>>7619077Nah, it was hatched in June or July of 97 in a hotel right by San Antonio Airport
A little while after Shawn walked out of the company after Bret pulled his hair out, he agreed to meet with Vince, who of course was desparate to get Shawn to come back.
Shawn's dad was there too, so it was the three of them.
Shawn and his dad played hardball, they wanted something special from Vince to convince him to come back. Vince was reluctant but in the end he agreed to Shawn's demands. It was there that the plans were hatched. They were to
>push Bret out of the company>screw him on the way outIn mid-late 96 during Bret's hiatus (said he needed physical rest and to sepnd time with family, and also wanted to do that TV show, but obviously the main reason was he was pissed he had to put Shawn over at WM). He was really mulling going to WCW, Bischoff was flashing the cash at him. Vince was desparate for that not to happen, fearing it would kill WWF (maybe in 96 it would have). Bret was reluctant to go however despite the money. He didn't want to put WWF out of business. He just wanted to be booked properly in WWF, have a proper run, after constantly having to give way to others (Hogan 93, Luger 93, Diesel 94, Shawn 96). His only proper run as champ was marred by never even getting to headline a PPV during it (KOTR Piper-Lawler, SSm Taker-Taker, SSe Taker-Yoko). Vince scrambled his pennies and gave him his best offer. Far beneath what WCW offered but Bret took it, along with some degree of creative control.
But in mid 97 after Shawn demanded it to come back, Vince started to push Bret out. Told him he truly couldn't afford the contract offered, only offered it in desparation before but now he needed Bret to see if WCW were still offering to get him of Vince's books. Bret reluctantly got in touch with them again.
But Vince also put the title on Bret at SSm. Strange move with someone you're trying to push out of the company. All part of the plan. You know the rest.
