[jonoaries]

It put him in a position to put other guys over.
In 2001, Austin turned heel and Rock took time off, so in their absence as main event faces the Fed could toy with a few new names at the top of the cards. Jericho, Benoit & Angle greatly benefitted from Austin's heel turn. They were able to get big time rubs in big time main events because Austin as a heel had to sell more and take more damage, even if they didn't win they got to stomp with the big dog in a major way.

 

[Stone Cold Steve Urkel]

Not to mention...

 

[AmWolves10]

Too bad Austin never laid down for any of them :/

 

[LIL' WINNING FOOT]

This:

His best heel theme song. WWE shouldn't have kept constantly changing it that year.

 

[jonoaries]

I didn't like the heel music. I thought it was a bit much.

 

[Silent KEEL]

More like the best thing about it was that Austin was hilarious as a heel.

 

[justbringitbitch]

this

he finally took a L to the rock

 

[Oh Lymping Hero!]

Yep loved his faster heel theme music, and him screaming 'you suck' into Lance Storm and Hugh Morrus' face.

One thing they should've done better is a ME program between him and Tazz when he went too far with Tazz and hit him.

 

[nmadankumar]

The best thing about his heel turn is the "what" chants, but the same what chants ruin some of the best promos many times and are quite annoying most of the time.

 

[Rocky Mark]

i loved his heel run , it was the first time austin played a goofball heel and it was entertaining

he should've lost to Angle at Unforgiven clean tho

 

[TakersPrincess]

There were some funny segments that came out of it but it wasn't a good move in my opinion and he says it on his dvd he regrets it too.

 

[DoubleDeckerBar]

I hated it tbh, NOBODY wanted to boo him, he was by far at his best in 98 and 99.

 

[Klee]

What Austin HEEL turn? When did that happen?

If you can show me a definitive moment that the fans treated Austin as a HEEL, then i'll agree there was an Austin HEEL turn at some point?

 

[#dealwithit]

I've always been a big fan of his heel turn. His momentum was slowing down, and I personally think he needed a bit of a change of character. As a face too, after finishing up his long feud with Triple H, who was he meant to feud with? The only option really was Angle, who at the beginning of 2001 was the epitome of a chicken shit heel despite being Champion at the time, and I think he'd have needed more of a build before starting a feud with a face Stone Cold and being a legitimate threat. What they ended up doing with building Angle up through his feud with Benoit, and then him feuding with Austin as a face was the right way to go about it.

I agree that his heel run getting caught up in the invasion angle was a bit of an odd one, but overall I found Austin's heel run very enjoyable.

 

[YoungGun_UK]

I enjoyed it but it started to go wrong when they decided to switch him to WCW. He should have remained heel but on team WWF.

It had great moments though,

Beating up Michael Cole and JR
The birth of WHAT, Stone Cole Appreciation night and Angle Austin segments.

 

[Cliffy]

He got booed a shit ton as a heel.

 

[the frenchise]

Just 2 words: Kurt Angle.
The heel turn could have been even more effective if HHH didn't injured.

 

[Crowking]

The only time I can really remember Austin getting booed was when he was beating the crap out of the Hardys and stalking Lita, but even then you could tell the fans didn't really WANT to boo him. They still cheered for his segments or when he came out. It was really reluctant heat, and if you couldn't get heel heat by beating (at the time) one of the most over babyface factions in the business, and by far the most over beloved female on the roster, then you should just stay face. It was as if people enjoyed the interactions because they always liked seeing Team Xtreme take crazy bumps but they didn't really want to boo Austin over it. He was just one of those few wrestlers that would always be a face, no matter what he did.

 

[YoungGun_UK]

Austin got good heat, I never get why people say that. The problem was they never had a face big enough to get behind. That's why Rock was so crucial to it working and the main reason why it didn't go down so well.

 

[ohmagawd]

There were some funny segments that came out of it but it wasn't a good move in my opinion and he says it on his dvd he regrets it too.

Which DVD does he talk about the heel turn? I really want to watch it!