History Trivia / StoneColdSteveAustin

* IronyAsSheIsCast: While his in-ring persona is that of an alcoholic, Austin actually drinks responsibly in real life.

* CommonKnowledge: The infamous incident where Wrestling/OwenHart dropped Austin on his head didn’t break Austin’s neck. Rather, it bruised two areas of his spinal cord. Austin was very keen to straight this misconception straight in his episode of WWE Rivals.

** Despite being the one to come up with the idea to turn heel in 2001, Austin has since acknowledged it was a mistake and that he was just way too popular as a face to get any genuine heel heat for himself.
** Downplayed somewhat with the “What?” catchphrase. While Austin has acknowledged its usefulness for getting heat during his heel run, its popularity as a t-shirt seller, and his ability to use it as a face to shut down heels, he has also admitted to being “surprised” that fans continue to chant it over twenty years later. Austin also said he wouldn’t miss it if it disappeared tomorrow as a chant.

* OldShame:
** His ''[=WrestleMania=] X-Seven'' heel turn. He admitted it wasn't a good idea to do the turn in his home state (as he'd be cheered no matter what), and that what he[[note]]his character in kayfabe that is[[/note]] should have done is stunnered [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon McMahon]] right then and there after handing him a beer. He also admits that the idea was entirely his as he enjoyed being a Heel and felt it was a natural progression for his character at the time, underestimating that he was so popular with the fans that they would ''still'' cheer for him no matter ''what'' he did.
** Perhaps inevitably, Austin isn't proud of his domestic violence history.
** "The Ringmaster" was a character that was only created in order to distance Austin from his past in other promotions (particularly his "Stunning" phase in WCW). The character was flavorless and it just buried Austin's early going in WWF, which is a dark spot on what would eventually become the "Stone Cold" phenomenon.
** Said "Stunning" Steve Austin gimmick at WCW is also a big punching bag for Austin, so much so that him pounding his WCW years became a running joke during his days at ECW.
** During a ''Raw'' segment with Wrestling/CMPunk he admits that he finds the "WHAT?" catchphrase being perpetuated by the crowds annoying.

* ShortLivedBigImpact: He retired at 38, and was only on top for four years (1997-2001), but the general consensus is [[Wrestling/AttitudeEra that small time frame]] is bigger than anyone else's biggest four years on top before or since.

* ShortLivedBigImpact: He retired at 38, and was only on top for five years (1997-2001), but the general consensus is [[Wrestling/AttitudeEra that small time frame]] is bigger than anyone else's biggest five years on top before or since.

* ShortLivedBigImpact: He retired at 38, and was only on top for five years (1997-2001), but the general consensus is [[Wrestling/AttitudeEra that small time frame]] is bigger than anyone else's biggest four years on top before or since.

** Despite being considered quite likely the single biggest wrestling superstar in the entire history of the industry, Austin's career was a lot shorter than most- only 14 years from his debut in 1989 to his retirement in 2003, with his time at the top covering barely half of that. The broken neck he got from Owen Hart's botched piledriver not only cost him most of a year in 1999, but shortened his career as a whole, forcing him to retire at the age of only 38, and only returning for a match at Wrestlemania 38 aged 57, with an absence of 19 years from the ring.

* CreatorBacklash: Despite being the one to come up with the idea to turn heel in 2001, Austin has since acknowledged it was a mistake and that he was just way too popular as a face to get any genuine heel heat for himself.