10 Incredible WWE Attitude Era Moments Nobody Ever Talks About
2. "Try lacing my boots!"
In 1997, fans had begun cheering for the 'bad guys.'
Finding the anti-hero more interesting, heels like Stone Cold Steve Austin were being turned face by the crowd's reaction to their anti-establishment behaviour and their rebellious natures. Real life was starting to blur into the Wrestling story-telling and kayfabe was being rooted in realism. Whilst fans debate that the tonal shift of the WWE was born from the anarchy of ECW, or the fourth wall breaks in WCW, Vince McMahon knew that he had to take ownership of this change in audience tastes.
McMahon crafted a vignette in which his wrestlers would call out the perception of Sports Entertainers being non-athletes and wrestling not being 'real'. This would end with the WWF Champion daring those who harbour such thoughts to 'try lacing his boots.' At the time, that was Bret 'The Hitman' Hart.
The VT was to kick off the new 'Attitude Era', announcing that WWE would now be more adult-oriented entertainment. The historic announcement was set to be broadcast prior to the main event of Survivor Series '97.
The problem, was that the main event ended in the Montreal Screwjob. After the events of that night, no one really remembered about the video announcing its arrival. All anyone knew was that the was that the WWF now found themselves justifying a real-world decision outside of their own storylines. To most, it appeared that the Attitude Era was a product of the situation when it had actually been planned all along.