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Damaramu

How do you ever make another Austin?

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Ok I was just watching some old WWF tapes of mine around the time that Austin was getting hot. The fans started going crazy for him because of his rebellious attitude and because he was something that nobody had ever seen before. Then the WWF finally had no choice but to push him. And I really don't think The Rock's push was anything like this...sure Rock got over on his charisma but there was something more special about Austin's explosion.

Now I was wondering how are they EVER going to do this again? I mean Austin was a bad-ass that didn't listen to anybody(which is every main-event face these days) so how would a wrestler strike hot like he did?

The only one I can forsee doing it at this time is Eddie. I mean he's starting to get to that point and I can see it happening...but you know it'll get fucked up.

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There will never be another Austin or Rock and WWE needs to realize that. Those two getting over as huge as they did was a shock and no one saw it coming. You can't create that. It just happens. You can't catch lightning in a bottle.

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When RVD entered in 2001, he was as popular as Austin/Rock at their peaks, it's just that Vince and co. decided to ignore it.

Take it easy......the guy was VERY popular but to say he was as popular as Austin or Rock in their prime is a little overboard.............Austin and Rock were in a different stratosphere from everyone else as far as popularity.

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Guest The Winter Of My Discontent

I think "RVDMARK4:20" may be just a little biased in his evaluation.

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I think the Eddy comparison holds water...he's been getting major pops and his recent showings are enough that the fans can't get enough of him. He needs a push before the fans give up on him...hopefully the bookers haven't already done so...

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But that's what I'm talking about. The Austin pops weren't loud at first but they slowly got bigger until the WWF couldn't do anything about it. And that's what I see happening with Eddy now.

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No chance. Eddy is huge over and one of the greatest wrestlers ever in a WWF/E ring sure, but he'll always have the comical stereotype to contend with. Austin and Rock didn't strictly have gimmicks, and that's a big part of why they were successful. Eddy's character, whilst played up tremendously, is always going to be a bit restrictive.

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There will never be another Austin or Rock

Yep. Dead on.

 

After they lost Hogan in 93, Vince tried to make another Hulk Hogan. He never did.

 

What happened is that Austin came along, with his own style and attitude, and caught on huge.

 

Now, they can't make another Austin. They have to wait for the next guy to catch fire. And it won't be because he's like Austin or Hogan, it will be because he's his own thing that the crowd reacts to and loves.

 

What that is, I don't know.

 

But all attempts to remake Austin are doomed to fail. They just might kill of their next big star because they force him to be another Austin.

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RVD, Brock (when he was a face), Eddie are the closest ones to have gotten to Austin's level.

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Austin & Rock didn't happen because they were pushed hard though. They had unique ability to connect with the audience. While an RVD fan I am, don't be fooled by RVD's superpops, he wouldn't be AS COMPLETE as Austin/Rock were as far as the total package. Jericho is the closest thing to it right now, but the WWE have put a cap on what they will let him do.

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All it takes is people with good acting talent and some good writing. Austin was over in '97, but it took the Austin/McMahon storyline to make him into a pop culture icon.

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Guest TheHulkster

Goldberg and Eddy are the 2 guys right now that they have that really emit that superstar vibe. If they work carefully with these two on each brand and not overpush or underpush them, that's two guys right there who could draw some money. I'd even throw Kane into the loop because of the ratings upswing due to his push. It's obvious that the fans are hungry for fresh characters atop the main event scene and not the old standbys that they've used for the past few years, even more obvious than before. Look at Eddie: He was pushed with a midcard gimmick, in midcard matches, and he's the most over guy on Smackdown. Goldberg, ever since Summerslam, has been hands down the most over face on Raw.

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The Austin situation will come around again when some high school - college aid kids really get into a guy who brings a different attitude to the equation and tell their friends to check this dude out.

 

Word of mouth is what created Austin and got the viewers to take a look.

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it aint gonna happen for Eddy. His gimmick is just too cheesy. It is a comedy character, and those only last until people have laughed enough.

 

I'd say Jericho is the best bet if Vince was looking for a quick fix. He has the ring skills, the mic skills, and he connects with the crowd as either a face or heel.

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Why make another Austin or Rock? It's been done. Make someone new.

 

More times than not, I believe the WWE has shown that they know that their success depends on creating new stars, not carbon copies of those who came before. The Luger / Hogan comparison might be true but I think that was a learning experience for Vince.

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Guest Duncan Eternia
When RVD entered in 2001, he was as popular as Austin/Rock at their peaks, it's just that Vince and co. decided to ignore it.

 

 

RVD was over but no where close to the heights of Austin and Rock. I think RVD could be huge though....if used right.

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Why make another Austin or Rock? It's been done. Make someone new.

 

More times than not, I believe the WWE has shown that they know that their success depends on creating new stars, not carbon copies of those who came before. The Luger / Hogan comparison might be true but I think that was a learning experience for Vince.

I'm not talking about making another Austin or Rock dammit! I'm talking about someone catching fire like they did!

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Sadly enough, it's not gonna happen anytime soon. WWE has become so rigid and constructed that they want to manipulate EVERY reaction from the crowd. Anything that deviates from it is downplayed or depushed.

 

Eddie is the one exception to this, but hell I can see Eddie winning the US title whether he was insanely over or not. If he wins the World title sometime soon, maybe they are in fact listening.

 

As far as Eddie's character being a comedy role, at first it was. But Eddie is just soooo the man that he's transcended a comedy gimmick and made it very plausible, a complete character. He's funny at times, but if you mess with him or steal his ride, he'll kick your ass.

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Guest Mulatto Heat

You know, you're right about that, JOTW. When looking at Austin's WCW career people usually only focus on his bad final months, but Austin was touted as something big right from his debut, with two long TV title reigns. I got a Best of Hollywood Blondes tape a couple years ago and even back then Austin was hyped up not unlike what you hear about Randy Orton today, even though 1993 Austin was better than 2003 Orton. Some of the connotations given to him (by the commentators mind you, not stuff that an arrogant heel would say to get heat) were "Wrestler of the 90s" and "the greatest potential superstar". It almost makes it baffling how the tune changed once Hogan was signed a year later.

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The Austin situation will come around again when some high school - college aid kids really get into a guy who brings a different attitude to the equation and tell their friends to check this dude out.

 

Word of mouth is what created Austin and got the viewers to take a look.

 

Well, how's about everyone just throw candidates out there?

 

RAW - Kane.

 

SD! - John Cena.

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Just listen to the fans, especially the live crowds.

 

They're eating up everything Eddie does at the moment - I'd push him right to the top, give the people who are paying to see the product what they want.

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