By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

WWE wrestler Shawn Michaels says he wishes he could have a do-over on the WrestleMania 14 match against Steve Austin. At the time, Michaels's back was shot, his career was thought to be over, and he was a mental wreck antagonizing most wrestlers in the locker room.

"The one I always come back to is my match against Steve Austin at WrestleMania 14. I just wasn't in a great place physically or emotionally. That one could have been so much more," Michaels told WWE Magazine in the latest issue. "Steve didn't get me at my best. And that's unfortunate, because it was the last time I got to work with him. Steve went on to such great things afterward, and I had an opportunity to make that match so much more."

Michaels also said in the interview that he could have done much more with Bret Hart in the mid-1990s. He put the onus on himself for not being mature at the time.

"I will say that I wish I had been in a better place in my life with Bret," Michaels said. "Our matches were phenomenal, but I shudder to think what he and I could have accomplished had we gotten along."

Michaels also gave a commentary on his ladder match with Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) at WrestleMania X that is high on the list of all-time great WrestleMania matches.

"Over the years, the ladder itself has become the central figure of that particular stipulation, but in our situation, it served as a backdrop for something much bigger," Michaels said. "We were two guys claiming rightful ownership of those titles, and the ladder was just there as a way for us to prove who was the best. Now, the ladder is the primary element, and these matches are often about what the contestants can do with it."

Caldwell's Analysis: Too often in WWE and TNA, gimmicks and stipulations have become shortcuts to try to differentiate matches or sell PPVs. As Michaels hinted at, these are tools in the booker's toolbox that should be protected and not taken lightly when used, which has unfortunately been the case too often. Good to hear Michaels share that perspective.

The entire interview is available in the "2010 WrestleMania 26 Almanac" edition of WWE Magazine. We will be running snippets from each of the major interviews published in WWE's magazine this week.

WWE Magazine Interviews
-- Steve Austin on Hulk Hogan, The Rock, taking back WM17 heel turn
-- Preview of the WrestleMania 26 production set

[Torch photos credit Wade Keller (c) PWTorch.com]

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