Stamford we have a problem

So I'm driving down to Jersey to hang out with SCR Original Hardcore Kevin Brady. I pass a 711 down the street from his house and this stream of conciousness passes through my head:

Brain: Oh man 711 I should stop and grab a bunch of the Jimmy Hart energy drinks for my ride back.

Other voice in head: Stupid those things made you take the worst dump ever.

Brain: Ooooooooh yeah. Well what do you recommend?

Other voice in head: RAW Energy drink powered by SOCKO POWER.

*CUE SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES*

Ok so you're telling me this relatively new energy drink by the WWE is being promoted with a gimmick from a guy who hardly wrestles there? Then it hit me.

WWE has not created a star in the longest time. You can try and point to John Cena but when your biggest face is being booed by 90% of the crowd and his DVD debuts in the $1.99 bin. You have not created a star. What about Randy Orton you say? Well I'm a big fan of Randy Orton but he lacks some star power mostly because he is ya know NOT LIKEABLE. He poops in people's bags for fucksake. So then you go down some other big name stars: Lashley was hot for a hot minute got a cover of a fitness mag. Then he got hurt and he really has no personality.

Brock Lesnar welp he was a star. Complete with Diva attitude and all. But he seemingly used the WWE to springboard himself into the NFL. FAIL. And now MMA which hopefully Frank Mir will show Lesnar that a shooting star press is not going to work in the octagon.

And who else has their been that WWE has made into mainstream headliners? Eddy and Benoit... we know how those turn out. There really hasn't been a big star MADE by the WWE in a long time.

Late 80s early 90s you had: Savage, Hogan, Hart, Diesel, HBK, Triple H coming into his own... you had real stars. Guys who were larger than life. That were more than just in ring performers guys who would guest on TV shows and things of that nature. Then you had the Rock, Stone Cold, Foley and Triple H a little bit later in the 90s again guys who really were larger than life.

Who is there now? Who will draw mainstream attention to WWE? If Edge was used properly it could be him. But he also has the whole unlikeable quality ya know from supposedly stealing Matt Hardy's girlfriend... which much like Montreal I think the jury is still out on if that was a work or a shoot.

I don't think anyone can rise from the current crop of mediocrity on the WWE roster to transcend the sport and bring mainstream attention back to the wrestling industry.

Looking down the RAW roster I only see one guy who could possibly make that leap: Kennedy. He has the look. He has the mic skill he has the in ring skill to get the wrestling fan behind him. Although I'm hearing that he is quite the prick backstage so that may slow him down.

Oh and I know tweedle dee and tweedle dumb will clamor for Santino Marella... but no. No he will never be a true star.

SmackDown... again the aforementioned Edge and maybe Batista but the first place you gotta gain the respect and attention is from wrestling fans. And that means ALL wrestling fans. Batista has the marks. But he doesn't have the smart fans for the very reason he's terrible.

On ECW there are two guys who could really break the mold and become transcedent stars. CM Punk... who if anyone who writes or books the Fed had half a brain would have sky rocketed from the rub he got at Suvivor Series two years ago. But no. Instead he was supposed to feud with Benoit and after that went to shit they did nothing with him. CM Punk has alot of cross over potential. I don't know if he'd ever be mainstream but he certainly could bring alot of people to go to arenas and turn on their TVs to watch him. He has a very good look, he won't ever make it ya know on an NBC sit com like some of the other guys could but he could make it on MTV 2 or some other places to bring some more fans into the fold.

And I see Kevin Thorn especially with his new look as a guy who could become someone in a few years. He has a really solid look now. He's a pretty decent worker. He's a big guy... I think there's something there.

TNA luckily just gets to exploit one of WWE's last created mega stars in Kurt Angle. But they are grooming guys of their own. I wouldn't be surprised to see AJ Styles pop up in a movie or two, lord knows he's better than Dane Cook at comedy. Either way one of these two companies needs to find the "Next Big Thing" if you pardon the Lesnar reference to lead them into the next decade and bring some fans back to the ring.

-Hack