By Lee Stevens, PWTorch specialist

In the midst of the unstoppable force known as the Executive Vice President of Global Affairs, there was a moment of reality on Raw. On the same show which featured the carnage Shane McMahon left behind, there was a moment of clarity in the WWE Universe.

Despite none of the Raw superstars being able to contain a 39-year old man from the front office, there was a moment. A brief moment which gave me hope for the future. A future in which a corporate suit doesn't decimate the Royal Rumble winner, former Tag Team champions, and several of the most recent entrants into the most physically demanding pay-per-view of the year.

The moment? Shawn Michaels "saw" John Cena.

We are all quite familiar with the finish of many John Cena matches. He looks down to the mat and waves his hand in front of his face before bouncing off the ropes and delivering a punch. The final humiliation of showing this person that they "can't see him" helps to clinch the outcome of the battle.

A quick fist is likely followed up by the finishing move of his choice and they all lived happily ever after. "You can't see me" usually translates into "You can't beat me" and most of the time, you certainly can't argue with the results. Just not this Monday night.

Shawn Michaels "saw" John Cena.

On Monday, just as the champ went into his typical routine, Michaels did what most probably should do in that situation. He reached up and took control of Cena and the match. The pause between moves is long enough that we probably should see this happen more often until that entertainer realizes that there's a price for every show.

This is not simply a criticism of Cena. He is certainly not the best technical wrestler and most certainly not the worst. He just happens to be one of the most glaring examples of the suspension of belief that's being suspended too long. I am not criticizing everyone who plays to the crowd. The interaction with the audience is often vital to the wrestler connecting with the people outside of the ring.

Whether it is Hulk Hogan cupping his ear and listening for the cheers or Steve Austin climbing the turnbuckle and giving the one-finger salute to the paying customers, some of the more enjoyable moments happen when the stars and fans come together. During the match, it's a more delicate process.

I have vivid memories of seeing Adrian Adonis hide a foreign object in his trunks and after using it, he would scream at the crowd to quiet down so the referee wouldn't know it was there. After tossing an opponent to the ground, Rick Rude would take a moment to flex, take in the glory that was "The Ravishing One" and then move forward with his match.

The difference is subtle, but it is an important one. Finish the move and then you can celebrate. If we are supposed to believe that your move has any impact, I would think that you would want to deliver it as soon as possible. Attack. Taunt. Repeat. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. That order works.

Earlier this year in the NFL, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson split the defense and had a clear path to the endzone. Just as he was ready to deliver the final blow on this play, he took the time to celebrate by tossing the ball down to the ground. There was just one problem. He did it at the 1-yard line.

When he reaches his target, he is free to gesture, dance, do cartwheels or whatever he wants. Just finish what you started. The same rule applies on the field and in the ring. After Cena connects, there is plenty of time to remind the opponent about his apparent lack of ability to visualize his presence. Timing is the key.

The problem doesn't start with Cena. Kofi Kingston is just as guilty with his drawn-out gestures before his double leg drop. In the past, both main event-caliber wrestlers and mid-card athletes have been affected by premature gesticulation. "The People's Elbow" from The Rock was matched in length of time by "The Worm" from Scotty 2 Hotty. All of these moves shared the same break in the action and long pause while the opponent lay helpless on the mat.

All of these moves also shared various levels of popularity with the crowd, so where's the harm in that? I am not trying to take the entertainment out of any of these matches, nor do I think that every match has to have the stiffness of a William Regal vs. Bob Holly fight or the rapid-fire precision of Chris Benoit or classic Dynamite Kid. I am only suggesting that each man simply needs to put the work in first.

If Cena or Kingston has beaten down his opponent to the point where they can add a bit of flair to a move, I think it is a wonderful way for a wrestler to distinguish himself. Too often, the wrestler has just turned the tide in the match and they are just as wounded as their opponent. If the match is that important to you, hit the move first. Once you have them down, you can wave your hand, flap your arms, do the hokey pokey, and you can turn yourself around if that's what it truly is all about.

I know this is a performance, so I appreciate anyone who wants to add something to their sometimes all-too-brief matches. In fact, the man who interrupted the show is as guilty as anyone. Before Michaels delivers his superkick, he stomps his foot to the mat several times, "tuning up the band" for Sweet Chin Music. Usually it works, even though sometimes it shouldn't.

Again, I'm not suggesting that all of the fun should be taken away. I believe you can have both. When you've put in enough hard work to have your opponent sapped of their injury to the point where they are on the mat with no chance of getting up, that is the time for your Spinaroonie, your crotch chop, or your cartwheel.

Shawn Michaels "saw" John Cena. Hopefully it opened the eyes of others too.

Lee Stevens examines Raw and Smackdown with "Under The Microscope"

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