[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by The CyNick The babyface in the WWE vs WCW storyline was really Triple H. But that aside, what big Sting matches did a loss to HHH prevent?

Really? When? Like during the Attitude era? Because that's debatable. I mean, there wasn't an official storyline being worked between the two. I think you could make a claim that the biggest faces on each side were the "babyfaces" of the war. Triple H was very over for a long time, but at the demise of WCW he was a heel. Austin, The Rock and Mankind are the three babyfaces that spring to mind when I think about the Attitude era. The Undertaker also seems more like the "lifeblood" of the WWE.

If you mean the Invasion angle, then Triple H was on the shelf. The big babyface of WWE was...well, I guess either Vince McMahon or The Rock when he was there. I guess Kurt Angle was around there for a while too.

Maybe I'm not remembering correctly though, because it was a FUCKING DECADE AND A HALF AGO!!!!!

And that links me to my next point -- and with all the problems with the Invasion angle, I've never thought specifically of this link before:

It's all about the HEAT! The emotional investment people put in to wanting to see two guys fight and the outcome of said fight. During the Invasion, you didn't really have any hot babyfaces once you turned Austin. Angle got some steam around the late summer/fall, but he wasn't really built as a face. It would be like if Seth Rollins came out tomorrow night and started acting like a bad-ass that won't back down or pick his spots.

And you're right when you imply that Sting losing doesn't change the matches on the table. But you're damn wrong that it doesn't change the emotional investment people have in them. New fans? The John Cena ones? With their taste-buds, they might not know who Sting is. The older and more historically in-tune fans? They need to know that they can count on Sting. If they place the house on him, he's not going to put them on the streets. A hero needs to be a hero sometimes.

But you're right -- the WWE is doing their best to turn him into "just a guy." Watch the money roll in for that one.

And let me flip the question on you: What harm would have come out of Triple H, the guy that has acknowledged his full-time in-ring career is over and is now in a management role, putting over the legend and a man that they do want to put on some posters, t-shirts and DVD covers; and in some video games and high-profile matches? How will emotional investment be in the Triple H character if they actually think the big, bad evil is somewhat beatable?

Fuck.