Big C's Toast To The Heart Break Kid

With Shawn Michaels going in to the WWE Hall Of Fame this year, I thought it'd be fitting to give him my tip of the hat, so to speak. Now, I know you're probably thinking, 'Big C, you hate Shawn Michaels!' The truth is, I think he was a hell of a performer, and if Bret cany bury the hatchet, then so can I! I have never questioned his talent in the ring. The guy can flat out sell! When it came to big time matches, very few can match his track record(see Big C's top 10 Wrestlemania matches from a previous post), but I have always hated him! Even before the infamous 'screw job' incident with Bret Hart, I hated Shawn Michaels worse than any wrestler since The Ultimate Warrior! I think my reasoning is pretty sound, so hear me out.
First off, since when is it a good idea to have a flamboyant baby face? When Michaels started out on his own, he came out in leather chaps, sporting a mullet, dancing, and posing to his theme song tittled 'Sexy Boy'. Those all seem like good reasons to boo a guy. That sounds like a recipe for a good heal to me! A few years later when they turned him face, they kept the leather chaps, mullet, and theme song! So I'm suposed to cheer for the guy shaking his ass in leather chaps, singing 'I'm just a sexy boy......'? I don't think so!
Second, I think he was over-rated. Ya, I said it! Again, in ring he's always been incredible, but I feel he was forced down our throughts during his first run as WWE Champion. I got very sick of hearing about Shawn's 'boyhood dream'. He was deamed 'The Leader Of The New Generation', which I've always thought was false. He was still sharing the spotlight with Bret Hart, at best. Of course, being a huge Bret Hart fan only added to my destain, because I always wanted to see Bret on top. This is not meant to turn in to a debate on who was better, but my opinion on the subject is well known. I have to admit, the rivalry between the two contributed to my hatred, but as you can see it runs deeper than that.
But I did not write this article to trash Michaels. I actually wrote it to praise him! It was his last run with the WWE that made me open my eyes. No, it wasn't the crosses on his chaps, or praying on stage that did it for me. It was his ability to turn whatever angle he was involved in, into the top angle in the company.  Neerly every year he was back, he was a part of a classic Wrestlemania match, and honestly I don't know if anyone will be able to carve out a legacy like that ever again. His absence on this year's Wrestlemania card was felt big time! He was able to step out of the World Title picture, and still help further the company. His ability to maintain such a high leval of work is really what sets him apart from other legends.  Much to my chagrin, I have to admit that Shawn Michaels belongs amoung the greatest wrestlers of all time!