DISCUSSION - CM Punk should become the leader of an nWo-sized stable that promotes..
 

DISCUSSION - CM Punk should become the leader of an nWo-sized stable that promotes...

The straight edge lifestyle and philosophy. Just as was the case with the nWo, it would be so 'badass', that it would be cool.....cool to the point where kids/fans would eventually dig it up because they "aren't supposed to want to" (if that makes sense). I would absolutely love it if CM Punk became the leader of an nWo-sized stable that promoted the straight edge lifestyle and philosophy. As was the case with Hollywood Hogan, make CM Punk the #1 guy. Somehow someway, make him a UNIFIED WWE/World champion in the not-so-distant future. Have CM Punk appear on both shows and have him have 'stable mates/followers' on both shows. The biggest stars in the company all "symbolized" something extremely significant in our society. Guys like Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Bret Hart, and Randy Savage all symbolized "the good guy" that were honorable, etc. Guys like Austin, The Rock, etc 'symbolized' the cocky badass that didn't take shit from no one. While I realize that all these guys symbolized these things as faces, I think it would be GREAT if Punk, as a heel, and the clear cut #1 guy in the company, became a SYMBOL for the straight edge life style.

Here is what else would be achieved with an angle life this:

• Guys with crappy or 'generic' gimmicks that aren't doing much in the WWE (i.e. Festus), can join the 'Straight Edge' stable and become relevant by association
• Just as we saw during the attitude era with the Corporation, each and every segment on televised shows can mean "that much more" due to a representative of 'Straight Edge' being in a match.
• It allows CM Punk to become the clear-cut #1 guy in the company. None of this gay 'transitional' world champion title runs bullshit. This would be the equivalent of Hogan leading the n.W.o...or Austin leading the alliance.

Hell - even Vince McMahon can endorse this stable (although by no means am I suggesting that he be a part of the stable). This idea not only pushes CM Punk to the absolute moon, but it also cleverly makes EVERY single character in the WWE relevant somehow. If you're a guy like Kofi Kingston and are already over with the fans?! GREAT! If you're a dickhead like...oh I dunno....Paul Burchill and aren't over in the slightest? Become part of the 'Straight Edge' stable and where the colors. The Staight Edge stable can do stuff like attacking wrestlers backstage for drinking beer (i.e. celebrating victories, etc.), or dating women, etc., etc.

I'd like it

not sure how much others would though

Good concept for a stable.

That said, there should never be another huge stable in wrestling the size of the nWo. It was a terrible idea and fucked up the booking.

Heyman Ilove you but please, stop. lol.

Let it be what it is, and see where it goes. And don't make awful threads like this about it.


But you damned well know I'll still take your dick in my mouth any day of the week ;)

<font color=goldenrod>Technically, nothing should EVER be nWo-sized because that would mean like 15-20 people, which is insane. However, I'd love to see Punk and Gallows (or someone else) win the tag belts, and then use their ability to float between brands to "recruit" more people. Take 1 or 2 guys (depending on who isn't being utilized) from each show or something. It'd be a big group, but not nWo proportions.</font>

lol how is this even being talked about. Thus far, all we have is essentially a Tomko to Punk's Christian. I swear, I hate wrestling fans so much :rant:

(Well not really, but seriously please stop :()

<font color=goldenrod>I dunno, Punk leading a straight edge stable is something that has been loosely talked about in Punk topics for months...it makes sense to have a proper discussion now that they have Punk properly converting people. And to be fair, he DID strongly hint that there will be more to come.</font>

Yeah that's fine. It's more... the whole nWo thing just aggrivates me. It's just started, let it go for a couple of weeks before we start making ridiculous comparisons.

Maybe it doesn't have to be the size of the n.W.o, but I'd like to see a huge number nonetheless (i.e. like the # of members in the Alliance from 01'?).

Think about the times when the WWE and WCE had some of their highest ratings:

-The Corporation
-nWo
-Corporate Ministry
-McMahon Helmsley Faction

Even in 2004 when Evolution were the clear cut #1 stable in the company, ratings started to increase. In 2001 after the INVASION angle after the Alliance lost at Survivor Series, ratings start to decline drastically.

I think in terms of shooting Punk to the moon and getting an initial JOLT in the ratings, a formation of a huge stable could be a catalyst (regardless of how much Georgous Dale Jewstead hates my idea. :p)

I don't hate your idea persay. But it's so damned specific. You make it seem so unoriginal. Let it be it's own thing.

Good post and some good thoughts. I was thinking that the more people there were, then the more CM Punk could be made to look as significant a leader as Hogan and Austin were for the nWo and Alliance respectively.

The ultimate purpose of an idea like this would be to REALLY establish CM Punk as the legitimate #1 guy in the company. In today's WWE, being a World champion doesn't mean a whole lot, unless it's CLEAR that you are the #1 guy in the company.

I think the WWE has a great chance to do something special with CM Punk. Like Hogan and Austin did during their respective era's, the WWE has a golden chance to make CM Punk become a SYMBOL for something. SYMBOLS are what brings in new fans, audiences, and demographics.

I see what you're saying, but it's also absurd to try and make something too unique (to the point where it sucks donkey balls and makes no sense) out of fear that it resembles an idea or a concept of the past. Sometimes - the winning formula is to keep things simple and go with what has PROVEN to be successful.

So what if a large 'Straight Edge' stable would be similar to nWo in terms of numbers?

Fans have always loved large badass stables that are the centerpiece of the company. At a time when the WWE could use a jolt with the ratings, why not go with something like that? Why automatically dismiss something because something somewhat similar was done in the past? Yes - there's a danger of "going to the well" one too many times, but this idea wouldn't be anything near that....since it's been so long since we have seen a big ass stable.

However if this stable did come about i could almost guarantee that they would fued with DX due to the antics of DX

This would also fit into the PG WWE.

A stable the size similar to Attitude Era stables or early NWO could work as long as it doesn't grow past 6-8 guys. It would defiantly work better without the brand split since the split means either you need those wrestlers appearing on the main shows or split them into a Raw and Smackdown version but with Punk as the main leader.

Straight Edge Alliance

I cant think of any better names..boo

Kinda reminds me of Right to Censor

It's like Right to Censor with a little more of an edge (pardon the awful, awful pun)

Virgil is the only man in the world that would guarantee success for that stable.

It wouldn't really be like Right ot Censor at all if they do it right. I'm in favor of such an idea but agree with most everyone else that an nWo sized stable was, is, and will forever be such an awful idea.

Make it five people at most including some sort of diva.
Punk
Festus
The Burchills
Someone else

Preferrably guys that say they used to have some sort of "vice" holding them back. (ie: Former drug addicts, alcoholics, chain smokers)

Ideally, they would only need to add a couple more guys to expand the group to 4, and have them compete in the tag division. Or they could reunite the "Jesse and Festus" tag team by "cleaning up" Slam Master J (have his vice be alcohol when he was Jesse, progressing to something worse that made him act like Slam Master J) and add another guy who could go after the IC title.

I guess one positive of this group is that it would be an outlet to fix horrible gimmicks. Another is that it's happening on Smackdown, and not Raw, where Punk would inevitably trot out a clean, articulate Hornswaggle that's no longer on speed.

I like it because it takes away the annoying cartoon element. That's why it could be better than RTC even though RTC had some big time heel heat... cuz RTC just had that ridiculous cartoon element.

Vince needs to realize that we're not in the 80s anymore.

I think its a great idea.... but limit the size of the stable to a max 6 superstars

CM Punk (the leader)
Festus (the Bodyguard)
A Diva (Straight-Edge 'eye candy')
A Tag Team
A second-tier singles star

As mentioned above, The Burchills could fit into the diva & second singles star, but I believe they could use some guys/girls in developmental to fill the void (maybe even Curt Hawkins, they could have him feud with Ryder because of his "Long Island partying" ways)

I'd prefer it to be Raven's Flock-sized as opposed to NWO-sized.

After thinking about this a little more last night, I think I might agree (my thought process last night was that the greater the number of 'henchmen', the more prominent and significant that CM Punk would look). I also figured that a stable that was the size of nWo and the alliance, would subconsciously make the fans believe that Punk was as "big" as Hogan and Austin.

I then realized that if the stable was TOO big (i.e. nWo sized), then it would make any heel OUTSIDE a straight edge stable look almost "insignificant."

Therefore - I wouldn't mind seeing a stable like this be the size of Vince McMahon's Corporation/Corporate Ministry from back in the day.

It would still be large in number (to the point where it could make Punk would look prominent like Triple H, Vince, and Taker did when they lead those stables), but it also wouldn't completely "engulf" the WWE like the nWo did with WCW.

Ultimately - I LOVE this idea for 2 simple reasons:

• It helps establish CM Punk as THE #1 guy in the company.
• Anyone that has a crappy gimmick or isn't doing much (i.e. Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, Carlitto), can just join this 'Straight Edge' stable and can be made "relevant by association" (i.e. just like Mideon sort of was during the Corporate Ministry days).

Personally if it was me, I would consider REALLY building up Punk's stable between now and Mania. It was almost look like 'Agent Smith' in Matrix 2 and 3 when he was cloning himself. At Wrestlemania, have CM Punk win MITB match....by actually having 1 or even 2 contestants within the match itself help Punk (surprise turn).

After the main-event (i.e. Triple H defeating Shawn Michaels), have Punk's music hit. All of Punk's followers come out, dressed in business suits and shades (i.e. lining up similar to how Undertaker's 'druids' are when Undertaker comes out), and then watch as CM Punk comes out to cash in on his MITB right THEN AND THERE. Punk then wins the match.

It's a nutty and farfetched idea but if the WWE ever needed a jolt in the ass, this would be it.

The fans could REALLY see this stable being drastically built up between now and Mania where it would ultimately culminate in the main-event.

I wanna see another Matt Hardy heel turn...with him joining CM Punk's stable.

That could work.... and maybe even make me give a rat's-ass about Matt too!

At this point, I'm not sure if Matt Hardy joining Punk's stable would make much sense (since they have been battling for quite some time if I understand correctly). Also - Matt Hardy seems to be 'over' enough to survive without being associated with a 'Straight Edge' stable.

As far as some other responses go, I think a stable like this would be a HYBRID between

-nWo/Corporation/Alliance
-Evolution
-Right To Censor

It could be similar to nWo/Corporation/Alliance in terms of potential members (i.e. maybe a bit more than Vince's Corporation but not as much as Alliance/nWo).

It could be similar to Evolution in that they would wear business suits and shades (only dark business suits....think Agent Smith from Matrix)

It could be similar to 'Right To Censor' in terms of them telling us (and other wrestlers) how to live our lives while also being hypocritical in nature.

lol i was about to say, it would be just like Right to Censor except with an actual Upper Card talent.

the Diva is Mickie James. She used to be..um..promiscuous..and now shes not..and she's fat too because she doesn't take diet drugs.

Straight Edge means sex only in a relationship?

No Premarital Sex.

She was known to be dating a few people...

I thought it was just o "promiscous" sex. At least that's what CM Punk has been saying

eh..maybe so.

It would be fun if the stable took a religious angle turn on it with Punk being the leader of it like it was a cult or something.

I'm pretty sure that's what it means otherwise you're just a Mormon.

it is just promiscuous sex

CM Punk leading a stable is not a bad idea. I think the analogies are just throwing people off. If CM Punk got into some guys' heads, and started recruiting them, he could come off as a "virus" that has infected the WWE.

You have Curt Hawkins who apparently has a bit of an emo gimmick going on. He would make a great follower for Punk. If the stable somehow expanded across the brands -- Zack Ryder trying to get his "bro" back from CM Punk could make for an entertaining storyline.

In FCW, Curt Hawkins has been paired with Caylen Croft & Trent Beretta, who are called "The Dudebusters," or something. I don't know what their gimmick is, exactly, but if they brought up Croft & Beretta to work in the faction; it gives them a tag team. I think they also had Penny Cash as a valet? She could make a great addition to the group, too.

I still like the idea of Kaval being called up by Punk as a "weapon" against all who oppose him. Punk can talk about how Kaval's discipline and training occupy his time, so he doesn't go out and party, and make the same mistakes we do. I can see Matt Striker putting over Kaval as some sort of "Human Weapon" quite effectively.

I'd keep Slam Master J out of the group, and rather have SMJ feud against Luke Gallows. Their history could be brought up, and it gives the former Festus a storyline to deal with.

Bryan Danielson being called up for the group would be interesting. I wouldn't have Danielson preach the straight-edge lifestyle so much as the discipline it takes to be the best. Danielson devotes his life to being "The Best in the World," and everyday he sees people whose lives are filled with meaningless activities. He would be "The Rock" to CM Punk's "Faarooq" in the Nation of Domination.

Drew McIntyre being added is still something I would not oppose. That's if Vince gives his backing to the group. So you'd end up with CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Bryan Danielson, Kaval, Luke Gallows, Curt Hawkins, Caylen Croft, Trent Beretta & Penny Cash.