Hey Scott,
Has the WWE basically flushed money down the toilet like they have with Zack Ryder ever before? I mean the guy was over huge. With the smark and mark fans alike. He was selling a pretty decent amount of merchandise. Which I thought at one time meant something. He was even over with the little kiddies with his bright colors and goofy outfit. Yet they buried him for months until he was just a jobber, and than off TV entirely. And for what reason?
And even after all that he's still over huge. His merchandise might not be selling as well, or at least you don't see it in the live crowds as much (though that could be because why would you wear something for a guy who isn't even going to make an appearance) but he got one of, if not the biggest pops of the night at the PPV on Sunday. And than they were chanting his name TWICE on Raw on Monday. Once during the embarrassing Cindi Lauper segment and than again during the pointless Cena main event. I thought for sure he would come out for at least something. But nope. It was like they did it on purpose. It makes absolutely no sense.
It would probably be better for him if he just left. I don't know what his contract situation is but I imagine TNA would be able to use him in someway. What do you think?
I don't think he's going to leave because he's one of the new generation of guys, along with Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes, who have been so brainwashed by the WWE indoctrination system that they won't speak up for themselves anymore because they think WWE is the only way to make a living in the business. And they're pretty much correct, unfortunately. However, even back in the 90s, guys who had built their own character and brand would feel free to tell a promoter to go fuck themselves if they were getting booked like Ryder, or Cody, or Ziggler was. You think Raven would put up with that kind of bullshit booking for more than a week? He'd quit and do indies to pay the bills for a few months and wait for them to call again. Steve Austin left the WWE high and dry in 2002 and they STILL came crawling back to him over and over. Sable sued them, and WON, because she didn't like her treatment, and they rehired her in 2003 for even more money. Brock Lesnar, need I say more? They're desperate for stars right now and these guys have the perfect opportunity to, frankly, squeeze Vince McMahon by the balls and make their own career, and they're seemingly too scared to do it. You don't think they'd take John Morrison back in a HEARTBEAT right now and probably give him a main event push (as long as he dumped Melina, of course)? I don't know if the problem is that guys like Ryder grew up as fans like us and can't see it as the cold and heartless business that it needs to be in order to make money off it, but Brock Lesnar sure as fuck does and that's why he's where he is and they're where they are.