Beer two Beer

As I've made mention before in previous articles that wrestling gimmicks are being stolen left and right. This crime can be traced back many years ago. In fact, one of the most popular gimmicks of our time has been ripped off. I'm not talking how former Minnesota Governor, Jesse “the Body” Ventura ripped up Superstar Billy Graham. Though that could be another article for a later time. I'm talking about trying to figure out who came first? Austin or Sandman?

Stone Cold Steve Austin pretty much saved the WWE back in 1996 with the birth of his Mafia like character where he answered to nobody. The inspiration for the new character was born off of a HBO documentary on Mafia Hitman Richard Kuklinski. The character was to be a cold hearted, calculated type bad guy. One who didn't answer or take crap from anyone. But Steve Austin did not start off in the WWE with this character. Instead he was forced with a gimmick that could have passed as a down-graded WCW idea. He was called The Ringmaster and was managed by “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. DiBiase award the Ringmaster the Million Dollar Championship. Austin detested this character and asked the WWE to please come up with something better. It was then that the idea to be like Richard Kuklinski. Steve Austin lost to Savio Vega in a match with the stipulation that if he lost then DiBiase would have to leave the WWE. Shortly after this, on June 23, 1996, the “Stone Cold” character was born.

Steve Austin defeated Marc Mero in the semi-finals of the King Of The Ring tournament to face legend Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Roberts who had recently stated that he was a born-again Christian, had been going around quoting the bible. It was after Steve Austin defeated Roberts to become the King Of The Ring, where his career really took off. It seems that the “Stone Cold” character was about to change the face of professional wrestling. As Austin gave his speech, something truly amazing happened.

“You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere! Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16...Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!”

And a catch phrase was born. The next night on Monday Night RAW, the crowd was flooded with “Austin 3:16” signs. This became turned the face of professional wrestling forever. No star has ever garnered the fan response that Austin has. “Austin 3:16” began what would be known to WWE fans all over the world as The Attitude Era. Also it was the start of the Monday Night Wars.

WWE started gaining momentum against it's rival company WCW. WCW was the company that first signed Austin, then Eric Bischoff fired Austin over the phone. No doubt, Bischoff didn't see the talent in Austin that Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman saw in him. In Austin's brief stint in ECW, he was given the freedom to have fun with himself. Often mocking the WCW talent and backstage officials and managers.

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin's middle-finger-beer-drinking reckless attitude to his authorities made him a household name. It made him a star. He was the first Heel in the business to actually have fan support behind him. He was loved even when he wasn't trying to be. He became a hero for all the working class citizens all over North America, by having the guts to stand up to his boss and also fight him physically. Living the dream that most North American's only wish they can do to their unruly bosses. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin became the all-time Superstar of professional wrestling. His merchandise even out sold Hulk Hogan's. His legacy has surpassed Hogan's by a mile.

But, was his character original, or was it a rip off like many of the characters we see today? The only other person in professional wrestling that shares the similarities with Austin, is ECW extremist, Sandman.

Admittedly, this is where my information gets kinda hazy. I am not an expert on ECW from the original days. It has nothing to do with whether or not I don't like ECW it's a matter of not being really exposed to it in my area. However I have watched DVD's and love the product. I'm still learning which is why there was this basis for this article. To me personally, I thought that Sandman ripped off Stone Cold. So to be sure, I'm trying to gather facts. You wouldn't believe how difficult my research process has been. Every article I have found, basically says that the Sandman character that you all enjoy and love came after “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Except some verbal sources have stated otherwise. After viewing the WWE production of The Rise and Fall of ECW, the answer has been revealed.

The Sandman originally debut in then Eastern Wrestling Championship, which would later be known as Extreme Championship Wrestling, in 1992 as a surfer like character. Somewhere along the line, Jim Fullington decided it was time for a change. That change came when he decided to become the cigarette smoking, beer drinking, Singapore Cane swinging, anti-social bully. The Sandman was officially born as early as 1994. His entrance became legendary and his matches became secondary. He would enter the arena through the crowd to a cheap rendition of Metallica's “Enter Sandman” while smoking a cigarette. He would then crack open a beer, and drink it in the middle of the fans, before smashing the beer can repeatedly over his head in order to bleed. This was all done before his matches.

The similarities are there, both drank beer, both were bad asses, and both were born with attitude. But it was “Stone Cold” Steve Austin who managed to find the right footing. He channeled the fans response to everything he did. He was essentially more marketable than Sandman was. You many argue that the reason “Stone Cold” Steve Austin became more marketable due to the backing he had through the WWE, whereas Sandman did not, since ECW was not a company of such financial finesse the other company's had.

Despite the fact that “Stone Cold” Steve Austin's character took off to a shocking start back in 1996, it was Sandman who originated the character. Austin just simply made it his own. Changed it slightly. It's the same character. The jury is in and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, is guilty of ripping off ECW's Sandman.