Sweeter Chin Music
By Jeff Sanchez
Manila Bulletin - February 14, 2004
There is a time for nostalgia and there is a time to look ahead. For Shawn Michaels the last 15 months, being a "special attraction nostalgia act" was appropriate. He was making only occasional appearances and wrestling infrequent matches. Once the best world class worker in the U.S., in the mid 90’s, it made sense to market his past as hi asset.
Now that he is on a full-time basis because his back has healed completely, its time for a make-over.
The first step should be his entrance music, The "Ohhh, Shawn!" music dates back to when Sensational Sherri Martel used to manage him. It made sense for his young, brash, irreverent, heartthrob character he played back then. Now, as a 38 year old with a thinning hair and Jesus t-shirt, it just doesn’t fit. There is no way, if WWE were forced to create a new entrance theme for him due to, say, copyright reasons, that they’d come with anything resembling his current intro song. It just doesn’t fit who he is, a seasoned level-headed veteran. He needs a more contemporary intro song that fits his 38 year old veteran personality. He also needs to issue a mission statement. So far, his return matches have been based around grudges or being called out by younger wrestlers. He has been reacting to others. Now it’s time for him to declare what his goals are and what he plans to do to accomplish those goals. Instead of reacting to others, its time for him as a full time main event act to set the tone for his career and let others react to it.
A full-time Shawn Michaels is a major asset to WWE at a perfect time. With relatively green workers like Batista and Randy Orton with great promise, or with established second-tier wrestler who can benefit from a full-fledged Michaels feud, such as Matt Hardy or Christian, he is a perfect fit for the Raw roster.
But if he seems like an old guy stopping by for a cup of coffee whose best days are behind him, he’s not going to be draw he can be. He’ll be helpful in getting good to great matches out of some younger Raw wrestlers, but the outcomes of the matches won’t mean much and they won’t draw what they could if he seemed to be fully in it for real again.
Michaels doesn’t need to violate his religious values to show consistent fire and desire to attain new professional goals. A Michaels with a Mission means more than a meandering Michaels coming out to decade-old into music with decade old mannerisms and wearing a religious t-shirt that goes unexplained.
Michaels needed to be treated like a major star. He’s ready to contribute on a full time basis, something Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Rock and even Triple H can’t or won’t commit to right now for a variety of reasons. Booker T’s back is hurting him. Rob Van Dam contract status and ability to be a top-tier player are in question. Michaels is a valuable to Raw right as he’ll ever be.
For the past 15 months, WWE has been rightfully hesitant to get behind Michaels. WWE needed to be investing in wrestler who will be around in three or five years and can wok a full time house show scheduled. Now that Michaels has taken the better part of five years off, he is a "young" 38 years old. With Ric Flair still going strong well into his 50’s there is no reason to believe Michaels, if he keeps his head straight and clear (which his new lifestyle tends to indicate will be the case), can’t contribute great matches on a full tie basis for the next five years. Who else is a better bet in WWE that Michaels who can contribute great in-ring main events week after week starting now and combine that with solid name value, good mic work, and great charisma? It’s time for WWE to treat him like the asset he is with an inspiring, age-appropriate make-over.
Turning a heel again perhaps?
Maybe resurrecting D-Generation X in the form of Evolution can be the answer. The ongoing storyline on Raw certainly points that way.