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[1997-02-03-WWF-Raw] Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin and Sid


Loss

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  • 3 weeks later...

This is a RAW at the Sky Dome. There are some boos, but Shawn is pretty beloved in comparison to the response he'd get for years after this. Weird lighting for this show. Michaels is doing this weird tweener thing that doesn't quite make sense. I think they were just trying to make Shawn a babyface with an edge, but it doesn't come across that way. Vince asks Shawn about Bret and of course Shawn has a few things to say, so Bret decides to confront him.

 

Bret says he tries to like Shawn, but he finds it more difficult all the time. Shawn used the word "degenerate" this early? Interesting. Bret calls him a jackass and a punk. Austin blindsides Bret and they brawl to the floor. Sid is out to get in Shawn's face but they don't come to blows.

 

After the break, Bret and Shawn have a pretty heated staredown. Good segment, Bret and Shawn are beloved and I do think people wanted to see them lock up again, but when I watch segments like this, I think both of them were part of the problem at this point -- a whiny babyface and a really obnoxious one. At least they'd both end up in the right role by year's end.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I guess Jose was dropped by this point as we get no mention of him.

 

THe crowd looks big for Raw but between the lightning and the entrance ramp something feels off. Shawns promo was a little rambling but when Bret comes out and calls him a jackass it heats up. Shawn vs. Bret at WM 13 looks like a big time match right now as they have been very careful not to have them touch. I caught the Degenerate line to which I find pretty cool. Austin comes out and we have a big pull apart between him and Bret. I thought Sid was going to blindside Shawn but he ends up just jawing at him and leaving. At the end we are left with Bret stepping on the belt and then flicking off Shawn. Good stuff all around.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I felt at the time that WWF was more than competitive with WCW with the crowd they had here at Skydome. Yeah, the lighting isn't the best but it is still a big crowd. Bret listens on during Michael's promo which is booed by the fans. Michaels is ready to be the worst guy as can be to keep the WWF title. Both guys were becoming unlikeable leading up to WrestleMania.

 

Also, I believe they showed a replay of the Royal Rumble at this show which was a first for WWF?

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 months later...
  • 1 year later...

Good segment. Bret is much better as a whiny babyface bordering on heeling up than Shawn is as an obnoxious one, as showed by their respective promos. Bret stepping on the belt at the end and flipping the finger is a nice touch. I love Bret during that time.

 

(interesting segment following this, as they made a big deal of the signing of Tiger Ali Singh, complete with Bret Hart giving him the nod… He looks like a guy who's gonna be pushed straight to the top here… well, they were trying different things at least)

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  • 1 month later...

I liked the discussion about whether the WWF title is in and of itself a force of evil, which brings out the worst in people. Some Treasure of the Sierra Madre-level stuff going on there. Bret and Shawn verbally put each other in their place--I too raised an eyebrow at the use of the word "degenerate." Austin sneak attacks Bret, Sid confronts Shawn, then Bret and Shawn have a showdown over the belt. Strong segment, and the Bret-Shawn build has been so good that I find it hard to believe they were planning to switch the title back to Sid on Thursday.

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  • 1 year later...

JR putting over Shawn & saying he's a man of his word who will absolutely defend the title next week on Thursday RAW Thursday is hilarious. Fucking Shawn. I liked both Shawn & Bret's promos here. The whole story of the WWF Title bringing the worst in people is a great explanation for what's been going on at the top of the card. Bret's hatred for Shawn is compelling television. I get the feeling Shawn doesn't even hate Bret as much as Bret hates him. Bret is so sick of his bullshit & I am starting to get there too. Austin shows up & attacks Bret leading to a brawl on the floor. Sid shows up & gets in Shawn's face. They go to break & officials have removed Austin & Sid. I liked Shawn drawing the line in the sand with the belt. Bret stepping on the belt, taking it, then dropping it at Shawn's feet & flipping him off is a great moment. Bret is such a whiny asshole here & it's amazing. Shawn is such a passive asshole about this too throwing the Kliq sign to someone in the crowd. These two's dislike for one another bleeds all over the television screen & I'm completely engrossed in it. I love this feud.

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  • GSR changed the title to [1997-02-03-WWF-Raw] Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin and Sid
  • 6 months later...

This was another fun segment and I thought Shawn's promo was totally fine. Bret might be the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be, but he's not the WWF champion. We're sure getting some edginess to the two top babyfaces as Bret calls him a punk, jackass and degenerate. Neither one of them comes across as being terribly easy to root for or, you know...LIKE. Austin is probably more likeable than both of them and he's a sociopath. Maybe it's because he's an unapologetic one and so you get exactly what you see with him, whereas Bret is pretty sanctimonious and torn-faced about everything and Michaels is sort of obnoxious and not very endearing. Actually Undertaker might be more likeable than all of them and he's a Satan worshipper or something. Bret standing on the belt and flipping off Michaels was kinda awesome, though. 

Really cool segment. WWF are definitely onto something with what they're doing at the top of the card and things are sure feeling very Attitude-y. 

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