It just hit me while I was flying to New Orleans to the Sugar Bowl and I asked myself why I hadn’t made the connection early.
John Cena is the Kobe Bryant of the WWE.
Without question John Cena is the face of the WWE, but he showed up right around the time the giants of the attitude era were starting to go away for various reasons, specifically Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock.
Kobe Bryant when you are speaking globally is still the most well known NBA player in the world. He also came around just when a giant was leaving and we all know that giant was Michael Jordan.
For almost decade Cena has been the main guy in the WWE , he is the bridge in the gap between the Attitude Era and whatever they are doing now. By all accounts he works as hard as anyone and his passion for the business has never been questioned.
Kobe Bryant is the closest thing we have or maybe will ever have to Michael Jordan. He helped bridged the gap post Jordan era to whatever the NBA is doing now. Kobe;s obsession with being the best is well documented.
Both Cena and Kobe are Giants, but they chasing Giants they can never ever surpass. Cena will never be The Rock or Stone Cold and Kobe will never be Jordan. People are quick to remind them of that fact every single day of their existence. Over the years they have become athletes people love to hate. Kobe has embraced it 100% and if you really pay attention to Cena he has as well.
Cena and Kobe drive people to literally drive to Temecula. I have been critical of Cena not going heel and maybe it is because I absolutely love Darth Kobe and I know if Cena went all in it would be credible. We saw signs of it when he fought The Rock, it is in him, they just have to pull the trigger, because it is best for business, trust me.
Kobe tried to carry the Lakers on his own and realized very quickly that his body couldn’t do it anymore and now he is trying to evolved or as Triple H says adapt or perish. Cena seems a bit more willing to pass the ball so to speak, but he is still Super Cena giving AAs to 30 people while kicking out of 50 finishers. It would be wise if he started to evolved as well.
Cena and Kobe are no longer in their primes, but I believe they will be more appreciate when they are gone then they are now.