Grilling JR - King of the Ring 1999 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

King of the Ring 1999 took place on June 27th, 1999 at the Greensboro Coliseum, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The show drew a legitimate sellout of 19,761 fans to the Greensboro Coliseum (announced as 20,018 on television) which was 18,574 paying $574,200 and another $110,692 in merchandise. 

The attendance record fell shy of the city record of 21,427 in the building and 20,268 paid set for a sellout in the same building on April 27, 1998 for the Unforgiven PPV, but it broke the gate record of about $380,000 set for the Starrcade '86 show. 

It did a 1.13 buy rate, for a $5.41 million company gross, with 406,000 domestic buys.

King of the Ring 1998 did 320,000 domestic buys for a 0.85 buyrate & 17,087 in attendance

King of the Ring 2000 did 440,000 domestic buys for a 1.19 buyrate & 17,651 in attendance

Greensboro is a town that was NWA and WCW territory for many years. What's your thoughts on that area, and how was the WWF generally received when they went there?

Any standout memories and matches that you were apart of during your NWA/WCW run in Greensboro?

King of the Ring is the first pay per view after Owen Hart tragically passed away at the Over the Edge pay per view.  Talk about how things had changed in the company, in the following weeks after Owen's passing

Owen's funeral took place on May 31st, 1999 in Owen's hometown of Calgary, Alberta Canada. Did you go?

Raw is Owen is one of those memorable shows in the history of Raw - how difficult was it for you to get through that show?

Did you watch any of the media coverage about Owen's passing? Did you watch Bret & Owen's widow, Martha on the Larry King Live show a few hours after the funeral?

On the 6/1 Raw show, which was taped on 5/25 in Moline, IL, during the introductions to the show with Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler, they introduced a piece which was to air clips from Calgary from the funeral which would take place earlier in the day of when the Raw show would air, which would be inserted into the show. During the week after the taping, the WWF was requested not to air any footage, which ruined the open of the show already shot. During the week they tried to convince Martha Hart that it would represent closure to the fans. However, she still asked them not to show footage. The footage that aired showed several WWF wrestlers going into the church and a bus or two that transported the WWF wrestlers decorated with "We Love You Owen" and "We Miss You Owen." If I hadn't heard that the family had requested the WWF air no footage from the funeral, I'd have thought it was the classiest handling of the situation they had done to this point. It clearly was not about ratings, as it was put on first thing in the show and never referred to again. However, if the family requested they not show footage and they did, that's a completely different issue. 

McMahon responded, in a letter in the Calgary Sun on 6/5, stating, "For the record, giving Martha Hart the benefit of the doubt in her time of grieving, I spoke to Martha after the death of Owen on approximately five occasions. At no time during any conversations did she ask me to not show footage from Owen's funeral. However, in fairness to Martha, she did indicate to Carl DeMarco (President of Titan Promotions--Canada, and, longtime Hart family friend) at one time, that she would prefer that the World Wrestling Federation not show the funeral footage. However, in a subsequent conversation, DeMarco explained to Martha that since she invited all other media to the funeral service and even to the burial, it would only be appropriate that the WWF show footage of Owen's funeral so that Owen's fans could say goodbye. Giving Martha Hart the benefit of the doubt, she may have forgotten that she changed her mind and addressed the situation with DeMarco and not me. 

I don't know why Mrs. Hart would publicly raise the issue of who paid for Owen's funeral. It was the WWF's expressed intention to Rob Wintonick of the McInnis and Holloway Funeral Home to pay for all funeral expenses. However, unbeknown to us, Mrs. Hart directed the funeral home that she would pay certain expenses. Incidentally, the WWF also paid for items such as: Limousine services, transportation of the body, flowers, service folders, video screen, public address system, buses, signage for buses, arm bands, catering, housekeeping, lawn cleanup, ladies and men's clothing, sunglasses, hairdressing, obituaries, a Canadian flag. 

The WWF also paid $152,200 U.S. for transportation expenses for WWF talent and personnel. Also, your article stated that Mrs. Hart instructed our flowers to be removed from the funeral home. Enclosed please find a rendering from our creative department to the local florist. In the funeral home, our flowers were indeed present. However, the WWF logo had been removed and Owen's initials, OH, stood in its place. I can only assume this was at Mrs. Hart's request. It is unfortunate that Mrs. Hart feels violated in any way, although her grief, which we share, is understandable. Out of respect for Owen and the wonderful human being that he was, I do not want to engage Martha Hart's allegations in a public form. I simply am writing so that you will have the facts." 

This was not the best look for the WWF was it?

This wasn’t the only legal issue at the time - as Sable sued the WWF as well for sexual harassment. What can you tell us about this issue and what you had to deal with it because of it?

Some financials - 

Based on the figures the WWF has released in its quest to go public (which may also be held up several months until all the potential lawsuit issues in the Hart case are known about), the company pays about 13% of its income to the performers, a figure exceedingly low for any comparably sized sports or entertainment franchise (WCW pays 20%, while virtually all major league sports pay more than double that). The profit margin for both WWF and WCW over the past year was 167% for WWF and 145% for WCW greater than what the total payroll for the performers were. 

You can take the most successful franchises in pro sports and none would be able to boast anything remotely close to that. And to me on the surface, I say, bravo for the owners because their job is to keep as much as possible of the pie at the end of the year, and if the workers are so gutless to not unionize in this kind of a business and fight for their fair share, that's their problem. But the surface is looking at this as nothing but a business. Last week hopefully brought some reality to everyone involved. With all the talk of buy rates, gates, six and seven figure contracts, hundreds of million in gross revenue and record ratings, the human costs have escalated totally out of control. The rehab visits, the near fatal car crashes, the overdoses and the flukes are way out of hand. 

WHAT DID THE WWF GOING PUBLIC MEAN TO YOU?

On June 14th, Sable appeared in the crowd, at ringside on Nitro while she was still under contract to the WWF. Meltzer wrote of it -

Rena Mero's appearance on WCW Nitro on 6/14 while still under contract to the WWF raises a lot of legal questions.

Mero was seated in the front row at Nitro with numerous camera close-ups, coming out just before 10 p.m. and a Kevin Nash interview. The crowd reacted big to her, to the point that while Nash was attempting to do his interview there was a huge "Sable" chant. In addition, there was a sign posted that may have been a plant shown clearly on camera saying "Sable 1, Vince McMahon 0." There were numerous close-ups on her with her waving to the camera for the remainder of the show. She was never identified as either Sable or Rena Mero. Eric Bischoff was the only one who really commented on her just noting that he's seen Playboy and making cryptic comments. 

Meltzer wrote- Negotiations with Shane Douglas fell apart and we're told far more was made of them than was ever really a story. They had one meeting and WWF made an offer and wanted him to take a complete physical and a drug test because a lot of people advised them he was damaged goods. His agent came back with a demand in the $350,000 per year range and the WWF pulled their offer 

Do you remember this?  Shane has said that he felt the WWF low balled him on the offer. He was previously there in 95 as Dean Douglas, then went back to ECW and became their top guy for a few years. Talk about your opinion & interactions with Shane over the years.

Meltzer wrote - There has to be a reason Bruce Prichard has these cameo sightings on TV from time-to-time. At one point he was scheduled for an on-air role as Glen Ruth's manager in a revised heel clown gimmick but that hasn't been talked about much of late and these kind of plans change almost daily 

On the June 7th Raw,  during the show, Undertaker came to the ring with the Corporate Ministry. He started off by saying, the day of reckoning was at hand

The Greater Power walked to the ring and held the mic to his face. Shane’s voice then came over the p.a. system, but then Shane walked out to the ring, revealing that he wasn’t the Greater Power. Shane then said before revealing the identity of the Greater Power, he wanted Vince McMahon to be witness to it. 

Vince, on the TitanTron, said he was close enough where he was standing in the back and wouldn’t walk to the ring, but he vowed later to end the reign of evil. Then the Greater Power took off his hood and revealed himself to be Vince McMahon. He said, “It is me, Steve Austin. It’s been me all along. You all bought it hook, line, and sinker.” 

Was it always the plan for Vince to be the higher power, or was anyone else in consideration? At the time, one of the names heavily rumored was Jake Roberts.

Vince thanked Shane, Undertaker, Triple H, and the rest of the Ministry. Stephanie and Linda McMahon walked out onto the rampway. Stephanie asked Vince, “Why?” Vince said he loved both of them, but it was just business. Linda said, “Vince, I love you, too, but love has nothing to do with business.” Linda revealed that Vince has been lying all along about the 50/50 split. She said there are four owners, each of whom owns 25 percent of the company. She said she and Stephanie were part of a corporate meeting earlier. She said they would be making changes around the office, including a change of dress code allowing cut-off jeans, swearing being allowed, and even approval of drinking on the job. 

Linda said, “How about at the end of a long day at the office a nice, cold, alcoholic beverage to quench our thirst.” She said earlier in the day she stepped down as CEO of the company – but not before picking Steve Austin as her successor. Austin stepped out in a t-shirt, jeans, and a red tie around his neck. He held a clipboard. Austin announced that at King of the Ring he would face both Vince and Shane in a two-on-one match. Vince looked despondent, but then voiced up and said, “The two of us, two McMahons, can take an Austin any day of the week.” Vince said there may be a few stipulations added 

Later in the show, Vince McMahon beat Ken Shamrock at 0:42 in a Lion’s Den match. Vince wrapped a chain around the door to the cage and wouldn’t let Shamrock inside. He finally unwrapped the chain, but held it as a weapon. Jarrett gave Shamrock a chairshot to the head, then threw him into the ring. McMahon then applied the anklelock and the ref immediately called for the bell since Shamrock was knocked out cold. 

On the June 14th Raw, Highlights aired from “earlier in the day” of Austin’s first day on the job as CEO at Titan Tower. Austin (wearing his ring vest, a pair of shorts, and boots) entered Titan Tower, met the secretary at the front desk, and said he didn’t like the way she answered the phones. 

He answered the next call for her by asking, “Who the hell is this and what the hell do you want?” The young secretary enthusiastically answered the next call as Austin suggested 

Later in the show, More highlights aired of Austin’s first day on the job. Austin met several young women who listed the jobs they do for Vince. One of the women asked if she could get Austin a coffee. Austin told her it was ten a.m. and instructed her to get him a cold beer 

Later in the show, Highlights aired of Austin at Titan Tower. Austin headed a meeting with several employees. Dennis O’Rourke introduced himself as the “Senior Director of Marketing and Research.” Austin fired him for “looking stupid” and Ross said on commentary it was okay because no one knew what he did anyway. Austin spotted a young man and gave him a promotion to the new job of fetching beer. Austin began passing out several Busch Lights to everyone at the table and insisted he was holding a beer drinking contest. He said he was going to leave the room and when he returned, anyone who was still standing and not vomiting could keep their job 

Later in the show, A “GTV” shot aired of a woman shaving Billy Gunn’s ass in a locker room. Gunn talked about how wonderful and majestic his ass is. The woman found a zit and Billy told her if she told anyone he wouldn’t allow her the “privilege” of shaving his ass anymore 

Later in the show, Austin walked into the accounting office and said he wanted to see some of the books. An accountant showed him several losses the company took as a result of Austin’s stunts (the zamboni, the beer truck, etc.). Austin found the salary of Vince and insisted the accountant “shift some of the zeros” into Mick Foley’s account to increase his pay and help him pay his medical bills. Austin came across Shane’s salary and insisted the accountant take the money and put it into a company beer fund.

Later in the show, More highlights aired from Titan Tower. Several shots aired of Vince’s monuments and awards as Ross said the office was Vince’s shrine to himself. One of the awards had a photo of a younger Vince, and Ross cracked that it must’ve been taken “before the facelift.” Austin sat at a desk with over a dozen empty beer cans sitting in front of him and instructed some men to bring in wheel barrows full of manure and dump them onto Vince’s office floor. 

In storyline, Austin got to pick the stips for the match, making it a ladder match by defeating The Big Boss Man on the June 21st Raw. During the match, Vince came to ringside and climbed the ladder and yelled at Austin as he brawled with Bossman in the crowd. Austin knocked over the ladder sending Vince flying back-first onto an announcing table at ringside. The table didn’t break.

King of the Ring 1st round matches - 

• Gunn over Viscera

• Shamrock over Jarrett in a rematch from the KOTR 98 ppv tourney match

• Show over Droz

• Kane over Test

• Dogg over Godfather

• Chyna over Venis

• Holly over Snow

• X-Pac over Boss Man

That takes us to the King of the Ring pay per view.

Meltzer wrote of the event - 

In its first PPV show since the ill-fated Over the Edge and the bevy of lawsuits filed since that time, there was some noticeable changes in the World Wrestling Federation for King of the Ring.

Whether they were good, bad or coincidental depends upon your points of view, but the show itself was well below the usual standard for a WWF, or for that matter a WCW or ECW PPV event. The biggest change was a much more careful in-ring style. 

There were a few big bumps, but not many, and all done more carefully. Some of this may be due to the fact Mick Foley wasn't on the show after double knee surgery and he usually takes the lion's share of that type of move. 

It seemed like everyone was wrestling under control, as even the best match from a wrestling standpoint with the Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian was toned down from what you'd expect these same teams to do on a typical Raw show. In addition, for a nearly four hour show, with the exception of Chyna, who worked the show in the role of a male wrestler, there were no women on the card. Considering just how much of WWF's marketing thrust and success has been with Sable and Sunny, and their successors, there is no way that was due to sheer coincidence, particularly when women were out in full force the next night on Raw. The fans live did get to see the PMS trio, since Meat worked a dark match before the start of Heat.

The King of the Ring tournament, which admittedly didn't look good on paper, was even worse in practice. WWF threw in a monkey wrench, apparently because logic seemed to indicate a Mr. Ass vs. X-Pac final since the former Billy Gunn has been in line for a push as a heel since his turn and for one reason or another things got stalled and were taken in different directions, X-Pac is the WWF's perennial hot tournament loser in the finals because he's the company's best in-ring performer and generally puts up exciting battles before losing, and the WWF was going with logic. Perhaps a few too many people figured it out. As last week went on, suddenly word came out that there was a video box cover for the upcoming King of the Ring tape with Big Show on the cover of the box with the caption stating "See the Big Show go through eight men enroute to winning the King of the Ring." 

Since word spreads fast these days, which in hindsight appears to have been a plant, this made Paul Wight something of a favorite going in. As it was, the KOR matches were rushed with the exception of Road Dogg vs. Chyna, which was the only thing close to an average match in the tournament, and how would you expect going in for a show where X-Pac works three times--all against decent-to-good workers (Hardcore Holly, Dogg and Mr. Ass), and doesn't even get one average match out of the three? And the fact the matches were rushed seemed really strange with the show ending 22 minutes early.

The show ended, after some teases, with the McMahons winning the handicap ladder match over Steve Austin to get control of the company. Shane took a few good bumps and has made a really good accounting of himself generally in the ring. Vince didn't take any outlandish bumps, but even two months shy of his 54th birthday, he looked as good in the ring as some of his trained wrestlers. 

Austin never fails to work hard in a big show main event and this was no exception. It was good for what it was, but it was hardly the show stopping main event Austin can have with a real wrestler. Undertaker vs. Rock was limited by Undertaker's physical limitations at this stage of the game.

The live show opened with a dark match with Meat pinning Kurt Angle. Angle was said to look like someone who would have been a major star as a babyface in the 70s. 

Angle would beat Stasiak in his ppv debut, a few months later at Survivor Series.

In the first match on Sunday Night Heat, Matt & Jeff Hardy went to a no contest with Christian & Edge in 1:28 when the Acolytes ran in and attacked both teams. After the match Bradshaw challenged Mr. Ass on Raw the next night for possession of the other tag team title belt. 

Mideon & Viscera beat Big Bossman in 1:47 when Mideon, who came to the ring wearing the European title belt, hit Bossman with the belt and pinned him. Viscera splashed Bossman after the match and he was double-teamed until Mark Henry and D-Lo Brown made the save. 

Road Dogg did an interview for his KOR match with Chyna. Chyna and Hunter Hearst Helmsley came out. Chyna slapped Dogg and then, after HHH distracted him, gave him a low blow until X-Pac ran in. I can see how Inside Edition last year found 1,639 crotch chops during a season of Raw, since X-Pac did about 302 on this show alone. 

Prince Albert pinned Val Venis in 1:57 of a street fight when Droz shoved Venis off the top rope. Albert didn't even get to deliver his famed whattamaneuver for the pin. Godfather made the save. Ever since he lost the IC belt he'd been in dire need of a program. Anyway, the brawling with Godfather and Droz was something to behold. 

Ken Shamrock beat Shane McMahon via DQ in :43. Shawn Michaels earlier in the show announced this as Shamrock vs. Vince, but Vince wanted a suitable replacement of someone else which wound up being Shane. Shane was looking worried the entire show since it was decreed that no member of the CM could interfere or Austin would get 100% of the stock. Steve Blackman interfered with a zillion kendo stick shots on Shamrock, who was coughing up blood (usually how this is done in wrestling is a condom filled with blood is brought to the ring and at the opportune time, you bite the condom and the blood comes out of the mouth). 

Pay Per View - 

In the first KOR match, X-Pac beat Bob Holly via DQ in 3:02. There was no heat for the match except for X-Pac's bronco ride spot but it was all action. Holly was DQ'd for a chair shot, as if they can't even do a clean finish in a Holly match. As far as the story aspect, they could have had a pin and still done the post match with the same end result. After the match Holly gave X-Pac a neckbreaker, giving him the neck injury to sell for the rest of the show. Isn't that the same angle they just did with Shamrock the previous match? DUD 

Kane pinned Big Show in 6:36. This was like the kid behind the counter on the Starburst commercial who was bummed because El Nino rained out the summer and says, "I'm running in slow motion...to your rescue." Can't they dump that commercial already? El Nino was last year's gimmick. Show wrestles more like Andre every day, and that isn't a compliment as he was missing moves all over the place. In a spot right out of an Ernest Miller Nitro match, both guys went for high kicks at the same time, which would have been tricky with good wrestlers and anyway, both missed by about a foot and both fell down. Even the fans, who wanted to love everything were having a hard time figuring out how to react to this. Kane did do an enzuigiri earlier. Ref Jimmy Corderas tried to get into position to be bumped, and ended up being hit one spot too early when Kane flailed his arms. They went right to the planned ref bump spot next, which after the previous spot looked beyond lame. Kane used a low blow. Holly came down with a chair after Show. Kane took the chair and choke slammed Holly. Kane then choked Show forever. And more importantly than that, oh sorry, Kane clocked him with a chair for the pin. -* 

Mr. Ass beat Shamrock in 3:37. Shamrock was said to be injured from Blackman earlier and bleeding from the mouth in a pre-match angle where he threw around the paramedics. Even with this angle, the match had no heat. Mr. A basically beat up Shamrock the entire match, until missing a splash off the top. Shamrock went for the huracanrana, but was power bombed and started bleeding from the mouth again, this time they had a ton of blood coming out, and ref Teddy Long stopped the match. Shamrock of course threw Long out of the ring after the match. This finish was apparently taken from the Shamrock vs. Vader match at the FMW Stadium show in 1997 when Shamrock had legit internal injuries and was power bombed by Vader about halfway into the match, and started coughing up blood (this was legit) and they stopped the match. 1/2* 

Road Dogg pinned Chyna in 13:19. This was actually the best match of the entire tournament, which speaks volumes for this tournament. Hey, at least when it was over, Mabel didn't win. Chyna was on offense almost the entire match and her forearms are solid and she lays her kicks in to the point they are borderline scary. Still, at one point Dogg taking big bumps off her whips was like two weeks ago seeing Flair take the big bumps for Piper's lame offense. HHH distracted Dogg allowing Chyna to throw Dogg into the post. HHH then threw him into the steps twice. There still was little heat for the early part of the match except for a spot where Chyna did Dogg's stutter step kneedrop spot. The match momentarily fell apart when Dogg made his first comeback because Chyna's selling is not exactly her strong point. Dogg got the sleeper on but HHH put Chyna's foot on the ropes for the break. Michaels came out and stopped HHH from interfering. Chyna went for a low blow, but Dogg no-sold it and Chyna sold like her forearm was hurt. Dogg then pulled out a protective cup, showed it to the fans, and used his pump handle slam for the pin. The finish, partially due to Michaels, had a lot of heat. *3/4 

Hardy Boyz beat Edge & Christian in 4:49 in a match where the winners were to get a title shot at the Acolytes. It was a fast-paced good match but way too short, and considering the show ended up early, it's hard to understand why. Highlight was Edge spearing Jeff off the middle ropes just before the finish. Jim Ross sold it like it was the greatest spear on Earth. We'll probably see 30 replays of it over the next week. I guess that's why WWF is the best at what they do. They find ways to get people over. How many replays have we seen of that sick Juvi driver off the ropes that Juventud Guerrera did to Blitzkrieg that may have been the best move in the states all year in what was probably the best match in the states all year? And how many times has any WCW announcer tried to put that match over? And how many times have we even seen either guy since that match? And Eric Bischoff can't figure out why his side has so much talent and is losing so badly. Gangrel and Michael Hayes were brawling outside the ring for the finish. Gangrel drank that red liquid we're supposed to believe is blood, and blew it at Jeff, who ducked, so it got in Edge's eyes. Jeff then used a move that looked to be more like an Ace crusher or a diamond cutter, which Ross called a neckbreaker, on Jeff for the pin. **1/4 

Ass beat Kane in 5:25 in a KOR semifinal. No heat again. There were two nice spots during the match. Ass dropkicked the ring steps that Kane was holding, and he fell over with the steps on him. Kane later dropkicked Mr. Ass off the apron and he crashed into the barricade. During the match, Ross was talking to Lawler about going to court over the name King (this was a famous court case many years ago, at a time Lawler hated the WWF and he sued successfully to keep the WWF from ever referring to anyone, Harley Race was the guy in particular since he'd won the 1986 KOR tournament, as King in the state of Tennessee since Lawler for years had been known to all wrestling fans under that gimmick). Finish saw Big Show come out and aimed a chair shot at Ass, and then swung the chair about a foot higher and hit Kane in the face and Ass pinned him. 1/2*

X-Pac pinned Dogg in 3:08. This on paper looked to be the best match on the card. As it was, the interviews were longer than the matches. They were selling the idea X-Pac had a neck injury from the neckbreaker spot after the Holly match. Nothing much to this. X-Pac got out of the pump handle slam and turned it into an X-factor for the pin. 3/4* 

Undertaker pinned Rock in 19:10 to retain the WWF title. Mike Ciota got decked by Undertaker before the bell, and Rock used a Rock Bottom on Undertaker but no ref. This would be the storyline idea that Rock got three pins on Undertaker but all three times there was no ref. Earl Hebner ran in but at the count of two, Paul Bearer pulled him out of the ring and Bearer decked Hebner. Undertaker choke slammed Rock, who kicked out of the pin. This was a slow-paced match. Taker suplexed Rock on the floor. He also crotched himself doing the rope walk spot. Rock spit water in Taker's face. They brawled in the crowd. Rock picked up a chair, and this spot was really mistimed. 

Taker wasn't ready for the ring bell so Rock had to hold up his chair shot, except he didn't and instead gave Taker this weak love tap with the chair to wake him up for the spot. Taker grabbed the bell and Rock hit the bell with the chair, so the chair ricocheted back in Rock's face. Bearer hit Rock twice with his shoe. Taker hit a great DDT. Rock came back with his own DDT and clotheslined ref Ciota. He hit the people's elbow but again no ref. Taker came back with a low blow and Bearer sprayed ether on a towel. Rock got the towel and put out Taker with it. However, HHH ran in and gave Rock a Pedigree and sort of put Taker on top. Ciota came to and Rock kicked out. However, Taker then used the tombstone for the pin. *1/2 

Ass pinned X-Pac in 5:33 to win the tournament. X sold his neck from the start. He did use a pescado early but then Ass worked over the neck. X-Pac kicked out of a mis-applied famouser and Gunn kicked out of an X-factor. Gunn used a neckbreaker, went to the top but X-Pac dropkicked him. X-Pac climbed up for a superplex spot but was thrown off. Gunn used a famouser off the middle rope for the pin. There was no ceremony or anything much on this show to put over like Gunn had really done anything big. *1/4 

Did you guys see big main event potential in Gunn at this time and was this KOTR win supposed to be the start of it?

Vince & Shane McMahon won the handicap ladder match with 100% stock in the company over Steve Austin in 17:11. They had done a storyline throughout the show that Shane was injured and that Vince would bring out a surprise partner. In the tradition of other big WWF PPV surprises (Jimmy Snuka, Rockabilly, Duane Gill, Sable as her own mystery wrestler), out came Blackman to collective groans. They showed Shane backstage just fine and Vince got the shocked look at Michaels ordered Shane to do the match. It was mostly brawling. They set up an entrance structure of a bunch of ladders that was obviously meant for it to be destroyed. Austin whipped Vince and Shane into one ladder after another until he pulled a chord and they all fell on Vince and Shane. Shane took a really cool bump backwards over the announcers table. Austin took a very controlled bump from halfway up the ladder onto Shane through the Spanish table. He climbed up the ladder again and Vince shoved the ladder over so Austin slammed onto the English table, cutting his back open and the table didn't break. 

Austin slammed McMahon off the ladder. At one point Shane got on Vince's shoulders in this pathetic attempt to grab the briefcase. Finally Austin delivered stunners to both and climbed the ladder, but whoever was in control of the rope pulled the briefcase too high for Austin to reach. Austin went after Mark Eaton, the timekeeper. Finally Austin and Vince were both climbing the ladder and Shane shoved the ladder over, climbed up, grabbed the briefcase, and ran off. After the show went off the air, to send the live crowd home happy, HHH ran to the ring and Austin stunned him about a dozen times. **1/2 

Who was in the back raising and lowering the briefcase?

How did Vince prepare for this match?