First of all, congratulations to Edge on his second WWE Championship. It's not exactly what I thought was going to happen but it's certainly well-deserved.The WWE said on their website that they are "investigating" the incident in Ohio. In other words, they are stalling while they decide if they can spin this thing. The drug policy they created for themselves states that "any Talent who is arrested, convicted or who admits to a violation of law relating to use, possession, purchase, sale or distribution of prohibited drugs will be in material breach of contract and subject to immediate dismissal."
It doesn't say "may be subject". It says "will be subject" and obviously that hasn't happened yet. I'm sure Vince was hoping that the first people to be made examples of by the "Well Policy" would a little lower down the food chain than the champion and top push of his new third brand, but as the furry blue puppet says, "that's the way the cookie crumbles". After all, who the hell wants to fire the guy you finally trusted enough to the heavyweight title of TWO of your three brand names on? Well, Vince McMahon better do it if relations with the media, corporate sponsors and the United States government mean anything to him (because we all know the fans will forgive anything).
Vince painted himself into this corner by getting itchy during the Senate hearings into steroid use in the major professional sports, especially baseball, that took place last year. I don't know if he got the inside word that someone in Washington was planning to use pro wrestling as their next excuse to grab some airtime on C-Span or whether the death of Eddie Guerrero(who's death was brought on by years of steroid abuse) really shook the man.
As soon as I heard about the RVD/Sabu bust, I said, "Edge is going to take the ECW title in Philly and Cena's going to win the WWE title". I thought RVD would lose both titles on either one or consecutive nights with the double shot at the Wachovia Arena. Kurt Angle is taking time off to heal up, time he's already stalled on taking, and of John Cena and Edge, who would you rather see atop ECW?
It's not like they've done anything to elevate anyone in ECW except for Rob and Sabu. (Plus, I've actually thought since last year that if they restarted ECW, Edge would be sent there to fill the "Shane Douglas" spot.) I must say, I'm a little surprised they didn't have Van Dam drop both belts.
Well either way, here's what's likely going to happen next...
Rob Van Dam is going to drop the ECW title. To whom, I do not know. As I
said, Angle is the only un-arrested performer they've really even tried to
elevate on their own roster, but he's supposed to be taking time off,
(Although wasn't he also supposed to be taking time off just this past
January when they put the Smackdown title on him?) so don't be surprised to
see a title change on Sci-Fi tonight or Saturday Night's Main Event at the
latest.
Then, RVD and Sabu will be fired.
Rob will do his Ricky Williams impression for a while, telling interviewers
he's sorry he let him teammates down but that there's nothing wrong with
pot. Then he'll come play in the Canadian Football League for a season.
Wait, scratch that. I got too involved in my Ricky analogy there. Van Dam
will actually head to professional wrestling's equivalent of the CFL: he'll
appear in TNA. He may go there as a resting spot before heading back to the
Fed (remember when the aforementioned Eddie got fired for his substance
problems, cleaned himself up, worked some indy shows and came back to the
greatest run of his career?) or he may decide that TNA is where he really
should be, but that's where you'll see him, I think.
Yes, I said "I think", because remember, this is all just opinion and
educated guessing (or as scientist call it, "bullshit") on my part at this
point. It'll be reported as fact on other websites long before any of it
really happens but that's just why most internet wrestling news sites suck.
But hey, isn't that CFL/TNA analogy spot on? Different field dimensions.
Smaller number of cities. Better style of play than their competitor but no
one seems to care.
Oh yeah, Sabu. Well, the only reason Sabu wasn't fired on the spot is
because RVD got charged too. When Rob goes, so will Sabu and that'll be
that. WWE won't take him back. TNA might.
11 comments: on "Kingdom's Column: The fallout from Sheik/Duggan 2K6"
i hope rvd isnt fired
:(
But "subject to" only means that dismissal is a possibility. It doesn't quite mean that WWE has no other option but to fire the person. It just means they have the option.
subject means likely to incur or receive.
It's likely RVD is going to incure Vince's wrath and receive a pink slip.
if he doesnt how can u fire ANY top guys that are arrested for drug use?
The policy will be pointless
"Subject to" means "cause to experience". That does not leave the room for possibility. The qualifying word in the sentence is "WILL" not "may". This is "legalese" they are speaking here, my friend. These things are written in a precise manner for a reason. Therefore the WWE policy says that RVD and Sabu WILL be fired.
And while, as I stated I think they are trying to find a way out of this without egg on their faces in the locker room or the public, I still think we're about to see bad things happen for RVD and Sabu. I believe the "Wellness Program" is behind the current absence of Joey Mercury but that was something that happened internally, company-wise. There were no roadside arrests or newspaper articles regarding any problems with Mercury. He could be attended to in a more quiet manner. This was a news story, albiet a minor one in the grand scheme of things, but public nonetheless.
what it boils down to is money if there is money to be made on someone they won't be fired. Maybe a Suspension and a few months of Jobbing on Heat.
The point made earlier is accurate.
If the policy says you will fire someone for breaking a certain rule, and you don't then why have the policy? It becomes a joke...
Vince has fired much bigger names in the past than RVD. How about The Ultimate Warrior - the day of Summerslam when he was supposed to have his much anticipated match with Jake Roberts? Warrior held him up for more cash and got canned.
Man I hate to be wrong, but I posted earlier about giving ECW more time to develop... but if RVD and Sabu are out of the picture, color Extreme dead. Who do they have that wasnt a WWE superstar? Sandman? Tommy Dreamer? I like those guys but they cant carry a show with a roster of about a dozen wrestlers. Its already looking a lot like vince's handy-work, but i thought it may have just been growing pains.
Vince's handywork??
Vince didn't plant drugs on RVD and Sabu...
Vince is busy screwing up the ECW creative but the state of the roster isnt his fault
Thats what I meant Big Daddy. That the show itself smacks of Vince's handywork... not RVD smoking pot.
But who can honestly say he didnt know? RVD 4:20 means I just smoked your ass? No one gets higher than Van Dam? I wasnt crying I was just smoking a joint with Van Dam? And Sabu? Look at the man, he looks like he needs a joint every once-in-a-while.
I say to hell with the rules, let RVD smoke pot as long as it doesnt become like Scott Hall's alcohol problems.
You can sell hell to the rules all you want - but he violated company policy.
That being said - I think the WWE has a much bigger issue with the Vicadin pills than they do the 18 grams of weed.
violated company policy pe-shaw. look at vince, he must violate company policy twice a week... i mean honestly, god did not intend for a 60 or 70 year old man to look like that. COMPANY POLICY is not more important than UNITED STATES law, and RVD (well-known or not) would be looking at a slap on the wrist for this offense in most states-- why not do the same for the company policy?
well the argument is that it would encourage others to do the same and possibly bring more heat down on mcmahon in a company that has a high death/injury rate. But remember RVD isn't abusing steroids or vicadin, which SHOULD have serious consequences on those who do. I think any sane human being (here or on that roster) could recognize the difference between recreational weed, and severe alcoholism (other than one is legal and the other isn't) This is like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Furthermore I understand perfectly how wrestlers abuse vicadin. They get hurt on the road, banged and bumped and get very sore and aching. So they take some pain killers -- but the pain of the road doesn't stop -- so they dont stop taking them. Also everyone knows Vince pushes wrestlers to come back before they're ready and wrestle long after they're injured almost FORCING these guys into abusing pain killers. But one pot violation off company time and the man MUST BE FIRED... give me a f*cking break. Like everyone on the face of the planet didn't know he did it.
no sport on earth has as harsh of rules as WWE, just fine him, suspend him for a few months, strip his titles, and be done with it. you think if barry bonds had smoked pot he would have a threat to go to the minors? No of course not. Thats because its silly and impractical to make clear-cut overarching blanket statements then expect yourself to keep them regardless of circumstance.
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