Can someone explain the stupidity of this storyline to me?

[PeepShow]

Plz.

Ok, now I'm not following wrestling much these days, so forgive me if I'm forgetting or missing something, but this HBK/JBL storyline has to be one of the more Blue ones I have seen in quite some time.

So HBK has run out of money and whatnot, so he has to go and work for JBL? Does anyone not realize that HE IS WORKING FOR THE WWE AND A MAIN EVENTER? How is he not getting enough money? I'm clueless with this. Can someone explain how this is even logical?

 

[Seventh Reason]

I don't think the storyline is designed to be investigated as deeply as you have done. His income from the WWE might be going straight from his bank account into paying for heavy debts. Who knows?

 

[Quintastic One]

This is the storyline where HBK adopts his new Hobo Gimmick, and JBL grows a curly civil war mustache and proceeds to fight Leonardo Di Caprio in Gangs of New York 2: Wall Street Blues.

 

[MikeRaw]

Wel, firstly, like Seventh Reason said, it's not meant to be investigated, because in kayfabe, we shouldn't know how much they make.
But, he kinda explained it by saying that he was "stupid with his money" and blew it all. Of course, that still doesn't explainw hat happened to his money now, but clearly wwe was booking it in a kayfabe sense where we would assume his character isn't making more than anyone else.

 

[Montana]

They also mentioned his retirement was in the stocks, and the market crashed, thus blowing all of his savings. So he went to a stock expert in JBL. On top of that, too much spending, and surgreys, donating money to the church. Those were the reasons.

But yeah, It doesn't make sense to put a guy that has been employeed for over 2 decades to be dead broke. I think this storyline would be better suited for someone like Hardcore Holly or Finlay. I think it would be somewhat believable those guys were broke.

 

[gatesoftanhauser]

If they really wanted to convince us, they'd show a vignette of some swarmy apartment where HBK was "forced" to move into because he lost his house after going broke. They'd really make an effort if they wanted us to believe it.

But of course, this isn't the 80's WWE anymore, so they just expect us to go along with it with minimal explanation.

*on a slightly off note: Ric Flair was supposedly broke in real life a couple of years ago, wasn't he? I had heard he owed $2 million and was basically broke. Didn't hear anything else about it, but that would be truly sad. If a man who's main evented for the better part of 25-30 years were broke. It'd be akin to Mike Tyson, who's made HALF a BILLION DOLLARS in his lifetime and is down to 4 digit dollar amounts in his checking account*

 

[Montana]

Actually, from what i heard yeah. I wouldn't say broke, but he's had a lot of financial set backs over the years. Some others may know a little bit more about this than me. But i remember on the Horseman dvd they were talking about how the horseman would basically spend a lot more than they were making in the 80's. Because once you start living nice, you can't stop. Then in the mid 90's i wanna say he got sued by WCW, and lost a lot of money there. Plus i want to say there was a divorce thrown in there somewhere too. So that kinda explains why he's wrestled as long as he did.

*im not 100% on these facts, but should be pretty accurate.

 

[gatesoftanhauser]

^That's why I've always marked for Mick Foley. He explained in his first book about how he lived impoverished for YEARS on the road, even though he could have lived alot better. From the Indies to WCW, he lived poor on purpose and kept a huge stash of savings so if he ever got injured, he'd be taken care of. I remember him writing that he would find the shittiest, cheapest hotel in whatever town and then eat continental breakfasts and stuff to save money. He'd try to spend under $75 a week. THAT'S POOR!

Same with Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho. They'd stay at other wrester's houses or purposely find roach motels whenever they could, lol

 

[X-Sterl-X]

The storyline is pretty much built to give shawn a meaningful match at Wrestlemania in his home state IMO, They didn't want to give Shawn a title match or a #1 contender, so instead there going to give him a match with serious personal implication involved. And I guess money issues is what they came up with

 

[gatesoftanhauser]

Why didn't they give him a Rogaine or Hair Club For Men stipulation/storyline match? That would have made more sense.

JBL: "Shawn I KNOW you've been losing your hair. Let's face it, you're not exactly the Sexy Boy of Wrestlemania 12 with long, golden locks anymore. In fact, you kind of look like a leathery skinned pedophile nowadays. Let ME help you with hair transplantation Shawn. You know you need it!!":

 

[Chuck Taylor's Grenade]

First of can anyone name a storyline that makes sense logically? Secondly I still think the spending habits of some people are Blue. Thirdly this storyline is a perfect example of WWE using real world situations in angles. Everyone knows how shitty the US economy is right now. WWE is using shawn's situation to represent the struggles of the typical American.

 

[Seventh Reason]

Also - isn't this storyline unfolding in Smackdown! already with MVP?

 

[Kaedon]

This is just like the storyline from like 95 when Volkov was working for Dibiasie and when DDP "lost all his money" in WCW when he was coming out in tattered clothes.

 

[Axis]

Also - isn't this storyline unfolding in Smackdown! already with MVP?

No. One guy is poor, the other guy can't win.

 

[Jaybsty]

First of can anyone name a storyline that makes sense logically? Secondly I still think the spending habits of some people are Blue. Thirdly this storyline is a perfect example of WWE using real world situations in angles. Everyone knows how shitty the US economy is right now. WWE is using shawn's situation to represent the struggles of the typical American.

Good point but if it was a real world situation wouldn't he look to sell some of his property or cars or w/e before working for JBL. Maybe his wife could get a job to help the family out for money until they get on their feet again. Perhaps all these friends and family he helped out over the years could give him a place to stay? These are the sorts of things that happen in "real world situations"