CALDWELL'S TAKE CORNER CUBE TUESDAY 3/11: Reaction to Hardy suspension and Big Show vs. Mayweather hype Mar 11, 2008 - 11:09:23 AM

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By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

Updated throughout the day from the corner cubicle, Torch columnist James Caldwell's weekday blog focuses on hot topic current events and other items of interest from around wrestling.

Updated Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Jeff Hardy suspension. Unfortunately, we should have seen this one coming, as Sean Radican wrote this morning. It also shows that WWE made the right call at the Royal Rumble of picking Cena over Hardy as the top babyface going into WrestleMania.

Remember the interviews Jeff Hardy did before the Royal Rumble? Remember how banged up he said he was? Torn up ankles. Herniated discs in his back. Bone chips in his elbow.

Right now, we don't know what drugs showed up on Hardy's Wellness test that drew a violation of the policy. But, I believe it's a fair conclusion that he hasn't been fighting the pain with two Advils and a glass of water.

As I wrote in the Torch Newsletter a few weeks after the Rumble - after the disappointment of Hardy not winning the WWE Title subsided - Hardy doesn't have a good track record. He hasn't gone through the stress of being WWE champion, which could have compounded his injuries and risked more health problems. Certainly, Hardy had been rebuilding his reputation in his second WWE run, but someone like Cena has been a model citizen since the day they gave him the ball and told him to run.

I hope that Hardy will be able to recover, WWE will get him whatever help he needs, and both sides will re-evaluate Hardy's injuries to see if he needs more than 60 days to take care of his body. We should pause when more information comes out about this story to remember priorities. A wrestler's health and well-being should always take precedence over any entertainment he generates for the fans with his body.

Big Show vs. Mayweather. I think the funniest thing about the build-up to Show vs. Mayweather isn't the imaginary $20 million figure or Mayweather's storyline injury last night. It's that we don't even know what the match is.

WWE is basically asking people to pay $50 for the WrestleMania PPV to find out what they paid for. It would be like going to the store and buying a TV, but not being told ahead of time what features are on TV. Sure, you know you're buying a TV, just like you're ordering Mania for a "match" between Show vs. Mayweather. But, people aren't going to find out what they bought until WWE has their money.

Based on the intriguing build-up for Mayweather vs. Show, many mainstream reporters have slowly stuck their nose in the story to first, mock the whole thing so they ensure their pretty reputation isn't soiled by spending a second covering wrestling, and second, speculate on exactly how the match is going down. I'm sure it's frustrating for reporters who aren't aware how the pro wrestling hype machine works to know exactly what they're supposed to be covering. Or even speculating on.

Not explaining what type of match will commence between Show and Mayweather is all part of WWE's sales pitch for WrestleMania. They've got a salesman with a quick wit and fast tongue straight from the carnival trying to sell you the TV out of a blank cardboard box. They're banking on your trust that the TV will work to your expectations once they have your money. Oh yeah, refunds not available.

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