How much do you like Shane McMahon?

[Hanley!]

I'm interested in getting an idea of people's opinions on Shane McMahon. I always thought he was the most likeable of the McMahons. But on the flip side, I thought it was kind of surprising that he received a Stone Cold level pop when he returned. Do people really like him that much? Was he ever that good?

Part of me wonders if the response he gets is more of a sign of how little people like Stephanie. He's the popular one by default. People cheer him almost just to show they like him more.

I used to love Shane's big stunts when I was a kid. But he still wasn't one of my favourites exactly. And the last thing I remember him doing was beating up Legacy single-handedly with some of the worst looking punches in the history of wrestling, and completely derailing Orton's push at the time. I liked him less after that. I think that's why I'm having trouble digesting some of these "Wrestlemania is saved" reactions people are having. To me, Shane being paired with the Undertaker in a match that would have had people scratching their heads 15 years ago isn't enough to save this card.

So what does everyone think of Shane? Were ye huge fans back in the Attitude Era? Were you not that into him then, but just really excited to see a big name return? Does this significantly change how much you're looking forward to Wrestlemania, or do you not really care?

[Str8Shooter]

You're right about him being the most likeable of the McMahon's, he's the only one that can realistically pull off being a babyface for very long. Part of that is his willingness to do crazy stuff in the ring, and the bigger part to me is his perception as being the "black sheep" of the McMahon family.

You could even see it in the promo on Raw. They were walking the fine line of it being an angle, but sprinkled with "truths" throughout. Crowd's these days love that blurring of the lines.

People know that Shane was the chosen one to take over WWE, and essentially he was usurped by his younger sister. She became the chosen one, and to add to that, her husband passed him in line too and now he dropped further down the pecking order. Then he chose to leave the company to make it on his own, and now he's back to "save" us from the "Authority" running the show into the ground. This works on two levels, one, the casual fans see them running the show with an iron fist on TV every week, and two, the smarks see them as ruining the show with constant promos and heel authority shtick.

Even Shane's mention of him and his wife having three sons, where Steph and Triple H have three daughters, so it'll be his kids carrying on the McMahon legacy. The best angles often have some element of truth to them.

[Ali]

I think it's a couple of factors.

One, Shane was always the most likable McMahon. I don't know why, but he always just seemed to be a little bit more down-to-earth and relatable than Vince or Stephanie. Just his mannerisms, he always seemed to be excited to be on the stage and in the ring, it was kind of infectious. Plus, the fact that he's always been willing to do the big spots and put his body on the line when he really doesn't have to is also endearing to fans.

Two, this was completely out of nowhere. I mean, nobody saw this coming, nobody even considered the possibility of Shane McMahon returning. Pretty much everyone had written off that Shane was done with WWE, he was off doing his own thing. So to hear his music, instantly recognizable, it got that "Holy s*it, WHAT?!" reaction from the crowd. It was a genuine blindside, which is so rare in WWE.

Three, he is the opposition to Vince and Stephanie. Its one thing if Shane has a lovey-dovey reunion with his family, but to call them out and essentially be the voice of the fans is huge. The fact that he hasn't been around in years, and comes back to basically try to put a stop to the problems we're seeing is such a refreshing thing. It'll be so nice to have an authority figure that at least seems to be not 100% evil for a while.

All of these mean, Shane McMahon gets that huge pop.

[Everlong]

I always have and always will love Shane. As a kid, I marked out big time for his dance moves and his ridiculous stunt man acts. Seeing him on screen always takes me back to being a kid who just loved wrestling for what it was and an era where everything just seemed so much more fun.

[Westcoastvibes]

I dont care for him as a wrestler and feel that the spot at mania is equivalent to another cheap celebrity match. However, I love that its something different in terms of on screen talent even though its basically another white knight story.

[War Daddy]

HERE COMES THE MOOOOONEEEEEEY HERES THE COME MONEY

MONEY MONET MONEY

[Viazon]

I marked out a bit when he came out. Even though I knew it was gonna happen. As an adult, I now know that good wrestling isn't just crazy stunts and jumping from high platforms. But when I was younger, I thought it was. So I have so many crazy memories from my childhood which were provided by him. That alone makes be hold a high level of fondness towards him. And the fact that he really didn't even need to do it makes me respect him even more. He's not even really a wrestler. And he's the owners son. No way was it necessary for him to put his life on the line like that. But he did it. He must have done it for the love of the business.