WWE Rated PG: It's Time to Move on

Rated PG.

There seems to be an obsession with fans over the fact that this is the current state of the WWE. Their entire presentation, from end to end, is now geared to a much younger audience, and not everyone is all that happy about it. My question is, what’s the big deal?

Okay, so John Cena is the face of the WWE, and while that‘s not always a popular fact, it is an accepted one. Accepted because he’s been pushed harder and more intensely than any other WWE Superstar in recent memory, and because no matter how much some fans may hate him, at this point, he is where he is. He’s not going anywhere, so why fight it?

The fact is: Cena being the top guy in that company is a perfect fit due to the fact that his entire gimmick is fan friendly as he appeals to the younger segment of the audience.

If the WWE is serious about what a lot of fans view as an overall “dumbing down” of their product, then the standard bearer needs to be a guy whose image is squeaky clean and harmless: John Cena.

So, while I happen to be one of the fans who do not particularly care for John’s lack of work in the ring, I do understand why he is at the top, and why Vince McMahon wants him there. So, yes, I have accepted it, and no, I am not exactly thrilled about it.

But again, he is a WWE lifer. He’s not going anywhere.

Another issue that some people have with the direction that the WWE is taking, is the fact that the company seems to have lost its edge.

The Attitude Era brought us a lot of memorable characters and gimmicks. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Degeneration X, Mankind, and a host of others, brought a very edgy style and swagger that the company had never seen before. In their attempt to thwart the hugely popular WCW, the WWE threw everything they had at the boys down south, and achieved tremendous results.

The WWE won the Monday Night War due in large part to their constantly pushing the envelope with more and more outrageous spots and stunts. No doubt about it, the Attitude Era was the right angle at the right time.

But those days are over and everyone needs to let it go now.

A lot of the DX spots were flat out reprehensible, and at times, even a little embarrassing.

Don’t misunderstand me here, Shawn Michaels and Triple H were all about getting over and being the best in the ring. That’s the name of the game, I get that, but there comes a time to pull back, to know when to stop. The majority of the crap that DX did had nothing to do with pro wrestling. While this may be okay with the blood and guts ECW crowd, it’s not all that great for a lot of others. Namely, the kids in the audience.

While I do not consider myself a moral authority by any means, I will say that there is a level of responsibility that a company like the WWE should adhere to.

Billy Gunn pulling his trunks down, Sable taking her top off, the Rock cursing a blue streak...none of this is appropriate for a promotion that operates on the world wide level that the WWE does.

Was it entertaining? Yes. Did it sell tickets? Yes. Just because it worked then, does that mean we should go back to it now? Absolutely not.

My son will be two years old in September. As soon as he’s old enough to go, I plan on taking him to see local promotions, the WWE, and maybe when he’s old enough, possibly get him into the business like his old man used to be. When the time is right, I will do the right thing and have the “talk” with him.

I will explain to him that the violence in the ring is controlled, and that both guys are taking care of each other while taking every precaution to keep each other safe. I will also explain to him that fighting is not the way to solve problems, and teach him about the true art of professional wrestling.

What I do not care to explain to him is why The Beautiful People hump the second rope when they enter the ring.

Then there’s Ken Anderson, using the word a**hole on a weekly basis. Not only Anderson, but every guy who describes him, and also the fans who chant it whenever he’s in the ring.

Let’s not forget Mister Pineapple Express himself, the TNA World Champion, Rob Van Dam. Yeah, he smokes pot. How do we know? Well, he told us on national television with kids in the audience.

I’m not preaching and I do not expect my wrestling to preach to me either. I don’t want to be told how to speak, or how to act by a pro wrestling promotion. These people are human, and humans do not always do the right thing. I understand that and accept it.

Yes, it is up to parents to have the “talk” with their kids about what they’re watching, but it is time to grow up, people. Pro wrestling does not have to be rated R to be entertaining, and it also does not have to stoop to cheap, tawdry spots like the ones sometimes featured in TNA. It can be PG and still be worth watching.

The WWE does not always get it right. While the PG concept sounds good and looks good on paper, it does not always work. Daniel Bryan, while just doing his part of the Nexus angle, unfairly took the fall for something that probably should not have happened in the first place.

At least the WWE is making the effort. Perhaps their motives are purely selfish, as they have to constantly keep their sponsors happy, but a product that appeals to everyone, not just a segment of the audience, sells more tickets and makes more money. The WWE also understands that.

The WWE and TNA exist because of their fans, and grow due to the money that they receive from those fans. The viewing of their product by children should be guided by the parents and not restricted for anyone. There is a reason ECW is dead. Let’s move on.