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With the influx of new members of Cageside Seats following Wrestlemania, I think it's about time we get to know each other a little bit. So through the month of April, we're going to do the Cageside Seats 30 Day Challenge.
Here are the rules: I'll ask you a different question every day, and you answer it. It's that simple. There are no right or wrong answers (after all, we're talking about your favorites and such). Just think of this as one of those introductory mixer things. Or whatever welcome party thing this is.
Day 14: What is your favorite promo?
This is another one of those questions that I would probably answer differently if asked a month from now, but today, I go with the Austin 3:16 promo from the 1996 King of the Ring. The story behind the promo's quite fascinating: after his semifinal match with Marc Mero, Steve Austin was rushed to a hospital to get stitches on a cut he suffered during the match. When he returns from the hospital, he's told he's going to beat Jake Roberts at the finals, but he's also told that during his prematch promo, he quoted the Bible. Austin, ever the quick thinker, came up with this gem as he stepped up to the throne to claim his crown (transcript via cagematch.de):
"The first thing I want to be done, is to get that piece of crap [Jake Roberts] out of my ring. Don't just get him out of the ring, get him out of the WWF! Because I've proven, son, without a shadow of a doubt: You ain't got what it takes anymore! You sit there and you thumb 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've just whipped your ass!' All he has got to do, is buy him a cheap bottle of Thunderbird, and try to dig back some of that courage he had in his prime.
As the King Of The Ring, I'm serving notice to every one of the WWF Superstars. I don't give a damn what they are, they're all on the list—and that is Stone Cold's list—and I'm fixing to start running through all of them. As far as this championship match is concerned [HBK vs. British Bulldog], son, I don't give a damn if it's Davey Boy Smith or Shawn Michaels. Steve Austin's time has come. And when I get the shot, you are looking at the next WWF Champion. And that's the bottom line, 'cause Stone Cold said so."
The rest, as they say, is history. I have many favorites, but this one stands out for me. It's simple, to the point, and damn effective. And it spawned the most popular T-shirt in professional wrestling history.
So what's your favorite promo? Maybe even link it so we can all enjoy it together.
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Missed previous installments of this series? Check them out here.