May 21, 2001; the quad tear heard round the WWF took perhaps the premier heel in the business, Triple H, down for the count on this night. Now, nearly eight months later, the return of The Game is imminent and his re-emergence is poised to send shockwaves throughout the Federation.
Can Triple H be as dominant as he was at the time of his injury? This is a question that Federation superstars are pondering, and not many really want to find out. But who will be the former 4-time WWF Champion's first target? Surely Triple H will want to make a statement in his return, but does he feel confident enough in the state of his surgically repaired leg to jump headlong back into the fray with the same intensity that The Game has always brought to the table?
Let's start with the first question. As a Triple H fan, it's my belief that The Game would not return unless he could perform at the level that he was at before. This isn't because of the fact that he wants to live up to the fans' expectations, it's because he wants to live up to his own. Triple H has such a passion for sports-entertainment, he couldn't deal with running at a sub-par capacity. The Game is all about intimidation and dominance in the ring, and his dominance in the ring is a testament to his dedication outside of it, his rehabilitation and his will to be the best.
It is exactly that drive to be the best that will make Triple H feel it necessary to make the biggest impact that he can this Monday night. But where will The Game's loyalties lie upon his return and who will be the unfortunate recipient of the avalanche of nearly a year's worth of The Game's pent-up anger and frustration?
Let's start with the man Hunter would probably most like to get his hands on above anyone else; Chris Jericho. Triple H may feel that the best way to come back would be to start at the top. There is no love lost between Triple H and the Millennium Bug as Y2J has been poking fun at Mrs. Game basically since his arrival. The fact that Jericho was involved in the match where he was injured has to be gnawing at The Game, and with Jericho holding the undisputed title, Y2J must be near the top of Triple H's to-do list.
How about RVD? Triple H may want the undisputed title, but he may feel that a better way to re-establish himself would be against who just might be the most popular man in the Federation right now. The Whole F'N Show has been on a roll in recent months, and although he suffered a setback at the hands The Undertaker at Vengeance, RVD has been one of the main guys to beat in recent months. Hunter may feel that by taking Van Dam down upon his return, he would be sending notice to the Federation’s roster that he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Ric Flair and Vince McMahon may not be safe from the wrath of The Game, either. Stephanie laid out a warning to the co-owners of the Federation, first telling her father off before offering her help to the Nature Boy for the Royal Rumble. Triple H is no stranger to trading fists with his father-in-law as he and Vince went one-on-one in December of 1999, and while Natch and The Game have never gone at it, Flair declined the Billion Dollar Princess, prompting Steph to give Ric a chilling ultimatum as well. Would Triple H have the testicular fortitude, as Mick Foley would put it, to cross BOTH of the bosses? Hey, it could happen.
There are a couple of guys who may want to get at Triple H as badly as he wants to get to them, however. What about The Rock? Again, there is a lot of history between the two men as the Great One has also taken his shots at Triple H's fair wife. In addition, it was Triple H along with one Stone Cold Steve Austin that drove the Brahma Bull out of the Federation last spring on the day after WrestleMania. The People’s Champion may choose to exploit Triple H's ailment and use the opportunity to eliminate him once and for all.
However, viable as all of these scenarios may be, I feel that first and foremost on Triple H's itinerary has to be Stone Cold. Austin was just that after Triple H was injured, saying that his former Tag Team Championship partner got exactly what he deserved. The Game did not get to be that damn good by rolling over and accepting such a tongue-lashing, and Triple H may unleash eight months of fury on the Rattlesnake this Monday night.... what?
So what awaits the Federation this Monday night when the heavy opening chord by Motorhead blares through the arena? Triple H's return has all of the potential to be a thunderous sledgehammer blow that shakes the WWF to its very core.
The waiting is almost over.
It's time to play The Game.
Credit: Michael Hinkley and Smash Wrestling
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