Selfish, undeserving, hated, misunderstood, jerk.. Ok now that I’m done reading my fanmail here. HA! See what I did there? That’s comedy folks!
Anyways, those are all terms I’ve seen or heard to describe current TNA World Heavyweight Champion and the talk of the wrestling world, Bobby Roode.
The one term most prominently missing there in my opinion though, is outstanding. Because over the course of this main event level change his career has gone through, outstanding is exactly what he has been.
Roode has taken the ball given to him by the powers that be in TNA and ran straight for the end zone with it.
As impressed as I was with the Beer Money tag team, I’m finding it hard to put into words, just how impressed I am with Roode over the last few months. Wait.. no I’m not. It’s what I do, people!
After watching the main event at TNA’s Against All Odds ppv this passed sunday, I can only say he impressed me even more.
In a match slammed full of talent (Roode, Bully Ray, Jeff Hardy and James Storm) AND a wrestling icon (Sting of course.) – Roode shined brighter than everyone.
Not just meaning in ring action, but to me he captured your attention in every aspect. Drama, action and storytelling.
He was captivating! There in lies the secret about Bobby Roode I guess.
The man just demands the attention of any room he enters. That’s a special thing that very few have. The one’s that do? Well.. all time greats!
The champ has come a LONG way from the day’s of “Total” Lee Awesome in 1998!
Breaking into TNA in 2004 as the Enforcer for Scott D’Amore’s Team Canada stable, you got a hint of there being something special about this kid from Peterborough, Ontario.
As Team Canada battled such legends as 3Live Kru and America’s Most Wanted – Roode was growing ever more experienced and polished in the ring.
The “Canadian Enforcer” was becoming a great young talent that people were starting to talk about. Rightfully so!
After Team Canada split up, Roode became the self proclaimed “Hottest Free Agent In TNA.”
Then came the vignettes where various managers and managerial legends were vying to lead the star of the future! Eventually choosing Traci “Ms.” Brooks.
A feud with Eric Young later – he enters into the program that out him on the map in my eyes – the feud with Booker T.
These two stars were custom made for each other. The fact that Roode stepped into the ring and held his own toe to toe week in and week out against one of the sports all time greats, spoke volumes on HIS greatness aswell.
In case you haven’t guessed – Ol’ Jimmy Sick is a big fan of that rivalry.
After Booker and Roode ran it’s course in TNA (Unfortunately!), the next step in the evolution of Robert Roode took place in June of 2008.
That step was made side by side with another amazing talent by the name of “Cowboy” James Storm.
Beer Money was quite possibly the best tag team to come down the wrestling pikes in 20 years. I know people probably won’t completely agree with me there, but honestly I could care less!
I got to see Beer Money perform live at house shows and perform live on tv and ppv and the one thing that struck me most – they were just as good at one, as they were at the other!
These guys never phoned it in and I was impressed as hell everytime I watched them. They had.. IT!
OK ok.. forget all about the charisma that oozed from these guys, just look at the actual in ring abilities.
Those matches with the Motor City Machine Guns are MUST SEE matches for any tag teams in the sport today. INCREDIBLE! Matches with LAX, Team 3D, Moragn & Abyss, MEM, The British Invasion, Ink Inc and Immortal also did nothing but imprint their names on the proverbial plaque of tag team superiority.
When it was becoming increasing clear that the team was headed towards destruction in October and November of 2011, I (Along with fans everywhere I assume.), had a strange feeling of happiness mixed with total sorrow.
I knew that it was probably time for Storm and Roode to venture back out on their own. BUT.. it still sucks that it was happening!
That night in November when Roode bashed his friend, partner.. brother James Storm over the head with the beer bottle and captured the TNA Championship, that was the night everything changed in the history of the company.
That night Bobby Roode became what he was destined to be, and that my friends.. is GREAT.
The shockingly hilarious thing that keeps popping into my mind about this accent to being THAT GUY? You know you’ve heard them say it. Hell, you know HE’S heard them say it. “What would he do in WWE?” “What would they have for him?” “Could he be great there?!”
I like to look at it this way folks and fellow obsessive wrestling fans.. Who cares?! I want to see what Bobby Roode can do for TNA!
I want to see there heights that this man, this possible legend in the making, can take the company that he’s now the LEADER of to.
Why? A) Because we NEED him to do it. B) Because HE DESERVES IT! C) It’s a breath of fresh air that TNA critics have been asking for.
They have finally spoon fed it to you! Now sit down, shut up and enjoy!
Bobby Roode is a man who will lead this generation – The Selfish Generation for years to come.
Fact. How do I KNOW that for sure? Because he told us so!
Bobby Roode.. your game changer ladies and gentlemen.