On the brilliance of Austin's turn and the way he handled it IN-RING...especially at WM17. It was excellent...it was like Hogan's turn but far more nuanced than just a 'holy crap' shock moment. It is a shame that the crowd didn't really roll with it even after months of set-up and selling to allow WWE to wallow in Austin's in-ring psychological greatness for a while...he was back as regular SCSA a year later going against the nWo at WM x8. At least they went back to it with the 2-man power trip after a while (I can't wait for that). Folks need to remember what a hand Austin played in helping Benoit and Jericho after the initial Invasion stuff was over (and WCW/ECW had been squashed thorougly). Hunter too, but more for Benoit than Y2J.

I've watched chunks of WMs 17, 18, and 19. Good lord were those mofos (Austin and Rock) over. And Hogan showed a slew of ass for Rocky at x8 even with the crowd in his hands after he had basically tried to kill Rock in the lead-up to the match...hell...even Jim Rawse was copping pleas and glossing over it...and it was great even with no flips, tables, planchas, etc. It was a big difference between that and what he did vs Kidman during the 'New Blood' era in WCW. Anyway, I think that had to play a hand in helping get things back to sanity in the ring. I'm noticing far too much crowd fighting, table spots, weapons, etc..in big matches.

I'll certainly continue my research, but I'm gonna go ahead and assume Mania 17 (2001...right before WCW infiltration, ECW was already pretty much there) is the best one ever overall (Angle/Benoit, Hardys/Dudleys/E&C TLC, Austin/Rock 2, Taker/HHH 1, etc). That Mania 15-20 run was pretty silly in terms of crazy good matches and an absurd cluster of talent all in the same place at the same time near and around their primes. Imagine if Bret didn't get screwed...or maybe if he didn't get kicked in the head by Goldy. Having him and/or Sting in the Invasion angle? Curtains!

Jimaveli: haha @ Road Warriors over...that's OVER!

>I mean you really can't overstate how talent-rich this period
>was. The marquee matches of the show:
>
>The Rock v Kurt Angle for the WWF Championship
>The Dudley Boys v Edge and Christian v Kane and Undertaker
>Stone Cold v Triple H 2 of 3 falls grudge match (1st fall
>match, 2nd fall street fight, 3rd fall cage)
>
>I mean...what? This was all ON THE SAME SHOW. And Benoit was
>still on the roster, and Eddie Guerrero, and Chris Jericho!!!
>Talent for days.
>
>The show is fantastic. EVERYBODY IS ROAD WARRIORS OVER.
>
>Some notes:
>
>- The Austin/Hunter 2 of 3 falls match is as brutal and "old
>school" as anything I can remember from that era. Slow,
>mechanical, physical, beautiful. Austin comes out hot for the
>first 10 minutes but Hunter eventually takes control for most
>of the rest of the match- a full 30 more minutes. This is
>FORESHADOWING; Austin's been gone for a year and both Rock and
>Hunter are white-hot here. The look on his face as he exits
>the ring is telling, and it's a welcome addition to the
>context that leads to Austin making a deal with Vince headed
>into WM 17.
>
>- Kurt Angle...guys Kurt Angle was a MASTER worker with the
>ability and timing of a 12 year veteran. Except at about this
>time he'd wrestled for like 3 years! My goodness. That
>cornball red white and blue shit was so so so over. He'd later
>evolve into a more bloodthirsty MMA-inspired tactician, and
>that was fine too. But white bread American value-touting Kurt
>Angle was a BOSS.