True False TBD - December 1, 2011
By Jon Cudo, PWTorch specialist

TRUE - CENA PICKS FRIENDS CAREFULLY

It has been noted that John Cena has few friends. During the Nexus angle last year, rarely would other babyfaces save him during 8-on-1 beat downs and he always seems troubled to be able to find partners. It seems Cena has few friends, or at least few that would take the time to save him.

When he does join forces, it always seems to be with others who are much further down the card. It might be due to the shortage of top babyfaces, or it might be that other top faces have history with Cena making a friendship hard to believe (like Randy Orton).

Cena's best two friends in the last year have seemed to be Evan Bourne and Zack Ryder. While both have their roles, neither gain enough rub from Cena to elevate them much past their current roles in the mid-card or as mid-card comedy.

It could simply be that Cena is practicing the time-tested top star practice of carefully picking friends who pose no real threat to his top spot.

In the short-term, it doesn't matter much who is friends are, but over time it would benefit everyone if he had more friends and friends in higher places with more upward mobility. It would make things more interesting if and when he turns and help younger talent climb the ladder to the main event.

FALSE - IT MATTERS THAT SUSPENDED WRESTLERS FINISH TV TAPINGS

There was an interesting call last week on the PWTorch Livecast. The caller asked if it really matters that R-Truth flunked a Wellness Test, then still performed at Survivor Series and the Raw taping the next time.

At first glance, of course it does. The Wellness Policy is there to protect performers and level the playing field. Ensure that performers aren't abusing or using various banned substances. They should make the punishments harsh and meaningful.

However, the benefits of using banned substances have more to do with appearance and managing pain than competitive balance and fairness. So a violation signals a problem that needs to be addressed, not an alert that one performer will be able to unfairly perform better than his opponent in the way a violation would affect a baseball game or MMA fight. While speculative, it also seems many violations have more to do with recreational drugs than performance enhancing drugs.

As long as stiff and real penalties related to income and exposure are in place and the testing is random and genuine I believe that allowing a performer to finish out a weeks TV or PPV before serving their 30 or 60 days is reasonable. Of course all of this leeway goes out the window if the tests aren't real and random with costs that are tangible.

In this case, R-Truth was punished with a fine and suspension and his push is derailed, yet the entire company and its fan base are not punished by having to change a main event in the last week of hype. R-Truth loses his spot, income, and is sent home to miss weeks of valuable national exposure.

This general allowance should be the exception, not the rule, but I think it's important to recognize that it's irrelevant if there is a window for a suspended wrestler to finish a set of tapings or PPV. It also may help add teeth to a policy if WWE knows their risk of aborting an angle or match without a chance to re-write closure is limited.

TBD - PIPER'S PIT WAS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP

Two weeks ago, I wrote that a Cena heel turn seemed less likely at Survivor Series because John Cena had not shown any sign of internal conflict, which could be a point to pivot on for a heel turn. Predictably, Cena smiled his way through Survivor Series and a Rock Bottom without so much as hint of a turn.

Enter Roddy Piper.

While predictably clunky with an unfocused Piper, the segment introduced something that Cena has been without for years - potential internal conflict. Cena shook it off, but his stern demeanor and response showed both resolve and an awareness of what could be an internal battle for him. Piper's attempt to rip off a scab appears to be the first of many situations Cena will be involved in focused on how the loud negative response affects him heading into his match with Rock.

This may or may not lead to a heel turn, but it injected a healthy dose of depth to the smirking and smiling John Cena character. It could lead to a heel turn, or it could help further define his babyface character and help him earn the respect of the fans who hate him now. In the end, this is a new character development for a character who hasn't changed much for years.

WWE has had its share of storylines that peter out or go nowhere and this could be one as well. It remains to be determined, but this could be the start of a compelling character change for John Cena.

Jon Cudo is the newest PWTorch Specialist, presenting the "True-False-TBD" format. Jon has worked in the sports entertainment industry for over 20 years, including major league sports teams and Nike. He has been a life-long pro wrestling fan and has attended WWE, WCW, and ROH events in person, including backstage access at multiple events. He grew up in Minnesota and now lives in Cleveland. He runs his own business, www.GameOps.com, a web site designed to connect sports teams and event producers with ideas and tools that will enhance the entertainment value for fans attending their events.

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

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