Support NeoGAF

[hamchan]

If walking on eggshells means not grabbing your boss while on TV during a RETIREMENT segment, then I think most people would be fine.

And again.. we do not know what happened backstage after.

Honestly yeah, I think it's more about the time and place that got Titus into trouble. Though it would still put me off for a while from trying to be playful with Vince if I was wrestler, at least for a little while, even off camera and backstage. Can never be too cautious.

 

[sf2fanatic]

Wondering if they'll be more inside scope on this.

 

[Sephzilla]

Yeah, that was the wrong time and place. Suspending him still seems like too much though

 

[giancarlo123x]

Yeah, that was the wrong time and place. Suspending him still seems like too much though

Honestly, sending him home from Smackdown was enough. 90 days is ridiculous.

 

[BFIB]

There is a time and place for everything. An emotional send off to one of the most popular wrestlers in the last few years is not one of them.

This was the right call.

Agreed. You had to know not to fuck with Vince at a time like that.

 

[Kaiterra]

Yeah, that was the wrong time and place. Suspending him still seems like too much though

The suspension (or at least one that long) seems like a great way to turn it into more of a public situation than it could've been.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Titus tried to go into business for himself. That's a wrestling cardinal sin.

 

[Kaladin]

I thought Titus was going for a hug myself and that seemed appropriate to the moment. I dunno. I wasn't there.

Even if that was the intention, you don't grab someone's arm and pull them aside during any scripted event. And yes, them walking off the stage as they did was likely scripted and practiced beforehand. When someone does something like that, either A) something better be dead wrong or B) they fucked up.

He could have waited till after if he wanted to give Vince a hug if Vince was even approachable. I'm sure though that Vince saw what Titus did on air as ruining the moment.

 

[hamchan]

90 days cuts into his Wrestlemania bonus which seems a bit harsh.

 

[DMczaf]

I wonder when they informed him of his suspension that they told him to go home and be a family man.

 

[Fox318]

Titus should have shot in for a single leg takedown.

Work the arm and legs for the pin and get some heat.

 

[blackaroni]

There is a time and place for everything. An emotional send off to one of the most popular wrestlers in the last few years is not one of them.

This was the right call.

Agreed.

 

[BoboBrazil]

Titus knew Vince was probably sad and was just trying to cheer him up.

 

[hamchan]

The suspension (or at least one that long) seems like a great way to turn it into more of a public situation than it could've been.

This as well. Now it seems like a big deal when before everyone just passed it off as a light hearted thing and quickly forgot about it.

 

[Sephzilla]

Sending him home from Smackdown or sidelining him for a week seems like an appropriate action for what Titus did. Giving him a suspension that's longer than a wellness policy violation, and putting him out until after WrestleMania, is probably too much and runs the risk of spreading negative PR to WWE.

 

[Kaiterra]

I'm not saying Titus didn't do anything wrong. I'm just saying that it came across more natural and less like ruining the moment when watching on TV, and coming down hard on him might not be the best call with that in mind.

 

[shaowebb]

Wouldn't shock me a bit to hear Vince suspended him over a comment or something along the lines of "what are YOU huggin him for?" bein said after the grab really.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

There is a time and place for everything. An emotional send off to one of the most popular wrestlers in the last few years is not one of them.

This was the right call.

While I agree with the first part, since they were walking to the back, Titus probably thought they were off camera. I've never seen a Raw ending with a "all wrestlers on the ramp" shot that included them starting to walk to the back.

 

[Kaladin]

Sending him home from Smackdown or sidelining him for a week seems like an appropriate action for what Titus did. Giving him a suspension that's longer than a wellness policy violation, and putting him out until after WrestleMania, is probably too much and runs the risk of spreading negative PR to WWE.

Thing is, we don't know what happened after backstage. I'm sure we'll hear one side of the story eventually, but until then we don't know if it escalated.

I'm of the mindset that if it was bad enough to give him 90 days, I'd say go ahead and terminate as he will likely never get over this incident when he comes back to the active roster.

 

[Kaiterra]

Wouldn't shock me a bit to hear Vince suspended him over a comment or something along the lines of "what are YOU huggin him for?" bein said after the grab really.

Could be embarrassed about having been seen shoving Titus off like that too, I suppose.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

There really doesn't need to be imho.

Look, first off, let's dispel with this rumor that anger and suspension go hand in hand. Anger and suspension are not mutually inclusive.

In a workplace, when you have a moment that can potentially set a precedent for others' behavior that you want to avoid, you have to take actions such as these. It is within the realm of possibility that Vince had zero qualm with Titus but had to send a strong message to the other guys. Look no further than when he fined Stone Cold almost $750,000 for walking out on his schedule match with Brock on RAW years ago.

You think if Brock/Cena/Rollins/etc... did the same thing they'd be suspended through Wrestlemania?

 

[BFIB]

Vince probably was irate at first until Kevin Dunn reminded him that he's a millennial and we all act this way.

 

[Kaiterra]

Vince probably was irate at first until Kevin Dunn reminded him that he's a millennial and we all act this way.

I think Titus is safely outside of that demo lol

 

[MG310]

I could see them just ending the suspension early and just said 90 to set an example.

They were pissed about The Rock going off-script a few weeks ago but can't really do anything to him.

 

[Dark Ninja]

I love how they made him drive to Smackdown before telling him. Phones haven't been invented in Wrasslin.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

It is hard to use speculation to weigh in on the topic of Titus/Vince situation.

I will say though, part of the reason why Brock/Cena/Rollins/etc are who they are is because they know the game and would never pull a stunt like this.

They wouldn't be suspended through Wrestlemania. It's not speculation to say that.

 

[UberTag]

Lol suspended. Titus wasn't going to be on mania anyways, maybe on the pre-pre show sponsored by skittles.

He probably would have been thrown into the Andre the Giant Battle Royal. He was routinely getting TV time and participated in last year's. No reason to think he wouldn't be in this one.

That said, those do tend to get relegated to the pre-show but you do get your Mania bonus for participating in one (even if it's for barely any time at all).

 

[Anth0ny]

i don't even have the energy to get worked up about something like this

I'm still drained after bryan's retirement and aj/jericho on smackdown

 

[funkystudent]

Vince is overreacting with the length of that suspension but come on Titus. Dont be the goofball when someone is retiring.

 

[DMczaf]

Suspension - yes

Length - no

should have been like 30 days.

 

[joelseph]

Could it be a work? Titus is going to continue to get a Dad of the year mini push and this is setting up a feud?

 

[DMczaf]

Titus - "Hey Vince, speaking of fathers.....where's your son at?!" #shoot

 

[Fernando Fernandez]

Vince trying to starve FATHER OF THE YEARs children.

 

[Ithil]

Punishment for acting like a fool, sure. 90 days, more than a second Wellness Violation? Hilarious.

 

[Jerm411]

Back and to the left...

 

[sf2fanatic]

There really doesn't need to be imho.

Look, first off, let's dispel with this rumor that anger and suspension go hand in hand. Anger and suspension are not mutually inclusive.

In a workplace, when you have a moment that can potentially set a precedent for others' behavior that you want to avoid, you have to take actions such as these. It is within the realm of possibility that Vince had zero qualm with Titus but had to send a strong message to the other guys. Look no further than when he fined Stone Cold almost $750,000 for walking out on his schedule match with Brock on RAW years ago.

Wow that's -steep fine. No wonder Austin literally wanted to Stunner Vince every chance he got

 

[UberTag]

Performers need to act like heels and crowds need to boo heels instead of applauding or booing as if they're judging a talent contest.

The notion that there's "no faces or heels, just shades of grey!" WWE has just makes the actions, and thus the reactions to those actions, that much more ambiguous and tepid and lukewarm.

We're in an era where half the crowd -- us, the people in this thread -- are in business for ourselves. We've decided that Kevin Owens should succeed because he's talented and fun to watch and he was on the indies and he's cool. The WWE presents him as a heel, because the dude is naturally a heel, and what do we do? We cheer him, we get mad when he loses, etc. We view him as a babyface. He's not. We're hurting his character in the stories they tell because we're not reacting how his character needs us to react.

Owens is my favorite active performer on the roster.
If I was attending a live WWE event, I would boo and jeer the fuck out of him because that's the reaction he's trying to elicit from the crowd.
I would do that BECAUSE I'm a fan of his. Because that's what he wants.

Reacting properly as a wrestling fan isn't rocket science. We shouldn't be wired to think the only way we can show adulation and respect is by cheering.

 

[Liquidsnake]

Someone called it yesterday talking about him being future endeavored. Bravo to you man.

If I grabbed my boss like that during a retirement party; Id probably be fired. It was incredibly stupid, and unprofessional. And for it to come form a 39 year old man, and not some dumb rookie, is even more amazing. 90 days is just right.

 

[Heroman]

Punishment for acting like a fool, sure. 90 days, more than a second Wellness Violation? Hilarious.

No one embarrasses Vincent Kennedy Mcmahon, every a father of the year.

 

[Marvel]

"Don't touch me pal!"

 

[miserable]

Wasn't it Paul london and he got fired?

when i see this photo i always think London looks shopped in

 

[The Elite]

I didn't see any of the extra Raw stuff on Monday. What the hell happened with Titus?

[/IMG][/QUOTE]

I am not even sure what's going on here.

 

[sf2fanatic]

Come to think of it Titus would do something like that. He looks like a jokester

 

[MG310]

Back and to the left...

Adam Rose's slow realization that he just won a feud.

 

[sajj316]

Technically it happened off cable broadcast but the network was showing it. If the network wasn't showing it, I bet would have been a small suspension. Thinking of it, I don't remember anyone else horsing around with Vince in such a setting. Certainly unprofessional considering he is your boss. Have I messed around with my boss .. certainly .. but never in a professional setting.

 

[Marvel]

Dunno why on earth you'd grab your boss like that during such a time... silly. 30 days would have been enough though.

 

[UberTag]

Adam Rose's slow realization that he just won a feud.

He won the feud against the Bunny, too.
I suspect those will be the only two feuds he ever wins.

 

[Plywood]

What's this about AJ Styles and the gay community? Is he homophobic or something?

The gay community!?

 

[SquashMatch]

I remember a story about some podcast and him being uncomfortable.

AJ is a devout evangelical Christian from the deep south. He very likely is personally opposed to homosexuality. As long as he is professional and respectful about his beliefs and also is the same towards others who believe differently than him I don't really see it becoming a problem.

Shawn Michaels believes the same way and I don't believe it caused any issues. Just don't be a jerk and respect people who think differently than you and it should be fine.

 

[MG310]

CM Punk's fight is getting pushed back again.

Former WWE Superstar CM Punk is set to undergo back surgery today in Chicago to fix a herniated disc, according to MMAFighting.com. His planned UFC debut will be delayed once again as a result. Punk told MMAFighting,

"My back has always bugged me. Figured it was just wrestling sh*t. Turns out it was. It got bad enough to the point where I couldn't do anything the week before I went to train with the New Jersey Devils last month. One day I could manage, the next day I couldn't.

"I've been in agony for almost a month. Chiropractor, acupuncture, massage, cryotherapy ... nothing worked."

This past Saturday night, it was determined that 24-year-old Mickey Gall would be his first opponent after Gall defeated fellow UFC newcomer Mike Jackson via first-round rear-naked choke. Punk reveals that he was informed about needing surgery prior to Gall's win and their subsequent stare-down.

Despite the setback, Punk remains positive, calling the back surgery "just a bump in the road."