Better Good Or Bad: The Rock

[RicoLen]

Alright, so by now I'm sure we're pretty used to the idea behind these threads.

Which version of Dwayne did you like best? Heel or Face?

I myself would say Heel Rock was the best. Hollywood Rock. Holy crap if his final heel run wasn't the best for The Rock simply because of his heel promos. Rock vs Austin WM19 was so damned fun to watch, with him putting on Austin's stone cold vest, and then taking it off and spitting on it. His feud with The Hurricane had me crying I was laughing so hard. The Rock Show in Sacramento was an instant classic. His promo in Toronto would really be the promo I would point to as exemplifying exactly why he was better as a heel than a face. Toronto LOVED The Rock, when he came out he was cheered like crazy, then he goes "Finally The Rock has come back to Toron... torun... to run his mouth all over your candy asses!" and slowly but surely over the course of that promo he became the most hated wrestler (if temporarily). They were chanting asshole loud and clear before his promo was done.

It's not easy to get a crowd that loves you to be moved to chanting asshole by the time you're done with them. Once you have the fans and they love you, turning heel is VERY tough, and The Rock did it effortlessly and hilariously. The may have been The People's Champ, hell still is, but Hollywood Rock was bloody brilliant.

 

[RJJ]

Alright, so by now I'm sure we're pretty used to the idea behind these threads.

Which version of Dwayne did you like best? Heel or Face?

I myself would say Heel Rock was the best. Hollywood Rock. Holy crap if his final heel run wasn't the best for The Rock simply because of his heel promos. Rock vs Austin WM19 was so damned fun to watch, with him putting on Austin's stone cold vest, and then taking it off and spitting on it. His feud with The Hurricane had me crying I was laughing so hard. The Rock Show in Sacramento was an instant classic. His promo in Toronto would really be the promo I would point to as exemplifying exactly why he was better as a heel than a face. Toronto LOVED The Rock, when he came out he was cheered like crazy, then he goes "Finally The Rock has come back to Toron... torun... to run his mouth all over your candy asses!" and slowly but surely over the course of that promo he became the most hated wrestler (if temporarily). They were chanting asshole loud and clear before his promo was done.

It's not easy to get a crowd that loves you to be moved to chanting asshole by the time you're done with them. Once you have the fans and they love you, turning heel is VERY tough, and The Rock did it effortlessly and hilariously. The may have been The People's Champ, hell still is, but Hollywood Rock was bloody brilliant.

Well, I don't think Canada LOVED The Rock at that time. They've been booing him ever since he made his return in 2001(After the 4 months suspension).


Personally, I like him as a heel. That's the nature of rock's character, arrogant, cocky, and have no respect for anyone, and that's what made him so fun to watch. After all, that was the reason why the fans liked him in the 1st place. Fave heel run, I'll say The corperate champion. His fueds with foley and austin were gold. He was getting a lot of heat, he was by far the number 1 heel in the company, and above all that he won the wwe championship 3 times during that run. The reason why I didn't choose hollywood rock is because he was the type of heel that people didn't take seriously. He insults every city he was in but they still cheered him. It finally got out of control the night after mania 19 in seattle, "Rock Appreciating Night".

 

[x24hrs2livex]

I like The Rock period. He was just so damn captivating. But I guess if I really had to choose it be heel Rock. I remember a promo he did when he was in The Corporation where he was trying to remember his catchphrase but kept using past greats lines instead. Pure gold.

 

[Jackal960]

I love the Rock as a heel as well. His character goes better with being a heel. I love his promos where he was supposed to get heat but get everyone watching on TV laughing. A face Rock also tends to get a bit stale at times. As a heel he has more variety with his promos, whether its mocking a wrestler, the crowd or even the announcers. When you are cocky you can simply go against everyone and be entertaining at the same time.

 

[Bender]

Johnson was so captivating, heel or face. He has so much attitude as both, he was so entertaining to watch, face or heel he was always in your face, made hilarious jokes and made it all worthwhile when his face was on the screen.

I'm going to go with face though, Johnson was one of the most iconic wrestlers about. For him to make cameos, everyone will be standing on their feet and in disbelief. Being face still means he has an "In your face" attitude, he can still be cocky and arrogant. But he will just kick the asses of the bad guys.

 

[havenstorm]

I prefer Face Rock. It's always been easier to get over as a heel than a face predominately. Most guys get better pops are feel more free to be themselves and have more range as heels but I think the true masters of the craft from a personality standpoint can do that exceptionally either way.

Most people remember the Rock's heel promos but to me his real genius is when he could take ANYONE's best heel attempts and turn it around on them. Rock/Austin is considered one of the greatest feuds because whether 1 was a face and the other a member of the Corporation, or the other as a face and the former as a member of the Two Man Power Trip under Vince. But the Rock could be just as great a face as a heel, didn't matter if he was talking in any capacity to Austin, McMahon, Booker T, Billy Gunn, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and HHH, Jericho, Kane, The Big Show, Michael Cole, Kevin Kelly, Johnathan Coachman, Mick Foley, the Undertaker, etc. Some were faces, some hells, and some flip-flopped but every time they went up against the Great One before they took a beating in the ring they took several on the mic. Sp, in light of everything, I think he was better as a face although both "Rocks" are spectacular.

 

[GameOver]

As a face he was definately in his element.
But i gotta agree with other posters he did it all, as a face he was over and was awesome with the quick 1 liners and constant insults and as a heel he was so damn cocky he was cool and his comedy with the likes of Hurricane were classics.

Either way The Rock is the most "entertaining" star overall, ever to come down the pike IMO.

Chose Face just for the Taking your little Title, Shining it up real nice, Turning that sun of a bitch sideways and sticking it straight up your candy ass.
and ofcourse the constant jokes at other people's expense

 

[ECWDanSelby]

I think being the cocky but funny heel is always much, much easier to pull off than as a face, therefore i'd go with heel.

There's something rebellious in us that likes these smart-arse/humorous heels. And these promos that make us s****** often get modified when they turn face, to try and spell out to the crowd that they're now a 'good guy', which is a shame in a way, but I do understand.

Selby

 

[I_got_bant_for_idiocy]

him as a heel during his last run around wrestlemania 19... he was just way to funny... his promo in toronto dissing the toronto crowds was priceless, his and austins promos befrore mania were classics and his promos with goldberg way to funny..... "you wanna go one on one with the rock, NA " and leaves the ring hahaha

 

[byrnside]

[YOUTUBE]5ZPOq90fZRI[/YOUTUBE]

My list of favorite wrestlers largely consists of awesome heels and The Rock is no exception to that list. Personally, his favorite work of mine as a heel was in 2003, when he returned from his stint in Hollywood. His Wrestler-Turned-Hollywood-Star gimmick was stellar. His feud with The Hurricane was hilarious [and IMO made The Hurricane], his rock concert was legendary, and his match with Austin at 'Mania XIX was the best of the three in my mind.

Hooorayyy!! He said Toronto! Need I say more?

 

[poppycock]

That is a difficult question for me to answer. Whilst never being one of my favourite wrestlers/superstars, I can never deny his pure entertainment value and ability to captivate an audience. He like Chris Jericho is brilliant in both roles and even when playing a heel is never squeeky clean and still has a lot of edge and attitude. I like heel Rock probably that much more and was a fan of his when the "Rocky Sucks" chants were going around during his early days in the WWF. He oozes charisma nomatter what role he is playing and I am glad he is back for however long that may be.