May 31, 1997
Strictly stuffed shirts
By BRET "THE HIT MAN" HART
For the Calgary Sun
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Have you noticed all the "Austin 3:16" T-shirts in the audience these days? It's really
pathetic. They even have Sunny and Sable modeling them on TV.
How many people do you think even know what "Austin 3:16" means? I'm not sure which
is worse, if they know what it means and wear it anyway or if they just do it because they
think it's cool.
Austin 3:16 comes from "All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there
is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice
deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace
they do not know."
(See Romans 3:16.)
They boo me, but they pay their hard-earned money to proudly wear "Austin 3:16" on their
chests.
Is wearing "Austin 3:16" their way of admitting that they are as worthless as Austin tells
them they are? I doubt it. I don't think they even understand what he's taking about.
In a recent RAW interview, Shawn Michaels tried to get me to admit that Stone Cold
Steve Austin is one tough S.O.B.
Shawn must have some other definition of "tough" because to me a tough guy doesn't jump
everybody from behind. Actions speak louder than words. Austin does a lot of talking but he
doesn't back it up.
Thirteen years and seven titles into my WWF career, Stone Cold Steve Austin showed up.
He conveniently waited until I went home for a while and then started mouthing off that he's
the best there is.
"When Stone Cold's in the house, Bret Hart is in his house because he's scared," Austin
said. "If Bret Hart announces his retirement then he's a very smart man. If he says he's
coming back then I'll retire him."
Austin was my first match when I came back, at Survivor Series '96, and I beat him clean
in the middle. Stone Cold said he'd whoop me at Wrestlemania 13 and then he'd wipe the
floor with Ken Shamrock!
I beat Austin to a bloody pulp at Wrestlemania 13. How come there was no match
between Austin and Shamrock? I know Ken Shamrock didn't back down! I guess Stone
Cold is waiting for the right opportunity to jump Shamrock from behind.
Do you think Stone Cold wonders how his long-time best friend and tag partner, Brian
Pillman, ended up as an ally of The Hart Foundation?
Austin says that he doesn't give a hoot but don't let that fool you. No one wants their
deepest, darkest secrets revealed to their worst enemy. When Austin destroyed Brian's
ankle he overlooked the long history Pillman has with my family.
In fact, it's ironic, but if it wasn't for Stone Cold Steve Austin the Hart Foundation might not
have ever gotten back together! Owen and I had a heated match on RAW and, out of
nowhere, Austin ran in, hit me in the back of the head with a chair, and tried to "Pillman" my
ankle!
Owen, Davey and I began to consider the idea that no matter what differences we had
amongst ourselves, we would have to unite if we were going to defeat a guy who prides
himself on making a mockery of all the rules.
