trish stratus: the role of a wwe diva

There are so many beautiful and talented women in WWE these days that it's almost too much of a good thing. Can these delightful divas share the spotlight, or will some more than worthy female athletes get buried in the endless quest for more eye candy? Our man Bob Smith investigates…

We all love to look at beautiful women. All of us. Even women like to gaze at other females, even if it's to check out their clothes or accessories. But WWE seems to have such a good thing that it doesn't seem to know what to do with what it has.

There are simply too many female wrestlers to go around. For example, the talented (and underrated) Ivory, as well as the veteran Jacqueline, both have nothing to do at all on RAW these days. And when Jazz recently returned from an injury, it seemed to make things too crowded on the Monday night programme. Likewise, on Smackdown!, Dawn Marie is reduced to making the occasional match announcement for 'GM' Paul Heyman and Sable doesn't seem to have defined role at all.

If there is one positive thing that's happened in WWE during the past few years, it's that women's matches aren't looked upon as 'special attractions' anymore. The female stars are fully integrated into the product mix. It wasn't always that way however as this veteran fan can remember the 70s and Fabulous Moolah versus Joyce Grable and other world championship matches that few people cared about.

Today, as in other sports, proper mentoring is leading to better athletes. Wrestling schools and in-ring leaders such as WWE's Dave 'Fit' Finlay are making women's wrestling the best its ever been. Finlay, who was an underrated grappler during his 90s WCW stint, has been the main agent for the WWE's women's division, and his hard work has paid off. Who wouldn't want to watch a Trish Stratus versus Victoria match these days? Times have certainly changed for the better!

Today's crop of wrestlers is the best trained, most athletic, and appealing group of women ever. Years ago, who would have ever thought 'girlie girls' like Trish Stratus could not only compete, but also do it on a scale up to now unseen or that a sexy baby like Torrie Wilson would actually want to wrestle so often? Who'd have thought that fans could overlook the beauty of Victoria to see her for the skilled competitor she really is, or that Ivory could escape her past GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) stint to becoming one of the better WWE competitors?

LITA TAKES THE LEAD

The reason Lita got over so well with the fans is that she let a bit of her personality shine through. Her enthusiasm combined with her athleticism (particularly her 'Litacanrana') equaled almost instant stardom. Her talent and charisma were undeniable; her fashion sense unmistakable, but something even more important happened in WWE: women's wrestling was becoming more commonplace.

So more women have gradually been added to the mix. Some, like Gail Kim, show signs of being great wrestlers. Others, such as Miss Jackie are still finding their niche. Nevertheless, all could play an important part in making lady wrestling a popular viewing habit with bother men and women. And there's the rub. The recent 'top-popping' adventures of Miss Jackie revealed that even though the women are athletic equals of the men in the WWE, they're generally depicted as teasers and eye candy. And that's a real shame, since Victoria seems on the verge of becoming a huge breakout star, and the quality of the women's RAW brand bouts remain high.

JERICHO BROKE MY HEART

But the emphasis where the gals are concerned sadly still continues to be placed on storyline romances like the Trish Stratus/Chris Jericho one, or of the breasts slipping out of skimpy tops. Sure, it might make Jerry Lawler scream like a fifth grader pushes into the girls' room, but it's also not necessary in this writer's opinion. It's also somewhat disappointing what's happened to Linda Miles, the Tough Enough II winner now known as Shaniqua, The Bashams'… well, manager, we guess. Her odd, poorly defines S&M character detracts from her unique look and obvious athletic gifts, and that's a real shame. She was already a 6ft stunner, and was brought on with trumpets and horns as a powerhouse. These days, she usually just waves around a whip while displaying what certainly appears to be a slightly altered upper torso. Now she has been send back to the Ohio Valley Wrestling WWE developmental territory to be repackaged.

THEY'RE NOT ALL BOOBS

Lita, Trish, Victoria, Jazz, Ivory, Molly Holly and many of the other are proving that the WWE's women don't have to take a backseat to anyone. But as long as they are depicted as sexy instead of serious in-ring competitors, they won't be as credible as they should be and to me, that's a real shame!