WWE's problems with rookies

[Guest Zack Malibu]

Ever wonder why John Cena, who had an over gimmick as a heel in Prototype, was stuck on TV with no fanfare in a rather bland babyface role?

 

Why did Shelton Benjamin, who has been hyped for quite some time as an OVW standout, get a quiet debut on HEAT this past week?

 

Why saddle Batista/Levithan with an unover D-Von Dudley in a role similar to that of Bull Buchanan joining Steven Richards in the RTC?

 

I think I know why all these rookies have virtually the same push right now:

 

In WWE logic, Brock is THE "rookie monster". He is the new force, he is the one who is breaking through at a rapid pace. Granted, while they have had plans for Cena that got ousted (hello, Mr. Levesque), I think that the WWE is afraid to pull the trigger on any huge rookie pushes because they don't want to ruin the image of Brock's megapush. God forbid people show more interest in Cena, Benjamin, whoever, because they don't want us to like them...they want us to like Brock first. Therefore, these rookies that get all the praise when we CAN'T see them become lost in the WWE shuffle shortly after arrival. Did you know Shelton Benjamin was on HEAT this week? Not if you didn't read the spoilers or happened to turn on MTV that night. The WWE is making a mistake, because instead of living up to hype and pushing these men as the next Rock, Austin, Hogan, etc. they are pushing them as the next Val Venis, or Hardcore Holly, complete with the JR bullshit lines of the week.

 

"We know they have a lot to offer, and will get that chance in the future."

 

"So and so looked impressive, but still has a ways to go before they reach that elusive next level."

 

And more just like it. So IMO, we can thank the superpush of one Brock Lesnar for holding these rookies back. I personally like Cena more than Brock, and I'm a mark for Sean O'Haire. I think that Batista should be getting the Brock push. But they need to do something to differentiate these guys. What's so different from the rookie Brock and the rookie Cena? Or Brock and Batista, who are both "killer heels"? WWE is just shooting itself in the foot again, because we're going to wind up with a midcard full of bland guys with no character development or no character AT ALL.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

One thing though: Rock, HHH, and Austin all never got hyped as the next big stars when they started out as midcarders(The Blue Chipper, Ringmaster, and Blue Blood anybody?). Really, with the exception of HHH, Rock and Austin became insanely popular BEFORE their big pushes(well, maybe not Rock).

 

If anything, Shelton Benjamin and Randy Orton are pretty much coming up like Hunter and Austin did while Brock and Cena are getting Rocky Maivia-like pushes, albeit Brock as a heel.

[Guest Trivia247]

they threw Two of the biggest wrestling names to be eaten up by Brock...its their idea of Mega Push...

 

Its not the Wrestlers nor WWE fault that the fans maybe interested in someone more entertaining than the 5 year old roided up look alike

[Guest Just call me Dan]

Are Rock and Brock Lesnar the ONLY two men to have CLEAN victories over Hogan AND FLair?

[Guest Zack Malibu]

Its not the Wrestlers nor WWE fault that the fans maybe interested in someone more entertaining than the 5 year old roided up look alike

OK, I don't mean that Brock should be blamed for this in a HHH/Jericho sense, but the WWE can be blamed for the fact that for a company who "listens" to the fans, they obviously aren't. I'm not saying that fans have the write to say "push him/do not push him", but the Brock push isn't working out at the level they want it to be. I honestly don't mind Brock...I don't think he should be winning the belt (inevitable), but I do like the guy. I just think they are going about the rookie debuts all wrong. Cena has gotten a good push, but there is no character there...they took the most over OVW heel and made him into the "plucky underdog", which was a role Randy Orton had only a few months ago.

 

I probably did rush my post (I'm at work, so I kind of have to), but I think that throwing them out there and seeing who sticks is going to hurt more than it helps. We need to care about these guys, and care about why they win. Shock value is dead, so "rookie beats veteran in an upset" isn't going to cut it anymore.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Yeah. Unless Sting beat Hogan once clean(which I highly doubt).

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

Are Rock and Brock Lesnar the ONLY two men to have CLEAN victories over Hogan AND FLair?

I'm going to guess Luger beat Flair clean at some point, right? Luger beat Hogan w/ the Torture Rack.

[Guest razazteca]

all of the rookies either have a gimmick that does not work or no character at all.

[Guest Anglesault]

Hey, Cena has a character. He tells really really bad jokes! They should take one hour of SD! away and make the Edge/Cena Really Bad Comedy hour!

 

Cena: Your Momma is so fat, the scale reads 90210!

Edge: Dork!

Cena: The last time I saw somone as ugly as you, I was in a kennel!

Edge: DORK!

[Guest Brian]

Damn. That post AS, makes me miss edge and Chritian, as well as Team ECK.

[Guest nWoScorpion]

Michael Cole = Stupid again.

 

He claims Angle is the first person to make him submit. Luger did it like 5 years ago and won the title in august of 1997 on a nitro (Reason I watched WCW in 1997 = to see hogan lose the title since he was dominating as a champion)

[Guest razazteca]

I remember watching Heat when Cena did a interview with Lilian

 

Cena: blah blah blah blah

Lillian: what

Cena: you don't understand?

Lilian: what

Cena: let me rewind that for you aifjeaoiruaoeira blah blah blah blah

 

who writes this crap, that fat furry bearded guy from Hollywood Squares?

[Guest nWoScorpion]

Bruce vilanch? (or however you spell it) hes funny......too an extent

[Guest Youth N Asia]

The thing they need to do is make video packages.

 

Remember Angle's debut? They showed enough video packages of him before he got there that fans knew to hate him off the bat.

 

They did great ones for Razor when he came in.

[Guest RicFlairGlory]

Not to mention Double J

 

Hell even Mysterio they had SOME sort of promo

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Tony Atlas beat Hogan clean at MSG in a non- televised match. Sting DID beat Hogan cleanly but I can't remember the PPV. It's a shame that company man Sting never got the chance to be the number 1 babyface, instead of the barely over Hogan.