A REAL World Champion...or just another face in the crowd?

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by Joey Slugs Look at guys like Austin, The Rock, HBK, HHH, & Hart. How long did it take them to go from rookie to World Champ? Each of them got built up, knocked down, built up again, a program with the IC belt, then down a few more rungs, finally on to a program with the current champ at that time.

There's the problem. The midcard's usually desolate. The midcard's usually treated like crap. In the Attitude Era, being a midcarder meant even Val Venis could be considered pushed, and might get a title shot. He'd lose horribly, but it didn't matter.

Half-cooked wrestlers are brought in before they've even been looked at, and they're not trying to develop what they've got. They want an Austin or Rock out of the box, which is why Orton and company have been pushed so far.

I don't entirely agree with "paying your dues," As I think an immediately valued talent is better used than made to pay. However, not every wrestler is Kurt FREAKING Angle, and deserving of an early main event slot. Exceptions should be made, but the folks didn't just come out of nowhere.

The problem is, this is a situation they should have been dealing with 3 years ago, not currently. If they had built people up to take the ball and run with it, they wouldn't need to put a champ up on the spot.