Powerslam Magazine (from England) - Issue 96
CALLING THE SPOTS =
The familiar strains of 'Sexy Boy' signalled the surprise return of the 'Heartbreak Kid', Shawn Michaels to the WWE on the June 3 Raw, held in his home state of Texas.
It was Michaels' first appearance on television in a story line since he handed the Commissioner role, over to Mick Foley in June 2002. He had been scheduled to return just before Wrestlemania 17; but at least one embrassing incident backstage coupled with concerns by management over his ability to perform in front of the cameras; put a stop to that.
Shawn's alignment with the New World Order was and wasn't a surprise. You see, just one week earlier on 'Confidential', Michaels claimed that, for all intents and purposes; his career was over. However, this being the WWE, whose primary objective right now is to shock the audience, one should have expected the move. Besides, who's booking the nWo? That's right: Michaels old Clique buddies Kevin Nash and Sean 'X-Pac' Waltman.
In the ring, Michaels has only wrestled one match-a gimmick affair for his old Texas Wrestling Academy-since his grappling career obstensibly ended at Wrestlemania XIV-March 29, 1998. Two months prior to that, Michaels suffered a serious back injury in a Casket match with the Undertaker at the Royal Rumble. Despite being in agony, Michaels managed to hold onto his smile long enough to reach 'Mania. at which he dropped the WWF World title a red-hot Steve Austin.
After that, doctor strongly advised Shawn to leave wrestling behind. He had major back surgery in January 1999, and his rehabilitation from that, combined with his marriage to former Nitro Girl Whisper and the subsequent birth of their first child, Cameron Cade, kept him occupied. Wealthy and still on the WWE payroll, Michaels had no reason to return. But you know what they say... once a wrestler, always a wrestler.
Strutting down to the ring in the nWo colours, Michaels went into pose mode with Kevin Nash, awakening memories of the Diesel/Michaels partnership in the mid-1990.
Nostalgia and appeasing Nash aside, though, Michaels' entry into the nWo seems to be a futile exercise.
Certainly, the big pop and internet buzz provoked Shawn's comeback would have given the creative crew something to smile about for the first time in months. However, throwing someome in his physical condition into such a high-profile scenario is not a good business in the long term. Despite using the Sweet Chin Music on Bokker T on the following week Raw- which indicates that a return to the ring is forthcoming-Michaels dare not risk becoming anything than a occasional gimmick preformer.
At a time when the demand to create new stars is greater than ever, WWE is clearly hellbent on using the past to reverse its downward spiral. But bringing back golden oldies such as Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan and Nash, as well as pushing former stars like 'HBK', is not the answer:this is the same approach that killed WCW.
Wholesale change is needed to refresh-up a stale and dated product. Revivng stars from yesteryear is like placing new wrapped on out-of-date bread. It's time to bake a new loaf, and Michaels, as great as he was in his day, isn't one of the required ingredients.
This article was written before the Summer Slam match. I love t when the *smart* people turn out to be so dumb lol.