But, let's assume that what you are saying is correct. Let's say that Rock would be nowhere as big as he is now without the help of Austin. To that I say....um, so? In pro wrestling, its all about getting the rub. Austin may have given the rub to Rocky, but guess what? Austin got the rub from Bret Hart and HBK. Its the same damn thing, man. No matter the means, Rock DID become just as big or almost so as Steve Austin. Even if Austin was partly responsible for getting Rock over, it doesn't matter: Rock STILL got over, and he got himself up into the same upper-tier as Stone Cold.
KB, you mentioned also that Rock would not be nearly as big as he got if not for Stone Cold taking that year off in 2000. Perhaps that it is true, perhaps it is not; its an argument for a different day. But it goes with what I said before: SO WHAT? Maybe Rock wouldn't have gotten so big if not for Austin's year off, but the point is that HE DID. Rock DID get much bigger, no matter how it happened, and he carried the WWF through 2000, which was the WWF's most financially successful year, by the way (up until that point, at least).
So, KB; the point I am trying to make is that whether you are right or wrong about Steve Austin helping Rock out, it doesn't matter. Rock got over, and he got over huge. The same could be said for Stone Cold; if not for his match with Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13, Steve Austin would not be as big as he is today. That's the same argument that you are trying to make and its just dumb because it does not matter how a wrestler gets over; he either gets over or he doesn't, and both Stone Cold AND The Rock got over.
For you to say that The Rock is WAY behind Steve Austin, is just ridiculous. I will agree with you that Stone Cold is just slightly above Then Rock; but not by much, man. In the same way that you say that Rock would not be as over if not for Stone Cold's year off, I could say that The Rock WOULD be much bigger than Steve Austin had he not taken off for Hollywood. I mean, its the same damn principle.
KB, I respect you as a poster man, but I just cannot accept what you say about The Rock. No matter the method, he got over, and he got over more than anyone else in the history of the WWF, beside Stone Cold and Hulk Hogan.
In all honesty, in my opinion, Hulk, Austin, and Rock are in the exact same class. Rock is either right at or RIGHT below the other two's level. That's pretty much a fact; people consider Steve Austin and Hogan so grea because of their effect on the ratings, tickets, merchandise, etc. Rock was right there with em, man. Steve Austin may have been responsible for the Attitude Era, but Rock is the one who helped carry it. You always bring up Stone Cold's year off, well guess who carried the WWF through that time? The Rock. With the same or higher ratings.
Perhaps its time you rethink.
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