During this week’s episode of WWE’s “The Bump”, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart commented on going to Vince McMahon and asking him to sign Steve Austin when “The Texas Rattlesnake” was working in ECW. He said,
“Well, the truth of it is, and I’ve said this a few times, is that I thought Steve was somebody to be reckoned with before he ever got to WWE. I saw him — He was in WCW and I think he even went to ECW for a time, and I remember when he jumped from WCW and he ended up in ECW, I actually remember going into Vince’s office and going, ‘Why didn’t they get this guy? Why didn’t somebody grab him and bring him in here? He’s too good a guy to end up in — He’s working ECW. Why don’t we look into getting him?’
I remember having this conversation with Vince about how I thought he’d be really good for me to wrestle and work with and a week later he was sitting in the dressing room. They went out and got him and I don’t know what they did to get him from ECW or get him out of that contract or if he was free to go, but that’s when he started.”
(h/t – Fightful)