-Vince McMahon
WWF Smackdown (aired 7/12/2001, recapped by CRZ)

THE STABLE OF THE MIDNIGHT RIDER

"Be Careful What You Wish For Vince"

Or:

"How Austin and wCw/ECf'nW are the new Ric Flair and the Four Horseman."

Austin has turned heel and taken the WWF title to the wCw/Ecf'nW Coalition and has betrayed Vince McMahon and the WWF, for seemingly no reason.

This is how I think they will explain it.

The "hug n' guitar" Austin had the full support of Vince. He was guaranteed the top spot, insured by Vince. When the InVasion became the focus, Vince threw his support behind the WWF as a whole, escpecially Team WWF. Austin is no longer guaranteed the top spot by Vince's support.

However, The "New" Austin lacked the edge that SCSA character was known for(see above) and Vince was unsure about his(The WWF) chances v. the Coalition. So he(and Classie Freddie Blassie) triggered the return of the Old Stone Cold Steve Austin, which had the short term effect of galvanizing the WWF fanbase solidly behind the WWF roster. Except, of course, for X-Pac.

What Vince Forgot

or

The new Horseman order

The Old Stone Cold hates Vince McMahon. Austin hates the corporate image and culture that Vince represens and seeks to inhibit his sucess at every turn. wCw/ECf'nW has the outlaw image and banditry that the Old Austin would have embraced, because they also seek to destroy Vince.

The "new" Austin is satisfied because the Coalition will do whatever it takes to safeguard their newest acqusition. I see them doing whatever possible to safeguard the WWF title. The Coalition will protect Austin and the Title at all costs, either by causing DQ's or using the wCw referee corps to screw any contenders. See, this is Classic Horseman stuff with Austin playing Flair, the whole Coalition roster playing AA and the boys, and Shane/Steph/Paul E. playing J.J Dillon.

The Old Stone Cold is satisfied because once again he has shunned Vince's desire to have a respectable champion to represent the company. He has once again set himself on a quest to humiliate and belittle Vince McMahon.

Why this will work

or

Marks of the World, Unite!

This will work because the Old SCSA is more viable as a threat than the New Austin. Basically, Austin has reverted to 1996 form during his initial feud with Hart. The Austin/Vince feud is arguably the longest and most successful angle in wrestling history, having played out over a period of four years to great financial success. The current incarnation of this feud, in building toward the Austin betrayal has reaped an unexpected benefit.

By this I mean the emergence of Kurt Angle(in the eyes of the WWF fanbase, both Smark and Mark) as a main event threat.

Angle has been getting bigger and bigger face pops over the last few months due to his excellent promos and his stellar in ring work. He even begun to drop his trademark goofiness in favor of a more intense character that the fans have willingly bought into. Anyone who watched the PPV last night saw the crowd get completely behind Angle as the main event progressed, getting bigger pops for his work in the ring than anyone else. The Olympic Slam and the Ankle Lock have joined the likes of the Pedigree and the Last Ride as devastating holds and finishers.

With the injury to Chris Benoit, he may be the best all-around performer in the entire wrestling world.

The funny thing is, if Triple H and Benoit didn't get injured, he might have been out of the match entirely. Think about it. If Vince had the entire WWF Roster healthy, would Angle and Jericho have been in that Main? No. Angle would have likely wrestled Lance Storm and Jericho may have faced RVD or another Coalition opponent.

My final thought here is that this whole situation has facilitated the one thing that we have truly been waiting to see and that is the return of the Rock to WWF TV. I know that the true Smarky Smark Smart thing to do is to bash everyone on top, but the WWF lives and dies these days by the interest of the Causual Wrestling Fan and the Casual Wrestling Fan likes the Rock. A lot.

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