WWE: Does Randy Orton Deserve to Be Pushed When He Returns?

Randy Orton. Yeah.  Where to start with this one?

We all know the deal concerning Orton, and are well aware of the trouble that he’s gotten himself into recently.  

His suspension on May 30 due to a second violation of WWE’s Wellness Policy has undoubtedly left fans and colleagues shaking their heads.  After all, a guy in Randy’s position seemingly has the world at his feet.  

He is a heavily decorated Superstar, working in the most successful pro wrestling company in the world.  He has main evented pay-per-views, headlined WrestleMania, and performed in front of fans all over the world.  Randy Orton is in a spot that so many talented workers dream of attaining.  

And, he is now one strike away from losing his job.

Randy has been such a WWE mainstay that it’s hard to imagine the company without him at this point.  His face is as recognizable to wrestling fans all over the world as John Cena’s, and if not for John’s stranglehold on the top spot, Randy would likely have owned that a long time ago.

He may not be the showman that John, or CM Punk is, but his talent in the ring is undeniable, and the hard work he put into his career is well documented.

Orton my not have initially chosen the pro wrestling business, but once he did, he committed to it body, mind, and soul.  

He experienced some growing pains during the early days of his career, but as with others who came before him, it’s not just the road to the top that’s important, it’s what you do with the honor, once you get it.

And, well, yeah, Randy kind of took a dump on it.

Perhaps the assessment is a bit harsh, it’s not as if Randy is a raging crackhead, or is showing up to WWE events stoned, or drunk; but he has a past, and now his past is coming back to the forefront.

So, while many fans were very surprised at the news of Orton’s suspension, some of us were not. But, we were taken aback by the rumor that supposedly he’s due for a push when he returns.
Wow.  Okay.

Just so I get this right, let me review real quick here.

First, you’re one violation away from termination from the company.  You’re gone, done, moving on to the next “phase of you life.”  Good luck in all your future endeavors, don’t sit by the phone, you’re all set. Then, your suspension is up, and now, it’s right back to work.  And, oh yeah, we’re planning on giving you a pretty good push, right back to the top.

That’s the best example of a “wait, did I read that right?” situation that I have seen in a long time.

Is anyone having a problem with this besides me?  The fact that Randy screwed up, was shelved for two months, and is now coming back on top—is any of that rubbing any of you the wrong way?

On one hand, I suppose I can see where WWE is coming from.  After all, this is Randy Orton we’re talking about here, not some mid-card guy who can’t ever get on TV.  Understanding who Orton is, his track record of coming through in big time matches, and the spot that he has held for so long, the question is why not push him?  How long is he supposed to stand in the corner, before he can come out and play again?

Once all of that work has been put into a guy, it cannot just be ignored, or be rendered irrelevant because a worker makes a mistake, right?

But, again, I keep coming back to the fact that it appears as though Vince McMahon is rewarding Randy Orton for getting one step closer to the unemployment line.

 Is a push as soon as he returns the right thing to do?

WWE is need of top tier talent.  That cannot be denied.  John Cena and CM Punk are simply not enough to carry the load for the majority of fans, who include a great number that want to see more than just the same two Superstars featured, week in and week out.

Dolph Ziggler, Cody Rhodes, Daniel Bryan, all of them show great promise, but without the top guys to push them, the drama and overall match quality becomes very stale, very quickly.

Randy Orton should be there.  I am not disputing that.  And, I doubt that many fans would have an argument with that, either.  But, under these circumstances, should WWE have made this happen on the level that it supposedly will happen?

Orton’s WWE career thus far has been a great one, and only time will tell how much better it will be, and the number of good years he has ahead of him.

Well, maybe.