Stone Cold and Tiger Are Very Comparable. Who Knew?

Like most things in life, the events surrounding Tiger Woods’ life and their possible outcomes on his legacy can be compared to one WWE storyline or another.  None more than Stone Cold Steve Austin’s reign as King of the WWF Attitude Era and his downfall in 2001.  Surprisingly, these two superstars’ careers happen to intertwine in an eerily comparable fashion.  The two had similarly timed rises to fame, they both have achieved what has never been done before, and both have provided their audiences with substantial plot twists that have made their fan bases question whether their loyalties should be elsewhere.  But will their fates be the same?  Tiger Woods and the PGA certainly hope not.

First, a little Background: Stone Cold Steve Austin really started to emerge as a prominent primetime player in mid 1996. Prior to that year’s summer, he’d been a low key player within the WWF (also WCW and ECW before then), wrestling under several monikers such as “Stunning” Steve Austin and The Ringmaster, but eventually sticking with “Stone Cold”.  Austin’s rise to prominence really began at the King of the Ring, a Pay-Per-View tournament held annually.  He had reached the finals where he was pitted against Jake “The Snake” Roberts who at the time was portraying himself to be a bible quoting born-again Christian.  After Roberts received a well-calculated “Stone Cold Stunner” and was pinned, Austin was interviewed at the winner’s podium.  In his typical mocking fashion, Stone Cold belittled the born-again Christian by adding his own expletive filled verse.  Austin 3:16 became his catchphrase and, to this day, is one of the most famous wrestling taglines of all time. 

After winning 3 consecutive U.S. Amateur titles, the NCAA Championship winning Eldrick Woods was about to turn pro.  Like the aforementioned King of the Ring and several other men in that line of profession, Woods also went by a nickname.  Less than two months after Austin’s pay-per-view tournament championship, Tiger Woods became a professional golfer, signed a $40 million dollar endorsement deal with Nike, and solidified his presence with a tagline of his own: “Hello World”.

In the years that followed, both Stone Cold and Tiger became the biggest and most successful stars of their particular professions.  Along with that, they both propelled the popularity of their companies and profession to astounding heights.  In the years where Austin was most popular, WWE’s Stock was above $24 per share (the highest it’s ever been).  He was the main attraction and arguably the reason the WWF prevailed during The Monday Night Wars, after which they bought out their two largest competitors.

I don’t think we need to discuss Tiger Woods impact on the PGA Tour’s finances.  

Let’s talk championships.  Trash-talking and beer-swilling his way to the top, The Texas Rattle Snake used his patented Stone Cold Stunner and brawler wrestling style to become a 6-time WWF Champion, 3-time Royal Rumble Winner, 3-time Wrestler of the year, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 (all following his 1996 King of the Ring Championship).

Woods has had some success of his own.  Over the years he’s won 14 Major Championships, been PGA Tour Player of the Year 10 times, and has 71 PGA Tour Wins (3^rd all time) along with several other accolades.

With all their success, accolades, contributions to the economies of their business something has gone awry with both their careers.  Tiger Woods came in the beginning of the winter and has been overly discussed which makes me discussing its details overkill (have you heard about it yet?). 

Austin’s career downturn was unfortunately kayfabe and actually written into the storyline.  It’s the worst thing that’s ever happened in wrestling (I’m still bitter 9 years later) and its outcome, like these two megastar’s backgrounds, may be comparable.

These events took place in the beginning of 2001.  Over the Years, along with Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock had also established himself as one of most popular Wrestlers in History.  Like The Rattle Snake, he was great with a microphone, could amp up the crowd just as much as Austin, and he was athletic as anybody in the ring (a few years as a defensive tackle on the Miami Hurricanes will do that for you).  The fact that they were my two “favorites”, and the “favorites” of millions of wrestling fans across the country, made the coming months extremely confusing, but entertaining nonetheless.

In January, the WWE holds its annual Royal Rumble, a 30 man free-for-all/last man in the ring/battle royale.  The winner gets the ultimate prize:  a guaranteed title match against the WWE Champion at WrestleMania two months later.  Austin, a fan favorite, won the Rumble match and was set to face long-time heel (villain)/tool Kurt Angle. 

In a twist of fate, The Rock acquired the belt by defeating Kurt Angle one month prior to WrestleMania X-Seven.  Two fan-favorites pitted against each other in a No Disqualification Match?  Awesome.  But where would my loyalties lie?  I, like many viewers, took a neutral stance.  They were both amazing entertainers and never disappointed.  In the weeks that followed, neither wrestler turned heel, but they developed a great rivalry and storyline. 

After weeks of waiting, WrestleMania’s main event came on April 1^st, 2001.  In front of the Astrodome’s 67,000+ fans, and the millions watching around the world (me and my brother on a couch), the unimaginable happened…..

In the middle of a hard fought match, Vince McMahon, chairman of the WWF and Arch nemesis of Austin, came out to ringside to view the two badly bloodied wrestlers battle.  As the epitome of the word “HEEL”, McMahon had no love for either wrestler and enjoyed himself thoroughly.  It was a hard fought match, with no sign of villainy, but with Vince at ringside I became worrisome.  

After somehow escaping several of Austin’s submission holds, The Rock used the Stone Cold Stunner on its architect, and then followed it up with his patented People’s Elbow (a life threatening combination).  Victory was within his grasps.  A historic match that was going to be remembered for two icons battling their hearts out in front of millions of their supporters…..until it was ruined. 

McMahon disrupted The Rock’s attempted three-count, and amidst the confusion he handed Austin a steel chair, signifying they were in cahoots.  To the dismay of every WWF fan, he delivered several chair shots to the Brahma Bull and pinned his foe.  He spent the rest of Pay-Per-View celebrating with McMahon.

“Et tu, Brute?”  I felt like Julius Caesar, and Stone Cold was the betrayer who’d just back stabbed me….

It wasn’t the downfall of Austin’s career, but he would never be as popular again.  He played patsy to McMahon for the next several months.  During the Invasion storyline (WCW and ECW wrestlers were placed against WWF stars as way to establish who was best after the real-life merger of the wrestling companies) in the months after X-Seven.  He remained the most hated wrestler during a time when he should have been the most revered.  For the past 5 years, kids had been debating the question “Who would win: Austin vs. (Insert WCW Wrestler X)?”  Unfortunately, Austin was now a villain, even more of scoundrel than any body the Alliance could provide.  He had betrayed us, lost our loyalty, and to a certain extent, his Legacy had been sullied.  Austin would go on and thrive in several prominent storylines the remaining few years of his career, but he never reached the same pinnacle where he was prior to WrestleMania 17 (ex: Rock vs. Austin at WrestleMania 19 was on the under card...)

Now, Tiger never blasted another PGA fan-favorite with a steel chair, but Austin’s and Woods’ real life fan popularity are very comparable.  They had both risen the ranks of celebrity at the same time, they achieved what so many others have not, they both boosted the popularity of their respective vocations, and they both hit a stint that staggered their fan support.  Stone Cold’s fate was predetermined and he was supposed to lose a fan base (….still bitter…).  Tiger’s was unintentional, even so, he has lost  a substantial amount of support, and to many he has become a heel.  Will Tiger Woods popularity suffer the same fate as Stone Cold Steve Austin’s?  Only time will tell.  This summer will be a great predictor, like that first episode of Raw after WrestleMania 17.