Heartbreak Hill

With all the controversy over questionable content in the entertainment industry--radio talk show hosts spewing racial insults, films filled to the brim with cartoonish violence, misogynistic hip-hop marketed to young children, etc.--it helps to know that there are at least some people in the entertainment industry who are attempting to present a positive image. One such person is an unassuming fellow by the name of Mike Hickenbottom, better known as professional wrestling star Shawn Michaels.

Michaels' entire career has been an inspiration. He started wrestling in 1984, impressing veteran observers with his skill--and also battling the perception that, as an "undersized" wrestler, he would never become a main-event star in a business dominated by extremely muscular performers such as Hulk Hogan. After a successful run with the Minnesota-based American Wrestling Association, Michaels and tag-team partner Marty Jannetty joined World Wrestling Entertainment in the late-1980s, impressing new fans with their tremendous athleticism.

The Michaels-Jannetty tag team broke up in the early-1990s, and Michaels embarked on a career as a singles performer. Despite playing a narcissistic "heel" character, Michaels was embraced by the fans because of his commitment to excellence in the ring: Michaels' matches were a combination of realism and artistry, skill and showmanship, concert and competition. Even someone who held "fake wrestling" in contempt had to admire Michaels' ability.

Changes in the "sports entertainment" industry compelled WWE head Vince McMahon (long accused of only promoting extremely muscular wrestlers as main-eventers) to give Michaels a chance on top; thus, in March 1996, Michaels achieved a dream once thought impossible when he first entered the company, winning the WWE Championship from Bret Hart at WrestleMania XII. While Michaels' reign as champion was unfortunately overshadowed by Hogan's renewed popularity in rival promotion World Championship Wrestling, Michaels continued to maintain his standard of excellence.

Two years later, Michaels was forced to retire at the age of 32 due to a back injury, depriving WWE fans of a chance to see a lengthy feud between "The Heartbreak Kid" and rising star "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Michaels still made appearances on WWE TV, either portraying a fictional WWE "Commissioner" or working as a "special guest referee" for high-profile matches, but for his longtime fans, it just wasn't the same.

By 2002, Michaels' back injuries had healed sufficiently to allow him to return to the ring. He embarked on a lengthy feud with real-life friend Paul "Triple H" Levesque, defeating him for the heavyweight title in November 2002 and losing the belt back to Levesque the next month. Michaels managed to surpass his 1990s in-ring excellence, delivering highly acclaimed performances against such opponents as Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle. He lost to Hogan in a so-called "Legend vs. Icon" match at SummerSlam 2005, earning rave reviews for his work. Earlier this month, he once again appeared in WrestleMania's main event, losing to current WWE Champion John Cena. 

A few years ago, the WWE faced heat from conservative critics who regarded the company as one of the prime polluters of American culture. Even the staunchest WWE opponent would have to exempt Michaels from such criticism; a born-again Christian since the early 2000s, Michaels is quite outspoken about the role his religious faith has played in his personal and professional life. Hogan was accused of fraudulently promoting a family-values image in the 1980s, but it's hard to label Michaels as dishonestly devout. 

Perhaps if more guys like Michaels were on the radio, in Hollywood and in the music industry, there wouldn't be so much concern about where our culture is headed. Michaels' values are pretty straightforward: professional excellence and personal faith. In a time when entertainment edges closer to trash, it's nice to see such a man exemplifying class.