New stars, no gimmick Yay or Nay?

[Rollermacka]

So of those reciently brought in under the superstar inititive I wanted to ask is do you like the way that there just debuting wrestlers Gavin Spears or Ryan Bardock without any "Is comming to WWE" videos?

[The Naitch]

what is the superstar initiative? I havent watched in a while

[Juan]

YAY

I think it's good for these guys to come into ECW and just prove themselves instead of having to live up the hype that comes with the "coming soon" vignettes.

[#BROKEN Hasney]

YAY

I think it's good for these guys to come into ECW and just prove themselves instead of having to live up the hype that comes with the "coming soon" vignettes.

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[Juan]

LOL exactly!

[AKin3D]

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LOL That's what popped into my head too.

Hold up was that the Stargate from SG-1? :wtf:

[Kane Knight]

LOL That's what popped into my head too.

Hold up was that the Stargate from SG-1? :wtf:

Pretty good imitation.

[TerranRich]

Glacier FTW! :D

[Fox]

I remember seeing that shit for the first time on TV. It actually worked on me. Then he came back and I realized how much he sucked.

[Mr. Nerfect]

what is the superstar initiative? I havent watched in a while

It's an angle the WWE is running again where new guys get called up from developmental in sort of a rush, and they call it an "initiative" to pretty much explain why there are so many new faces all of a sudden (real answer is "ECW was raped in the draft") and the idea of it is to find a new crop of Superstars.

This talent initiative has seen Ricky Ortiz, Braden Walker, Gavin Spears and Jack Swagger to ECW. Of those men, Ricky Ortiz has gotten settled as a pretty over face, what with his Ricky-O towel rallies and all. Braden Walker has already been released. Gavin Spears doesn't have too much support going for him apparently, but I've liked what I've seen from him. Swagger is the cream of the crop.

I'm not sure if Evan Bourne can be called a part of ECW's talent initiative, or if he sort of came before that.

SmackDown! has seen Scotty Goldman and Ryan Braddock called in. Both are being treated like complete jobbers who are officially part of the roster.

[St. Jimmy]

Make them run the gimmick gauntlet.

[St. Jimmy]

Atleast make them be doink for a PPV, ffs.

[DarKCentaur]

Actually I think Evan Bourne was part of the Superstar Initiative, he was the first one. Then because he was such a "success", Teddy Long made it a regular thing, starting with Ricky Ortiz.

[NeanderCarl]

I'm not a fan of throwing guys out there with no character to speak of. Gimmicks don't neccessarily have to mean cheesy characters like binmen and plumbers. Just look at current gimmicks like JBL (Wall Street millionairre), CM Punk (straight edger), Kofi Kingston (Jamaican dude)... a guy can have a realistic characterisation and work.

If you just throw guys continually out to the ring with little or no mic time, and nothing but a pair of trunks, they won't be a success because unless they are allowed to make a massive impact inside the ring (which they never are), the fans won't get behind them because they have nothing to grab on to. And when these guys wrestle in front of apathetic crowds, management will say they're not over. Which they're not, but through no real fault of their own. When they've been branded as not over, they get branded as not knowing how to get over, therefore the dreaded "they don't know how to work", followed by being jobbed out and released, without ever really having stood a chance.

This is where squash matches come in handy. Debut these guys against utter jobbers who don't get a single move in, let them look impressive in decisive victories and give us some information about them other than "this guy is a young wrestler trying to make it". Give these guys a fucking chance, at least.

[Lux]

Evan 'Air' Bourne :love:

[Vastardikai]

I will say this:

I think the only guys who will get over out of this latest bunch of new guys will be Ted Jr., Manu, and Evan Bourne.

Bourne because he gets to show off his flashy moves.

Manu because he is in a stable that will get him over. He can talk and he can work.

Ted Jr. because he was introduced by his father, can talk, and can work.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Ryan Braddock was apparently meant to be brought in as JBL's "cousin." I think that would have been enough of a hook to get people in.

Scotty Goldman was introduced as a funny guy, but he actually has to be funny. As in given a chance. Put him over as a former stand-up comedian turned pro-wrestler, if need be.

Dolph Ziggler should keep his "The Natural" character. Or have him be a guy that was so unfortunately named that he had to learn how to project "bad-ass."

[Kane Knight]

Gimmicks and "Is coming to WWE" are different things. You don't need a hype package to have a gimmick, and you don't need a gimmick to have a hype package (Though it's more likely this way).

No hype/promo packages? That's fine. But really, everyone needs some sort of hook if they want to be even remotely viable outside of the niche/smark category. I mean, it doesn't have to be the Lord of Darkness, the Heartbreak Kid, or the Crow.

For example, I think Ortiz has enough going to keep him separate from the crowd without a strict "gimmick." Bourne can do it too. Most can't, and I'm not even sure the ones who can will ever get big without some sort of furthering.

[Skippord]

Jack Swagger is the man

didn't have much to add to this thread so I figured I'd say that

[Kane Knight]

Jack Swagger is the man

I'd fucking fuck it.

[thedamndest]

Personality is the new gimmick.

[Kane Knight]

Then why are so many wrestlers lacking?

[thedamndest]

They weren't part of the new superstar initiative? Also, Ricky Ortiz has personality AND a towel. So he'll probably be ECW champion in three weeks.

[Kane Knight]

Or, he'll be jobbing in a month.

I mean, a towel is reminiscent of Val "Noid Mancrush" Venis.

[TerranRich]

Ricky Ortiz has personality, a towel, AND big hair.

[Rollermacka]

Ricky Ortiz has personality, a towel, AND big hair.

Well, Carlito has big hair, attitude, apples and he had Jesus on his side and finally started doing something when they teamed him with his brother.

[Kane Knight]

Well, Carlito has big hair, attitude, apples and he had Jesus on his side and finally started doing something when they teamed him with his brother.

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Lux]

Ricky Ortiz has personality, a towel, AND big hair.

BIG O

[DrA]

Yay. I love this.

[TerranRich]

I think we can all agree that any potential for greatness that the initiative had for producing great stars, ended with Braden Walker. There will be no greater greatness than his. :'(

[Kane Knight]

Hassan had a towel, attitude, AND a manager with Hammer Pants who spoke Mexican. Seriously, Ortiz can't top that, and Hassan is working on future endeavors.

[TerranRich]

You win, KK. You win. And that's the kind of thi---


ALALALEELAYAYAYAYELEELALELELAELAYEYLAYAYAYAYAAA...

DAMN YOU, HASSAN! You strike again!

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/2636/hassan3dib4.jpg

And you're in 3D!

[Mr. Nerfect]

Hassan had a towel, attitude, AND a manager with Hammer Pants who spoke Mexican. Seriously, Ortiz can't top that, and Hassan is working on future endeavors.

Not even nearly as good as Rollermacka's.

[TerranRich]

Don't worry, Noid, I saved his poor attempt at running with the joke, with a good Hassaning the likes of which we haven't felt in years.

I should Hassan more threads.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I wish Muhammad Hassan would return to the WWE, to be honest.

Also, on the topic of the new talent initiative, I'd like to predict that Heath Miller gets called up to the WWE soon. He just changed his name to "Sebastian Slater" in FCW for no reason at all. :shifty:

[Mr. Nerfect]

I'd also like to throw out Eric Perez working house shows as "Eric Escobar."