beefthelegend
The Beefiest Legend in all the Land
I did a quick cursory check of the boards, didn't see a topic like this-only one post that vaguely hinted at this.
Randy Orton- 2011 was a banner year for him. He became "the guy" on Smackdown, the SD! Cena. And even though he didn't spend alot of time in the main even scene (which i am THRILLED with), he was still the largest draw on Smackdown.
Fast forward to Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett. A decent feud, with the makings of being THE thing to spring board Wade Barrett Into the main event picture (they really dropped the ball with Wade.
)
A few weeks into the feud, Orton is thrown down a flight of stairs and is "hurt". WWE took him off TV.
Why?
Was it to better the Orton/Barrett Feud? Just so Orton could come back and squash him and end the feud prematurely? No. I don't think so.
Hmmm...Oh, I know! it was to set up Orton as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble in his hometown of St. Louis, and have him go on to win! Granted, I feared this as the "worse case scenario" but a likely one, given the people who have won rumbles recently have came back from "major" injuries- remember the reports when they first hit that Orton could miss Mania?
But what, oh what, could cause him to miss up to 90 days of action? And instead only miss 30...hmmm.
And then to miss the Elimination Chamber PPV- A huge Main Event PPV payday, likely resulting in the "Era of Orton" returning? A concussion? Highly unlikely.
All of these events could have happened- the seperated shoulder, the concussion. But I have a different theory.
I think Randy Orton had his third strike. And I know i'm not the only one. It was never reported on Wrestlezone, so take it with a grain of salt, but it certainly makes sense. My buddy told me he saw it on another site, and that was the last i heard of it.
It makes perfect sense though. It kept him out almost exactly thirty days, so the WWE rushed to get him back on TV before the Rumble to help the buyrate. After all, he is their "Number 2 face" although I believe Ryder and Punk rank higher than him IMO.
So he rushes back, squashes Barrett to blow off their feud, and save face. Then makes it to the final four in the Rumble, only to be dumped by Jericho. Now, I'm not a Wrestler, but i know there are those in Power who hate Jericho, and are fans of Orton. And yet he was the one to ruin Orton's chances at Mania.
Then he is booked in a weak Weak WEAK Smackdown Elimination Chamber, which it seems obvious that he would win, and yet, missed the PPV entirely. No Vignette, no interference, nothing. He's the "#2 Face" yet WWE can't make time for him, on a PPV with 4 matches, to have a 3 minute interview?
Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.
And if this was, in fact, his 3rd strike, then WWE are keeping this VERY quiet. This "leak" that my friend brought to my attention (which i never saw, by the way) was the ONLY story I heard other than this injury business.
And more importantly, I think this shows the flaw in WWE's Wellness policy. It applies to guys like Evan Bourne who will be shown the door, RVD, who was handed his walking papers, and even a Non-homegrown legend in Booker T, but when you have your "#2 face" get smacked with the third infringement, Nothing happens. He misses out on a couple huge paydays. I bet he'll get by.
On one hand, I understand the situtation. The WWE machine just poured tons of money and time into this guy, including a LENGTHY contract. They made him the #2, (well, tried-CM Punk kinda vaulted himself into that limelight) hell, he was even on the Cover of the Smackdown vs. Raw Franchise "Reboot" WWE 12. What are you going to do? Rip up his contract, and send an established and great young athlete out into the unemployment line? Please. He'd hit "waivers" and TNA would be in his face offering him half of Pennsyltucky, which is owned by the Carter and Jarrett Families, to come and work for them.
But at the same time, the Wellness Policy was put into place to protect the wrestlers and the companies from the horrors of "another Benoit", and early death, period. (Although, all it's really done is find the roid ragers-most of whom we already knew, and weed out the stoners) This Wellness Policy has to hold up against ANYONE who breaks it- top stars included.
If this was, indeed, a wellness violation, the third for Mr. Orton, then the WWE has created a slippery slope here that could spell an end for the company facilitated wellness program, and usher in one of a less...biased source.
Alright. I've given yinz alot to chew on, mull over, and discuss. What do you think? Am i completely wrong, has Randy Orton just been Kennedy'd (or is it Anderson'd) as of late and had terrible timing? Or, is there something more to all of this? If so, then what do you think of what was done, and what should else should be done- if anything?
Randy Orton- 2011 was a banner year for him. He became "the guy" on Smackdown, the SD! Cena. And even though he didn't spend alot of time in the main even scene (which i am THRILLED with), he was still the largest draw on Smackdown.
Fast forward to Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett. A decent feud, with the makings of being THE thing to spring board Wade Barrett Into the main event picture (they really dropped the ball with Wade.
) A few weeks into the feud, Orton is thrown down a flight of stairs and is "hurt". WWE took him off TV.
Why?
Was it to better the Orton/Barrett Feud? Just so Orton could come back and squash him and end the feud prematurely? No. I don't think so.
Hmmm...Oh, I know! it was to set up Orton as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble in his hometown of St. Louis, and have him go on to win! Granted, I feared this as the "worse case scenario" but a likely one, given the people who have won rumbles recently have came back from "major" injuries- remember the reports when they first hit that Orton could miss Mania?
But what, oh what, could cause him to miss up to 90 days of action? And instead only miss 30...hmmm.
And then to miss the Elimination Chamber PPV- A huge Main Event PPV payday, likely resulting in the "Era of Orton" returning? A concussion? Highly unlikely.
All of these events could have happened- the seperated shoulder, the concussion. But I have a different theory.
I think Randy Orton had his third strike. And I know i'm not the only one. It was never reported on Wrestlezone, so take it with a grain of salt, but it certainly makes sense. My buddy told me he saw it on another site, and that was the last i heard of it.
It makes perfect sense though. It kept him out almost exactly thirty days, so the WWE rushed to get him back on TV before the Rumble to help the buyrate. After all, he is their "Number 2 face" although I believe Ryder and Punk rank higher than him IMO.
So he rushes back, squashes Barrett to blow off their feud, and save face. Then makes it to the final four in the Rumble, only to be dumped by Jericho. Now, I'm not a Wrestler, but i know there are those in Power who hate Jericho, and are fans of Orton. And yet he was the one to ruin Orton's chances at Mania.
Then he is booked in a weak Weak WEAK Smackdown Elimination Chamber, which it seems obvious that he would win, and yet, missed the PPV entirely. No Vignette, no interference, nothing. He's the "#2 Face" yet WWE can't make time for him, on a PPV with 4 matches, to have a 3 minute interview?
Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.
And if this was, in fact, his 3rd strike, then WWE are keeping this VERY quiet. This "leak" that my friend brought to my attention (which i never saw, by the way) was the ONLY story I heard other than this injury business.
And more importantly, I think this shows the flaw in WWE's Wellness policy. It applies to guys like Evan Bourne who will be shown the door, RVD, who was handed his walking papers, and even a Non-homegrown legend in Booker T, but when you have your "#2 face" get smacked with the third infringement, Nothing happens. He misses out on a couple huge paydays. I bet he'll get by.
On one hand, I understand the situtation. The WWE machine just poured tons of money and time into this guy, including a LENGTHY contract. They made him the #2, (well, tried-CM Punk kinda vaulted himself into that limelight) hell, he was even on the Cover of the Smackdown vs. Raw Franchise "Reboot" WWE 12. What are you going to do? Rip up his contract, and send an established and great young athlete out into the unemployment line? Please. He'd hit "waivers" and TNA would be in his face offering him half of Pennsyltucky, which is owned by the Carter and Jarrett Families, to come and work for them.
But at the same time, the Wellness Policy was put into place to protect the wrestlers and the companies from the horrors of "another Benoit", and early death, period. (Although, all it's really done is find the roid ragers-most of whom we already knew, and weed out the stoners) This Wellness Policy has to hold up against ANYONE who breaks it- top stars included.
If this was, indeed, a wellness violation, the third for Mr. Orton, then the WWE has created a slippery slope here that could spell an end for the company facilitated wellness program, and usher in one of a less...biased source.
Alright. I've given yinz alot to chew on, mull over, and discuss. What do you think? Am i completely wrong, has Randy Orton just been Kennedy'd (or is it Anderson'd) as of late and had terrible timing? Or, is there something more to all of this? If so, then what do you think of what was done, and what should else should be done- if anything?
