Opinion

John Cena might once again be the biggest problem-solver for WWE. 

It sounds a little strange to say because he's such a draw and the company's top guy, but WWE has a Roman Reigns problem on its hands.

Nobody on the normal roster is a believable threat to Reigns. He's bested pretty much everyone of note during this historic rein, be it Kevin Owens, Finn Balor's The Demon and now Brock Lesnar, after a feud that derailed the entire top of the men's division and dominated the entire run to WrestleMania. 

Cena is one of the only guys capable of still getting in a wrestling ring and taking down Reigns in a believable manner at this point. Fitting, considering he just had an interview in which he talked about how he's been away for too long and would like to come back. 

Cena noted the following to Adam Glyn of the Adam's Apple podcast (h/t Fightful's Robert DeFelice):

"Oh, soon. I know in WWE, I turn 20 pretty soon so that's a pretty big thing. From a pretty storied class of folks—Batista, Randy Orton, Brock [Lesnar]—we kind of all turn 20 this year, so I'm aware that that's coming around the corner, and who knows, but it's one of those hard truths to bear. There's a lot of cool stuff going on, and I don't want to say no to any opportunities that are on my doorstep. So I don't know when I'll be back. But hopefully, it's soon. I've been gone for too long."

Talk about a get-out-of-jail-free card for WWE. Sure, Cena could just get involved with the likes of Randy Orton while celebrating the big anniversary. 

Or, he could come back, challenge Reigns for one of the titles and win it. 

It doesn't get much easier than that. Cena could pull off an upset, perhaps with some shenanigans via outside interference (or maybe a heel turn, right guys?) and steal one of the titles. He could then take said title back to the opposite brand, resetting the main event scene, and then work some of those feuds with the likes of Orton. 

In the process of this, Reigns wouldn't lose much steam. In fact, his character could just laugh it off as losing a title that doesn't even belong on his show—a relic he stole from Lesnar that he didn't really care for, perhaps. 

Maybe WWE takes it a step further with Cena as the problem-solver, too. While a feud with Orton would of course be historic, he could drop the title to a Money in the Bank briefcase cash-in used by a fast-rising talent. 

Wishful thinking, perhaps, but this sort of timeline would help correct the mistake that was putting two titles on one guy (while too scared to actually unify them), get programming back to normal for the men's divisions and enable Cena to only stick around for a few months before getting back to Hollywood. 

Along the way, it would be pretty hard for WWE to complain about the added boost of star power to what is normally a pretty quiet time on the calendar. Sure, WWE would probably like to save Cena for something much bigger like a 'Mania if they only get him once a year, but this would make lesser events feel more important and likely earn them more viewers than usual. 

That's the other thing to consider—the bump to weekly viewership in what is usually a lull for WWE. Cena's back with a title and feuding with the roster? Reigns is on a revenge tour after a loss? A MiTB winner could cash-in on Cena at any time? That's captivating and (somehow, in 2022) refreshing content to watch live. 

Again, the term wishful thinking applies to all of this. But there aren't many reasonable ways for WWE to book itself out of this problem, unless the plan is to really have Reigns keep both titles through next WrestleMania after beating The Rock. 

Presumably, WWE can't afford to handicap its men's division for that long. With Cena publicly chatting about a return, he looks like the best possible fix. 

On a perfectly ordinary Thursday in May, a time when college football normally slumbers, a heavyweight fight broke out between two of the sport's most highly regarded coaches at two of the sport's most hyped programs. 

In another life, one that existed before student-athletes could legally capitalize on their star power through name, image and likeness legislation—and certainly long before programs could harness this newfound freedom to construct elite recruiting classes—Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher were co-workers. 

They were friendly—at least friendly enough.

They won a national title together at LSU before going in different directions and becoming rivals at Alabama and Texas A&M in the SEC. But now?

"We're done," Fisher said at a pop-up press conference Thursday morning when asked about his relationship with Saban. 

The reason for Fisher's disgust—and those two words were just the beginning—could be traced back to Saban's comments at a speaking engagement in Birmingham the night prior.

"A&M bought every player on their team," Saban said. "[They] made a deal for name, image, likeness. We didn't buy one player, all right? But I don't know if we're gonna be able to sustain that in the future because more and more people are doing it. It's tough."

This is not the first time Saban has gone after NIL rules, or a lack thereof. It's also not the first time he's targeted Texas A&M, whether purposeful or not, as an example while begging for extra guidance.

Beyond saying his relationship with his former boss was severed, Fisher uncorked a response befitting of a message board. He denied Saban's claim, at least somewhat. He then spent the next 10 minutes in his own multiverse, waxing poetic on a subject he was more than ready to tackle.

He called Saban's comments "despicable" on multiple occasions. He referred to him as a "narcissist." He even called into question the way Saban was raised, paralleling his own upbringing.  

"I don't cheat and I don't lie," Fisher said. "I learned that when I was a kid. If you did, your old man slapped you 'side the head. Maybe somebody should have slapped him." 

And, perhaps most sensational of all, Fisher called into question the very foundation of the greatest college coach to ever walk a football sideline. He used his own history as a catalyst, although he didn't stop there.  

In fact, he begged anyone willing to listen and go much deeper than that.

"Some people think they're God," Fisher said. "Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out about a guy that—a lot of things you don't want to know. We build him up to be the czar of football. Go dig into his past or anybody who's ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out; what he does and how he does it." 

This was football theater. This was a storyline seemingly constructed for a straight-to-TV movie; the GOAT and his understudy trading jabs through a microphone, speaking on a topic that has generated strong feelings throughout the sport.

No matter how you feel about NIL and whether it's ruining college football, however, you were able to pull up a chair, prop your feet up on a cooler and bask in the afterglow of a good ol' fashion coaching feud. 

If only for 10 minutes, the sporting world seemed to stop. Social media, which was seemingly constructed for moments like this, caught fire. Coaches and players and media and fans, even those who don't spend their offseasons trolling messing boards, couldn't help but glue themselves to the exchange.  

It was perfect because it was imperfect. It was raw and awkward and confrontational. It was also generally harmless, which makes for the ideal kind of football drama. 

As the NBA and more recently the NFL have mastered the art of captivating the attention outside their seasons, college football is following that blueprint.

The active coaching carousel and a quickly evolving landscape regarding the transfer portal and player compensation have created plenty of natural fodder. But the next chapter in the sport, beyond the games themselves, is the one Saban and Fisher are crafting before our eyes. 

Things are evolving quickly. The NCAA, despite posting guidance in the past few weeks on the topic, is in a challenging position to somehow govern an issue that has captivated the sport. That is perhaps being kind on the matter, although it doesn't change the obstacles ahead.

It is precisely why Saban has taken matters into his own hands. And make no mistake about it: Saban knows exactly what he's doing—generating a tidal wave during a time when one is normally not to be found.  

The rules are somewhat hazy, and the guidance is, well, a bit misunderstood. The result is conflict between two coaches who don't much fear what people think about them.

Saban didn't directly state that Fisher broke any rules. Fisher didn't deny that A&M's immense resources helped bring together one of the greatest recruiting classes ever assembled.

They couldn't help but get swept up in both the topic and the response. And the greatest commodity in college football, emotion, once again served as the driving force.  

The good and the bad and the angry and the euphoric are what catapult the sport into its own stratosphere. Although typically these emotions are reserved for Saturdays in the fall. 

To see a small piece of that carry over into the offseason is welcomed. Quite frankly, we could use more of it. 

The SEC might not agree. (Well, at least publicly.) It swiftly reprimanded both coaches for their comments, and Saban has since apologized. 

"I should've never really singled anyone out," Saban said on SiriusXM College during an interview on Thursday (h/t USA Today's Paul Myerberg). "That was a mistake." 

No matter the apology or the original exchange, damage has been done. Entertainment has been generated.

A rivalry that was already brewing through Texas A&M's rise on the field and on the recruiting trail, headlined by its most recent upset over Alabama last season, has taken on new life. 

They will meet again October 8 in Tuscaloosa. This much we know. Alabama fans might as well start tailgating now. 

The matchup already carried great importance; it is likely now to be one of the most anticipated regular-season college football games in recent memory.

Perhaps the war of words is over. Or maybe it's just beginning.

Regardless, as the season inches closer and real games slowly appear on the horizon, the buzz has already begun to assemble.

Although the offseason can be lingering and everlasting for those who crave actual football, it doesn't feel that way right now.

The buildup has begun. At least for the moment, the games can wait.

Sasha Banks and Naomi were at the heart of the biggest news in wrestling this week following their walkout from WWE Raw on Monday night.

There's still so much to process given the nature of their exit, such as WWE's unprecedented response and questions surrounding their status with the company. However, nothing reflects the leverage one holds or the conviction in your stance quite like the ability to say "no."

Let's face it: The WWE women's tag team champions were already trending and making headlines before this controversial story. To put this in perspective, they were surprisingly getting more media attention than Ronda Rousey for the past month.

Banks has been making appearances outside of the company for weeks after their historic WrestleMania 38 win. The latest guest on Cold as Balls with Kevin Hart also returned to her hometown to throw the first pitch at Fenway Park on May 8 ahead of a Boston Red Sox game.

The Boss is also fresh off guest spots on Snacked and Good Mythical Morning and a visit to KIPP AMP Middle School in Brooklyn, where she met the school's Wrestling Club. Naomi also recently appeared on Cheap Heat with Peter Rosenberg.

The two were in high demand, and they're certainly the first women's tag team to represent the titles on mainstream platforms.

That goes a long way to demonstrate just how much star power they have and probably accounts for a great deal of the support they've received throughout the week. This is also why WWE's attempts to paint them as "unprofessional" appear to be spiteful and fairly calculated. Without both sides of the story, this comes off as an attempt to counteract the media blitz the two went on as champions and diminish the positive buzz they created.

That's bafflingly counterproductive because Banks and Naomi are two of their most marketable wrestlers right now. Even if we ignore the current debacle, consider that WWE didn't book them for the last pay-per-view, and it sounds like there were no plans in place for them to defend their titles at the next one, Hell in a Cell.

The company is frankly leaving so much money on the table by failing to capitalize on the duo's popularity. That has sadly been the case for some time with both wrestlers, but this year proved it was time to change that. The future of their product is firmly in the hands of Black women, and WWE needs to recognize that.

Black Women are at the Forefront of the Industry

Professional wrestling doesn't have the best track record when it comes to representation or marketing Black wrestlers, especially women. However, times are changing, and the biggest companies need to adapt to satisfy their evolving audience.

Right now, Bianca Belair is the hottest female wrestler in WWE and arguably among the best babyface characters on the roster. For two consecutive years, the Raw women's champion has delivered show-stopping performances at WrestleMania.

Her monumental main event appearance with Banks will live on as a watershed moment for the company, fans and aspiring wrestlers. The proof is in the pudding as the achievement garnered an ESPY award for the Best WWE Moment of 2021. And The EST maintained her presence on The Grandest Stage of Them All this year when she toppled another household name in Becky Lynch.

Outside of the ring, Belair recently collaborated with Rihanna's cosmetic brand, Fenty Beauty. The 2021 women's Royal Rumble winner and Lynch also attended the weigh-in for the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano fight at the end of April.

So, it's not hard to see she is the key to reaching a broader audience. Amid rumors surrounding Roman Reigns' move to work a part-time schedule, Belair, Banks and Naomi should've been believable options to highlight in his absence.

This isn't even a phenomenon distinct to WWE at the moment either. Jade Cargill is currently the fastest-rising star in the All Elite Wrestling women's division. The TBS champion looks like a star, and more and more people are taking notice.

Tasha Steelz is also the current Impact Knockouts champion. We could go on listing upcoming noteworthy independent wrestlers you should keep an eye on, such as Trish Adora or Willow Nightingale, who both recently worked with Ring of Honor.

Black women are at the forefront of the pro wrestling industry. Major companies need to cultivate this talent and capitalize on the growing support for them. It would be easy to say that's simply the right thing to do, but it's becoming the most lucrative decision, as well.

Stars Too Bright To Ignore

One could argue that some of the support for Banks and Naomi isn't sustainable or that it's an act of rebellion against WWE. On the contrary, both have had a passionate fanbase online, and they continued to prove that audience translated to live shows.

This doesn't feel like a moment that will pass: It's more like the natural progression of the demand for these two stars and more women like them. WWE has something special in its women's tag team champions. The company clearly understands that to a degree because neither of them has been released.

WWE may not truly see the gold mine it has on its hands. Nevertheless, the powers that be are smart enough to realize their competitors would jump at the chance to sign them. The Boss would be a game-changer for AEW, and the company probably knew that when she went on a hiatus in 2019. That's why Vince McMahon wouldn't grant her release.

That would seem to suggest Naomi and Banks will eventually return, but not much will change if the company doesn't wake up and change its approach with them. It would be naive to believe that the visible support for them will sway WWE to see the flaw in the way they were utilized.

Regardless, it would be foolish to ignore that Belair, Banks, Naomi and other Black women are beacons for a microcosm of fans that went underserved for too long. More to the point, the industry has to acknowledge its audience is changing and nurture that growth.

The future is in front of them, and companies can't continue to turn a blind eye.

The Philadelphia Eagles started the 2021 season off in shaky fashion, but after winning just twice over the first seven games of the year, they rode a run-heavy offense and the league's 10th-ranked defense to seven wins in 10 games and a wild-card spot in the postseason.

Still, while the Eagles made the playoffs last year, they finished three games back of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East. For Philadelphia to take the next step and challenge for the division crown, it needed to make improvements on both sides of the ball in the offseason.

The team did that, adding an impact receiver in veteran Pro Bowler A.J. Brown while revamping the defense at all three levels. Those defensive additions give the Eagles one of the better-looking units in the NFL and make Philly a legitimate threat to dethrone Dallas in the NFC East.

The latest of those defensive additions came on Wednesday. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Philadelphia agreed to terms on a one-year, $10 million contract with veteran cornerback James Bradberry. The 28-year-old spent the last two seasons with the New York Giants before being released earlier in May in an effort to clear salary-cap space.

Bradberry actually struggled a bit in 2021, allowing the most passing yards (848) and highest passer rating against (93.0) of the past four seasons. However, two years ago Bradberry was a Pro Bowler in New York, and last year was his first campaign with a passer rating against of over 90 over that same four-year span. Bradberry is a lanky (6'1"), physical boundary corner who has eclipsed 50 total tackles in five of six seasons, with 15 career interceptions and 82 passes defensed.

Bradberry was a big get for the Eagles for a couple of reasons, not the least of which was the hole on the roster at the position after Steven Nelson signed a free-agent pact with the Houston Texans. It wasn't a stretch to call the cornerback position the weakest link on the Eagles defense. Now, in pairing Bradberry with four-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has turned that weakness into a strength.

Bradberry isn't the only big name the Eagles added in free agency. After releasing him, the Eagles brought back Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. They signed edge-rusher Haason Reddick, who has piled up 23.5 sacks over the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals.

The Eagles struggled rushing the passer last year—only the Atlanta Falcons amassed fewer sacks in 2021 than the 29 Philly had. Veteran edge-rusher Brandon Graham thinks that Reddick's arrival will give the team's pass rush a major boost.

"It's all about getting those sacks, affecting the quarterback," Graham told reporters. "He's a great player. I can't wait to work with him, too. We've been training together and doing all that stuff now, but we get in the heat of the moment I can't wait to see how everybody makes plays."

Bradberry and Reddick aren't the only new faces on the Eagles defense in 2022. Roseman also focused on the unit in the early rounds of April's draft.

The trade that brought Brown to the City of Brotherly Love cost the Eagles one of their first-round picks, but they used their other selection in Round 1 in a trade-up to snare Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis at No. 13 overall. A 6'6", 341-pound lineman with ridiculous athleticism for a man his size, Davis was one of the most physically imposing players in his draft class. In Cox, Javon Hargrave and now Davis, the Eagles have maybe the NFL's best trio of interior linemen.

As big of an addition as Davis was, the Eagles' third-round pick could wind up being even bigger. In the days and weeks leading up to the draft, Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean was widely regarded as a first-round pick. Bleacher Report's own Derrik Klassen, while pointing out that Dean is a bit undersized, compared the 5'11", 229-pounder to Tampa Bay's Lavonte David and relayed that Dean ranked first among 2022 linebackers by the B/R Scouting Department. 

"Dean's speed, energy and craft for navigating congested areas give him an enticing foundation of traits to build upon. His size may make it difficult for him to ever cover tight ends down the field or blow up blocks the way he wants to, but he still wins in enough other ways to provide value. Dean could play both 'Mike' and 'Will' in the NFL, and he has the potential to be a multi-time Pro Bowler."

However, when draft day arrived, Dean slid down the board. And then slid some more, presumably over concerns about the health of his shoulder and pectoral muscle. Roseman apparently did not share those concerns, and Dean told reporters that he is both healthy and ready to make all the teams who passed on him regret the decision.

"That was the nerve-wracking part about it, the whole thing—you know, listening to things that are not true, and it's costing me a lot of money," Dean said. "And just seeing my mama's face, and for me falling and to hear things like that, that was just the biggest thing. But at the end of the day, I'm blessed. I feel like I got picked by a great organization, and I'm ready to work."

Assuming that Dean is indeed healthy, he offers the Eagles something they have lacked for years. To say that Philly fans have craved having an impact linebacker on the roster for some time is an understatement. In Dean and free-agent addition Kyzir White, the Eagles now possess a pair or rangy and athletic young linebackers well-suited to the NFL in 2022.

All told, it's a defense without many weaknesses. A compelling argument can be made that in totality, it's the best in the division.

Now, having the division's best defense doesn't guarantee an NFC East title. Jalen Hurts and the offense will have to do their part, too. But the Eagles led the NFL in rushing yards per game in 2021. A.J. Brown gives Hurts a true No. 1 receiver. Per Pro Football Focus, the Eagles fielded the fourth-best offensive line in the league last year.

The pieces are there on that side of the ball as well.

Due largely to a precarious salary-cap situation, the Cowboys lost more pieces (wide receiver Amari Cooper, edge-rusher Randy Gregory) than they added in the offseason. The Washington Commanders are fresh off a miserable 7-10 season and breaking in a new quarterback in Carson Wentz. The New York Giants had two picks inside the top 10 in the 2022 draft, but they still feature more questions than answers.

There's a window open for the Eagles right now. The opportunity to take advantage of the relative weakness of their division and the step back Dallas took. A doorway through which they could do some real damage in 2022.

And by remaking the defense to be even better than the top-10 unit of a year ago, Roseman sent Philadelphia charging through that door.