Expert: Eric E. Jenkins - 8/20/2002

Question
Shawn Michaels, the Heartbreak Kid, and Brett Hitman Hart have always been my favorite wrestlers.
What is up with Shawn Michaels?  Is he coming back?  I see where he is wrestling HHH at Summerslam.  Won't that violate his insurance due to his prior injuries?
What is up with Brett Hart?  Man, McMahon really screwed him over.
Finally, I know what happened to Stone Cold Steve Austin.  Where is he now?  Is he wrestling?
Thanks,
Richard

Answer
Starting at the top, Shawn Michaels is officially retired, but in professional wrestling, retired does not always mean retired, especiallywhere Vince McMahon is concerned. Shawn is returning for one match (presumably), and then fading into the sunset or remaining with the WWF as some sort of mouthpiece. His wrestling at Summerslam will not violate his insurance because the WWF is covering him. If he had taken this match against their wishes, then he would have had to sign a waver freeing the WWF of any financial obligation should he get hurt. Since he is wrestling for them at their insistance, they are covering him in the match.

Bret Hart IS officially retired. He suffered a concussion from a Goldberg kick during his WCW run and it essentially ended his career. Recently, he suffered a stroke and he is in recovery. According to Roddy Piper (his cousin), he is doing well and should be on his feet very soon. He is through with wrestling, but he is helping his brother Bruse run the newly reopened Stampede Wrestling Federation.

As for Austin, he left the WWF because he was unhappy with the direction of his character and the overall writing within the federation. He was asked to job to Brock Lesnar at a point where Lesnar hadn't wrestled anyone yet and Austin felt that even though the loss would be due to the interference of Eddie Guerrero, Lesnar hadn't earned the right to score a victory over Austin at that point of his career, so he left the show and hasn't returned. Since then, Austin has been arrested for assaulting his wife Debra, and is currently out on bail pending any further legal action by Debra. It is unknown at this time if the marriage can be saved, but for now, he is neither Hollywood or professional wrestling will touch him until his personal issues are taken care of because they want to know that they can depend on him in the future. As long as Jim Ross is in power within the WWF, there is a chance for Austin to return, but there are some fences that need mending.

Thank you for the question.