10 Most Underrated WWE Smackdown Moments Of All Time

The InVasion of 2001 will go down in history as a failure due to the one-sided nature of the war and the fact that WCW's biggest stars (Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair, Goldberg, Scott Steiner and co) were sitting at home collecting fat paychecks from AOL/Time Warner.

However, it did produce some captivating television at times.

On the Smackdown after the historic July 9, 2001 episode of Raw where WCW and ECW joined forces, Vince McMahon made a plea to his top superstar and WWF Champion to return to form.

For months, Steve Austin had turned heel and became much more cowardly than he ever had been in his WWF tenure. Vince McMahon knew he had created a monster, and he needed to try and talk Stone Cold out of his current persona in order to lead Team WWF into the InVasion pay-per-view.

"The man that I need to lead Team WWF, even though I've appreciated it, is not the Stone Cold Steve Austin who gives me hugs. I don't need the leader of Team WWF, the Stone Cold Steve Austin that... that gives me gifts, cowboy hats and... and Steve you had your wife Debra make me cookies. Steve, I don't need the kind of Stone Cold Steve Austin, that strums a guitar and sings to me to lead me and lead Team WWF into Invasion, that's not what I need, Steve.

Dammit, you know what I need? You know who I need? I NEED THE OLD STONE COLD!

I need the Stone Cold Steve Austin who's a bear-swilling, vile-mouth wrestle bitch! I need the kind of Stone Cold Steve Austin who don't take no sh*t from anybody! I need the kind of HELL-RAISING, HELL RAISING Stone Cold Steve Austin! I need the kind of Stone Cold Steve Austin, not that long ago who would look at me and if I parted my hair the wrong way, you would knock me on my ass!

That's the kind of leadership I need from you Stone Cold. I need you to lead Team WWF into Invasion, I need the OLD Stone Cold. Are you listening to me, dammit?! Huh? You want to knock me on my ass now? Huh? Come on, I can feel it, I know I can feel it can feel it in my guts! COME ON, COME ON, NAIL ME! COME ON, KNOCK ME DOWN! KNOCK ME DOWN! If you want Stone Cold Steve Austin to beat THE LIVING HELL out of Vince McMahon, give me a HELL YEAH!"

And on a beat, Austin shook his head to say 'no' and started to walk out. Much like the kid at the end of the movie Shane, Vince screamed for Austin to come back, even yelling, "Give me a stunner, dammit!". This caused Austin to pause, and the crowd responded in kind, but then Austin continued to walk.

It was probably the best segment in the entire InVasion storyline, and it's one of the most underrated Smackdown moments of all-time.