Let's use our imaginations a bit here. What are some kayfabe reasons you can think of as to why Vince McMahon didn't fire Stone Cold Steve Austin? I don't count what happened at Judgment Day 98 because the context of that storyline seemed to indicate that Vince fired him knowing all along Shane would rehire him with the no touch clause in his contact in order to screw him over. I mean kayfabe reasons why he didn't just flat out fire him.
Some reasons I came up with are:
He knew Austin made him too much money and didn't want to lose that
He was afraid of what Austin would do to him (look at what happened after JD 98)
He didn't want Austin to go to WCW and help them in the Monday Night War
He just enjoyed making life hard for Austin and was willing to keep him employed just for the pleasure.
I'll add that he wanted to beat down Austin and break his spirit. Just firing him and having him not be there anymore wouldn't do anything to repair the damage Austin did to Vince's image. If anything it would have made Vince look weaker by showing that he couldn't "beat" Austin. And Austin would have become a kind of martyr like Bret Hart. If Vince was able to beat Stone Cold down and make him submit to being the kind of guy Vince wanted him to be then Vince could parade Austin out as his new "corporate champion" in a Dibiasesque "everybody has a price" kinda way.
I'll add that he wanted to beat down Austin and break his spirit. Just firing him and having him not be there anymore wouldn't do anything to repair the damage Austin did to Vince's image. If anything it would have made Vince look weaker by showing that he couldn't "beat" Austin. And Austin would have become a kind of martyr like Bret Hart. If Vince was able to beat Stone Cold down and make him submit to being the kind of guy Vince wanted him to be then Vince could parade Austin out as his new "corporate champion" in a Dibiasesque "everybody has a price" kinda way.
Great analogy. Fits the McMahon character perfect. His ego wouldn't be satisfied with Austin just being gone. And to tie it in with the fear of him going to wcw, imagine how damaged Mr McMahons ego would've been if his plan backfired and his enemy found success in the competition.
Great thread OP. I've pondered this before but never put too much thought into it. I imagine all reasons listed are viable and make sense, especially the one about keeping Austin around just to give himself the pleasure of making Austin's life a living hell.
No just once at Judgment Day 98. And that wasn't a real firing kayfabe wise because Shane rehired him almost right away as part of ploy to keep screwing him over
You know, great replies so far. And I thought about it after I made this thread that some of these kayfabe reasons could very easily translate into real life. For example, from a kayfabe stand point you don't want one of your top money making stars to go to the competition, so Mr. McMahon the character doesn't fire Austin despite hating his guts, likewise suppose Austin had made Vince mad in real life (im sure it happened) the fear of him going to wcw would've no doubt made Vince hesitant to fire him as well. Sometimes kayfabe and real life can be closer than you think
The best storyline explanation = He didn't want Austin to go to WCW.
Think about it. In late 1997, WWF was flat out acknowledging the war and making their product more realistic. IN a realistic setting and thinking about it all logically, Austin was Vince's hottest commodity, so he couldn't afford to let him walk and then wind up on Turner's show. And even if Austin couldn't get a job in WCW (given his past there), Vince would still be losing his biggest moneymaker.
The McMahon character mistakenly thought he could control Austin and mold him into a corporate friendly image that he could still promote and make money off of. His efforts eventually drove him to insanity and rage until he morphed into the cartoon character you saw in the years that followed.
The best storyline explanation = He didn't want Austin to go to WCW.
Think about it. In late 1997, WWF was flat out acknowledging the war and making their product more realistic. IN a realistic setting and thinking about it all logically, Austin was Vince's hottest commodity, so he couldn't afford to let him walk and then wind up on Turner's show. And even if Austin couldn't get a job in WCW (given his past there), Vince would still be losing his biggest moneymaker.
The McMahon character mistakenly thought he could control Austin and mold him into a corporate friendly image that he could still promote and make money off of. His efforts eventually drove him to insanity and rage until he morphed into the cartoon character you saw in the years that followed.
Very true. Although I must say im sure if Austin had wanted a job in WCW at that time he could've gotten it no problem just because how big he had gotten to be. Bischoff would've no doubt eaten crow on that one. This again is one of those things where kayfabe and real life kinda merge.
Let's use our imaginations a bit here. What are some kayfabe reasons you can think of as to why Vince McMahon didn't fire Stone Cold Steve Austin? I don't count what happened at Judgment Day 98 because the context of that storyline seemed to indicate that Vince fired him knowing all along Shane would rehire him with the no touch clause in his contact in order to screw him over. I mean kayfabe reasons why he didn't just flat out fire him.
Some reasons I came up with are:
He knew Austin made him too much money and didn't want to lose that
He was afraid of what Austin would do to him (look at what happened after JD 98)
He didn't want Austin to go to WCW and help them in the Monday Night War
He just enjoyed making life hard for Austin and was willing to keep him employed just for the pleasure.
I think pretty much all of those reasons sum it up nicely. Vince was more or less forced to live with Austin and the hell he was bringing down upon him, and his constant (failing) efforts to try and mold him into the corporate and PR-friendly champion that he wanted him to be, and Austin's refusal to ever allow himself to become such a thing, is what instigated their rivalry through and through.
Kayfabe he wouldn't fire anyone just because he hates them. It's a business at the end of the day. Austin could try to make his life a living hell but he is still making money for him.
The latter. He got joy out of attempting to make Austin's life hard.
Firing him is the easy way out. For all the embarrassment and cans of whoop ass Austin fed to Vince, firing him wasn't enough. He wanted to break him, physically and mentally. For an egomaniac like Vince, that's the ultimate satisfaction that allows him the ultimate and last laugh, without coming off as so vulnerable that the man that defeated the federal government couldn't defeat a problematic employee.
The WCW thing is the best answer to me. He was the biggest thing in wrestling in 98/99 and everyone knew it. Him turning up on WCW would easily be enough to instantly put them back on top again.
On an episode of Raw in April 1998, Mr McMahon said to Mick Foley in the middle of the ring, "The only reason I don't fire Stone Cold is because he makes me money."
On an episode of Raw in April 1998, Mr McMahon said to Mick Foley in the middle of the ring, "The only reason I don't fire Stone Cold is because he makes me money."
for the record, he did kayfabe fire him after he was the ref in a kane/taker wwf title match and austin gave himself the strap. the firing didn't stick obviosly
for the record, he did kayfabe fire him after he was the ref in a kane/taker wwf title match and austin gave himself the strap. the firing didn't stick obviosly
I know I addressed that in my post. But like you said it didn't stick. But to me I don't see that as him really firing him kayfabe wise simply because Shane rehiring him with the no touch clause was just part of a scheme to screw him. I see it as Vince fired him at Judgment Day KNOWING that was going to happen
He took pleasure in battling Austin. He relished that shit. It was a game.
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