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Bad timing for Randy Orton. He told the Baltimore Sun last week that he's changed after years of a well-earned reputation for being immature and having problems on the road. Excerpt:

Having gained a reputation - which he says is well deserved - in wrestling circles for his immaturity and attitude problems when the cameras aren't rolling, WWE's bad boy says he has settled down in the past year.

Orton, 28, got married in September. He and his wife, Samantha, are expecting the couple's first child, a daughter, in July.

"It's definitely changed me," he says of starting a family. "I have a wonderful wife that wouldn't hurt a fly, and I think a lot of that has rubbed off on me. I can't wait to be a dad, and the fact that I'm going to have a little girl - I jumped through the roof when we were at the doctor's office and he said that we were going to have a daughter."

Randy Orton [artist Grant Gould (c) PWTorch]

The latest Wrestling Observer reports that Orton threw a fit just last week on the Europe tour when hotel staff in Coruna woke him earlier than he wanted. He took his room service food and threw it all over the hotel workers who opened his door. He then returned to his room laughing at his revenge, according to the report.

Here's another quote from Orton in the Baltimore Sun story: "I definitely had a big head, and I'll be the first to admit that I made some bad decisions,. But back when I was making those decisions, in my head I was doing no wrong. I was forced, more or less, to go to anger management. I was either going to make myself and everyone around me miserable, or I was going to realize that there's more than one person on this Earth. It definitely has made me a better person... I think I let a few people down when I was having my problems. I heard, 'Randy, pull your head out of your [butt]' a few times from Vince [McMahon, WWE chairman]. I think I finally have, and I think that's why I'm successful right now. I'm where I'm at because I'm happy."

For an eerie parallel in terms of the tone of comments (at the 4:45 mark, especially), check out this trailer for a new documentary on "Gentleman" Chris Adams and what he says about how his family changed the course of his life and saved him from his previous problems - shortly before he died: Google Video Preview of "Gentleman's Choice".

Keller's Analysis: Orton has had incidents in Europe three tours in a row now. Maybe he gets "unhappy" again when he's away from home and his beautiful wife. An incident like that on the road is a shame because Orton is so talented and can be an absolute centerpiece blue-chip star for WWE for 15 years if he can get his head on straight. WWE put up with variations of this from Shawn Michaels 10-15 years ago and they stuck with him because he was so talented, so Orton may get the same benefit of the doubt and second chances. Losing the title on Sunday, when there had been talk of him holding onto it for a lot longer, may be a way of "punishing him" (it also could have been just a change in booking plans unrelated to the incident). Orton, though, received so much so soon that it's tough to leverage him into maturing quickly. He also may need more help than a fine or a title reign cut short will inspire him to get.

Link to complete Baltimore Sun article

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