Could Face Bossman Have Worked In The Attitude Era?

[karl100589]

Pretty self-explanatory question, but I'll elaborate. In recent years the Big Boss man has been rejoiced as one of the Attitude Era's most despicable heels, but a lot of people forget Ray Traylor's original run with the character included an effective run as a babyface. An upper midcarder with tonnes of fire and Traylor IMO being a good face promo.

Given how edgy and anti-establishment the Attitude Era was, could a fiery babyface police officer still work, or was it too much of a product of it's time.

PS. I'm not including his one-day face run post KOTR 99

[Deleted]

Maybe as some sort of vigilante.

[Mozenrath]

When he was fired, "someone" raised the briefcase in a match no Corporation members could interfere in, and he returned, only to be rehired into the group, they could have just Not Done That, given they could have had someone else do it, because the audience actually popped for him coming out to the "If you ever go down to Cobb County, Georgia, you better read the signs, respect the law and order!" theme.

He had the work capability to play a face, so giving him beef with the Corporation for a bit would have been doable.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

I don't see it working. Promo and character wise it wouldn't be a problem. He could still cut a fiery face promo and making him more of a vigilante type to fit in better with the edgier Attitude Era would've been an easy fix.

I think the problem would've been more in ring. By 1999 he was a good bit older and slower then he was during his previous face run in the company. In 1990-91 he could cut kick ass fiery promos but it would also carry over to his matches as he moved with tremendous speed and his offense was pretty hard hitting and impactful for that era. However by his Attitude Era run he was slower and his offense that was considered advanced and cool in the early 90's was now just outdated and basic compared what other guys were doing. Also he just came off like a relic and wasn't someone people considered cool in the edgy late 90's-early 2000's. Which wasn't an issue due to him being a deplorable heel during that run. You weren't supposed to like him. However as a face I do think it would an issue. Do you see fans from that era wanting to cheer Boss Man when they instead could cheer say the likes of Austin, Rock, Jericho, and the Hardyz? I don't.

[pinja]

They could have done some fun things like him arresting Vince with a lawyer in the background explaining why it's in his legal rights to do so. If the corporation was corruption, the law (Bossman) could have worked a great oddball team with the outlaw (Austin).
However, I don't think face Bossman would have been sustainable long term.

[EvenBaldobombHasAJob]

Possibly, with the right booking. Dude was a pretty beloved figure of the cartoon era to the point where people were willing to look past his degraded ring skills. But then we might not get "Complete Monster" Bossman and that's a world I don't want to live in.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Only after getting sick of Vince’s crap because the poem he cut on Big Show’s father has me tearing up every time laughing.

[tafkaga]

Depends. If it was Big Bossman of the early 90's with the handcuffs and billy club, I don't see it. I saw some potential in Ray to recapture that Bossman fire when he made his WCW comeback under his real name, but they killed it by jobbing him out continuously to the nWo or just making him look like a dope in six man tags with the Steiners. I think Ray still had it but he needed bookers that believed in him as a performer.

[sportatorium]

Absolutely yes.

[XIII]

Vince McMahon you’re a nasty bastard and your mama told me so! New boom period….during a boom period.

[EvenBaldobombHasAJob]

Mar 8, 2023 15:40:48 GMT -5 XIII said:

Vince McMahon you’re a nasty bastard and your mama told me so! New boom period….during a boom period.

Man, imagine Bossman doing all the same things but instead he did it all to Vince. He'd be as over as Steve Austin.

[Dave the Dave]

Mar 8, 2023 2:17:01 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

When he was fired, "someone" raised the briefcase in a match no Corporation members could interfere in, and he returned, only to be rehired into the group, they could have just Not Done That, given they could have had someone else do it, because the audience actually popped for him coming out to the "If you ever go down to Cobb County, Georgia, you better read the signs, respect the law and order!" theme.

He had the work capability to play a face, so giving him beef with the Corporation for a bit would have been doable.

That was KIND OF his NWO arc? I know not exactly, but basically they screwed him and he set out for revenge. I know he aligned with the Steiners but then Scott turned…

Long winded way to say I feel like the crowd got behind him a bit there, so as a slight ally to the faces in WWE, I think it could’ve worked

[fg]

If Big Boss Man was the type of cop you would see on NYPD Blue, sure.

[The Rick Jericho]

The only way he would turn face is if he got Al Snow a new dog and Big Show a new dad.

[DoubleDare]

In the summer of 2000 they had him bullying Crash Holly on heat, I think they could've turned it where one week he sees someone else picking on Crash and he sticks up for Crash and then they become a team.

[Mozenrath]

Mar 9, 2023 20:02:28 GMT -5 DoubleDare said:

In the summer of 2000 they had him bullying Crash Holly on heat, I think they could've turned it where one week he sees someone else picking on Crash and he sticks up for Crash and then they become a team.

Him feuding with Hardcore Holly for Crash's loyalty would have been an odd, but fun, feud. Picturing Crash eventually wearing a goofy cop uniform. Probably a meter maid outfit if they wanted to go that route, or having an old-timey sheriff badge.

[Milkman Norm]

Mar 8, 2023 2:42:45 GMT -5 ThankGodForSidJustice said:

I don't see it working. Promo and character wise it wouldn't be a problem. He could still cut a fiery face promo and making him more of a vigilante type to fit in better with the edgier Attitude Era would've been an easy fix.

I think the problem would've been more in ring. By 1999 he was a good bit older and slower then he was during his previous face run in the company. In 1990-91 he could cut kick ass fiery promos but it would also carry over to his matches as he moved with tremendous speed and his offense was pretty hard hitting and impactful for that era. However by his Attitude Era run he was slower and his offense that was considered advanced and cool in the early 90's was now just outdated and basic compared what other guys were doing. Also he just came off like a relic and wasn't someone people considered cool in the edgy late 90's-early 2000's. Which wasn't an issue due to him being a deplorable heel during that run. You weren't supposed to like him. However as a face I do think it would an issue. Do you see fans from that era wanting to cheer Boss Man when they instead could cheer say the likes of Austin, Rock, Jericho, and the Hardyz? I don't.

Thank you for this, because it's a topic I've tired and failed to draft threads about. The issue wasn't that Bossman was old. I mean he was older obviously, that's how time works, but he wasn't old. He was 37 in 1999. That's the same age Roman Reigns is today. No, to me the issue was that between his run as Big Bubba Rogers with Cormette & The Midnight Express to his return to WWE in late 98 he'd been in either major promotion for over a decade. Because of that it was difficult to reintroduce him. He was a hell of a worker and I think he would have tired very hard to pulled it off but I don't think it would have been successful.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Mar 10, 2023 17:12:02 GMT -5 Milkman Norm said:

Mar 8, 2023 2:42:45 GMT -5 ThankGodForSidJustice said:

I don't see it working. Promo and character wise it wouldn't be a problem. He could still cut a fiery face promo and making him more of a vigilante type to fit in better with the edgier Attitude Era would've been an easy fix.

I think the problem would've been more in ring. By 1999 he was a good bit older and slower then he was during his previous face run in the company. In 1990-91 he could cut kick ass fiery promos but it would also carry over to his matches as he moved with tremendous speed and his offense was pretty hard hitting and impactful for that era. However by his Attitude Era run he was slower and his offense that was considered advanced and cool in the early 90's was now just outdated and basic compared what other guys were doing. Also he just came off like a relic and wasn't someone people considered cool in the edgy late 90's-early 2000's. Which wasn't an issue due to him being a deplorable heel during that run. You weren't supposed to like him. However as a face I do think it would an issue. Do you see fans from that era wanting to cheer Boss Man when they instead could cheer say the likes of Austin, Rock, Jericho, and the Hardyz? I don't.

Thank you for this, because it's a topic I've tired and failed to draft threads about. The issue wasn't that Bossman was old. I mean he was older obviously, that's how time works, but he wasn't old. He was 37 in 1999. That's the same age Roman Reigns is today. No, to me the issue was that between his run as Big Bubba Rogers with Cormette & The Midnight Express to his return to WWE in late 98 he'd been in either major promotion for over a decade. Because of that it was difficult to reintroduce him. He was a hell of a worker and I think he would have tired very hard to pulled it off but I don't think it would have been successful.

I think a lot of it too was he just came off as older then he actually was. Part of it was the fact that by 1999 he had been around for quite a while and also he just looked old. I think most fans who didn't know he started young I'm guessing would've took him as being probably more in his early 40's and about five to seven years older then he actually was.

There's also some of other factors too. Back then the roster was a lot younger then it is now. In 1999 Boss Man even though he was only in his mid 30's was still one of the oldest guys on the roster. If he was around now he would be the same age or younger then all of the top guys. Also during that run they portrayed him as being a crafty veteran type who relied more on cunning then just brute force like he had in the past although he was also still presented as a big tough guy with him being one of the poster boys of the early hardcore division along with Snow, Holly, and Road Dogg.

[msc]

Mar 9, 2023 19:49:16 GMT -5 The Rick Jericho said:

The only way he would turn face is if he got Al Snow a new dog and Big Show a new dad.

Bossman- Hey Big Show, ya nasty bastard, to make it up to you, I'll be your New Dad!
Big Show - Aww, thanks, pops!
(They hug)

Admit it, you wanted to see that now.

The merest hints of him going good in 1999 before he became Mr Evil showed the fans were up for it. I don't think his body was up to being the big active babyface, but he could have been a good guy authority figure if he hadn't died.