What if Shawn Michaels never got injured?

[Guest Deebo]

How would things have been different if Shawn Michaels never hurt his back in 1998? I was thinking about it today and it's kind of interesting to think about how Michaels would have fit into the 99-2001 era where the Rock's, Triple H's, Kurt Angle's, Mick Foley's of the world made their rise to prominence. Would he have still fit in with his gimmick? Would the HHH-HBK DX have stayed together after Wrestlemania 14?

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Well, there probably wouldn't be TheRock's, the HHH's, Kurt Angle's or Mick Foley's...

[Guest wildpegasus]

How would things have been different if Shawn Michaels never hurt his back in 1998? I was thinking about it today and it's kind of interesting to think about how Michaels would have fit into the 99-2001 era where the Rock's, Triple H's, Kurt Angle's, Mick Foley's of the world made their rise to prominence. Would he have still fit in with his gimmick? Would the HHH-HBK DX have stayed together after Wrestlemania 14?

Who knows? These questions are tough to answer because everything affects everything especially if you're a believer in the butterfly effect. What if Michaels turned left instead of right one day in the locker room? How would that affect things today?

[Guest Ray]

He'd probably bitch about Austin being far more popular than him.

[TheFranchise 0]

He'd never have put Austin over in the first place.

 

And dont give me that 'Taker threatened him!' crap.

[Guest Jimbo]

The WWF could have very well died.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Who knows if he'd still be around. He'd have probably retired durring that time.

[Guest drdrainoscott]

I think everything would be the same basically, except there wouldn't be a Triple H. His push began due to Shawn leaving when he became the leader of DX. Austin would have won the belt at Mania no matter what.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Shawn and Austin likely would have feuded over the Title while the Outlaws feuded with Cactus/Funk over the Tag Titles(Assuming this is directly after WM). X-Pac would've joined the group and gotten a push towards the Lightweight Title possibly or Euro Title vs D'Lo. Triple H would've gone on to feud with The Rock for the IC Title as the DX vs Nation feud would've happened as in real life. Undertaker & Kane would've continued their feud. HHH would've probably been turned into a Main Eventer anyway as he was tight with HBK and Rock would've likely moved in the Main Event scene fairly quickly as well. Mankind may get into the Main Event scene or if not, will likely feud over the IC Title(Possibly with Owen).

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

He'd be dead.

 

The guy was doping it up pretty hard up until 2001 even when he wasn't on the road. Between killing himself in the ring, being on the road, and all that stress he probably would died.

[Ultra Violence 0]

I personally think Shawn would have burried HHH.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

I personally think Shawn would have burried HHH.

No chance.

 

Did he ever bury Hall and Nash is the WWF? Or Sid? If he liked you, you were going to be ok. Triple H woulda been the guy to defeat him for the title. I bet we wouldn't have the phenomenon The Rock. Triple H has always been jealous of the guy, and Michaels would have simply hopped on that bandwagon.

[Guest Ghettoman]

If HBK never got that "career ending" injury, he would of retired. It's the only thing that makes sense.

[AndrewTS 0]

HBK would try to pull politics to keep Austin down, but he would fail still. However, he'd end up marrying Stephanie to make certain he'd have a secure spot in the company.

 

He'd likely have retired and come out of retirement by now, and HHH would have used his connections to be a main eventer.

 

So basically, I think injury or Steph marriage, Shawn was going to get what was coming to him either way.

[Guest Mulatto Heat]

He wouldn't have found Jesus, that's for sure.

[Ravenbomb 0]

Oh, for a second I thought the title of the thread meant what if he never got injured. Meaning, what if he were invulnerable.

[Guest Stunt Granny]

He wouldn't have found Jesus, that's for sure.

I know, then we wouldn't have had to deal with the annoying preachy Father Shawn. He'd be the good ol' "I just did 3 lines of blow, where is the ring?" HBK we all grew up watching.

[Guest SP-1]

I fail to see where he's been preachy. At all.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Not directly, but you'd be stupid not to think Michaels hasn't been preachy.

 

See: His entrance, t-shirts, promo's and basically any interview he does where he credits God for his return.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Plus various confidential spots.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Frankly I'm surprised he doesn't have a bunch of girls dressed up in skimy robes following him down the ring pole-dancing with crucifixes.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Regardless of the politics I'm sure we would have all still been entertained. Rock/Michaels matches galore most likely.

[Guest SP-1]

And? Is he saying, "Praise Jesus or go to hell!"? Is he snubbing people because he's a Christian? Is he condemning fans in the crowd, guys in the locker room, other characters, or viewers at home because they may not be Christians?

 

Is he giving 30 minute sermons every show?

 

If a wrestler were to come out and say, "Ric Flair is a great inspiration and I want to thank him for jump starting my desire to become a wrestler." or "Triple H may be a bastard but his return from his leg injury really inspired me and gave me a fuel to train hard and come back from my own injury," there wouldn't be a problem. They wouldn't be "preaching" Ric Flair or Triple H.

 

Simply because the word 'God' makes some people uneasy doesn't take away the man's right to credit him, and it doesn't mean he's preaching when he does so. People act as if HBK should be silenced simply because they don't believe as he does. He's done nothing wrong, nothing harmful, and has merely credited whom he feels is responsible for his improvement in physical health for his return. I wear Christian shirts, listen to Christian music, and believe in the death and ressurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

Yet nobody around me feels that I preach to them when I mention that part of my life or credit God with something.

 

When HBK starts railroading interviews for massive amounts of time giving a 3 point sermon, then I'll say he's being preachy. Otherwise, he believes something other than what alot of people want to believe and it makes them uncomfortable for whatever reason. There's a difference.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

God has no place inside of wrestling rings or public schools

[Guest SP-1]

God has no place inside of wrestling rings or public schools

I'm glad you have an opinion. That's your right.

 

However, it's part of who HBK is. An integral part if he's an actual Christian. It's part of the man and part of the character. It has it's place. To deny a character and all that it is simply because it has a relationship with God is ludicrous, especially when all the other characters wallow in immorality. If you're going to run a production of dramatic characters interacting, a character with a relationship with God certainly has a place there. A portion of the population shares that caracter's views and can identify with it, thus heightening the interest and interaction between part of the audience and the events unfolding before them.

 

Atheists and those who believe in other systems of religion are not the only voices in the world. Christians watch wrestling too, and to shun them away, especially at a time when the business is fairly aching, is just stupidly prejudiced.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Is it also integral to make money off of it (t-shirts)? To flaunt it infront of millions of people?

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

Yes.

[Guest SP-1]

The t-shirts are probably more of a company thing and part of the deal of integrating it into his character. He's a major star. Major stars have t-shirts. The shirts generally have something to do with the character. The dynamic works. As well, I don't have a problem with shirts that talk about Jesus being out in the general populace. Makes people think. That's fine by me.

 

Major evangelical dramatic movements sell merchandise. Christian bands sell merchandise. The inflow of money helps keep things running. Electricity for shows and recording session time aren't free. Churches need offerings to keep operating in the absence of merchandise. Christianity is not without the need for money, especially not in a capitalist society.

 

I don't know what HBK is doing with his cut. Hopefully, he's giving some to his local church or helping some religious function in some capacity. At the end of the day it's his job. And he's made his job something that allows him to represent Christ without beating people over the head with it.

 

There's no problem with that at all. Not scripturally that I can think of, at least. Christians aren't always supposed to be dirt farmers. We're members of society, in this case a society that requires a flow of money to operate. There's zero problem with making money in a career that puts Jesus out there in some capacity. Whoring it out shamelessly is wrong, but I've not seen HBK do that yet. And believe me, I'd be the first to pin him on it if I saw it.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

Is it also integral to make money off of it (t-shirts)? To flaunt it infront of millions of people?

Why can't they play off the Christian demographic? I'm sure there are quite a few wrestling fans who dig Michael's openess of Christianity. My problem is that I find Michael's act to be a hoax. Its all so unbecoming of him.

[Guest Ghettoman]

It's not so much being preachy as it is irritating. Ok, your back because god is good, now wrestle.

 

And really by the logic of his career, if HBK never got that injury, he would of actually retired.