Chris Jericho interview

[Guest Super Pissed Smark]

I can't help but think that Jericho is maybe better off never to have gotten the push he deserved. You look at his body now and compare it with how puffed up it looked a few years ago and I'd imagine not caring any more about being in a top spot may have significantly improved his life expectancy. Maybe he will get the last laugh afterall.

[Guest Thrashist]

What strikes me is funny is how when the company was hot, McMahon was so overly confident with the company's success that he refused to capitalize on Jericho's heat. Yet if anyone were to enter the company today with even 1/10th the heat Jericho had when he first started, they would be pushed straight to the top.

 

The excuses were plenty: Jericho couldn't work the WWF in-ring style, he was a WCW talent, he needed to pay his dues, etc. All were meant to delay a push for a guy who had everything that was possibly required for an Attitude-era main eventer, except it would take time away from the runs of Austin, Rock, Taker, etc. That makes sense in a way, to save a talent for later, but WWF did such an atrocious job at protecting Jericho in the midcard. And even when he was given the title, he was booked like Dave Arquette.

 

I honestly believe even in 2005, Jericho should be the top star. Criticism has been made that Angle is too injured, Benoit lacks mic skills, JBL won't help business, Orton sucks, etc. But Jericho is probably the most well-rounded of them all. The only thing he doesn't have is credibility, and that's pure booking. If you look at the heat Triple H has today, that's based entirely on his reputation after all of these years following 43 "HHH is GOD" pushes. If you want a more accurate depiction of how over HHH would be without the ridiculous pro-HHH booking, look at how (not) hot his feuds were towards the end of 2002. (Not to say HHH shouldn't be a top guy, but rather not as THE top guy) And yet through it all, Jericho has remained over, even after countless jobs and turns.

 

I honestly think it would be beneficial for Jericho's career to not extend his contract and instead take a break. If he goes away cordial, his stock will definitely be higher in the eyes of WWE. But then again, while I hate to join the "Blame HHH" crowd, I think Jericho in particular is the guy that has been victimized the most by HHH.

[Guest Andrew J.]

Jericho's no threat to HHH's spot, no wrestler is. He's a Kliq member, married to Steph and in with Vince besides all that. Does anyone really believe that he had Jericho buried because he was afraid Jericho would get more over than him? It doesn't matter, HHH is in charge for the foreseeable future.

 

In a way, it's a good thing. Trips is more willing to job than other acitve wrestlers that have had a lot of political influence (Michaels, Hogan or Dusty, for example) since he knows he's in it for the long haul regardless.

 

Jericho had his problems, and they weren't all HHH's fault. I never knew his offense was so stiff before I read this thread, but if it's true it's a major problem. His offense is kind of weak-looking, you have to admit, although in the last couple of years he's added some better looking stuff, like the running enziguri. Anyway, Y2J's treatment isn't something that can't be explained by anti-WCW and anti-small man bias, typical WWE-style haphazard pro-veteran booking, and genuine flaws he had as a worker.

 

Smarks take this stuff so damn personally sometimes, getting depressed and angry over all these perceived tragedies and wrongs. At least their fanboyish cries make amusing reading.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Jericho's no threat to HHH's spot, no wrestler is.  He's a Kliq member, married to Steph and in with Vince besides all that.  Does anyone really believe that he had Jericho buried because he was afraid Jericho would get more over than him?  It doesn't matter, HHH is in charge for the foreseeable future.

 

In a way, it's a good thing.  Trips is more willing to job than other acitve wrestlers that have had a lot of political influence (Michaels, Hogan or Dusty, for example) since he knows he's in it for the long haul regardless.

 

Jericho had his problems, and they weren't all HHH's fault.  I never knew his offense was so stiff before I read this thread, but if it's true it's a major problem.  His offense is kind of weak-looking, you have to admit, although in the last couple of years he's added some better looking stuff, like the running enziguri.  Anyway, Y2J's treatment isn't something that can't be explained by anti-WCW and anti-small man bias, typical WWE-style haphazard pro-veteran booking, and genuine flaws he had as a worker.

 

Smarks take this stuff so damn personally sometimes, getting depressed and angry over all these perceived tragedies and wrongs.  At least their fanboyish cries make amusing reading.

Does anyone really believe that he had Jericho buried because he was afraid Jericho would get more over than him?

 

Hunter was open about it to people who were close friends of his at the time. He was determined that he was going to get the super push, and if that meant burying Jericho then that was what he'd do.

 

In a way, it's a good thing.  Trips is more willing to job than other acitve wrestlers that have had a lot of political influence (Michaels, Hogan or Dusty, for example) since he knows he's in it for the long haul regardless

 

You're confusing doing a job and putting someone over. Sure, Hunter has done a fair amount of jobs as and when he's had to, but who has he really put over and elevated ? Benoit ? Maybe a little, but other than that, who else ?

 

Anyway, Y2J's treatment isn't something that can't be explained by anti-WCW and anti-small man bias, typical WWE-style haphazard pro-veteran booking, and genuine flaws he had as a worker.

 

Except he was brought in specifically to be pushed hard. He was Jim Ross's number one project for 1999. You're not the Executive VP for Talent Relations number one project if they don't have big plans for you.

 

Smarks take this stuff so damn personally sometimes, getting depressed and angry over all these perceived tragedies and wrongs.

 

Damn the 'smarks' for caring enough about wrestling to speak their mind. God knows we can't have people who care being fans of wrestling.

 

At least their fanboyish cries make amusing reading.

 

So do one-dimensonal posts like yours.

[alfdogg 0]

Does anyone really believe that he had Jericho buried because he was afraid Jericho would get more over than him?

Yes, yes they do.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I believe HHH did an interview before Jericho signed with the WWE, saying pretty much what's been said on this thread.