The Steve Austin Show
Episode: ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE - SAS CLASSIC
Original Air Date: February 26, 2026

Overview

In this nostalgic solo episode, wrestling icon Steve Austin takes listeners on a deep-dive journey through one of the most famous matches of his storied career: the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre against Vince McMahon, which took place on February 14, 1999, in Memphis, Tennessee. Austin offers play-by-play insight, backstage context, and personal reflections on the lead-up, execution, and legacy of the match. The episode is a treat for wrestling fans—especially those obsessed with storytelling and behind-the-scenes tales from the Attitude Era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The Match & Its Significance

• Opening Riff on Valentine's Day (00:13 – 03:40)

  • Austin riffs on his ambivalence towards Valentine’s Day and connects the date to the historic match with Vince McMahon.
  • He notes how this match was a product of both characters being at their most “over.”
  • "It was just great being in the ring with him... that stone cold Vince McMahon thing was kind of next level stuff." (03:04)

• Personal Connection to Memphis (03:40 – 07:30)

  • Emotional return to Memphis, where he got his start in USWA and was named "Steve Austin" by Dutch Mantell.
  • The Pyramid Arena crowd (approx. 19,000 strong) was electric: "Totally involved and engrossed in riding along everything we do..." (05:46)

• Praise for Vince McMahon

  • Austin puts Vince over as one of wrestling’s greatest villains—“the most complex, evil, conniving and intelligent... character... in the history of the wrestling business.” (06:14)
  • Notes Vince's self-criticism and commitment: "He will do anything to get a match or an angle over." (06:28)

2. Timeline & Match Build-Up

• Recapping the Angle (12:53 – 16:45)

  • Austin gives context: lost his chance at WrestleMania title shot at the previous Royal Rumble due to The Rock’s interference and Vince’s corporate shenanigans.
  • Highlights how much real heat the feud had and the importance of the match as the "first of a trilogy" of WrestleMania main events with The Rock. (27:59)
  • "If I win...I would be my first time to headline WrestleMania with The Rock and we would go on to headline WrestleMania 17 and WrestleMania 19. We’re the only two guys to ever headline three WrestleManias and for that is something I’m very proud of in my career." (27:59)

• Shoutouts

  • Consistent praise for commentators Jerry “The King” Lawler and Michael Cole and their role in storytelling.
  • Appreciation for Howard Finkel as ring announcer: "When I walked down and Howard Finkel introduced me, I knew that I had made it." (26:17)

3. Walking Listeners Through the Match

Austin provides a play-by-play breakdown paired with personal insight and running commentary.

Pre-Match & Early Stalling (27:59 – 31:30)

• Vince plays the “chicken-shit heel,” repeatedly stalling entry into the cage.
• Austin admits the importance of timing crowd engagement vs. over-stalling: “Sometimes you can kill a crowd with this if you don’t, if you play too long. But we don’t... we're off.” (28:56)

Brawling Outside the Cage (31:30 – 38:12)

• Describes intense, physical brawling around the arena, vintage of the Attitude Era.
• “You got to lay your shit in because, hey man, you got to make everything you do look good... everything over there is double snug.” (33:46)
• Austin praises Vince for insisting on realism: “If you didn’t hit him hard enough...he was going to be pissed off at you.” (34:33)

Vince’s Death-Defying Bump (38:12 – 41:03)

• The show-stopping moment: Vince takes a brutal fall from the steel cage through the announce table.
• “Here we go... BOOM. Bam. Holy shit.” (38:12)
• "He may be dead. Mr. McMahon fell 20 ft... through the Spanish announce table." - Michael Cole (38:12)
• Austin recounts urging Vince to reconsider and Vince’s reply: “Oh, God damn, Steve. We got to.” (38:55)
  • Analyzes the bump: Vince landed on the table’s edge support (“no give”) resulting in a devastating impact: “I think it knocked him out for a second or two.” (39:20)

Medical Drama & Match “Restart” (41:11 – 43:30)

• Paramedics arrive; Austin, in character, demands to finish what he started.
• Notable moment: “If you want me to finish this can of whoop ass, give me a hell yeah.” (41:47)
• Austin forcibly pushes the stretcher with Vince back to the cage, continuing the match.
• "Great job by Cole and Lawler hitting him with that yellow board that they just brought him out on the stretcher." (43:21)

The Real Fight Begins (43:30 – 47:50)

• Bell finally rings after all the chaos.
• Austin unleashes his iconic “stomp a mudhole and walk it dry,” emphasizing how this became a trademark in WrestleMania 13 and was further refined here.
  • “That signature stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp with the pickup in the cadence and the aggression... that was just one of the things that I was just doing.” (44:56)
• Vince, ever the villain, musters moments of defiance (nutshot, attempted escape, middle finger salute).

Promise of Blood & Storytelling Psychology (47:50 – 50:03)

• Austin purposely busts Vince open, satisfying his earlier “guarantee” to the audience.
  • “At the beginning of this match, I promised there will be blood. So there was an introduction into the cage...Looks like Vince has indeed been busted open by getting swung into the steel cage by none other than Stone Cold Steve Austin.” (45:31)
• The back-and-forth continues, highlighting the psychological storytelling (Austin refuses to accept an easy out if Vince provokes him).

Paul Wight's Debut - The Big Show Arrives (50:03 – 52:22)

• Major twist: Paul Wight (Big Show) emerges from under the ring for his WWF debut, attacking Austin.
• Austin describes the mechanics of the surprise: “Paul White is so big and so strong. He’s literally throwing me so fast I can’t take a proper bump.” (50:56)
• The finish: Big Show attempts to throw Austin into the cage, but the cage gives way, allowing Austin to drop to the floor and win.
  • “The cage opens. It came off the hinge. I just won the match.” (51:28)
• Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler with the call: “Stone Cold is going to WrestleMania 15 to wrestle the WWF champion. Oh, no. Mr. McMahon’s master plan has backfired...” (51:58)
• Austin emphasizes how Vince’s own plan self-destructs, making the ending both chaotic and cathartic for fans.

4. Reflections on Wrestling Psychology, Vince, and the Era

• Match as Drama, Not Spot-Fest (56:57)

  • Contrasts the bout’s storytelling and character work with modern-day “athletic extravaganzas,” calling this match effective because “all we needed to do” was tell the story.
  • “We set the table for them to see a fight or a match...and we didn’t have to do anything crazy and Vince didn’t even have to take that bump, quite frankly.” (56:58)

• Lessons for Wrestlers

  • “Don’t act like a wrestler...friggin’ BE a wrestler. And if you turn you up to 11 or 12... believe in it. Don’t act.” (58:32)
  • Austin admires Vince’s philosophy: “He will do absolutely anything and everything to make an angle get over to the highest degree that it can.” (57:46)
  • Cites storylines with Bret Hart for comparison, stressing the pressure and reward at the top of the card.

5. Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.” (05:11)
• “You talk about a hell of a bump that he takes off that damn steel cage and that table...” (06:44)
• Michael Cole (about Vince’s bump): “He may be dead. Mr. McMahon fell 20 ft... through the Spanish and aft table.” (38:12)
• Austin on the match’s legacy: “That match is damn near 20 years old, but what a fun day at the office.” (53:48)
• Referring to the fans: “...the explosion that happened...when that crowd...realized that I had won the match was off the charts.” (52:40)
• “Vince is a badass. If he goes out there and he wants to give his all...from a promoter standpoint, he wants you as a talent...to go out there and give it your all.” (57:29)

Notable Segments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 00:13 | Episode Introduction and Valentine’s Day context | | 03:40 | Memories of Memphis and receiving his ring name | | 12:53 | Build-up to the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre match | | 21:32 | Direct audio from match build-up promos | | 27:59 | Austin begins match breakdown in real-time | | 38:12 | Vince’s legendary bump off the cage | | 41:11 | Austin takes over story after stretcher segment | | 44:56 | The “stomp a mudhole” sequence expounded | | 50:03 | Big Show/Paul Wight’s WWF debut, match finish | | 53:48 | Reflections on the match’s lasting legacy | | 56:58 | Wrestling psychology and the match’s storytelling | | 58:32 | Austin’s advice for wrestlers/new generation |

Tone & Style

Steve is characteristically unfiltered, mixing deep wrestling savvy and technical details with colorful Texas metaphors and stories. His manner is nostalgic but in-the-moment, making listeners feel ringside both as fans and as would-be wrestlers.

Notable humor includes a digression about scooter safety (“scooter on a stick”) and tales about his days on the road with other wrestling icons. Austin keeps the energy high, peppering in signature catchphrases and breaking the fourth wall with audience call-and-responses (“give me a hell yeah”).

Final Reflections

Austin encourages all wrestling fans to check out the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre match on the WWE Network, specifically praising its crowd psychology, storytelling simplicity, and pivotal role in his storied feud with Vince McMahon and long-term career arcs with The Rock. He closes with shout-outs to Goldust and teases upcoming interview episodes with fellow wrestling legends.

For Further Listening/Watching

• Watch the match: WWE Network, St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Feb 14, 1999 (start at 02:19:49)
• Follow Steve: @steveaustinbsr (Twitter/Instagram)
• Next episodes to anticipate: Joey Diaz, Lisa Moretti (Ivory), Dr. D. David Schultz interviews

This episode is essential listening for students of wrestling history, storytelling, and Austin/McMahon die-hards. “And that’s the bottom line, ‘cause Stone Cold said so!”