Thank God for Chavo
by Jonathan Brown
Thank God for Chavo. Rey Mysterio is finally getting what he deserves. This man should have never worn a world championship of any kind yet he did. He should never have been permitted to perform in the ring with giants like Mark Henry, Khali and JBL, but he did. However, the worst crime committed by everyone’s favorite Chihuahua was wearing the memory of Eddie Guerrero like Southern Christians wear the flag of Jesus Christ.
It is no secret that Rey Rey is a talented in ring performer. He moves around the ring like a ballerina in the middle of a recital. Graceful, elegant and well timed are the hallmarks they share. Notice that powerful, cunning, or strong were not mentioned. Rey Mysterio is as entertaining as a ballerina for all of the reasons that a ballerina is entertaining. But if you were to take the finest ballet student and thrust them into a mosh pit you would have nothing left of the overmatched soul. So how has Rey Mysterio been able to take the unlikely climb to the top of the WWE mountain? The legacy of WWE champion, Eddie Guerrero propelled him there.
There was a time when the wrestling community wondered if Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit would ever be given the shot at world championship runs because of their lack of size. All three men not only got their chance, they had successful championship reigns to legitimize their opportunities. What the difference is between the aforementioned and Mysterio is about five inches and fifty pounds. While wrestling has built itself as a legitimate sport, that secret has been unearthed, so we expect shenanigans to occur, giving the underdog unrealistic chances. But the greatest underdog of them all got a chance he never deserved or earned.
While it could be argued that Rey did not give himself the title, Alex Rodriguez did not give himself twenty-five million dollars a year, but the consequences for both will be felt.
Had Eddie Guerrero not passed, Rey would not have gotten his title run. Period.
But what did the Guerrero family get for Eddie’s death? Proceeds from t-shirt sales, warm receptions in every arena and loss after loss for a true Guerrero in Chavo. While us skeptics are always wary of story line origins, do not doubt for a moment that there is not some real, heart felt resentment from Chavo towards Rey.
It has been Rey that has been soaking up the “Eddie” chants while Chavo has been off of tv. It has been Rey that carried the sympathy of the fans to unprecedented popularity while Chavo was stuck in a rather pathetic storyline about not living up to the Guerrero name. Well, since Chavo could not do it, Rey did.
Except there was a problem, Rey Mysterio is not a Guerrero.
Thank God for Chavo.
It has been refreshing to see Rey receiving ass whipping after ass whipping, week after week at the hands of a Guerrero. The fans can no longer chant for Eddie in an attempt to pick up steam for Rey when his opponent is Eddie’s blood relative. Rey Mysterio can not rub his lucky armband in remembrance of his fallen friend, when it is the blood relative of said friend that is kicking his ass up and down the Smackdown arenas.
Thank God for Chavo Guerrero.
Mixing real life into wrestling is generally not a good idea for the innocent.
Matt Hardy got the short end of the stick when his girlfriend had a sordid affair with Edge.
Chavo got the short end of the stick when Rey got a title run based on the death of Chavo’s uncle.
Matt got fired.
Chavo got retired.
Matt made an attempt to get revenge on Edge. He became the fan favorite he desperately wanted to be. But more importantly, Edge won. Edge is on screen each week with Lita. Edge is a two time WWE champion. Matt is stuck on SD feuding with newbies.
Thank God for Chavo. We know that Rey Mysterio will come out on top. Somewhere down the line he will wear another championship. The fans will support their favorite mask wearing Chihuahua and buy his t-shirts. The fans will always remember Rey when the visit WWE.com and see the past champions and his name is among them. Chavo will get none of that.
The one thing that Chavo will get is the respect of this columnist. That and a chance to rightfully gain some of the shine that his uncle’s passing should have put on him and not Rey Mysterio. Chavo said it nest when he told Vicki Guerrero that Rey is NOT a Guerrero. Hopefully this feud will remind Rey and the fans that Chavo is right. It is the Guerrero name and a Guerrero should carry the legacy.
Instead we got a leech of a champion that has sucked the Guerrero name for all he could.
Now it is time for Chavo to put an end to a torturous near year and finally silence the man that has ridden a horse that did not belong to him.
Viva Eddie Guerrero. Viva Chavo Guerrero.
