroy the biggest star in company history on free TV with no build up would squander any future earnings the company could generate off that blockbuster of a match. What was happening here was that McMahon was doing the same thing he did with Hogan in 1991-93 and Bret Hart in 97. Austin wasn't nearly as hot as he once was in 2002 and he'll even admit it. So McMahon didn't care anymore because Austin wasn't making him as much money or selling as much merchandise anymore. So Austin said no and walked out. Add on the fact that the guy couldn't really go anymore and there is your result. He wasn't being a baby and refusing to job. He refused to job because it wasn't good business...which happens a lot in wrestling in case you didn't know.

As for everything else...hell, if I were the #1 babyface during the biggest boom in wrestling history, I'd want to protect my character as much as possible too. Hogan did it. Andre did it, Sting did it, Michaels DEFINITELY did it, even Bret Hart is guilty of it. It's the truth, you can't stay on top working with ALL mid card talent.

As for the Mick Foley thing at WM15. Well, again, you have the top babyface going against the corporation. Austin helped Foley win the title and then he had a see saw run with the rock that saw foley getting 2 reigns and rock with 3. And since Austin was OBVIOUSLY the Main-Event at Mania as the babyface it wouldn't make any sense to put another babyface in the ring against 1 heel. And it wouldn't help if #2 face was the referee in the match because then it's an obvious bias (like Jericho vs Batista at Cyber Sunday with Austin as the ref).

Consider this as well. With Austin on top, everyone was making more money because he made the business so hot. Just like Hogan in the 80's, house shows were up, revenue was up. All because the top star was hotter than the sun. You don't tamper with your star when he's making you that much money. If your bread and butter says no and you can't afford to lose him, then you need to give in. So do I think Austin was an unreasonable politician? No, he was a politician just like everyone else, but in the end, the rock came up during his era, triple h came up during his era. Considering that Hogan was on top for 9 years and only 3 guys emerged as future players (taker, hart and warrior), and Austin was on top from 98-01 with a year off in 00 for a broken neck, I'd say he was a pretty good businessman.

 

[Mitchguy]

I don't mind Rock doing movies. Who can turn down 10-20 million and not be hurt 350 days a year.

Just don't act like I'm fucking stupid. Don't piss on my leg and tell me its raining. And don't tell me you give a crap about this business cause you don't.

Those that LOVE this business can't leave it. Hogan, Flair, Austin, HBK, Taker, HHH. They just can't. And what do you know, your talking about 5 of probably the top 10 wrestlers of all time.

Don't tell me you miss the rush, cause you don't. Don't tell me you miss the fans, cause you don't

Just be a man, tell me you got tired of wrestling, you wanted to be an actor and now you don't have to work 350 days a year. Just....be honest

Honestly, I get so sick of the whiny marks saying "Rock doesn't care about the business". Let's face it, wrestling is a low brow, carny, scam, that people in the mainstream will always look down upon. If anyone wants to be taken seriously outside of it, they have to get away from Vince McMahon. Hence the reason Foley put out two books without the WWE.

Why should Rock have stayed? So that his body could fall apart and they could tro him out once in a while to get the nostalgia pop? The Rock went out at the top of his game, but that's never enough for wrestling fans is it? We want every last drop and then a few more. The reason that Rock left for Hollywood is because he's one of the very few guys in the business who could make it as an actor. Everyone acts like all he wanted the whole time was to be a movie star and his heart was never in wrestling. Well until he started acting in movies, he never brought it up. It's really easy to tear someone down and be pissed off at them when you can put the words in his mouth and the thoughts in his head.

You don't know what he was thinking. None of you do. So stop pretending that you know for a fact that he was planning to leave all along. He saw an oppertunity to make more money, to challenge himself creatively, and to spare his body all of the deterioration. Perhaps the thought of all of the stars of the '80's he grew up around being forced to wrestle in two bit flea markets just to pay the bills once Vince McMahon had no more use for them. Maybe that had something to do with his decision.

The fact is, people who can "never leave pro wrestling" the people who "really love it" as so many carny marks like to parrott, are simply people who didn't have anything else to do. Ric Flair's investment company failed in under a year, back to wrestling. Mick Foley has had some decent success as a writer, but it doesn't pay the bills enough, back to wrestling. There are a million other examples.

Then there are the ones who did get out. The Godfather left wrestling to manage night clubs. Hasn't looked back except for an appearance or two. And yet nobody brings that up. It's because we've become conditioned to believe that if someone isn't willing to die for the business, they don't really care about it. And that's because the man who runs the business would pull out a gun and shoot himself on live PPV if it was good for business.

Frankly, I don't blame Rock for getting out of the business in one piece. These days there are a lot of guys whose only escape is a pine box, and that's a tragedy. You'd have to be sick in the head to stick around in wrestling after reaching the top, when Hollywood is knocking down your door. And coming back would make you even sicker.

There, that's what I think about that.

Now let's get back on topic. Austin and Hogan are both miserable human beings, mostly crippled, and now in the Hall of Fame. If only the Rock had stuck around, he could be miserable and crippled too.

 

[rk-owned2009]

Bruh, your an idiot... i think a lot of people bash Hogan for him coming off as somebody that just does shit for the money, he lefts WWF for WCW for more money, went to TNA I dont even think he wrestled and came back to the WWE... for more money. With Hogan I think a lot of people don't believe he really loves the business. Me for one things the last five years or so was to feed his ex-wifes money spending habit. i just dont believe he loves the business like Austin does.

Austin was responsible for the whole Attitude Era and everything worked, but now you look at it and the main guy which is Cena does nothing new and innovative and I think that a lot of people get rubbed wrong by Cena's five knuckle shuffle and f-u or stfu or attitude adjustment and stf because his main purpose is to be a role model for the kids where is the head guy for the adults? thats what Austin was and is every time he comes back, getting off the subject i think this PG rating bullshit is going to draw more kids yes but lose adults...

But people don't give Austin shit because he is real, he loves the business and he defined the Attitude Era which most of the people in this forum grew up on!

 

[attitude_hero]

one reason..he is the reason why a lot of us watch wrestling and care about the wrestling industry...wrestlemania 25 wouldnt be in a football stadium if it wasnt for austin

 

[KoffinMade4_2]

You're right I can't fault the man for being career savvy. My issue with the Rock isn't that he is making movies, my issue is the fact that you used his father and grandfather's names to get himself into the business, used the wwf/e and the fan to get popular and to make himself a star, and then turrned his back on everything in his past to make bad movies. Have you seen a Rock movie? The Rock plays the Rock in every movies. I would simply like Dwayne Johnson to realize that being a wrestler is the only reason he is where he is and to get over the whole wrestling would kill my career.

Dude, that may have been true when he was contracted to WWE films, but since Southland Tales, it's just not true sir.

 

[ChrisKessaris]

Stone Cold should be in the Hall of Fame. A guy who went crazy and killed his family and himself should not be in the Hall of Fame. Chris Benoit when alive was always my favorite wrestler. But he should not be getting any kind of honors for what he did because it was such a horrible thing and I don't think fans who want him inducted understand that fully. He was so great and people loved him because of that. But he turned his back on everyone remember. It was he who took his life when he had it all. Sure he lost a few dear friends along the way, but we all do. Bret Hart lost a brother and he didn't go crazy and kill anyone. I think Benoit should not be edited out of DVD's and WWE 24/7, thats where he needs to stay. However, I hope WWE never does a tasteless move and inducts him...and I don't think they are either.

 

[titans]

I have the utmost respect for Steve Austin's in-ring ability....What takes away from his legend (to many btw) is his deplorable attitude and selfishness....It's true that Austin walked off shows three times and refused to job cleanly on multiple occasions....McMahon is partly to blame for this imo since he's put Austin on a higher pedastal than everyone else and is only concerned about the draw....Austin's domestic violence issues really cemented him as a coward in my book.

 

[Kid A]

lmao @ his 5 moves. i do agree Steve Austin's move-set was pretty limited. but there are those few characters that could sell those few moves that had. i dont think it was really that evident to me until the match with Bret Hart at Wrestlemania..i think it was either 10 or 13, i forget which one..but i remember it was an Iron Man match so no pin and Austin was scrounging for anything to do. bringing out old boston crabs and basically unable to really find any balance in moves, he of course lost the match...

anything beyond that tho pales in comparison to his persona and overall how he controlled his feuds. he had emotional control over Vince and his other nemesis' and he physically dominated them with a raw and brute style that was always unforgiving. it gave you the feeling of a true street fight in the ring with Steve was out there...he def had a limited move-set and whatever happens in life happens..you dont always hear about it..had no idea of the beating or the politics...