Fan X Fan Show: Spring Break #3 (Wrestlemania Edition)

* Originally posted 4/13/16*

It's still spring break for the Fan X's, as our beloved Flash decided he needed a bit more time in the oven.  Luckily, we get to tell you about our super exciting weekend in Dallas for Wrestlemania!  We take you through our parallel trips to meet up, the journey that was the Dallas road trip, our fantastic meetup at the Kung Fu Saloon, and of course, the epic tailgate leading to the big event.  It wasn't all sweet, and Trav tells you about his often stalled journey home, I fall down in hallways and steal footballs but get away with it because I'm so gosh darn handsome, and I let you know about a very special pair of $300 sunglasses.  We also take a bit of time to talk THE AUDACITY OF A BATMAN V. SUPERMAN EXTENDED CUT, Suicide Squad re-shoots, Desiigner having a single that charted higher than any Future single, and why your feedback helps keep the show going.  All this and more on this week's Fan X Fan Show!

Fan X Fan Show: 'The Flash' 217 - "Flash Back"

Time travel makes our heads hurt!  On this week's episode, Barry thinks he's found the way to move on par with Zoom and the Reverse Flash, and of course it involves mucking up time as we know it! We revisit the Season 1 episode "The Sound and the Fury" and things get out of hand way sooner than they should have!  We talk track coaches, sports science, The Michael J. Fox vehicle "The Frighteners", and really, really good looking CGI.  Barry violates the rule of leaving his phone unlocked, Wally finally does something useful, and we tell you all a bit about our upcoming weekend in Dallas on this week's Fan X Fan Show!!!

 

Fan X Fan Show: Spring Break #2

Brownface.  Blockbusters.  Bad rappers.  This week's Fan X Fan show went every which way, the majority of the time spent covering the first 7 episodes of the DCTVU's "Legends of Tomorrow".  Last week's episode went into the motivations of each character, but this week, we go blow for blow with our time traveling supers.  We talk similarities to "Star Trek", "Star Wars", "Sliders" and "Quantum Leap", as well as where we think the show may be headed for it's 2nd half (thanks Wikipedia!)  Travis, woke than a mug this week, explains to be why new rapper Desiigner may very well be the "Dab-churian Candidate" (copyrighted) and goes over all the wrong steps taken that lead to Zoe Saldana being the titular character in the Nina Simone Biopic.  I complain about all the fun I'm going to have next week for the SXSW music festival in my very best Kane/Drake tone.  We have ANOTHER 5 star Itunes review (so damn cool), and tell you about our awesome friend that's designed a FANTASTIC t-shirt for us for Wrestlemania weekend.  And remember... If Young Metro don't trust you...

Just (Gorilla) Press Play - South Kongress Wrestlemania 31 Preview (Part 2)

Where the Big Boys Play button.

Just (Gorilla) Press Play - South Kongress Wrestlemania 31 Preview (Part 2) can be found here.

Icon vs. Guy who's wrestled a long time - Sting vs. Triple H

I have two buddies that try to tell me how great Sting is, like I didn't see Sting matches in the 1990s.  The best work Sting ever did was standing in the rafters and pointing his bat at the nWo.  Which isn't a shot - that shit was fire.  But some would have you believe Sting's last match was against Ric Flair in 2001 on the final Nitro.  Not so fast yo.  Sting was half stepping in TNA collecting big checks all through my adult life.  And Triple H - he's cool.  His in ring work since Wrestlemania 28 has been good to great just about any time out.  So what if i can't stand the guy on my television?  They've had 6 months plus to plan this match out, and both are protective over their legacies/ portrayals, so I think this match will be a welcome surprise.  And well... Sting HAS to win, right?  Triple H is over big footing guys he shouldn't, right? RIGHT?  Who the hell knows.  I'll roll with the special attraction, and not the guy I'll be changing the channel on for the foreseeable future.   Also, for you two, 50 and Josh... Sting isn't trash.  Often.  Winner - Sting

This Happened.  LOOK! LOOK! IT DID!

Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Title - Daniel Bryan v. Stardust v. R-Truth v. Dolph Ziggler v. Dean Ambrose v. Luke Harper v. Wade Barrett (c)

It's been ten years since the first "Money in the Bank" ladder match.  The day I declared "SHELTON BENJAMIN IS THE FUTURE!!!" and was proven very, very wrong.  When you have a billion guys on the roster, and you don't want to downgrade all of them, this is what happens.  For reference, I've been on the Cody Rhodes bandwagon since Legacy, even before.  I've written words on words about just how great Daniel Bryan is.  Ambrose has a great upside as long as he isn't fighting in the gimmick of the week match against Bray Wyatt.  R-Truth, for all the, uh... acting... he does, gets credit for maintaining excellent physical condition, and maintaining a damn job all these years.  Luke Harper was hot toward the end of the Wyatt family run, has an amazing look, and looks like he can WIN A DAMN FIGHT.  Ziggler is a victim of his own bravado, but deserves more than he's been given, and Barret?  The champ?  HE AND THE NEXUS SHOULD HAVE BEATEN JOHN CENA BACK IN THE DAY AND I STILL FEEL A WAY ABOUT THAT BULLSH... sorry, got in my feelings a bit there.  For reasons I'll detail a bit later, I see Bryan winning this match, and returning a certain level of prestige to the IC Strap.  I think Stardust and Ziggler will have the standout performances though.  Winner - Daniel Bryan

There aren't enough flame emojis for the 'Dust Alternate uni.

Singles Match for the United States Title - John Cena v. Rusev (c) w/ Lana

I haven't been this excited for a John Cena match in 3 full years (when the Rock rightfully whooped that ass in Miami) and I'm genuinely hyped for this.  Rusev is great.  He's tough, he can move, his kicks look like they hurt, his promos seem genuine, he's imposing, even his "Russian Nationalist" gimmick seems believable because the disdain with which he speaks about America... he's not out there telling any old lie!  He's coming from a place of truth, just real enough to piss people off.  He hasn't been running through the competition like Goldberg's streak, but he takes the very best shots from his opponents, survives it, and finds ways to win.  He's just great to watch.  Lana, also, doesn't hurt the cause.  She's a great mouthpiece for him, with her tone, and inflections, and oh so tiny business suits.  John Cena is - what do you even have to say?  He puts on great performances in big matches.  His promos leading up to this have been serious in tone, WHICH IS ALL WE'VE EVER ASKED THE GUY TO DO!  The first match they had was just excellent, so I feel they'll go above and beyond here to give the people a show.  Cena kicks off his "award tour" by regaining the first singles title he put on his mantle, minus the played out spinner gimmick.  Winner - John Cena

America is trash, this is my lady, I'll mess you up.  Cool?

Now, I'm predicting both Bryan and Cena to win their matches, and titles, largely because of my main event prediction.  WWE is going to transition those titles from afterthoughts to the big deals, because of this...

May see this again, REAL soon...

Singles Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Title - Roman Reigns v. Brock Lesnar (c) w/ Paul Heyman

Man, I see an ass kicking on the horizon.  I mean a shellacking.  Roman Reigns is going to catch the biggest fade of anyone ever.  I'm saying this, and I LIKE Roman Reigns.  Other than his trash ass promos, I like him in the ring.  I've gotten over the idea that a guy needs 50 moves to be great.  Just Look at Lesnar.  He hit John Cena with the same move 14 times at Summerslam, and no one with a shred of credibility complained!  Even if die-hard fans were more behind Reigns, Brock Lesnar is simply at the peak of his powers.  I never took issue with him showing up part time.  I watch Boxing.  I watch MMA.  I watch seasonal sports.  Seasonal shows.  There's something to be said for having to wait to see things.  Netflix binging is great,  but the anticipation that comes from delayed satisfaction... there's no replacing that.  So now that Brock has signed up for 3 more years, if he only shows up 12 times a year, I have no problem there, and I'm sure I'll enjoy each and every time.  My prediction is that Reigns is booed out the building, defeated handily, and Brock leaves Wrestlemania the best part time champ you could ask for.  The IC and US titles become big deals, with the roster chasing Cena/ Bryan, and those titles headlining the house shows/ TV events other than the ones Brock appears on.   Top to bottom, it's a pretty good card, and this year sure looks like a win for the WWE.  Winner - Brock Lesnar

Just (Gorilla) Press Play - South Kongress Wrestlemania 31 Preview (Part 1)

Time to play button the game

It's been awhile, but now seems like a fitting time to pick the keys back up and do a little writing.  It's just after SXSW, and days before the Texas Relays, so that means... to quote a certain wife of a certain video game music producer... it's WRESTLEMANIA!  This year's a bit different, as it's the first time we won't be attending the live event in a few years.  But, this gives me a better opportunity to watch this like I watch the rest of the shows.  I tend to get a bit lost, being around all those people, taking in all the different sights and sounds, so this year will feel a bit closer to home.  So, after all this prefacing, let's cover the card match by match, and try to get a feel for the winners, losers, and happenings of this year's event.

Hardest gang in Cana- I mean Swi- nvm.  These guys can go.

Fatal 4 Way for the WWE Tag Team Titles - New Day (Big E/ Kofi Kingston) v. Los Matadores v. The Usos v. Cesaro/Kidd (c) 

If nothing else, this is a great way to put some energy and athleticism into a show that, on the surface, seems to lack it.  All four of these teams are athletic, with the champs and New Day both having a nice mix of speed and power.  As competitors, I'm a fan of all four teams, even though I dislike the Los Matadores gimmick, and LOATHE the New Day gimmick (side note:  white folks chant "new day" ironically.... it's that bad) to the point that I can't actually CHEER the guys on.  The Usos are, to me, the "it" team right now.  The can move, their offense is believable, and they seem to really shine in pay-per-view matches.  I'd much prefer a standard tag match between them and the champs.  Tyson Kidd should be applauded for accepting a long term demotion to NXT, making guys look great, and making the most of his return to the main roster.  I hate seeing Cesaro slotted as anything other than a top tier singles guy,  but he's held his own as what I'd call the complimentary piece of that team.  I'm picking the champs to retain in a very fast paced, hard hitting match.  Winners - Cesaro/Kidd

"Just wait on it!" - Migos

Randy Orton v. Seth Rollins 

Seth Rollins is making the most of his opportunity as a major player in WWE.  Cliche as it sounds, I think it's the biggest compliment you can bestow on a guy.  He went from (by design) the third wheel in the hottest act in wrestling, to the top in ring heel in wresting almost seamlessly.  What more impressive is that he did this during the transition to long, drawn out promos that people would groan at in chat rooms and Facebook groups.  He was an indy darling, a minor league all star, and is now in position to have a major role in the world's largest wrestling promotion for years to come.  He put on size, adapted to WWE's in ring style, but kept enough on his athleticism to still stand out.  You believe he's a snake, but that if need be, he can hit you in the mouth hard enough to make it count.  Plus, a Jon Stewart co-sign doesn't hurt.  In many ways, he's what Randy Orton SHOULD be.  That's not to say Orton is bad by any stretch.  But I don't look at this match as Orton being the big star Rollins gets to test himself against.  This is the Rollins show, and he's almost at that level where, win or lose, he's going to come out looking stronger than before.  These two are so good in the ring, you know you'll see magic happen, hopefully it isn't lost in the shuffle of all the higher profile matches.  Going into a Mania match with the MITB briefcase, and the uncertainty in the main event (we'll get there) I see Rollins losing clean to a kind of returning conqueror Orton.  Winner - Randy Orton

Not a big fan... but them jerseys though...

AJ Lee/ Paige v. The Bellas 

I don't watch 'Total Divas'.  I watch PLENTY of terrible "unscripted" things, but that isn't one of them.  But I can say this - as the Bellas have gotten more famous, they've gotten SO MUCH BETTER in the ring.  Whether it's the new found attention, or the pressure of the NXT Women breathing down their necks, they've taken their craft way more seriously than before.  AJ and Paige?  You don't have to question their skill set at all.  With the show being as long as it is, you hope they get enough time to really go out and show what they can do.  AJ  jumped on twitter and told her bosses the truth about the world, and in my experience, that very rarely produces the desired results, so it's tough to pick her team to win.  However, eventually the Bellas have to lose, right?  They always seem to come out on top if for no other reason than to be more annoying the next go round.  So perhaps, to show there's no hard feelings (yeah right) the better team gets the nod.  Winners - AJ Lee/Paige

Andre hovering over MAD create-a-players

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal 

Cesaro won last year, and he's on the pre-show this year.  This won't get many words from me.  I hope Mark Henry eliminates a bunch of guys, Axel does something hilarious,  and the guy I'm picking to win has a good year after he wins.  Winner - Damien Sandow (Mizdow)

My finger being the 1, to signal the 1, in 21-1

Bray Wyatt v. The Undertaker 

I was in the building when Taker lost his first Wrestlemania match.  It was the largest crowd of silent people this side of Mecca.  I was pretty sure it was the very last time we'd be seeing the Undertaker in a WWE ring, and I was fine with the send off.  Now, he's back.  It all just seems so forced.  I dig Bryatt Wyatt as a character, as an athlete, as a performer.  He moves great for his size, has a great look, and just seems like he could mess you up if need be.  It's certainly a natural fit for the psychedelic cult preacher to want to take down the local immortal Specter.  It's just about a year too late.  There's really no reason to have the Undertaker lose this match, as starting a negative streak for a guy that is a special attraction lessens the special.  And Bray can talk that hot shit the very next day and have his mojo back.  Have to go with the Dead Man here.  Winner - The Undertaker 

Come back Friday, 3/27, for my picks in the IC Title Ladder Match, US Title Match, Icon vs. That One Guy Match, and the WWE World Heavyweight Title Match!

The One Writing about the One in Twenty One and One - The South Kongress Summerslam Preview

 (a few things... this card would be better with the Usos on it... and I'm in that bad habit of listing the Champion before the Challenger, so sorry...)

Someone must've made a racially insensitive joke...

Brock Lesnar lives at the intersection of talent and clarity.  Dubbed in the early 2000's as WWE's next big thing, Lesnar was everything Vince McMahon could want - he was large, he was athletic, he looked like he could mess you up... and he really could, if he wanted to.  Former NCAA wrestling champion, his in ring skill would later translate to real fight success.  He deserves credit for not only making the transition to UFC, but putting new eyes on the sport.  Fast forward to 2012. Diverticulitis, or what I refer to as "the chronic bubble-guts", all but forced him out of the Octagon.  But now, he's more than just a former WWE champion - he rightfully holds the distinction as one of the toughest men in the entire world.  So when WWE comes calling, Brock says CUT THE DAMN CHECK, and they oblige.  He works for limited dates at a nice premium, because A) he can and B) he was never really a fan of the constant travel, or backstage politics that are tolerated by most wrestlers.  He made it far enough to be able to set his own rules, and that should be applauded.

WWE, for lack of a better term, is a cult.  The "WWE Universe" is a fancy way of saying "We want you to feel like we're all family, so you buy stuff."  Which is perfectly fine.  But when John Cena, poster boy for the company, was feuding with The Rock, who recently starred in a really cool movie, the crux of everything was that Cena was "always here", would "never leave" and always did what was best for the fans.  I say this as someone who spends his hard earned money (and my lady friend's hard earned money) on a Wrestlemania trip every year - FUCK THE FANS YO.  If your job, where you work, gave you these options -

1) make 100k/yr for working 52 weeks a year

2) make 100k/yr working 26 weeks a year

Which one would you take?  If you say 1, you either hate your family or have no friends.  Why would you work more for the same amount you can earn for working less?  But the WWE wants you to think that John Cena shows up to work every week out of the goodness of his heart.  He may very well love his job, but if they cut his pay in half, I guarantee that smile wouldn't be as wide.  I say more power to anyone that has leverage at their job.  Jobs aren't here to see you do well.  They want YOU to produce FOR THEM, and if you come out the other side better for it, then they're cool with it.  So when John Cena spews that "for the fans" rhetoric, then I see all those cars in his driveway, I pray for the day everyone else comes around.  Now, on to the matches.

Yup... for the love.  ONLY for the love.

Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins, Lumberjack Match

One of the best scenes from 'Belly' is where Bundy is high out of his mind at dinner with the two young thundercats that came up underneath him.  He challenges them to show who the man really is, which leads to one killing the other.  Morbid, I know.  Well Ambrose and Rollins are the closest things we have to "on the cusp" guys going at it on the big stage, much like these two at Summerslam back in '98.  No doubt the quality of the match will be good, even if some of the buildup has been pretty goofy.  I'll go with Rollins here, and the poor stipulation attached it just set up to backfire.  I would've preferred a cage match... but I always prefer a cage match.  Winner - Seth Rollins

The Miz (champion) vs. Dolph Ziggler, Intercontinental Title Match

Miz returned a few weeks back with some of that old dickhead charisma we loved so much.  Dolph is back in the role of hyper athletic babyface that's just SO CLOSE to breaking through.  I expect this to be really fun to watch.  I think Dolph gets the job done, and maybe even gets a shot at the big title in the next few months to... create movement... for the next champion.  Winner - Dolph Ziggler

AJ Lee (champion) vs. Paige, Divas Title Match

I've made no secret that I think the Trish Stratus/ Mickie James Wrestlemania 22 match was one spot away from being a classic, so I'm here for athletic women's wrestling.  I'm beating a dead horse here, but PORN EXISTS, SO I GET NOTHING FROM NON ATHLETIC, SCANTILY CLAD WOMEN WRESTLING POORLY.  But these two can really, really go.  I don't see any reason they can't continue this feud through the end of the year, so I think a very competitive match with the champion retaining will lead to another really good match at Night of Champions.  Winner - AJ Lee

SEE? WRESTLING!!!

Jack Swagger vs. Rusev, Flag Match

I'm not as down on Rusev as others are, and Lana... even though eye candy in the ring doesn't do much for me, mean women in business suits do, so seeing her is always a bonus.  Swagger's turn, I'm ok with it.  I like Rusev's power moves, I like Swagger's offense, this should be ok.  Still don't know if Swagger's the guy to put Rusev in his place though.  Winner - Rusev

Mother. ##@^#*$.  Russia.

Bray Wyatt vs. Chris Jericho

Jericho keeps on saving us.  He may wrestle, and at a high level, for the rest of forever.  He's Old Manitoba River.  This time around, he's here to help Bray Wyatt along, much in the way Cena did (NO SHADE, NO SHADE, I WON'T THROW IT) a few months back.  With the stipulation being The Wyatt Family is barred from ringside, I still expect Bray to get the job done.  He's poised to be one of the top heels around over the next few years, and soundly beating an institution like Y2J will solidify that spot for him.  I expect a very good match.  Winner - Bray Wyatt

Old reliable.  Old, athletic, entertaining, awesome reliable.

Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella

I've seen 'Scarface' more times than I can count.  Do you want to know the best way to watch 'Scarface'?  cut the movie off right when Tony gets the tiger.  Just stop it there.  You'll have a smile on your face the rest of the day.  Why see it all fall apart if you don't have to?  I wish someone would've given this angle the 'Scarface Lite' treatment a few weeks back.  It devolved into something very TNA-esque, and that really sapped all my interest from it.  Also - Stephanie McMahon is way better than she was a year ago.  I could still go the rest on my life never seeing her on my television and being happier because of it.  As far as match quality, she looks like she's taking her training pretty seriously, at least from an aesthetic standpoint, and both Bella's have come along in their ring progress.  Could be ok.  Winner - eh...

.... AAAAAND CUT!

Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton

Aside from his first title win, or that Wrestlemania where they chose the wrong final match for the show, I think this is the biggest match of Randy Orton's career.  There's no doubt it's the biggest for Roman Reigns.  But as far as Orton goes, I think it's safe to say he's as big as he's ever going to get.  Whether it was the force that is John Cena, whether is was the time he took a shit in that lady's bag, whether it was suspensions, whatever, Randy Orton hopefully will be able to say he made it through wrestling with his health and his money, even if he isn't a household name (and to be fair, he's still one of the biggest names in the last decade). So now he's at that point where it's on him to make the next generation look good, to well, not pass the torch, but to accept he's not running that first corner, or the anchor, on that 4 x1 team.  Roman Reigns has some things really going for him.  One, my girlfriend won't stop looking at the guy.  He's got a great look, a great pedigree, charisma, and the people respond to him.  He may also be a bit overexposed.  His offense doesn't match his athleticism at this point.  His moveset is LJN, not AKI just yet.  Monday, I thought his intonations really took away from the tough image they want him to have.  All that said, I'm along for the ride with this guy.  Hopefully, a talent like Orton can use this opportunity to help him get to that next level.  I'm hoping we get a very physical, hard fought, CLOSE match up.  Winner - Roman Reigns

Fae's about to start swooning right now, and she O.E.N.O it.

John Cena (champion) vs. Brock Lesnar - WWE World Heavyweight Title Match

Just because John Cena is the Cornball Gawd doesn't mean I don't enjoy his matches.  He's a talent, he's a master at pacing, he gets the most out of his opponents.  He voluntarily took the ass whooping of a lifetime at Extreme Rules 2012.  That took guts.  I don't expect this to be the same beatdown, and I don't expect the same results.  Brock is coming in with his 'Here Comes the Pain' physique or ratings, but I fully expect him to pull out a few old tricks in the vein of suplexes and holds he hasn't really used since his return.  Cena will probably get to toss Brock around some as well.  This won't be that Summerslam '02 when a young Brock sent a seasoned Rock packing I don't think. But I do expect Cena to be a bloody mess, for Lesnar to win the title, and for Paul Heyman to talk the hottest shit this side of a Damon Dash YouTube video.  Also, I'm gonna troll you Josh.  You know who you are.  Get ready to be trolled!!!! TROLLED!!!!!!!!!! Winner - Brock Lesnar

 

 

 

I expect this, but for the low price of $9.99!

 

 

 

  WWE Summerslam is this Sunday at 8pm ET. on the WWE Network.

What a Job - The Athletes We Love, and the Things They Owe Us.

Rumble young men rumble.

"Everybody Hates Chris" is one of my favorite shows ever.  Although it dealt heavily in hyperbole, the message of family togetherness, surviving struggle, and the will to be understood were something we could all understand.  The titular character's relationship with his Father was my favorite part of the show.  Julius, portrayed by an ALWAYS IN LONG SLEEVES SO YOU DIDN'T SEE HOW BIG HE WAS Terry Crews was a hardworking, no nonsense character that stressed the value doing what you were paid to do to the very best of your ability.  To Julius, there was no such thing as "on time".  You were either early, or you were late.  Great words to live by.  In 1988, Chris Rock's actual father Julius died from ulcer surgery.  I'm no doctor, but I know ulcers are typically brought on by stress, so there's that.

Yeah... those jumpsuits were necessary.

We live in a world where we have unparalleled access to our favorite actors, entertainers and athletes.  I can send a tweet to hulk hogan RIGHT NOW (but I'm not gonna, brother) or tell Michael Jordan how great he is on Facebook (is Michael Jordan on Facebook?)  if I so desire.  But just because I have that ability doesn't change the relationship.  I'm still a customer, and they are still trying to sell me something.  We aren't friends, aren't pals, aren't all of a sudden part of the same UNIVERSE.  The rules are a bit different, but the game is the same - These people are here to give me something, until they aren't.  Then they aren't.

Some type of way...

People have the feels for LeBron James like no one else.  He brings out REAL emotion in them.  Best basketball player on earth, perhaps the very best athlete to ever bounce a ball.  He's been famous since high school, commands more media attention that anyone else, and his every move is over analyzed and heavily criticized.  We know the narrative - kid from northeast Ohio, gets drafted by his local team, gets that ass whooped year in and year out, holds a TV special saying he's out the door, fans burn jerseys.  I'm not from Cleveland, and have never been there.  I'm spoiled - I grew up supporting a storied football franchise as well as the picture of modern success basketball franchise.  But I wasn't pissed when Champ Bailey was traded for Clinton Portis.  I didn't lose my cool when Tim Duncan was looking into playing in Orlando.  AND I DIDN'T FLIP OUT WHEN MY ALL TIME FAVORITE POINT GUARD WASN'T ACQUIRED!  You know why?  Because these are jobs.  No one that I don't work for owes it to me to work at a certain place, especially if they have a better deal on the table someone.  ESPECIALLY if working somewhere else will make them happier.  Disappointment is one thing, but we would all leave our jobs if another job was more fulfilling.  Or paid more money.  It's the American way!  Need proof of that?  The same people that were out BURNING JERSEYS are writing letters, making videos, and doing everything they can to make the King's homecoming as royal as possible. Fandom is a series of temporary emotions, like a relationship with a jerk that buy lots of presents.  Presents are the best "I'm sorry"s ever invented.

Stay woke.

The one thing that makes people more angry than there favorite athlete switching teams is their favorite athlete quitting.  And that's a bit more tangible.  If you're like me, you can't just up and quit your job.  You have to show up, day after day, take shit, and then repeat the process time and time again.  Even if you're great with your money, you haven't saved up enough to just walk away, unless you have something else waiting in the wings.  I need to get my wings right.  Anyway, when your favorite star walks off a show, or the field, or from the wrestling ring, it's difficult to understand how they could do such a thing.  At least on the surface.

Yesterday, I wrote about Daniel Bryan, perennial underdog, his rise to the top of the WWE and his current fight to resume his career.  In many ways, his ascension mirrored that of CM Punk, RETIRED professional wrestler.  CM Punk was anti-superstar, a guy with a natural body, poor disposition, and the self confidence to voice his opinions when things weren't going the way he deemed appropriate.  If Daniel Bryan's rise was meteoric, Punk's was that slow burn, a series of starts and stops that ultimately culminated with an Indian style sit down, a Steve Austin T Shirt, and a Pipe Bomb.  From that day forth, Punk was a major player,  engaging in feuds with the very top talents, and having the longest title reign basically since I've been a real boy.  But things change, focus changes, and things you can't account for occur.  Other people get popular.  Not everyone is your biggest fan.  Your body gets worn down.  You see people around you struggle.  These are all things that happen at our jobs, but typically on a much smaller scale.

Gotta love it.

So you have a guy that doesn't do drugs, doesn't drink, and doesn't buy gaudy gifts.  But makes LOTS OF MONEY.  When you only bad habit is women, and you find a way to get through that habit with no kids and all your body parts in tact, you've won at the game of life.  WWE has maintained a hold on many a wrestler because of the money they needed to make up for the money they lost.  Not this guy.  He's set financially, and at the point where he knows his best physical days are behind him.  Much like LeBron, Punk has legions of fans that just want him on their team.  I've been a fan for years and years.  I've seen the guy in person at two Wrestlemanias.  But when I heard he wasn't going to be there, I didn't hold it against him.  If our companies paid us on the scale they pay him, then the politics of that company didn't augur with what we desired, wouldn't we walk away too?  I can't sacrifice my well being for anyone I'm not feeding IF I'm not happy doing it anymore.  A smile and a thank you just isn't worth my body.  Celebrity is a responsibility, but sacrificing oneself isn't a requirement if it isn't in you anymore.

So... y'all mad?

I can't fault a fan for cheering a guy on, and getting emotionally invested in them.  But you have to take some things from a personal standpoint, and understand that same desire to be great at their crafts influences their willingness to do what's best for THEMSELVES.  All we can really ask is for greatness WHILE WE HAVE THEM. Anything else would just be unrealistic.

Bonus: Devin the Dude x Snoop Dogg x Andre 3000 - What a Job