Do you think this is true about Cena?

[Providence Peep]

Vince McMahon noted in a recent interview with the Boston Herald that he held a talent meeting a few years ago urging his performers to “reach for the brass ring” regardless of whom they have to step over. He particularly recalled John Cena approaching him at the end of the meeting to say, ‘I’m your man.’

The interview caught the attention of an anonymous wrestler who attended the meeting. He said there were actually five wrestlers who came over to McMahon following the meeting to say they were the right man for the job.

“The only difference is that Cena did his ‘stepping over guys’ in the locker room more than the ring,” said the wrestler.

The anonymous wrestler feels McMahon was looking for a “backstabbing asshole/stooge” to serve as his top WWE Superstar.

“It has zero to do with in-ring talent,” the wrestler said. “Cena stepped on guys like the Spirit Squad and others who were only there for less than six months.”

Source: The Pro Wrestling Torch

My question is, do you guys think Cena is a "backstabbing asshole/stooge," or is whoever made these comments full of it?

[Xero]

“It has zero to do with in-ring talent,”

Never does...

[YoungFlyFlashy]

So Cena stepped on a few guys to get ahead. Didn't everyone do that and they are cheered and inducted into the Hall of Fame. Every profession you basically have to do that to get ahead. Hmmm...is that Kenny Dykstra doing the interview?

:y:

[Afterlife]

It obviuosly has nothing to do with wrestling ability. But I'm not convinced Cena is a bad guy. The character tends to be dull, sure. But the guy doesn't really strike me as...well...Randy Orton.

[Testicle]

These statements could be made about a lot of guys.

[Xero]

I wouldn't put it past Cena to step on a few guys. To get into his position he's going to need to be a little aggressive and politic, and I have no doubt in my mind that he did.

But he stepped on the Spirit Squad? So what? The ones who were going to make it did (Dolph). Really don't see how that's a huge loss if he did.

[Wolfpack423]

Every top guy has to do something to get to where they are. I think the anonymous wrestler is some guy that couldn't hack it and is bitter so he has to pick on the face of the company. I mean if everyone starts saying Cena stepped over people constantly to get to where he is would be ludicrous. He worked his ass off to get to where he is in the business. The only guy in the Spirit Squad that amounted to anything is Dolph Ziggler. Shawn Michaels held down alot of people in the mid 90s to get his spot, but he also had natural ability and Vince was pushing him in 92 anyway as IC Champion to begin with so it wasn't like his push wasn't eventually going to come just like Cena and Orton were the two guys that were the standouts of their respective brands Orton on Raw and Cena on Smackdown. Those were the only two rising stars you could clearly see but they both earned what they have.

[McLegend]

Everything and every job in the world is about politics. Besides you still need talent for all the politicking to work anyway.

[Emperor Smeat]

Nothing new in terms of what WWF/WWE does and WCW in the past since if people were pushed based on actual talents, wrestlers like Hogan wouldn't be anywhere near his worldwide popularity. To a lesser extent, the same would be true of The Rock and other character heavy driven characters.

It is the same in most real life jobs where once you find the right person to suck up to or "kiss ass", your job becomes more secure than someone who tries to succeed in a different way.

[dronepool]

You have to step on people to get ahead in a business like that.

[V]

Yo, People think I'm crazy. That's what everyone is telling me.
That me beating you, is like you winning a spelling bee.
That's okay because tonight I silence them all.
You're a neanderthal. So I'll use words that are small.
"Big Brock Lesnar. Here comes the pain.
God build me strong, Forgot to give me brain."
You hop around all day like there's potatoes in your crack.
That's a nice tattoo you have, of your mother on your back.
Yo I'm untouchable you can't beat my ability.
I'm like a basic math problem Brock, you just can't finish me.

[Providence Peep]

Shawn Michaels held down alot of people in the mid 90s to get his spot, but he also had natural ability and Vince was pushing him in 92 anyway as IC Champion to begin with so it wasn't like his push wasn't eventually going to come just like Cena and Orton were the two guys that were the standouts of their respective brands Orton on Raw and Cena on Smackdown.

That might be the longest sentence in the history of the English language.

[bigslimjj]

Fuck John Cena.

[Snowden]

That comment just screams disgruntled to me. Sure, Cena played politics, yippie. As has already been said, most all top guys do/did. As IWC/smarky as this may sound, I'd be shocked if he was burying guys to the degree of, say, Hogan, simply because no one has ever heard anything about him playing politics like that until now.

And citing the spirit squad is just ridiculous. When were they ever competing for a spot with Cena?

[Xero]

Cena is no where near as bad as Hogan or Hunter. I have no doubt in that.

[Wolfpack423]

That might be the longest sentence in the history of the English language.

Sorry about the run-on. I didn't even realize I hadn't properly separated my thoughts into different sentences.

[BobBitchen]

So Cena stepped on a few guys to get ahead. Didn't everyone do that and they are cheered and inducted into the Hall of Fame. Every profession you basically have to do that to get ahead. Hmmm...is that Kenny Dykstra doing the interview?

:y:

Dolph Ziggler?????!!!!

[Fignuts]

Wasn't Cena already an established main event talent, by the time the spirit squad came around?

[Droford]

Dolph Ziggler?????!!!!

Maybe it was Mikey?

[Jeritron]

I think almost everyone steps on people to get to the top. I say almost because there are a few, like Foley, Jericho or even Stone Cold, who you never really hear anything bad and everyone on the inside seems to insist are class acts and deserving, etc.

But for the most part you hear or slowly get the picture of this behavior and atmosphere from everyone in the business. It's just a cut-throat system.
I've heard stories about Randy Orton and The Rock which indicate that they obviously play/played this game just as much, if not more, than Cena.

The only difference is the fans who care about this stuff like those guys, so they're not going to fault it as much as they will with Cena.

As for Cena stepping on people, a few things I read this summer seemed to suggest that he had a part in getting Danielson canned for 90 days, and was two-faced about it by saying he was against it.
Who knows? It's all just rumors and taking others' word.

[Jeritron]

Wasn't Cena already an established main event talent, by the time the spirit squad came around?

Yes. I think what's being implied is that he protects that throne, or whatever. That seems to be the rumor with Orton too. Who knows.
I would say that there is probably more politics and backstabbing in holding onto the top spot, than there is in getting to it. At least for the most part.

[NeanderCarl]

I think almost everyone steps on people to get to the top. I say almost because there are a few, like Foley, Jericho or even Stone Cold, who you never really hear anything bad

There have been a few remarks about Austin over the years, refusing to put people over or in some cases refusing to even work with people. Apparently he point blank refused to work with Jeff Jarrett and Billy Gunn in 1999, we all know the situation with Brock Lesnar (whether justified or not) and a few people have described him as one of the most demanding champions in WWE history, including Vince McMahon himself (and Russo too).

[Rammsteinmad]

Whoever said those comments in the interview is just bitter because they weren't as good at 'backstabbing' as Cena is.

[Next Big Thing]

Everyone at the top plays some sort of politics and that's in damn near any industry, business, or political situation. Plus, even if it is true, it was the fucking Spirit Squad. Who gives a shit?

[RGWhat316]

Wasn't Cena already an established main event talent, by the time the spirit squad came around?

That apparently is the point they are trying to make about him stepping on people. Since Cena was already a main eventer, it sounded like he held them down.

[Next Big Thing]

I'm pretty sure Hunter and Shawn did more to hold the Spirit Squad down than Cena ever could have.

[GD]

John Cena on being an NXT Pro: “yes I asked, and was denied. Apparently u need more than 2 moves to offically be called a “pro” (enjoy that one)”