5 signs you grew up in WWE's Attitude Era
The Attitude Era is fondly remembered as one of the most influential periods in the history of professional wrestling.
Just as it had when Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, Roddy Piper, and many others spearheaded a major mainstream revolution back in the 1980s with the advent of WrestleMania, the Attitude Era thrust wrestling back into the popular culture spotlight in America and across the world.
Led by the incomparable Stone Cold Steve Austin and the People's Champion The Rock, for the most part, the Attitude Era was, for many, what the world needed at that time.
The Attitude Era: Chaos and mayhem personified
Said to have run from around late-1997 to just past the millennium, the era created stars and household names, produced incredible, standout moments, and plenty of havoc and mayhem.
The influence of the Attitude Era was so huge that, decades after it was consigned to history, fans still remember it with incredible sentiment and feeling. After all, it was the era that got millions of fans hooked in WWE - even if they're now no longer regular viewers of the product. Whether it was what the Superstars said or did - or indeed how they said or did it - it is probably the one era that has stood the test of time better than any other.
But how do we measure that? In my view, it's the fact that Attitude Era fans can still be dragged back into their wrestling prime with a few timely reminders. Here is a small collection of the tell-tale signs that you watched a little too much wrestling in the Attitude Era.
#5. WWE wasn't even WWE
Chances are, if you were an Attitude Era fan, you'd turn on today's wrestling product and immediately be thrown. After all, what on earth is WWE?
Hit play on the YouTube video above and, if you were a fan of WWE during the late 1990s, you'll know exactlly what you're watching. Otherwise, it may be a mystery.
WWE gets the F out in 2002
What was the WWF became WWE - Entertainment replacing Federation in 2002, largely due to a dispute between tthe wrestling giant and the World Wildlife Fund over who would effectively own that initialism. In the end, wildlife won out and WWE had to change.
In fact, in 2011, WWE ceased using the company name World Wrestling Entertainment altogether, except for legal reasons, instead opting to simply be known as WWE. The move was said to be to reflect their growing desires to offer an all-rounded product rather than one focused purely on wrestling.