What's With Batista?

**Theo Dious** · 04-11-2007, 10:15 AM

I've been thinking lately about Batista in general, and his level of overness with the fans, both marks and IWC. It can't be denied that, at some point, support for him started to drop off rather a lot. Now among the marks, the decline has been a bit less, and I'm not really sure how strong the IWC ever was behind him. In general though, I think he was pretty well liked all around, and seemed like a decent enough worker.
Some people were afraid that his star would fall after he left his program with HHH. He went to Smackdown and worked with JBL, and that didn't seem to be the case, and then with Eddie, until he died.
This brings up something to me. Is it possible that Eddie's death may have affected Batista in some way? Some way that might have damaged his performance and his attitude? He was really emotional after Eddie died, almost on the level of guys like JBL and Benoit, who had known him far longer.
I didn't notice him getting into fights with Booker T before that.
Of course, stardom gets into some guys' heads, and Batista was given a lot. Placed in a stable with Flair, who could give a rub to a can of Spam, and HHH, who could give a rub to an empty can of Spam, as a monster enforcer, he got a lot pretty quick, learned from the best, and by many accounts was a very attentive student to both of those guys, as well as very meticulous about watching others' matches and taking notes. Maybe he just decided, once he won the World Title on the Wrestlemania stage, that he had learned all he needed, that he was the big boy now and all of that was behind him.
But then, when he had to give up the belt, I thought I was witnessing a moment that would really mark the point of his true rise to stardom. In a business where titles are treated like accessories rather than true prizes, he acted as though he was giving up his first-born child. He was almost as emotional as HHH when he was crying on Bischoff's shoulder. I was astounded that when he came back, the light of criticism fell so harshly and immediately upon him. Not that he doesn't deserve it. His work isn't as good as it was and if half of the rumors about his backstage mega-heat are true, then his attitude has gone 180. Heat can certainly cool while a guy is on the shelf (just ask Edge,) but it was pretty severe with Batista. People were happy to see him lose the title to the Undertaker, which makes sense in the world of the non-smark, but for the IWC to welcome it as much as they did says a lot for how they feel about Batista.
So then, what do you think is responsible for the shift in his work and his popularity? Was it nothing more than people cooling on him during his absence? Did Eddie's death affect him more deeply than we know, than he knows? Did his head just inflate (in an ego sort of way, not a Barry Bonds sort of way?) Something I might have missed? Give me opinions, ya hookers.

04-11-2007, 10:15 AM	#1
Theo Dious EATER OF HOT POCKETS Posts: 14,340	What's With Batista? I've been thinking lately about Batista in general, and his level of overness with the fans, both marks and IWC. It can't be denied that, at some point, support for him started to drop off rather a lot. Now among the marks, the decline has been a bit less, and I'm not really sure how strong the IWC ever was behind him. In general though, I think he was pretty well liked all around, and seemed like a decent enough worker. Some people were afraid that his star would fall after he left his program with HHH. He went to Smackdown and worked with JBL, and that didn't seem to be the case, and then with Eddie, until he died. This brings up something to me. Is it possible that Eddie's death may have affected Batista in some way? Some way that might have damaged his performance and his attitude? He was really emotional after Eddie died, almost on the level of guys like JBL and Benoit, who had known him far longer. I didn't notice him getting into fights with Booker T before that. Of course, stardom gets into some guys' heads, and Batista was given a lot. Placed in a stable with Flair, who could give a rub to a can of Spam, and HHH, who could give a rub to an empty can of Spam, as a monster enforcer, he got a lot pretty quick, learned from the best, and by many accounts was a very attentive student to both of those guys, as well as very meticulous about watching others' matches and taking notes. Maybe he just decided, once he won the World Title on the Wrestlemania stage, that he had learned all he needed, that he was the big boy now and all of that was behind him. But then, when he had to give up the belt, I thought I was witnessing a moment that would really mark the point of his true rise to stardom. In a business where titles are treated like accessories rather than true prizes, he acted as though he was giving up his first-born child. He was almost as emotional as HHH when he was crying on Bischoff's shoulder. I was astounded that when he came back, the light of criticism fell so harshly and immediately upon him. Not that he doesn't deserve it. His work isn't as good as it was and if half of the rumors about his backstage mega-heat are true, then his attitude has gone 180. Heat can certainly cool while a guy is on the shelf (just ask Edge,) but it was pretty severe with Batista. People were happy to see him lose the title to the Undertaker, which makes sense in the world of the non-smark, but for the IWC to welcome it as much as they did says a lot for how they feel about Batista. So then, what do you think is responsible for the shift in his work and his popularity? Was it nothing more than people cooling on him during his absence? Did Eddie's death affect him more deeply than we know, than he knows? Did his head just inflate (in an ego sort of way, not a Barry Bonds sort of way?) Something I might have missed? Give me opinions, ya hookers.