35 Things You Didn't Know About "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
In honor of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's 50th birthday today, here are some little-known facts about the WWE legend.
Image via Complex Original
It may not seem possible, but today “Stone Cold” Steve Austin turns an astounding 50 years old. “The Texas Rattlesnake” is, perhaps, one of the most important figures in the history of professional wrestling; while he wasn’t necessarily the most gifted technical competitor, his beer-swilling, middle finger-raising persona ushered in WWE’s “Attitude Era” and led to an explosion in wrestling's popularity.
Stone Cold himself became a cultural icon, a figure synonymous with anyone who had strong anti-authority tendencies. He gave his boss a Stone Cold Stunner with alarming frequency, poured beer all over people, and just generally did whatever the hell he wanted.
Because of his popularity, a lot of facts about Stone Cold the actual person became pretty widely known. However, there are plenty of things that were either overlooked or underreported. Fortunately we’re here to bring them to you, so sit back, crack open an ice cold Steveweiser, and enjoy 35 Things You Didn’t Know About “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
1. He came up with “Austin 3:16” spontaneously to mock Jake Roberts' religious gimmick.
On June 23, 1996, Austin was just getting used to his new “Stone Cold” gimmick, when he defeated Jake Roberts at King of the Ring, thanks to a Stunner (which was part of that new gimmick). He then mocked Roberts (who was portraying a born-again Christian) in a promo that nobody realized would change the course of the WWE saying:
“You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere! Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16… Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!”
The line was entirely improvised, with Austin later saying to living fossil Larry King “Had no one told me that he had cut that promo, Austin 3:16 would have never been born.”
2. He's a wine connoisseur.
3. He made his feature film debut in 'The Longest Yard' remake.
4. He played defensive end for the University of North Texas.
5. He received $40 for his professional debut.
6. He drank his first beer at the age of 14.
7. He was a member of the National Honor Society in high school.
8. He refused to be in a feud with Jeff Jarrett.
9. The WWE allegedly covered up allegations that he was a “wife beater.”
10. He played an instrument in the high school band.
11. He started his WWE career as “The Ringmaster.”
12. His nickname “Stone Cold” came from a cup of tea.
13. He dropped out of college because “math kicked [his] ass.”
14. WCW fired him because they “didn't think he was a marketable wrestler.”
15. He was in college to become a gym teacher.
16. He's half-brothers with actor Jamie McBride
17. Stone Cold got the idea for his gimmick after watching a documentary about a serial killer.
18. He has been married four different times.
19. He enjoys collecting antiques.
20. His “push” was supposed to go to Triple H, but HHH defied Vince McMahon and got in trouble.
21. Rather than lose to a young Brock Lesnar in 2002, he just got on a plane and went home.
22. His first job after college was on a loading dock.
23. His first acting role was as Detective Jake Cage on an episode of “Nash Bridges.”
24. His best friends from wrestling are The Rock, Mick Foley, and Bill Goldberg.
25. He legally changed his name from “Steve Williams” to “Steve Austin” in 2007.
26. He hosted a show on Country Music Television this past summer called “Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge”
27. In the beginning of his career, he made $20 a match and was living out of his car.
28. In 1998 alone, he made roughly $1.2 million in salary.
29. He currently hosts his own podcast, The Steve Austin Show.
30. Even he thinks Tony Romo is a choke artist.
31. He hated WWE writers.
32. He went off in defense of gay marriage.
33. His entrance song was inspired by “Bulls On Parade” by Rage Against the Machine.
34. He did a classic beer smash on ESPN College Gameday.
35. He produced a country album.
