I will read your reply later, can't right now and address it, but here's something more I wrote based on the previous exchange and where it seems like it was going...
Let's set things straight. For blind Cena haters he is 1 star quality. For his blind fans he is 5 star material. He isn't both. Cena is a solid 3-4 star quality. Cena is a Rock or Austin. He is not an HBK or Hart. Cena CAN'T carry a BAD wrestler. HBK and Hart could, Rock and Austin couldn't. Now that we have made those basic element clear, let's keep going.
Cena is in a league of his own and that's hurting him in the long run. Cena is the only one who could stand with behemoth such as Hogan, Rock and Austin in the current roster (Orton and Punk are getting close in term of general overness and stock value so to say). So in the end you know that Cena will always win. Cena will try to hack like the odds are stack against him and that he will mostly lose but you know he will win in the end and it's hurting him in the long run. Cena need to look down on his challenger and he need to look them as equal. As long as he can't look them as equal it will hurt the product and the anything can happen factor because you know that in the end, Cena will win.
Now let's talk about Cena "GREAT" (/irony) in ring psychology. Cena don't do much as far as moves goes but what he does he does it great, that I can agree. I can also agree that Cena is AWESOME at selling move (sometime he over do it, but still). An example when he is dazed or things like that or scream. When Cena apply the STF it look like you are screwed. But when Mysterio did it to Cena I wasn't believing a second that it was a painful move. But most of Cena's match in his carreer have been I am getting beat, I sell all match long with 2 or 3 failed comeback and then boom big comeback, be honest and stop trying to pretend it's not true. I am honest in my comment and I am expecting the same from the people I am dealing with.
Now since I am honest I will keep being it, most of the WWE face have that psychology because that's what Vince and the road agent want them to do (and that's how most of the pro wrestling match have always been and maybe they should change it a little but that's a matter for another topic.) the heel lead the match and the face sells and struggle then the face make a comeback and in the end he win or lose (of course). Same for tag team, the face will always struggle to the quick and cocky tag of the heels and then BAM HOT TAG, AND HOUSE CLEANING WITH POWER MOVES.
And if we want to take it into the realm of reality if I was in a fight I would make my comeback with what I know works, but as far as watching a match goes it can get predictable and stale.
I will close it on what I think is really important and that people fail to understand most of the time. You have the right to love Cena and I have the right to hate him and it doesn't matter to me or to you what the other think. You see I don't hate Cena 100%, I hate how he's booked, I hate his character and other things but I still respect what he does and how hard he work, but we have a right to be tired of him without being blind haters (some are, some aren't and I know it's hard to know it when you reply to a comment, but still).
I agree with a lot of what you said. One thing that did bug me was the whole "carrying thing". A "good match" is subjective. To me, to "carry" someone is to get them over. Bret and HBK could have smark-friendly matches with anyone, but Cena, hogan, rock, and austin could all get anyone over.
I think this is the main place we differ. I don't care what I think, what you think, or what anyone thinks of Cena. I look at it from the perspective of "is he doing his job better than anyone else." It doesn't matter if I don't like how he's booked or if you don't, or if someone else does, fact is, he's safe in the ring, and he draws the most. The two jobs of a wrestler he does.
Now, obviously you said you like his newer stuff, which I think everyone has liked the Punk feud and most people have liked Cena's booking since the Rock stuff.
I do think there's a lot of truth to you saying what hurts Cena is there is no one who is his equal. Personally I don't think that has anything to do with Cena, his booking, or any one else's booking. I just don't think anyone else has the ability to get as over as him. Rock is as over as him, which is why their shit works so well together. Punk is almost as over as him, which is why this shit works so well.
I guess it all boils down to two different economic facts. Fact 1, people like watching the highest competition (MLB>AAA>AA>A+>A>R as far as attendance), and fact 2, people like parity(lots of economic studies, no coincidence the NFL has the most parity and is the most popular).
So think about Cena. Nobody else draws as much as him. So really, he's at a higher level than most guys, so to see the "highest competition" you don't always feel like it. Fact 2 of parity, well WWE can't afford to let Cena lose too much or not be in the main feud because he draws more than pretty much anyone. So there goes parity.
In other words, other people need to step their game up for more people to accept Cena. Miz is damn close, he has the multi-media crossover appeal, can work the mic, can go in the ring. CM Punk can work the audience but needs more cross-over appeal.
I think you need to throw out percieved repetitiveness, throw out how you think he's booked, throw out saying you respect him, throw all that subjective stuff out. I think that no matter what your opinion of Cena is, if you throw out all the silly "he's a 4/5 on the mic, a 3/5 on technical skills, a 4/5 on ring psychology, so he's about a 3.75/5 overall" and look at what really matters, overness, and safety in the ring. You must admit he's one of the best in the world at doing his job.
I hate the yankees and red sox, but I admit, their ownership and their front office is one of the most amazingly run pro sports organizations in the world.
