Ryan Michael & Shane Howard Talk One-on-One About Randy Orton

1. Do you think that Orton might have hit his peak? Is there any other level that he can possibly go?

That's a great question, Shane.

If you asked me six months ago, I probably would have told you yes. But watching Orton as of late as lead me to believe different. Every time I say to myself "that was the most insane thing I've ever seen, you can't go lower than that, etc." Orton ups the ante and does something worse.

The "Punt Heard Round The World" was a point that stuck out to me as being a climax of one's career. But what I saw him do to Stephanie, when I saw him break Triple H's heart to the point where he had to cry, that was something completely different.

So even though he might be the hottest thing in wrestling today, I think that there is still room for evolution. Especially during a time when the script-writers are up one week and down the next, I feel that Orton will eventually become a great beneficiary of stable script-writing.

If the writers can come up with even better material, if they can push The Legacy to the point that I feel they deserve, and if they can let Orton be as dominant as someone of his magnitude should be, then the sky will become the limit.

I feel that the ultimate answer to this, as you got at, is what happens with Legacy.

If Legacy ultimately fails, then it is a reflection on Orton. I think being a successful leader of a stable will just build to his already impressive resume. It also solidifies him as someone who can lead the next generation of stars. He does that and he has ascended to perhaps the very peak of professional wrestling.

2. What will Orton's ultimate legacy be in professional wrestling?

I've thought about that many times. Wondering, where will Orton rank when it's all said and done and what will people think of his career after he retires.

I personally think that Randy Orton will become more respected after retirement than he is right now, and that's saying something. People will look back at the era we're living in and remember the top heels.

I think that Edge will be remembered for the entirety of his career, so there won't be a complete focus on what he's doing now.

JBL's legacy will not be as pretty as he'd hope. I'm sure that people will look back and say that he was one tough guy, but I honestly think that Brock Lesnar did more in his two-year career than JBL did in his life.

Chris Jericho will not be remembered as a great heel.

Like Edge, he has a complete career to be reflected upon. His prime of being a heel would likely be now and although he's great at verbalizing an eloquent vocabulary, no one is going to look back at his time doing so as a dominant force that was to seriously be reckoned with.

Randy Orton is this generation's ultimate heel. He's been a heel for most of his career so that if nothing else, will help his status as being one of the greatest.

We're talking about a guy who has defeated legendary figures such as Ric Flair, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Mick Foley. He's also taken out this generation's finest by defeating the likes of John Cena, Edge, and Batista.

I couldn't think of another wrestler who has defeated so many "big names" although that's also in great part to his "Legend Killer" moniker. But even considering that, Randy gave these great legends a reason to lace their boots up one more time.

When you combine that will accomplishments such as headlining multiple Wrestlemanias (being one of the very few heels to retain a championship at the event), winning the Royal Rumble, being a four-time "Sole Survivor" and a multiple time WWE Champion, you have the career of a future Hall of Famer ten-times over.

Randy Orton will be remembered as not only the greatest heel of his generation, but one of the greatest competitors to ever step foot in the squared circle.

In the end, I think Orton will be forever seen as "The Legend Killer." Most people attach him to that gimmick and I think in the future, many will look back and see him as a guy who took out a lot of big names. As for your claim that he is this generation's greatest heel, that point is completely debatable.

3. Is he the greatest heel currently in the WWE?

Without question. I don't think there is even a close second. Edge would be his only competition and I don't even think there is one thing Edge does better.

People would say his ability on the mic but Edge needs to blow-up to reach half of the intensity Orton delivers in a monotonous manor.

Edge is great, don't get me wrong. He might even be my favorite guy outside of Legacy but he's of a completely different breed.

I don't think Chris Jericho even warrants discussion, for the reasons I stated before and countless more.

But I don't want to explain why Orton is the greatest heel in the WWE by simply tearing down his competition. I want to explain why he deserves the spot on his own merits.

If being booed the most makes you the greatest heel, than Orton does not fit that criteria. A guy like JBL could earn twice the boos for all the wrong reasons.

There is a difference between getting booed because your boring or pathetic, and being booed because you force the crowd to boo you.

Fans have every reason in the world to cheer for Randy Orton. Be it his entrance music, his look, his finishing moves or whatever.

And while some people always end up cheering for him, he can take an arena that would want to cheer for him and force most of them to turn those cheers into boos.

That's a special talent that I feel he doesn't get enough credit for.

Because people think the more boos the better, they don't understand that it's much harder for someone with appeal of Orton to get booed than it would be for a guy like JBL or Mark Henry who have no appeal whatsoever.

Be it his ability, his accomplishments, or his impact, Randy Orton is unquestionably the greatest heel in the business today if not the best there's ever been.

Of course not.

Orton should be happy that Vickie Guerrero resigned as he can now move ahead of her. The greatest heel currently in the WWE is without a doubt, Dolph Ziggler. Okay, I'm kidding.

Edge, I feel is a better and bigger heel than Orton. Why? Because of Edge's sneaky tactics. People tend to hate the weasels and Edge is a great weasel.

Mic work, in-ring ability, charisma, Edge has it all and I believe he beats Orton in those respects as well. The fact that Edge's character married Vickie Guerrero's, who many don't find attractive, just to get ahead tells you the depths the man will go to win.

Orton punted Vince in the head, but haven't we seen Vince and superstars disagree in the past?

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