Many reasons.
Jericho is good. His timing and his varied style makes him one of the best there is. Honestly, if you do not believe me, look up some of his older stuff, like the Super J cup. I really believe that if he has lost some flash in recent years, it is due to WWE and not his physicality. He still has timing and the ability to put on a great match.
Second, he is great on the mic. Dont let his grumpy-guy character of recent years fool you. He has always been great at being funny and outrageous, when he needed to be.
His is a great example of the mid-sized wrestler type who were finally being showcased in the 90s and early 2000's, thanks to guys like HBK and Brett Hart.
He is a good game player. Many good or even great wrestlers have fallen into obscurity, because they did not have the good sense to kiss Vince's butt and do what they were told. Seriously though, Jericho showed McMahon that he had great respect for the business of wrestling, an ability to feel and understand what the fans wanted to see, and a willingness to put the match and the company's interests above his own ego.
Vince is a man who honors such virtues, and because he saw enough potential in Jericho's earning power, he granted him this honor.
There are doubtless more details to the actual making of the decision, but I am confident that whatever they were, they support my statements.
|