10 Fascinating WWE WrestleMania 17 Facts
1. Stone Cold Nearly Called An Audible And Stunned Vince
Steve Austin felt that things had gotten stale for babyface Stone Cold, and it was true. The character needed some form of a refresher, and he had an epiphany: he would turn heel. The intensity Austin displayed when he asserted that he "needed" to beat The Rock brought out a vulnerable desperation that was well-acted, but ultimately fell flat in front of an audience not big on subtlety.
By the time McMahon handed Austin the chair to signal the beginning of their startling alliance, Austin was beginning to doubt the crafted plan. In fact, Austin felt that before McMahon's involvement, he'd regained his mojo through the course of what was an excellent match with The Rock, arguably the best match of Rock's career.
Austin thought about calling the turn off right there, and planting Vince with a Stunner. It might not have justified McMahon helping him, but it could've added edge back into a character that needed a little more complexity.
If WWE's Attitude Era were a lively dance party, Austin's heel turn was an abrupt record scratch that signaled the end of a truly special time.