1) Still think we should qualify Bryan getting "fired" with quotes. I think it was just a PR move and the job was still his with a wink and a handshake provided he didn't go all batshit crazy on the internet.
2) By half of the arguments here, you'd think Bryan would've "kept his job" if Justin Roberts sold the choke less (look at that screen cap... it's gold! Better than some of the guys on the roster would have). If he would have choked Cena with the tie and spit on Justin, everything would have been fine, since we all know Cena would have no-sold the tie choke.
3) Bryan wasn't a WWE established guy and therefore expendable enough to fall under the sword. Compare this to when HBK busted out with the Crippler Crossface not long after all that business with Benoit came to light. Someone NOT HBK would have been off of TV before the next commercial break.
4) Timing. You bet if this took place during the senate race, not only would King be "fired" (wink) for this, but no way in hell would they have gotten so lax with the language (and their stance on what PG means). That means it alters the way The Rock cuts any of his promos. It means no way Truth turns heel, smokes cigs, and drops "fence jumper" on ADR. Conversely, if the first night of the Nexus invasion happened last night on RAW as it happened then, this would be a non-issue, and they likely would have played up Roberts being injured as part of the angle.
|