Shawn Michaels and the Attitude era...

The Attitude era is generally accepted as being the greatest era in WWF/E's history - in repsonse to WCW taking them on and winning, Vince pulled out all the stops to restore his company to the top of the business. We saw the emergence of Stone Cold, The Rock, Triple H, the Mr. MacMahon character himself, massive ratings, and some amazing memories.

I've been wondering how much of that was due to Shawn Michaels not being active at the time. Backstage, Shawn was reportedly a nightmare - refusing to job, using his considerable influence to hold others down. By his own admittance, he wasn't the most popular guy in the lockerroom, and I do think alot of his DX character was based on his real personality of the time. This did lead to some great promos, and he did pass the torch to Steve Austin at Mania 14, the moment seen by many as the starting point for the Attidtude era - but how much of that was forced by his back injury and impending time off is open to debate. Austin's star was rising for the year prior to HBK leaving, but if HBK hadn't been so seriously hurt, would he have jobbed to Austin more often? Would he have demanded the belt back? Or used his new 'lower' position in the company to again demand a move to WCW?

Since he's returned, Shawn has put on some incredible matches, and has put over numerous new guys, whilst remaining massively over. However, when he first returned in 2002, that coincided with the Attitude era coming to a close - is it simply coincidence that one of the greatest ever in-ring performers missed the greatest period in WWF history? With or without Shawn, the Attidue era would have happened - would it have been any different? For starters, when Shawn left, Triple H took over running DX, and within 18 months of Shawn leaving, had won the WWF title for the first time, and established himself as The Game. Could he have done that with Shawn still active?

I certainly didnt feel the need for shawn when i first watched wrestling, i dont think there was a place for him that he would have willingly taken.

but I think he has obviously learned in his time out how much it means to be in the company which has helped the bad times in wrestling be a bit better, as he has always been there to put on a big match to overshaddow most other things at the time.

maybe would have been a little differant if he had been around during that time, but I think if vince really wanted to go all out to make it really a massive company, he could have easily told him to do as he's told or to get out. Think vince always knew rock and austin were the future for him

Excellent article Grec

Its hard because we know how successful the WWF was in his time away from the ring, however the turning point had already occured long before Michaels had his last match at WM, RAW had well and truly dominated the ratings for 6 months or so and that was down to DX, Austin and Bret Hart

Many do consider Austins title win as the start of the Attitude era, for me though it was well before that, the birth of DX, Pillmans arrival and his entire attitude as well as Austin becoming Stone Cold, and that 'Austin 3:16' reference would not have happened had the MSG incident not happened way back in mid 96

Interesting theory there grecian, and I partially agree with it.

The era prior to Attitude, was quite possibly the worst in the company's history, with the klique and Michaels in particular running rampant with backstage politics, including making World champion Bret Hart defend his belt against midcarders, and a long Diesel title reign. This was Michaels time on top, and it bombed, he never drew any money.

I'd say Attitude started slightly before the Montreal Screwjob, but it wasn't instant success, and until a couple of weeks after Austin won the title at Mania XIV, WCW was winning the ratings war. I think that the lack of Michaels was indirectly beneficial to the WWF, not for his abilities, but because of the hindrance he was in backstage politics. In fact Michaels was so bad at that time, he was even refusing to drop the title to Austin despite his injury, it took The Undertaker threatening to beat the shit out of him if he didn't, to change his mind.

michaels was around for some of the attitude era. he was commish for a while too. so he was part of it.

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The era prior to Attitude, was quite possibly the worst in the company's history, with the klique and Michaels in particular running rampant with backstage politics

Agrred 100%

From around 1993 onwards it was pretty poor, however there was more than Shawn to blame, Jim Cornett was booking some absolute rubbish back then, ironocally enough it was his booking that style that led to the rise of Vince Russo, Hogan started this in 1993 when he refused to job to Hart at SummerSlam 93 and instead dropped the title to Yokozuna after being 'cheated' by Fugi at KOTR, then we had the oh so boring Lex Express build up, with jobbing Yoko out as soon as he won the strap at WM9 WWF officials knew it would just make everyone look weak if he dropped the title so soon a second time around!

The booking was crap already, when the Clique (Kliq) formed, they did so in my honest belief to not only better themselves but to better the business

Guys who in my opinion should have had at least one run with the strap during the period of 1993-1997
Owen Hart (not because of any rose tinted memories, simply because he had the story, the ability, the promo ability and the history in it)
The British Bulldog
Vadar
Razor Ramon

If all these guys where pushed at the right times instead of going so long with Yoko, who was good personally but left little or nothing for his opponent because of his size, then just pushing Mable it made it a bit of a snore fest at times, the midcard was by far the best and with Bret Hart long out of that division it took something away from him too.

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making World champion Bret Hart defend his belt against midcarders

I think this got Bret over as a 'fighting champion' though, he used to light up RAW with some brilliant matches, I always remember a match he had with the 123 kid, it was awesome!

Guns was spot on as well about the ratings, I got a year mixed up