John Cena

[Guest Downhome]

I think Cena is pretty good, but my problem with his situation, is there are a few wrestlers that have already paid a year or so of "dues" that should be the ones getting the "respect" handshakes from UT, and having hard fought matches with Angle.......Storm comes to mind.

I understand what you're saying, but I once read something by somebody, I can't remember who or where it was. I want to say Scott Keith, but I don't think it was him.

 

Anyway, the premise is that sometimes guys are just so damn good and phenomenal that they don't have and shouldn't have to pay dues. The comparison was drawn to baseball players like Ken Griffey Jr. who, if you'll remember, back before he got injured every week in Cincinatti, was tearing up the league as a Seattle Mariner from like the age of 20. Guys like him and A-Rod were just so f'n amazing that it would be RETARDED to make them "pay their dues" when they are ready already at age 20 (or whenever they started) and could be making big money for themselves and for their organization.

 

The buzz about John Cena suggests to me that he could be one of those guys, much like Sting was back in the day, a ready made total package ready for superstardom straight out of the factory. If the buzz is accurate, then he SHOULD be wrestling the big boys right now.

 

THINK: John Cena vs Kurt Angle and vs Chris Jericho. Are the matches good from a "wrestling" standpoint? Yes. Are they fun to watch? Yes. Is is good television? Yes. Are you eager to see what happens to John Cena next or what he'll do next? I sure as hell am, and you should be too.

 

Guys like John Cena should not warm the bench for a year to "pay their dues" just out of "respect" to some old fart who has inferior skills but has "been up with the big club longer." Maybe it's not fair, but since when is life fair anyway? Look, we've all done our share of bitching about guys getting world title reigns because they're "respected in the locker room" or as a reward for years of long service, and so many of us have contended that guys should be getting belts and pushes based on how good they are RIGHT NOW, not how good they used to be or how long they've been around. So why is it "good" for seniority to trump talent in the midcard and among newcomers if it's "not good" for it to happen at the world title level?

 

Hell yes I want Lance Storm to get pushed and be involved because I think he's absolutely f'n great and they have been slow to use him properly and give him what his talent merits. But see, that's the point; he should get a push because his talent/overness/potential for overness merits it, not because he's got a year seniority edge over the new guys.

 

And John Cena should be getting pushed right now, because his talent merits it. If it doesn't, we'll soon find out, but from what I've seen, methinks it does. Fuck dues, fuck locker room respect, it's about generating fan interest and drawing money. And if John Cena can do that RIGHT NOW (and he's sure as hell generating interest in this fan, I'll tell you that much) then he should be getting pushed and wrestling and nearly beating Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho RIGHT NOW.

 

Because he's That Damn Good, and that's all that matters.

I couldn't have said it better myself, great ass post of the day if you ask me.

[Guest benoitrules2000]

A great ass post sure, but it'll never work like that when undertaker's and hogan's and hhh's are around.

[Guest DARRYLXWF]

Plus, the fact that he's holding up so well with these well known stars isn't helping. He needs to climb the ladder before fighting people like Jericho.

 

I say fuck the 'ladder' bullshit. If the guys got potential to be big, then give him the big run. In case you haven't realised, having rookies rub up with WWF midcarders, in order for them to 'pay the dues' has completely killed their heat.

 

IMHO, this 'paying your dues' crap is ridiculous. Compare it to other jobs...

 

'Sir, this man has a PHD in Political Science and Economics! I think he should be given a promotion immedietely.'

 

'Nah, he hasn't paid his dues yet, stick him in secretarial work for the moment.'

[Guest Wild_Orchid]

Plus, the fact that he's holding up so well with these well known stars isn't helping. He needs to climb the ladder before fighting people like Jericho.

 

I say fuck the 'ladder' bullshit. If the guys got potential to be big, then give him the big run. In case you haven't realised, having rookies rub up with WWF midcarders, in order for them to 'pay the dues' has completely killed their heat.

 

IMHO, this 'paying your dues' crap is ridiculous. Compare it to other jobs...

 

'Sir, this man has a PHD in Political Science and Economics! I think he should be given a promotion immedietely.'

 

'Nah, he hasn't paid his dues yet, stick him in secretarial work for the moment.'

I agree 100% with your statement.

 

Take Hollywood for instance. An unknown actor auditions for a movie role and impresses the hell out of top Hollywood casting director and is subsequently offered a starring role in a huge Hollywood flick. Should the producer not offer the guy the part because he "hasn't paid his dues" in Hollywood like a Tom Hanks or a Tom Cruise? Shouldn't he be picked on the basis of having the right look and the acting skills for the role itself?

 

 

The mentality of the "pay your dues" folk is that you had to have jobbed on Sunday Night Heat for the past three years before you're ready for Raw or Smackdown. If that is the case, then Crash Holly must be long overdue for a main event push.

 

What a bunch of bulk.

[Guest BobbyWhioux]

I say fuck the 'ladder' bullshit. If the guys got potential to be big, then give him the big run. In case you haven't realised, having rookies rub up with WWF midcarders, in order for them to 'pay the dues' has completely killed their heat.

 

IMHO, this 'paying your dues' crap is ridiculous. Compare it to other jobs...

 

'Sir, this man has a PHD in Political Science and Economics! I think he should be given a promotion immedietely.'

 

'Nah, he hasn't paid his dues yet, stick him in secretarial work for the moment.'

Precisely my point, only delivered in a more concise post.

 

Thanks.

 

In 100% agreement.

 

Something else to think about: Off the top of my head, I think the three active wrestlers on the WWE roster with the longest WWE tenure are:

 

The Undertaker (1990)

The Papa Kama Mustafa Shango-Father (1992)

Billy Gunn (1993)

Bobcore Holly (1994)

 

And the semi-active Brooklyn Brawler's been around even longer than those three. By the "Pay your dues" and "seniority" logic, The Main event at Vengeance should be Undertaker vs Hardcore Holly vs. The Godfather vs Billy Gunn for the Undisputed world title, with The Brooklyn Brawler as special guest enforcer referee.

 

Anyone want to rush out and buy a ticket to that? Didn't think so.

[Guest Nezbyte]

'Taker was given the belt a year after he came in, that isnt paying dues!

 

Cena is good enough, let him SHOW what he can do.

 

I seem to remember a certain olympic gold medal winner getting pushed to the moon. Anyone else remember that? Yeah, that guy's pretty good NOW - but, Cena is better than when he came in THEN.

 

Just watch, people.

[Guest CanadianChick]

'Taker was given the belt a year after he came in, that isnt paying dues!

 

Cena is good enough, let him SHOW what he can do.

 

I seem to remember a certain olympic gold medal winner getting pushed to the moon. Anyone else remember that? Yeah, that guy's pretty good NOW - but, Cena is better than when he came in THEN.

 

Just watch, people.

I agree that Cena will be big some day down teh road and he shouldn't ahve to pay his dues, but your comparison between Cena and Angle is a little off, IMO. ANlge was just starting pro wrestling when he deputed, but Cena has been in pro wrestling for a bout a year i think. SO really, the comparison should be between ANgle in his second year and Cena now.

[Guest Nezbyte]

Angle spent a few years in memphis, and Cena spent a few years in the valley. They both have the same amount of prior knowledge. My comparison stands.

[Guest CanadianChick]

my mistake, I didn't know that angle spent some time at Memphis.

[Guest jester]

Anyway, the premise is that sometimes guys are just so damn good and phenomenal that they don't have and shouldn't have to pay dues. The comparison was drawn to baseball players like Ken Griffey Jr. who, if you'll remember, back before he got injured every week in Cincinatti, was tearing up the league as a Seattle Mariner from like the age of 20. Guys like him and A-Rod were just so f'n amazing that it would be RETARDED to make them "pay their dues" when they are ready already at age 20 (or whenever they started) and could be making big money for themselves and for their organization.

Right on.

 

If a wrestler looks like he can get over, you run with him, whether he's been in the federation for 15 years or 15 minutes. Sometimes the critical thing isn't paying dues, or even talent, but luck and TIMING. Guys like Austin did the right things at the right time, largely unplanned, and got over huge. If it was all about a formula ("Ok, he's spent a year at OVW, 2 years on Heat, he should be ready for the main event now") WWE could create superstars at will. Obviously, they can't.

 

If you resist the direction the crowd wants to go in, you just make them angry. I think Tom Zenk said something to the effect of they should give RVD the monster push now, because if they don't eventually the crowd will get frustrated, and stop caring about him. If the crowd wants RVD or whoever now, you give him to them now.

 

But...I admit right now it's too early to tell if the crowd really wants Cena. Right now it looks like Cena may go over well with a decent push. So they should give him one. If he doesn't have the magic yet, we'll know soon enough from the crowd reaction and ratings.

 

jester