For those of you skeptical about CM Punk and "ball dropping"

[Xero]

He would have lasted a while longer, and I think he could have been turned into another Miz-like guy for the media. I think that ship has sailed, though. I don't think it would have lasted forever, but I think the immediate cut off shows a problem, and not "flavor of the week" problem.

All I'm really saying here is there is a clear and stark contrast between Punk pre-MITB push/character and post-SummerSlam push/character. He went from being a true focal point of the show and being something different and unique to being WWE-ized and someone who could be replaced by any main eventer. And it's true. Anyone could have called Stephanie stupid and pissed off Triple H. Anyone could be playing fourth fiddle to Triple H, Nash and Laurinitis. That's the focal point of this feud, not Punk. And THAT'S the problem with Punk's booking. I don't even have a problem with the fact that Punk lost. Punk can lose and still be over. But he can't be booked like shit and be expected to stay over.

And I guarantee. I guaran-fucking-tee that Triple H and Punk will be buddy buddy by the time this is over. And it will make absolutely no sense whatsoever and complete the castration of Punk. I will eat my fucking hat if this doesn't happen, because it's honestly the only direction they've booked themselves into.

[Chavo Classic]

Originally Posted by Xero And I guarantee. I guaran-fucking-tee that Triple H and Punk will be buddy buddy by the time this is over. And it will make absolutely no sense whatsoever and complete the castration of Punk. I will eat my fucking hat if this doesn't happen, because it's honestly the only direction they've booked themselves into.

Definitely. Nash is Hitler and HHH and Punk are Stalin and Roosevelt. The common hatred of Nash is going to unite the two after Yalta... I mean HIAC.

I'm going to stop the metaphor there before someone mentions the Cold War, because I got nothing for that.

[blak23]

Originally Posted by Xero He would have lasted a while longer, and I think he could have been turned into another Miz-like guy for the media. I think that ship has sailed, though. I don't think it would have lasted forever, but I think the immediate cut off shows a problem, and not "flavor of the week" problem. All I'm really saying here is there is a clear and stark contrast between Punk pre-MITB push/character and post-SummerSlam push/character. He went from being a true focal point of the show and being something different and unique to being WWE-ized and someone who could be replaced by any main eventer. And it's true. Anyone could have called Stephanie stupid and pissed off Triple H. Anyone could be playing fourth fiddle to Triple H, Nash and Laurinitis. That's the focal point of this feud, not Punk. And THAT'S the problem with Punk's booking. I don't even have a problem with the fact that Punk lost. Punk can lose and still be over. But he can't be booked like shit and be expected to stay over. And I guarantee. I guaran-fucking-tee that Triple H and Punk will be buddy buddy by the time this is over. And it will make absolutely no sense whatsoever and complete the castration of Punk. I will eat my fucking hat if this doesn't happen, because it's honestly the only direction they've booked themselves into.

Why are you blaming wwe? Didn't punk say himself he has the power to say no if it's stupid. Dude, it's wrestling. People got excited because he said things about the company ,yeah, but how much more could he say? He said everything in that first promo really the next two ppv's he was riding that wave of momentum. It's not punk's character that has any particular thing wrong with it it's WWE as a whole not taking advantage and riding that wave of momentum.

Imho the steam that would've powered punks character would be if WWE actually made a change and we got a new main eventer out of it or a new youth movement.

Punk's character was and is still based on change and slowly we see some of that change coming to fruition

[Xero]

Originally Posted by blak23 Why are you blaming wwe? Didn't punk say himself he has the power to say no if it's stupid. Dude, it's wrestling. People got excited because he said things about the company ,yeah, but how much more could he say? He said everything in that first promo really the next two ppv's he was riding that wave of momentum. It's not punk's character that has any particular thing wrong with it it's WWE as a whole not taking advantage and riding that wave of momentum. Imho the steam that would've powered punks character would be if WWE actually made a change and we got a new main eventer out of it or a new youth movement. Punk's character was and is still based on change and slowly we see some of that change coming to fruition

I agree with you. It's WWE not taking advantage of it. And I agree that the "shooter" character had to be toned down. There was no way he would have continued with it at the level he was. But that doesn't mean he couldn't have leveled out and still appeared important in the story.

Like I said, my whole point is that WWE is making Punk an insignificant part of the storyline by the week, and also WWE-izing him (for example, that minute of him doing the "gagging" sounds was Cena-esq).

[Next Big Thing]

Originally Posted by Xero He would have lasted a while longer, and I think he could have been turned into another Miz-like guy for the media. I think that ship has sailed, though. I don't think it would have lasted forever, but I think the immediate cut off shows a problem, and not "flavor of the week" problem.

Most of that main stream attention came from wrestling haters like Jim Rome and Colin Cowherd at ESPN and other mainstream reporters getting a hard on because they thought a wrestler actually shot his mouth off about WWE on live television and were looking for a story to bury wrestling, not because they suddenly gave a shit about pro wrestling or looked at Punk and immediately saw his star potential as an A List Hollywood celebrity. He dropped off in the mainstream media because they had no use for him once it was revealed that it was a work.

Miz has crossover appeal in the same way Otunga has crossover appeal. People are familiar with them and show marginal interest in them because of their reality show experiences and spouse (in Otunga's case). If they were regular wrestlers it would be a different story.

Yes, Punk delivered an amazing promo but you fail to give WWE credit for giving him the platform to cut that promo and say the things he said. I guarantee you if Vince, Stephanie or even Hunter had a problem with it, we never would have heard it. Also, perhaps the most brilliant part of it was them concluding it by cutting his mic, because that's what made it seem real.

Originally Posted by Xero Like I said, my whole point is that WWE is making Punk an insignificant part of the storyline by the week, and also WWE-izing him (for example, that minute of him doing the "gagging" sounds was Cena-esq).

Why do you give Punk credit for that brilliant "shooter" promo we all love, but say he's being WWE-ized for promos that don't go over as well? I think he has the same amount of influence over his promos as he did then, but they're not having the same effect because the shock value in what he is saying is gone.