The Rock: Face Or Heel?
People's or Corporate Champ?
As part of a new series, we're taking legendary professional wrestlers - and those careers must be glittering, long and textured, to warrant the discussion - and determining whether they were better as a face, or as a heel.
The very nature of the topic excludes certain subjects.
Ricky Steamboat was a career babyface. Sting wasn't, but should have been, he was so exceptional at wrestling's most challenging role. Triple H can't work babyface because nobody takes him seriously in his darling denim jacket, and nor do they think he's a halfway decent person.
It takes a genius to play both sides of the spectrum to equal artistic success because people can sense if somebody is good, or is worthy of their support. It's why, despite his incredible in-ring output, Shawn Michaels never got over as a babyface in the mid '90s. He radiated obnoxious d*ckhead energy, and only rid himself of it years later after exorcising the d*ckhead within. In 2002, he appeared more dignified, mature and contrite - far easier to get behind.
He is a subject that could work for a future edition - he was a magnificent d*ckhead when he acknowledged it - but for now, The Rock...
10. Attire
Face:
The Rock had no right to look as cool as he did in 1999. If it were anybody else dressed like that, you'd be convinced they were trying to look like a d*ckhead on purpose. Rock pulled off the most garish sh*t imaginable because he was the Rock, and the Rock was the epitome of cool. To illustrate just how cool he was, he swaggered to the point of parody and raised an eyebrow centimetres from its vortex. Sideburns, unbuttoned stag do shirts, shades indoors, loafers: Rock's '70s porno schtick made you not want to trim your pubes.
That 2012 Boots 2 Asses shirt was bobbins, mind.
Heel:
That tracksuit phase was weird, but unavoidable, per the "rumour and innuendo". Rock however looked amazing...
ly awful in 2003, absolutely (and deliberately) nailing that quintessentially c*nty Hollywood behaviour of dressing like a prize prick the second an iota of success flecks the lips. The Rock wore matching leather, in the form of a waistcoat and baggy pants, and looked a right tw*t. But he was oblivious to it. Being aloof had become reflexive to him.
Winner: Face. If you were going to dress up as the Rock for Halloween, you're finding an iconically disgusting button down.