[hb2k]

Wasn't even arguing against it as such, Mr. CockSnogger, a lot of the points you make above are absolutely valid when it comes to the individual circumstances. But you can see, step by step, why he was able to play the system - there always was a better option around the corner, it just always found its way back until he reached the point of no return and no alternative with Batista.

If I was really lobbying against it, I'd say that comparing people against HHH point for point is an irrelevant argument - numbers were falling with HHH on top, and you can't look at a guy's stats on a piece of paper and say whether it'll work or not all the time. Case in point, one month before they started the Batista/HHH angle, Batista would have been the LEAST ready or capable candidate of the guys mentioned to be the guy to dethrone Hunter. Not a good worker, not a good talker at that point either, not over at a top level, and was just "the other guy" in Evolution for months prior. But they tried it, and it worked out.

Van Dam was far more ready. I'd argue that Kane and Booker were dead to rights by the time the matches rolled around due to the horrible creative. Steiner as a babyface wasn't the solution. The treatment of Orton was inexcusable, because he was genuinely on the cusp, and had they done the Batista angle with Orton I'd argue it would have worked even better.

The point where the Booker argument falls apart for me is that if you hold the title change off for Goldberg, then fucking go to Goldberg, don't wait until September. He didn't need building with a feud against Christian and Jericho in the middle while HHH and Nash stink it up for three months. If you were going to wait, give Booker the moment at Mania, see if that works since Hunter on top wasn't anyway, if not, no harm done, go back to Trips to get it to Goldy.