Burning those bridges.

There are three types of Workers in the Wrestling world. One type is those who work hard, earn their spot, and if anything bad happens, take it and moves on. The second type is the kind who has all the potential in the world, but makes mistakes or just isn’t at 100% on a full time basis, and blames others for their problems. The third is those who THINK they are type one or two, but can never accept they are a three.

Today, I am talking about type #2. They can usually be identified easily by reading their thoughts laid out on the Net in Interviews, blogs – you name it. Thing is, almost universally type #2 will place the blame on anyone (and everyone) but the one who is generally at fault. Them. Sadly, Ken Anderson (Mr Kennedy) has gone from type 1 to type 2 in the span of a few weeks since his release from the WWE.

I was as impressed with the man from the get go as anyone in the past 5 years of WWE programming. He has excellent mic skills, a money look, a gimmick that while I found it annoying – I also saw it as “future main event” potential. In short, it was obvious he was being groomed to be the next in a distinguished line of WWE champions who also were marketable as a Movie Star.

Then he kept vanishing every now and then. On more than one occasion he had been legitimately injured, and had to take the time to get better. but you never heard about him complaining about it – in fact, the word ‘Stoic’ comes to mind. That was another thing that impressed me – some “superstars” whine and complain over every little thing – but Ken wasn’t one of them. In fact, I felt bad about his losing out on the “McMahon love child” which was rewritten to Hornswoggle because of the Internet leaks. Frankly, I think that if Mr Kennedy were to have kept that one, he’d have already held the World or WWE title – or both. But injuries (and a movie) extended his time away to such a point that he was in my estimation a liability despite his talent. obviously, the WWE agreed and they released him.

The Ken Anderson I respected once wrote this about one of his injuries: “They can never take that moment [winning the briefcase at WrestleMania 23] away from me. Things happened the way they did, and I ended up losing the briefcase because of an injury.” This of course was the briefcase that got Edge his first World Championship reign – a coincidence? I think not. No doubt in my mind at all that Anderson would had that Title – and he showed class with his comment above.

Now on his website, I read a diatribe about these “hypothetical” injuries that just happen to mirror some of his own. He broadly implies that he is not in fact prone to injury – although he glosses over quite a few to try and make the reader think it was only 2 incidents that brought about his release. He also makes the case that in each incident it was the “other guy” who caused the issue – passing the buck like a Grade A politician who was caught taking a bribe. Where is the Class that was displayed before, Ken? Why are you deliberately burning your bridges with the WWE?

Let’s face it – you had the world at your feet, quite literally. And while I do not blame you for your injuries (it in fact takes two to tango), you must realize that there was one common factor in each incident – you. You must understand down deep that you alone bear responsibility for your actions and reactions, and try to be the Type One I described above. THAT is how you get ahead in the business. Well, that or marry the Owner’s daughter. Yes, that was a Triple H joke – deal with it.

Here’s a word of advice for you, take it or leave it. Learn from some of those in the business who have burned their bridges in the past, and now can only be a cheap imitation of Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. TNA isn’t going to snap up every talent who leaves the WWE, and movie studios aren’t going to knock down your door because of a “Direct to DVD” starring gig. Oh, I have no doubt TNA is in your future, but remember that not everyone who is majorly hyped there makes it to the Main Event or get their Title. Even Jeff Hardy, despite his obvious popularity with the TNA fans never got the Title. Christian DID get it. What do they have in common? That’s right – neither burnt bridges and both had a home back in the WWE when the time came. Learn from them, and stop trying to pass blame. Accept it, move on – and if you get back to the WWE one day, make the most of it. You were slated to hit the big time there, unless you missed it.

Now, unless one of you reading this are privy to the inner workings of the WWE , wanting to send me mail “correcting” me on the opinion you just read – please don’t bother. This is after all purely my opinion. Regular comments and analysis – go for it. I just don’t want to bother with all the fans of particular people getting rabid because I picked on the attitude.