By Jon Cudo, PWTorch specialist

TRUE - STUMBLING ONTO AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE

Some of the biggest pops come from the unexpected. Superstars jumping to another company or returning from injury always seems to put them in position to get a monster reaction from the crowd and launch a new program. Lex Luger was rarely as effective as when he strolled out at
the Mall of America, John Cena's surprise Rumble return made even Cena haters jump out of their chairs, Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy's initial appearances were among the year's highlights in TNA in past year, and Brock Lesnar's appearance on Raw this week made the Miami crowd explode.

It may be a false choice, but any fan is more likely to choose a surprise return or jump over another match from the same stars seen for months. Surprises in wrestling are usually a good thing, a pleasant twist or a fresh addition to the mix.

The return of The Rock, Brock, and even lessor stars like Chris Sabin show absence makes the heart grow fonder and most performers benefit from some time out of the normal rotation. I am a firm believer in mandatory time off for wrestlers, but I have something else in mind as
well.

One of my pet proposals is the Quarterly Superstar. I think WWE would benefit greatly if they developed a plan structured around creating 4-10 roster spots that are essentially quarterly commitments. These spots would involve year-round employment for older acts. They
would be active full-time touring Superstars for roughly three months a year, allowing them to work 2-4 PPVs and monthly cycle of TV in addition to house show tours. In the other nine months, the performers would be lightly used in non-physical roles like media tours, promotional opportunities, creation of other programming for WWE, or even as trainers in developmental.

These slots would be reserved for more tenured talent, which would help elongate careers (and extend WWE's ability to draw money from these established talents). It would also reduce the grind of the road and enhance the quality of life of these acts. It would ensure a longer career arc, longer earning years, and the incorporation of longer time off for the performers who need it most.

WWE could pay a smaller down-side guarantee for these performers, but the benefits would be striking and likely very attractive for many. The ability to leverage years of service in a way that allows for many more years as a performer, a more healthy and happy life outside wrestling, and the ability to still perform, make revenue from merchandise and performing. I believe many older acts would accept a paycut to work this mix of a lighter wrestling and other duties.

The time off would also create situations like jumps and surprise returns have done for years. An established star appearing in a fresh new setting, when fans may not expect it. A new star in the mix, one who has a new outlook and the time-tested ability to make their work effective.

How many more years does Chris Jericho have to perform as an established valuable roster member? Certainly many more than he had if he wasn't taking time off to dance with the stars and sing with Fozzy. Would he even had the giant pop like he did when he returned this year? Unlikely. These Quarterly Stars may not reach that reaction level, but it certainly would be exponentially better than if they just walked through the curtain for the 52nd time in 52 weeks.

What stars would benefit from becoming a Quarterly Superstar? Think about Rey Mysterio, Big Show, Chris Jericho, Batista, Christian, JBL, Kane, Triple H, Mick Foley, or Booker T.

Some of these guys already have something like this, just due to injuries. Some have retired perhaps because there was no option like this. Imagine WWE's flexibility to promote interesting shows if they had access to JBL, Rey, or Batista for a couple PPVs per year.

Another benefit is added roster spots and TV time for younger guys. It's hard to have Big Show at an event and not use him, but is that taking time from Ryback and limiting his growth? Keeping these old hands around longer also allows the younger stars to work and learn from them.

As the parade of part-time stars, jumps, and returning stars shows there is a place for part-time talent. Big pops, rub from establish talents, and increased business await. The question now is if WWE can nurture this into an established program and really tap into the benefits they
have been stumbling upon.

FALSE - WWE DID DANIEL BRYAN AND HIS FANS WRONG

Daniel Bryan is a extraordinarily talented worker. Less than three years ago, he debuted in WWE and rose to carry the World Heavyweight Title, along with a run as U.S. Champion and was a Money in the Bank winner. All of this while being far outside the typical mold of a WWE Superstar, based on mostly on height and traditional charisma and mic work.

A three-month run that included massive amounts of TV time and a Top Four match on WrestleMania can hardly be categorized as insulting to Bryan or his fans...which is just how many are taking this.

Yes, losing in 18 seconds while holding the ability to carry a broom to a three-star, 20-minute match might be underutilizing him, but that 18-second loss was part of a longer journey and story that WWE has been building around Bryan for ten months. At minimum, he will be pushed as an upper-mid-card performer, with a World Heavyweight Title run under his belt and is well positioned to continue to be at the top of the card for years.

It might not be the ideal push, but it’s a push that 85 percent of the locker room would dream of and one that an undersized independent star in 2009 likely didn’t think possible.

TO BE DETERMINED - IF RANDY ORTON PEAKING HAS BEEN DETERMINED

In October 2011, I reviewed whether Randy Orton has peaked. Specifically, I noted: “His time on top of Smackdown failed to move the needle, and now he's struggling in the feud with Rhodes to elevate Cody... and the feud may be having the effect of pulling Randy down.”

Since October, Randy has done little to build a case that he improving or moving in the right direction. Politics, an ill-considered movie role, and speaking out about time off all could be playing factors in his push. However, his lifeless mic work to promote his feud against Kane show a real limitation for his character. How many times can you just say “My name is Randy Orton” and get a pop? It appears we will find out soon, since it seems to be all he has to say as a babyface.

Orton has tons of in-ring talent, but his babyface run seems to be dooming him as he plays a role that he is ill-suited for and uncomfortable in. I can look back at October 2011 and confirm that he had peaked at that time. The question now becomes will he ever right this ship?

***

Jon Cudo is the newest PWTorch specialist, presenting the "True-False-TBD" format. Jon has worked in the sports entertainment industry for over 20 years, including major league sports teams and Nike. He has been a life-long pro wrestling fan and has attended WWE, WCW, and ROH events in person, including backstage access at multiple events. He grew up in Minnesota and now lives in Cleveland. He runs his own business, www.GameOps.com, a website designed to connect sports teams and event producers with ideas and tools that will enhance the entertainment value for fans attending their events.

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]

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