Scott,
There has been plenty of commentary on Survivor Series 1999, where Big Show subbed for the injured Steve Austin, and many thought Test would be the surprise replacement. Do you think it would have been worth a Test WWF Title win in that scenario? Even if it was to just set up the rematch and Stephanie turn the next month at Armageddon?
Given that they obviously wanted to continue pushing him in 2001, I’d say yeah, it was worth hotshotting the belt onto him instead of Big Show there. That way you pay off his wedding betrayal, and it makes HHH & Steph look all the worse when he gets screwed over and loses the title back. Plus hey, you never know if you’re gonna make a new star. Obviously time went on and he didn’t really get any better, but we didn’t know that at the time.