Chris Jericho

[Guest Ray]

"You are making excuses for Jericho's shortcomings "

 

Making excuses? Yeah, it's an "excuse" to point out that he was INSANELY OVER in 2000. The guy had an incredible amount of talent and they never fully capitalized on it. But somehow, it's all HIS fault.

 

"and attacking me personally"

 

YOU deserve it for trashing a good wrestler in order to make a name for yourself.

 

"instead of debating my statement"

 

You ignored or missed the point about Jericho being incredibly over with the crowd.

 

"Nothing I said was sensational or unintelligent "

 

Saying "he has no one to blame but himself!" about a wrestler who was - unquestionably - a victim of terrible booking is certainly "sensational" and unintelligent. It's disgustingly "sensational" and you should be ashamed of yourself.

 

"I backed up my statement with two or three pages of facts and argument."

 

Your "facts" were all, oddly enough, focused on his behavior *after three years of burials and terrible booking*. I wonder if you've even seen Jericho in 2000 WWF. This is a man who had the look, the charisma, the character, the wrestling ability, the talking ability, and the connection with the crowd to be a multi-time world champion and a legitimate draw. He is the epitome of wasted talent. But somehow it's his fault The Rock buried him with his promo during his debut. But somehow it's his fault they jobbed him to Chyna. But somehow it's his fault they jobbed him to HHH a dozen times. But somehow it's his fault they put him in a pointless feud with Kane and jobbed him clean. But somehow it's his fault the Invasion killed his push with Austin. But somehow it's his fault Austin wouldn't do do a clean job for him. But somehow it's his fault he was booked as a chickenshit heel and no one wanted to job to him during his title reign because they knew he'd be roadkill for HHH at Mania 18.

 

"Jericho's time may be coming"

 

His time already came and they missed the boat. Badly.

[Guest Hass of Pain]

YOU deserve it for trashing a good wrestler in order to make a name for yourself.

.

 

I've written 150 columns that I would be more than happy to link you too if you really think I am just trying to "make a name" for myself. It's ridiculous that you can't accept any criticism of Chris Jericho as anything but trolling. I didn't trash him and I DID say that WWE missed the boat with him when he was at his hottest, I simply said that he's currently missing a few aspects of what it takes to be a major draw and I think it goes deeper than the lines that are written for him.

 

If you would have actually read my post you would know that I did address the fact that Jericho is over with the crowd, but that doesn't always dictate who would make a good champion from a business standpoint. I can't say either way because it's obviously never been done long term, but I personally think there are better choices to build a brand around and if you can't at least accept a differing opinion as anything but pure stupidity, then you are exactly the kind of close minded fan WWE would be well served to not listen to.

 

I love Chris Jericho, but part of being an objective wrestling fan is not just blindly supporting your favorite wrestler, but being able to analyze their faults and look at each program in regards to how it effects the brand in general, not just your favorite wrestler.

 

Chris Jericho was ok as Undisputed Champion in my opinion, but he didn't have a style and presence that reached out and brought new fans in like The Rock, Steve Austin and even Kurt Angle had at the time. WWE was still hot, and in the market that WWE uses as a litmus test of sorts for it's future booking plans, HHH recieved one of the biggest ovations I have ever heard at the Royal Rumble in MSG and the company made the decision to put the title on him because he was so hot after being out. That's not somebody "burying" Chris Jericho, it was Vince McMahon doing what he thought was best for business at the time.

 

It's funny because if Jericho or Benoit were being booked the way HHH has been with Batista lately, people would be outraged and bashing WWE for making their favorite stars look weak. It's the same thing with everyone saying Jericho has given up and is justified in not trying when guys like Test and The Big Show who have been in the company for just as long aren't any closer to the world titlle get ripped for looking lazy and unmotivated.

 

Anyway, we're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one I guess.

[SuperJerk 0]

This comment isn't directed at anyone in particular, but I really think some of you take this stuff too seriously.

 

Jericho, first and foremost, is an entertainer. I find him entertaining, so he's doing his job.

 

Second, there's more to wrestling than titles and pushes. How many titles did Roddy Piper win? And yet he was one of the most over heels in the business.

 

Third, there's room in professional wrestling for more than just the guys at the top. Just because two or three guys are trying to become the champ doesn't mean everything else on the show is filler. There's plenty going on besides main event feuds.

[Guest fanofcoils]

Were Piper and Jake Roberts more over than Jericho throughout their careers?

[SuperJerk 0]

Yes. And my point is that they didn't need a bunch of titles to do it.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

Jericho, first and foremost, is an entertainer. I find him entertaining, so he's doing his job.

Exactly.

 

I watch wrestling to be entertained. The best way to watch WWE, is view it as a comedy show, and not get pissed off when someone who's got "talent", doesn't get a push.

[EricMM 0]

I think part of the problem is that now, actually especially a few years ago, but still now, shows mostly revolved around the main eventers, and ONLY the main eventers, specifically world title holders/contenders and their friends.

 

The world title was the main event for every show. It still is. I think it's a bit much.

[SuperJerk 0]

Making the title the centerpiece of a feud is gratifying if you think of it as a reward for a wrestler who has done a good job, but at the same time its also a crutch for writers who can't give anyone anything else interesting to do.

 

Part of what frustrates me so much about Triple H is that he's only had one program in 3 years that wasn't about a title (the feud with HBK in the summer of 2002).

 

The best way to watch WWE, is view it as a comedy show, and not get pissed off when someone who's got "talent", doesn't get a push.

I'll admit it bothers me a little bit because I see it as someone not being allowed to live up to their potential. Its hard to get over and entertain the fans when all your allowed to do is sell for 5 minutes, get in some token offense, then get pinned.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

The best way to watch WWE, is view it as a comedy show, and not get pissed off when someone who's got "talent", doesn't get a push.

I'll admit it bothers me a little bit because I see it as someone not being allowed to live up to their potential. Its hard to get over and entertain the fans when all your allowed to do is sell for 5 minutes, get in some token offense, then get pinned.

Yeah, if that happens to guy like Benoit/Gurrero/etc., it's annoying. But there's no point in getting mad over it, for any long period of time. I just wait until someone like Snitsky comes out afterwards, and makes me laugh.

[Guest Ray]

"It's ridiculous that you can't accept any criticism of Chris Jericho as anything but trolling. "

 

No, I can't accept unfair, unneccessary, incorrect criticism.

 

"I didn't trash him "

 

"He has no one to blame but himself." - You, on a good, innocent wrestler who was a victim of terrible booking.

 

"I simply said that he's currently missing a few aspects of what it takes to be a major draw and I think it goes deeper than the lines that are written for him."

 

Yes, it does go deeper.

 

"If you would have actually read my post you would know that I did address the fact that Jericho is over with the crowd, but that doesn't always dictate who would make a good champion from a business standpoint."

 

1) I did read your post, which is why I'm annoyed. 2) Jericho had/has more than heat. He had massive heat, a great look, great charisma, great talking ability, and could/can work great WWE-style matches - all of which are things which would make him a "good champion from a business standpoint."

 

"and if you can't at least accept a differing opinion as anything but pure stupidity"

 

I didn't say you were stupid - I said you were going after a "smark favorite" to make a name for yourself here. You're not the first to use the tactic on the internet.

 

"then you are exactly the kind of close minded fan WWE would be well served to not listen to."

 

Yes, I'm closed mined for not letting you get away with trashing a good wrestler who suffered from horrible booking.

 

"I love Chris Jericho, but part of being an objective wrestling fan is not just blindly supporting your favorite wrestler"

 

And I've said Jericho is my favorite...when? He wouldn't crack my top 30. Don't assume.

 

"Chris Jericho was ok as Undisputed Champion in my opinion, but he didn't have a style and presence that reached out and brought new fans in like The Rock, Steve Austin and even Kurt Angle had at the time."

 

Didn't have the "style and presence?" He was very over until THEY cut his legs off. And even then he was still over. And where are these "new fans" brought in by Kurt Angle?

 

"WWE was still hot, and in the market that WWE uses as a litmus test of sorts for it's future booking plans, HHH recieved one of the biggest ovations I have ever heard at the Royal Rumble in MSG and the company made the decision to put the title on him because he was so hot after being out. "

 

The plan - for months - had been to put the title on HHH. You can ask Meltzer, since you admit to trusting him. And putting the title on HHH wasn't the problem.

 

"That's not somebody "burying" Chris Jericho, it was Vince McMahon doing what he thought was best for business at the time."

 

It's "best for business" to book your World Champion as a COMPLETE AND TOTAL PUSSY? It's "best for business" to make Stephanie McMahon look more important than the World Champion? Jericho's World Title reign is among the worst pieces of booking in modern WWF history. Steve Austin - who happens to be one of my favorites, who I like far more than Jericho - refused to do clean jobs for Jericho.

 

"This comment isn't directed at anyone in particular, but I really think some of you take this stuff too seriously."

 

Well I don't have anything better to do.

 

"Second, there's more to wrestling than titles and pushes. How many titles did Roddy Piper win? And yet he was one of the most over heels in the business."

 

IIRC, Piper never or almost never did jobs in the WWF. Not being champ and being buried/misused are different things.

 

"Third, there's room in professional wrestling for more than just the guys at the top. Just because two or three guys are trying to become the champ doesn't mean everything else on the show is filler. There's plenty going on besides main event feuds. "

 

Agreed. Terrible booking still happened though.

 

 

"Anyway, we're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one I guess. "

 

Good, because I really don't feel like reading this topic or arguing about it any more.