Maybe this one is all on CM Punk, and if it is, then its a bit selfish on his part, but WWE should have got someone, anyone to go over Punk in the ring before he left. A top star leaving without helping out others has been a disturbing trend these past few years. Which talents did HBK job to cleanly before he left? Basically John Cena, HHH and no one else. Who did Undertaker put over? Basically Brock Lesnar and no one else. Rock put over Cena, Austin put over Rock and before Batistas most recent run, he put over Cena too. Its the same guys putting over just one or two others. Punk seemed different. It seemed that he would have cared about creating someone to at least fill his void when he left. He was a man who struggled for years against WWEs machine, and the type of wrestlers that they push. He should never have made it. You would think hed want to at least give back to another wrestler who was facing the same uphill battle. Also, WWE spent an incredible amount of TV time on him these past few years. Thats a huge investment. Yes, they sold tickets and merchandise from him, but he didnt really help create any stars on the way out. Punk was rumored to have been dissatisfied with a match against Hunter at WrestleMania. Fair enough, if he wasn't feeling it he didn't have to do it. But what if WWE was able to get him to stick around a couple months to take on say Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Dean Ambrose, Wade Barrett, or yes, even The Miz (hell at least be in WWE for years to come). Its the time honored tradition in wrestling: put someone else over on your way out. Punk either didnt want to stick around for something like that, or simply wasnt asked. Either way its a shame, as were again left with a former generation of stars that seem better than the current one, which should be any promoters nightmare.
As Rust Cohle from True Detective said "Life's barely long enough to get good at one thing. So be careful what you're good at."
Sadly, I can't solve a murder like Rust...or change a tire, or even tie a tie. But I do know all the lyrics to Hulk Hogan's "Real American" theme song and can easily name every Natural Born Thriller from the dying days of WCW. I was once ranked 21st in the United States in Tetris...on the Playstation 3 version...for about a week.
Follow along @AndrewSoucek and check out my podcast at wrestlingwithfriends.com
