Where is this going, and did they know? (Spoilers)

[Theo Dious]

One of the weirder things about HHH's vote of no-confidence last night is how solidly behind him the crowd was. Now, they HAD to know that was going to be the reaction. HHH was getting solid pops for like two years at the end of his heel run, before the DX reunion happened. People want to love this guy. Add to that the fact that the main voices last night - the Otunga group, then later Beth, Barrett, and Christian - are all heels. The only faces that took a definitive stand against him were commentators, and, as has been pointed out, the top faces in Cena, Orton, and Punk were absent from the crowd. I'm not even sure Sheamus was there. Taking a look at the video, I only see Sin Cara, Air Boom, Zack Ryder (granted he came back out and all but that was one of HHH's "Dark Pedigrees" that don't really happen) and some of the general midcard faces out there, plus some Divas (oddly though I c an't seem to find Kelly Kelly in the walk-out vid,) it seems like anyone being pushed as any kind of main event face was kept out deliberately.

So what happens with this going forward? Was there some kind of "conspiracy" to keep the particular faces away from this vote? And why would WWE deliberately set the majority of the locker room, minus vaguely half a dozen guys, against the audience? Any face that walked out on HHH last night did at least a tacit heel turn since they were clearly working against the desires of the audience.

Now, I fully expect Vince, with Lauranitis as his stooge, to be behind this. What interests me is to find out how things play out. Lawler hit on something last night by saying that someone backstage definitely is working against HHH. This whole thing seems to be aiming to split the WWE in half (which, with Survivor Series on the horizon, is a good way to position things.)

Does anyone else see HHH rehiring Miz & Truth in return for them dropping their charges, to help him uncover the real conspiracy? I'd find this extremely interesting, because you basically would have a cadre of guys in Miz, Truth, Punk, Orton, (and Sheamus, if in fact he was absent last night) ending up in a de facto alliance with Cena, and that list of names makes up most of his major feuds in the past year or so.

Add to that, that the ball sack of a Triple H heel turn has been dangling in our faces for quite a while now. Do we finally see it, or does this perhaps end up becoming a company-wide HHH vs Vince deal that finally puts Vince kayfabe out of the company for good?

Anyways, discuss this very interesting angle and what you think they will or should do with it.

[Vastardikai]

wow, WWE implying a "Union" is bad. How funny...

[Xero]

wow, WWE implying a "Union" is bad. How funny...

Yeah I actually find this funny and kind of ill-timed for a two reasons. One, they're now a publicly traded company that does have investors to make happy. And two, it's more fuel on the fire for Linda's campaign. The latter honestly surprises me and doesn't at the same time, because I think unions were a big issue last time around, so it's like Vince saying "fuck you" to her nay-sayers.

[Lara Emily]

As I said in the other thread what I find interesting about this angle is how it is highlighting how uncritical the average WWE fan is ( I mean come on BOOOO you want safe working conditions, boo you suck is pretty fucking hilarious) It's pretty cool. It should be interesting to see if these faces start getting heel heat over it.

[Lara Emily]

Yeah I actually find this funny and kind of ill-timed for a two reasons. One, they're now a publicly traded company that does have investors to make happy. And two, it's more fuel on the fire for Linda's campaign. The latter honestly surprises me and doesn't at the same time, because I think unions were a big issue last time around, so it's like Vince saying "fuck you" to her nay-sayers.

First point I doubt investors want unions either :p, so they're probably not upset about this.

Second point is a solid one though.

[Testicle]

Someone posted this on another site, and I completely agree...

"The crowd has just booed the entire WWE roster and are cheering for HHH. He finally did it. He buried the entire roster all at once. This is truly HHH's finest hour."

[Xero]

lol it's actually true.

[Lara Emily]

Awesome!

It bothers me that CM Punk is one of the guys standing behind Triple H btw.

[Xero]

http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/11042260723/1/tumblr_lskicqzZIZ1qk8v9t

[Fox]

I don't know. Honestly, it kind of bothers me that this whole angle started with CM Punk's shoot promo against the WWE, followed up by his short feud and segments with Vince McMahon, John Cena and Triple H, and now it's been transformed into an angle ABOUT Triple H. He's managed to piggyback on the incredible "real life" storyline featuring Punk and his grievances against the WWE, and turn it into his own storyline. Night of Champions was kind of a handover from this being about CM Punk versus the WWE's agenda into Triple H versus the WWE, which is kind of fucking ridiculous since Triple H REPRESENTS the WWE's corporate agenda.

I really hope that Punk gets involved in this thing again somehow, but I'm kind of doubting it's going to happen. He, Alberto and the WWE Championship are going to play third fiddle to the HHH/Conspiracy storyline and Rock versus Cena.

And more than likely, this is all building toward Triple H versus Vince McMahon at WrestleMania.

[Xero]

From PWInsider/Punk's Twitter:

CM Punk wrote the following on his twitter regarding last night's angle:

"I think a lot of people are missing the point. Fans and coworkers alike. Walking out is a pussy move. There's a huge difference in what I did. I want change, and I can't change s*** from my couch. I'm in the fox hole. I'm getting it done. I stayed to fight and I'm fighting for change. You can protest, violently or peacefully without actually showing up. Walking out isn't a solution at least not one that I've ever seen work. Hold 'em up. Make them change. Don't just walk out, or lay down. Fight. This goes for fans as well. Bored? Don't like @johncena? Want more @ZackRyder? Show up and be heard. Don't be a pussy and just tweet about it. Actions speaks louder than words. Except mine. My words are pretty awesome. No think about all that, and hopefully you'll get it. Too many tweets from me. Misspellings abound. You CAN'T protest without showing up. I am not Gandhi. I will kick your face. Don't like HHH as COO? Punch him in the face. I did. It's wrestling, not the NBA. Next high kick to Johnny "Funkhauser" Ace won't be an accident."

[James Steele]

Someone posted this on another site, and I completely agree...

"The crowd has just booed the entire WWE roster and are cheering for HHH. He finally did it. He buried the entire roster all at once. This is truly HHH's finest hour."

Oh shut the fuck up you miserable twat-pimple.

[Lara Emily]

Wait what? Cm Punk's entire kick off was that he was gonna take the title and leave. It was that threat to ahem walk out (leave if you will) with the title that storyline wise got him a new contract.

[Theo Dious]

As I said in the other thread what I find interesting about this angle is how it is highlighting how uncritical the average WWE fan is ( I mean come on BOOOO you want safe working conditions, boo you suck is pretty fucking hilarious)

You really don't get this at all, do you. You sound like you're trying to emulate Cole. Look at the people complaining about "safe working conditions." As HHH mentioned, Wade Barrett, who once led a veritable street gang who violently mugged lone opponents, is complaining about "safe working conditions." Christian, who invented the "One Man Con-chair-to," in which he would attempt to crush another person's skull between two steel chairs, is complaining about "safe working conditions." (He also participated in a hanging at Wrestlemania 15 if I recall correctly.) Alberto Del Rio, who just won the WWE title via a steel pipe and is infamous for locking on and refusing to release a very damaging submission hold, is complaining about "safe working conditions." Mark Henry was out there on the side of the dissenters, and he's been deliberately breaking bones and publicly announcing that he's going to end careers. Beth Phoenix is out there saying "we're girls," while she entered a Royal Rumble and eliminated Khali.

Regardless of "sports entertainment" and all the rest, these people are out there to wrestle. In kayfabe, they're engaged in a combat sport. These are heel tactics they're using. Babyfaces settle their problems in the ring; they don't whine about "safe working conditions," they don't cry when they get beat down, and they don't hire lawyers.* HHH is the one trying to get these guys to man up and settle things the right way, the way an Austin, a Hogan, a Rock, a Cena, or even a Hart would, the way a babyface and a hero does. Go out and kick ass, and not cry when you get screwed over.**

The idea of fans being "uncritical" over this is laughable. The fans aren't booing legitimate claims for safe working conditions, they're booing crybabies who can't be arsed to do what's expected of them as wrestlers. Fans waNt to see things done in the ring. Of course they're going to boo when the heels resort to lawyers and walk-outs.

Of course this is the same internet where I've seen people look down their noses at people for booing CM Punk's anti-drug message, being unable to get their brains around the fact that they were actually booing his "I'm better than you" stance.

*I'm sure someone will point out that Austin did once have Mills Lane perform some legal wrangling to get a title rematch. I would point out, however, that in that situation, Austin was doing so to enable him to kick some ass, not to avoid having his kicked.
**Kayfabe screwjobs only. We don't need to start talking about who was or was not a crybaby after shoot screwjobs.

[Theo Dious]

Awesome!

It bothers me that CM Punk is one of the guys standing behind Triple H btw.

He's not standing behind Triple H, he's standing against acting like a pussy.

He had a problem with Triple H, and he took it to Triple H like a man. He's now setting himself against those without the sack to do what he did.

[Lara Emily]

Baby faces were asking for better working conditions too, last time I checked it wasn't just heels walking out.

Point stands if it was VKM in full on heel mode depriving people of safe working conditions the crowd would be cheering this walk out. But since it's Triple H providing the unsafe conditions (and the storyline has done a decent job establishing unsafe conditions) people are all in support of it.

[Lara Emily]

He's not standing behind Triple H, he's standing against acting like a pussy.



You mean the same guy who was threatening to run away from the company with the belt because his contract was about to be up?

[Theo Dious]

You mean the same guy who was threatening to run away from the company with the belt because his contract was about to be up?

Except that that wasn't about "I'm not man enough to solve my own problems." That was about "I'm better than this place, and I'm going to prove it by beating your big hero and leaving with your crown jewel so that nobody can take it away from me, and it's your own stupid fault for treating me like shit." And then he came back and got right back in the face of that same guy, and went on to beat him again to prove which one of them was the real champion. That's a very far cry from bringing in a lawyer to hide behind.

AND FUCK YOU FOR PUTTING ME IN A POSITION TO DEFEND CM PUNK.

[Theo Dious]

I've known for a long time that your view of reality is seriously warped, but God damn, the fact that you can't distinguish between basic face and heel tactics just makes me laugh.

[Theo Dious]

I'd also love to know what "unsafe working conditions" exist that are unique to HHH's authority. Has anyone been hit by a car? Thrown off a bridge? Bound to a cult symbol and "sacrificed?" Kidnapped and attempted to be forcibly married to a cult leader? Been set on fire? Had their testicles electrocuted? Thrown into a flaming dumpster? Had their head kicked in against a cinder block? Been strangled with a necktie? Been dragged around the arena behind a motorcycle? Been chased around the backstage area with a sledgehammer? Been placed in a flaming casket and set on fire? Had their parents' graves desecrated? Been the intended victim of a living embalming? Had a paranoid rattlesnake play guitar and sing at them? Been knocked 50 feet off of the stage scaffolding? Been thrown off or through the ceiling of Hell in a Cell? Been buried alive? Has anyone even had to kiss a bare ass lately? Things seem historically pretty tame lately. Fuck, Carlito's petition to get Teddy Long thrown off of Smackdown a few years back had more of a foundation than the "unsafe working environment" argument.

[Shisen Kopf]

HHH vs Everyone at survivor series and bah gawd, he'll win.

[OldSchoolFan]

I'd also love to know what "unsafe working conditions" exist that are unique to HHH's authority. Has anyone been hit by a car? Thrown off a bridge? Bound to a cult symbol and "sacrificed?" Kidnapped and attempted to be forcibly married to a cult leader? Been set on fire? Had their testicles electrocuted? Thrown into a flaming dumpster? Had their head kicked in against a cinder block? Been strangled with a necktie? Been dragged around the arena behind a motorcycle? Been chased around the backstage area with a sledgehammer? Been placed in a flaming casket and set on fire? Had their parents' graves desecrated? Been the intended victim of a living embalming? Had a paranoid rattlesnake play guitar and sing at them? Been knocked 50 feet off of the stage scaffolding? Been thrown off or through the ceiling of Hell in a Cell? Been buried alive? Has anyone even had to kiss a bare ass lately? Things seem historically pretty tame lately. Fuck, Carlito's petition to get Teddy Long thrown off of Smackdown a few years back had more of a foundation than the "unsafe working environment" argument.

Don't forget "Choppy Choppy Pee Pee"

[Xero]

That's an unsafe wang environment.

[Dat Fool Train]

You also left out "had their dog kidnapped, killed, chopped up, put into chili and then had it fed to them. Then have a match over said remains"

[Droford]

that happens all the time in china

[Mr. Nerfect]

You really don't get this at all, do you. You sound like you're trying to emulate Cole. Look at the people complaining about "safe working conditions." As HHH mentioned, Wade Barrett, who once led a veritable street gang who violently mugged lone opponents, is complaining about "safe working conditions." Christian, who invented the "One Man Con-chair-to," in which he would attempt to crush another person's skull between two steel chairs, is complaining about "safe working conditions." (He also participated in a hanging at Wrestlemania 15 if I recall correctly.) Alberto Del Rio, who just won the WWE title via a steel pipe and is infamous for locking on and refusing to release a very damaging submission hold, is complaining about "safe working conditions." Mark Henry was out there on the side of the dissenters, and he's been deliberately breaking bones and publicly announcing that he's going to end careers. Beth Phoenix is out there saying "we're girls," while she entered a Royal Rumble and eliminated Khali.

Regardless of "sports entertainment" and all the rest, these people are out there to wrestle. In kayfabe, they're engaged in a combat sport. These are heel tactics they're using. Babyfaces settle their problems in the ring; they don't whine about "safe working conditions," they don't cry when they get beat down, and they don't hire lawyers.* HHH is the one trying to get these guys to man up and settle things the right way, the way an Austin, a Hogan, a Rock, a Cena, or even a Hart would, the way a babyface and a hero does. Go out and kick ass, and not cry when you get screwed over.**

The idea of fans being "uncritical" over this is laughable. The fans aren't booing legitimate claims for safe working conditions, they're booing crybabies who can't be arsed to do what's expected of them as wrestlers. Fans waNt to see things done in the ring. Of course they're going to boo when the heels resort to lawyers and walk-outs.

Of course this is the same internet where I've seen people look down their noses at people for booing CM Punk's anti-drug message, being unable to get their brains around the fact that they were actually booing his "I'm better than you" stance.

*I'm sure someone will point out that Austin did once have Mills Lane perform some legal wrangling to get a title rematch. I would point out, however, that in that situation, Austin was doing so to enable him to kick some ass, not to avoid having his kicked.
**Kayfabe screwjobs only. We don't need to start talking about who was or was not a crybaby after shoot screwjobs.

By that logic, wouldn't The Miz and R-Truth be the biggest babyfaces in this whole thing? Isn't Triple H the coward for firing them, when he should be rolling up his sleeves to get into the ring with them? He also fined them before he fired them. What a corporate stooge.

Truth be told -- this positioning of Triple H as the face in this storyline is really off-putting. I'm not just complaining for the sake of complaining -- this storyline makes very little sense to me. Everyone is going to walk out, but doesn't that put them in violation of their contract? Why doesn't Triple H, say, fire Primo? You cut a few guys off the bottom who have rebelled for breaching their paid appearances, and suddenly a guy like Jerry Lawler might want to come sit in and do commentary. Also, wouldn't Triple H now have the fire he needs to release Michael Cole, like he said he wanted to?

This whole thing is pretty warped, actually.

[Rammsteinmad]

Yeah, pretty much what Noid just said.

Another thing I hate is how hypocritical Triple H is being throughout this entire thing.

Attacking referees? How many times did HHH retain his title for attacking a ref? 'We got in the ring and fought like men'... like all those times Triple H would cowardly run away from the ring.

[Swiss Ultimate]

I kind of like Triple H being an incompetent boss, but still a badass.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Yeah, pretty much what Noid just said.

Another thing I hate is how hypocritical Triple H is being throughout this entire thing.

Attacking referees? How many times did HHH retain his title for attacking a ref? 'We got in the ring and fought like men'... like all those times Triple H would cowardly run away from the ring.

That's my other problem with Triple H the babyface. He says all the right things on the mic to suck up to the WWE Universe, and he's been a heroic figure within the WWE for the past five years or so now. But are we just meant to forget that Triple H is one of the biggest self-serving, slimy bastards in the history of professional wrestling (and he was damn good in that role).