[1997-05-05-WWF-Raw] Shawn Michaels, Hart Foundation and Legion of Doom

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Shawn makes a point of jogging in a circle around Vince while he's supposed to be sidelined with a knee injury. What an asshole. Shawn complains about the trend of wrestlers turning heel … too rich. He says he'll be the guy that comes out and sucks up to the fans and gets largely booed immediately, and finds a way to put over his NWO buddies in a little double entendre, all while Vince stands there laughing and smiling approvingly. This guy is like early 1996 Hogan, with Vince as his Bischoff. He needs a heel turn like I need air.

 

Bret and Pillman cut in on the Titantron and Bret issues a challenge on behalf of Neidhart for tonight. Neidhart comes out immediately and we get a brawl before the Hart Foundation enters the ring and attacks. LOD finally come out to even the sides.

[Kevin Ridge]

Shawn must have got some of that horse placenta in his knee to make such an amazing comeback. Michaels is his usually annoying self by this point. He was destined for a heel turn with the type of promos he was cutting. Neidhart is sent out to take on Shawn which is just a set up for rest of Hart Foundation to get involved. Anvil took a awful bump off a Hawk clothesline.

[soup23]

Shawn on the mic just honestly feels a good step behind everything else we have seen from Austin/Hogan/Bret/Outsiders so far this year. He yammers on then mercifully gets interrupted by Owen/Bulldog. LOD makes a save in one of their last bits of relevance.

[BackToBionic]

This is the kind of thing that would have me tripping over myself for the remote during the MNW era. Shawn as a real-life shithead acting like a big babyface is the worst thing from the top-tier of American wrestling in 1997, no doubt.

 

I lean towards Bret in the Bret vs Shawn feud (I'm not a big fan of either) but this segment shows Bret is the better talker at this time - much more focused and not as smarky. "Do you have the jam?!!" makes another appearance and I can't help but think Bret had a bet going about how many times he could work that phrase into a 2 hour show.

[Stiva]

"I don't mind you making fun of me but don't make fun of The Simpsons"

"Oh, is that for the guys or the girls?"

"You got the jam or not?"

 

I'm rewatching The Hart Foundation stuff atm and god damn does Bret Hart ever save this segment.

[PeteF3]

Less than halfway through the year, and a few of my WON Awards seem like stone-cold locks: Misawa-Kobashi for MOTY. Austin for Best Interviews. And Shawn Michaels for Most Obnoxious. Vince has improved tremendously as an announcer in the past 6 months but he and Shawn are unwatchable together. Shawn is Pure Cena at this point--lots of squeals from kids and ladies, boos from everyone else. At least, aside from the subtle shutout to his buddies in WCW, Shawn mostly concentrates on selling the feud with Bret instead of scoring personal potshots. Bret springs another 3-on-1 trap, this one involving Owen, Bulldog, and the Anvil. LOD make the save oddly wearing Bret Hart-style singlets+tights--I wonder if Vince or someone had a problem with their physiques at this point.

[Exposer]

Shawn's promo is garbage as is him prancing around. He's the most unlikable wrestler in WWF history. The only other guy who rivals him is his good buddy Triple H. Bret comes on the screen & calls Shawn out for his phony "injury" & challenges him to fight Jim Neidhart. Fans throw shit at Anvil when he comes out in a funny moment. Anvil is no selling & working like Ole Anderson during this brawl but I wouldn't sell for Shawn either. This is a trap by Bret of course so Owen & Davey come out to help Anvil. LOD make the save & we have a fun brawl to close the segment. Good stuff for the most part.