Defining moment for SCSA

[legendkillerRKO]

I just want to get the general consensus of the posters here as to what moment do u think was more defining in the career of Stone Cold Steve Austin?

1) Wrestlemania 13 when Austin refuses to tap to the Sharpshooter and instead passes out. Almost a double turn Brett goes on to be heel and Austin becomes one of the most over wrestlers in the company

OR....

2) KoTR 1996- Austin 3:16 is born after winning the King of the Ring and defeating Jake Roberts

[Swiss Ultimate]

1

[Keith]

I'm gonna say Summerslam 1997.

[Nowhere Man]

I'd also nominate Austin giving Vince the Stunner for the first time.

[Jordan]

Between those two choices, WM 13.

[Shisen Kopf]

I think it was when he said his whole Austin 3:16 rant.

[Shadrick]

I'd have to go with 2.

[CSL]

the promo. That WrestleMania match probably doesn't happen without it

[Lock Jaw]

1)

[Corndad]

I would even add WM 14 Winning the World Title is a Defining moment as well.

If going with just those two, would take the WM 13 match.

[Rammsteinmad]

The 3:16 promo. It was Austin's version of CM Punk's original 'Pipebomb'. Without it, and the following reception to it, the WWE superiors may have never seen 'it' in Steve Austin.

[Mr Amazing]

I think it was when he said his whole Austin 3:16 rant.

[GD]

1. That match still makes me wet in my panties.

[Tazz Dan]

2.

[Tom Guycott]

While the "double turn" finish at '13 was *a* defining moment for both guys, Bret in his heel turn and painting Austin as a tough/stubborn bad-ass SOB, I will have to go with the promo on Jake Roberts as *THE* defining moment.

The unexpected marketability of "Austin 3:16" aside, this was a point to actually PROVE Austin had chops to get it done on the mic. Yeah, those that knew his "history" knew how good he was, but by and large, especially at the time, anyone coming into the WWF was "new", and never existed outside of the promotion. "The Ringmaster" was pretty mute, and had DiBiase to speak for him. Even after he "lost on purpose" to move beyond him, his character was still kinda "meh". That promo solidified the fact that it was a good idea to push him.

Austin took advantage of a good thing and made it magical for everyone. For the casuals, he ran down the "face that failed", for the smarks, he just berated the "born-again, recovering alcoholic", for his character, it made him a brash bad-ass who obviously can back up what he says because he beat all his opponents to become King of the Ring. And then, of course, we have the fact that he chose to use "John/Austin 3:16" and it's subsequent definition. Verbal gold. It made people care about Austin.

Without that rant, his victory... his push... may have gone the way of Billy Gunn's KotR win.

[Me Like Wrestling]

this thred is hard

[Emperor Smeat]

Debut of Austin 3:16

Could also make a case for Austin vs HBK at Mania 14 being just as important as the match he had a year before against Bret. The match against Bret "made" him as a star and then got cemented his status as the top star against HBK.

[RiX1024]

The promo started him off, the match just turned him face.

[DLVH84]

2. It was clearly THE defining moment of his career, winning the tournament and making his infamous speech. It also defined what was yet to come.

[loopydate]

The speech.

I would add the Tyson segment to the argument, as that was what launched the character into the mainstream. Seeing a Raw segment on ESPN, as well as local and national news, was a huge springboard to the Attitude Era.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Austin had a lot of moments that really added up the entire legacy that surrounds him today. If one did not happen, another may not have, but it was a succession of perfect moments that created a perfect storm.

[Big Vic]

Him singing to "kumbaya" to Vince McMahon.

[XL]

the promo. That WrestleMania match probably doesn't happen without it

Austin had a lot of moments that really added up the entire legacy that surrounds him today. If one did not happen, another may not have, but it was a succession of perfect moments that created a perfect storm.
Pretty much what Noid said.

The promo, whilst important, would have gone to nothing without the other moments to follow it. Without the fued with Bret, the Mania 13 match, the stuff with Tyson, winning the Title at WM14, the fued with McMahon. It all adds up.

Arguably, he never gets those angles/moments without the promo so, the promo is THE moment, I guess.

[Nicky Fives]

KOTR made people take notice ..... Mania 13 put him on the map....

[RiX1024]

What Fives typed.....

[Mr. Nerfect]

I really enjoy discussions about moments that "made" guys. There was an interesting one about Chris Jericho a while back. I suggested that it was the moment Jericho through Shawn Michaels through the Jeritron, and really started his "serious Jericho" phase. A lot of people said it was his Undisputed Title win, but really, Jericho was second-fiddle heading into WrestleMania X8, and it took him YEARS to get back to a position where he could come out and legitimately main event any WWE PPV again.

The point where Austin was actually made? That would be an interesting discussion. I don't think it's exactly the same as a defining moment. You can have plenty of defining moments, but you can only be "made" once.

[El Tigre]

2. It was clearly THE defining moment of his career, winning the tournament and making his infamous speech. It also defined what was yet to come.

Pretty much this. While everyone may have their own SCSA moment that they would describe as "The" moment (For me it would be the first time he went against Vince) KOTR was the catalyst, him winning lit the fuse, and his speech was the explosion that ripped open all the cans of whoop ass that would follow.

[Fox]

Austin Moments:

- Wins KOTR, "Austin 3:16" is born
- Loses to Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 in epic "I Quit" Match
- Gets into a fight with Mike Tyson on RAW
- Wins the WWF Championship for his first time at WrestleMania 14
- Gives Vince McMahon his first Stone Cold Stunner the night after WM14
- Gives the Corporation a Beer Bath


Austin has had a hell of a career.

[Mr. Nerfect]

That he did. The only other moment I would add there would be his heel turn in 2001. I believe that marked the end of the Attitude era, and also marked the end of Austin's reign as the top guy in professional wrestling.

[DLVH84]

Actually, Austin gave Vince his first stunner around September 1997, during Austin's feud with Owen Hart.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

A lot of people won the King of the Ring tournament and didn't do shit with it. It's not enough on its own to make somebody. I'd have to go with 1 because of all the people who took King of the Ring and fell on their face.

Austin actually made WM13 seem interesting for about 30 minutes and then Sid and the Undertaker killed it again.

[CSL]

nobody is claiming that winning KOTR was the defining moment, it was the promo after it. He could have cut the same promo after beating Jake in a regular PPV match and it probably would have had the same impact.