SmackDown Does Not Recall the Allegations...

Happy Friday, Enthusiasts!

 

So, this is an interesting week in wrestling. Shall we just get right to it?

 

You all know what I’m talking about. A scandal has revealed itself and goes right to the top of WWE. What does this mean? Will commenters have to find a new person to bitch about? Well, not so fast.

 

From what I’ve gathered on this scandal, the main point that sticks out to me is whether the lady Vince McMahon had an affair with is “not whole”. When you start to understand the United States legal system, the ultimate goal is to make offended parties “whole”. So, if there is some dispute, the Plaintiff seeks restitution for something, right? From what’s going around, the lady was paid off to keep quiet about the affair. True, there are some moral issues concerning a superior having sexual relations with a subordinate however, if the subordinate was over the age of 18 and willingly consented to the interactions, there’s really not much of a scandal. The scandal lies in McMahon being a married man at the time but he didn’t use company funds to pay her off and it doesn’t appear to be sexual assault.

 

There were some reports that the lady in question was raped but most official reports (reports on actual news outlets) are stating that there was “an affair”. Personally, this doesn’t really surprise me and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is only one of several questionable incidents from the past. However, in this day and age, most people of influence are being taken to task on their less than savory behavior. This is far from a Bill Cosby situation, though. It looks like there was consent and if the lady in question has no residual issue, this is just an affair that has come to light.

 

Keep in mind that this affair was said to have gone down in the 80s so, if the affair is over for all intents and purposes and Linda McMahon is at peace with the past, there really isn’t much of an issue. It’s just a skeleton that fell out of a closet. Nevertheless, WWE is taking the matter seriously, as it should, and Mr. McMahon has stepped back from Chairman duties while the investigation continues. Stephanie McMahon will be interim Chairwoman in the meantime. Yet, word is that this is more or less in name only. She’s basically a figurehead until the whole thing blows over. I find that interesting since she was basically let go for not doing her job. Get the feeling that her being the figurehead is true due to that. I don’t really care what they do publicly to save face. Comes with the territory. What this really hints at are all the skeletons still stuffed deep in the closet. What else may fall out? That should be the real McMahon concern at present.

 

We all know WWE’s history is far from pristine. This “scandal” is pretty tame considering. Many are debating the fall of Vince McMahon but if all parties consented and the lady feels “whole”, there should be no prosecutable issue. I hear that the woman in question even got a pay raise so though shady, not exactly unethical. Fucking one’s way to the top is no new concept and was highly prevalent in the 80s. That doesn’t absolve the act it was just par for the course given the time. Besides, there’s a good chance that a statute of limitations kiboshes any real legal action. Chances are Mr. McMahon resumes his duties in a few months when this all blows over. If Ric Flair is back to work, there’s no reason why Mr. McMahon wouldn’t be.

 

In other news, Sasha Banks appears to be serious about leaving WWE. Word is that her lawyers are working on getting her free. Now, I don’t really know how to feel about this. As I’ve stated, I don’t think this is martyrdom. This seems…ill-thought out. I only say this because though Banks has options, they won’t be as great as the WWE. I say that primarily on possibilities. Though AEW is establishing itself, I still find it second rate. Banks’ situation comes off more like a person who doesn’t know how or doesn’t care to play the politics.

 

I admit, politics are bullshit but if a person understands how to play them, one can put oneself in a prime position. Even if Banks gets her release, I see her coming back in a few years. At present, there’s nowhere else one can be a legitimate star. You can gain notoriety in the wrestling world but WWE can get you real time exposure on a global scale. We can safely assume that Banks wouldn’t have had a shot at The Mandalorian without stardom in WWE. I don’t doubt she could do well but I doubt she could do better. Yet, if peace of mind is all that she’s after, all power to her.

 

This does not look good for Naomi, though and I hope the rumors of her being manipulated are untrue. A part of me hopes this is all a work still but, it’s not looking likely at this point. Well, I hope they find their peace with this move. Not sure it was the brightest one but I’m sure it was well-intentioned.

 

In any case, that brings us to tonight’s SmackDown which should get a lot of attention because Mr. Vince McMahon is slated to address the WWE Universe. Roman Reigns faces Riddle for all the marbles. Get the feeling that’s going to be interfered with or have some sort of BS stipulation. And Baron Corbin and MadCap Moss will continue to try to make something of their “feud”. Take it or leave it, enthusiasts. My feeling is that if you didn’t know there were skeletons in the closet, you’ve been fooling yourself all along. Wait for something more damning if you’re hoping for the downfall.

 

 

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)