Corner To Corner: Analyzing Austin

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

Do you ever wonder what would happen if every time somebody got successful that the business is just handed to them? Ever wonder what it would be like to be the top man and then to suddenly fall from grace? How would you deal with being the top man in the show and then suddenly being the most underused man in the show? How would you feel about having to go from main events to opening the shows?

 

 

Corner to Corner

 

 

 

Hello again everyone and welcome back to Corner to Corner! I want to give you all an apology for my absense within the past few days. Its good to be back and in the driver seat. So, without further ado, OFF WE GO!

 

 

 

WHAT?!

I read the Stone Cold interview and that's the first thing I said. WHAT?!? Apparently, I was incorrect in my orignal assessment of the Austin Theory. I missed the part where Steve Austin starts believing his own HYPE. Before you go after me in emails, please give me a moment to fully state my case. I'm not going to say that Austin isn't a top draw or anything. I won't say that he couldn't do the job in the ring either. Steve Austin was enertaining to me right up until he left the WWE in June of 2002. I have no problem giving him credit for shouldering a lot of weight in the WWE during the Attitude Era and helping the WWE become the ONLY major promotion on world wide television. No, Steve Austin definitely deserves every ounce of credit for being the top notch performer that he is.

 

 

 

That is, however, where it ends. I don't understand the mentality that these successful wrestlers get when they suddenly become unhappy with their respected companies. For WCW, it was Nash, Goldberg, and Hogan. For WWE, it was Michaels, Hart, Helmsley, and NOW Steve Austin. These guys all, at one point or another, used politics as their excuses for not doing the right things.

 

 

 

It's fine to say that you've done a lot for WWE. In fact, most if not all will agree with you Mr. Austin. Quite honestly, you did so much that I'd have to do a separate column just to list your contributions. The problem Mr. Austin, is that you still WORK FOR VINCE MCMAHON AND WWE. You are not YOUR OWN BOSS. You work for him and therefore, when you're told that you're going to face Brock Lesnar on RAW, you put your ass in that ring and you do your job. I will go ahead and agree with something Bret Hart said awhile back. Wrestlers are treated similar to circus animals. They're trained to do what they're told. Of course, what Bret left out is that these guys that are getting treated like circus animals are making A LOT of money by the time they reach the WWE's main tier.

 

 

 

I'm so sick of seeing people piss and moan because they have to do their jobs. Just what is the deal with that anyway? Folks, I'm sure that most of us have jobs and do what our bosses tell us. That's life. And when we go to heaven? We're still doing what someone else, albeit God, wants us to do. The bottom line, to borrow a phrase, is that from cradle to grave and even the afterlife, we're doing what someone else wants. We are just that type of people. So why can't these successful types just accept that they have to answer to someone? What is the problem with just doing your damn job?

 

 

 

Of course, he talks about Wrestlemania X8 and the match with Scott Hall. Austin insinuated that Hall should not have been at Wrestlemania after only being in the company for three months. Let me offer a correction real quick. Hall had only been BACK in the company for three months. He had been down in WCW prior to that and in WWE PRIOR to his WCW STINT. The bottom line on that is that Hall had already BEEN to Wrestlemania while Steve Austin was still wrestling for WCW as Stunning Steve. You remember that Mr. Austin, WCW was where you were at one point. Of course Austin stated that he had no problem with Hall. I should hope not, since you did in fact get your way at Wrestlemania X8.

 

 

 

He then goes on to complain about having to wrestle Brock Lesnar at RAW. You know, whether he had a point or not about the buildup, that is all secondary. Whether you're HHH, Steve Austin, or Jeff Hardy, you should have one thing in mind when you're in the WWE. You work for Vince and when he sets up a match and tells you to compete, you do what your boss says. How is this any different from the local McDonalds employee who has to man the deep fryer because his manager tells him to? Do not attempt to debate with me that since Austin made Vince so much money he should get special treatment. The deal on that is simple, whether you make a dime or a dollar, everyone in the back should be treated equal and should all do what their boss says. That's how a damn job works.

 

 

 

As far as him being burnt out, I'd imagine he was. For all intents and purposes, he worked BEYOND overtime in HHH and Rock's absense. He put on stellar performances with Kurt Angle, Booker T, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, and even the Hardyz. He had every right to get some time off after Wrestlemania. I will not argue the fact that he needed a break.

 

 

 

Nobody will argue that point because I think it speaks for itself. We can always pull out the videos and chart just how much the man wrestled. The point of my concern, however is his attitude in general. I'm not worried about how much money he made the company. I can respect him for wanting to be careful in the ring following his injuries. I am just trying to figure out how he suddenly feels that the business is in the wrong hands. Hey man, from the fan's perspective, the business is in the same hands it was in before you left. You can't give the business to the boys because the boys seem to be lazy. And don't tell me to step in the ring. I don't have to be a pro to tell you that these guys who are getting on the microphone SUCK. You got Jeff Hardy who sounds like a puberty stricken teen claiming he's going to kick somebody's ass? How the hell does that work? We got Test reading off cue cards because it when it seems he's supposed to adlib he freezes like a deer in the headlights. You look at Triple H now and even he is slacking in his promos. Not only does he ignore the fact that he's a damn heel, but he also tries to be funny too damn much. When I want comedy, I watch Goldust. When I want something credible in the way of a promo or a match I should be comfortable watching Triple H and Chris Jericho. I should be able to count on the top guys to come out and do their damn jobs. Instead, we get these guys who want to complain and do nothing to solve the problems.

 

 

 

The only thing I got from Steve Austin's interview was angry. I got angry because I saw apparently wrestling hasn't learned from it's history. It happened to Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and even Hulk Hogan. When you get too big for your britches, somebody will always be happy to slap you back into place. Whether it's by a screwjob, a suspension, or just plain refusing to have you work, there is always payment for the sin of forgetting who made who. And who really pays for this? We, the fans, do. We pay for it because we lose our stars and we get stuck with people like Helmsley running the show. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

 

 

 

That's what I got for now...See ya Saturday. Thanks for reading.

 

--Stan Grubb--

[Guest Downhome]

Where do you keep finding this horrible examples of "articles"?

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

*yawn* Another bullshit column. Look Austin was right. Sure he wasn't doing his job but what his employer asked of him was stupid. To job to the Next Big Thing with no build-up. Hell they built up Hogan's job to Lesnar and Austin's arguably bigger or just as big as Hogan.

And I'm getting tired of all these stupid people saying "Vince is the boss! When he tells you to do it you do it!" Is that why HHH and UT say no and Vince says "Alright boss. Sorry to dissapoint." Nobody in Austin's position does everything Vince says.

I'm sure getting tired of all these bullshit columns bashing on Austin.

[Guest Tim Cooke]

"Where do you keep finding this horrible examples of "articles"?"

 

That's a mighty fine question.

 

Tim

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

It wasn't that bad of a read.

 

btw, Who the Hell is Stan Grubb and what is "Corner to Corner?"

[Guest mach7]

Wow, that was a horrible "article." It was like reading how cavemen talk... *shudder*

[Guest Mik at Cornell]

Moron. I stopped reading after the circus animal comparison. There's a difference between an animal doign what they're told and Austin realizing better than Vince that fighting Brock Lesnar w/ no buildup on Raw is a stupid idea.

 

Yuna maybe you should stop subscribing to wrestling newsletters that have titles like JOHN'S AWESOME RASSLIN' NEWS.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

I find them at Lords of Pain.net

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Bleh. I've seen idiots in AOHell chats make better arguments than he did.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Well quit going there. Those websites are no better than "BIG BOB'S WRESTLING BONANZA! ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND RUMORS!"

All they do is recycle news from the WON and The Torch. Oh and steal from the Wrestling Observer website and 1-Bob. Oh and there columnist are usually half-coherent morons that like to ramble about nothing.

You want good columns and news? Subscribe to the WON.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

This is one of those sites that only draws people to it by promising many nude divas isn't it? And then all they have are a bunch of pics from the Magazine. Yep those places suck.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

Is WON free? If so..what's the link?

 

Well, Mr. Tito's columns are usually a very entertaining read.

 

This is one of those sites that only draws people to it by promising many nude divas isn't it?

 

Uhhhh....not that I know of...

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

No the WON costs. It's how Dave makes his living. You don't know where to find the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at?

http://www.liveaudiowrestling.com/wo/

It's 11 bucks for 4 issues. Or 28 for 12.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

Heh...can't do it then.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Your 16 right? Get a job. I got one to pay for my wrestling habit and you know...Car Insurance, food, college, etc. You know basic stuff so I can live my life.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

Get a job...hmm..sounds so easy. Except I babysit my lil sis during the day. And mom works nights, usually. Soooo..no time for me to get a job.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

You live with your mom. Hit that bitch up for the greenbacks yo.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

Trust me, I will. When she gets income tax, I'll (hopefully) be getting $200.

[Guest TheGame2705]

I didn't find it that horrible. It's true that you're not your own man when you work for Vince and you should do what he says.....unless it's inconceivably stupid. When you're Steve Austin you shouldn't be jobbing to someone no one cares about in the opening contest in a KoR qualifier. When you're Bret Hart and your name is synonymous with the WWF you shouldn't be fucked over like he was on live PPV, or you shouldn't be trashed by Eric Bischoff of all people on one of the shittiest shows ever for thinking the product sucks ass after you busted yours to make it better.

 

The thing about whoever said Vince makes Austin job but will let HHH get away with anything I feel is because Vince is scared if he doesn't give HHH his way, he'll leave too and then you're stuck relying on Undertaker. HHH has it easier than ever to get what he wants because he's the only guy that's left that McMahon used to bank on. Taker and Hogan, he knows he can just use as nostalgia figures. The Rock doesn't wanna do full-time anymore. Austin is gone. Kane is garbage. Rather than making Angle and Benoit huge he just figured he'd leech off of HHH who's NOTHING like before the quad injury and he's tried to get Lesnar to be big but his name doesn't roll off the tongue, he's boring as fuck, he does a little stupid dance, and he's shown he's upper midcarder material at best.

[Guest notJames]

HHH has been trying to convince Vince that he's the only bankable name on the roster, yet ratings, buyrates, and show quality when he's the top star prove that he definitely is not a draw anymore. Look how fast Vince went running to Austin and the Rock... that shows how real much faith Vince has in HHH's drawing power. Personally, I'd love to see the day when HHH gets Montreal'd because he doesn't want to let go of his spot. Someday it will happen... someday...

 

As for Lesnar, I think his name just reeks of star power. It's got very hard consonant sounds, and the syllables are perfectly placed for chanting "Let's Go Les-Nar" or "Les-Nar Sucks". Plus, Brock sounds like a really thick name. Every time I picture someone saying it, it's usually with a snarl. Very animalistic.

 

(Although, now that I think about it, it sounds more like a porn name. In fact, IIRC, in Boogie Nights, Dirk Diggler played an action porn star named Brock Landers. Yikes!)

 

And I think Summerslam proved Lesnar's potential is unbounded. He definitely has a huge connection with the fans. All they have to do is unleash the beast against Angle and let us see all the things he can really do.

[Guest AndrewTS]

By Vince's own admission, the WWE superstars are "independent contractors" and not "employees" in the strictest sense. They are treated as a group of entertainers (Vince prefers that over "wrestler"). Likewise, they are negotiated with and creative opportunities (esp. top guys) handled on a case-by-case basis.

 

They get no union or health insurance. There is a clear "pecking order" in which they are put in. They also gain or lose value and Vince has been shoving Austin away in favor of Rock and HHH. The way he planned to use Austin was pretty disgusting. And maybe he wouldn't be strictly "last" but the fact is that a match like that would have been a total waste.

 

This guy has yet to produce a column that I've seen that I find much merit with.

[Guest AndrewTS]

I feel is because Vince is scared if he doesn't give HHH his way, he'll leave too and then you're stuck relying on Undertaker.

 

Where is HHH going to go? Really?

 

If he loves her, he'll stick with her, which means either staying with the company, or not breaking up with her if he was fired. He has enough money to retire today if he wanted.

 

"Rely on Undertaker?" BWAHAHAHAH!!

 

The same Taker who NEVER was a draw? When he was gone for 3 months ratings were not affected at all, and the shows were better (even with other hosses stinking up the joint). Besides, Taker is a boring, lazy, shitty, no-selling liability who should be retiring as soon as possible--yet he isn't. Still sticking around like a greedy fuck.

 

Who cares if both of them left? There are others to fill their spots. Until their politicking bullshit is over, you won't see any or much elevation.

 

Same goes for Austin, although he's still a good performer even today, although he admits he's on his way out...

[Guest Angle-plex]

Look at it this way, if Austin jobbed to Brock on RAW:

 

It would have been bad for Austin, getting beat by a rookie.

 

It would have been bad for Lesnar, as the match had no hype, and could easily be a huge match now (which would benefit him MUCH more)

 

It would have been bad for business, since it is a PPV main event caliber match. They would have lost a lot of money.

 

Austin > WWE

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Wait Yuna.....all day taking care of sister......don't you go to school!?!?! What's this country coming to!

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

I was supposed to go to school today...but, both me and lil sis got off school because...CHICKEN POX~! The best thing about it is I barely have any, but on the off-chance they *might* be contagious...I'm off school today, tomorrow, and part of next week.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Oh........shouldn't you have had that when you were like 9?

[Guest Repo Man jr]

Don't scratch! I have a huge scar on my fore head from chicken pox. Actually it looks pretty cool so maybe you should...

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

I did have them before....

 

Oooooh...1,000th post! *has a mini-celebration*

 

My gal pal made that for me...

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Gal pal? Is that lesbian lingo for lover?

[Guest AndrewTS]

Gal pal? Is that lesbian lingo for lover?

No. Girlfriend which to girls is usually just "a girl who is a friend."