Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels should have been great tag team champions. As WWE continued to inject more attitude into its programming, the pair exemplified everything that would become so incredibly popular during its most successful and critical period, and could have done great things for the company at a time when it was struggling mightily to deliver a worthy counter-punch in the Monday Night Wars, which had been dominated by WCW to that point. Unfortunately, injuries became an issue for Michaels, as did his attitude and the behind-the-scenes rivalry between he and Bret Hart. After a pull-apart fight ensued between the Heartbreak Kid and the Hitman, Michaels was suspended and the titles were vacated, robbing fans and the company of what could have been an outstanding tag team, not to mention emphasis for a much sooner renaissance in the fight for pro wrestling supremacy with Ted Turner's company.
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.
