|
Post by joebob27 on Jan 30, 2013 17:06:30 GMT -5
Well, it wasn't like Bradshaw, the beer drinking Texan, became champion. The character was totally reinvented.
In kayfabe, he realized his potential when he stopped drinking and smoking every 3 seconds.
|
|
|
Post by viking85 on Jan 30, 2013 17:08:16 GMT -5
no i don't think he did, and is run as wwe champion probably only happend because lesnar left.
|
|
The Ichi
Patti Mayonnaise
AGGRESSIVE Executive Janitor of the Third Floor Manager's Bathroom
Posts: 37,650
|
Post by The Ichi on Jan 30, 2013 17:11:24 GMT -5
In theory, no. It would be like suddenly giving one of the Usos the strap. That was where JBL was before becoming JBL.
However, he made it work and earned the right to be champion himself.
|
|
|
Post by Starshine on Jan 30, 2013 17:12:03 GMT -5
The reign felt like a golden watch for long term service.
I have no problem with that, and he did become a pretty good champion eventually.
|
|
|
Post by avenger on Jan 30, 2013 18:05:31 GMT -5
No, JBL didn't deserve to be champion.
That was the point.
Why do so many "smart" fans struggle to understand the undeserving heel role? "Chosen One" Drew McIntyre was another one.
|
|
|
Post by Ecks Ecks Ringout Ecks Ecks on Jan 30, 2013 19:00:12 GMT -5
He was a great old school heel champion, and it felt new and interesting at the time. I think he definitely deserved it.
|
|
|
Post by thelonewolf527 on Jan 30, 2013 19:20:04 GMT -5
No, JBL didn't deserve to be champion. That was the point. Why do so many "smart" fans struggle to understand the undeserving heel role? "Chosen One" Drew McIntyre was another one. Yeah but who wants to see an undeserving champion hold the title for NINE months?
|
|
Corporate H
Grimlock
He Buries Them Alive
Posts: 13,829
|
Post by Corporate H on Jan 30, 2013 20:47:11 GMT -5
When exactly did he become JBL? It seems like not long after the gimmick change he was given the title which felt sorta cheap and staged.
|
|
|
Post by Starshine on Jan 30, 2013 20:49:42 GMT -5
When exactly did he become JBL? It seems like not long after the gimmick change he was given the title which felt sorta cheap and staged. IIRC, he became JBL around April, and won the belt around June/July. It was really quick.
|
|
Sparkybob
King Koopa
I have a status?
Posts: 11,003
|
Post by Sparkybob on Jan 30, 2013 20:50:50 GMT -5
When exactly did he become JBL? It seems like not long after the gimmick change he was given the title which felt sorta cheap and staged. He became JBL, then attacked eddie to start his title feud on the same night.
|
|
|
Post by cool guy on Jan 30, 2013 20:57:35 GMT -5
No, JBL didn't deserve to be champion. That was the point. Why do so many "smart" fans struggle to understand the undeserving heel role? "Chosen One" Drew McIntyre was another one. Yeah but who wants to see an undeserving champion hold the title for NINE months? No one, that's the point? You're supposed to want him to lose and pay money with the hope of seeing it happen. And anyway, didn't he always look like he couldn't really go toe-to-toe with main eventers? It's not like he was suddenly this powerhouse, he was a midcard heel who kept the title anyway due to a combination of luck and dirty tricks.
|
|
|
Post by BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps on Jan 30, 2013 21:42:39 GMT -5
I wasn't too keen on it intially, mostly because I was a colossal Eddie mark and I wasn't ready to see his reign end, much less for him to drop down the card. By early 2005 I had evolved from hating JBL to loving hating him, and in retrospect I've become a huge fan. Him and Evolution HHH were pulling off some of the best heel work of the last ten years.
|
|
theryno665
Grimlock
wants a title underneath the stars
Kinda Homeless
Posts: 13,571
|
Post by theryno665 on Jan 30, 2013 22:09:15 GMT -5
At the time, I would've said no.
Now, I'd say yes.
|
|
Corporate H
Grimlock
He Buries Them Alive
Posts: 13,829
|
Post by Corporate H on Jan 30, 2013 22:20:39 GMT -5
Thinking back it made sense at the time for a lot of reasons already listed in this thread, but also because they were building up the World Heavyweight Championship so they needed somebody to carry the WWE title for a long period of time without taking too much attention away from Triple H and his belt..at least that seems to be the strategy in hindsight.
|
|
agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,871
Member is Online
|
Post by agent817 on Jan 30, 2013 22:26:52 GMT -5
Let me share a little story about what I thought:
I didn't follow wrestling during 2004 and I remember hearing about how Eddie Guerrero was champion. I was a little surprised about that because I mostly knew him as a mid-carder and was in the cruiserweight division in WCW. So I found that to be a bit surprising. Then came the night Eddie cut a promo and JBL came out in the limo and called Eddie out while standing in the limo through the sunroof. I remember JBL saying that the WWE title was his. At that moment, I was all "Are they making ANYBODY a main eventer?" Now I am not saying that Eddie didn't earn his spot in the main events, I only said that it was surprising. However, Bradshaw, on the other hand, was mostly known as a one half of the APA and had cowboy gimmicks before that (Whether it was the Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw, one half of "Blackjacks 1998" or even the singles cowboy gimmick that was after the Blackjacks or even when the APA split because Bradshaw was on Raw and Faarooq/Ron Simmons was on Smackdown). I didn't buy him as a main eventer for one second. However, after seeing his matches with Eddie, I have to say that Eddie did put him over. They were good friends in real life and I think that Eddie was trying to get him over as a legit main eventer.
In retrospect, it got him over and the long reign did make a good story for Smackdown during those days.
|
|
|
Post by therealsks on Jan 30, 2013 22:33:03 GMT -5
Like it was mentioned, that fact that he was "undeserving" was the point of his character. JBL the guy, deserved it, JBL the character, did not. He felt he was entitled to everything, including the WWE Championship. They wanted people to have a LEGITIMATE hate for him (I know I did). In terms of deserving it, it was a very quick transition and they just shoved him into the title picture, but he was a great champion IMO, great ring skills and an excellent heel on the mic. One of the best heels in recent memory, and we would have never seen it had he stayed in the tag team division.
|
|
|
Post by Kevin Hamilton on Jan 30, 2013 22:57:11 GMT -5
Hell yes
|
|