Really, so Kane AND HHH both did a program about 10 years ago, which was after the whole "Attitude Era" where Kane had sex with a dead corpse, ONLY to find out it was HHH in mask. BUT, both men went on to have very very successful runs on top, and one, HHH even married the boss' daughter and now runs the joint! BUT here's a guy who made a statement, a reference to an incident and he's fired?
Well, for one Triple H and Kane were both big investments (ESPECIALLY 10 years ago) that meant something to Vince McMahon and the WWE. Even if the product wasn't all about controversy, they wouldn't have been fired. They would have been told to watch what they say more carefully, and receive a big ole' slap on the wrist. Those who have more to lose, have more to protect. A.W. means so very little to the grand scheme of professional wrestling, that it was literally better for the company to release him, than keep him on. There's a line in the business where the company's image means more or less than an individual. GUys like John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Miz, the Rock, CM Punk, etc etc are above that line. Why do you think Orton wasn't fired immediately for violating another wellness policy? It's how businesses work in the real world; the only thing you're not realizing is that you're not a kid anymore - WWE is a business, not your Saturday morning cartoon fix.
So when did WWE become so damn high & mighty?
It's an election year, and a McMahon is running for a political office. So I'd say...right now.
WWE forgot how to have fun ever since they brought their asses back to the USA Network, even though it was the USA Network that gave them their start AND embraced the Attitude Era.
The Attitude Era is dead. It's gone. No matter how many times DX gets back together, Steve Austin stunners a nobody, or they mention it in a video game....it's gone. CM Punk is the closest thing you're going to get to it, and that ain't changing for quite awhile. If you're not down with that, you have alternatives. You can watch TNA; I highly recommend it. But for the love of God, stop beating this horse to death. You really think you're the first person to come into a thread and talk about how much the WWE sucks?
Vince McMahon has grown soft.
Vince McMahon has built an empire. A publicly traded, globally viewed empire with sponsorship out the ying-yang. In the last ten years the TV industry has plummeted in ratings. Not just the WWE, for you silly people out there that like to bring up WWE's bad ratings in every argument. A lot of shows couldn't figure out how to reach markets and stay afloat; they died. Generation spanning soap operas were cancelled. Long time reality shows were canned. Vince McMahon turned the product to family-friendly entertainment, and started marketing all over the world. They went public, they started sending guys out to the media, they started making crappy movies. They started reaching a demographic that wasn't included in the ratings, because they HAD to to survive. I've been to dozens of WWE shows in several cities around the country; WWE isn't going anywhere for a long, long time.
15 years ago, a guy like John Cena would've been boo'd out the arena and sent packing to WCW, now, he's the poster boy for the "NEW" WWE.
Jesus, how long has he been the poster boy? And you're still going on about it like it's a new thing? 2005 called, they want their ignorance back.
And the one thing they know is that for the time being, they need men like Heyman, Brock Lesner and CM Punk because without them, they'd be WCW Saturday Night. Let's be honest here, the WWE product sucks.
The WWE product has been drawing around the same ratings all year long, no matter who was involved - be it Triple H, Brock Lesnar, the Rock, CM Punk, etc. Sometimes there'd be a small blip up or down depending, but it's not likely anybody is really blowing things up for the WWE right now. Punk has been in some of the highest, and the lowest rated segments on Raw. WWE is, and this is both a blessing and a curse, consistent regardless of who they bring in. You'd just like to think the controversy helps; it really doesn't.
And now, back to the TNA discussion.