10. He Was Hated In Canada For Disrespecting The Flag
Story: As a Canadian wrestling fan, it's always been weird to say Shawn Michaels is my favourite wrestler ever. People are surprised because they think Shawn is hated in Canada. Part of the reason he was hated is because he helped screw Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1997, but that wasn't the only thing. Michaels disrespected the Canadian flag multiple times. There were times when he took the flag that was at ringside, then put it into his nose as if he was wiping his nose with it. Then at that Survivor Series 1997 match with Hart, he took the flag and humped it in the ring as well as wiping it against his crotch. Could you imagine somebody doing that today? Huge heat. When Hart & Michaels did their Rivalry DVD several years ago, Hart mentioned that Michaels was probably more hated for this than anything he did.
Why People Believe It: Flags are serious business. We know that from recent flag incidents involving Chris Jericho in Brazil and even the recent Big Show storyline flag disrespect.
Should We Believe It: Yes, it's certainly part of it. By the late 2000s Michaels wasn't really hated in Canada because we're forgiving people. The phrase "time heals all wounds" applies here. However, the flag incidents were very raunchy even though in Shawn's eyes it was probably just a way to get heel heat.