sure does show who michaels was...... a company guy willing to do anything to protect where he works.
shows who mcmahon was too...... a company owner looking to protect the business he built.
when all this went down, wwf was on the verge of bankruptcy and bret hart knew that when vinny mac asked him to defer some of the contract he signed just months ealier.
and for a guy that never drew in fans the way hogan, austin, the rock, and others did, he should have done whatever reasonable things mcmahon asked him to. which includes dropping the strap.
creative control for a character does not include creative control for an entire company