[1997-10-06-WWF-Raw] Interview: Steve Austin

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Vince conducts the interview, which is fun. Austin has not even been to a doctor, you jackass. He will only sign the waiver that allows him to be reinstated if he gets a match with Owen Hart in a match. Vince tells him he has his word and Austin is too smart for that. He wants it in writing that he gets Owen first. Faarooq interrupts via Titantron and cuts the mother of all promos on Austin -- holy shit. Good Lord, just listen to that.

 

"It ain't a race thing. It ain't a colored thing. It's a me kickin' your ass thing!" -- Austin in response

 

Great segment, but I do think Vince was still the guy in the right at this point in the feud.

[El Boricua]

Going by memory, I think you could still consider Vince the guy in the right when the Tyson / Austin face off occurred (the one where Vince goes bonkers screaming "You ruined it!"). It was after Wrestlemania 14 where Vince really started going overboard.

[WingedEagle]

I think the fact that Vince didn't go over the top in the Austin feud - at least as far as what he was asking of his employee - is what made it so easy for people to relate to and loathe that type of character.

[Kevin Ridge]

Austin got involved in IC Title match for Owen to win so he could face him. Austin will agree to sign the waiver to return to the ring as long as he gets a shot at Owen. Vince, eagerly agrees to this deal. I thought Montreal was the big turning point for Vince and had just viewed him as the owner trying to work with a difficult employee like Austin. Then he because evil boss. I’m suddenly wanting a Austin/Faarooq match. Austin punting King’s crown into the crowd is fantastic.

[soup23]

Vince overall on this show is real fascinating being sympathetic in this segment, helpless in the DX vs. Hart Foundation stuff, and a supreme jerk in the Melanie Pillman segment. This was one of my favorite Austin segments in a while as he ratcheted all of the no hell raising character arcs he had at the time into wrestling feuds.

[PeteF3]

This has...not been a good night for Vince. He promises that Austin will get an IC title match with Owen Hart if he signs the waiver, but Austin smartly refuses until he gets that title contract in writing first. No "I owe you one, pal" here. Austin's interrupted by Faarooq, who lectures him on how toughness is more than just saying "ass" a lot, in a pretty good fired up promo. The seeds for Austin's post-Survivor Series program and one of the defining ones of his career are now being sown.

[Exposer]

What a shock. Austin has another great segment. This time Vince wants to know his answer about the three options he gave him the previous week. The "jackass" line is hilarious. Austin & Vince go back & forth before agreeing that if Austin signs Vince's waiver he gets an IC Title shot as soon as possible against Owen Hart. Austin is smart & says he won't sign the waiver until Vince signs a piece of paper saying that the Owen match will happen. Faarooq shows up on the tron since Austin attacked him & cost him the IC Title because he wanted Owen. Faarooq cuts an awesome promo on Austin telling him what the word "ass" means where he's from. Austin's response is tremendous. Every week there is a great Austin segment. The guy is so fun to watch.