Its strange how easy it is to almost completely destroy something really good thats taken months and months of hard work to pull off. The Shield got over like gangbusters because of two things: their own hard work and sheer talent, and the office being 100% behind them, protecting their characters and reputations, giving them convincing storylines to be great in, big wins when needed and little losses when not. Roman Reigns was clearly the one groomed for immediate greatness: he looks like a bloody dragon-riding warrior prince from Skyrim, for gods sake. When the Shield split and left Reigns a lone babyface, the stage was set for WWE to capitalise on everything theyd done with him as a part of a faction, and make it better, get him even more over as a singles performer because they wanted the big belt on him after Wrestlemania 31. This was their one job: to get him to the level he needs to be at to be accepted as the next big thing, and they screwed the pooch. Its true that Joe Anoai should take some of that blame: he didnt work hard enough on the mic, didnt control those weird expressions, and looked completely lost out there when delivering longer promos. But those promos good grief. Fairy tales, and sufferin succotash, and weird Superman anecdotes, cocking his fist and making it rain in that bitch (what?), and donkey dong for brains. Literally the worst, most heinous crap you could ever give someone youre trying to get over as the next big thing. Roman Reigns is not John Cena: a walking cartoon with questionable motivations that dresses like its his first day of summer vacation, who likes to make homophobic jokes, talk about dookie and then insist on being serious, Jack. Hes a big, cool, good-looking guy who likes to jump high in the air and punch people, and then football tackle them into the next life. WWE did the right thing by hauling off on the Cena push and giving him a chance to be himself again, and months later all of the damage they did to the character is nearly undone. Dont blow it again, guys. You might not get another shot at this.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
