Tuesday, November 15, 2011

RAW Got Rocked! Who Cares? Why We Have Washed Our Hands of the Rock

by Brian Phelps

Last night, RAW got "Rocked!". At least that was the big tag line for the Rock's return to Monday night Raw. I'm always glad to see the Rock return, but I also have to tell it like it is. The Rock left wrestling behind nearly a decade ago to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. Now, I am all about a man pursuing his dreams, but the way the Rock went about it left a bad taste in my mouth. When he left to go to Hollywood, he wanted to distance himself as far away from his professional wrestling background as he could. He didn't want to be called "The Rock" anymore. He didn't want to be called a professional wrestler. He didn't want to be associated with the WWE anymore.

So, why does Vince McMahon go out of his way to throw the Rock birthday bashes, parties, parades, and a heroes welcome whenever he finally decides to breeze through? The Rock shunned Vince McMahon even though Vince and the WWE is the REASON he was able to go to Hollywood and achieve success elsewhere to begin with. If it wasn't for the WWE, he wouldn't have been the Scorpion King. He wouldn't have been Walking Tall. So, after shunning the WWE and disassociating himself for nearly a decade... Vince gives him the main event to Wrestlemania 28, and a ticky tape parade every time he makes an appearance? Why should Vince McMahon kiss the Rock's butt after the Rock has spent years acting like the WWE and pro wrestling is beneath him now? It should be the other way around.

Then, let's not forget the now infamous promo where The Rock claimed he was back and would never leave again. What rubbed me the wrong way about it is instead of owning up to the fact that he may have exaggerated that claim, he instead claimed that he meant what he said. He claimed that he was back, that he headlined last year's Wrestlemania and he's headlining this years Wrestlemania. When John Cena tried to hold The Rock to what he himself said... The Rock instead claims that just because he said he's back doesn't mean he has to be at every single show... or every single live event. When you say you are back, and are never leaving again.... I don't think that equates to cutting a couple of promos every 4 months via titantron and showing up in person twice a year either. I also think his claim that he headlined last years Wrestlemania was total crap. He "hosted" it. He didn't wrestle so he didn't headline. I just don't like how the Rock made a bunch of petty excuses when John Cena held the Rock to his own words "I'm back and I'm never leaving again".

I don't like how the Rock made excuses instead of owning up to the fact that he simply misspoke about being back and never leaving again. I don't like how the Rock acts like he's giving US a treat by showing up on RAW. Like we should be grateful that he decided to grace us with his presence. I don't like how the Rock acts like we owe him something for showing up once in awhile. No Rock. You should be grateful that we don't boo you out of the arena for acting like you were too good for wrestling for the past 7 years. You should be grateful that we embrace you and cheer you after you shunned us for the red carpet. Even though you didn't want to be associated with us anymore, we still supported you in Hollywood. We still went to see your movies. We saw Fast Five. We saw Faster and Scorpion King.

You can talk all the heat you want to about John Cena. I'm not a big fan of Cena's either, but in his defense John Cena never tried to disassociate himself with his own biggest fan base. He never acted like he was too good for the WWE. He has always embraced us whether we like him or hate him. He never bailed on us like the Rock did. He has never acted like we owe him something for showing up every week.

In closing, I've washed my hands of the Rock. I'm through hanging on his every word. When he said he was back and never leaving again... and then upped and left again the next day... that was the last straw. The Rock talks a big game about how he cares, but his words are so hollow and meaningless. When it comes to him saying he's back, I don't believe anything he says. I'll believe it when I see it. Say what you will about Cena, but Cena has backed up everything he says. The Rock cares about us so much that on the 10th Anniversary edition of Smackdown (a show that was named after him), he couldn't drag himself to show up in person. He submitted some lame video to put up on the titantron. The Rock is that girlfriend that you loved with all your heart that broke up with you, but still comes around every few months to toy with your emotions. That ex-girlfriend that keeps stringing you along months after the relationship ended. Talk all the Boots to Asses you want... but I'm through with the Rock.

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