John Cena Is A Class Act

So John Cena has twice now publicly spoken out against the compan that employs him and questioned the decision to fire Bryan Danielson/Danial Bryan as a scapegoat to concerns about WWE's PG mandate.

It's nice to see when other people besides me casn see through the shallow bullshit reasons most Cena haters hate him for, that it's not Cena's fault that hischaracter is now bland and watered down.

I like Cena, greatly. He's shown at every possible opportunity that he is a rare genuinely good, nice decent human being, a hard and loyal worker, and a stand-up guy. And while I still personally find him entertaining, (though not near as much as he was before Vince nuetered his character), I can understand those who hate Cena THE CHARACTER for being watered down but understand Cena the PERSON is just a good guy doing the job he's paid to do. While I wish he'd called Bryan by his real name, I'm in the group that doesn't think the E' is anywhere near smart enough to have Cena publicly chastise a company policy decision just to try and earn respect for him. The fact remains that 95% of Cena haters are men who hate him purely out of jealousy because their women and children adore the guy. I doubt most in the 'E are even AWARE of the very small minority whose Cena hate is based on his character being bland and predictable.

I'm personally on the fence about whether or not Bryan's canning is work or shoot, though I lean to shoot because Vince is frankly just too lazy to put THIS much effort into working people that he'll work most of his own staff in the process. But I DO think that Cena's recent public comments are genuine. Cena knows he's passed the Triple H/Undertaker glass wall of how much he can say and not risk getting fired. Unless he pisses on Vince's grandchildren, (at least one of whom I'd bet good money Cena likely sired if Chris Jericho is to be believed), there really isn't anything Cena can say that will get him fired or even in the doghouse. And unlike H/Taker, Cena is never likely to abuse the pull he now has for selfish reasons. He's already used it to get Even Bourne the push we all knew he deserved, and now he's calling his employer out for a bad decision that has no personal effect on him.

John Cena is a class act. I just wish Vince would let him be the Cena we all flipped over again, not the Cena Lite he thinks sells teeshirts.

Why I Loved the NXT1 Beatdown Tonight

The NXT beatdown.

For no apparent reason, in the middle of a match between John Cena & CM Punk, in case any of you didn't see Raw tonight, NXT 1 winner Wade Barrett came down to the ring and distracted John Cena. At first it looked like they were going to play a "New guy punks Champ to make name for himself" angle, wherein Barrett's distraction would allow Punk to get a cheap win over Cena. Given how ludicrously dull and predictable the writing on Raw has been for far too long now, no one would fault me for assuming that.

And then the other 7 guys from NXT 1 came out of the crowd and beat down CM Punk's cronies, then punk, then staerted on Cena. They also knocked out Jerry Lawler and Matt Striker, (we all notice Cole got the fuck outta Dodge lest Brian Danielson went after him), choked out the bloody ring announcer, beat up the referee, and then proceeded to DESTROY THE GODDAMN RING.

It was truly something new, something different, and while a lot of writers in the IWC, myself included, are confused to high hell as to exactly what the hell happened and why, it was DEFINITELY a damned good thing to have happen on Raw.

Yeah it confused the hell out of me but it was still bloody awesome, for two reasons.

1- It was, as Wade Barrett promised earlier, something we've never seen before. I've been a wrestling fan for decades and I've watched matches from all eras dating back to any existing footage of guys like George Hackendschidt, and I honestly cannot EVER recall a gang beatdown that involved actually destroying the ring and taking out everyone at ringside within reach. It was FINALLY something fresh, unique and different, which we can all agree Raw DESPERATELY needed.

2- My wife and I are STILL talking about the implications, and my wife barely ever actually gets drawn in by anything on wrestling anymore, and she too is a lifelong fan. We're STILL discussing all the possibilities of what this means or where it will lead, and we'll both DEFINITELY be watching next week to find out, and isn't that what a good angle is supposed to do? Make you really really want to tune in next week to see what happens? Whatever you think about the NXT beatdown, I garauntee if you watched Raw tonight, you were talking about it, and that is a refreshing change. I hope to god the writers don't blow the heat and interest this generated.

BTW, did anyone else notice CM Punk break his cowardly heel character long enough to jump into the ring severely outnumbered and try to get a few shots in on the NXT crew? This seems to be continuing an odd trend of the better pros on NXT1 breaking character and appearing to shoot. For example when both Punk and William Regal made no bones about visibly publicly agreeing with Danial Bryan Danielson that he's way better than Miz. Given both are supposed to be smug arrogant heels it's certainly noit in character for them to publicly support and agree with a face at the expense of a fellow heel. Punk trying to get revenge on the rookies and still getting dusted gives them more credibility.

I will be very impressed if somehow this new young nWo'esque faction was the idea from the beginning. I can only hope that NXT 1 recruits Rotunda, Hennig and Low-Ki from NXT 2, with an angle about saving them from the 'E's stupidity, (Bad names for Windham and Joe, worthless Pros for Low-Ki). But that would just be TOO perfect and I'm not going to jinx all this awesomeness by asking for too much more of it.

I will be a very happy fangirl if we all learn that the 'E swerved us from the beginning, because it will give me hope again that wrestling remembers how to be interesting after all.