If there are two things WWE probably shouldn't have their on-screen personalities mention together, they're wrestlers and death. Not only do wrestling fans not need to be reminded of the dozens of competitors who have passed away before their time, but each and every wrestler death - even if said wrestler didn't work for WWE - is an issue for the company's public relations. That's why it felt out of place when, after Brie Bella corrected Charlotte and told her that Daniel Bryan is in a league of his own (Charlotte had said he "was"), Charlotte agreed, saying, "It's not like he's dead." Brie followed up by acknowledging that, no, Bryan isn't dead, he's just starting a new chapter in his life. The whole thing felt out of place and odd to mention - or was there more to it than just bad scripting? The line could have been a subtle reminder by WWE to critics that their caution prevented Bryan from getting back in the ring and ultimately led to him getting tested and finding out he needed to retire. While keeping Bryan from competing was undoubtedly the right thing to do, this wasn't the classiest way for the company to pat itself on the back.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
