I addressed this a little in the introduction to the article but for the last decade, the John Cena conversation has gone along the same kind of lines. Its all he buries potential competitors for his spot; he cant wrestle; hes for kids, not adult wrestling fans; he should turn heel. As the hate began getting one-sided, more and more people came out of the woodwork defending Cena, because as many people loathe bandwagons as love them. These days, the John Cena conversation isnt really even about John Cena anymore. Its how smart you are, as a fan, to the business. Its about the kind of wrestling you watch versus the kind of wrestling you love. Its about what kind of a wrestling fan you are, and the value judgments you set aside for people who dont think the same way as you. As someone who writes about wrestling for a living, I get really, really bored with the John Cena conversation. I dont want to have the same old boring arguments about whether he can wrestle, or whether he buries people. I know his STF sucks, his punches look terrible and that he has the athletic ability of a Lego man, and of course the whole world would be better if he turned heel. That conversation has been going on too long. I dont care anymore, and I dont want him to stop being John Cena. I just want him to be part of good segments, good matches, good angles and good feuds. I want him to stop cutting promos he could deliver in his sleep and start burning the house down every time he picks up the mic, and I want him to give that Cena rub to people who could do with a boost in the eyes of casual wrestling fans - the Cesaros, the Owens', the Nevilles and the Zayns - like he did last year while holding the US title.
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.
