I realize that by dedicating my first TSN.ca/wrestling column to defending Triple H, I may be cutting off my nose to spite my face, but it's a chance I'm willing to take.
For months, I've read articles and listened to talk shows where people have bashed The Game and his buddies for monopolizing the World Title. Now I agree that having Triple H steam roll the competition, without there ever being a doubt that he'll win, is bad for business. Though, on the flip side, it just might entice some aging, once-great athletes to finish their careers as members of The Kliq in order to get a free ride to some WWE Gold.
Sorry, I accidentally mixed in portions of a separate column regarding the perils of baseball. Back to the business at hand. I, unlike others, don't think Triple H is to blame for the dilemma.
When I first became aware of plans to split the WWE roster into two, I was skeptical. I feared the talent pool wasn't deep enough. With two neck injuries, a departure for Hollywood, and a botched free agent signing later, I'm more convinced than ever that the talent pool, especially at the top of the roster, is too shallow. It's not 'Detroit Tigers' shallow, but there are fundamental problems.
Who on the current RAW roster is better suited to hold the title than Triple H? The Game may not be the best in-ring performer in the business, but he can certainly hold his own. He's headlined some of the company's best cards, including his Hell in the Cell battle with Mick Foley, and his long, bloody feud with Austin. In both cases, Trip helped sell the event, not only in the ring, but on the microphone.
Which leads me to my next point. I realize that the recent returns of Hogan, Piper, Snuka, and of course, Classy Freddie, have people donning their throwback Houston Astro jerseys, flipping the channels in search for this week's Three's Company, and popping Kool and the Gang into their 8-Track. But once people realize that the jerseys are just a money grab, that the show they're watching is actually an E True Hollywood Story on Three's Company, and that they just broke the VCR by sticking an 8-Track cassette into it, we'll all be reminded that it's 2003.
In the WWE of 2003, you need to be able to work the mic, and Triple H can do that. Whether it's as lead member of DX, or as the company's main heel, Triple H gets a reaction. And at the moment his job is to go out to the ring and make people hate his guts: and he does it better than anyone in the business today.
It's undeniable that ratings have fallen of late. But perhaps it's not the champion's fault. Maybe it's the challengers that are failing to sell these fights. After all, history shows us that The Game has sold out his fair share of main events. Can the same really be said for Kane, RVD, Booker T, and Scott Steiner?
I suspect that the real reason for the Anti-Hunter sentiments has to do with his relationship with the McMahon family. But regardless of his romance with Stephanie, why shouldn't the McMahons reward Triple H with a desirable position in the company's hierarchy? After all, who has shown more loyalty to this company than him? During his time in the WWE, Triple H never fled for WCW, he hasn't tried to balance his wrestling career with his Hollywood aspirations, and he's never gone home when his boss asked him to do something he didn't like. The fact is Triple H is a major player in this company because he paid his dues, did his job, and showed a great deal of loyalty. From an employer's perspective, he deserves to be a major player.
I'm not sure how you go about fixing a problem in the talent pool. If stars like the Undertaker, The Rock, and Stone Cold were that easy to find, they wouldn't be so special. Perhaps the only answer is ride the wave and wait it out. As I write this, the Intercontinental Title is on the verge of being re-introduced: the same title that helped the likes of Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and The Rock become main event players. With any luck, it's prepared to launch a new crop of superstars to main event status. It couldn't happen at a better time. The WWE needs some more quality superstars to play the game.
For TSN.ca/wrestling, I'm The Corporate Columnist.