Applecore wrote:Listened to both the CM Punk story on Colt Cabana's podcast and Steve Austin interviewing Vince McMahon today.
The McMahon podcast left me feeling quite a bit of respect for Vince. Unfortunately, he seems to rely too much on the voices in the crowd at the shows than what the rest of the fans are saying online. It's easy to get caught up in the moment at a show and cheer for something or someone you otherwise wouldn't if you were watching at home.
With what happened to CM Punk, I get the feeling that he's a guy who just unfortunately slipped through the net with regards to how he was treated. As for the health issues, he himself admits that he wanted to go back early when asked to prove that he can do it - while that's admirable, he then can't really be surprised when they then expect it of him every time thereafter. Though, to be fair to him, he says a few times in the interview that he accepts that he shouldn't have gone back early.
As for the situation with him getting his dismissal on his wedding day, Vince says it was purely coincidental and wants to apologise for it, and I think I believe him. Especially when Punk says how Vince reacted to him walking out, how Vince had tears in his eyes and went for a hug instead of a handshake, and then trying to get in touch very soon afterwards. What sticks out to me is that Punk says he'd told Triple H when he was getting married, and that he thinks it was a calculated move. I don't think it's totally out of question that Triple H kept the wedding date from Vince and pushed it through so he got it on his wedding day (as it was sent with Fed-Ex, it's entirely likely that it arrived exactly when the sender intended). Punk talks a bit about how Triple H just plain didn't like him - coming out of retirement for one match just to kill Punk's momentum, the way he acted around him backstage, etc - and it kind of weighs up with what Ricardo Rodriguez said in his shoot interview, that if you criticise what Triple H has planned, or says, you're off TV and house shows. Triple H sounds like he can be a bit of a bully backstage, and it wouldn't surprise me that he orchestrated Punk's dismissal papers being sent when they were just to spite the guy.
Vince said he hopes the WWE can do business with CM Punk again in the future, and mentioned how they made amends with guys like Warrior, Hogan, Bret Hart, etc, and I really do want to believe him, as blindly optimistic as it may seem. I can't see it happening anytime soon, though, not with Triple H in a position of influence within the company - especially the main roster.
Dude, paragraphs
I think the Punk interview was a excellent listen, a lot of revealing stuff made sense and wasn't all that surprising if you're a bit cynical and think about potential scenarios. Good to hear it from the horses mouth though.
With the Vince thing, he couldn't really go out there and rip into Punk even if he wanted too. There was allegedly a meeting at Raw between Vince, Triple H and Stephanie regarding the Punk podcast so it would have all been carefully planned what to mention and what not to.
I do think Vince missed a trick though in not defending the medical issues to the hilt though.
Sections of media have been clamouring to shit on WWE since the Benoit incident and WWE have made a big thing of their new Wellness policies, concussion treatment etc etc.
To have their medical care publicly lambasted and not come out to defend it? Leaves them very exposed to some knife twisting and if all of what Punk said about ti is correct, they're in for some major shit.
