[quote name='rickshankshaw']No. The Champion should not always be the main story of a match. The champion CAN play second fiddle in a match as long as the story being told was worth it. In this case it was. Go look at the crowd reaction or even read the IWC boards. I can link you. Everyone shit bricks when HBK took out HHH at the start and it added to the unpredictability of the match. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.[/QUOTE]
See, we're arguing two different things here. You're talking about the story being told IN a match, and I'm talking about the story revolving AROUND the match. There was no reason for those guys to be in a match in the first place, let alone with Cena. They marginalized the title, which is NOT the story that needed to be told. Tell me what would have been different if HBK/HHH had been set up as a number one contender match and someone else faced Cena? Nothing, aside from someone else getting a rub who actually seems to CARE about the title. THAT'S my objection. I'm not shitting on the working of the match at all, just the reason FOR the match.
There was definitely a build leading up to the Survivor Series. Every week they built up the "will they or won't they be able to co-exist" with Cena saying that when it comes down to it, they would fight it out for the WWE Championship and that he hoped they remained friends so they could lean on each other's shoulders.
Hulu that promo if you can't remember it.
There's a big difference between lying to get your point across by selectively remembering stuff to make your argument stick and just not caring for the build they did. Say what you will though, there was definitely a build there.
And the best example of the build to the SCM on HHH was the fact that the guys Pedigreed the fan favorite Hornswoggle last Raw (I know the IWC hates him but he still gets MAJOR pops). It clearly showed that being cheered by the crowd didn't matter as long as DX got what they wanted.
Same thing at Survivor Series. It didn't matter whether they were friends, as long as they got what they wanted. HBK started this by cheap shotting HHH and Hunter responded by putting Michaels through a table.
Look, the bottom line is... I didn't care. I can re-live all the promos I want, but that doesn't change the basic fact that I didn't really care whether DX could survive. Wanna know why? I'm sick of DX. But, wait! I'm also not interested in seeing another HBK/HHH feud. So, either logical outcome of this match gave me something I don't really want to see. Maybe, just maybe, if they had taken the time to really talk about wanting the title, it could've been something. Since you brought the idea of the IWC, I also put this forth... I love HBK. Love him. But, as someone who reads about wrestling online, I know that he's not walking out of a title match with the belt. So, not only do I not care whether DX survives, but I also know that the only two guys potentially walking out with the title are the two guys I don't want anywhere near the title. Lose/lose.
You might think they built the match well. I don't.
Oh, and when your 'strongest' build point is that HHH pedigreed a midget that really had nothing to do with the match, that's a losing battle already. I mean, c'mon.
I'd rather have a 5 star match that didn't need to happen than a 2 star match that did.
If you'd prefer the 2 star match, there's something very wrong with you. It's a stupid sentiment dressed up in bitterness. In fact saying a 5 star match devalues a title is flat out ignorant. Get your head out of your ass.
Maybe I'd just rather have a 5-star match that needed to happen? Sometimes matches work and sometimes they don't... it's why a build is important. This was a great match, sure, but I never got any FEELING behind it. Then again, a well-built feud doesn't necessarily lead to a 5-star match, either. For an example of that, let's just look at when HHH and Orton completely shit the bed at WM25. That was a personal feud that was working and SHOULD'VE led to a great match. It didn't, and everything fell apart. Point is, if that match had been great, it would've been even better BECAUSE of the build.
I just got the thick impression that they didn't have anything for Cena and DX, so they did this. That's it. Plus, gee, you think it was a 5-star match? Here's an easy way to identify if a match will be close to 5 stars: is HBK in it?
Period? Really? REALLY? *facepalm*
Your panties are just in a knot. You might not give a shit but you're not God.
You're just bitter and biased because the fact is that no matter what match Cena/HBK/Hunter put on, you pretty much declared you would have shit on it regardless of how good it was. You're a smark of the worst
ing kind.
I get that you liked the match, but that's uncalled for. I never bagged on the match itself, did I? I said I didn't care that it was 5-star, but I never said it wasn't.
It was a good match, but one that I frankly felt had no business being on the card. Whether you like it or not, this match came out of nowhere. Honestly, on that Raw when they teased 'who will Cena face next?', did anyone assume it'd be DX? Maybe HHH, but DX? There was no point.
Let me be clear. I love HBK. I tolerate HHH and Cena. HHH can have a decent match if he wants to, but I'm tired of seeing him have to dominate. The only problems I have with Cena are the way he's booked. Cena himself seems like a great guy that deserves the success... I just hate the Superman aspect of his character. It's a tired complaint, but still valid... if you overcome the odds every month, you cease to 'overcome' anything. I want feuds with HHH and Cena where I think they might lose. The only time I even feel it's a possiblity is when they face each other. If anything, this just goes back to my dislike of the 'dominant faces' situation we have now. To say that I 'shit on a match' because it's HHH and Cena is just an outright falsehood. They can both wrestle, they just never seem compelled to do so.
To reiterate: I love 5 star matches. But, and I know I'll be crucified for this, it's not why I watch wrestling. I watch it for the drama, the feuds, the actual motivations behind what these people do. Sometimes I want title matches to be about the belts, but sometimes I just want two guys to want to beat the shit out of each other. I want a compelling reason to WATCH a 5 star match. Part of my big issue with WWE right now is this attempt to be like UFC... if I get one more guy that goes by a (first name)(last name) regular guy moniker, I'm gonna scream. 'Hey, I'm Drew McIntyre.' And? 'Vince McMahon thinks I'll be the next champion!' And? 'I can beat up a guy that is tough, but rarely challenges for anything!' And?
I'm not looking to go back to wacky characters, but let's look at two guys: John Morrison, MVP. Good examples of regular guys that were elevated by a gimmick. I don't need wacky shit, I just want something that sets them apart. You know when I started getting tired of Mick Foley? When he became 'Mick Foley'. Whether people admit it or not, Mick Foley was never going to be WWF Champion, but being Mankind made it seem feasible. I want larger than life characters, I want feuds that mean something, I want people that have some

ing charisma, I want undercard belts to be that stepping stone up again as opposed to the throwaway that they are now. If I get 5-star matches in the process, so be it.
Now, if you'd like to respond and be civil, I'm all for it. If you're going to keep insulting me, I'm done.