Can Christian and Edge live down their "Pretty Boy" image? There is little doubt that WWF fans will remember Christian and Edge for years to come. But it might be for all the wrong reasons.  Wrestling hasn't been kind to pretty boys.
      Whether historians are willing to admit it or not, the athletic achievements of superstars such as Gorgeous George, Ric Flair, and Buddy Rogers will always be stigmatized by their annoying self-absorption.
      Yet, every few years, professional wrestling produces at least one dolled up narcissist who thinks looking good is just as important as wrestling well. Well, this generation has produced two of them., and they're two-time WWF World tag team champions Christian and Edge.
      Why, wrestling experts ask, are these fine young wrestlers so committed to teeing off the fans? Why have they abandoned their intense approach for such a laid-back attitude? Why have two Canadians started talking like two Valley girls?
      "I think Edge and Christian reflect the state of today's game," commented Jim Ross, the WWF's senior vice president of talent relations, who was instrumental in signing the duo more than two years ago. "As we've all seen, it takes more than just pure talent to make it big in this business today. You gotta have style. You gotta be able to talk. And you gotta be able to reach the fans."
      In the crowded WWF tag team scene, reaching the fans can take some extra effort - especially when so many teams have already connected with them.
      Just glance at the roster and it will become apparent why Edge and Christian need to find their niche. Fans can't get enough of Too Cool's hip-hop antics or The Hardy Boyz daredevil exploits. They cheer the underhanded tactics of The Dudley Boyz and applaud The Acolytes for their overt brutality.
      But where do Edge and Christian fit in?
      "As teen idols," Edge said through a toothy grin. "As two dudes who exude supreme and total hiptitude."
      Those who see through the Southern California haze, however, know that Edge and Christian could just as easily leave their mark in the WWF as the most technically gifted tag team in the federation since The Hart Foundation.
      Edge's angular frame allows him to use a confounding combination of aerial and power-based maneuvers, while Christian's mat game gives the team an element of science. All they really lack is the right attitude, and if they ever find that, Edge and Christian could be tag team champs - or at least the WWF's most dominant team - for a long, long time.
      "We had the right attitude," said Edge, "and we wrestled on Heat for a year."
      "Yeah," agreed Christian. "We had fangs and drank blood and walked around with mean scowls on our faces. The right attitude reeked of total sucktitude."
      Actually, the only thing that reeks of sucktitude is the total lack of respect Edge and Christian have shown for the tag straps. They have routinely ducked the WWF's number-one contenders, often basing their reluctance to wrestle on phantom injuries or preposterous ailments.
      Faarooq, for one, has grown so tired of their act that he's no longer interested in winning the tag title with Bradshaw; he just wants a chance to knock some sense into their heads.
       "Winning the belts is cool because it means you're the champs, but I just want to mess up their pretty faces," said Faarooq. "They can't wrestle us because Christian has the sniffles? Come on, man! That's the weakest excuse I ever heard."
      Even The Hardy Boyz, who expressed respect for Christian and Edge during the height of their thrilling feud, have been put off by their bubble gum attitude.
      "What's all this nonsense about flash photography and teen idols?" asked Jeff Hardy. "What a load of crap."
      "I think they need to get back into the ring with us," Matt Hardy suggested. "We can remind them what wrestling is all about."
      Right here is where Ross says many WWF tag teams make their big mistake. They buy the pretty boy act and underestimate the talent and resolve of Christian and Edge. In fact, when Christian and Edge have agreed to defend their title, they've looked almost unbeatable in the ring.
      "Let's face it," Ross said. "The only thing that's changed about these two is their attitude. Sure, they annoy fans. They get under people's skin, too. But the fact is, they can still flat-out wrestle. They can still bring it. And I think when all is said and done, WWF fans will recognize Edge and Christian for their ability, not some hokey gimmick."
      Unfortunately, the longer the gimmick continues, the more likely these two great talents are to ruin that legacy, but that doesn't seem to phase them.
      "Like, what's the big deal," asked Christian. "Does it really matter how the fans remember us? I mean, when we step to the ring, it's like a sea of flashbulbs out there. It totally freaks me out. We are, like, so hot right now."
       "Besides," added Edge, "everybody already knows we're great wrestlers. So, duh!"
      Ross knows it. The WWF fans know it. More importantly, the WWF roster is finding it out the hard way. But if Edge and Christian don't ease up on the pretty boy routine, the point might become a moot one.