Ricky 'the HEEL' Steamboat? | WrestleZone Forums

May 2024 ยท 4 minute read
Heels often times have to be good on the mic. Fans by nature want to CHEER for wrestlers which is why it is easier to get a face over versus a heel. Steamboat was NEVER known for his mic skills. He would have needed a manager to get over that aspect similar to how Andre needed Heenan then later Dibiase to get over as a heel.

As to whether this fact hurt Steamboat, I don't think the fact that he wasn't a heel hurt him as much as his subpar mic work. I also think going to WWE when he did hurt him. The same should be said of Dusty Rhodes. They were NEVER going to get over more than Hogan (it could even be debated if they even SHOULD have been put over Hogan as the TOP GUY for Vince's baby. This isn't a knock on either one of them but could you see Dusty Rhodes teaming with Mr. T? I can't.) Flair was smart enough to stay away. Help build his name with a national audience with Turner Broadcasting THEN slowly making the change but he even realized it was likely a mistake and went back to WCW. The problem with Steamboat was he kept jumping ship. That may have worked in the Territorial days but we were now in the days of national companies. Had he simply stayed with WWF and not jumped ship from NWA/WCW not once but TWICE it was very possible he could have been the face of WCW instead of Sting.


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I want to call you out on a couple of things.

Firstly, Steamboat's stickwork. Now, he was no Shawn Michaels on the mike, but he was a pretty good speaker. I remember pre-match at WM3, when he was interviewed by "Mean " Gene, he cut a great promo (it's probably a bit old school and dated now, but it was stirring at the time).
But I though he cut a great speech, the night it was announced on "Raw" that he was inducted into the HoF. Chris Jericho came out and berated him, and Steamboat gave it back on the mike. Watch it on Youtube if you missed it. Steamboat may not be the best on the mike, but he is not subpar, either.

Chris Benoit won a World Title, and wrestled as well as Steamboat, and wasn't much on the mike, but he still main-evented Mania and made Triple H tap.

Also, you contradict yourself. You say that he shouldn't have jumped to "Raw", but he shouldn't have then left to go back to WCW either. Make up your mind!

I can tell you why Steamboat may not have been a star like some were. Ricky Steamboat, from all reports, is a very humble, almost shy guy. He always seems to be about making the other guy look good. In an industry where it is every man for himself, Steamboat seems happier for others to have the spotlight. Why do you think few have ever said a bad word about the guy. I think it is because he is selfless in an industry where selfishness gets you to the top of the tree. Maybe he decided a WWF Title was not worth compromising his principles for.

Also, Steamboat had to drop the IC Title because he wanted time off to see his son (Richie Steamboat, who is wrestling in NXT) be born. He put aside his career to be at a very special moment in his and his child's life. I have Steamboat's DVD, and his son speaks glowingly about his father, and how he realises what his father gave up to see him born. I doubt Ric Flair's or Hulk Hogan's kids would be as glowing in praise. Again, Steamboat put someone else before himself. Vince probably had issues with Steamboat for doing this, and buried him later down the track.

Steamboat even does it now. He trains NXT stars, to become superstars, and reach heights he never did. He gives back more to the business than it ever gave him, and it is rare for someone to do that. He did every job asked, he never played politics etc. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Ric Flair and Randy "Macho Man" Savage rate Steamboat as their greatest opponent. You're a great if others greats think you are great.

Steamboat may have not made it as high as others, because he wasn't like many others. He did it to put on a great match, make his opponent look good, and didn't chase the spotlight. He quit wrestling , not because of a back injury (he was fully healed), but because he didn't want to redo it, and said that he didn't want his son to have a father who is in a wheelchair. Steamboat was a great wrestler, but an even better human being, and maybe being such a standup guy doesn't get you as far in wrestling. But, you know what, I think Steamboat put integrity above treasure, and for that, he is successful as a family man and human being.

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