Shad Gaspard

[roach21]

So apparently Cryme Tyme is done. Could this mean a big push for Shad? I really think if they get him out of that stupid ass comedic street thug gimmick and push him as a Batista type character he could be a main event guy... What do you guys think. Although this probably also means JTG is S.O.L. and will pop up on TNA soon.

[Jakob Synn]

I'm glad they finally split up. I've never liked Shad, but I thought he was great on Smackdown the other night.

[Indifferent Clox]

Yeah there are big things in his future, JTG maybe so as wel, i really wish they'd restart the cruiserweight division and make it like a big part of smackdown, move a the women to raw or something

[ImpactPlayer365]

Were they not to high on Shad not too long ago? His work ethic was being questioned if i can remember correctly. Now a singles heel...hmm. Well if he doesnt work out at least i dont give too much of a shit about him.

[dronepool]

I never really liked Cryme Tyme but I would guess Shad has a shot at becoming a high-mid-carder at most. He just needs to beat someone like Kane, maybe.

[Jakob Synn]

Were they not to high on Shad not too long ago? His work ethic was being questioned if i can remember correctly. Now a singles heel...hmm. Well if he doesnt work out at least i dont give too much of a shit about him.

Most likely what will happen is he'll have a slight push then fade into obscurity.

[BillyBonez]

Here is what they should do.
Fact : WWE needs tag teams.

Fact #2 : They just split up a great tag team.

SOLUTION : They should team Shad and Ezekiel Jackson up, as two absolute monsters on a rampage. Then they should team JTG and R-Truth up as two fun loving guys, they can even rap together when they come out.

RESULT : Two new tag teams that will be popular.

[Volare]

I actually agree with what BB said.

[CSL]

HNIC

[Jakob Synn]

They always split up tag teams though. It's inevitable. I mean name more than one tag team that hasn't broken up?

[thedamndest]

I wonder if it has anything to do with his audition for Conan. Maybe they release Shad is marketable.

[Nicky Fives]

I don't care for either..... I think they should team JTG up with Jesse/Slam Master J for some sore of ebony & ivory gangster tag team, because I don't think JTG can cut it as a singles guy..... either that, or he will be future endeavored

[Jakob Synn]

I wonder if it has anything to do with his audition for Conan. Maybe they release Shad is marketable.

Or that the whole rumor of Vince preferring big guys in wrestling is true.

[HBPunk]

They always split up tag teams though. It's inevitable. I mean name more than one tag team that hasn't broken up?

Hart Dynasty
Morrison/Truth . .

im an asshole

[Xero]

Cena and Orton.

:shifty:

[BillyBonez]

HHH and Stephanie are still tagging!

[roach21]

HNIC

I actually thought of that from his OVW days, but w/ Linda trying to run for Senate and Al Sharpton lurking it's doubtful they'll let him do that.

[Juan]

That heel turn last night was awesome. I've never been huge on Cryme Tyme, but that heel turn was really well done.

[jskinnyg]

HHH and Stephanie are still tagging!

heh...

[XCaliber]

Hart Dynasty
Morrison/Truth . .

im an asshole

You forgot about Legacy, ShowMiz, Punk/Gallows, and the Dudebusters I WIN!

BTW I'm glad they finally split up as I never cared much for JTG in particular but a lot of it is this gimmick just another tolken gimmick if ya know what I mean.

[HBPunk]

. . . . dary

[FourFifty]

They always split up tag teams though. It's inevitable. I mean name more than one tag team that hasn't broken up?

Did the Blackjacks or The Midnight Express ever break up?
How about Demolition? Aside from Mr. Fuji, but he wasn't a part of the in ring action.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I still maintain that Shad Gaspard is money. The dude is a BEAST. He's got a fascinating story, too. 35-7 as a No Holds Barred fighter. 57-26 as an amateur boxer. That he is charismatic and has size is also a good omen for him. The only thing that will get in his way is his attitude. If you haven't noticed, Shad absorbs most of the losses for Cryme Tyme since Shad got "sick" last year. That won't be enough to keep him down for his entire career, but I'm going to make a prediction: JTG is the one who gets moved to RAW and gets a nice run there as an energetic babyface.

A fun fact about JTG: He's not actually a cruiserweight. They could probably pass him off as such, but the dude is actually billed as being 230lbs, or something like that. He is actually quite built when you look at him. He just speeds around the ring.

I think both members of Cryme Tyme actually have a bright future. I hope that they let them have a match at Extreme Rules before they separate them in the draft. Give them a Street Fight, as it would suit their gimmicks.

[Skippord]

I like JTG a lot and I'm not sure why

[roach21]

What do you guys think about pairing him up with Swagger and sort of do a Shawn and Diesel type deal?

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Nah. While it could work, it makes no sense for him to break up his tag team, say it's "His time" and then go play second fiddle to Swagger.

He'll feud with JTG for a bit, and if he gets over, he'll probably end up feuding with whatever face beats Drew for the IC title.

[Jordan]

I thought his work on Smackdown was awesome, he was vicious and looked bigger than ever. I hope he goes all the way.

[Schlomey]

Shad is worthless. JTG is money money. He and R-Truth run in the same category for me really but JTG has even better offensive moves. Shad just punches and kicks. Boooring.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I agree that JTG could be money, but I think that Shad could be, as well. I see JTG and Shad Gaspard as a sort of Shawn Michaels/Kevin Nash duo. Not trying to be blasphemous. Obviously they're not there yet, and still have a lot to learn and grasp about the business. I'm just talking styles here.

There are definitely legs on this angry Shad direction, and he can look like a threat to anyone on size and toughness alone. He's got a personality, though, and that can re-emerge when it's time to turn him face again.

[FourFifty]

I don't like the team, but I have high hopes for both of them. I'm pretty sure someone already said team Shad up with Jackson, and JTG with Killings.

[Afterlife]

I don't care for either..... I think they should team JTG up with Jesse/Slam Master J for some sore of ebony & ivory gangster tag team, because I don't think JTG can cut it as a singles guy..... either that, or he will be future endeavored

JTG is not a character, and thus would not survive on his own. I do think we'll see Shad vs. JTG next week, with Shad beating him senseless then looking to injure him, with Jesse running in for the save. It sets up distance between Shad and JTG and renews the "friendship" between JTG and Jesse, securing them as a tag team Holly and Rhodes style.

If JTG stops with the stereotypical behavior and develops a personality with more than two dimensions, I'm sure he could be an IC/US champ in the future; his in-ring is unique and impressive. But in his current state, a tag team of Wayans Bros. "comedy" with Slam Master J is probably the only way to keep him afloat.

Shad, though... That was pretty sweet. :)

[Mr. Nerfect]

I actually agree, FourFifty. Cryme Tyme as a team, despite being entertaining in "Word Up" and actually have good chemistry as workers, just don't do it for me. Like Deuce N' Domino, I think I'd care about them more separately. And although I don't think it's the best thing they could do, the whole Zeke/Shad vs. Truth/JTG thing is something I would be mildly entertained by. Especially because I feel that 3/4 of that scenario are not really "ready" for the big time yet.

[Mr. Nerfect]

JTG is not a character, and thus would not survive on his own. I do think we'll see Shad vs. JTG next week, with Shad beating him senseless then looking to injure him, with Jesse running in for the save. It sets up distance between Shad and JTG and renews the "friendship" between JTG and Jesse, securing them as a tag team Holly and Rhodes style.

If JTG stops with the stereotypical behavior and develops a personality with more than two dimensions, I'm sure he could be an IC/US champ in the future; his in-ring is unique and impressive. But in his current state, a tag team of Wayans Bros. "comedy" with Slam Master J is probably the only way to keep him afloat.

Shad, though... That was pretty sweet. :)

I dunno, Afterlife. I normally agree with you, but your dislike for JTG is pretty strong. I can understand why you feel he is a stereotype and all that -- but it works. He's no more offensive to me than Shad or R-Truth. I think he'd survive fine, just because of his connection with the crowd (throw in that he's not a bad worker).

JTG is someone that I feel shouldn't have to be a "character," anyway. He's a personality. Some may not like him, or feel offended or whatever, but you just put fun-loving, cocky JTG in feuds with *serious heel* and it writes itself. You could maybe even go deeper with him if you got, say, CM Punk to address him.

CM Punk: What is it you're hiding, JTG? You come out, you shout, you dance around -- but who are you, really? I know people like you, J. You hide behind a false image because you are ashamed of who you really are. I bet your parents are both strung out on meds, and you're angry at the world. Trust in me, JTG -- one nation under Punk.

Something like that, anyway. JTG can be all "phased" by it, shaken up, defensive, whatever. But ultimately, you can use it to explore what makes JTG tick.

[Afterlife]

I don't dislike him at all. During his matches, I want to cheer for the guy because his wrestling is great -- VERY entertaining. What I dislike is the perpetuity of the stereotype. That's all.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Hmm, I would argue that JTG is so over-the-top that it's almost a parody of the stereotype. That makes it sound deeper than it is, but I don't think anyone looks at JTG and thinks "all black men are like that." Especially when he is paired with the more stoic Shad. It's almost (not quite) a straight man/funny man dynamic.

But yes, there is something bizarrely entertaining about the way JTG wrestles. He actually had a good mind for coming up with stuff no one has done before. He'd be interesting to see in Money in the Bank, that's for sure. I bet he'd come up with at least two never-before-done ways to use a ladder (or ladders).

I could not know for sure, but I'm fairly sure Chris Jericho is high on the guy. I mean, Jericho isn't exactly Triple H, but I'm sure he could have gotten out of putting over JTG in their match a while back. That program with Cryme Tyme also went on longer than it arguably could have.

[jamesyboybell]

I thought his work on Smackdown was awesome, he was vicious and looked bigger than ever. I hope he goes all the way.

Would have been better if he hadn't just been pinned my Morrison after about a minute. JTG should've taken the fall. I find it hard to buy into the "monster heel" from a guy who just got his ass kicked by a much smaller guy.

[Rammsteinmad]

I still have trouble knowing which ones which (Re: Cryme Time).

[Afterlife]

Bottom line, JTG is not Morrison or Miz or Regal or Christian. He's got the ring skills, in my opinion, to go with any of them. But he's a 2-dimensional cartoon when it comes to personality. And I'm not saying everyone has to be The Rock to be successful, so any missing the point commentary of that like can be stopped before it starts. I'm only saying that when a guy is forced to carry a gimmick (stereotype or otherwise) and not allowed to develop an authentic connection with the crowd (via legitimate persona), you end up fucked like Scotty 2 Hotty.

Should JTG be allowed to become a rounded character, he's got a VERY solid future. Unless he Jeff Hardys himself, but I've never heard any stories like that about him.

[Afterlife]

I still have trouble knowing which ones which (Re: Cryme Time).

They're black, not East Asian.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Would have been better if he hadn't just been pinned my Morrison after about a minute. JTG should've taken the fall. I find it hard to buy into the "monster heel" from a guy who just got his ass kicked by a much smaller guy.

I dunno. I feel that it keeps the theme of Shad being the one to eat the falls, thus feeding his frustration. It could also help the fans get behind JTG that he didn't actually fuck up in the loss -- it was Shad. The big man getting pinned so quickly was embarrassing more than anything, and it's like he took that out on the guy closest to him. The loss was a metamorphis for Shad.

I'm also not completely convinced that Shad is the one the WWE actually wants to push more. He got the attention this week, but everything seems to indicate the WWE being higher on JTG's abilities and attitude. No doubt they like Shad's size and such, but I don't think this is going to be JTG thrown into the Shad Gaspard wood-chipper.

[Afterlife]

I actually don't think either is essentially destined for departure. Two of the hottest names in the current midcard are evidence that there is life beyond tag teams.

[6-String King]

Here is what they should do.
Fact : WWE needs tag teams.

Fact #2 : They just split up a great tag team.

SOLUTION : They should team Shad and Ezekiel Jackson up, as two absolute monsters on a rampage. Then they should team JTG and R-Truth up as two fun loving guys, they can even rap together when they come out.

RESULT : Two new tag teams that will be popular.





Absolutely, everytime there's a descent tag team WWE wants to split them up and put them in singles competition. Sorry but the Hardy Boyz were way cooler as a tag team. So were Edge & Christian, and New Age Outlaws. WWE needs to make Tag Team wrestling worth a shit again.

[Emperor Smeat]

Might be a far fetched idea but it could be possible to add Shad into the Straight Edge Society since Punk could convince him to purify himself from his "stealing"/gangster image during his run with Cryme Time.

Might be a bit unusual to have 2 big-men type wrestlers be in the same stable but it could give Shad something to do for the short term and make Punk seem even more like a sinister preacher if he coverts another wrestler to his "society".

[Mr. Nerfect]

Shad seems so centred on himself right now, though. If he does pair up with someone in the near future (although they should be careful to make sure that the relationship has mutual benefits, so it makes sense), then I think it should be Chris Jericho. It seems like a Jericho kinda thing to do to try and recruit Shad as back-up.

[Afterlife]

Yeah, Shad is definitely going alone for a while. but now that you mention it, I could see SES trying to recruit JTG, and have it almost-work-but-not-quite, like when the NWO tried to recruit Booker T during their WWE run.

[XIII]

i like shad, i cant wait to see where he goes as a heel, i think he got potential. i like jtg a little too. he needs to drop the gangster act and have a more serious gimmick..

[FourFifty]

Yeah, Shad is definitely going alone for a while. but now that you mention it, I could see SES trying to recruit JTG, and have it almost-work-but-not-quite, like when the NWO tried to recruit Booker T during their WWE run.


What if roles were the other way around? SES recruits Shad. CM Punk saved him from a life of crime. Now Shad can live up to his full potential. Shad and whatever they call Festus could work out as two monsters.
However, SES still has their monster, so it's more of a "If they can't find anything else for him" idea.

[Afterlife]

What if roles were the other way around? SES recruits Shad. CM Punk saved him from a life of crime. Now Shad can live up to his full potential. Shad and whatever they call Festus could work out as two monsters.
However, SES still has their monster, so it's more of a "If they can't find anything else for him" idea.

But like Noid just said, Shad's whole shtick is "My Tyme". Not "Tyme to let someone else hold me back". Having Shad join anyone right now would make no sense at all.

[roach21]

On second thought... he needs to be the HNIC again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrtpAoQBHEs