1997 the most underrated/influential year ever?

[Deleted]

Hey guys!

So I may be a little biased here but my friends and I were talking today and I came to the conclusion that 1997 might be the most underrated and influential year in WWF(E) history. I think a lot of it really started in 1996 but didn't go into effect until 1997. Gone were the days of Trash Men, Clowns and Repo Men. In their place was "real" story lines and real drama from the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold and a more human Undertaker.

1997 also had a lot of firsts...the first ever 4 person PPV match between Bret Hart, Undertaker, Vader and Stone Cold in February. The first ever "border war" between Canada and the USA. The first (and only) time they had a worker successfully play heel in the USA and work face everywhere else in the world. Not to mention, the first flag match and Hell in a Cell. There was even the beginnings of a Light Heavyweight Division. Also a lot of the cheesy "I'm the good guy" stuff was replaced with "whoop ass" and "Sunny days". Even for a guy like Rocky Maivia who started out 1997 as a blue chipper baby face eventually found his way and officially became The Rock by December. Stone Cold is another guy who started off 1997 as a tweener/heel became one of the most loved superstars of all time by the end of the year.

That's not to say that 1997 was perfect...some things like the Screwjob and Austin's neck injury were certainly two things that I wish didn't happen. I just feel like 1997 is where wrestling changed. It was no longer a Saturday Morning Cartoon show. In 1997, wrestling became something else. Monday Night Raw became Raw Is War. Bret Hart became a national hero. Steve Austin really became Stone Cold and Rocky Maivia became The Rock.

I started watching WWF in February, 1997 and looking back...it's easy to see why I got so hooked.

Thoughts?

[jammer311]

Jim Cornette said in his Timeline of 1997 something along the lines of, "1997 didn't bring in the money and set records, but it was the year that started it for 1998" which is totally true.

The funny thing is, starting around Wrestlemania 13, I felt that Raw was getting better. I remember 1996 had a lot of job style matches still. Sure guys like Bob Holly were wrestling, but you knew they were losing to guys like Goldust. For some reason in 1997 that went away as the year went on.

Seeing Sid win the belt from Bret on Raw too in early 97 was good. It showed that the WWE was taking it's show in a more main event capacity and not using it just to have basic matches and hype the ppv.

When Bret vs. Austin happened on Raw the night after Backlash that showed me that WWE was definitely going in a different direction. You never seen those two go at it on Raw unless it was in a impromptu tag match, but this was a straight out street fight. It was pretty good too.

Summer of 1997 the WWE was hot. Yes, 1998 fans were crazy and loud, but I challenge anyone to look back at the summer of 97 and pop in a Raw that was in Edmonton, Calgary or out East in the Maritime provinces and see if those fans weren't just as loud and crazy (if not louder and crazier) than some Raw shows in 98.

The whole Bret vs. Vince thing happening at the announce table too, where it looked like Vince was testing the waters to see how it would come off if he and a wrestler were at odds. (Which is just another reason why I still feel the Montreal Screwjob wasn't legit).

Seeing Vince jersey Bret and both trying to lay in punches on that Raw was unheard of at that time.

The end of 97 was such an ECW feel to it too. DX being outlandish, and the fact that they weren't being funny ha ha like they would become in 98 in the group, but HBK and Triple H were just funny in the sense of "Well, you can't say that on TV, and he just buried that guy and angle" type of funny. The Rock was just starting to catch fire, and Austin was getting ready to get that Title run come 98.

I do think that the WWE in 1997 has a vital part in what became of the 98 - 2002 hot period for WWE. The reason why it didn't get noticed when it was happening was because fans were still watching Nitro and wanting to see what the nWo were gonna do. But now that I am older (I was only 16 years old in 97) and that I am more inclined to what is good in wrestling, I can look back at Nitro and Raw in that era and say that Raw did have the better show. The only reason why Nitro was still winning was because of the every week 'live' factor that they had with being on TNT.

[Deleted]

I agree with everything you said jammer311. While it had a few negatives, there were FAR more positives in 1997. I even almost forgot about the original ECW "invasion" and pretty much the creation of what would become "Mr. McMahon" in 1997.

To me that year just changed...everything.

[Brad]

1997 was a great year in wrestling IMO. I remember taping episodes of Raw from that year and watching them over and over again. Even with enjoying WWE the majority of this year, I couldn't say I'd do that now, so that tells you something.

[Raine]

Hart Foundation vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

One of the best feuds ever (I prefer it even more than Austin/McMahon)

[Deleted]

Oct 12, 2011 13:22:48 GMT -5 Raine said:

Hart Foundation vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

One of the best feuds ever (I prefer it even more than Austin/McMahon)

This is so true. It's the feud that got me into wrestling and it's the feud I'll always remember.

[jammer311]

The ECW 'invasion' is important and I feel got over looked at that time. I think that WWE should have sent more guys to ECW and invade them right back. They could have had something awesome happen there.

If played right they could have actually had a elimination match at Survivor Series that year with 4 WWE guys vs. 4 ECW guys.

[LtD73]

When was the ECW invasion, i cant remember it, but saying that, i did start watching at summerslam of 97

[ztj_wwf]

1997 was and will always be my favourite year for wrestling. So many amazing talents on one show...Rock, Mankind, Undertaker, Austin, Bret, Pillman, Bulldog, Owen, HBK, HHH, Kane, Vader, etc. etc. It had the Attitude, but not the over the top ridiculous stuff like Val Venis and Mae Young...it had new Attitude stars like Rock and Shamrock but still had guys like Bret and Shawn. I think the RAW's were the best they ever were at that point, and the PPV's were great too. My favourite video game has always been WWF Warzone too because of this lol

[Deleted]

97 was a great year for both companies.

Austin vs The Hart Foundation kicked ass.it was a great year.....