WWE News: Vince McMahon’s ‘Brass Ring’ Comments Taken As A Joke Backstage
Just like any language on the planet, professional wrestling has its own vernacular. For example, works like “heel” and “face” carry their own meaning inside the squared circle. A heel is a bad guy, while the face portrays a good guy. That’s fairly simple. Now, when the average WWE fan gets into terms like “green” and “hot tag,” that’s when it gets pretty complicated. It takes many years to get a fan acclimated to the talk of the town.
A fairly popular term inside the WWE is “brass ring.” The brass ring can only be described as a word created by Vince McMahon. He used it to try and get WWE superstars to reach for the stars and to never become complacent. Theoretically, it’s a great way to motivate men and women to perform better. In this instance, however, it can also be used to tell wrestlers that their time may never come.
CM Punk first opened up the brass ring-discussion in 2011 when he complained to McMahon and Triple H that he grabbed those brass rings, but nothing came of it. It’s been three years and they are now coming back. McMahon mentioned on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s podcast that he wants guys to reach for those brass rings, and they will be benefited. The plan might’ve backfired; according to WrestleZone.com. Backstage reactions aren’t as positive as McMahon hoped for.
PWInsider.com is reporting there are several talents backstage who took the “grabbing the brass ring” comments by Vince McMahon on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s podcast as a joke.
The report states no one would actually come out publicly and say this, and it’s well known that Vince himself is the one person controlling talent pushes, not the wrestlers themselves.
The report also states that Vince McMahon will not take the blame for any of WWE’s problems and talents won’t leave because they are the only game in town that pays well. Things were a lot different in the 1990s when the WWE had multiple main event-caliber guys and girls. Luckily, that trend is beginning to come back one superstar at a time.
In the late 90s, the WWE had the Rock, Stone Cold, Mick Foley, Triple H, the Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels. I’m sure I missed one or two, but just that alone is a star-studded line-up. All of those men were main event performers at the same time.
As 2014 comes to a close, WWE is operating with John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Bray Wyatt. Since Daniel Bryan is injured and Dolph Ziggler is on the cusp, they don’t count for this article. While many believe that his “brass ring” comment was a joke, other superstars are taking it very seriously.
No better way to grab the brass ring then to take out the so-called last guy to do just that. #WWETLC #TablesMatch How’s that for ambition?
— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) December 2, 2014
When my shoulder is healed and I come back, I’ll grab that brass ring again…but nothing will stop me this time! pic.twitter.com/XfM5mfEkEn
— Zack Ryder (@ZackRyder) December 2, 2014
For those men, that will light a fire under them to do better. Since the WWE’s ratings are at a consistent 3.0, they should strive to do better as they were pulling in 5.5 ratings like it was nothing in the late 90s and early-2000s. The talent is certainly there, but the writing must follow suit.
[Image via forbes.com]
