Vince Interview with Steve Austin
Last week CM Punk was on the Art of Wrestling podcast, and spoke frankly about his departure from WWE, blasting all aspects of the company. It’s an incredible must-listen interview. Even if it’s only 25% true, it’s a depressing look into WWE. In amazing timing, it was released a few days after Vince was announced doing a live interview with Stone Cold on the WWE Network. This is meant to be the big draw for buying the Network this month (why they didn’t show Sting on RAW as opposed conveying that he’s gone again I don’t know!). I’ll save my specific thoughts on Punk’s interview after his follow-up Q&A with Colt this week.
Whilst I’m firmly on Punk’s side, I wanna play Devil’s Advocate here. If I were Vince, I’d mention:
• Punk didn’t get to main event WrestleMania 29 because The Rock vs John Cena was the biggest match they could promote – Rock/Cena I at WM28 is the highest grossing wrestling event of all time. Punk has a massive ego and despite many (including me) thinking he’s excellent, he’s not as big a draw as part-timers like The Rock.
• Vince needs to refute Punk’s grave allegations about WWE’s doctor’s suspicious incompetence and it’s wellness policy/concussion testing being a joke. WWE indirectly acknowledged it with a generic response (“WWE takes the health and wellness of its talent very seriously and has a comprehensive Talent Wellness Program that is led by one of the most well-respected physicians in the country, Dr. Joseph Maroon”), but if he doesn’t tackle it specifically, everyone who’s heard Punk’s interview will assume he’s speaking the truth.
• He should say that Punk’s shoot makes for a great storyline and maybe he’ll get his WrestleMania Main Event out of it (making fans think that Punk’s legitimate bitterness is all a work)
Reactions to Punk’s interview were mixed – Vince was upset, Triple H was livid (‘he wants Punk’s head’) and the locker-room were pretty ecstatic – even though they may not like Punk, they really appreciate him shining a light on health issues, testing, and dwindling payoffs thanks to the Network. Vince absolutely shouldn’t bring attention to things like WWE firing Punk on his wedding day, refusing to pay him his royalties and WWE slashing their payouts due to the Network’s enormous detriment on WWE finances and revenue. Even if he refutes these allegations, he brings attention to WWE being spiteful assholes and the company being in bad shape.
If WWE Shareholders conference calls are anything to go by, Vince is a master at dodging questions and answering with generic vague responses. He’d be wise to only indirectly mention topics in a way to give Punk’s interview as little promotion as possible. Of course I hope he works himself up into a frenzy and goes on a bat-shit crazy rant, shooting on Punk -That would be incredible! PUNK SCREWED PUNK! In any case, stay tuned to the WWF Hotline! We’ll be back later in the week with all the ska (scandal).