Of Cody Rhodes and Role Players
Ed. note: A person with knowledge of the wrestling business pointed out that Cody Rhodes was likely referring to John Cena, not Seth Rollins, when he referred to "watching a monitor advertising a returning star" in his statement about his request for a release from WWE.
On Sunday afternoon -- mere hours before the WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view, Cody Rhodes released a statement explaining his request for a release from WWE.
Reading the true meaning of pro wrestlers' public statements is tricky business. Pro wrestling is still a business full of workers and many workers have been taught to draw money in any way they can. It is impossible to tell it Cody's words were an honest spilling of emotion, an opening promo for his Indy career, some combination of the two or something else entirely.
Whatever the overall purpose of Rhodes's statement, a few lines stood out.
Rhodes ostensibly referenced Seth Rollins, who probably-not-so-coincidentally happened to be returning at Extreme Rules, in saying "my fate... was to be relegated to watching a monitor advertising a returning star and kicking open my Tumi gear bag to find an outfit I had long outgrown".
Rhodes was more direct in mentioning Triple H: "One of my latest discussions [Triple H and I] had included him telling me that 'WWE is a play, and everybody has a role and needs to act it their best.'
Only Cody knows his true feelings about Seth Rollins and Triple H, but here's this blog's best guess: Cody thinks that he's just as good as Seth, and he thinks that Triple H gives his favorites (like Seth) the best opportunities to get over.
Rhodes's statement contained many more references to the way WWE does (or doesn't) give talent opportunities to get over, and that's what the online wrestling fanbase has focused on. In fact, Rhodes's criticism of Triple H was downright soft compared to the daggers directed at the WWE Creative team. (Notice that Vince managed to escape uncriticized, despite the fact that final decisions on characters and storylines all come from The Chairman.) Still, the consensus among online wrestling fans is that Triple H does, in fact give his favorites better opportunities to get over.
While the public has seemed to settle on Triple H's (and, by extension, WWE Creative's) guilt, some questions remain unaddressed: Is Cody Rhodes as good as Seth Rollins? Could he be? Was he given a chance to prove it? Should he have been given more chances?
Answers to all of those questions are going to be colored by one's opinion of Rhodes, Rollins, WWE, indy wrestling and probably a dozen other things, including CrossFit and PEDs.
But if you want one long-time observer's opinion, here it is: Rhodes is a role player, but he's also right that Seth Rollins has received preferential treatment.
Life is long and unpredictable things happen, but to this point what Rhodes has shown is short of what main even wrestlers need to deliver. Part of the problem is Rhodes's natural charisma, but part of it is also Rhodes's level when he performs. Performance -- whether acting, wrestling, hosting a game show or anything else -- requires an incredible level of intensity. (And, please, don't mistake intensity for fury. I'm not saying that every WWE performer needs to be wired out of his/her mind all the time. I'm saying that an internal intensity to live as his/her character needs to be present when on camera.) To the eyes of this blog, he never brought it at the main event level.
Still, Rhodes has a point about Seth Rollins. Rollins, while a fun worker, also has a ways to go before he matches his performance level with top main eventers. Rollins may deserve a chance to get there (and perhaps Rhodes deserved more chances, as well), but it's understandable that Rhodes would wonder why he never received the type of super-push that Rollins has and is receiving.
The post-main event angle at Extreme Rules appeared to kick off a Reigns/Rollins title program, so everyone will have plenty of opportunities in the coming months to decide whether Rollins is deserving of the kind of push that Cody Rhodes was hoping would come his way someday.
On Sunday afternoon -- mere hours before the WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view, Cody Rhodes released a statement explaining his request for a release from WWE.
Reading the true meaning of pro wrestlers' public statements is tricky business. Pro wrestling is still a business full of workers and many workers have been taught to draw money in any way they can. It is impossible to tell it Cody's words were an honest spilling of emotion, an opening promo for his Indy career, some combination of the two or something else entirely.
Whatever the overall purpose of Rhodes's statement, a few lines stood out.
Rhodes ostensibly referenced Seth Rollins, who probably-not-so-coincidentally happened to be returning at Extreme Rules, in saying "my fate... was to be relegated to watching a monitor advertising a returning star and kicking open my Tumi gear bag to find an outfit I had long outgrown".
Rhodes was more direct in mentioning Triple H: "One of my latest discussions [Triple H and I] had included him telling me that 'WWE is a play, and everybody has a role and needs to act it their best.'
Only Cody knows his true feelings about Seth Rollins and Triple H, but here's this blog's best guess: Cody thinks that he's just as good as Seth, and he thinks that Triple H gives his favorites (like Seth) the best opportunities to get over.
Rhodes's statement contained many more references to the way WWE does (or doesn't) give talent opportunities to get over, and that's what the online wrestling fanbase has focused on. In fact, Rhodes's criticism of Triple H was downright soft compared to the daggers directed at the WWE Creative team. (Notice that Vince managed to escape uncriticized, despite the fact that final decisions on characters and storylines all come from The Chairman.) Still, the consensus among online wrestling fans is that Triple H does, in fact give his favorites better opportunities to get over.
While the public has seemed to settle on Triple H's (and, by extension, WWE Creative's) guilt, some questions remain unaddressed: Is Cody Rhodes as good as Seth Rollins? Could he be? Was he given a chance to prove it? Should he have been given more chances?
Answers to all of those questions are going to be colored by one's opinion of Rhodes, Rollins, WWE, indy wrestling and probably a dozen other things, including CrossFit and PEDs.
But if you want one long-time observer's opinion, here it is: Rhodes is a role player, but he's also right that Seth Rollins has received preferential treatment.
Life is long and unpredictable things happen, but to this point what Rhodes has shown is short of what main even wrestlers need to deliver. Part of the problem is Rhodes's natural charisma, but part of it is also Rhodes's level when he performs. Performance -- whether acting, wrestling, hosting a game show or anything else -- requires an incredible level of intensity. (And, please, don't mistake intensity for fury. I'm not saying that every WWE performer needs to be wired out of his/her mind all the time. I'm saying that an internal intensity to live as his/her character needs to be present when on camera.) To the eyes of this blog, he never brought it at the main event level.
Still, Rhodes has a point about Seth Rollins. Rollins, while a fun worker, also has a ways to go before he matches his performance level with top main eventers. Rollins may deserve a chance to get there (and perhaps Rhodes deserved more chances, as well), but it's understandable that Rhodes would wonder why he never received the type of super-push that Rollins has and is receiving.
The post-main event angle at Extreme Rules appeared to kick off a Reigns/Rollins title program, so everyone will have plenty of opportunities in the coming months to decide whether Rollins is deserving of the kind of push that Cody Rhodes was hoping would come his way someday.
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