Every time in WWE history when there is one person or group in charge of others things generally come to blows. When a commanding power running things focuses on a making a few wrestlers miserable it doesn’t take much for someone to snap. We’ve seen it time & time again. Wrestlers attacking bosses, turning on their managers and, in some cases, tag team partners.
While I could list all the turns and attacks that I love I wanted to focus on two of my favorite and, at least somewhat, paralleled moments.
Stone Cold Steve Austin was, at the height of the attitude era, the bad ass that stuck it to the boss every chance he got. Whether that was foiling Vince’s plans, kidnapping the boss, beating up all of his cronies or in general doing everything he can to piss off the powers that be everyone loved Stone Cold. One night that has been on replays, fan lists and WWE lists is when Stone Cold Steve Austin decided to stick it to the Corporation.
On March 22nd, 1999 the Corporation had been making Austin’s quest to get his championship belt back near impossible, going as far as naming The Rock the Corporate Champion and taunting Austin week after week with the belt they’d taken from him. In retaliation Austin, with the help of the truck driver, drove a Coors Lite truck down to the ring, nearly taking the Titantron down with him.
Austin climbed out and on top of the truck, giving the middle finger salute and talking trash with the Corporation. Then, not satisfied to simply get in their faces he decided to get the hose out. Turning on the hose he sprayed the entire corporation with beer, dousing them in alcohol and soaking the entire ring with it.
When he was done Austin grabbed two cold ones for himself and poured them into his mouth while standing on top of the beer truck, his hands raised in triumph for the crowd. See the moment here.
Years later, on August 20, 2001 we saw Kurt Angle take a page out of the Rattlesnake’s book and show his displeasure with a group of people in a similar though more wholesome way.
During the Alliance Invasion/ attempted takeover story line Kurt Angle was heavily on the WWF side. After unsuccessfully challenging Austin to a match for the WWF title at Unforgiven the night before Angle was enraged. Austin, who had purposefully disqualified himself by attacking several referees, came to Monday Night Raw for an Austin Appreciation night.
Instead he, and many other Alliance members, were doused in milk. When Alliance members had gathered in the ring and joined Stephanie McMahon in an ear splitting remake of “Wind Beneath My Wings” newly titled “Wind Beneath Our Ring” sung to Stone Cold by Stephanie and the Alliance members I remember hoping someone would come out. Angle did just that.
In his own rendition of Stone Cold’s previous actions Angle climbed out of the milk truck, threw milk cartons and shouted at the Alliance members before getting the hose off the milk truck.
Angle turned the hose on, sprayed the Alliance with milk (with JR shouting about how it was fair play over his head set) and dousing everyone in milk. When he was done he stood on top of the milk truck, smashed two milk cartons together and poured them down his throat much like Stone Cold had done years ago. See the moment here.
Which do you think was better? The rowdy, alcohol version? Or the wholesomely defiant milk version?
