Mick Foley, John Cena and WWE's Continued Pursuit of the Impossible

He is the face of WWE and the enemy of the pure wrestling fan.  He sells tickets and packs arenas all over the world, yet many feel he has ruined the business by his sheer presence alone.  He is controversy personified.

You love him. You hate him.  

You mostly hate him.

He’s John Cena, and he is the Antichrist.

Okay, take a moment and breathe.  That’s right, in and out, slow that heart rate, and try to maintain. Put down that sniper rifle and forget that trip to the water tower.  

The Clark household is under heavy police protection.  Don’t throw your life away.

Cena’s devout followers are as rabid as his hardcore haters, and no matter what opinion is posted here on Bleacher Report, the fact is, there is no satisfying either side.

If a writer loves him, then he gets some seriously insane hate mail.  

If a writer criticizes him, well, he gets some seriously insane hate mail.

But, we have all done this dance for what seems to be an eternity now, and while I can just hear those dissenting opinions of ‘don’t bash the guy,’ and ‘he’s such a phony,’ the truth is, I’m over it.

I’m over the hate mail, regardless of who it comes from.  I can only write what I feel, and my own perspective.  I’m a Featured Columnist, and that’s my job.

So, what is my opinion of John Cena?  Does it really matter?

The fact is, John is more WWE than Hulk Hogan ever was.  I have said more than once that John’s likeness should be the company’s logo, like Jerry West in the NBA.  

He is everything the company wants.  He is their guy, and he is likely going to always be their guy, even when he's gone.

Not gone forever, let’s face it, WWE Superstars, namely legends, never really leave, they just evolve into something else.  

Edge, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho and The Undertaker, are four men who have thrilled WWE audiences for years.  Each one has either left, or is laying low until the moment is right to return.  

Edge is finished in the ring, but he could come back in a non-wrestling role, if the circumstances were right.  Shawn says he is never wrestling again, but if Hunter made the call, it’s hard to believe that The Heartbreak Kid would not answer the phone.  

Chris is doing everything he can to make us believe that he’s never coming back, but, we have heard this before, and he is known for working fans every chance he gets.

Then there’s Taker, who’s, well, no one really knows what he’s doing right now.

The point is, WWE, much like the mafia, keeps pulling their Superstars back in.

If you are a “made” man, then the door is always open for you.  So, despite when and how Cena chooses to hang up the, um, athletic shoes, he will always have a place in the company on some level.

When is that moment coming?  It depends.

If you are a Cena hater, then the answer is “not soon enough.”

If you are a Cena fan, then the answer is “hopefully never.”

No matter when it happens, the fact remains that John is Mr. WWE.  All day, every day.  At this point, there is no reason to believe that will change anytime soon.

But, if this past Monday Night Raw proved anything, it proves how desperate WWE is at trying to get John over as a babyface.

Really?  They’re still going with that?

Yep.  They just can’t seem to let it go.  Now, focus.

WWE, in their hollow attempts at persuading fans who are threatening to riot, actually put Mick Foley, another made man, on the mic, to proclaim John as a great in-ring performer.

And, it failed miserably.

While I don’t doubt Mick’s sincerity, as he has always been a straight-up guy, I just cannot fathom that WWE is still going down this road.  

It is mind-boggling to me that the company still feels the need to try and convince me that I should not only love John, but that I should respect him.  After all, Foley now thinks so, too.

Stop it, guys.  Seriously.  No more.

Here’s the deal.  When you have a guy like John, who the company is really, and I mean, really trying to get fans to respect, then you pull out all the stops to make that happen.  

You bring in any big gun, any legend, to stand in front of a live crowd, and millions watching around the world, to give that guy his personal stamp of approval.

WWE is not necessarily looking for you to love John, or even like him.  That boat has sailed a long time ago.  They are hoping that you can set aside your blazing hate for him, and recognize the contributions he has made to the business.  

Recognition, in the world of WWE, equals respect, and eventually leads to a face pop.  After all, how can you hate someone you truly respect?

For me, this is the only explanation for Vince McMahon’s continued insistence on forcing John Cena down the throats of fans who really want nothing to do with him.

Think I’m off base?  How quickly would some fans begin to possibly change their minds about John if Rock shook his hand in the middle of the ring, giving him his complete vote of confidence?  

He could likely not be able to change the minds of every hater out there, but if he were to sway some, then WWE would consider that progress.  Is that going to happen after their program is all said and done next year?

Cena could find a cure for cancer, and be hated for not finding it quick enough.

But that will not stop WWE from trying.  Nothing will ever stop WWE from trying.