10 Times Vince McMahon Had Nothing To Do With WWE's Massive Success
7. Austin 3:16
Vince McMahon envisioned Steve Austin as a ring general. Since "general" was probably on his list of sudden no-no words in December of 1995, Austin instead became 'The Ringmaster'.
It was an on-the-nose gimmick, and fittingly, a blackhead on Austin's career. The man who, without factoring in longevity, was the most lucrative North American draw ever, was destined for midcard anonymity. Vince sees what nobody else does, per WWE rhetoric. He saw none of the star potential most Observers did at the marvellous sight of Austin's incendiary ECW sojourn. Austin took control over that destiny, and successfully pitched a repackage in the ice-cold vein of real-life serial killer Richard Kuklinski. Austin became a no-nonsense, p*ssed-off, trash-talking badass who ate the chip on his shoulder and sh*t in-ring and comedy gold. McMahon, always more of a marketer than a booker, per se, did not create Austin's money-printing sensation of a catchphrase, either. Austin improvised the "Austin 3:16" spiel as a blackly comedic dig at the expense of recovering alcoholic and born-again Christian Jake Roberts.
Beyond Hulk Hogan - who was already running wild in the AWA, it must be noted - McMahon rarely did pick 'em.