Hey Scott,
Long time reader, and I'm really enjoying the AskScott stuff on the blog recently.
I have a theory about WM and Backlash 2000 - you've said numerous times that the Backlash main event and ending were so perfectly booked and that should have been the WM main event and ending, with Rock going over HHH straight instead of the 4 way mess that we got at WM. I totally agree with that. But watching the main event at Backlash, seeing Austin meander down to the ring, barely able to swing a chair and roll through the ropes - is it possible that all that WAS supposed to happen at WM, but Austin was physically unable to do it? That would lead them to essentially go into holdover mode until Austin would be physically able to go out there, and might be why they needed the ridiculous Foley return 3 weeks after his "retirement", because they wanted Austin to be a part of Rock's win and were painted into a corner in that regard, so the 4 way was the alternative that we got. And that of course would explain why heel HHH was the first heel to ever walk out of WM as champion.
Any thoughts on this?
Thanks
Nope. It's an interesting theory, but someone from the company has already gone on record, I think a WWE DVD somewhere, basically saying that they wanted to draw more money by doing a second HHH-Rock at Backlash instead of getting just the single big buyrate out of WM. And it worked, so it's hard to fault them in hindsight. Hell, I bought both shows and was happy to do so.