20. Steve Austin Tries To Rally The Troops During Invasion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX1l-fACxn0 2001 was a strange time for 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. After effectively turning heel and siding with Vince McMahon at WrestleMania X-Seven during a match against old rival The Rock, Austin entered a unique time in his career. An association with Triple H was abruptly ended - prematurely - due to an injury to 'The Game', leading Austin to become somewhat of a comedy character in the months leading up to the WCW and ECW 'invasion' of the WWF. This was 'Stone Cold' as fans had never seen him, hamming it up in hilarious segments also involving the likes of Kurt Angle and Vince McMahon. Before the InVasion Pay-Per-View, McMahon was trying to rally his troops for the epic 5 vs. 5 main event, one which was - in storyline at least - crucial to the future of the company. Lord knows how everyone involved managed to keep a straight face, Austin was on top form here. There are noticeable moments where some of the performers threaten to lose their cool - Chris Jericho visibly smiles close to the start of the clip, and even The Undertaker has to bury his face in his hand, likely finding Austin's mannerisms hilarious. This one wasn't supposed to be a comedic segment, but it made for a nice contrast between a super-serious Vince McMahon, and a ludicrously over-the-top Steve Austin.