Paul Burchill

[Avenger]

Ok, I really enjoyed his new character on SmackDown.

yeah it is a little off the wall and idealistically I would like to see Paul just going out there to wrestle and getting over that way, but do you really see that happening? American audiences are not going to appreciate his style and he is going to put them to sleep every week, simple as that.

With this gimmick at least people will sit up and take notice of him, then in turn they will hopefully begin to enjoy his matches.

And he had a very good one with William Regal this week, it is a style that I love to see on WWE and with the timeslot they were given they really made the most of it.

This Pirate gimmick is funny, entertaining and could probably get over as a credible character without doing any long term damage to Burchill's career.

[Blitz]

I agree that the gimmick is entertaining for now. The key words are for now, as I can definitely see it getting stale. Could Burchill get over with it? Sure, and he probably will, because

A) He's talented
B) It's off the wall enough for the older fans to get a kick out of it
C) it's goofy enough for little kids get into.

Getting over, though, doesn't mean he'll get pushed for it. I seriously doubt that this gimmick was created with the intention of getting Burchill over. More likely, creative prolly just realized there was another Pirates of the Caribbean movie coming out this summer and wanted to capitalize on it.

[Cuzziebro]

I have always liked Burchill's style, him and Regal made a great Tag Team but i reckon they are better against each other and now with this Pirate gimmick WWE could go the whole nine yards and give him a boat and some crew so he can make a stable out of it.

[Avenger]

lol

Hopefully they'll pass on the boat but I'd love to see this feud with Regal go on to Wrestlemania. They deserve to be on the show. Hopefully it'll lead to a US title push for at least one of the men.

[hb2k]

The gimmick sucks. It's cheesy, it's lame, it's not cool, and I very much doubt he'll get over with it.

The fact he landed on his face on the C4 is the perfect analogy of how this gimmick will do.

I like Birchill...I think it's a little soon to be throwing around tags like "great worker" on him when we haven't seen that out of him yet, but I think the potential is definitely there. It's a shame they have to ruin good talent with goofy gimmicks lately.

[Kane Knight]

The gimmick sucks. It's cheesy, it's lame, it's not cool, and I very much doubt he'll get over with it.

Which means it's perfect for TPWW to get a severe hardon over.

Surefire wayus to get over with TPWW:


Have a shitty gimmick.
Do not use any wrestling talent (But have it...For some reason, Paul's C4, which is never seen is a justification for him being liked for weak matches than someone who doesn't C4)
Be pointlessly annoying.

[Xero]

To be honest, I'm surprised they let him hit the C4.

[Team Sheep]

Well some may call it cheesy, but I like it and it's entertaining. Atleast they gave us a reson for it, the fact that his ancestors were pirates and that he wants to carry on his family's tradition. It's a lot better than him just coming out one week dressed as a pirate. I hope he gets a good push from this, I like Burchill.

[Skippord]

Yeah I'm liking it so far and hopefully he gets over and a push.Now I want a reason for the Boogeyman being the Boogeyman.Does he have ancestors that were Boogeypeople and he is carrying the tradition.

[Evolution]

I was thinking about the boat earlier.

I mean, we've seen low-riders, motorbikes, mopeds, limousines and wrestling rings as part of peoples entrance. Why not a pirate ship? Hell, it doesn't have to be full size, just something you might see in a Thanksgiving Day parade or something. Even if it was just once at a PPV, it would be a mark-out moment and entertaining to say the least.

[Xero]

Yeah I'm liking it so far and hopefully he gets over and a push.Now I want a reason for the Boogeyman being the Boogeyman.Does he have ancestors that were Boogeypeople and he is carrying the tradition.
He comes from the far-off village of Boogeyville. Funnily enough, Disco Inferno is from there as well.

[Avenger]

Americans will always be biased against Europeans in wrestling.

That's why Davey Boy Smith and Ted Billington don't come in most people's top 5 of 10 lists of all time.

[Xero]

Americans will always be biased against Europeans in wrestling.

That's why Davey Boy Smith and Ted Billington don't come in most people's top 5 of 10 lists of all time.
Couldn't it also be that since he's from the UK Europeans will love him for the home country thing?

It works both ways.

(Bulldog was great, though. Don't get me wrong.)

[Batsu]

I'm just glad they let him still do the C4.

In a sea full of some of the gayest, generic slams for finishers and/or submission moves WWE has been churning out for the past couple years...the C4 is something new, something fresh, something original.

[Champion of Europa]

In a wrestling recap I read, they are now calling the C-4 the Head and ARGGGHHHM Suplex.

[redoneja]

Americans will always be biased against Europeans in wrestling.

That's why Davey Boy Smith and Ted Billington don't come in most people's top 5 of 10 lists of all time.

Davey Boy Smith was great but not that great.

Ted really, really sucked, but this guy named TOM Billington had a remarkable career under the name "Dynamite Kid".

[The One]

No. Sorry, but when he, Boogeyman, and every other out of this world dumb ass character comes along I turn my TV off. He may be Ric FUCKING Flair, but I'd never know because I refuse to be embarassed (even when no one else is around) by what I watch. Papa Shango making Warrior vomit was more acceptable then this new wave of shitty ass gimmicks.

[Disturbed316]

In a wrestling recap I read, they are now calling the C-4 the Head and ARGGGHHHM Suplex.

lol :$

[Batsu]

No. Sorry, but when he, Boogeyman, and every other out of this world dumb ass character comes along I turn my TV off. He may be Ric FUCKING Flair, but I'd never know because I refuse to be embarassed (even when no one else is around) by what I watch. Papa Shango making Warrior vomit was more acceptable then this new wave of shitty ass gimmicks.

You'd have thought Vince learned his lesson by the mid-90s that such characters really don't work well in the long term. Even Kane got "real"-ed up. Undertaker did too, but then they effed it up by having him do "Bolt 3" and basically have him act like it was 1990 all over again.

[.44 Magdalene]

You'd have thought Vince learned his lesson by the mid-90s that such characters really don't work well in the long term. Even Kane got "real"-ed up. Undertaker did too, but then they effed it up by having him do "Bolt 3" and basically have him act like it was 1990 all over again.

Well, that's a bit of a bad example...Kane lost a great deal of credibility when he stopped being Jason Vorhees.

[Avenger]

LOL Ted Billington

[The Optimist]

Exactly,Kane lost the edge when he stopped being an monster killer with no visible emotions, and started to try the "Cerebral Assasin" bit and failed. By the way there are multiple reasons that didn't work but that is a completly different conversation.

[Kane Knight]

To be honest, I'm surprised they let him hit the C4.

to be honest, I'm surprised how sloppy it looked.

Course, I didn't see SD by the time I said he didn't use it.

Unless he also uused it on velocity or something...

[Skippord]

to be honest, I'm surprised how sloppy it looked.

Course, I didn't see SD by the time I said he didn't use it.

Unless he also uused it on velocity or something...
He usually does it better more Regal's fault than his

[Kane Knight]

Exactly,Kane lost the edge when he stopped being an monster killer with no visible emotions, and started to try the "Cerebral Assasin" bit and failed. By the way there are multiple reasons that didn't work but that is a completly different conversation.

Actually, the character was great, they just fucked it horribly.

[Gertner]

yeah. it would have been better if fat ass regal could jump

[Afterlife]

You guys who don't like the pirate gimmick....you need to relax. It's a show FULL of characters, and since he's a virtual nobody on the roster, this is a remarkable way for him to get attention. He can't have a normal guy "gimmick" like HBK or HHH b/c he's had no time to develop his on-screen personality or style and ppl don't have the connection to him yet.

I mean, hey, at least the man put on a match. The Boogeyman -- who is actually a witch doctor and not really a boogeyman at all -- has not had a match. He's been in the ring and given his share of pump handle slams...but no matches. Just be glad Burchill is actually trying and, like I always say, watch before you bitch.

[Chavo Classic]

Ever since I heard the news that Burchill had signed a developmental contract I've been harping on about Burchill-this and Burchill-that, so you'd think that I absolutely hate this new gimmick. But I don't, and there are two reasons why.

1) It gets Burchill on my tv. Which is great as the guy is a fantastic worker. When required he can get down on the mat and chain wrestle with the best of the them. He has all the characteristic of an old school British wrestler not too dissimilar to Regal. On the other hand, the guy can fly like a cruiserweight, and I don't care whether that's thought of as a major quality in a wrestler but I challenge any one of you not to mark out slightly or gasp when a man bigger than your high-school football coach leaps over the top rope. Burchill on Smackdown is good of the viewing public and good for him too. He deserves some of the spotlight and will inspire a new wave of British wrestlers fo years to come.

2) The gimmick might be stupid, but it's FUN. I don't need to bump old threads about the Boogeyman to prove the point that a gimmick doesn't need to be well-devised or clever to capture the imagination. Hell, it's even made a star out of a no-talent bum like Marty Wright; the sky is the limit for a decent worker.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I don't mind the gimmick as much as I do others, because it has been made obvious that Paul Burchill isn't really a pirate, he's just playing one. Nick Dinsmore cannot just be Nick Dinsmore one week and that be that, Burchill can drop the pirate thing at any time, though.

I'm not going to try and suggest smart booking strategies for the character, because I've come to expect little depth from the WWE, but I will say that I don't think there is anyone better SmackDown! can submit to the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

On SmackDown!, have Gregory Helms demand he gets a chance to qualify, as he is Cruiserweight Champion, plus he has also won a TLC Match. Have Theodore Long say that he does think Helms deserves a shot, and his opponent who is undefeated in singles matches since he made his debut a few months back should earn a spot as well.

Gregory Helms goes out to await his opponent, who turns out to be Paul Burchill. Let the two work a great match, and have Burchill win with The C4 (please don't change the name, just because he's a pirate doesn't mean it needs to be named "Walk the Plank" or something. Burchill goes on to MITB as RAW superstars joke about it on RAW.

At SNME, have Edge walking along backstage, when he walks into Paul Burchill. Have Burchill say he's going after the treasure Edge buried at New Year's Revolution, and will take over as the "bounty-keeper". Edge then cuts Burchill off and says he assumes he is talking about the Money in the Bank contract, and Burchill may win at WrestleMania, but he will never be an equal to Edge. Burchill then says "Edge, meet my edge," and he draws his sword on Edge, who doesn't play it as horror, but stupidity. Burchill then goes on to say "You may have become The Rated R Superstar, but at WrestleMania, I become The Rated AAARRRGGGGH Superstar," before walking off leaving Edge & Lita to discuss it amongst themselves, only for Burchill to pop in and say "Yo-HO-HO (referring to Lita), and a bottle of rum.", before leaving for good.

Stupid, I know, but if they introduce Burchill to main eventers, then they let his talent speak for itself, after WrestleMania, I could see Burchill dropping the pirate gimmick slowly. Have him ease out of traditional pirating ways into a more later style. Have him lose the hair, and get back his "Torture Device" attire, etc. Call me stupid if you must, but I would love to see Burchill win the MITB Ladder Match. It would be even better if Burchill ran out into the ring after the WWE Championship Match, cashed it in, and won the title.

You see, normally people would scoff at me for suggesting specific mid-card talent get a decent push, but who can honestly say that they would be surprised if the WWE had a pirate win the World Championship at WrestleMania?

[Afterlife]

I can dig it.

[KillerWolf]

i dont see Burchill achieving greater than lower mid-card success with this gimmick.

[Kane Knight]

You guys who don't like the pirate gimmick....you need to relax. It's a show FULL of characters, and since he's a virtual nobody on the roster, this is a remarkable way for him to get attention. He can't have a normal guy "gimmick" like HBK or HHH b/c he's had no time to develop his on-screen personality or style and ppl don't have the connection to him yet.

I mean, hey, at least the man put on a match. The Boogeyman -- who is actually a witch doctor and not really a boogeyman at all -- has not had a match. He's been in the ring and given his share of pump handle slams...but no matches. Just be glad Burchill is actually trying and, like I always say, watch before you bitch.

Boogeyman was more entertaining when he debuted. In fact, he was great comic relief for a few episodes. The guy could entertain, so it didn't matter if he wrestled. He's boring now, so it doesn't really matter.

Burchall's gimmick hasn't entertained me enough to get to his wrestling. In fact, the only thing making him at all entertaining right now is Regal's responses. The little "bomb" he gave Regal was nowhere near as funny as the quality with which Regal sold it.

...But then, I'm a sucker for dignified Brits getting slapped around. :shifty:

Burchill's character really doesn't have the same qualities as some of the other personas. It's also worth noting that he is just an ordinary guy. He asked to play a pirate on TV.

On the other hand, Buchill's far less stupid than milking Eddie's death, Rey in the main event, or the whole worm eating shtick. It may not be one of the better done gimmicks, but at least it's not annoying (The spirit Squad, who evidently are SUPPOSED to make you turn off your TV), stupid (Boogeyman chowing down on worms manages to neither disgust nor entertain me), or more retarded than the character themselves (Euegene was another "great for a while" gimmicks which has gone way south).

[Afterlife]

The difference, still, is that Burchill went from 4 weeks "becoming" a pirate to an actual wrestling match. Even the Spirit Squad guys are wrestling. Boogeyman chickenwalks, eats worms -- which I admit gags me big time -- and does a pumphandle slam. He does not wrestle, which is part of why he's dropping in my view.

I'm not really trying to rip on Marty. Just sayin', we need to actually give guys with new gimmicks time to adjust and show what they can do before we start badmouthing them.

[Kane Knight]

The difference his not applicable. We have wrestlers without gimmicks who do three moves.

The whole point is that it's an entertainment issue. If you're going that route, Hogan should have never had a place in wrestling to begin with, given his appeal wasn't on the grounds of wrestling.

People used to whine that the Rock didn't wrestle either. :y:

[Avenger]

Yeah I never understood that.

He was a good worker, Rocky.

[Afterlife]

The difference his not applicable. We have wrestlers without gimmicks who do three moves.

The whole point is that it's an entertainment issue. If you're going that route, Hogan should have never had a place in wrestling to begin with, given his appeal wasn't on the grounds of wrestling.

People used to whine that the Rock didn't wrestle either. :y:

Once again, whatever you're saying has blown my mind.

I was talking about entertainment the whole time. But the thing with this entertainment is that it's World Wrestling Entertainment. And when one of the wrestlers doesn't actually wrestle, and one of them dresses funny but puts on a good match...I don't see how the difference isn't "applicable". It's not a costume party; it's a costume party with rasslin'.

[Vermaat]

Paul Birchill is pretty good, but the gimmick is stupid. They should either have him go all out and be a pirate or have him be paul birchill. Right now it's like he thinks he is a pirate but is not really a pirate. That's stupid and detracts from the gimmick, make up ur mind WWE.

[Skippord]

I wish I were a pirate

[PureHatred]

i dont see Burchill achieving greater than lower mid-card success with this gimmick.

[Batsu]

Well, that's a bit of a bad example...Kane lost a great deal of credibility when he stopped being Jason Vorhees.

Before they unmasked Kane, even, he started to seem more "human" than normal. I really don't think they can undo what has happened to Kane, really.

[.44 Magdalene]

Point is, human Kane isn't nearly as big of a draw or as attractive to a fan base as monsterish, freaky Kane. While they DID inevitably make him more realistic, it was NOT an improvement. I don't recall monster Kane getting stale, at least not in terms of gimmick. I personally was disappointed when he was de-masked, though I may be in my own boat here.

Kane's an especially bad example, considering you were talking about gimmicks not working in the long term. Kane's scary movie, masked killer gimmick worked perfectly for a hellalong time.

[Kane Knight]

Once again, whatever you're saying has blown my mind.

I was talking about entertainment the whole time. But the thing with this entertainment is that it's World Wrestling Entertainment. And when one of the wrestlers doesn't actually wrestle, and one of them dresses funny but puts on a good match...I don't see how the difference isn't "applicable". It's not a costume party; it's a costume party with rasslin'.

Really? I remember a guy named Something Hogan in the World Wrestling Federation. The guy couldn't wrestle, had three moves and some gay poses, and somehow, that's DIFFERENT?

[Kane Knight]

Meanwhile, you and Pepsi Man seem to be the only ones who find me that esoteric. Well, you and a few of the retarded n00bs.

Has it ever occurred to you that my points might not be all that obscure, and maybe you two are just stupid?

[Afterlife]

Really? I remember a guy named Something Hogan in the World Wrestling Federation. The guy couldn't wrestle, had three moves and some gay poses, and somehow, that's DIFFERENT?

Well,yeah. See, back when Something Hogan became so huge, there wasn't a lot of wrestling going on in the first place. THe company was mostly hosses in tights doing very slow, very basic stuff. So Hogan does all the non-wrestling crowd-play tactics to get them on his side. He panders, better than most, and he gets the big pops. But the pandering he did was in matches. Lousy matches, I grant you, but still matches.

But today, the action is bigger, faster, and entertaining, in and of itself. I like the characters the guys portray, but I watch for the wrestling. Maybe I'm nuts like that. And sure, you can call it stupid. You seem to have a very condescending way toward all my opinions. And that's fine, whatever. But comparing a guy who doesn't wrestle at all (Boogeyman) to a guy who wreslted adequately (Hogan) is a little off the point, what with the 30 year difference.

[Kane Knight]

See, you're trying to make excuses. The problem is, there really isn't that much more wrestling. WWE has strayed away from that. It's all "safer" wrestling with fewer big moves (Even moves that were allowed in Hogan's era).

You're making excuses, trying to hide behind the notion that Hogan wrestled. The problem is the Main event rarely uses a lot of moves. Cena, Austin, Hogan, the Rock...You can make all the excuses you want, but the focus, even during the era where they tried to compete with WCW's moveset, has always been Sports Entertainment, not Sports Entertainment.

You're trying to cut artificial distinctions. Many folks have introed in ways that that far less than the Boogeyman, and higher on the card. As much a fan as I am of making excuses why everyone you don't like sucks while defending people who do the same thing, you have to ignore most of the basis of the last 30 or so years of wrestling to do so.

Also, you really ought to check your own tone if you're going to whine about mine.

[Afterlife]

See, you're trying to make excuses. The problem is, there really isn't that much more wrestling. WWE has strayed away from that. It's all "safer" wrestling with fewer big moves (Even moves that were allowed in Hogan's era).

You're making excuses, trying to hide behind the notion that Hogan wrestled. The problem is the Main event rarely uses a lot of moves. Cena, Austin, Hogan, the Rock...You can make all the excuses you want, but the focus, even during the era where they tried to compete with WCW's moveset, has always been Sports Entertainment, not Sports Entertainment.

You're trying to cut artificial distinctions. Many folks have introed in ways that that far less than the Boogeyman, and higher on the card. As much a fan as I am of making excuses why everyone you don't like sucks while defending people who do the same thing, you have to ignore most of the basis of the last 30 or so years of wrestling to do so.

Also, you really ought to check your own tone if you're going to whine about mine.

I don't exactly know how making a point is synonymous with making excuses. And as I said when I first mentioned Boogeyman in this thread, I don't dislike him. I'm not saying anything here to rip on any wrestlers, as they've done something to earn what they've got. On top of that, you brought up Hogan which I thought was a bad example of whatever you were saying in the first place.

Do me a huge favor: Make whatever your point is right now, nice and clear. That way, my stupidity can be swept away for now.