WWE: Why John Cena Will Always Be Considered a Phony

If there is one thing I have learned about John Cena over the last decade, it is that he is either loved or hated. This isn't much of a shock, because just about everyone is either loved or hated. However, Cena's reactions from the crowd make for a very big split between fans.

While many superstars can either get a generally positive or negative reaction from the crowd, Cena can somehow manage to get both of them at the exact same time. Those who adore Cena have a lot to go off of. He's a good guy who is a perennial winner and his positive, very personable attitude makes him likable. It's those who boo him that have a harder time figuring out why. Many blame him as a marketing machine with little wrestling ability and too many victories.

There's still one thing that Cena is hated for and whether you find it to be true or not, it is obviously a question up for debate between wrestling fans worldwide. Most fans that hate John Cena believe that the superstar is phony in his persona.

Cena seems to pride himself on simply being himself when he is in the ring. His mannerisms are very precise and often whittled down to timely occurrences. Cena always salutes at the top of the ramp. He always puts three fingers in the air with both hands when it gets to an exact point in his music. Directly after the Protoplex, Cena sticks his hand directly in the air before waving it in front of his face to say "You Can't See Me."

When it isn't his body language, it's his actual words that seem to be routine. A lot of his catchphrases become instant slogans on merchandise, leaving little from Cena that doesn't get put into a marketing strategy.

Some nights, it feels like Cena could just read the shirts of his fans if he forgets what he needs to say. While the syntax may change week to week, the delivery almost never does. Cena comes to the ring calm, speaks slowly and comforting before getting momentum, raising the volume of his voice and ending up practically screaming the end of his rant.

All of this has one of two effects on a fan: either they absolutely love every word or they roll their eyes at yet another attempt by Cena to sound inspiring. It isn't about the energy of Cena's words, but what those words actually are that ultimately matters.

A guy like CM Punk rarely yells on the microphone, yet cuts some of the best promos in recent memory. For Cena, it gets to be a little bit wacky. This is where those who find Cena to be phony start to sprout legs for their argument.

Cena will talk about a topic on any given week, but feel the need to bring a dated pop culture reference into the fray. One week in recent memory, Cena rambled on for a few minutes about a storyline as he compared the WWE landscape to the Star Wars saga. It wasn't done to bring symbolism to an argument, but rather to have fun and make puns with WWE superstars having their names mashed into characters from the beloved sci-fi movie series.

Cena pretty much has free range to say whatever he wants, mainly because he has barely said anything risque in years. The only real times that Cena has had something that has been close to not being PG was in his rapping days.

In the buildup to his WrestleMania match with The Rock, Cena would bring back his rap, but still had a different style to it. Cena would bring a pinwheel with him and would use it to say the phrase "go ahead and blow me." That would follow with just about the goofiest face I have ever seen from Cena in 10 years.

Anyone can get on board with the idea that Cena is just out there to have some fun and his dream is bring fulfilled by being in WWE. Still, Cena's antics seem to move away from the intent of a storyline. A bitter feud can easily feel ruined at times when Cena makes a random mention or tries to bring a laugh at a random time. Even when Cena is trying to be serious, his added excitement is so over-the-top that it just doesn't feel as real as it could.

Considering that Cena tries to pride himself on how he acts like himself in and out of the ring, being this way in a promo goes against the grain. It isn't even that Cena feels artificial in these moments, but more so that nobody else does.

If there were other personas that could match Cena's, it would work. That's why Hulk Hogan's attitude was fine, because it was matched by The Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage. There is no top-flight star that mirror's Cena's attitude. Even The Rock is more level-headed, despite speaking in the third person.

So, if you find yourself wondering why John Cena is hated by so many wrestling fans, it is because he feels phony. Simply put, he will always feel phony. What Cena is doing right now works for WWE, so it will not change. It isn't financially responsible for Cena to make any changes to his character outside of the color of his t-shirts. That embellished attitude that Cena has for things will continue. His antics will still make some cringe while others applaud. They'll continue because that's exactly what John Cena is all about.

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