The WrestleMania 29 rumors are running wild. One reoccurring name in that bunch is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. As fans begin to get excited about a possible WWE return from the Texas Rattlesnake, I think it is fair to ponder whether a return to the ring is the right move for Austin’s legacy.

What?

Retirement is a funny word in pro wrestling. A lot of guys (and girls) use it, yet rarely do they mean it. In the case of Steve Austin, he has never used the word retirement. Yet his pro wrestling career has remained dormant for almost nine years. According to recent rumors and reports, Austin may dust off those old boots and lace them up at WrestleMania 29.

What?

The gossip on Austin appears to be that rough plans are in place for a Steve Austin vs. CM Punk match at WrestleMania 29. The match would pit two very unlikely opponents against one another as part of a stacked show that will also feature Brock Lesnar and The Rock. Austin would be high on the card but chances are that the Texas Rattlesnake would be in the headline spot.

What?

I started thinking about it and as much as I love watching Austin (always have back to his days in WCW as Stunning Steve), I am not sure that a return to the ring is really the right move. Now look, I would never judge anyone for taking a payday. But there is more than a big payout at stake here. There is a legacy here that along with a select few remains one of the greatest and untarnished in WWE history.

What?

Bringing back Austin is easy for business but a match with Punk makes no sense to me. I don’t know how you could get a clear heel or babyface in this match. Punk would have to be the heel, thus squandering a lot of time and effort spent promoting Punk as one of the company’s top heroes. Add to that a complete styles clash and I think you have the makings for one of the most awkward matches in WrestleMania history.

What?

Austin has made a comfortable life for himself since his last WWE wrestling match. He has appeared in several films and appears to be on the cusp of doing some nice things in Hollywood. He isn’t going to be the next Dwayne Johnson, but his role in the Expendables opened up a lot of doors. I have to wonder if stepping back into the ring would derail a Hollywood career that hasn’t shot out of the gates like some thought it would.

What?

I am an Austin fan and I can sit here for hours and watch his old videos. I just don’t know if he could keep up with a younger, more athletic style in 2013 in a way that wouldn’t embarrass himself. I don’t even know if he knows. If he was confident that he could, I’d imagine that he would have stepped through those ropes a long time ago. Do we really need to remember Austin as a guy that was blown away by a faster, hungrier, and more athletic undercard or the guy that would steal WrestleMania on an annual basis?

What?

I love when the WWE gets the legends involved and I’d love to see Austin as either a special guest referee or host, just not a wrestler. Austin is one of the few to walk away from the game as a wrestler at the top of his game. For that, I hope the boots and trunks remain locked up in the attic.

What?

Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time

WWE WrestleMania 28 DVD

WWE: WrestleMania XXVIII [Blu-ray]

Grab discounted WWE DVDs, merchandise, t -shirts, figures, and more from the WWE Shop on Amazon.com

© 2012, Camel Clutch Blog. All rights reserved.