WWE Creative Needs to Take a Field Trip to "The Palace of Wisdom"

Just when I begin to show the slightest bit of faith in the WWE Creative team to round the corner and make a turn for the better, they destroy what faith I had left with yet another inexplicably shortsighted decision.

Don't get me wrong, the manner in which storylines on Monday Night RAW and ECW are being managed is tolerable. My two major issues reside on Friday nights.

Since its inception in 2007, I have followed the Night of Champions PPV rather intently. Admittedly, I look forward to the one PPV of the entire year that sees all championships defended on the same night.

However, as I see the card for this year's NoC beginning to develop, I am greatly disappointed, but not surprised to see one name absent from the list.

John Morrison.

The "Shaman of Sexy," as he has been dubbed, has been AWOL at both Extreme Rules, The Bash, and now it would appear Night of Champions as well.

He has had one PPV match since the draft on April 13, a preliminary contest with Shelton Benjamin at Judgment Day that most, if not all, would consider a forgettable match. 

In my personal, and not so humble opinion, I find it utterly deplorable to see how the WWE Creative Team is misusing one of the most athletically gifted and technically sound athletes that they have on the roster today.

Interestingly enough, Morrison has a track record that reinforces my argument. A lengthy reign as Intercontinental Champion and feud with Jeff Hardy (one of the better programs of the last couple of years that feeds into another issue I have with Smackdown), two reigns each as WWE Tag Team Champion with Joey Mercury and The Miz, and a near four-month reign as the ECW World Champion as well, before it was ended, interestingly enough, by CM Punk (which is another contributing factor in the aforementioned Jeff Hardy issue). Morrison has even logged two [clean] pinfall victories over Punk in the last month. So why is Morrison getting the shaft from Creative?

I know, The Creative Team is trying to push the program between Punk and Hardy, they're trying to place emphasis on the legitimacy of Punk's heel turn. I get it. But the issue here is that they're missing out on a golden opportunity to make what is a good program better.

Morrison could just as easily put Punk over as a heel as Hardy can, and Morrison could add an interesting wrinkle to the Punk/Hardy feud if the Night of Champions Main Event were to be a Triple Threat Match.

Basic mathematics stands to reason that if there's one thing better than a program with two dynamic characters, it's a program with three dynamic characters. It can't be argued that Morrison hasn't earned it. I would have even settled for the undercard.

Rey Mysterio defending the IC Championship against Morrison would have been an extremely entertaining match that if given the chance, could have "stolen the show" so to speak. Instead, who does Creative book against Mysterio?

Dolph Ziggler.

And thus the IC Championship picture is once again turned into a mockery, and John Morrison once again rides the PPV bench. For no good reason.

But enough about Morrison for now, My other issue with Friday Nights, as I indicated earlier, is with the Jeff Hardy scenario.

I first became a believer on the evening of July 1, 2002. At the top of Monday's show, Vince McMahon posed for a new call to action. He issued the challenge to the entire WWE locker room to usher in a new era of "Ruthless Aggression."

As I let the nostalgia of that resurfacing catchphrase set in, I'll continue with my explanation of what transpired that night. Following Mr. McMahon's open challenge to the WWE, one of the first superstars to step to the plate was Jeff Hardy.

Within moments of the show's opening, Jeff had insinuated himself into challenging the then Undisputed Champion, The Undertaker to a ladder match for the title, which the Deadman surprisingly accepted.

The match that followed wins my nomination for RAW match of the new millenium. So many times, Jeff would come unbelievably close to an unlikely reign as champion (a detail that has since become almost autobiographical of his career).

The punishment that The Undertaker doled out that night was unfathomable, and yet still the younger Hardy seemed impervious, and kept coming back for more.

Hardy would make one final effort for the title before being chokeslammed from the top rung to the floor.

Following the victory, The Undertaker refused to relent, dishing out one more Last Ride before riding back up the ramp to what seemed would be the end of the show.

Not So Fast.

As Taker reached the top of the ramp, an exhausted Hardy got back to his feet, grabbed a mic and essentially told the champion that even though he had retained the title, he hadn't broken his challenger's spirit.

An astonished Undertaker strode back towards the ring for what initially appeared to be yet another savage beatdown. But instead what followed was an uncharacteristic display of sportsmanship and dare I say, RESPECT for Jeff's efforts on this night.

It was this performance alone that piqued my interest in just how high Jeff's star would rise in WWE.

Fans would get their answer on the evening of Dec. 14, 2008. After months of chasing Triple H, Jeff would receive another opportunity, this time with Edge defending the WWE Championship against both.

On this night, Hardy received the ultimate redemption for all the demons that had haunted him for the last five or six years. Jeff achieved the unthinkable, outlasting Triple H and pinning Edge to become the WWE Champion. Well Deserved.

This is where my issue with Creative picks up yet again. The reign lasted all of one month. A month littered with "accidental" circumstances that influenced the title change, leaking Internet rumors that a returning Christian would be one of Jeff's first challengers, which as a result led to the subsequent relinquishing of the title back to Edge and the ensuing feud with brother Matt (which was a tool used to spite the Internet smarks that leaked the Christian rumors).

Of course, following the feud with Matt (which also could have been handled better...), It would only be a matter of time before Jeff was back in the title hunt. That opportunity came at Extreme Rules this year.

Enter CM Punk.

For some reason that is still beyond my understanding, Creative went to the effort of giving Jeff the World Title this time...for about 15 minutes.

Following what should have been another triumph for the much maligned by Creative Hardy, CM Punk proceeded to cash in his Money In The Bank Briefcase on an exhausted Jeff and take away the World Championship he naturally strived so hard for.

The Bash was essentially a return to square one. Extenuating circumstances once again keep Jeff Hardy from becoming champion, and just like that, we're back to July 2002. So close, yet excruciatingly far away.

Is it any wonder that Jeff Hardy is once again considering leaving the business following Summerslam to pursue other interests? With the way that both Jeff Hardy and John Morrison have been mistreated by the Creative Team, I can't say that I blame Hardy at all.

And if I were Vince McMahon, I would be looking over my shoulder to make sure that "TNA" isn't on John Morrison's speed dial.