Tweet
Yes, Austin was injured for like 8 or 12 months or whatever and things held up with Rock on top. But larry's argument is this:
When Austin came back, they immediately went back to him as the top guy (which is telling) and he kept drawing huge until they turned him heel and gave the ball the Rock. That heel turn was the end of the boom. They tried to turn Austin back but it was too late. The damage was done.
The entire build of that match, the writing was on the wall. Austin was getting bigger reactions, people were booing Rock, and they were taking anti Rock crowd signs away from fans. But Austin & Vince were convinced the heel turn would work. They were wrong.
I can accept an argument for Hogan, and if you want to go way back to pre TV we can talk about some other guys, but as far as the modern era there is Hogan and there is Austin. Rock would probably be third, a shade ahead of Cena. (EDIT- i'm talking Hogan era until today, obviously. Bruno obviously blows away Rock or Cena, and depending what measures you want to use, challenges Hogan and even Austin)
There is no doubt that Austin was the spark that set it off, the fact the boom started with his push and ended when his babyface run ended is clear and obvious evidence, and that's without digging up the numbers that I can't dig up at the moment because im busy, but that that m'fer larry is going to troll me into doing anyway lol. Fuckin larry.
You have nothing to quantify it by...there is nothing substantial outside of t-shirt sales that really claim Austin to being the reason for the biggest boom in wrestling. Business boomed for EVERYONE during the same era Austin had the ball.
The entire build of that match, the writing was on the wall. Austin was getting bigger reactions, people were booing Rock, and they were taking anti Rock crowd signs away from fans. But Austin & Vince were convinced the heel turn would work. They were wrong.
In Torch #634 from Dec 30th 2000, Wade Keller wrote about the year that both Rock and Triple H had in 2000 - "Both had awesome years, although neither accomplished what Steve Austin did a couple of years ago. Austin led the rise of the WWF past WCW in the ratings race, then the revenue race, and eventually every category that existed..Triple H and Rock have Austin to thank for setting the stage."
In Torch #648 from April 7th 2001, discussing the build to Mania 17, Wade Keller said that Stone Cold was more popular than Rock leading to Mania 17 "Austin, despite a relatively uninspired series of babyface promos leading up to WrestleMania, seemed to have more babyface appeal than Rock. In their pre-WM staredowns and confrontations, Austin has been getting more cheers."
In the March 26th 2001 Observer Dave pointed out the negative reaction Rock was receiving in his confrontations with Austin "Rock was booed both nights at TV this week when confronting Austin." and also "Rock hit Regal with the belt and cleaned house on Benoit before giving Austin the rock bottom...Fans pretty much booed Rock for doing so, which was not the desired reaction."
In the same issue, he also gave further evidence of the fans choosing Austin over Rock in the lead up to Mania 17- "Other notes from Albany.. They were confiscating signs like crazy at the show.... (tons of negative Rock signs because he's doing a program with Austin all over the building, all of which were attempted to be confiscated but even so, many made the air......Rock was booed when confronting Austin, which is not the reaction expected.since they started teasing the Austin turn already.......Crowd chanted for Rock and Austin when they squared off, but the Austin chants totally overpowered the Rock chants.. All the "Rocky sucks" signs were being confiscated again..
In Torch #663 from July 28th 2001 Wade Keller described Austin as "the most popular wrestler of all time."
In the September 2nd 2002 Observer, Dave once again put Stone Cold above The Rock as the real star of the Attitude Era when he said - "Steve Austin (biggest star during wrestling's most financially successful era and best merchandise seller ever)"
Also in the September 2nd 2002 Observer, Dave again discussed the crowd reaction to Austin and Rock leading up to Mania 17, not only Rock getting booed at the event, but also specifically stating that the WWF fans in general were more in favour of Austin than the Rock in the build up to the PPV aswell. He also described Austin's popularity as "Unique" and something that transcended usual or traditional wrestling rules -"in the build-up angles around the country it was clear the fans had gone in choosing Austin,who WWE had decided ahead of time would be turning heel (the idea the crowd would want the younger guy to finally take the top spot, which usually is the right way of thinking, but Austin's popularity was something unique)"
Also in the September 2nd 2002 Observer, Dave again discussed the crowd reaction to Austin and Rock leading up to Mania 17, not only Rock getting booed at the event, but also specifically stating that the WWF fans in general were more in favour of Austin than the Rock in the build up to the PPV aswell. He also described Austin's popularity as "Unique" and something that transcended usual or traditional wrestling rules -"in the build-up angles around the country it was clear the fans had gone in choosing Austin,who WWE had decided ahead of time would be turning heel (the idea the crowd would want the younger guy to finally take the top spot, which usually is the right way of thinking, but Austin's popularity was something unique)"
In the 14th February 2005 Observer Dave restated the fact that fans chose Austin over Rock in 2001 in the build to Mania 17: "It was clear in their confrontations before the show that fans wanted Austin as the face and Rock as the heel. The company had its plans however. Austin thought he'd gone as far as a face as he could and needed to be refreshed...The idea of Austin and McMahon joining after their years of feuding sounded like a fresh approach, but was a giant miscalculation…."
In the February 27th 2012 Observer, Meltzer penned an article on the biggest draws in history and while he conceded that Austin's longevity on top did not match several others like Hogan, Flair, Bruno or Londos amongst others, Meltzer once again stated "Steve Austin at his peak was the biggest drawing card in pro wrestling history."
There is no doubt that Austin was the spark that set it off, the fact the boom started with his push and ended when his babyface run ended is clear and obvious evidence, and that's without digging up the numbers that I can't dig up at the moment because im busy, but that that m'fer larry is going to troll me into doing anyway lol. Fuckin larry.
Comment