And Steve Austin Gets a Free Pass Why???

So as an avid Hulkamaniac, and a pretty vocal one at that, I have been the victim over the years of simply being a Hulk Hogan apologist. Being a Hogan fan, pretty much is the kiss of death of being a member of a wrestling board. Why might you ask, well simple, because Hogan SuKs n OnLy NKws 5 muvs n Stff. For years I've read this nonsensical dribble, and always thought to myself, why in the hell does Steve Austin get a free pass from criticism.

Look around the internet, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone willing to go out of their way to bash the rattlesnake, and I ask, why.

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin and his move set: We here it all the time, Hogan and Cena and their five moves of doom. I ask you, when Steve Austin was at his hottest, was he any different. You want to sum up a Steve Austin moveset during his prime of 98-99, I'll sum it up for you, Punch, Kick, Lou Thesz Press, Middle Finger, Stunner. Pretty much does it all. Steve Austin, after his neck injury, became a five trick pony just like everyone else that gets criticized, yet the Rattlesnake is above praise for doing the same exact thing. Oh, of course, Austin was a great technical wrestler, and I won't deny that before the neck injury. But when people point to how great say an Andre or a Hogan were in Japan, it's often laughed at and dismissed, why?

2. Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Politician and ruiner of careers.: I am an avid critic of Triple H, most on here are critics of Hulk Hogan. Shawn Michaels has gotten his fair share as well, yet Steve Austin has become the forgotten figure of backstage politics, why?

Steve Austin has destroyed the potential pushes of people that he thought was beneath him during his prime. Kevin Kelly on these very forums spoke about the Main Event of Wrestlemania 15, and how Steve Austin blocked Mick Foley, a man that has given more to this business then almost anyone ever has, because Austin didn't want to share the spotlight, and didn't want to split the pay day.

Later in that same year when the WWE was trying to build up newer stars, the politicking came out again. Billy Gunn was in the middle of a push, and creative was pushing hard for him to work a program with Steve Austin, yet Austin felt that gun was beneath him. Austin only wanted to work with established stars, hence why for the majority of Austin's main run threw 98-99, we got to see pretty much Austin vs. Foley, Undertaker, and McMahon, with a little of the Rock thrown in at the end, that's it. Why? Because Austin felt everyone else was beneath him.

Fast forward just a few months later, and Vince Russo was pushing for Jeff Jarrett to be in the main event. But for some reason, Steve Austin vetoed that as well. Why would a man like Steve Austin be afraid of being in a match with Jeff Jarrett, a former 6 time Intercontinental Champion at that point, petiness, that's why. Steve Austin worked for Jeff Jarretts father in Memphis, a man that pushed Steve Austin like no other. What happened, While Austin was paying his do's in the business, he became jealous that the owners son was living a life better then his. God forbid that a person with the last name of Jarrett was more over in a territory that Austin wasn't established in yet. So what happens, Steve Austin sees an opportunity to screw Jarrett out of the Main Event spotlight and pay day, and vetoes this maneuver by creative. This ultimately led to Double J and Russo leaving the company.

Then we get to Austin being injured, leaving the company, and he came back with some spots of brilliance, I won't deny that. His match with Triple H at No Way Out 2001 was the best of his career post neck injury, but then you get to 2002 and Steve Austin begins to show his ass. After disagreeing over the planned finish with Hulk Hogan at Mania, Steve Austin no showed, I repeat, no showed the Raw after Mania. That's right, one of the highest rated Raws of the year traditionally, and Austin no showed because he thought he was being treated right, even though he was supposed to have the match with Hogan in the first place. So Steve Austin bales on a scheduled appearance.

Austin comes back, and is put in a big feud with both the Undertaker, and Ric Flair, pretty much getting everything he asked for. The WWE brings back Eddie Guerrero to the company, to feud with Steve Austin. Mr. Veto is at it again, and decides that he is too big of a star to feud with the likes of an Eddie Guerrero.

Fast Forward yet another month, and a red hot rookie by the name of Brock Lesnar is set to get the push of a lifetime. Creative yet again comes to Austin asking him to do the job, but Mr. Veto himself blocks this move yet again. Brock Lesnar would go on to get the rub from guy slike Hogan, Flair, Rock, and the Undertaker, yet Steve Austin was somehow too good to do his job. So you know what happens, Steve Austin no showed raw, for the 2nd time in 2 months. That is criminal.

So why does Steve Austin get a free pass where others like Hogan or Triple H get bashed repeatedly? People can name you guys that Hogan gave the rub too, hell, Triple H has at least made Batista look good in the ring. So I ask you, who in the hell has Stone Cold Steve Austin ever made to look good besides an established star in the ring. What young up and comer did Steve Austin go out of his way for and make look good?

Steve Austin walked out of the company, not once, but twice. The Ultimate Warrior to this day gets crucified by the IWC for holding McMahon hostage at Summerslam in 1991, the IWC crucifies Jeff Jarrett for "Holding Hostage" the WWF for 300,000 for his out of contract IC title match with Chyna at No Mercy 1999. The difference being, Warrior and Jarrett still showed up, Steve Austin left everyone hanging, and failed the company and it's fans. Why does this man get a free pass?

3. Stone Cold Steve Austin, the one trick Ass, I mean pony: Pretty much the name says it all. Steve Austin and his promos sucked. All the time you hear about guys rambling on, making no sense, cutting shit promos. Steve Austin was the king of shit promos. The guy couldn't go more then a sentence without uttering the word ass, or hell, and when things got real tough, he'd flip the camera off. Way to go Steve, king of cheap heat. So why does Steve Austin get a free pass when it comes to his piss poor mic work? The guy made a career out of uttering blasphemy, yet he gets a free pass, why?

4. Stone Cold Steve Austin, a miserable human being: You read it all the time about people bashing wrestlers for what happens in their personal lives. Bret Hart was a miserable family man, Shawn Michaels was an asshole, the Hogan family is screwed up. Yet Steve Austin is a wife beater, and he gets nothing for it. Hulk Hogan gets crucified for trying to consul his son in a private setting in what was supposed to be a private conversation between a son and a father, yet is recorded and exposed publically. Hogan gets shit on all the time for that, yet Steve Austin gets nothing for beating his wife? Why does Steve Austin get a free pass for being a 225 pound man that beats up his 120 pound wife?

So I ask you, the IWC, the supporters of Austin 3:16, on the Weekend he is immortalized into the WWE Hall of Fame, why in the hell is it okay to bash every single other wrestler for what they do, yet everyone seemingly turns a blind eye to Stone Cold Steve Austin and his history of politicking behind the scenes and personal issues? Why is it that everyone seems to turn a blind eye to this man, and criticize everyone else? Why does Steve Austin get a free pass when clearly he is a man that doesn't deserve it?