Why Do We Have Trouble Admitting When a Younger Wrestler Surpasses a Legend?

Any fan of sports has their favorite team and/or athletes which they will defend under almost any circumstances as being the best.

While this is a good thing for the athletes—who are now legends in their respective sports—it works against the younger athletes trying to make their way.

No matter how good Derrick Rose, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant prove they are, there are fans who will never admit they are better than Dr. J, Kareem or Jordan.

The same thing goes for all sports.

There are fans who never want to consider that their hero, who they watched for years as they grew up, has been surpassed by another athlete.

This is a position I can relate to. I am stubborn enough to never let anyone claim Michael Jordan is not the best basketball player in history because I watched all those games in the 90s where he was running the show in the NBA.

I don't care what statistics you show me proving someone was better, I will always think of Michael Jordan as the guy who went out with a 100-plus degree fever and won a championship or the guy who made the buzzer-beater something to hope for.

I can also be a little hard-headed about Mike Ditka. I feel he is one of, if not the best, football coaches in history: this is the result of living near Chicago my whole life. The same goes for Phil Jackson in basketball.

As fans, we want to remember things as the way they used to be when we don't like what we have at the current time. Even though there is nothing wrong with having an opinion, it should be easier to admit when someone has been surpassed in terms of skill.

In wrestling, this is much more common because so much of the business is driven by opinions and not actual skill. You could be the best wrestler in the world, but if Vince McMahon hates you, then you will never be successful in the largest promotion in the world.

With wrestling, we have a sport which is predetermined, but still a competitive field. You don't just make it to the top by having a six pack and long hair or kissing the bosses butt—you have to be good in the ring, on the mic and most of all, you have to connect with the fans.

If you don't have one of these things then you won't make it, plain and simple.

Those who do make it to the top of the WWE ladder have to work hard to keep their spot because an injury or a month of bad performances can take them back down a few pegs.

Today's wrestling world might not be what it was a decade ago in terms of viewers, but right now we have some of the best talent in the history of the business in WWE.

Randy Orton, CM Punk, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Cody Rhodes and Sheamus are some of the top guys in the company, and they all bring something different to the table, which is why they made it to where they are.

But will any of us ever admit when one of them surpasses one of our favorites?

Probably not.

Just like with any sport, we have our favorite legends we will never admit have been passed by another.

Andre The Giant, The Rock, Stone Cold, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels are some of the biggest names in the business, and they all have diehard fans who will defend their legacy to anyone who says there is someone better.

Being passionate is great, but it really isn't fair to the younger generation of athletes when we refuse to give them a chance to become the best.

I have written two pieces on this subject in the past, and both had a fair amount of debate from the readers. One was about how I feel Big Show has surpassed Andre and the other was how Cena is better than Hogan ever was.

It took me some time to admit to myself that these legends—who I watched from diapers to drivers-ed—had been passed up by some younger guys. But after I really thought about it, I admitted to myself that it was true—they were better than my old heroes.

Not any cooler, just more talented.

These days, I try and judge wrestlers by their talent more than their image, which is hard when half the business is about image these days.

I know that many of you reading this will understand and relate to what I am saying, so here is what I am asking you to do.

Please take a moment and write a comment below about someone who you idolized growing up and why they will never be surpassed, or the day you finally realized they had been and who filled their shoes in your mind.

This can be about any sport, but the main focus is wrestling. Thanks for reading and please share your thoughts below.