WWE: Five Current Superstars and Their Pro Sports Counterparts
Professional wrestling and the more mainstream, widely-accepted sports such as football, basketball, and NASCAR have more in common than any one sports writer or national sports network would ever wish to admit.
They feature passionate fans, an undeniable flair for the dramatic, grizzled veterans looking to reassert their dominance, and young "golden boys" looking to establish themselves as "the next big thing."
Join me as I take a look at five current WWE Superstars and their counterparts from the professional sporting world who, believe it or not, are not all that different.
WWE Superstar: Rey Mysterio
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Rey Mysterio is one of those Superstars that, no matter how popular he becomes or how many championships he collects over the course of his career, many often forget just how great he is.
One of the truly great in-ring performers remaining in the sport, Mysterio is a rarity in that he made a more-than successful transition from the world of lucha libre and has become one of the most complete workers in the entire world of sports-entertainment.
A constant fan favorite, and one of the most respected stars in all of World Wrestling Entertainment, Rey has etched his name in the record books as one of the most decorated stars the business has ever seen.
For whatever reason, however, when fans discuss current stars that will undoubtedly be future Hall of Fame inductees, Mysterio's name is often passed over in favor of the more obvious Undertaker, Triple H, John Cena, and the Rock.
Rey Mysterio has been a vital part of World Wrestling Entertainment for the better part of nine years, skyrocketing to the top of the company and becoming one of its most marketable talents.
He has been a leader, alongside the aforementioned future Hall of Famers, for the company when business was not exactly at its peak and "name" Superstars who could be counted on to deliver solid-to-soul out house shows were at a premium.
For these reason, and several others, Rey Mysterio remains one of the most talented, respected, popular and important stars in his chosen profession...much like his sports counterpart.
Sports Counterpart: Steven Jackson (RB, St. Louis Rams)
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Since his arrival in St. Louis in 2004, Steven Jackson has proven to be the workhorse of the Rams. The face of the franchise for the better part of seven seasons, Steven has provided unmeasurable heart and dedication to a team that, quite frankly, was headed nowhere for most of his highly-underrated career.
Just as Rey Mysterio was one of the "faces" of the WWE during a down-period in the professional wrestling business, Jackson served as the face of the St. Louis Rams during a run that saw the once-successful organization achieve only six wins in the span of three years (2007-2009).
Steven Jackson has proven to be the backbone of the Rams. Despite the constant losing that engulfed the team over the three-year stretch from 2007-2009, and the subpar and mediocre seasons that preceded it, Jackson never has and, likely, never will waver in his willingness to give everything he has to the organization that drafted him out of Oregon State in 2004.
The furthest thing from a "me-first" player, Jackson understands his role as an ambassador for both the NFL and the St. Louis Rams.
He has repeatedly shown great respect for those who came before him and continues to do whatever is necessary to conduct himself as a worthy role model for children.
Much like Mysterio has become to WWE fans, Steven Jackson is the fan favorite of many St. Louis Rams fans, and NFL fans, across the country. Unfortunately for Jackson, his role as the starting running back for a team that has not been in playoff contention in so many years has hurt his visibility.
Overshadowed by the likes of Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, and Maurice Jones-Drew, Jackson's greatness has gone unnoticed outside of the die-hard football fans, fantasy football team owners, and ESPN and NFL analysts.
When Jackson retires, he will undoubtedly earn his place in Canton. Much like Rey Mysterio experiences in his profession, however, Jackson is not likely to receive the accolades he deserves until well after his final game.
WWE Superstar: John Cena
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John Cena is the face of professional wrestling in the United States. He is loved by many, hated by many. He is the most marketed, most visible star the sport currently has and there is no denying it.
His face is plastered on magazine covers, video games, DVDs, T-shirts, swimsuits, and flip-flops. Kids idolize him, parents consider him a worthy role model, and female fans swoon over him. He is a major asset for sports-entertainment and arguing against that would be irresponsible, at best, and idiotic, at worst.
Still, there are those diehard fans of the sport who despise Cena and everything he stands for. He's too clean-cut. He's the "Superman-esque" hero that vanquishes the villains and restores faith in the good guys, a character-type that died out with the conclusion of the 1980s.
He's boring, bland, vanilla. He wins too many championships and never appears invincible. The most damning? He's killing the business.
No matter how much Cena does for the sport both in and out of the ring, these claims, this venom that is spewed in his direction, persist. There is another star in the sporting world that sees similar claims, that is charged with serving as the albatross for the slow death of the sport.
Sports Counterpart: Jimmie Johnson (Driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
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There has been no other professional sports star who has won as many championships and dominated their sport such as Jimmie Johnson has done since Tiger Woods was a one-woman man.
While winning five consecutive series/league/association championships would typically result in unrivaled respect and adulation from the fans of the sport, Johnson's domination of NASCAR has led to backlash. Fans have claimed conspiracy and ratings for the sport have tanked.
Jimmie's five championships rank him, in terms of dominance over one sport for a sustained period of time, with the likes of Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and Tom Brady.
Like John Cena, however, Johnson is often faced with unwarranted criticism that he is hurting his sport and is solely responsible for its downfall.
The good that Johnson has done for the sport has gone ignored by the most passionate of NASCAR fans, who are bored with his consistent winning or top ten finishes.
John Cena and Jimmie Johnson are tremendous ambassadors for their individual sports. Both are relatively clean cut, family friendly, and can be considered solid role models for their younger fans.
In a society increasingly bored with the "good guys," however, they will continuously be confronted by an increasingly vocal, annoyed, and bored fan base.
WWE Superstar: Randy Orton
5 of 10
World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton is sports-entertainment's resident bad boy. With an on-screen character that is better suited for the Attitude Era, "The Viper" fits less into the family-friendly image than Raw's WWE Champion John Cena.
Randy also has a checkered past off-screen. He has been disciplined on several occasions for reported behavioral issues. At one point, many questioned if Orton would ever grow up and act as a professional for the company that, for lack of a better phrase, "pushed him to the moon."
At a very young age, against what some insist was better judgment, Orton was given the World Heavyweight Championship at a very young age and trusted as a main event performer, perhaps before he was ready. He had not matured and as a result, was more prone to making mistakes that led to punishment from the front office.
When Orton was married and his daughter was born, Randy quickly changed his ways. Now realizing that his actions had repercussions for his family, Orton not only changed his attitude, he also grew into his role as one of WWE's top Superstars.
Orton became a complete performer and evolved into one of the best sports-entertainers in the world.
As 2011 continues, Orton has finally put all of the off-screen controversy in his rear view mirror. Arguably the MVP of the company thus far, the Smackdown superstar no longer answers questions about his attitude or his history of behavioral problems.
Now the question remains who his next high-quality match will be against and whether, for the third month in a row, he can steal the show at a World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view event.
Sports Counterpart: Michael Vick
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Michael Vick's off-the-field history has been well-documented. The financier and willing participant in a dog fighting ring, Vick served time in federal prison for what can only be considered heinous, unforgettable crimes. Some fans have yet to truly forgive the actions and others never will.
Like Randy Orton, Michael Vick appears to have put his legal and moral missteps in his past. In 2010, Vick returned to the starting role for an NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles, and immediately reminded the Philly fans why he was once one of the most popular stars the league had to offer.
Like Orton, Vick does not immediately fit the mold of a family-friendly superstar like Peyton Manning or Drew Brees. But he has taken steps forward to become a positive influence and role model for the younger sports fans. He made mistakes, learned from them, and now looks to excel in his chosen profession.
There will always be fan backlash against Michael Vick, just like others will always hold some resentment for Randy Orton. Both have made questionable decisions that have led to their reputations being tarnished and their careers left in limbo.
But both have realized their error of their ways and have rebounded to, once again, shine as the superstars so many expected they could be.
WWE Superstar: Triple H
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Triple H has long been one of the most controversial stars in the world of professional wrestling. The real-life son-in-law of WWE owner Vince McMahon, many have claimed that "The Game" has sustained a main event position within the company because of his relationship with the boss and his daughter, Stephanie.
When he returned from his first quadriceps injury in 2002, his in-ring skills diminished because of the potential career-ending injury, he remained the top star in the company. At some point later in the year, his ego inflated and other than a few fluke losses to Shawn Michaels, rarely was he on the losing end of any one match or any long-term rivalry.
He dominated the Raw brand, at the expense of other stars on the roster at the time, despite being slower and far from the quality of performer he had formerly been. Many believed he evoked his behind-the-scenes power to make up for his diminished performance.
Even as Triple H regained his prior in-ring form, it became harder and harder to ignore the fact that the power he had accumulated thanks in major part to who his family could be contributing to his place atop the card year-in and year-out.
There are also those that question "The Game's" performances on the biggest stage the sport has to offer, that being Wrestlemania.
While having memorable outings at several of the events he has performed on, many have argued that he did not have a truly GREAT performance until this past April's Wrestlemania 27, when he and the Undertaker stole the show in what many are considering one of the best matches in event history.
That means that Triple H appeared at 14 Wrestlemania events without leaving a largely lasting impression before doing battle with the "Dead Man" in Atlanta this year.
That is a long history of being involved in high-profile outings, often main events, and being overshadowed or out-performed by his opponents or other matches on the card.
That could, and in some circles has, created questions about Triple H and his ability to perform in pressure situations. This writer believes that idea to be idiotic.
Despite the belief that he used his political power to cement his spot atop the WWE roster, Triple H's popularity is unquestioned.
Always one of the most visible competitors on the roster, both via marketing and merchandising, Triple H is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable sports-entertainers in history. He has served as the face of the company during both financially successful and down periods in the sport.
At the same time, there are those that despise Triple H. Those fans believe he held down men that were significantly more talented than him, that he was the beneficiary of favorable treatment by the front office, and that he was often put in position to succeed at the expense of the talent surrounding him. These fans may or may not have a point, as well.
The fact of the matter remains that Triple H remains one of the most controversial stars in the history of the business, not unlike his sports counterpart.
Sports Counterpart: LeBron James
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LeBron James is, easily, the most hated and most popular basketball player on the planet. Fan reaction differs greatly as one moves from person to person.
Some applaud his play, comparing him to Michael Jordan. Others despise him, dubbing him a "coward" and claiming he needs two other superstars to succeed because he just is not good enough to win an NBA championship on his own.
Whatever the reaction, there is no denying the fact that James has become a lightning rod for controversy similar to the way in which Triple H attracted controversy during the peak of his career.
Easily one of the two or three most dominating players during the regular season, LeBron has been charged with disappearing in the postseason, a victim of astronomical expectations and ever-increasing pressure. It is hard not to agree with those making such claims.
Evidence from this year's NBA Finals, which has seen James score a grand total of eleven fourth-quarter points, seems to indicate that the self-proclaimed "King" has shrunk in high-pressure situations. Fans have made the same claims about Triple H, whose Wrestlemania moments have been few and far between.
There have also been rumblings of favoritism shown to LeBron by NBA officials. As is typical with all sports superstars, LeBron has been the recipient of calls that may or may not have been given to other players. But it has led to fans questioning whether the calls are an indication that the Association wants LeBron to succeed.
Whether that is or is not the case, the comparison to Triple H is solid. "The Game" was the recipient of several favorable booking decisions that put him in the best position to succeed, even if it did damage to those surrounding him.
LeBron James and Triple H are two superstars who are likely to incite debate amongst fans no matter what they do, how they do it, or who they do it with. They are highly successful, easily recognizable with the fans of their sport, and have proven to be among the most controversial of any pro athlete.
That is unlikely to change, even after their days of playing and performing have come to a close.
WWE Superstar: The Undertaker
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The Undertaker is the most respected Superstar to ever grace a WWE ring. There is no denying that.
A veteran of the ring wars for well over 20 years, the "Dead Man" has given everything he has to provide a compelling, entertaining product to the fans who paid to see him since his arrival in Vince McMahon's company way back in 1990.
At 44 years of age, he continues to out-perform much younger men, throwing his body around the squared circle in ways no man his size and age should be able to.
Despite his high-quality performances later in his career, there is little doubt that the Undertaker has lost a step inside the squared circle. His body has betrayed him more than once in recent years and every one of his recent in-ring outings has left him visibly in pain.
The fans can see it and for the first time, the always powerful character of "the Dead Man" appears weak, whether it was by design or not.
There comes a time where every veteran athlete is forced to realize that his body can no longer live up to the lofty goals their brain and their heart has set for them.
While their passion for their sport remains as high as it ever has, their bodies can no longer live up to the beating and pounding they take while performing. The Undertaker has been living the last few years of his career off of adrenaline. But once the energy wears off, he is forced to live a life full of pain.
There is no denying the legacy of the Undertaker. He has done everything there is to do in a sport that has been very good to him in return.
He has millions of fans worldwide who hang on every single appearance he makes during the calendar year and relish in the opportunity to see him live one more time.
As much as those fans chant his name and buy the Wrestlemania pay-per-view every year just to see him add to his undefeated streak, however, those same fans would not fault him for calling it quits, for going home to enjoy married life with his beautiful, flawless wife.
Sports Counterpart: Ray Lewis
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Ray Lewis, like the Undertaker in wrestling, is football's most respected star. He is also one of the most popular the sport has to offer and, arguably, its most passionate.
Like the legendary "Dead Man," Lewis is the unquestioned leader of the Ravens locker room and one of the greatest to do his job in the history of the game of professional football.
There have been questions in the last year or so, however, about Ray's retirement plans. He has lost a step over the past two years and, at times, appears to be playing simply on adrenaline and passion.
At some point, just as the Undertaker's has, his body will quit on him and cause him to finally face the fact that the he is in the twilight of his career.
Until then, expect Ray Lewis to continue his brilliant career in the NFL with, possibly, less consistent turnout and the occasional spectacular single-game performance.
Like the Undertaker's inability to perform up to the rigorous WWE schedule, Lewis is likely to find it difficult to put in the same high-impact, relentless, take-no-prisoners effort he is used to without it taking a tremendous toll on his body.
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