Appreciating The Gift of Jericho

Chris Jericho doesn’t get enough credit for how good he is at re-inventing the wheel. When he returned prior to the Royal Rumble, he tried to play a fun-loving babyface, but came off like a grandpa trying to fit in at a high school party. The heel turn was predictable and the win over AJ Styles at Wrestlemania was upsetting, but Jericho ran with it. He became a real life delusional internet troll every Monday night. The 3^rd grade insults, the constant repeating of the same phrase, the dumbfounded looks. Jericho puts it all together and continues to be relevant and entertaining in 2016.

It shouldn’t come as a shock that Jericho has found his footing after a rough start. That’s been the story of his WWE career.

Remember how fast he fell after his 1999 debut before entering into a feud with Chyna and finally finding stability? The Save Us Era got off to a rough start before he turned heel, entered a feud with Shawn Michaels, and became a suit wearing truth teller. And the “I’m not talking” return was dead on arrival before he finally grabbed a mic and went word for word with CM Punk.

Fans want to cheer Jericho when he returns, but he’s always done is best work as heel. The fact that he continues to come up with new ways to annoy the fans and get them to boo him is a testament to his ability. Guys like Kane and The Big Show have been around just as long as Jericho, but fans have very little interest in seeing them on television and WWE hasn’t exactly featured them as prominently as they’ve featured Jericho during this New Era.

As good as Jericho is in front of the camera, he’s also one of the smartest guys in the business behind it. He doesn’t want WWE selling “Stupid Idiot” merchandise because it’s supposed to be an insult, not a comedy line. The fact that you can’t buy a shirt that says “Stupid Idiot” just makes you want to dislike the guy even more. Talk is Jericho is one of the better wrestling podcasts out there as Jericho interviews relevant guests and seems to genuinely enjoy the conversation.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jericho is thriving as a personality in 2016. Anyone who has read his books knows that he’s a smart guy. It’s easy to dismiss him given his comments about always stealing the show, the extra weight he’s put on (the life of a wrestling rockstar waits for no man), or his lost first step in the ring, but I’m not sure we truly drink in what Jericho is selling us when he’s on screen.

Jericho’s place in wrestling history will be debated. Those on his side will say that he’s a nine-time Intercontinental Champion, the most in WWE history. He’s the first ever WWE Undisputed Champion, defeating The Rock and Steve Austin on the same night. He’s had great matches with Chris Benoit, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Rey Mysterio. He’s had some of the most memorable feuds in WWE history. The against him will mention that he was never seen as a money drawing champion. That, while he did headline Wrestlemania, he was overshadowed by The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon. That he was a good guy, he was a bad guy, but he was never THE guy.

Jericho might not be a legend alongside Austin, Rock, Hogan, etc…, but that doesn’t diminish what he was able to do throughout his career. He was one of the most well-rounded performers of his generation. He’s never been afraid to try new things and mix it up. He held his own with legends and paved the way for the current generation. People like Chris Jericho don’t come around very often. We should appreciate the gift while he’s still around.

Follow me on twitter @jeremylambert88. I lived tweeted Batman vs. Superman the other night.