13. Linda Pushes Back
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xy5fzw_linda-mcmahon-slaps-stephanie-4-17-00-raw-hd_sport On the March 23, 2000 episode of SmackDown, Stephanie McMahon stunned the world when she slapped her mother, knocking her off her feet and leaving her in tears. The display was a shocking, sickening act of disrespect by a young woman whose head had gotten so big from her power trip that she believed she was above everything and everyone. It was a distasteful and, as Stephanie revealed in the 2006 WWE Home Video release "McMahon," one of the hardest things she has ever done. With tensions mounting and so many stories fusing into one, the April 2000 Backlash pay-per-view was shaping up to be a memorable one. In the main event of the evening, The Rock again attempted to capture the WWE Championship from Triple H. With Vince and Shane McMahon, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco at ringside, the last person the Great One wanted to contend with was Stephanie. Luckily, he would not have to. Moments after "Stone Cold" Steve Austin hit the ring to one of the biggest pops of all-time and laid out the McMahons, Patterson and Brisco with chair shots, Linda appeared with fired referee Earl Hebner. Confronted by her daughter, Linda shoved Stephanie to the arena floor and sent Hebner into the ring to count the fall and award the WWE title to new champion, The Rock. Linda McMahon was always non-confrontational but after having her bratty daughter slap her in front of millions of television viewers, she had no choice but to push back, literally and figuratively, and remind Stephanie who was really in charge. That moment was, arguably, as important to that match and its overall quality as the appearance of Steve Austin, It cleared the way for Rock to win the title without the interference of the Women's champion getting involved and brought some much-needed finality to the issues between mother and daughter. And if that was not enough, the slap from Linda to Stephanie on Raw certainly was.
Erik Beaston
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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.
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