10 Worst Years To Be A WWE Fan
3. 2003
"What about SmackDown?" is about as good a counter to criticisms of 2002 as it is here.
The blue brand was relatively well booked in the first years of the original brand split, but consider the ramifications of the style with even the slightest bit of hindsight. 'Next Best Thing' Brock Lesnar was ground to dust thanks to the schedule and gone within two years of his debut. The brand was bereft enough in his absence to require f*cking Bradshaw to go on a long title reign as they searched for stewards. Two of the fabled "SmackDown Six" were dead before the end of the decade, with the other four wearing the physical scars of the wars. 2003 was a rough go of things.
Not least because Triple H was the dirt g*ddamn worst on the other side.
The Raw midcard was decimated at the start of 2003, so he worked on stubbing out every headline threat for the rest of the year. He put his thumb on Scott Steiner's run in January and February. He played the racist and went over the oppressed Booker T at WrestleMania. He stunk out three pay-per-views with best buddy and busted flush Kevin Nash. He pinned Goldberg before he put him over. He cut painfully dull promos talking about all of the above each...and...every...week...to...each...and...every...one...of...us.
His omnipresence didn't encourage the majority of long-tenured fans to pay to see him lose. It chased them into doing something else with their time.