|
I think Jericho in Vince's eyes is primarily a heel. I would say for the majority of his WWE run that's what he played. Jericho really isn't a mainstream babyface through and through. He naturally is inclined to play a whiny, cowardly or evil heel. His babyface moments are fleeting, and when compared to a typical WWE lead babyface like Cena, Batista or Roman, the type of crowd support heavily favors a guy like that as opposed to a guy who's primary talent is talking you into the seat.
Again I think Jericho as a performer is more along the lines of a high caliber worker like Flair, HBK, Hart, and Bryan. All of those guys have played lead babyface but not for very long periods of time, and in most cases were better used as heels. It's at least arguable for each of them.
It's really tough to compare Jericho to a guy like Roman and Cena, they are just built and wired and programed differently.
And going back and referencing whatever WWE was doing with Jericho and Benoit in 2000 doesn't really matter. It wasn't a main event program and wasn't intended to be. They were programed with the IC and Euro titles if I remember correctly. Far from the main event scene at that time.
And as you mentioned about Roman and Cena not having an easy run at believable baby faces, Cena absolutely was even when half the crowd was against him. To Vince he was the main babyface, and as we see now it doesn't matter what the audience thinks there is really only one person who's opinion matters, and Vince never saw Jericho as a company leading babyface.
|