America's Most Wannabe

Sitting beside Shane McMahon during Sunday Night Heat affords me the opportunity to get to know this young man few people really know.

Shane is not what everyone thinks he is. He is not simply "the boss' son." He is hard-working and endlessly creative. While he grew up with privilege and wealth, Shane was anything but a traditional "snotty rich kid." Vince's only son got into trouble growing up and found himself on the wrong side of the law more than once. His restlessness was apparently the cause. He never could and still can't sit still. Obnoxious? You bet! He makes no excuses for it, however.

Shane is also a gifted athlete. A tremendous throwing arm garnered him success on the gridiron in high school. Now an executive in his family's company, he still gets up at 6 a.m. every morning to work out. If he gets four hours of sleep a night, it's plenty. Sometimes he doesn't sleep at all.

No matter what you think about him, there is no denying that Shane McMahon has a burning desire for everything he does. It's as if something has been calling him all his life.

His rivalry with X-Pac surprises many people. As Shane is not a Federation Superstar, why would he provoke one of the finest athletes in the world? In fact, I see many similarities between them.

Both the D-Generate and Shane possess relentless energy for success. X-Pac is renowned for his resilience and an attitude that screams confidence. We know of his athletic prowess through what he does in the ring. History will record that X-Pac has been an innovator in sports-entertainment. No one will ever accuse him, however, of being an angel. He has made many mistakes in the past and like Shane, his own restlessness is partially to blame. Obnoxious? You bet! He makes no excuses either.

They are so much alike. Why do they detest each other so much?

Perhaps Shane is envious of X-Pac's ability to let his hair down and be a degenerate. Ask executives about their secret wishes and most desire to cut loose, free of the corporate structure, and to run wild. I would bet that someone like Shane, who struggles to sit still for even one minute, would love that freedom.

It may be surprising to learn that aside from the obvious advantage in being the owner's son, Shane's own sense of responsibility keeps him at work late and back early the next morning. He has privileges, but he doesn't take advantage of them.

Blessed with more natural in-ring ability perhaps than any other Federation Superstar, X-Pac could probably still dazzle with his skills if he never trained, stretched or prepared mentally. Despite the "pick up and go" mentality, he trains dilligently, studying martial arts, which focus both body and mind. Unlike Shane, X-Pac is not restricted by the corporate structure. There are no board meetings for DX.

When Shane debuted on Heat, he immediately showed his favor for D-Generation X. Crotch-chopping was the order of the day when X-Pac and the crew were on the scene. With Shane's assimilation into Team Corporate and the fulfillment of family destiny, the crossed hands had to be separated. It was a natural rivalry borne out of corporate protocol.

What if Shane's bitter resentment of X-Pac stems from a management directive, rather than true animosity? Could Vince's son, the heir apparent to the Federation empire, be lying to us all? Is Shane lying to his father?

This far-fetched, purely speculative set of questions is merely that. But all sides of this position should be looked at. We know that DX is notorious for some classic leg pulling. Their spoof of the Nation, the parody of the Corporation as well as the "assault" on World Championship Wrestling (WCW) are just a few of the gags we have fallen for. Is Shane in on what would be the biggest one yet?

The recent interaction between Shane McMahon and X-Pac probably eliminates that from consideration. Time and time again, Shane has not only tried to embarrass the multi-time European Champion but hurt him as well. No DX gag went this long without a punch line. The only punches we have seen are the ones they have thrown at each other, with balled-up fists and bad intentions.

Is Shane McMahon jealous of X-Pac? Jealousy is such a strong emotion that it generally consumes those who feel it. The argument can certainly be made that the owner-in-training has been consumed by X-Pac over the past few months. While I am sure he is envious of his free spirit, Shane is so confident in himself that I doubt he would succumb to such a primal emotion.

So, what is Shane's problem with X-Pac? Their battles have settled little and have only intensified the problems that exist. Chyna certainly hasn't helped matters. It seems that whenever Shane is given the keys to the kingdom, bad things happen to DX and in particular to X-Pac.

The origination of these articles