Savage vs Steamboat II?

Dan from New York checks in with a question about The Madness & The Dragon...

"I am 31 and started watching wrestling in 1986-87.  The greatest period of booking and wrestling I remember is the build to the Mega Powers angle from Post Wrestlemania III - Wrestlemania V.  Here's one question from that era:

On SNME after WM III, Steamboat has his first IC Title defense against Hercules and Savage is on commentary spazzing out at the chance someone other than him will get "HIS" title back from Steamboat.  He actually does a run in and then saves Steamboat from a post match beatdown.  They were obviously building toward a rematch from WM III with Savage obsessed over the IC Title.  Now I've long heard rumors that Steamboat only lost his hard earned title because he asked for time off to be with his kids and HTM was in the right place at the right time to get the shot.  This allowed them to turn Savage face with the same agenda, try to get HIS IC Title back. 

Here's the question: What is Steamboat doesn't take time off?  What if he decides to run with the title rather than go be with his family?  Does Savage stay heel and feud with him all year?  Steamboat's title loss and departure in 1987 paved the way for two years of angle making with the rise of face Savage, the rise of HTM as IC Champ, which ends up creating the Mega Powers.  So what is Steamboat stayed around?   Thanks in advance."

Yeah, that was basically it. Steamboat truly was the anti-Flair in terms of gimmick & personal life. He wanted time off, the brass was pissed because they wanted to build him as a long-term IC champion. Which I assume they didn't change the plans at all when Honky was inserted. Anyway, so Steamboat went away, came back, and management was still pissed, thus no real push to speak of. 

If Steamboat never left, I see him as one of the pillars of the WWE, and a future World Champion. The guy was loved by everyone, had a great look, could back it up in the ring, and didn't mind doing hokey shit like training for a match by fighting ninjas. The same ninjas I assume attacked Mike "Major Guns" Quinn during his posing routine at the 1992 WBF Championship. 

But then again, aside from a rematch with Savage, things may have stayed the same. Hogan would have definitely seen Steamboat as a threat, and perhaps done what he could to hold him back. Steamboat is such a nice guy he probably would have paid it no mind, and continued having fantastic matches in the mid-card.

How say you guys?

Any others that just want to see their question in the bright lights of the BoD, and don't mind if Scott may not answer, send'em on in to CaliberW@hotmail.com