Spoiled Brat – A kid who wants everything they see… and they cry and scream their heads off until they get it. http://www.urbandictionary.com/
After witnessing the reaction of fans over the past week, it has me thinking how much Generation Y really need to wake up to themselves. This is a generation that generally lacks patients and wants everything to happen quickly and the way they want it to happen. If it doesn’t happen the way they want it to, then they feel it is there right to voice their opinion and take it out on innocent people. I am still annoyed at the reaction Rey Mysterio received upon his entrance to the Rumble. Was it his fault that Daniel Bryan was not in the match….no, but all of a sudden the years, effort and dedication Rey has given to this industry was forgotten as the fans booed him because they didn’t get their Daniel Bryan!
Being a fan of wrestling and in particular the WWE for over 30 years, the way Daniel Bryan and CM Punk are being treated by the “Authority” is not new. Wrestlers of his size and wrestling ability have, for as long as I have been watching, been stuck just below the main event level under the likes of John Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan. There are always exceptions to the WWE rule with the likes Macho Man Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels, who battled in the WWE mid-card level a lot longer than Daniel Bryan has before reaching the pinnacle of the WWE. Ric Flair was already a star when he arrived at the WWE, so did not need to battle the WWE mid-card to reach the top.
I have listed below some great in ring performers over the past 30 years who all faced exactly the same thing Daniel Bryan and CM Punk are going through now, which is seemingly being held back from the top of the WWE food chain. All these guys are better in the ring then the face of the company during the time in the WWE, but because they didn’t fit into the ‘type’ Vince McMahon was looking for, they all failed to become the main event guy in the company, and were treated poorly in terms of story lines, and general held back.
(I will only look at these wrestlers WWE careers)
Mr Perfect – Multiple tag team champion, no real payoff match when feuding with Hulk Hogan, in fact would suffer his first TV defeat to Hulk Hogan’s friend Brutus The Barber Beefcake, Multiple mid-card champion, and never really had a chance to wrestle above the mid-card level upon return from injury.
Eddie Guerrero – partnered with Chyna soon as arriving in the WWE, multiple mid-card champion, no payoff match when feuding with Austin, multiple tag team combinations and won his only WWE championship due to outside interference (Goldberg spearing Brock Lesnar during the title match).
Owen Hart – had to initially wrestle as ‘The Blue Blazer’ so fans would not confuse him with his brother Brett, was put into different tag team combinations, won multiply mid card titles and just like Daniel Bryan had a brief run at the top of the company against his brother Brett, then quickly sent back down to mid-card level again.
Chris Jericho – Lost matches (included a Royal Rumble elimination) to Chyna, became Stephanie McMahons lackey, multiple Tag teams combinations, multiple mid-card champion, and when WWE champion was made to look like a ‘weak’ champion.
Christian– Went through a tantrum phase and losing streak, multiple tag team combinations, multiple mid-card titles, along with Chris Jericho had the embarrassment of “who owns the ass cream”, and when finally becoming World Heavy Weight Champion lost it 2 days later on Smackdown against…Randy Orton, always associated with being Edge’s tag team partner, neve his own identity.
Jake ‘the snake’ Roberts – never won a WWE title, but was good enough to have some great feuds against main event players like Macho Man Randy Savage, Andre The Giant and the Ultimate Warrior.
Roddy Piper – Had the majority of his WWE career living under the Hulk Hogan shadow, had to battle a cross dressing Goldust, and fight Mr T at Wrestlemania 2 in a boxing match. Won the tag titles with Ric Flair at the age of 52, and had only 1 Intercontinental reign. Had the number 1 wrestling segment with Piper’s Pit and was one of the most hated villain’s when first arriving in the WWE.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze5KVUZJDV0[/youtube]
All the above wrestlers were fantastic performers in the ring, had some great and memorable feuds with a variety of superstars, gave great promos and were generally well over with crowds. But as mentioned never made it that finally step, due mainly, to the company they were in (WWE) and what (the WWE) wanted in its main event stars was not these superstars. Some had championship reigns however were pretty short and generally unmemorable. But by not having these superstars at the top of the WWE Mountain, the WWE had a very strong and enjoyable mid-card, something that has been lacking over the past couple of years. While The Rock and Austin were main eventing PPV’s, you also had on the same card Eddie Guerrero versing Kurt Angle, or Chris Jericho versing Chris Beniot. During the Hulk Hogan years we had mid-card matches like Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper and Jake Roberts vs. Rick Rude. PPV’s were great to buy from match 1 through to the main event due to the quality of matches due to the quality mid-card.
When you watch the WWE, and if you have done any research into its history, then you should know that Vince McMahon has a ‘type’ of wrestler he likes to be at the top of his company. That’s just the way it is. You do not go and eat at McDonalds, and then after a couple of months complain that YOU want McDonalds to add tomatoes on Big Macs because you like tomatoes. You buy a Big Mac because you know exactly what you are getting. Same with the WWE, you watch the WWE and you know what you are going to get. If you do not like it, sure have your say, but let’s not carry on like spoiled little brats, and kick and scream or worse still take out our frustrations on innocent wrestlers, or fans.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIbtbB18hMc[/youtube]
Hooroo and see you next week.
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