The Rock, Hogan and selling out

[Guest Steve J. Rogers]

I know there is a thread, but I just wanted to throw out some thoughts on a seperate thread:

 

When Hogan would go off to do movies he didn't do it in a way to insult anyone's intelligence, he would take time off, do his movie and return, no "injury" no "suspension," ect. Also I don't think he, the WWF or the fans ever took it as "Hogan will someday leave wrestling for Hollywood permanantly" and saw it more of "Well this will give wrestling and the WWF more mainstream press and more popularity" Especially after "No Holds Barred" flopped I think that ended any sense that Hogan had that he'd be a mainstream star and settled for "comic" roles like "Mr. Nanny" and such so I think he always knew that movies, TV shows and commericals were a hobby to do on the side, that his career was as a wrestler. While Rocky has the acting bug bad and suddenly thinks that he will be an action hero on the level of Arnold Schwartzenaggor (major sp) or something.

 

Also don't forget that Hogan wasn't wrestling in a time where there was monthly PPV's and two A-level live weekly shows to do so while he was missing shows and PPVs it wasn't like you "noticed" that he was gone for so long (I don't know if they kept his name in circulation with promos and such or just didn't bring him up untill it was time for his return like they did for Rocky)

 

Also alot of Rock's heat is coming from his hypocritial promo he cut the week Austin quit (It was in San Jose I believe on Raw) when he said basically "If you don't want to be in this company then as the slogan goes 'GET THE F OUT!' " where he made it sound like he would never leave the company even though even marks know he thinks Hollywood is his true calling. In reality it should have been either Taker or Triple H cutting that promo but thats another story altogether.

 

So I don't think anyone would begrudge the Rock for exploring other avenues if he wasn't talking out of both sides of his mouth on this issue. On the one hand he is telling mainstream press that he'd be intrested in doing action movies full time and on the other he's telling wrestling fans/media he has no intention of ever leaving.

 

Finally I don't know if this has anything to do with it as I don't know if anyone in the mark community knows it, but the fact that he decided to use his real name as his "stage" name in movies might have something to do with angering fans. I mean Rodderick Toombs allways went by Roddy Piper, Terry Bollea either went with Hulk Hogan or Terry "Hulk" Hogan, ect (BTW Edge did go by Adam Copeland in Highlander, but the WWE has since kayfabed his real name). I mean its one thing to not be "The Rock" as thats a nickname, not an actual name but "Rocky Miavia" sounds like a perfectly acceptable stage name (Miavia was Peter Miavia's real last name right? ) and it would at least give off the impression that he wasn't "done" with wrestling

 

But thats my .02 on the whole situation

 

Steve

[LooseCannon25 0]

To be honest I just think more so than the fans thinking he's a sellout is the fact that everytime Rock comes back he comes back with the same tired crap from years ago. He hasn't changed his material one bit, and has the same exact catchphrases. ANother thing is that he just seems to be trying too hard, to come off with funny lines. Back in the day he would just let the words roll off his mouth for whatever he came up with at the moment. Now it seems like everything is too prepared and he's too damnd eliberate with his lines now. He yells way too much. Another thing, and i agree with you on this is his speech he gave on Raw not too long ago. Very hippocritical in my opinion. He says to get the "F" out if you dont wanna be here, but he keeps leaving after a few months for long periods at a time. It looks like HE is the one that doesnt wanna be here. The fans are just tired of his stale act and contradicting attitude. Time for a change Rocky.....back to heel perhaps. When he comes back he should be the arrogant heel he used to be who thinks he's better than everyone cause he's a hollywood guy now. I bet you he'd get way over if he resorted to that character.

[Guest jester]

I think part of the problem is that since Hulk's day, wrestlers are expected to be around much more. In Hogan's time, I hardly ever saw him wrestle (which is good, because I've always hated Hogan, but beside the point). He could go away to make a movie and I wouldn't have noticed.

 

Now we get two major shows and a bunch of recap/b shows a week. It's very easy to notice when someone's gone, especially when they make lots of noise about how proud they are to be there.

[Guest dreamer420]

Hogan's case is different, as that he was working in a time where he would still make all PPV and TV tapings, but could still miss enough house shows to get his filming done.

 

The fans are sick of the Rock because he has twice now returned from making a big Hollywood movie, and has been handed the title on a fucking platter twice. I really don't agree with the way the Rock has only returned for short amounts of time and has been given the title because he doesn't deserve it anymore. I hope he gets booed out of every building he appears in once he returns, and hopefully Vince will not allow the Rock to return again.

[Guest bob_barron]

Why doesn't Rock deserve the title??

 

Oh and he didn't get it on a silver platter. In his last month he tapped to the anklelock, jobbed to Benoit cleanly in a tag match, gave the fans a dream match v. Ric Flair, had a great match with Eddy Guerrero and in the end ended up doing the mega job to Brock Lesnar.

 

So Rock should booed out of every building for doing what's best for him and his family?

 

Vince shouldn't let Rock return?? Yea because the Rock is-

 

a)Making WWE money with his movies

b)His over

c)Has great mainstream crossover

d)Carries himself well in interviews that reflects well on WWE

e)Puts people over when asked

f)Puts on great matches all the time

 

Yea- that Rock should never be brought back.

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

Actually, I hope the Fans Boo his Ass out of the Country.. MAKE Vince wake up and turn him heel.

[LooseCannon25 0]

I think the Rock is a good person to have in the WWE. He can work the mic when he doesnt try to hard and can put on an entertaining match. However, if he comes back and is only gonna be here for a month or two i would say DONT give him the title. He doesnt need it to be over.

[Guest The Hamburglar]

Rock gets the title handed to him on a silver platter? Fuck, ample recompense for a man who despite being one of WWE's biggest stars has:

- Lost three straight Wrestlemania main events.

- Never actually beaten Stone Cold Steve Austin in a high profile singles match.

- At times of great overness has worked with the likes of Billy Gunn and Rikishi.

 

I'm a rational man and open to counter-arguments on most subjects, but I'm sorry, I do not see a single valid reason for the bitterness present on the net and in the crowds towards the Rock. It baffles me in its stupidity.

[Guest bob_barron]

He's never beaten Austin period.

 

Austin whines about feuding with Hall while Rock has to feud with Billy Gunn, British Bulldog (I love Davey but I'm honest), Rikishi, and be stuck in the midcard fighting the New Age Outlaws w/ Foley.

 

He also jobbed to HHH about 10,000 times to get him over as a main eventer.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Rock didn't need the title, but it needed Rock after a horrible first half of 2002. Also, they needed Rock to do the job to Lesnar, which is why he got it in the first place. He was only a transitional champion. Do you really think HHH would have jobbed clean to Lesnar?

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

I don't understand how they don't see that they could make a lot of money turning him heel. He is one of maybe 3 guys who are considered the top star in the business right now. Turning him heel would be gold in an old school type of way because everyone would want to see him get his ass kicked. He can come out and totally rag on the fans and they will turn on him so very easily. And I don't mean rag on the town your in, or rag on the local sports team. I mean go out there and call the fans pieces of crap. Take it to a higher level and insult them like they've never been insulted before. Tell the fans to kiss his ass. Take it to another level and say he doesn't care about the business anymore and he'll just be popping in when he feels like it. Sounds almost Russo-ish, but I think he could pull it off and really piss of a lot of people. If you think about it, the fans turning on him for selling out is a shoot, why not let him shoot back and use it to make money?

[Guest The Hamburglar]

Exactly. Between them, Rock and then Brock just wrenched that title from the shitty hole it had fallen into and made it worth something again. If it wasn't for the efforts of those two, Angle wouldn't have been able to credibly sustain a title run where he couldn't wrestle, as it would have been too far in the shitter.

[LooseCannon25 0]

Good point KAhran......I guess I didn't think of it that way. Well, if he comes back and is gonna leave within 1-2 months they shouldnt give him the title. I think it's bullshit how a wrestler (who is an employee) can refuse to job to anyone, and this supposed genius Vince Mcmahon has no control over it, but thats a topic for another day.

[Guest AndrewTS]

I think it's a combination of his staleness and the insincerity of how he says he's devoted to WWE. And the point about Hogan not actually wrestling all that much or making so many appearances is a good point too. Hell, when he was doing movies/shows in WCW he never appeared any less than he already did.

 

A heel turn would be nice, since his mic work always seems better and more natural that way.

 

Plus, if he doesn't come up with any new catchphrases they are going to have to call the next Smackdown video game Monkey's Nipple, or Ssssssssick Freak.