WWE: 5 Reasons Why Booing John Cena Only Makes Him Stronger

3. He's Exactly What WWE Needs In The PG Era, And In Times Of Tragedy

Invariably, when the WWE makes international news headlines, it€™s because something terrible has happened. Whether a wrestler dies tragically, gets arrested, or murders his wife and child before killing himself, the value of an unimpeachably squeaky-clean babyface who can be trotted out for damage-control media appearances cannot be overstated. For evidence of Cena€™s utility in this regard, look no further than his pitch-perfect appearance on Larry King Live in the wake of the Chris Benoit tragedy. He was respectful, sympathetic, conscientious, and thoughtful, and no one else on the roster could have done the job more effectively. For those of you who wonder why there€™s never been a John Cena heel turn, this is the number one reason. Cena€™s detractors are also quick to forget that the PG Era is not the Attitude Era. The WWE experienced a massive downturn in its business fortunes in the mid-2000s, and while it wasn€™t due to any single factor, it didn€™t help that the Attitude Era featured a product geared almost exclusively toward younger adults, and when sufficient numbers of those adults got older and lost interest, there were no young kids to replace them. The PG Era has been largely an attempt to correct that damage, and a necessary component of that effort is to have the company€™s #1 star be as clean-cut and kid-friendly as possible. For all intents and purposes, €œHustle, Loyalty, Respect€ is the 21st century version of €œTrain, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins.€ Cena€™s critics tend to be so wrapped up in finding things to dislike about him that they fail to view the issue from a pragmatic business standpoint, when that€™s the only standpoint that matters.