Did The Rock lie to all of us?

[Matt7584]

Check out this Promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfreX4pHV5I&feature=related

Rock makes statements about how much he loves wrestling and the company. Did the Rock mean what he said or was it just promo to excite the fans at the time?

This also got me thinking how we all rip hogan for staying too long in the business. maybe i and others should be ripped for wanting the Rock to comeback. He's not a young guy anymore and most guys stay way past their prime. Maybe the Rock pulled a Barry Sanders. Was the arguably the greatest and left at the top of his game.

Still do you feel that this promo was a lie?

 

[JGlass]

Did he lie... yeah kind of. I don't think he knew where life was going to take him. Think about it, what wrestler has had more post-WWE success than The Rock? Even the most popular wrestlers in the world: Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Stone Cold Steve Austin, have had nowhere near the mainstream success that The Rock has had. He has been in movies for young and old, guest starred on TV shows, and has become a pop culture phenomenon.

Perhaps he thought he was going to take a long hiatus from wrestling to inevitably return one day. He had options, offers to be part in movies like Be Cool and Grid Iron Gang, movies where he would have a chance to really shine. He probably figured after a few of these movies his star would have burnt out and he'd have to go back to Vince McMahon for a job. But that didn't happen. Even though he never really knocked the ball out of the part as a movie star, he was still popular, and the offers kept rolling in.

Maybe he thought he'd get the itch like most wrestlers do. More often than not a retired wrestler has to have "one more match." The Rock had not only been in the industry for a long enough time, but wrestling was in his blood. Maybe he counted on missing wrestling, but he discovered that he didn't.

This is all hearsay, and nobody except The Rock knows why he hasn't returned to wrestling. Is that promo a lie? It depends on what his intentions are. When he said it he may have thought that he would one day return, but then he discovered that he liked life better outside the squared circle.

 

[Con T.]

A lie? Absolutely not. Not even close, honestly. I'm usually astounded by the amount of criticism heaved upon The Rock for his lack of involvement with the WWE. Who is to say that The Rock doesn't legitimately love professional wrestling? It's something that's been in his bloodlines for generations, and something that is a family thing for him. Of course he still loves wrestling. But that doesn't mean The Rock loves wrestling more than he loves his family and life.

Let's be frank, wrestling takes years off your life. Someone could argue that's only true for those that wrestle in an unhealthy matter, but the truth is, wrestling is an unhealthy art. Why should we expect The Rock to return to wrestling, sacrificing a movie career which can sustain his family well, and more so than the WWE can offer for less work, and less wear and tear on the body. Personally, I aint mad at cha, Rock, and I wish we would all put to rest this notion that Rocky left us high and dry. The truth is, he has a better life to live, man, one in which doesn't require the travel schedule of the WWE.

Does the Rock love the WWE? Of course he does, man. Just don't expect him to sacrifice his life and family in order to express that love

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Does the Rock love the WWE? Of course he does, man. Just don't expect him to sacrifice his life and family in order to express that love

This is spot-on. Do I want to see the Rock come back? Hell yes! But am I mad at him for leaving professional wrestling, pursuing his own dreams and aspirations, and doing what he wants to do with his life? Hell no! If he comes back, awesome. That's great for me and the rest of the fans. But I've never expected these guys to put their lives on the line for my benefit. If they want to go and do something else, more power to them. They're not traitors, they're human beings. If I were to leave my job and somebody told me "Mike...you're traitor and a terrible human being. Millions of people have loved watching you work 9-5, doing mundane every day tasks that a monkey could perform. Why would you leave us like that! How dare you!" ...I would probably look at them, look back at my work...and then walk out the door and do whatever I wanted to do with my life. I'm not at all saying that being a pro wrestler is comparable to working a 9-5 desk job, but we're all humans with the ability to make our own decisions.

 

[Dean Winchester]

Did he lie... yeah kind of. I don't think he knew where life was going to take him. Think about it, what wrestler has had more post-WWE success than The Rock? Even the most popular wrestlers in the world: Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Stone Cold Steve Austin, have had nowhere near the mainstream success that The Rock has had. He has been in movies for young and old, guest starred on TV shows, and has become a pop culture phenomenon.

Perhaps he thought he was going to take a long hiatus from wrestling to inevitably return one day. He had options, offers to be part in movies like Be Cool and Grid Iron Gang, movies where he would have a chance to really shine. He probably figured after a few of these movies his star would have burnt out and he'd have to go back to Vince McMahon for a job. But that didn't happen. Even though he never really knocked the ball out of the part as a movie star, he was still popular, and the offers kept rolling in.

Maybe he thought he'd get the itch like most wrestlers do. More often than not a retired wrestler has to have "one more match." The Rock had not only been in the industry for a long enough time, but wrestling was in his blood. Maybe he counted on missing wrestling, but he discovered that he didn't.

This is all hearsay, and nobody except The Rock knows why he hasn't returned to wrestling. Is that promo a lie? It depends on what his intentions are. When he said it he may have thought that he would one day return, but then he discovered that he liked life better outside the squared circle.

Yeah I'm sure if those guys especially Ric Flair would of had a auccessful acting career they never return to professional wreslting ever again. Its ashame too because somebody like Ric Flair could of had a successful career in Hollywood with his personality and charisma.

 

[klunderbunker]

Check out this Promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfreX4pHV5I&feature=related

Rock makes statements about how much he loves wrestling and the company. Did the Rock mean what he said or was it just promo to excite the fans at the time?

This also got me thinking how we all rip hogan for staying too long in the business. maybe i and others should be ripped for wanting the Rock to comeback. He's not a young guy anymore and most guys stay way past their prime. Maybe the Rock pulled a Barry Sanders. Was the arguably the greatest and left at the top of his game.

Still do you feel that this promo was a lie?

No it was all real. Undertaker is also a zombie, Austin regularly beats up his boss, Goldust really is a movie crazed possibly homosexual wrestler and HHH really is married to Stephanie.

Ok scratch that last one.

OF COURSE HE SAID IF FOR THE FANS. Wrestling is based entirely on a lie. Why in the world should a single word a wrestler ever says be held up as true? A wrestler lies about what his own name is, how tall he is and how much he weighs but we're now holding them to promises they make in promos? Really? Why in the world are we debating this? Rock, an actor then and an actor now, said something to get people to cheer for him in a business based on lying to people and we're talking about if it was real or not. Do you get why this is a stupid question yet?

 

[GetsHeat]

Sure he loves the business, it's in his family, it's in his blood. He had 6-7 great years and he did it all.

He moved onto a job that's easier, makes him more money, and allows him to have a much higher quality of life. No more 300 days on the road, no more taking dangerous spots, bumps, no health care, etc.

 

[daveamania]

I can't blame The Rock for leaving the business. Good for him.

Nobody here can say if they wasn't in his shoes they wouldnt do the same. The guy had an amazing career with the WWF/E. He held almost every major championship the company offered and has worked with all of the top stars at the time.

I'm sure Dwayne still loves wrestling but I bet he loves spending time with his family more. Maybe one day we we see one last match but until then I'm happy for the guy.

 

[Spying Lammer]

The Rock will be back one day, So will Stone Cold. Vince McMahon plans on doing the same thing to TNA that he did to WCW. When this happens, that is when the rock and stone cold will come back. They will kind of be like super heros to the rescue.

 

[orton0384]

The Rock will be back one day, So will Stone Cold. Vince McMahon plans on doing the same thing to TNA that he did to WCW. When this happens, that is when the rock and stone cold will come back. They will kind of be like super heros to the rescue.

I am not usually so blunt and rude but please come back to reality.(Look up my other posts) Its the second door on the left. While your at it put the cocaine rock down too.

All in all it is very wishful thinking on your part.

 

[Aguilac]

like dr house says:
"everybody lies"

it was a promo, made to hype the fans. He might not be lying, but the purpose was to say something to make the crowd go wild.

Another example. Hulk Hogan on RAW 15th. Anniversay said the WWE was the biggest company in wrestling... TNA, january 4, 2010, Hogan,along with Bischoff, mentioned that TNA was a huge company with great future... and somehow Im pretty sure that in WCW he said that Ted Turner had created the biggest enterprise in the business (not really sure, but you get the point)

Lying??? maybe....
Made just for the people to cheer?? yeah

 

[Cats Pajamas]

I tell my boss I lovemy job all the time. Do I really? Not really. Saying you like your job is part of life. Your not really supposed to mean it, but it makes everyone feel good at the moment so its not really lying. As far as him, Austin, and whoever elsereturning to save WWE from TNA, I think TNA will have to pose a legitimate threat first. Even if they could do that, the Rock and Austin would probably not be interested in wrestling them. All they'd do is get on Raw and plug their upcoming crap movie.

 

[shogunsrampage]

no one has yet to say the reason whwy he hasnt returned, and he himself has said it atleast 3x the past 2 years... the pg era doesnt fit his character, and he doesnt want to come back watered down as he feels it would damage the character of "the rock".. stone cold feels the EXACT same way which is why we havnt seen him. they both feel there characters r 2 edgy for todays wwe product and coming back would only diminish the legacy there characters built bc simply they cant be that exact character in todays product

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

I don't think that The Rock is lying about the fact that he loves the business. I have always believed that he does and accepts the fact that pro wrestling is what made him pretty willingly. Even to this day he is known more as a pro wrestler than as an actor.

That part about him promising to come back may be a lie though I don't think anyone will be able to answer that except for Rocky himself. Maybe he does want to come back, in some capacity, and is not really getting any time to do so? It could be that he wanted to guest host Raw or perhaps come in as a general manager. Or it could be that he has decided in his mind that pro wrestling is something he would rather not go back to but he wants to keep his fans and so he is lying? Its hard to judge his intentions but I think that it is not something that should be held against him. He should be remembered and rejoiced for the entertainment he provided to us and not reviled for not providing the entertainment he may or may not be able to provide to us.

 

[BK Styles]

Right, lets get one thing straight here. No one can tell for sure what Rock's intentions are, or have been since he left wrestling. One thing we know for sure is that he needed to move on.

Does that make him a betrayer?

No.

Does it make him a liar for all the times he's said he loves wrestling?

No.

It makes him smart.

Rock left wrestling to look after his health. We can look at Hogan and see a perfect example of not knowing when to call it quits. Rock is an intelligent guy, and from my point of view he's tried to make a natural progression into a world where his fans can still see him; movies. This does not mean, by any way, shape or form, that he has 'abandoned' wrestling. He's moved on. Why is this such a bad thing. Sure, he said he would return this summer just gone, and he didn't. What we have to understand is that he has his own life outside of wrestling and if something happened to make it no longer a viable solution anymore, then we hve to accept it.

Just because he's retired young and hasn't made regular appearances for the last few years doesn't mean hes lied to us all. It means he respects us enough to remember him in his prime, and to be honest, I would rather remember him as he was than if he returned, became broken down and living off the past. And I'd rather him not come back and pay 'lip service' just to try and keep the fans sweet. I respect him a lot for that. And thats something I can't say for Hogan.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

No idea, but I don't think so. I think he genuinely is proud of his roots and heritage and how being a wrestler jumpstarted his <ahem> acting career. All I can say is I remember listening to an interview with Kurt Angle over this last year, and in it he said The Rock still personally calls him regularly to see how things are going and to comment on how he thinks things are going in TNA and WWE. If you grow up with your family embedded into the history of the industry and it got you to the position he is in today I really don't see how or why you wouldn't like it.

He just has prior committments. He was scheduled for a return to the ring last year but acting is his proffession now, if he has to be on set then it's that simple. You don't take a day off work to go visit the corner store you used to work at. Honestly all credit to the guy, he came through the biz fronm the bottom to the top and got himself in a nicer cushier place to be, although by an intensive purposes he is a god-awful actor, I wouldn't blame him if he didn't come back and I certainly wouldn't accuse him of not loving the biz.

For me I think he ought to just clear up his schedule enough to make a one-time appearance and then be done with wrestling altogether. I don't want him to be remember at losing to evolution in his last match. Call me mad but I still have sneaking suspicion he's the GM, almost certainly wrong but who knows.

 

[GameOver]

No it was all real. Undertaker is also a zombie, Austin regularly beats up his boss, Goldust really is a movie crazed possibly homosexual wrestler and HHH really is married to Stephanie.

Ok scratch that last one.

OF COURSE HE SAID IF FOR THE FANS. Wrestling is based entirely on a lie. Why in the world should a single word a wrestler ever says be held up as true? A wrestler lies about what his own name is, how tall he is and how much he weighs but we're now holding them to promises they make in promos? Really? Why in the world are we debating this? Rock, an actor then and an actor now, said something to get people to cheer for him in a business based on lying to people and we're talking about if it was real or not. Do you get why this is a stupid question yet?

Agree its a dumb question but who's the silly one.
* Wrestlers don't "lie" about there name. They are actors playing a role, no different than hollywood.
* The company embelishes stuff to make someone seem bigger then they are, not the person themselves.
* When at events they have to keep there character name so as not to break the illusion
* They say what gets them the attention they need to get them over when at a company event.

oh and might be stating the obvious, but not everyone lives there character outside of the televised events. Some of them do have a life outside of wrestling

But back to the Rock. Though i would love to see the Great One have never left in the first place, i certainly am not griped he would rather do something relatively safe like making millions of dollars in a few months of making a movie and then countless people watching that as opposed to having to pander to millions of people on a weekly basis who want him to be on all the time and putting his life on the line for a few million dollars a year.

He owes the fans nothing. Busted his ass for 7yrs and was in the top of all time as far as entertainment goes.

And better that then bullshitting everyone like Hogan, Flair, Nash etc. who claim to love the business, but are really just milking it for everything they can get cause they were too stupid/self absorbed to have a backup, or help the future grow without them.

 

[Rampage Bentley]

Yeah I'm sure if those guys especially Ric Flair would of had a auccessful acting career they never return to professional wreslting ever again. Its ashame too because somebody like Ric Flair could of had a successful career in Hollywood with his personality and charisma.

Definitely not. The only place Ric Flair is even remotely respected is in the world of wrestling, anywhere else he's considered an absolute joke, and rightfully so.

But on to the task at hand, did The Rock lie? As someone pointed out earlier, if he stated this and it was his original intention that makes it not a lie. And who knows only time can tell, maybe one day he'll realize he hates making Disney movies and does one more run.

As for leaving to "pursue his dreams" being a wrestler IS a dream job, if his dream was to act all along maybe he started out in the wrong professsion.

 

[Steve001]

What everyone seems to be forgetting (or maybe they just weren't watching Pro Wrestling at the time!) is the impetus for this promo.
The Rock returned to Raw one week after 'Stone Cold' took his ball and went home!

If you'll recall, Austin, who was growing disgruntled with WWE's creative approach and the rapidly declining TV ratings and PPV buy rates, rolled into Atlanta, GA for a June 2002 Raw and was informed that he was scheduled to job to the then super-green Brock Lesnar. That proposal was the final straw for Austin who stormed out of the company that very day.

I personally do not blame Steve for the outlook he had on the business at the time, because I felt the same way and WWE by that point was REALLY starting to produce absolute rubbish, a trend that unfortunately has continued until this very day. If I'm honest I will admit to not watching WWE regularly since October 2005.

Anyway, back to the point, after Austin walked out on the WWE Vince McMahon knew he had to pull out an ace from his sleeve and one phone call to 'Hollywood' Dwayne allowed Vince to accomplish these very simple things:

a: Convince the world that Austin was the world's biggest ingrate (Also, remember in December of that year, the WWE seemed delighted to report that Austin had been arrested for beating the shit out of his Wife and received a scathing 8 page dressing down in WWE magazine!)

b: Pop a rating during a desperate time

c: Have Rocky deliver a hypocritical mid-ring promo that sent a message to the 'boys' in the back

To be fair, I don't hold anything Rock said in that promo against him in any way, shape or form. He was simply going out and delivering his scripted lines the best way he knew how. Just like every WWE employee...Oops...I mean "Independent Contractor".

As others have noted earlier, to take a Professional Wrestler at his word, especially when it's broadcast on TV is inane. Wrestlers fictionalize their heights, weights and backgrounds.

In 2002, The Rock had a choice to make, to either stay in Wrestling and deal with the road schedule/travel, the bumps and bruises and the headaches that come with the backstage political jousting with others such as Triple H. He could earn BIG cash from Wrestling or MONSTER cash from movies with a much lighter work schedule. The choice for him was clearly quite an easy one.

 

[jacdnwarrior]

Wrestling fans are passionate about their favourites. Many are also beyond absurd. Do I think he was lying, no. He loved wrestling, grew up with wrestling, is from a wrestling family, so I think he's telling the truth about loving the business.

For those who despise because he moved onto acting, he left, get over it. He's done everything he can in the business, he worked hard, faced all sorts of resentment and open hostility from performers jealous of the attention he received. You think it was all just fun and glory for him ?

I think what has people so passionate about the Rock leaving, is twofold:

First: that he was one of the few performers who actually had the kind of adoration and success that few performers ever really achieve in the business.

Second: He actually had the mainstream appeal few performers have and was able to use that to leave the industry into a successful career outside the business.

No one has the right to demand some one deny himself an opportunity at a better career, life, easier workload etc.
It's ridiculous that people hate him for pursuing another line of work, it's an absolute joke.

 

[Karaoke Superstar]

Check out this Promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfreX4pHV5I&feature=related

Rock makes statements about how much he loves wrestling and the company. Did the Rock mean what he said or was it just promo to excite the fans at the time?

This also got me thinking how we all rip hogan for staying too long in the business. maybe i and others should be ripped for wanting the Rock to comeback. He's not a young guy anymore and most guys stay way past their prime. Maybe the Rock pulled a Barry Sanders. Was the arguably the greatest and left at the top of his game.

Still do you feel that this promo was a lie?

Wrestling 101: If it's on TV it's probably fake. He was playing a character and playing to the crowd. I don't doubt that The Rock appreciates his wrestling fans and the business. But like everyone it comes down to money. He had the opportunity to make more money without putting his body through hell and he took it, I can't blame him for that. If John Cena or any other superstar starred in a movie that was successful then they would probably be on their way out too. Just remember the good ol' days, because aside from the odd cameo here and there he's done with wrestling.

 

[KaoticMayhem]

Did the rock lie to us, i don't know.. depends on how you veiw wrestling.. as a SHOW its written n scripted.. he said what he was told to say at the time. As a farwell from the heart to his fans.. maybe yes he probably does love wrestling like he said but he also said "i will never turn my back on wrestling" ok well then wheres the love there? But all in all did he really turn his back on what he Does... after all he is an ACTOR.. wrestlers are Actors playing a part.. which he is STILL doing.. did everyone freak out when Stallone quit doing ROCKY movies and moved on to other projects? No. far as im concerned the rock has done the same thing, moved on to other projects which still entertain me so as far as im concerned the rock hasnt gone anywhere. He still does what he always did.. Entertain. would i like to see him back in WWE, sure a promo here an appearance there maybe even a match at a PPV, but if that never happens i still know where to see him if i need my Fix of this quick talking Entertainer because the bottom line is he never went anywhere hes still out there doin what hes always done.

 

[ABMorales787]

How the hell did he lie? The man had a full career in under 7 years. The man was an absolute machine that revolutionized the pro wrestling industry to the point where there was nothing else for him. Do you people not remember 2003? He was a heel, yet he was not as big a heel as Triple H. Yes there were some "stuff" going on, but could you really say you hated The Rock over Triple H? The only way The Rock stayed relevant that time was because of Steve Austin. When Austin left, what happened? Eventually The Rock followed suit. Because there was nothing else to do. The Rock is the closest thing to a perfect career. He rose to the top on sheer talent and on no time. Accomplished more in 6 years than most do in their entire HOF careers and left just a little after his prime. Yeah, maybe it left everyone starving for that big hooray of a send-off, but I would rather see him go out at the top than falling off the mighty oak tree like many before and after him have. Giving his spot up for others to take is not him lying about loving the industry. It's called stepping down and giving others the chance.

 

[ipswichicon80]

I'm often confused by people calling the Rock a "traitor". Aside from health reasons(that others have already talked about,what was there really left for the Rock to achieve in WWE? He won the world title 7 times. Headlined 4 consecutive mania's(I'm counting Hogan/Rock as the ME for mania 17 as that's what drew the money not Triple H Jericho).Is already remembered as one of the best talkers and has left a legacy of great matches.
What seems to annoy people his the fact he was still relatively injury free when he left,so,as others have pointed out,he left whilst he still had his health.Is that not a smart move?
And just to finish with Ric Flairs thinly disguised dig at the rock in his HOF speech "John Cena will never leave the WWE for Hollywood" no he won't Ric,not out of loyalty, but because, as he shows on a weekly basis on WWE TV, he can't act(unless there is a role out there about a 12 year old trapped in a man's body as he has that role down to a tee).

 

[DeathClutch]

I'm guessing this was around 2002?

No Rocky didn't lie to use, it was a promo for that moment, he's not Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan, Rock got big opportunities in Hollywood that was better money and less taxing on his body and he took them. Sure most fans might feel like he lied but remember he RETIRED at WrestleMania 20.

Yes I would love to see The Rock return for a couple of months and have a mini run, but realistically Wrestling will never die but characters do, and unfortunatly The Rock retired and his in-ring wrestling career had expired.