The Face/Heel Division is live and well

[NegativeFeedback]

John Cena is always spouting about how the face/heel division is antiquated and fans don't care about being told who to cheer for, but that is total dribble.

The Slammy Awards are a big evidence of that. Fans will cheer for who you tell them to cheer for. You think Mark Henry would have beaten Ryback for "Feat of Strength" if their roles were still reversed? Nope. They're going to pick the faces nominated no matter what.

These were the only wins that went to heels, and it was because they were nominated against a bunch of other heels:

1. Insult of the Year: Stephanie McMahon
2. Faction of the Year: The Shield
3. Hashtag of the Year: The Shield

The only time the "WWE Universe" went against the grain was by giving Breakout Star of the Year to The Shield instead of Big E. Langston. And frankly, Big E. JUST turned face and hasn't been cemented as a fan-favorite for long enough. Still, it's good to see The Shield breaking the face/heel divide once, even if they couldn't do it to beat CM Punk for Extreme Moment, or Cody/Goldust for Tag Team of the Year even though those 2 have been together for barely over a month.

But here's my question for all of you. WHY do you think fans are so eager to cheer for the people WWE chooses for them? If they turn Bryan heel tomorrow, he will be booed. I've spoken to some people I know who are "marks" and when I say I really like a heel like Cesaro, they tell me how much he sucks. I stare at them dumbfounded but decide it's best not to argue about it.

I just don't get it. Why not choose your own favorites instead of accepting WWE's status quo??

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

If they turn Bryan heel tomorrow, he will be booed.

By very few. Worst example you could've possibly used. You realize he was still a heel when he started getting crazy cheered and when he started the "YES!!!" chant, right?

I've spoken to some people I know who are "marks" and when I say I really like a heel like Cesaro, they tell me how much he sucks. I stare at them dumbfounded but decide it's best not to argue about it.

And why can't they not like Cesaro and still not be "marks," by your definition? Aside from Cesaro's in-ring ability, he's terrible. The guy got absolutely no reaction during his singles run because his mic skills are abysmal. If you want to argue that, you really are a dumber than I thought. This is the reason he will never get a consistent main event spot. He's boring. Do you not understand that wrestling skills have very little to do with getting over? No, you don't, because you're the mark. Just ask Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior and SCSA.

I just don't get it. Why not choose your own favorites instead of accepting WWE's status quo??

Because YOU ARE NOT A ROBOT! Right?

I know this is a new concept for some people around here, but I actually like heels and faces. Whichever ones appeal to me. And several of them are not internet darlings. I know, right? I must be crazy.

 

[A11oftheLights]

Using the slammys is a terrible measure of what fans think. If the fans really decided the outcome of the awards Stephanie would not have won

 

[NegativeFeedback]

By very few. Worst example you could've possibly used. You realize he was still a heel when he started getting crazy cheered and when he started the "YES!!!" chant, right?



And why can't they not like Cesaro and still not be "marks," by your definition? Aside from Cesaro's in-ring ability, he's terrible. The guy got absolutely no reaction during his singles run because his mic skills are abysmal. If you want to argue that, you really are a dumber than I thought. This is the reason he will never get a consistent main event spot. He's boring. Do you not understand that wrestling skills have very little to do with getting over? No, you don't, because you're the mark. Just ask Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior and SCSA.

Because YOU ARE NOT A ROBOT! Right?

I know this is a new concept for some people around here, but I actually like heels and faces. Whichever ones appeal to me. And several of them are not internet darlings. I know, right? I must be crazy.

You're just ignoring the whole point of the thread. My point is that fans will like whoever WWE tells them to like. You can hate Cesaro if you want, but most people hate him just because he's a heel. And he was a random example. Those same guys would hate on Punk when he was a heel, when frankly, he was at his best. It is what it is.

Turn Heath Slater face, have him beat Kane, Orton and Del Rio back to back, and he'll be over huge. They'll eat up whoever WWE wants to be popular. Big E is disliked for doing nothing but being a heel. Didn't even cheat or do anything to garnet heat really. But the next week, face turn, and now he's really over.

It's that type of mentality that gives all the power to WWE and very little to the performers. CM Punk was really over as champion. Have him turn on Rock, and suddenly he's booed out of the building. You will literally find people who say they hate his guts for what he did. WWE can pick and choose WHO they want to be popular and there's nothing wrestlers can do about it except wait to be picked.

 

[rbv13]

@ Feedback………… You sort of lost me here. From what I can gather you have a problem with there being good and evil in a story? We are seeing characters being played out on a grand stage. As an audience we should, in theory, cheer for the positive and boo the negative. It is called buying into a story. However, in this era it is cool to embrace the bad in life and shun the good.

If you really want to enjoy a wrestling show turn your brain off and become a “mark.” It truly makes the show that much more enjoyable.

 

[King_of_Swing1520]

this is total bull shit. the fans turned randy orton face a few years ago. he was still acting heel but the fans cheeres him out of respect. same thing happend to edge at the end of his career and the same thing happend to bryan no too long ago. the wwe can portray a character anyway they want, heel or face, but the fans are the ones who decide to cheer or boo. most of the time they follow what ever the wwe has set out but there have been many instances where the fans cheered heels out of respect. just recently at survivor series roman reigns got a great pop at the end of the 5 on 5 match because of how good of a showing he put on in this match. the fans always have the final say. most of the time they just go with the flow because the wrestler or story isnt good enough to merit an organic heartfelt reaction

 

[Spidey Revivey]

If this theory was correct, then Shawn Michaels should have been booed out of the arena when he won Backstab of The Year.

He was well received by fans as evident to the "worship" gestures from the audience each time the cameras cut to them.

And this was by a man who screwed Daniel Bryan. Regardless of history, the crowd should have been at the point of throwing things at him. But they gave him a good reaction. Therefore I believe fans cheer who they want to cheer for regardless on if the WWE wants them to boo.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

this is total bull shit. the fans turned randy orton face a few years ago. he was still acting heel but the fans cheeres him out of respect.

Pinpoint when this happened. If you answer with "When he was feuding with the heel WWE Champion Sheamus and had a heel vs. heel match at the Royal Rumble", you will be correct. Immediately before that, he was feuding with Kofi, and Kofi was the one getting the huge pops (until the "stupid" incident).

same thing happend to edge at the end of his career and the same thing happend to bryan no too long ago. the wwe can portray a character anyway they want, heel or face, but the fans are the ones who decide to cheer or boo.

Edge got injured as a heel, and returned as a face against Jericho. He didn't get "turned". He was booked to turn, just like Orton above. Then he turned heel against Orton and was booed just the same. After that, he stayed getting booed until he started berating the the Anonymous GM.

Putting heels up against more hated heels and then saying it's the FANS WHO TURNED THEM FACE is silly. That's like saying CM Punk was "turned heel by the fans" when he backstabbed The Rock.

The last turn that was forced by fan reaction was Santino's heel turn after getting booed in the states for being an Italian fan-turned-wrestler.

If this theory was correct, then Shawn Michaels should have been booed out of the arena when he won Backstab of The Year.

He was well received by fans as evident to the "worship" gestures from the audience each time the cameras cut to them.

And this was by a man who screwed Daniel Bryan. Regardless of history, the crowd should have been at the point of throwing things at him. But they gave him a good reaction. Therefore I believe fans cheer who they want to cheer for regardless on if the WWE wants them to boo.

Shawn had ONE appearance as a heel, and he then disappeared. Dusty Rhodes had two full appearances as a heel before returning to defend his sons against Triple H. These guys get cheered because they are huge wrestling legends. Make them consistent heels on a weekly basis, and that reaction you're talking about wouldn't happen. Shawn is no more a heel than Sgt. Slaughter who turned on Canada last time we saw him (I think it was the last time).