By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

WWE top star John Cena appeared on ESPN's "Sports Nation" show on Wednesday to discuss a variety of topics. One topic that was clipped and posted on ESPN's website is Cena discussing whether the NFL product "sucks" right now, as suggested by Super Bowl QB/ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer.

The irony is not because many people believe WWE's product "sucks" right now, but because Cena's appearance came the same week that ESPN presented better storytelling on Monday night than WWE Raw did. This came via the NFL's Monday Night Football game between the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots.

PWTorch columnist Bruce Mitchell spelled this all out in his weekly PWTorch Newsletter column, noting how the NFL game came down to the very last play, was covered in controversy based on the referee's decision-making on the final fall...er...final play of the game, and how "everybody wants to see the rematch, except on an even bigger stage.

Mitchell concluded: "You couldn’t book a better ending for future business. Actually, you can. Pro wrestling can book storylines with the same high stakes sports structure as the NFL, to similar positive emotional and financial effect."

Yet, at this moment, WWE and TNA are struggling immensely with their ability to tell stories. WWE most recently botched Daniel Bryan's (we'll call him Panthers QB Cam Newton) quest for championship gold and acceptance as a top star. The question has shifted from when Bryan will get his ultimate victory to whether he will even get his ultimate victory at all.

While WWE was so focused on building up The Authority at the expense of their talent roster, WWE's product suffered, cracks in the storytelling began to show, and now WWE is heading into a Survivor Series PPV with a completely discombobulated main event picture focused on Big Show, Randy Orton, and Triple H.

Meanwhile, TNA continues to lose viewers week after week on Thursday nights with a product centered on miscast heel authority figure Dixie Carter and her group of schoolchildren fighting to be named her champion.

With wrestling's top writers and over-reaching TV executives obsessed with power struggles among non-wrestlers, WWE and TNA's TV shows have become the equivalent of tuning into the NFL to see NFL commish Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones argue over whether the Cowboys should automatically win the coin flip every game because it would be "good for business."

It's no wonder that when Cena (we'll call him Pats QB Tom Brady) appeared on Sports Nation to discuss whether the NFL's product "sucks" that he completely missed one of the key answers despite it staring him right in the face.

Setting aside the NFL's marketing prowess, the rise of Fantasy Football, and other intangibles, the NFL is simply telling great stories centered on big stars with magnetic personalities competing on the field. Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena played out on Monday night, just not on Raw. It was in the wrestling hotbed of the Carolinas, but not in the wrestling arena. Established, Super Bowl-winning Tom Brady went up against rising-star, college football-champion Cam Newton in a showdown of the Present and Future.

On Monday afternoon leading up to the NFL game, ESPN even teased a sit-down interview with Brady talking about Newton having something that he wants. Tom Brady. Multi-time Super Bowl champ. Top performer in the NFL for even longer than Cena has been the top star for WWE. Sounds like the Summerslam build-up with Cena-Bryan.

But, instead of having Goodell run onto the field to cost Newton the game because he needs to make sure Brady's Patriots keep on winning to be positioned well for the Super Bowl, the focus was on Cena and Bryan. Brady and Newton. The stars who are in the field, or in the ring.

Pro wrestling has lost it. The NFL has maximized it. Just look at this Sunday - it's Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning again vs. WWE's Survivor Series PPV. Survivor Series is lined up to get taken behind the woodshed for a variety of reasons. But, perhaps most likely is which would you rather watch - WWE trip all over themselves sorting out the Orton/Hunter-Show mess, or see two top QBs battle it out heading to the Playoffs?

Authority figures are meant to be background players. The stars who play the game or compete in the ring are supposed to be front-and-center. Unfortunately, wrestling has lost its way for a while now and the problems are being exposed in 2013. Both top companies are struggling business-wise - on much different scales - after blowing opportunity after opportunity to build up the next wave of Cam Newtons, RGIIIs, or Andrew Lucks to compete with established, Super Bowl-winning stars like Tom Brady, the Mannings, and Aaron Rodgers.

So, when Cena appeared on Sports Nation to defend why the NFL product does not suck, the thought of the NFL's compelling storytelling never made it to his lips. Being immersed in the WWE Corporate Mentality, it's probably been so long since he's seen it from WWE that it must be difficult to recognize it in a similar, athletic-based product.

The question we get asked a lot is when the next wrestling upswing will occur. It will occur when WWE, on a larger scale, or TNA, on a smaller scale influencing the overall industry, gets back to the basics of compelling pro wrestling storytelling centered on magnetic athletes competing for titles, glory, or personal causes with authority figures in the background helping resolve issues or level the playing field. Just watch Brady vs. Manning on Sunday Night Football this Sunday and compare it to the mess WWE has created for Survivor Series.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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