Odd thought...

[BigDaddyCool]

If I was a booker, I would build champions the way countries/empires come about. The rise of every nation is roughly the same. They start small, and innocent, idealistic. After a certain point they really get going start being coming a world power and eventually become the jewel of the world at the time, and every other county wants to be them. But also about that point they start to rot from within for a variety of reasons. As they are rotting, another country has been building up and eventually takes it spot.

With that in mind...I would take a young guy, build him up as a face. He would chase after a heel champion for a bit, to legitimize him being in the mainevent. Then he would become champion. At first have him revisit fueds with guys he came up the ranks with. But at a certain point in his title regain start having him act more heelish, not turn him out right, instead make it take for ever so there is no one moment where he goes from face to heel. Let him continue to be champion as heel, smashing other faces until the next young guy has been built up to take his spot.

I don't know, I could be telling you something you already though of, but that is just how I would probably do it.

[PepperCarrotMan]

This idea would be great for Gene Snitsky.

Gene Snitsky : One man nation.

[BigDaddyCool]

This idea would be great for Gene Snitsky.

Gene Snitsky : One man nation.

Snitsky isn't face. See, I came up with the idea because I preffer heel champions with long riegns and faces chasing winning titles.

[Amaroqwolf]

Snitsky didn't do it, so why would he do this?

[Mr. Nerfect]

I don't think every Champion should do this, but it would be a nice development for some of them. Right now, I think Bobby Lashley and Batista are the two guys it would work best with.

If Bobby Lashley wins the WWE Championship, I'd have him start out as the bland face he is, but have him eventually give in to paranoia, and start playing a heel. Not necessarily a chickenshit one, but just one that attacks his opponents from behind, doing what he can to retain his title. His justification would be that it's either them or me.

Batista is the other one who comes to mind, because a heel turn is the logical direction for his character. I see him losing to Edge at Vengeance, and then supporting Ric Flair on his quest to coming a 17-time (or 22-time, depending on who you ask) World Champion. Batista makes it possible for Flair, by helping him pin Edge at The Great American Bash. Edge immediately requests a rematch against Flair, but Batista reminds Flair that Edge is no longer Champion, so he is eligible to challenge, again. We get a Triple Threat Match at Summerslam for the big gold belt, and Batista wins the World Heavyweight Title by pinning Flair. Ric wants his rematch afterwards, and Edge claims he has not been pinned in a World Heavyweight Title rematch. This keeps them both as challengers.

Where the paranoia comes in, is when Flair steps up to challenge Batista at Unforgiven. Batista plays the heel in the feud, going as far as attempting to injure Flair, and Batista claims that there is no way he is losing the World Heavyweight Title, again...ever. When Rey Mysterio and The Undertaker return, it gives Batista two more face challengers to defend against, with a history with Batista.

[Kane Knight]

I think any form of long term development is smart. But they don't. That's why Cena and Orton rose so fas, and why they're not really building stars now. It's also why the small guys will always be small.