The Invasion angle that dominated WWE programming in the second-half of 2001 created some interesting television, at least early in its inception. Fans wanted to know who would jump ship, which great WCW and ECW stars would debut next and how each side would respond to the opposition's latest assault. With the overall health of WWE in question as it was confronted by the very real threat of a combined WCW/ECW faction, it was imperative that every one of the company's top stars be at their very best. Steve Austin was anything but. His confidence was shaken and his faith in Vince McMahon's loyalty and love for him was in very real doubt. When he finally rediscovered his inner "Stone Cold" and went on a rampage, clearing The Alliance from the ring just six days before their first major showdown at the Invasion pay-per-view in July, it appeared as though WWE had received the spark it needed to reignite the competitive fires. Then, at in the biggest ten-man tag team match ever (to that point), Austin shocked the world by turning on the company that made him a star and aligning himself with the Stephanie and Shane McMahon's ragtag bunch of invaders. It immediately lent legitimacy to the heel organization. Now, they were a very real threat to WWE, especially with the biggest star in company history guiding them. Of course, the good guys won in the end and evil Austin instantly became a thing of the past. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5YRNbelm5U And that is not necessarily a bad thing.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
