What If Owen Doesn't Break Austin's Neck?

[LillaThrilla]

This topic came up in the comments on a wrestling blog: Owen Hart's piledriver on Austin at Summerslam '97.

Austin's knees were already wearing out by this point, but his neck was I think a bigger issue in shortening his career especially since he waited almost 2 years to have surgery on it. (He was out until Survivor Series '97 and then missed another 9 months after actual surgery for the neck injury in 1999 - the time away set up by having him hit by a car.)

Austin got the IC Title from Owen at Summerslam, but I believe didn't want to work matches with him ever again because of the botch? There was a Rock-Austin fued over the IC Title when Austin returned I believe.

Austin was part of the fued with the Hart Foundation. Does Montreal still go down the same way? Bret probably still leaves WWF and maybe even still gets screwed on the way out, but what would Austin have been doing at this point if he wasn't injured?

Also, the poster alleged that Triple H got pushed starting in 1999 not only because of D-X but also because of concerns for Austin's career (Triple H theoretically filling his spot in the upper card, though of course not his actual role).

[tommybrownell]

Yeah, allegedly Austin had a TON of heat with Owen over the incident...it rubbed some people wrong at the time that when Owen died, Austin didn't offer any words on the tribute (and that he did the beer toast, when milk would have been far more appropriate).

[ultramagnus]

Well, Owen and Austin did have that brief match at Survivor Series 1997. I don't think it would have affected Montreal much, except for the fact that if Austin were more available at the time, maybe they could have worked something out where Bret dropped the title to Austin before or after Survivor Series.