If you look at some of the moves that Triple H has made since becoming an executive, I think his ultimate vision for WWE is something more along the lines of a throwback that's still completely modern.
Now
that's summing it up in one sentence.
Already, we've seen evidence of it. WWE realizes that in honoring it's rich past, it reaches a new/old segment of audience: that is, older fans who have abandoned the WWE of the present, yet are happy to tune in to see their old favorites. Obviously, the whole 2-year program with the Rock is designed to take advantage of this, and last year's Wrestlemania buy-rate confirms the wisdom of the move. In addition, the schtick Heath Slater ran last year, getting beat up by legends like Vader and Psycho Sid gave us a brief glimpse of the past in a manner we surely never expected to see. Plainly, the company wanted to put legends in action, rather than just taking a bow from the audience, so they developed a way of providing them with non-taxing matches. Still, WWE didn't want a bunch of 50-year-olds coming in and destroying their young talent, so they put a smartass, mid-card heel in there (Slater) and lit the fireworks. It was brilliant, it was fun.
This is exactly the way to combine the old and the new, appealing to wider audiences and (hopefully) bringing former fans back into the fold. If they don't come back permanently, at least WWE gets some terrific PPV buy-rates for their trouble.
Still, an even more skillful way of improving the present by honoring the past is bringing back old guys and convincing us they're
still part of the present. There's no greater example than the Rock: look at the number of people on this forum that have all sorts of grand plans for things Rock can do now that he's "back." They think he's truly returned to WWE for good. Of course, he hasn't and if you take a year as 365 individual days and look at the very few days he actually shows up, you'll realize it's all being done with mirrors; skillfully, but sparingly.
Three years ago, TNA decided to grab some old-timers and make them the stars of the show, and we saw what resulted. For all the criticism WWE takes on this forum for their planning and direction, they plainly know how to take elements from the past and incorporate them into the present. It's a sound strategy.
I think it's safe to say that Triple H won't run WWE in the same way as Vince.
Safe to say, yes. I'd still love to know how much actual power and authority Triple H has today. Is he simply following Vince McMahon's orders or can he initiate stuff on his own? Yes, he has tons of things to do, but how much of it is his call?
A good example of this might be what was discussed above; the combining past and present. Although having the old-timers come in for guest spots might figure to be a concept developed by the older generation leader (McMahon), I wonder if Triple H isn't the energy behind the movement. Younger leaders, fresher ideas.
Use the past, don't look to re-create it.
Another measure of the "new" concept might concern the divas. As it is, the gals are leaving and not being replaced. I wonder if this isn't a long-term design by Triple H. He didn't want to fire gals like Gail Kim, Beth Phoenix, Kelly Kelly and Eve. Just let 'em get disgusted and leave through attrition, cleaning out the division and leaving it open for a rebuild according to Paul Levesque .....or let the division die. It remains to be seen what direction will be taken, but I think it's by design, not happenstance.
Of course, I don't know the minds of Levesque or McMahon, but if this concept is valid, it sounds more like the innovation of a younger mind: Triple H.
Of course,
real change will be effected only when Mr. and Mrs. Levesque are truly in charge.
Wonder when that will be? When hell freezes over?
