Can They Be Champ? 10.30.07: ECW S.O.S.

Did everyone enjoy Cyber Sunday? It seems like the PPV was pretty well received. Bizarrely, it seems like I didn’t like it as much as everyone else. Usually I’m more positive than the status quo. But I don’t know, the PPV didn’t click all that well with me. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t say it was horrible. There were definitely some enjoyable matches in there. That said, I still hate crap finishes in PPVs (HBK/Orton and Kane/MVP), the Miz looked like complete ass in his match (although he seemed to be screwing things up so badly that it was mildly amusing), and I think that the Batista/Taker match is being overrated. The amount of high power moves and near falls in the match got to the point of ridiculous for me. Not nearly as good as their WM23 match, in my opinion. Of course, I saw that one in person, so I may be a bit biased.

Let’s not forget about TNA, though. Kurt Angle wins the TNA belt back from Sting. God forbid he goes without it for less than a month. I’m really not a fan of short title reigns, especially when the reign started at your supposed biggest PPV of the year. I can actually understand why TNA wouldn’t want Sting to hold onto the belt for too long (he’s already over, he doesn’t need it), but that’s why Angle vs. Sting shouldn’t have been TNA’s big angle for the second half of this year.

I think this is a record for me when it comes to negativity. Well, don’t worry, because I’m still optimistic. TNA is sure to grow thanks to its second hour. Raw should be getting some main event help from Jericho, and Smackdown will definitely get some help from Edge. ECW… well, they’re contract got renewed, so they’ll be on TV for a bit longer. I don’t know if it will be good TV, but it will be TV non-the-less.

Actually, ECW concerns me a good deal. If the four men who were apart of the Cyber Sunday angle comprise their entire title scene, I think we have a problem.

Notice that the logo is slightly animated now? Pretty nice, huh?

I think the biggest WTF moment of Cyber Sunday had to be when the Miz, the freaking Miz, won the poll to fight CM Punk for the ECW Championship. Then again, I guess even the Miz has a chance in a popularity contest that involves John Morrison and Big Daddy V.

Let’s talk about John Morrison. Here’s a guy who was made ECW Champion literally out of nowhere. He held onto the belt for some time, defending it often, only having to lose it when he was suspended. When he comes back from suspension, he beats the current champion in a non-title match. Then the WWE asks the fans if the want to see Morrison get a title shot, and the answer is a resounding “no”. This right here is living proof that you can not just put a belt on someone and expect them to become a star. Morrison was given the belt literally out of no-where. He was still Johnny Nitro, a character who had literally been put on the sidelines so that his female escort could become a bigger part of the women’s division. Before Nitro was moved to ECW (in the supplemental draft, mind you), the last thing he was doing was tagging with Kenny Dykstra. He was losing as well, I should add.

So then he comes out of nowhere and becomes the ECW champion. No one bought it. For crying out loud, they had to do a dramatic character change for him during his title reign. When was a wrestler’s gimmick ever changed in the middle of a world title reign?

Now, this has nothing to do with Morrison’s talent. I personally really enjoy watching him the ring. I also feel pretty safe saying that he’s a more entertaining wrestler to watch than the Miz and Big Daddy V. But it seems like the WWE audience by and large don’t agree. The WWE did everything they could to shove Morrison down their throats, and it didn’t work. Now Morrison is in a bizarre situation. Whether the WWE will try to increase his credibility by putting him in some high profile feuds (this is where that Smackdown/ECW talent exchange thing could help), or if they’ll just put the belt back on him and hope that works remains to be seen. Somehow, I fear it may be the latter.

Big Daddy V… another boring “monster” that destroys everyone who crosses him. The only problem with this monster is that even the markiest of fans probably still remember him as Viscera, who jobbed to practically everyone he faced. In the mean time, they’ll continue to have him squash away, hoping we’ll forget about his pajama wearing past. They might get away with it, as long as they keep him out of the title scene for a while.

I’m really not sure what they’re going to do with the Miz now. He still has that feud with Balls, but he also just had a title match against CM Punk. It’ll be interesting to see if the WWE just continues the Balls feud like nothing happened and never even mention the match against Punk. Or maybe they’ll do the complete opposite and involve Punk and the Miz in a large angle. Balls could still be involved easily enough, just by having him tag with Punk while some random heel (Morrison) tags with Miz. Wow, Morrison might become the random heel tagging with Miz. Not too long ago it was the other way around.

Still, unless the Miz somehow really breaks out as a big time heel (I personally doubt it), that feud couldn’t last long, and it certainly shouldn’t result in the Miz winning the title. So, who should take the title off of Punk? The Miz, who really doesn’t seem ready for such a feud, Big Daddy V, another generic “monster”, or Morrison, a guy that the fans just can’t seem to care about? You see the problem here? If the WWE is serious about ECW being a long term brand, then the roster needs some help. Now, putting some Smackdown wrestlers on ECW could help, but I wonder if they’ll be eligible for the ECW Championship. Putting Punk in some feuds with people like Edge, Taker, Mysterio, even Khali would be a lot more interesting than the feuds it looks like we’ll be getting on ECW.

Still getting some Cena mail:

I am not one who really writes much to 411 because I just love to read the columns that you guys put up. However I am sick and tired of these non wrestling students who think that they know the difference between a good act/hard worker and someone who just has no talent whatsoever. I personally grew up on the Hogan era and I am 25 yrs old and I consider Hogan the God of wrestling, whether or not you like him give the man his due it is because of him some of these idiots that are writing in even know what wrestling is. In the case of John Cena I just dont understand how one could boo him but cheer Hogan, I am not saying that I am anti Hogan but rather I want to point out that everything that the Hogan character stood for (you know the good morals, hard worker etc) John Cena actually is. The man has never had a scandal, no links to steroids, and the man works his butt off day in and day out.

Lets not forget that when HHH first came to the forefront of the title scene it was not all good with him as far as his ability to be the champ but the E shoved him down your throat so much you had no choice but to like him pretty much the same thing that they are doing with Randy Orton (who sucks big time by the way). I just find it funny HHH can come out and crack a few jokes and the crowd is going wild, John Cena can come out crack funnier jokes and he gets booed, HHH finishes a match despite suffering a severe injury and he is praised Cena does the same thing and the big talk is who will fill the void now that he is gone. WAKE UP PEOPLE! Has anyone care to look at what that says about Cena as champ and as a leader in general. The man finished his match despite tearing his pectoral muscle completely and yet no one talks about what that tells the locker room or whoever else is goin to hold the torch for awhile.

Cena is one of a few ppl who can actually hold a mic and sell without messing up unlike a Mick Foley who bores me when his speaking(cant knock his craziness in the ring tho), or a Randy Orton who when he does speak is really saying I can do whatever I want because my father has connections even tho I could’nt sell to save my life. Cena would get up there and freestyle raps about his opponent off the top of his head and was given no credit. O and for all of those who are still on the Vanillia Ice thing just remeber that Ice sold 4 million albums and if it were not for him you would not even have given Eminem a chance. Anyway I am not a Vanilla Ice fan but I respect what the man accomplished. I also respect what John Cena has accomplished both in and out of the ring. He is really one of the only characters left that an entire family can watch and enjoy. Who else work as hard as John Cena does in the E and does not throw temper tantrums and destroys Hotel rooms. If it seems like I am rambiling well too bad deal with it. Cena is a solid performer day in and day out love him or hate him you will never forget him (Bang!). ok sorry about that part I guess it is time for me to end it before I lose whatever momentum I had.
– James LeBrun

I definitely agree that Cena deserves some credit for finishing that match when he got injured. Still, with all these wrestlers being heroes, I’m worried that someone will eventually worsen their injury because of it.

Hi,
I have been reading your column in 411mania. Even though I am not a huge Cena Fan, I am really sad that he was injured. The main reason for the Booes he gets is(according to my opinion) he held the belt for long. Remember in 2006 how he lost the bely yo Edge and then had a hell of a fight in Unforgiven and won it back. That was interesting. Cena has the ability to get the best out of his opponent. Look how he made Umaga look like a terrific wrestler in the feud. The next mistake by WWE came when they put Cena against a dead log of wood called The Great Khali. Cena’s matches against HBK were terrific. For people who say that Cena does not know to wrestle, please watch his match against RVD. This guy can wrestle, but the booking is ridiculous and makes him look like as if he cant wrestle. This guy can talk good , but the promos by the creative team are absurd.

the guys has talen. but WWE has used it badly.

Regards,
Senthil Jegadeesan

A feud with the Great Khali usually doesn’t do much for you. Although Cena did get some credit for carrying Khali to some of the better matches of his career.

hi,

Firstly lemme tel you that I do read a lot on 411 but never mail cos i really think most of the stuff that needs to be told id either covered by the writers or the mails & keep up the great work Mike. Secondly, I write to you from INDIA (plz don’t think that everyone here is like the Khali: dumb & useless in the ring). I read both your column on Cena haters & the reader’s rant on that, so just wanted to pitch in on a few stuff.

Before i start off on the whole cena issue, you should know how things are on this side of the globe regarding wrestling. I have been reading stuff on the net & i guess i have become a part of IWC for the past couple of years. But before that, for me & my friends wrestling was more real. Kayfabe was still very much on. You should know that we get taped RAW,Smackdown & all other shows here with a delay of a couple of weeks. But there is one upside to all this. We get all the PPV’s for free. We have no PPV system here, just basic cable fee to pay for all channels. (& I get to check out all the Hidden Highlights on hindsight). Wrestling is a major sport here. though not in main-stream. Like every where else wrestling fans don’t like to proclaim their identity i guess. But its high with kids & people like me who were addicted to it as kids.

Why am I telling you all this? Cause i hear so much talk about how WWE might be on WCW track & all among IWC. Trust me, its nonsense. People here know only the “E” (though TNA is aired no one watches it cos its just not E). WWE is wrestling for most parts of Asia too. I do not understand why they are not cashing in on it. Also, most people here do not care for work rate of a wrestler, other backstage stuff & what their abilities are. Bret is off TV; people forget. Every Kayfabe injury draws as much sympathy as legit. Beniot is dead, most wrestling fans don’t even know, They just think he is off TV. (It’s really really sad). That’s cause wrestling is not so big in main-stream.

I have been HBK fan since past 12 years & most of that time i spent just like the others are now. I don’t think i have seen enough of wrestling that i can comment over you people so i don’t do it often. But last 12 years i sure know most stuff. So finally i decided to talk on the whole Cena issue. So here it goes:

I’m not a Cena hater but I don’t like him either. Its sad that he has got injured, but what is more saddening to watch is that Vince has driven some people to such a point where they are glad he is injured. This is all because of his obnoxious push. But let me just go through some of your reader feedback of last week & say what i feel about it. The reasons “Cena haters” give are:

Held the belt too long: Not his fault, Blame Vince.
Is not talented enough to keep his title (wrestling skills) : Not his fault, Vince put the belt on him
Is a commercial dummy: who isn’t? Stone Cold walks in, drinks beer, stuns a couple of blokes, takes his cheque. Would you not do the job given to you if the boss pays you big for it?
Does not sell moves: It was only once, HHH does not sell a whole trashing every week on RAW, so please…
No mike skills: wrong, its no proper script & that is creative’s fault
Pushed too soon: booking mistake
No great matches: had a few, was carried in a few but tell me who among the new breed can have great matches all the time? Maybe Edge…that’s it. we can’t always go back to HBK & Flair.
Is popular with your girl friend: Get over it guys.

See if someone is paying me Millions of $$ then i would do what my boss says, as long its legal. Cena is doing just that. He is working Vince the way Vince wants him to. You ppl speak as if you want him to stand up to vince & say “turn me heel & take the title off me”. Why would he do that? would anyone of you do it? If you would then, you need to borrow one of those “I hate cash” signs from Larry & stick it up on you face.

So, you see, it’s not all his fault. I’m not saying that hez great, but it’s just not his fault. I know that this is tooo long.Hope you read it. sorry, first mail so went a bit ragged. Keep up the good work & may the IWC grow a bit less bitter & have some perspective.

If i have got something wrong out of just being more dumb than you people, ignore it. Keep up the great work on the site…
PEACE

-SAMEER

Thanks for interesting insights on how wrestling is perceived in India, Sameer. Also, I want to say that it’s great to see so many people say that this is their first time writing to a writer from 411. I hope you’ll continue to do so in the future. Anyways, I agree with all of your points. I also think that people still get way too worked up over Cena not selling that injury at WM23. I have a feeling we’ll be hearing about that one until the end of time.

Thanks for the mail, everyone. Keep it coming!

That’s going to do it for this week. I’ll see everyone next time. Be safe and be happy.