This is Stone Cold Steve Austin on LiveWire right before Bret comes back to face him in the critically acclaimed Survivor Series 96 match.
Can we get a 2013 Scott Sez? What happened to that gimmick? Did it go to the red-hot "Abeyance"?
Anyways, great live promo work from Steve as he is running the gamut. He is hard-selling Bret's return. He is making you laugh. He is making you want to see him get his ass kicked as well at the PPV. It just shows that, while not a "money promo", he is using his time on camera to the fullest of his ability.
Toad Pedophile and Sunny (looking great in the whore-red lipstick) are virtual non-factors as soon as Austin comes on set.
As an aside, how awesome would you think Austin would have been with no neck injury? The knees would probably been shot to shit, but 2000 with Austin? Does HHH ascend and have the critically acclaimed year he has? Does Mick become 3 time champ? Does Rock host SNL and start the process to becoming a crossover star?
Your thoughts... as well as the rest of the midcarders and Obi-Wan Jabronis from the BoD.
Imagine Austin's resurgence in 2001 with Angle and multiply that over the years he was active, and that's how awesome he would have been if he didn't have the neck of a crippled 80 year old.
And really, when DIDN'T Sunny look great in 1996?
Ah, LiveWire....that show was kind of a mess at times - at least the few times I watched it. My memories are
ReplyDelete1) Someone calling in and referring to Farooq as 'Ron Simmons' and referring to him as a former NWA World Champ (and poor Ron had to try to backpedal away)
2) Shawn Michaels hitting on Sunny on-air which she no-sold completely.
3) 'Vic Venom' (Russo) bringing up the Freebirds to Dok Hendrix.
I just kind of remember some people occasionally calling in with 'smart' questions and comments that they tried to handle kayfabe.
But damn, I forgot how good Sunny looked at at time.
The top comment on that video creased me up:
ReplyDelete“is it just me, or did it look as if sunny wanted to jump all over austin?lol-she kept staring down at his muscles and shit--maybe even his package, i don't know-lol---she kept making sexy faces at him, trying not to show it, staying professional and all of course, but she looked at his blue eyes and his nose and even his bald head, trying not to sweat in that leather trash bag she had on-lol.sunny was so fucking sexy back then--she look so busty and soft and i'm sure her pussy was fat and tasty.”
There are just some things that are better to keep under your hat, you know?
Find the Paul E call-in... that one was pretty good.
ReplyDeleteFound it: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xomlsz_wwf-livewire-10-05-1996_animals?search_algo=2
The first 20 minutes has a pretty stacked cast.
The best part of that clip is around the 5:00 mark when Austin starts talking about going the famous Hart Dungeon and Austin does a Stu Hart impression.
ReplyDelete"Ah Steve, let go of Bret!"
Austin killed that whole clip.
"Pink tights?? What the hell is that Bret!?"
ReplyDeleteHe must of told Sunny to shut up 20 times and each time it was perfect timing.
ReplyDeleteI love the quick "sorry" from Sunny in between Austin ranting.
ReplyDeleteTruly, she was a student of the game.
I adore Sunny moreso than any other female performer.
Is there anything worse in wrestling right now than the word "abeyance"? What the fuck was wrong with vacant? It was used by every damn promoter in the country for decades. Don't fucking fix what ain't broke with some moronic GRE word. It doesn't make anyone look smarter or make the product like more high brow. It just looks like you're trying way too fucking hard.
ReplyDeleteIt helped you expand your vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteAbove all the other ladies, she knew how to work without being an in ring performer. Just look at today where you have supposed babyface Bella putting up a loser signal and saying whatever when she's being torn down.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason they used abeyance is because it wasn't a wrestling term.
ReplyDeleteI think the "Austin in 2000" topic is worthy of a thread. With Angle, Benoit, Jericho, Guerrero, etc coming in, Undertaker returning, and guys like Rock, Big Show, Kane, HHH, Foley already on top, it's interesting to think how the year would have differed if Austin was never gone. At what point does Rock get to be #1, if Austin is never out for the year? Do they both even stay babyfaces? I'm guessing Wrestlemania would have just ended up being a McMahon 4-way including Austin anyway, but I wonder if there is room for HHH to have the prolonged dominant run, for Angle to rise as fast as he did, and for Rock to be top face
ReplyDeleteThe only good thing to come out of Austin's horrific neck is the creation of the WWF Main Event Brawl working style that populated the Attitude Era. I know it was a really divisive style of work for some fans and purists, but it led to some of the wildest, funnest main events of my time as a fan. Not all of them hold up from a quality standpoint, but it's just a fun style to watch back, even when you know all the beats. Austin and Dude Love at Over the Edge 98 is still one of my favorite PPV mains, overbooking be damned.
ReplyDeleteI love when a wrestler breaks out an awesome impression you wouldn't expect them to have.
ReplyDeleteBruce Pritchard/Brother Love did an excellent Roddy Piper at WM 5. And Mick Foley does a pretty good Dusty Rhodes (although I imagine everyone has a "Dusty" impression, much like everybody has a "Walken").
Agreed, I know it's not a popular opinion but I really enjoy the WWF Main Event style. It's also a good style for covering weaknesses in certain wrestlers. Also when you mix it with a technical style for really good results. Over the Edge 98 is so much fun and the over booking works in the matches favor as it fit perfectly with the storyline. Also, in that match, Austin and Foley are working hard but also look like their having a lot of fun with the match.
ReplyDeleteI thought I heard the plan for WrestleMania 16 was originally going to be a Austin/Rock rematch? It's a good question though. Also what if Owen didn't injure him, what kind of matches would he have had during that period? Although I think it was better for Austin to not be wrestling at that time as he got to come out, cut a promo, stun somebody and the fans were clamoring for him to wrestle again. It also helped lead to the initial confrontations with Vince which was the genesis for the bigger fued they would have in 98 on.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the use of abeyance, fun little word that people might not have known before this. And isn't that a bit of hyperbole to claim that one word is the worst thing in wrestling now? There's plenty of things worse, I watched Impact this week so I know.
ReplyDeleteWell I adore a few other women wrestlers/performers before Sunny but she was great during that period. And so hot! Too bad drugs fucked her up for life basically.if she hadn't let her life go to shit she could probably do well in today's WWE as a heel manager or Authority Figure #835.
ReplyDelete"There's plenty of things worse, I watched Impact this week so I know."
ReplyDeleteHonesty can be so painful.
I agree for the most part, but I feel like, for every Austin-Foley there were way more garbage brawls that made me watch more WCW matches. Once we got to 2000 and beyond, the WWF had an outstanding mid-card, so the brawling main events were more watchable, but I hated the Attitude main events when the rest of the undercard sucked too. In '98, the WWF undercard was pretty shitty with the exception of the rising Rock, HHH, X-Pac, and of course Owen Hart
ReplyDeleteYeah, fair point. Does Owen become a main eventer finally, w/o the Austin injury thing preventing him from working with Steve at his peak popularity? Or does Owen retire soon anyway?
ReplyDeleteRock-Austin at Wrestlemania 2000, with Austin passing the torch somewhat, would have made plenty of sense. I guess you could have HHH retiring Foley in Hell in a Cell at Wrestlemania instead of No Way Out? Maybe Foley helps Austin regain the WWF title from HHH at No Way Out to set it up, with Rock having won the 2000 Rumble for the Austin title shot?
THAT'S the top comment
ReplyDeleteYouTube is a fucked up place
I hated the style, personally. I'm "that guy" who doesn't like Austin/Love either. Just boring, unimaginative wrestling disguised by great booking. In many ways, it wasn't unlike a lot of the ECW matches that are now en vogue to bash.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, to each their own. I vastly preferred the 2000-plus style worked by guys like Rock, Triple H, Angle and post-comeback Austin.
Brie is AWFUL. She has no concept of how to play a face, shouting loudly in her gutteral voice throughout the match. It's like she watched Kelly Kelly and thought "That's how you become a great face!"
ReplyDeleteAnd don't even get me started on her yelling during AJ's promo weeks back.
Nikki is just as bad or worse
ReplyDelete