I'm immensely shocked that this has become the slam dunk in which everyone is claiming it to be. I think Greenlight is the most underrated poster on these forums, and even he fucking wants to put JBL in the Hall of Fame. Look, JBL was a good to great character for two years, and was good at being a dick... Pretty much because he was a dick. But there's overall just not enough body of work over his entire career to warrant an inclusion. The question revolves around which HOF, and if we're speaking the WWE Hall of Fame, I could understand it, but certainly not something like the Wrestling Observer HOF. Now, admittedly, most of you made arguments for the WWE HOF, and I took the ones I found to be best, and will debate them. However, keep this in mind while I'm making my debate; The Hall of Fame is strictly meant for the
absolute best in the business, bar none. If you're asking me to put JBL in the Hall of Fame, realize that in doing so, you're putting him with the likes of Harley Race, Ric Flair, and other names of similar recognition. And quite simply, I'm not ready to put JBL in that lofty standard.
There are plenty more Texas names that are going to earn the nod before JBL. Taker, Michaels, and such. You're going by the WWE HOF, so our battle is going to be one of semantics. What I want out of you is to say that you really believe that JBL was ever as good as the names we typically associate with the greatest
of all time.
Well, the guy put in twleve-thirteen years to the WWE. It's a good amount of years, but it's not any number that isn't exceedingly impressive. In addition to that, the guy was only relevant for one year of those thirteen years. When he wasn't teaming with his drinking buddy, who is far more of a HOF name than JBL, for the record, he was busy trying to regain the Hardcore Championship. The man was flat out uninteresting for about ten years of his career, and the only time he was relevant in the wrestling world was when he was World Champion. Otherwise, the guy was mid card fodder at best.
Did he really?
Come now, you don't mean to tell me his friendship with the Undertaker... The BSK, or "Brotherhood of Secret Knights", didn't play any role in JBL's sudden rise to the fame, do you? And you also don't mean to tell me that it didn't hurt that JBL was a bit of a mainstream figure, and that he was the
only recognizable heel on Smackdown that was worth a damn, do you? The problem with Smackdown was that they had no heels that were ready to wrestle, and garner heat with the audience, to be used as champion. I believe Paul Heyman said it best; "The only reason you were Champion for nine months was because Triple H didn't want to work Tuesdays." Considering that
he was the booker of the program, and had as much inside information as anyone else, I'm pretty inclined to take his word.
]
His commentary was good, but again, where is his relevance in the business as a commentator?
And furthermore, who did he really put over? Finlay? Chris Jericho? Did he put over Rey Mysterio? All of these names were over long before they wrestled JBL. All JBL accounted for was fodder when a face didn't have any stroryline plans.
Where was this again? Eddie was long over
way before JBL. Eddie had crafted a perfect, albeit stereotypical character. It wasn't as though he needed JBL's heat. Again, JBL was there, and the only true heel on the brand.
I'm sorry, but Cena's the only one I'm giving to you. Guerrero and Mysterio are the only ones he really put over, parse, and even then, they were over
far before JBL.
as for your dedication argument... If that's your real logic, than by all means, we should let Steve Lombardi in, too. He had a good twelve to fifteen year run, and didn't work anywhere else. He had some good programs, and worked with a great manager. Maybe we should let him in, too.
I'm sorry, you did not just fucking say that. While Edge and Christian were revolutonizing the business, and creating a Renaissance for tag teams, The Acolytes were mid card fodder at best. They only got a run with the belts for, what, two weeks? They were comedy, and usually, comedy doesn't make it into the Hall of Fame.
Now you're really just talking out your ass. Most pundits know the Cabinet to be the worst stable in wrestling history, because they didn't fucking do anything as a stable. They were just there, and that was it. Saying they were the best, besides Evolution, puts them in second in a two pony race.
Erm.... No. Again, comedic fodder, and nothing more. JBL had
one decent run. That isn't enough to launch his name onto the list of elites.
