If the higher-ups are afraid of The Shield...

[Mr. Nerfect]

Why don't they just pit them against each other? I never got this with renegade factions that run wild on the big promotions.

Let's say that at TLC, The Shield manage to defeat Ryback, Daniel Bryan & Kane when Brad Maddox gets involved and makes a shady count while the assigned official is out cold or something (furthering the Punk/Heyman - Maddox - Shield links). On RAW The Shield make some demands:

Ambrose: We want spots in the Royal Rumble. We beat three of the top guys and we've earned spots.

Vince McMahon then comes out and says that one of them can have a spot in the Royal Rumble -- but they'll have to earn it. It'll be Ambrose vs. Rollins vs. Reigns in a Triple Threat Match right now. The winner gets to be included in the Royal Rumble Match.

I know this completely cuts the balls off The Shield, and that's a bad thing, but maybe they could completely recover from something like this? Ambrose wins the shot and then he continues to rally The Shield behind him still. Perhaps they continue their random attacks on WWE Superstars until Vince eases up and lets all three in?

I guess I just never understood why authority figures don't try to destroy invading super-groups from the inside.

[loopydate]

Under those circumstances, Rollins and Ambrose lay down for Reigns. As the big fish, he's the biggest threat in the match. During the Rumble, all three come out together anyway and clean house until somebody (Kane?) manages to get Rollins and Ambrose away from the ring. Build to a big spot with Reigns and Ryback, where Reigns is about to get Shellshocked until Lesnar makes a surprise return and takes Ryback out. Reigns lasts a bit longer before being eliminated by an Orton/Sheamus/Cena type.

[Bad News Gertner]

Still not sure why anybody would be scared of three midgets. These three and the type Ryback sqaushes on a weekly basis.

[Skippord]

I'm not sure you know what a midget is.

[#BROKEN Hasney]

Roman Reigns and Ryback are the same height.

Basically, Kane needs to turn in the match and squash that stupid Ryback midget.

[Skippord]

Roman Reigns is an inch taller than Ryback with more athletic credibility

[Bad News Gertner]

Reigns has zero athletic ability and these three midgets need to go back to DGUSA

[#BROKEN Hasney]

You're right Gertner, you're right. Ryback does have a load of athletic ability.

[#BROKEN Hasney]

I mean the height he gets those knees up while walking around doing shellshock is impressive.

[Bad News Gertner]

Ryback could do a Sky Twisting Moonsault if he chooses to.

[Skippord]

Roman Reigns is a former professional football player

should probably be world champion just because of that

[Skippord]

also he's the Rock's cousin or something

double world champion

[The Condor]

It worked for Ron Simmons and JBL

[Hanso Amore]

It worked for Ron Simmons and JBL

You mean Goldberg, right?

[The Condor]

I thought the other two played NFL as well or is there some kind of sarcasm that went over my head?

[The Condor]

Nevermind, I'm fucking dense

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Dean Ambrose: the first 6'4" midget in history</font>

[Wishbone]

Asking this is like asking why Mcmahon didn't fire Austin for hitting him in the head with a bedpan or any of the other shenanigans that happened between them.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Vince McMahon never firing Stone Cold Steve Austin is simply an issue of money. Austin made too much money for Vince, and he knew it, and although he got his ass kicked and desperately wanted to stop Stone Cold, even the on-screen persona of Mr. McMahon knew that Austin was magic and taking the WWE to new heights.

[Wishbone]

Vince McMahon never firing Stone Cold Steve Austin is simply an issue of money. Austin made too much money for Vince, and he knew it, and although he got his ass kicked and desperately wanted to stop Stone Cold, even the on-screen persona of Mr. McMahon knew that Austin was magic and taking the WWE to new heights.

It's the same logic though. If you are questioning why they don't just fire them it's because it's part of the storyline, same goes for the Austin/Mcmahon thing. Honestly questioning it is like not admitting that it's staged. Why don't they fire them or pit them against each other? Because that would ruin the storyline.

[Mr. Nerfect]

No, it's not the same logic. Austin couldn't be manipulated against himself. He could be put into situations that were not favourable. An authority figure could very easily dangle something in front of Dean Ambrose to make him turn on Rollins & Reigns, however.

This isn't really a serious thread, since I enjoy The Shield storyline, but it's just one of those "doesn't really make sense" things in wrestling. Yeah, there are lots. I don't think Austin not getting fired is one, though. Nor is the briefcase being raised on him -- it was just an employee of Vince and Shane's. Maybe it was even Pat Patterson or Gerald Brisco?

I think about this all the time whenever there is a team that is causing an authority figure trouble. They always take that team and force them against other teams -- risking injury to their allies.

[Wishbone]

From a kayfabe point of view I've always like to think that the reason that the shield is allowed to continue is that because Vince just cares about money and even when he's acting the face he's actually reveling in the fact that people are doing his bidding. It allows me to explain (at least to myself) why things like Vicky abusing her power while AJ was fired for a fling.

[Wishbone]

Honestly I think I just miss Mr. Mcmahon :( and I like to think that someday he'll return in all his heel glory and be like "HAHAHA I had you all believing I actually cared about your opinion, but in reality I've been letting this stuff happen all along!"

Unfortunately that won't happen and WWE will continue with the nonsensical things so I just say ignore it and come up with your own head-canon.

[Wishbone]

Also didn't mean to ruffle any feathers with my other posts I was just saying that things in wrestling don't make sense very often and that it's better not to over think it. Sorry if I came across as condescending.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I get you on that Shield thing, actually. Let the "boys" deal with Shield, with no need for security or smart strategy to take on this seemingly small problem.

[Curd]

Honestly I think I just miss Mr. Mcmahon :( and I like to think that someday he'll return in all his heel glory and be like "HAHAHA I had you all believing I actually cared about your opinion, but in reality I've been letting this stuff happen all along!"

Unfortunately that won't happen and WWE will continue with the nonsensical things so I just say ignore it and come up with your own head-canon.

Yes, the way Vince arbitrarily wields power is very heelish for a kayfabe face.