Handshakes and Hardy Boys
By Kevin Kelly
So, the Young Bucks got a tryout for the WWE and apparently, they didn’t follow the unwritten rule of shaking hands with every former-wrestler-turned-hack-announcer. Yes, that’s a rule. Well, it’s an unwritten rule but damn it, they should know. Sad to say it… Matt and Nick Jackson DARED to not shake hands with Booker T. FOR SHAME!!!
Then, Booker T does the smart thing and writes about it on Twitter. Go figure… nowadays, guys flock to Twitter to try and bury other wrestlers, instead of good old fashioned backstabbing. Who knew?
What about the unwritten rule that says, “what happens in the locker room stays in the locker room”? In the words of Keyshawn Johnson, “C’mon, man!?!”
So let me get this right… the Young Bucks don’t shake hands with Booker T and for some reason, THEY get labeled? Not the guy who goes and stooges to Twitter. Wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a stooge to sites like Wrestlezone.com. Wonder how the McMahon’s would feel about that?
How’s about this? Booker T, as a part of the WWE and a veteran who has trained students before, should have gone up to the Young Bucks, shook THEIR hands and wished them well. Booker, you should be an ambassador for the company, not part of the same, antiquated series of codes that have severely hindered the future of the wrestling industry.
Are the Young Bucks the answer for the WWE? No, but no one can tell me with a straight face that they can’t play a part. Are the Young Bucks the picture of what the WWE looks for in wrestlers? No, but it isn’t for Booker T to judge and bury them on Twitter. And just because they don’t fit the mold, it’s obvious the Young Bucks are money.
Maybe Booker remembers the Young Bucks from TNA? Maybe he didn’t like them?
But remember, Booker T was a guy who Triple H didn’t want to put over… now Book is sucking up to that same guy by writing on Twitter something he thinks Triple H would want to hear. Trust me, Book… they don’t want or care about your opinion on talent. Shut up, try not to suck on commentary and stop being an embarrassment.
There was another young team about 15 years ago that didn’t fit the mold but everyone knew was money. I wonder how life would have been different for the Hardy Boys if would have been buried on Twitter by a bitter vet back in 1997… Chances are, we may not be as concerned about their well-being as we are today. It’s sad, really… to see those today make the same mistakes as those who have passed away before them.
It breaks my heart to read and hear about what’s happened to Matt and Jeff over the past few years and I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. Is it news that Jeff had issues going way back? Is it a shock that Matt has fallen into the traps and peril that have snared so many before him? No, but it still bothers me.
I remember shaking Matt and Jeff’s hands when they were trying to get a job in the WWE. They were quiet and obviously nervous. But once in the ring, you could see they were different, unique and had one helluva run. It was clear the Hardy’s were money. I hate what’s happened to them and can only hope they pull it together.
Would the Hardy’s have been better off, never having made it but not dealing with their issues involving drugs and a very public downward spiral? A part of me wishes a delusional Booker T was around back then, cutting them off at the knees before Matt and Jeff ever got started.
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ROH Thoughts
The first TV taping for Ring of Honor Television on the Sinclair Broadcast Group network is in the books and the debut episode airs September 24th. Post-production on the first shows in wrapping, while pre-production for the next taping on October 1st is underway. A more aggressive Live Event Schedule kicks off in 2012, including a WrestleMania-weekend doubleheader at the War Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Lauderdale.
If fans want to watch pro wrestling on TV, they will get it with ROH. I’m interested to see how the shows do in the different markets and what new fans will think of Ring of Honor. I can’t describe the feeling of standing in the ring and hearing the deafening roar for my broadcast partner, calling a great main event and feeling that it was the start of something very special. As the night wore on, the heat intensified in the building and in the ring… as issues built and rivalries over titles took focus.
Long-time ROH owner Cary Silken said it was like seeing his son graduate, as the brand he babied and cared for finally crossed the stage, having earned its diploma.
Another tag team of the future, Future Shock, the collective name of the fighting squad of Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly, kick off the debut show. They square off against the Bravado Brothers, who may wind up being bigger than anyone ever expected, which can be the same said for Ring of Honor.
Thoughts about hand shakes or the Hardy’s? Use the same technology Booker T used to try and bury the Young Bucks… Twitter @realkevinkelly or by email [email protected]
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
