Executive Director of Monday Night Raw, Bruce Prichard, has spoken about the very worst angle that he has produced on WWE television during his many years and several stints with the promotion.
The man an entire generation will know as Brother Love – the manager to introduce The Undertaker to WWF audiences in 1990 – has been responsible for many of the greatest and most fondly remembered storylines in the company’s history.
However, like any creative mind, Prichard has his fair share of misgivings and on the latest edition of Something To Wrestle With he named what he believed to single worst angle he had ever produced.
In order to get to there, we have to travel back nineteen years to November 2001, the culmination of the infamous Invasion storyline and Eddie Guerrero’s departure from the company after being arrested on charges of drunk driving.
With Steve Austin finding it a struggle to transition back to babyface from heel with the company approaching 2002, a returning Guerrero was slated for a King of the Ring bout with ‘The Texas Rattlesnake’ stemming from the interaction they’d had during the aforementioned segment.
Bruce Prichard explained the angle he considers the worst he ever produced:
“Well they did do stuff on TV leading up to it. We did the horrible bar room karaoke thing, where Steve sang and Eddie was there to heckle. That was a hell of an ordeal because of Eddie’s addictions and everything. Eddie was uncomfortable being in the bar. It was, ‘Look, Eddie, you’re either a performer or you’re not.’ He got over it pretty quickly.
I think we did it in Nashville… It was probably some of the worst TV that I ever did, because I don’t think Steve was really into it. I don’t think Vince was really into it and Eddie was a little apprehensive. So, it was an idea that Steve had that was only half thought out, and it was a situation where Vince really wanted to do it because Steve really wanted to do it. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it because it just did not work.”
2002 was not a good time for ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. Defeating Scott Hall in a disappointing bout at WrestleMania X8, his lukewarm rivalry with Ric Flair and The Undertaker and unsanctioned absences lead to disgruntlement on both sides.
The star proceeded to walk out of the company and drop the storyline with Eddie Guerrero prior to King of the Ring 2002 when the company wanted him to look at the lights for a young Brock Lesnar – who would go on to win the tournament and pin The Rock for the WWE Undisputed Championship at SummerSlam.
Instead of a career enhancing bout with Austin at King of the Ring, Guerrero instead fought a game Ric Flair in a losing effort. The bout did not do as much for him as a tale with ‘Stone Cold’ would have done.
Credit for the interview: Something To Wrestle With
h/t for the transcription: Wrestling Inc.