BY WADE KELLER

A caller on the Livecast this week asked me to compare Shawn Michaels's work in the ring before his hiatus for a back injury during the Monday Night War era to what he accomplished afterward. The timing was interesting as it was ten years ago that I wrote an editorial in the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter (just posted in its entirety for PWTorch VIP members) looking at the pros and cons of Michaels returning and what his impact might be. I had no idea he'd be able to mount the 9+ years of incredible matches in this final phase of his career.

PWTORCH NEWSLETTER #635
WADE KELLER'S END NOTES EDITORIAL
COVER-DATED JAN. 1, 2001

Whether Shawn Michaels returns to the WWF in time for WrestleMania depends on whether the WWF believes he can help business. (See "WWF Newswire," pg. 2, for the latest info on a potential Michaels return.)

Bringing Michaels back would carry with it some risks. Not only is there a question of how much his back could take, but there is the question of Michaels potentially upsetting the strong locker room morale.

Michaels's reputation in the WWF is not good among most of the current top wrestlers. Rock, Austin, and even his buddy Triple H would likely be fiercely protective of the relative stability of the locker room compared to the last time Michaels was king.

Michaels has a tendency to take immature digs at other wrestlers, sometimes masked so he has plausible deniability if confronted. He's engaged in such tactics as recently as his latest TV stints as commissioner.

If WWF ratings continue to slide, the odds improve of reaching an agreement that the WWF and Michaels will both be happy with. Michaels wants to feel needed and that he's going to make a difference. Otherwise, it's not worth risking further back problems by returning for more than one match. And he knows the best way for the WWF to express that he is "needed" is in what they offer to pay him to risk further injury by returning.

PPV buyrates haven't been particularly weak or strong lately, but the previous three tallies (September, October, November) have creeped down from 635,000 to 500,000 to 400,000 respectively, although December's Armageddon is coming in around 465,000 according to Wrestling Observer figures.

If the WWF believes Michaels could help buyrates, the risks might be outweighed by the potential benefits. Revenue is important to the WWF, but so is image. The image of WrestleMania selling out in Houston is important, as is topping last year's WM buyrate. Besides a potential return of Mick Foley against Vince McMahon, a Shawn Michaels return would help solidify WM as a huge event. Right now, there isn't a huge match sitting out there that on its own can spike interest in the WWF among the existing top tier of Austin, Rock, Triple H, Angle, and Undertaker - especially with Austin's disappointingly booked return.

We've seen all of those wrestlers against each other before. Granted, the WWF hype machine can make a match seem monumental even if it's been on TV six times in the previous year, but there are signs that the WWF's act is growing a bit stale. One good way to freshen up the picture is to bring more players into the mix. While the long-term fix is to begin introducing young talent that can main event a couple years down the line, the short-term fix is to bring back somebody like Michaels.

How much would Michaels mean, though? A larger percentage of today's WWF fans than Michaels probably realizes don't know who he is. They were introduced to the WWF during the boom period when DX really took off (right after he left) and when the Steve Austin-Vince McMahon feud ended. Still, Michaels was the greatest performer in the industry in the '90s. He should be able to reestablish his rep pretty quickly.

Michaels should only return, though, if he can live up to his past reputation. His interviews aren't anything special for a main eventer. They're good, but not great. Nowhere near Austin and Rock as far as delivery and behind Triple H as far as depth and discipline. He is undersized compared to those Big Three, too. His strength has always been his bumping ability and all-out general athleticism and realism in the ring (not counting his horrible superkick).

If Michaels could return to the ring for more than just one sendoff match, he could be a vital ingredient in extending the WWF's great streak of business. He would provide fresh main event match-ups with Austin, Rock, Triple H, and Kurt Angle. If Michaels weren't able to help the WWF stave off a potential slide in business figures, he might be blamed for the problems if he created locker room disruptions.

Perhaps Michaels's time away from the WWF - and the fact that the boom period happened as soon as he left - has humbled him. And the signs of insecurity he showed - including taking shots at this year's "Iron Man" Rock vs. Triple H match (the Torch Match of the Year) - will be relieved if he returns to the ring and is able to be part of the mix again.

If Michaels returns and is anywhere near the performer he was before he left, he is going to provide a lot of enjoyment for WWF fans. And he'll have a chance to extend his legacy by passing along his in-ring wisdom to another generation including Edge, Christian, The Hardys, and Kurt Angle.

(VIP members can access the full newsletter including the WWE Newswire report on Michaels's potential return by clicking here.)

[Shawn Michaels art credit Grant Gould]

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