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Post by thelonewolf527 on Nov 9, 2013 13:44:27 GMT -5
Before I go into any of this, I just want to say that this isn't a thread designed to bash Daniel Bryan, even though I will say something negative with regards to him.
Now that John Cena's back and is the World Champion, he's made a couple of appearances on SmackDown in the last few weeks. Smackdown's a pretty hit and miss kind of show where some weeks it's good and some it isn't, but a lot of the time just doesn't feel important. Seeing Cena on SmackDown recently to me has made SmackDown feel important. On the flip side, when Bryan and Orton were making appearances on SmackDown during their feud for the WWE Title, in all honesty, to me they came off as a lot less important because they were showing up on SmackDown so frequently.
It's pretty remarkable that John Cena's sheer presence can make an entire show feel important when the show usually makes other people come off as unimportant
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Post by Magic knows Black Lives Matter on Nov 9, 2013 13:45:54 GMT -5
Well...that's what happens with pretty much any major star that doesn't appear regularly on a show. It's not like it's solely a Cena thing. That's why special attractions exist.
To put it another way, fondness makes the heart grow fonder.
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Post by thelonewolf527 on Nov 9, 2013 13:48:35 GMT -5
Well...that's what happens with pretty much any major star that doesn't appear regularly on a show. It's not like it's solely a Cena thing. That's why special attractions exist. It doesn't necessarily have to be Cena, but comparing that to the previous couple of months, Bryan and Orton were on SmackDown every week and that dragged the feud down for me because watching their segments on SmackDown just made the feud feel a lot less important and big time. It goes to show you just how larger than life Cena is that instead of having the show drag his name down, he can bring the show's name value back up |
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Post by The Baltimore Staircase on Nov 9, 2013 13:49:18 GMT -5
It takes time you know.
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Nov 9, 2013 14:35:56 GMT -5
There's a reason as to why Cena's presence makes the show feel important: the guy's just good. Really, really good.
The ongoing push and WWE lionizing him as one of the greats, yeah, that's unarguably helped. But (and I'm not accusing the OP of this) too often fans only tend to talk about Cena as a product, in terms of his booking and marketing and whatnot, or Cena as a person in terms of his commitment to the business. Very few fans are pointing out that in terms of Cena the wrestler, he's like a top heavy HBK in how he can steal the show in the ring- and as far as Cena on the mic, goofy jokes aside I don't think anyone's better at selling upcoming events. We get on his case for being a "WWE billboard", but given that wrestling's essentially a circus, him being a carnival barker's not a bad skill to have.
Bryan's a fantastic all around performer in his own right and deserves to be a WWE cornerstone. But for WWE at this point to put Cena out to pasture solely for his sake, which I think a minority of fans seem to want (especially the YouTube mutants), would be a terrible call not just business wise, but quality wise. So long as WWE keeps doing what they're doing with Cena by keeping him in a "supporting role" a la HBK's last run, there's no danger of rising talent being overshadowed or smothered by his presence.
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Post by Red Impact on Nov 9, 2013 14:44:34 GMT -5
Bryan and Orton both appeared regularly on Smackdown prior to their feud, where Cena hasn't. So it's not surprising that his appearances adds more weight to the show.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2013 14:47:48 GMT -5
SmackDown is an easy show to dismiss; a lot of times their "stars" just seem like role players trying to find their footing and grasping their characters. But, that's what makes that show interesting - it's like watching the birthing pangs of (possibly) a new star on the rise. Back during the brand split, SmackDown was where you saw the future being slowly nurtured. When they made it to Raw, you knew they hit their mark as a pretty big deal.
And that rarely featured John Cena since his Raw move way back when. Bringing John back to the show that made him a star is like a homecoming, and feels fresh. (Yes, I know they would have guys like Edge, Batista & Kurt Angle - not to mention Undertaker. But, Cena is different. Seeing him on SmackDown is almost like living in a bizarro world, because we're just so used to him being the face of the WWE/therefore the featured star on the flagship show.
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Post by jason1980s on Nov 9, 2013 19:45:36 GMT -5
Cena is a testament to talent and hard work. He started out like any other with an indy gimmick called Prototype, he debuted with a Chaz-like gimmick (just a kid from Boston, in JC's case), had a gimmick that was probably five years too late and was paired with a guy who was probably the only guy never to get over in the Attitude Era (Bull). It's almost like he was supposed to not make it.
He was part of one of those "trying to make it to WWF" programs. I think Batista was part of that too. Just look at a lot of the Tough Enough guys. They had backing from WWF since day 1 and only a few made it. With his Boston kid gimmick it was like a cross between Chaz and "blue chipper" Rocky My-a-via (JR's way of saying it). And we all know how that worked out the first few months. I'm sure Bull is a nice guy but the profession he's meant for is in no way anything related to sports "entertainment." Just being with Bull, Cena should have been getting "go away heat" but he made the best of the gimmick. Wasn't it his own idea?
Before long he was champion and he didn't do it with backing of a "kliq" or anything of the sort. He made the movies because he has a movie star-like presence and I think he was pretty good in 12 rounds. Didn't see the Marine. He probably wouldn't be as big a star in the era of prime Rock and Austin or Hogan and Savage but in the last 10 years he's, IMO with very little argument, THE star above all others. And he just seems like a guy who the deck was stacked against and he wasn't supposed to make it.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2013 19:48:16 GMT -5
SmackDown didn't feel any more important to me.
*shrug*
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Post by bootytea on Nov 9, 2013 21:35:42 GMT -5
The importance of the show has very little to do with who is on the show, but more on how it is presented.
WWE is not even being subtle about how they value RAW more than Smackdown which does hurt the shows perception. The fact that you rarely have Smackdown recaps shown as much on Raw as you would see with Raw recaps on Smackdown tells you everything.
Also, this reliance on John Cena is hurting the show too. It makes me wish there was actual competition so that they would throw more cash to John and force WWE to push someone new or share the push..
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Post by cahuette on Nov 9, 2013 21:50:53 GMT -5
It didn't make raw or smackdown feel any more important to me, for me Cena is not making anything feel important, it actually makes the show easier to endure since it makes like twenty minutes of every show go mute or skiped.
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Post by 1 Free Moon-Down with Burger on Nov 9, 2013 21:55:36 GMT -5
It didn't make raw or smackdown feel any more important to me, for me Cena is not making anything feel important, it actually makes the show easier to endure since it makes like twenty minutes of every show go mute or skiped. So you're missing good matches on purpose? That's weird to me. |
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Post by cahuette on Nov 9, 2013 22:19:07 GMT -5
It didn't make raw or smackdown feel any more important to me, for me Cena is not making anything feel important, it actually makes the show easier to endure since it makes like twenty minutes of every show go mute or skiped. So you're missing good matches on purpose? That's weird to me. Nah I meant that I skip his promos(when I'm not watching live), except for him being not able to sell anything right, his matches are really good, I just think they should get him a manager who keeps him from talking, ever. Have him join Swagger! |
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Post by Djm Doesn't Find You Funny on Nov 9, 2013 22:26:35 GMT -5
The guy's talent aside, the amount of effort WWE has put into making him THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN WWE AT ALL TIMES cannot be ignored.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2013 23:58:06 GMT -5
Well it doesn't help that Cena has been the guy for 8 years and 3/4 now. Hogan was the guy for 9 years. After Wrestlemania 30 Cena would of been the top guy for 9 years now. 9 years!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2013 7:55:05 GMT -5
Well...that's what happens with pretty much any major star that doesn't appear regularly on a show. It's not like it's solely a Cena thing. That's why special attractions exist. To put it another way, fondness makes the heart grow fonder. Absence? Cena's the biggest star in wrestlng. He hasn't regularly appeared on Smackdown in a very long time. Meanwhile Bryan and Orton have been all over Smackdown the last few years, they've been carrying it along with Sheamus, Del Rio, and Ziggler. To me it made Smackdown feel like a bigger deal when they were featuring the main angle on the show, but now they can leave the Best For Business stuff on Raw and let Cena carry Smackdown. Works better for me, I like watching Cena work with the midcard, feels fresh. And less Best For Business, the better. |
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Post by SEAN CARLESS on Nov 10, 2013 8:19:49 GMT -5
It didn't make raw or smackdown feel any more important to me, for me Cena is not making anything feel important, it actually makes the show easier to endure since it makes like twenty minutes of every show go mute or skiped. So you're missing good matches on purpose? That's weird to me. Almost as weird as thinking Bryan and Punk have terrible matches together.  |
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Post by 1 Free Moon-Down with Burger on Nov 10, 2013 8:49:18 GMT -5
So you're missing good matches on purpose? That's weird to me. Almost as weird as thinking Bryan and Punk have terrible matches together. I don't think their matches are terrible. Just kinda boring from a character standpoint. There's no spice to it outside of 'These guys wrestled before in other promotions'. |
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Post by Magic knows Black Lives Matter on Nov 10, 2013 9:56:54 GMT -5
Well...that's what happens with pretty much any major star that doesn't appear regularly on a show. It's not like it's solely a Cena thing. That's why special attractions exist. To put it another way, fondness makes the heart grow fonder. Absence? Damn it, that's what I get typing too fast, haha. |
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