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.
Showing posts with label John Cena. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Cena. Show all posts
Friday, June 18, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Question of a Cena Heel Turn
Author's note; Finally got around to creating a blog to officially revive my old sub-column from Inside Pulse Wrestling as it appeared in the old Monday Night Rabble. I commented rather long on an article there today and decided it was as good a rant as any to start up a wrestling opinion blog with. So here it is.
I think there's only one way for a Cena heel turn to work. Because he's acknowledged the fan split many times and still continued to be a man of admirable character while glibly saying those who boo him have every right to do so, for HIM to become a heel rather than just a face that half the audience boos, you have to give HIM an organic reason to change his attitude, one that's believable that those who love Cena will buy. And that reason will be based on WHY half the audience boos him.
I've repeatedly said I think the bulk of Cena's haters in the audience are guys who resent how much their kids and wives/girlfriends love him. Yes there are a few guys in the IWC and the Smark audience who hate him for more logical reasons, like his overpushing and Vince's watering down of his character, but most of Cena's haters hate him purely out of jealousy.
So to turn Cena truly heel, play on that. Do something to finally get him pissed off enough to actually insult fans and make them believe he's genuinely bitching.
Have him shown on cam, signing autographs for kids. Have one kid ask him "Mister Cena what's a "Douchebag?". Cena of course will be puzzled and ask him why he wants to know. The kid will reply because his Daddy said Cena was a douchebag because he and Mommy like Cena so much, or something similar. This plants the seed. Cena is fine with guys booing him, but teaching their kids to hate because of a personal opinion? That will morally offend him given the kind of man he is.
Now what happens next, in a logical world, would cement him as a face, but WWE fans tend to be assholes. They cheered Mae Young going through a table after all. So what happens next will succeed in making Cena himself an actual heel in the eyes of those fans who like him.
Cena comes out to the ring and cuts a promo about that kid's dad. He loudly vents his disgust that any responsible parent would teach his kid words like douchebag because he's so insecure that he can't handle his family cheering for Cena. This gets boos not only from said insecure douchebags in the audience (because deep down they know he's right), but also the wives and kids start to boo a little because Cena is insulting their husband/dads. Kids, even if they have a shitty disfunctional family, will defend that family. So kids will be mad that Cena is insulting their dads, and wives/girlfriends will be pissed that he's calling their men irresponsible douchebags, even if they ARE, under the "I can insult my man but YOU sure as hell can't" mentality. Cena gets even more pissed off that the wives and kids are defending their mens' deplorable behavior and lets a little rage finally slip, and now he organically shifts to insulting the defenders, the way some people play blame the victim when a battered wife still defends the man she's terrified of. Granted that's an exxageration but the root principle is the same; Cena sees these men doing something that anyone with common sense knows is shallow and wrong, and can't understand why his fans are defending his haters. He outright calls the kids and wives stupid for defending the shallow garbage, and now no one is still cheering him. Cena is outright pissed-off indignant justified heel now. The only kind of heel Cena can convincingly be given the kind of man he is; the one with the moral high ground that you boo because you know deep down he's right and you hate him for it, the kind who points out character flaws you never want to admit you have. And the more justified and true his rants get, and the more vehemently he delivers them, the more the ENTIRE audience hates his guts.
Of course that scenariop requires logic and proper storytelling. So we all know if the E ever does turn him they'll do it in a two week program by having him suddenly snap for no logical reason and beat Rey Mysterio into a pulp, then say he's just sick of half the audience booing him.
But my idea is better. It makes logical sense and is organic to the character Cena plays which is pretty much who he really is. My idea makes perfect sense. Which is of course why it will never happen. The 'E HATES making sense.
I think there's only one way for a Cena heel turn to work. Because he's acknowledged the fan split many times and still continued to be a man of admirable character while glibly saying those who boo him have every right to do so, for HIM to become a heel rather than just a face that half the audience boos, you have to give HIM an organic reason to change his attitude, one that's believable that those who love Cena will buy. And that reason will be based on WHY half the audience boos him.
I've repeatedly said I think the bulk of Cena's haters in the audience are guys who resent how much their kids and wives/girlfriends love him. Yes there are a few guys in the IWC and the Smark audience who hate him for more logical reasons, like his overpushing and Vince's watering down of his character, but most of Cena's haters hate him purely out of jealousy.
So to turn Cena truly heel, play on that. Do something to finally get him pissed off enough to actually insult fans and make them believe he's genuinely bitching.
Have him shown on cam, signing autographs for kids. Have one kid ask him "Mister Cena what's a "Douchebag?". Cena of course will be puzzled and ask him why he wants to know. The kid will reply because his Daddy said Cena was a douchebag because he and Mommy like Cena so much, or something similar. This plants the seed. Cena is fine with guys booing him, but teaching their kids to hate because of a personal opinion? That will morally offend him given the kind of man he is.
Now what happens next, in a logical world, would cement him as a face, but WWE fans tend to be assholes. They cheered Mae Young going through a table after all. So what happens next will succeed in making Cena himself an actual heel in the eyes of those fans who like him.
Cena comes out to the ring and cuts a promo about that kid's dad. He loudly vents his disgust that any responsible parent would teach his kid words like douchebag because he's so insecure that he can't handle his family cheering for Cena. This gets boos not only from said insecure douchebags in the audience (because deep down they know he's right), but also the wives and kids start to boo a little because Cena is insulting their husband/dads. Kids, even if they have a shitty disfunctional family, will defend that family. So kids will be mad that Cena is insulting their dads, and wives/girlfriends will be pissed that he's calling their men irresponsible douchebags, even if they ARE, under the "I can insult my man but YOU sure as hell can't" mentality. Cena gets even more pissed off that the wives and kids are defending their mens' deplorable behavior and lets a little rage finally slip, and now he organically shifts to insulting the defenders, the way some people play blame the victim when a battered wife still defends the man she's terrified of. Granted that's an exxageration but the root principle is the same; Cena sees these men doing something that anyone with common sense knows is shallow and wrong, and can't understand why his fans are defending his haters. He outright calls the kids and wives stupid for defending the shallow garbage, and now no one is still cheering him. Cena is outright pissed-off indignant justified heel now. The only kind of heel Cena can convincingly be given the kind of man he is; the one with the moral high ground that you boo because you know deep down he's right and you hate him for it, the kind who points out character flaws you never want to admit you have. And the more justified and true his rants get, and the more vehemently he delivers them, the more the ENTIRE audience hates his guts.
Of course that scenariop requires logic and proper storytelling. So we all know if the E ever does turn him they'll do it in a two week program by having him suddenly snap for no logical reason and beat Rey Mysterio into a pulp, then say he's just sick of half the audience booing him.
But my idea is better. It makes logical sense and is organic to the character Cena plays which is pretty much who he really is. My idea makes perfect sense. Which is of course why it will never happen. The 'E HATES making sense.
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