As a result of Randy Orton's latest abomination on a noted ring legend, former WWE Champion Sgt. Slaughter got an unwanted one-way trip to a medical facility for a CAT scan. Like Dusty Rhodes before Slaughter, Orton left the Hall of Famer beaten, battered and rethinking any future ideas of competing.

While it must be difficult for people of merit like the "American Dream" and Sarge to stomach a young punk like Orton trouncing on every drop of blood and sweat they've sacrificed for this business, there also comes a point where responsibility should overrule rash decision-making.

But unfortunately, this rarely happens. In fact, WWE Legends have been unsuccessfully trying to stop Orton's vicious ring-ways for quite some time now (see Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Mick Foley, Jerry "The King" Lawler…). With Orton's list of legends destroyed growing faster than the cocky Superstar's mega-ego, many fans have been left scratching their heads asking one simple question: Why do the legends continue to get in the ring with him?

Perhaps the legends view their competitions with Orton as one last chance to peer into the time warp of past glories. Or, maybe it's that eternal flame of competition, the indescribable feeling of yesterday's recognition once again coming to life that rages inside of people like Dusty or Sarge. Or perhaps these legends see it as their responsibility to rid sports-entertainment of a horrendous headhunter before he ends another promising career.

Whatever the reason, once in the ring, WWE Legends are forced to quickly face the realization that Orton is, in fact, "as advertised." And unfortunately, none of them have been able to duplicate the in-ring prowess they owned in their prime against the younger Orton who has yet to even reach his.

The great Michael Jordan was met with a similar situation in the mid-1990s when Nick Anderson of the Orlando Magic made a fool of him in the closing seconds of the 1995 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Anderson snuck behind "His Airness" and poked the ball loose as the Magic rallied for a 94 to 91 victory, ending the game and the Bulls' season. That was a huge embarrassment for Jordan.

Although MJ and the Bulls eventually recovered and went on to win three more NBA championships, that night Jordan suffered a major defeat. However, the difference between Jordan's situation and that of a WWE Legend being thwacked by Orton's lead boot is cut and dry: Jordan could go home and strategize, while the legends aren't so lucky. They've all been able to go home… but must remain under the care of a spouse or loved one.

Hopefully in the future, other WWE Legends that have witnessed Orton's shameful actions will think twice before getting into the ring with him. They'll realize that they already proved so much over their storied careers and that their slice of the WWE pie may have already been digested. Especially if they're not even competing on a full-time basis, getting into the ring with Orton, whose skills amazingly have yet to peak, is incredibly dangerous and borderline irresponsible.

To avoid this fate in the future, it may be the WWE Legends who need to change their ways, because Orton will never change his. The devious smirk that he flashes after each limp victim falls to the mat demonstrates just how demented Randy Orton has become. Since returning from his latest (and what he says is his last) suspension, he's been especially sinister. Judging by his heinous actions toward Slaughter and Dusty these past few weeks, expect him to maintain his disgusting streak of brutally punishing any and everyone within range of his lethal boot.