WWE WrestleMania 28: Sorry, Sheamus, This Is Not Your Time

I want you to read the title of this column. It wasn’t chosen by accident. When I say “Sorry, Sheamus,” I mean it with the utmost sincerity. I have nothing against the man or the performer.

I just don’t think he should win at WrestleMania 28.

It’s not like this is a rush to judgment. Sheamus punched his ticket to go to WrestleMania on January 29, 2012.

That means Sheamus has been in line for 42 days! Whereas only 21 days remain to change my mind.

So, yes, I’ve waited, and I’ve watched.

And I am a fan of Sheamus (as well as Bryan).

I just think there are reasons he shouldn't win at this WrestleMania.

Here are four of them.

Royal Rumble: WrestleMania's Only Son, or Bastard Child?

If you support  Sheamus winning the heavyweight title at WrestleMania 28 (or you simply want to be argumentative), there is a real point of contention in my opening statement. Although it is true that Sheamus punched his ticket for WrestleMania 42 days ago, he didn’t actually move into a world title program until February 19.

Therefore, my claim that he has had 42 days deserves an asterisk.

He has only been challenging Bryan for 21 days, which means Sheamus and Bryan are at the halfway point to WrestleMania.

Does it feel that way?

Have they reached even half the personal heat of Bryan and Big Show or Bryan and others?

Again, I’m not blaming Sheamus.

I’m blaming the Royal Rumble. Or, at least, what WWE has turned the Rumble into.

There was a time when the Royal Rumble was WrestleMania’s only son. The man who won the Rumble knew exactly what he had earned and where he was going.

He moved straight into a title program off the wave of a Royal Rumble win.

Not so now.

Certainly not with Sheamus.

It makes no sense, if a man is not a heel, for him to spend weeks saying, “I will wait until Elimination Chamber and (in a sense) choose the most opportune situation.”

For me, those weeks of waiting zapped some of the momentum Sheamus had earned.

Add to that Jerry Lawler saying, “The road to WrestleMania begins at Elimination Chamber.”

The Royal Rumble has taken a hit, and the Sheamus push has suffered with it.

I have heard this suggested, and I agree. If the Royal Rumble winner isn’t going to decide until Elimination Chamber, make that a rule. Take it out of the winner’s hands. Have him go to Elimination Chamber. Put him in a skybox or at ringside. Have both general managers court him to join their show and challenge their guy.

After all, it’s the Royal Rumble. Give the man the honor and prestige he deserves.

Just don’t have him standing in the ring for weeks saying, “Gosh, I’ll make up my mind later.”

While his momentum seeps out like an untied balloon.

Daniel Bryan: To Be the Man...

Sorry, guys.

There is no rule that says, "Because it’s WrestleMania, the belt should change hands." Neither is there a rule stating, "Things should always be changing to keep a product fresh."

Daniel Bryan remains fresh.

Daniel Bryan has stories that are unfinished. Daniel Bryan has heat. Daniel Bryan has the ability to carry the world title.

Maybe I am biased. I grew up watching videos of Ric Flair as NWA champion.

Steamboat chased him. Dusty did, as did Sting and Lex Luger.

Yet the belt always found its way back to Flair.

It was better that way.  As long as Flair remained interesting, as long as he was the best wrestler, as long as he had heat, why not use a formula that worked?

I fear WWE often changes course for the sake of changing course. That is never a sufficient reason.

I saw the Michael Cole interview between Bryan and Sheamus. I heard Bryan tell AJ to shut up.

I hope WWE isn’t about to disrupt the Bryan/AJ team without letting it play out naturally. I hope also they are not going to take the belt away from Bryan just because it’s WrestleMania.

I believe Bryan still has a story to tell as world champion. And I believe there are others waiting in the wings to challenge him.

Randy Orton: When a Viper Strikes

If you are not mad already, this is where you might become angry.

I want to see a Randy Orton/Daniel Bryan program.

I realize some of the people who once got behind Orton now believe he should never be in a title program again (I guess 30 is the new 50?).

I believe the Viper is in his striking pose.

I gained a great amount of respect for Randy Orton when he was placed against Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 26.

Everyone was saying it would be Ted DiBiase’s day.

I said, no way.

Still, I was shocked at how Randy Orton came out at that WrestleMania. Many guys who had been main-eventers, stuck in a low-card match, would have let it show. Randy Orton came out with all the energy and the zeal that DiBiase and Rhodes should have had.

The level he played at that night shocked me. You would have thought it was his first WrestleMania, or his last.

I think Randy Orton likes to be overlooked. I think he thrives when he is counted out.

I wonder if he can do the same against Kane. Orton has been placed in a program whose tag line is, “It happened for no reason.”

Orton needs to give it reason.

He needs to rise

and strike.

If he can do so, he may be primed to rejoin Sheamus and Bryan and others at the top of the SmackDown card.

If so, it would benefit to have Bryan as the man holding the title.

Sheamus: This Loss Is for You

The fourth and final reason Sheamus shouldn’t win the world title at WrestleMania is…Sheamus.

Not because he's done bad, but because he deserves better.

That’s right. In arguing against Sheamus, I believe I’m arguing for Sheamus.

I know how great it would be to win a world title at WrestleMania. Even if the program has no heat. Even if it isn’t memorable.

But really?

I believe WWE has a problem in how they hand out world titles (think Ziggler; think Swagger).

It’s not that these guys don’t deserve to be champions, but it makes a statement that I forget Ziggler was ever a world champion. I forget Swagger, too.

Hell, I often forget Sheamus was a world champion.

It’s not that his first run was bad. But today’s Sheamus seems divorced from that Sheamus.

It feels like he is a rookie again. It feels desperate.

It shouldn’t.

Sheamus is a star and will remain one.

WrestleMania win or not.

I think, however, it’s better to win a world title when you’ve had a proper build. I don’t think this program has had that.

I also think Sheamus may be better as a heel.

That’s what I think.

What I know is this: If this program continues as it has, no way should this end with a WrestleMania win for Sheamus.

WWE just hasn’t booked it that way.

Conclusion: What Do You Think?

Are you mad now?

Do you disagree?

Maybe you agree.

One thing: this is opinion. It’s not prediction.

WWE has three weeks to turn this thing around. But for now, the build does not justify a title change. There is more that can be done post-WrestleMania by keeping the belt on Bryan.

This might be a difficult truth: If everyone won at WrestleMania, there would be no value in the win.

What do you think?

Who should win at WrestleMania and why?

And how has WWE handled the Sheamus/Bryan build at the halfway point? What grade would you give the build thus far?