COLUMN: When It Comes to the Fans, Triple H Will Never Win (via @GioPontiFan)

This is the second column for Terri Bey on WrestleChat.net.  She will be doing a few guest columns over the coming month.  Feel free to follow Terri (the biggest Edge fan in the world) on Twitter, @GioPontiFan.

As most wrestling fans know by now, at Summerslam 2012, Brock Lesnar with his manager Paul Heyman at ringside defeated Triple H with his Kimura lock. In doing so, Lesnar once again “broke” Triple H’s previously “broken” arm, and there is a question as to whether Triple H will step in the ring again. On Monday Night Raw, before mysteriously “quitting” via Tout, Lesnar was deemed “The King of Kings” by Paul Heyman, and Triple H’s storyline, and real life best friend Shawn Michaels (who was supposed to be in Hunter’s corner at the PPV, but had his arm “broken” at the go home Raw) appeared on screen with his arm in a sling, and cut an awesome promo implying that this may be the end for the Game. Of course, there are rumors that Brock and HHH will lock up again in the future, maybe as soon as Survivor Series.

At the end of the Summerslam match, as Triple H said he was sorry, and did that slow walk up the ramp, fans in attendance chanted “You tapped out.” I am sure Hunter, who was playing the baby face role, was not expecting it. I certainly did not expect it either. I know there are a lot of fans who think it is the “in thing” to cheer for the heel, but I just found it odd. I also saw quite a bit of snarky remarks on my twitter time line. People were saying, “It’s about time Triple H put over someone.” “Triple H should retire for good.” “Triple H finally did the right thing.” I saw quite a bit of this smart*** stuff.

Well, my premise of this week’s guest blog for Wrestlechat is that it appears to me that Hunter Hearst Helmsley, The Cerebral Assassin, The Game, HHH, Triple H, whatever you want to call him can not win for losing with fans, be them casual fans who may hear stuff, or the IWC, especially the IWC. From the Madison Square Garden incident, to “burying” people, to his relationship with Stephanie, to his backstage politics, and to his work in the ring. I will say that the man is NOT, I repeat, NOT perfect by any means. However, I never understood why people can’t give him credit for the talent he is without the snarky remarks.

Fans like to say on message boards, Facebook, etc, that the only reason he got 13 World/WWE Titles is because of his relationship (includes dating, and marriage) to Stephanie McMahon, daughter of WWE Chairman Vincent Kennedy McMahon. There are also some who have implied that he doesn’t really love her, and just married her for power. Well, I can not comment on their marriage, because it is not polite, and others should be either. I will say though that Triple H for all the years he has been involved with Stephanie, he has put on excellent matches for the most part. The man is a member of the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame which is run by David Meltzer’s F4Wonline.com. People who vote on that HOF are wrestlers, writers, and promoters, and such. Yes, people in the business think the man is worthy. I mean, I hardly think the man’s talent, and desire disappeared when he married Stephanie. Has he slowed down due to age and injuries? Yes, of course he has, but he still is an amazing performer in the ring. He has a great mind for the business, and I think he is going to do well as an executive.

Now, I am going to discuss Triple H, the politician. Is he a politician? YES. I do not doubt it. Here is a little secret though: Just about ALL of the top guys in the business, or guys who have been top guys are politicians to one degree or another. Fans act like Triple H invented “playing politics,” or something. Has he refused jobs, and such. Sure he has. However, I don’t remember him walking out of the company like the “Texas Rattlesnake” did when said Rattlesnake didn’t want to job to Lesnar in 2002. Fans to this day, still love the Hulkster, who is, in my opinion trashing his legacy in TNA. Well, if people want to talk about wrestling politician, Mr. “Take your vitamins, and say your prayers” is the definition of wrestling politicians. I could go on and on. Besides, ultimately Vince McMahon calls the shots. What is very annoying is that fans blame Triple H for just about EVERYTHING in WWE. If their favorite is not getting pushed, it has to be Triple H’s doing. If someone they like jobs a lot, it has to be because of Triple H. If someone gets a push, it has to be because they are “Triple H’s” friend.

Now, I do not doubt that Triple H had power when he was a wrestler, and as a top guy. I do not doubt he has power now as an executive. However, what I am not buying is that he has all the power that fans think he has. Again, Vince is the Chairman of WWE. Nothing appears in that ring, or in a backstage skit without the approval of Vince. Even NFL executives don’t have the power that the OWNER has. Has Triple H helped his friends? Sure. Hulk Hogan would not put over Bret Hart on the way out in 1993, but he put over his FRIEND Yokozuma. Hogan would always work with his friends. However, in the eyes of fans, it is OK because it is Hogan. I am also pretty sure that Undertaker has refused to do jobs, and played a little politics John Cena I am sure has refused to job also. However, it is OK, because they are not Triple H. I mean, how did Kofi Kingston lose his push, and has become now another promising talent is in tag team limbo? Oh , I forgot. Triple H didn’t do this. It was Randy Orton, another “saint,” in the eyes of fans. Professional wrestling has existed since the late 1880′s. I am sure there were politics played back then, and throughout history. HHH was not the first to play politics, and won’t be the last.

The last item I will discuss is the idea that HHH does not put over anyone. Well, this is another subject that annoys me. Didn’t Hunter just put over Brock Lesnar at Summerslam this year? It appeared to me that he did. Lesnar was seen as an unstoppable monster in this match, especially when he counted HHH’s Pedigree, and got Hunter’s arm in the Kimura, and Hunter tapped out quickly. I mean, HHH didn’t show up on Raw the next night, and let Lesnar have his day in the sun, so to speak. At Wrestlemania 20, he put over Chris Benoitt when he tapped out to that person’s finish, and at Wrestlemania 21, he put over Batista. Actually, he put over Batista twice. He put him over at Mania, and also at Vengeance 2005. Yeah, Batista is friends with Hunter. This isn’t new in wrestling. Triple H also stayed out of the title picture for awhile as John Cena was developing into a top guy, with his runs with the title. HHH, with his friend Shawn Michaels were in the spotlight as DX, but they had a good feud with Rated RKO (Orton and Edge).

In conclusion, it just seems to me that no matter what Triple H does, fans will just complain. I don’t think fans (myself guilty as well) are ever completely happy with the product, so they complain about this, and that. However, it seems to me that if Hunter Hearst Helmsley is the whipping boy for everything that is wrong in WWE, even if he does something good. I remember people complaining about the rematch with Taker at WM28. The match was going to be fantastic, which, in my opinion it was. I was there live, and it was just awesome. I could not understand why people would not want to see the rematch. The original match was also excellent, but the rematch was even better. I guess people were thinking Triple H was on an ego trip, and wanted to end Taker’s streak. Well, anyone with a brain knows that the streak was not going to be ended, and likely never will. I am just tired of the whining and complaining about Hunter’s power, and such. He just can’t win for losing. It is darned if he does, and darned if he doesn’t.

 

Terri Bey
Wrestlechat.net Guest Blogger
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Twitter: @GioPontifan
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