Really odd thing

[Guest J*ingus]

Steve Austin wasn't on Raw last night.  At all.  In fact, he wasn't even mentioned by the announcers or anybody else, except for one offhand comment by Kevin Nash.  No sign of Stone Cold whatsoever.  

 

Now, does anyone else find this rather unsettling, for the WWF's biggest star and most over babyface to be completely ignored the night after Wrestlemania?  

 

In short, could it be that we've got another Foley on our hands here?

[Guest teke184]

If you mean "a Foley" as in "a guy who's not afraid to tell Vince when he's full of shit", I'd say Austin fits that description.

 

If you mean it as "a WWF legend who won't be seen anymore / is leaving the company / etc.", I doubt it.  I think that Austin will come back when he sees that Vince is listening to suggestions of how to improve the product.

 

As things are going now, I'd say that Vince has taken about 10 steps forward (Brock Lesnar, Heyman, and the split), while taking about 5 backwards (Rock is getting booed out of Canada, Steph-HHH-Jericho storyline, crappy main event finish).  If this continues on Smackdown, this will be the biggest step forward in the WWF since the semi-elevation of RVD during the Invasion.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

I think Austin's a little more disgusted with his current role in the company, as opposed to Foley, who I thought just really was hurt by the total disrespect of the WWF towards the WCW product and titles.

 

But yeah, the WWF's fooled me again into thinking that the future is bright, because I really liked Raw tonight.  Dammit - my smark sense is tingling...must...bitch...about...GAAAAAAAH

[Guest teke184]

I think that Foley's hurt went a little deeper than the lack of respect for WCW history and its wrestlers.  He saw that the product was pretty crappy and that the writers had the attention spans equal to a 5-year old with ADD.  I mean, he was brought back as commissioner only to be told the next week *in his hometown* that they had nothing for him to do.  

 

That was only the tip of the iceberg when you consider how much was thrown around during the Invasion to pop ratings but was never followed up in a serious way (or, in some cases, never promoted in any way to DRAW ratings, such as the case of X-Pac vs. Kidman in the first WWF title vs. WCW title match).

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

Maybe the writers just didn't have anything for Austin to do. Hall and Nash were involved with Rock and Hogan. Austin really has no one to feud with now.

[Guest]

First off, I'd like to say it's greast to be back on the SmarkBoard after a long absence. Noone probably remembers me, but oh boy do I remember you!

Anyways, regarding Austin. I remember a report from a couple weeks back (forgot where I heard it, but I wouldn't be surprised that it was true) that Steve and Vince had an extremely verbal nearly physical confrontation backstage regarding the use of Austin in the current angles and storylines, and that Vince eventually gave in to what Austin wanted.

Austin, HHH, Nash, Hall, Hogan....These five guys have some serious ego problems, but at least HHH and Austin can put on a good match. Remember 1999 when Austin refused to job to Jeff Jarrett and Jarrett jumped ship to WCW? Poor fella (Jarrett I mean). Then we all know of the Kliq's backstage shenanigans.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Austin go with the RAW crew just based on his own personal and apparent on-screen problems with Vince.

Though in all honesty, if Heyman returns to announce RAW, and The Rock, Undertaker, and NWO, along with Billy & Chuck and Rikishi all went to Smackdown, I'd be the happiest man in the world because then I'd never have to get Thursdays off EVER again!

[Guest converge241]

It was odd after always seeing him, unless there was some explanation for his character's abscence. Maybe its just giving Austin a break, or getting people ready for the split. Maybe no Rock on Smackdown and we see Austin, more Jericho, Taker on this Thursday's show.

[Guest The Masked Yodeler]

I'm hoping that the WWF totally kills the Austin/nWo feud, and puts Austin in the Raw team.  I wanna see the Austin/Angle feud rekindled, but I think that a lot of fans are sick of seeing those two wrestle.  I, on the other hand, could see those two wrestle every day, and wouldn't get tired of it.

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

I wanna see the Austin/Angle feud rekindled, but I think that a lot of fans are sick of seeing those two wrestle.  I, on the other hand, could see those two wrestle every day, and wouldn't get tired of it.

I couldn't agree more. They have a great chemistry together.

[Guest humongous2002]

Well Benoit should be back anytime now and thats where we get those 4+star matches again.

[Guest Judas14]

I wanna see the Austin/Angle feud rekindled, but I think that a lot of fans are sick of seeing those two wrestle.  I, on the other hand, could see those two wrestle every day, and wouldn't get tired of it.

I couldn't agree more. They have a great chemistry together.

They need to put Austin in a feud with Chris Jericho and quite literally job Austin out in order to resurrect Jericho's career after the debacle of a feud with Triple H....

[Guest The Masked Yodeler]

Of all the WWF's top guys, Jericho and Austin have the least chemistry together.  Their matches have always been a notch below Jericho v. anyone else of that caliber or Austin v. anyone else of that caliber.  I say job out Hogan to Jericho, but that's not gonna happen.  HHH won't job to anyone.  Rock has already jobbed to #### much.  So that leaves Austin.  But the matches still won't be great.

[Guest converge241]

Yes jericho - austin does not "click" the same as rock-jericho, angle-austin, austin-benoit, or austin-rock in my eyes.

Sometimes guys can be great but not mesh together. Jericho is much better against Rock, Benoit, or HHH for a long, sustained series or feud

[Guest dreamer420]

If Austin was at Raw what could he have done.  I thought the show was pretty decent, but with the Outsiders facing Rock/Hogan and Jericho still working a program with HHH there was no big name talent for him to face.  I doubt anyone wants to see Austin vs. Crash, or Spike.  Undertaker wasn't there either but no one is reading too much into that.

[Guest Tony149]

If Austin ends up with Flairs WWF, then I think WWF Raw's first majr feud would be Angle vs. Austin. The WWF could also build a storyline where Flair gets drunk with power, turns heel, and starts a feud vs. Austin. Where Flair vs. Austin would finally happen in the ring. Angle could become Flair's boy.

[Guest WWF4Life]

I agree with dreamer420, there wasn't much that Austin could have done last night. The only way the nWo versus Austin angle could have any longevity is by adding one or two more guys into the order. Otherwise, who's Austin going to feud with? Triple H? Not yet. Rock? Probably not until SummerSlam. Hogan? I can't see that match happening, unless Austin turns heel, and the WWF isn't going to turn him...Austin's stuck.

[Guest converge241]

good point 4Life.

The natural progression probably would have been Nash, but now he's tied up with Hogan, Rock.

 

Hopefully, they'll cook up something for him.

[Guest goodhelmet]

I think Austin phoned in his match with jericho, not because the two don't have 'chemistry'. Really, how can you be excited about working a match when the end result is a McMahon or NWO run in?

 

I had talked about this on Sunday, but I really don't think Austin will be around much longer if there are these reported backstage confrontations. Anyone who criticizes Vince doesn't last long in this company.

[Guest Tony149]

It's now reported that Austin & Debra went back to Texas. Austin doesn't like the direction his character is going in.

 

 

Got that from a site who I think credited 1wrestling (I know).

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I think that Austin sitting at home isn't a good thing...if only because him having time to sit back...watch the shows...and think about everything...

 

He may come to the same conclusions that we do.

 

The overall direction of the product is push the old guys...and push HHH.

 

I don't think that Austin will be very happy.

[Guest Choken One]

Yes, It seems just one year ago Austin was at his best, giving many great matches, great heel promos and was the MAIN ASPECT of the show and now, it is almost an 180,  we know he is unhappy with his character and there's no idea of what to do with him, another Angle program will be stale old news for many people, as good as the matches have been, it's basically the same when you get right to it.

 

 Is the start of the end for Steve Austin? Maybe, He's reaching 40 years of age very soon, his popularity has peaked in 1999. His character is old, The company has no direction and he wants to raise his daughters whom are about to reach teen age years, so I'd say Austin's time may be finished, and I strongly expect him to finish with the long awaited Flair fued and pass the torch to either RVD or Kurt Angle.

[Guest]

 Is the start of the end for Steve Austin? Maybe, He's reaching 40 years of age very soon, his popularity has peaked in 1999. His character is old, The company has no direction and he wants to raise his daughters whom are about to reach teen age years, so I'd say Austin's time may be finished, and I strongly expect him to finish with the long awaited Flair fued and pass the torch to either RVD or Kurt Angle.

 

Considering that "What?" is still over, I would disagree that his popularity peaked in '99. Other than that, I agree with you, but I still think he deserves better...