Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2015 17:22:53 GMT -5
Vince just saw Fargo and tried to give Rowan the "oh yaaa" gimmick, but realized that with Macho Man going into the Hall of Fame it wasn't the right time. Naturally, Rowan was punished via booking.
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Post by DZ: WF Legacy on Jan 21, 2015 17:27:32 GMT -5
Not everyone can move up at the same time, especially during Wrestlemania season. To get some momentum for Roman, Show had to beat Rowan. In order for Wyatt to gain steam after losing it all, he had to beat a very popular Ambrose.
Some guys have to job, and Rowan works as a big dude who makes better people look good.
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Post by BorneAgain on Jan 21, 2015 17:27:48 GMT -5
If you're referring to NXT stuff the Wyatt Family did prior to May 2013 to be honest I haven't seen any of it, but considering the loose application of what can laughably be called "WWE Canon" to NXT stuff, its relevance is at least questionable. Any of the supergenius Rowan stuff they did on Raw amounted to nothing and seemed so patchworked (because Erick has always been a great: *dice roll* winemaker and guitarist) and so forgotten about immediately that its basically meaningless as well. No I'm talking about the Rubik's cube stuff, the chess game stuff the like "oh lol wrestling's fake but it's cool in an ironic way" kinda NXT flavored stuff that constituted Rowan's face turn outside of warm body alongside Dolph Ziggler and Ryback. Ah, I see. Well they were traits that really didn't amount to anything either in fueds or in ring stuff. It would be like giving R-Truth backstage segments where he's got a fear of heights, with him not even climbing on ladders or certain stairs, and then it not only never being brought up again, but having matches where Truth frequently gets on the top rope without anyone mentioning how amazing it is that's he's overcoming his fear. Rowan is a genius who has no innovative ring strategy, is not showing up heels with his smarts, or is even affecting his mannerisms. Him being a genius has about as much impact as announcing he's really into reading the Family Circus strip on Sundays. |
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wakko
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Post by wakko on Jan 21, 2015 17:29:30 GMT -5
The question should be what went right for Rowan at all after the Wyatt Family breakup. Guy eliminated no one at Survivor Series, has had no character development other than not liking bullies, got decisively beaten by Show at TLC, and fired by the Authority. If WWE were competent I'd assume he's being punished, but as is the mid-card booking just sucks. Rowan is just unfortunate enough to not have any outstanding qualities to compensate for it. I don't know, I watched too many miserable "Rowan's super smart guys, isn't Eric Rowan quirky cool" cutesy poo NXT bullshit segments to say he didn't have character development. As silly as that character development was, I'll take it over no character at all. At least it was giving something to let us better understand him. |
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Post by Zabel Zarock on Jan 21, 2015 17:31:42 GMT -5
I don't wanna see Rowan in the high card, he's not ready for that but he's a good example of why having a non existent midcard is extremely bad.
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Post by Hit Girl on Jan 21, 2015 17:49:20 GMT -5
WWE gets it all backwards.
The Wyatt Family should have expanded, not been broken up. None of them have benefitted from it. Bray has tread water in a meaningless feud with Ambrose. Harper pointlessly won a worthless mid-card title, and Rowan was Big Show's bitch.
They took a hot faction and wasted them. What was gained? Nothing.
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Post by ________ has left the building on Jan 21, 2015 17:59:08 GMT -5
Rowan was number 3 in the depth chart for the Wyatt Family. You can make arguments about whether it's Bray or Luke going to be a future headliner out of the group but Erick was always pulling the rear. It doesn't help he was miscast as a face. Rowan works as a monster heel of few words mean mugging behind a sheep mask not a babyface Rain Man. I don't expect him to be a main eventer but he can be a serviceable big man.
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Post by blake6905 on Jan 21, 2015 18:07:32 GMT -5
He can't wrestle or cut a promo... Only Goldberg pulled off being entertaining without being able to do those two things
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deancubed
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Post by deancubed on Jan 21, 2015 18:16:48 GMT -5
They didn't try  As is the case with 90% of the roster. If you are not: Cena, Rollins, Big Blow or Kane...you are royally screwed. They got to push Big Blow! So much potential in this exciting young up and comer...lol. It's more like - Cena, Big Show, Kane, Sheamus, and Orton are the steady hands in charge of grooming people for the main event. Basically they are Pokemon Gym Leaders. Cena is the Giovanni or whatever. You gotta prove that you can go with all of them before they let you sniff stuff like MitB, main events with Cena, Rumble wins, etc. So, right now our wandering trainers are: Ziggler Rollins Reigns Ambrose Wyatt Ryback Bryan That's it. If you aren't one of those 7 guys right now leading up to Mania, there's no point in putting effort into you. Those 7 have to look strong during the Rumble, and will determine what Mania looks like. The same system happens in the midcard, but with MUCH less effort and focus from the writers and Vince. Cody, Miz, Goldust, and 'part-timer of the month' like Jericho and RVD are the gym leaders. The lesser Wyatts and other Tag Teams are basically supposed to spin their wheels until one of them stops being 'The Jannetty' and looks like a future singles star. Right now that list is: Rusev and Sandow. I don't think any other midcarders are being groomed right now, and even Rusev is wishy-washy in terms of how much effort the writers will put in. The key point here is that during the months of December to April, that's Wrestlemania Planning Season (the playoffs). The writers and Vince have already basically made up their minds about who to focus on. Everyone else has to wait until after Mania. It's only May-November (the regular season) that anyone can shake up interest and grab a Pokemon Trainer spot like Ziggler & Ryback did this year and Bryan, The Shield, & Wyatt did last year. |
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Post by One of the Cooler, Candid TOKs on Jan 21, 2015 18:24:42 GMT -5
No I'm talking about the Rubik's cube stuff, the chess game stuff the like "oh lol wrestling's fake but it's cool in an ironic way" kinda NXT flavored stuff that constituted Rowan's face turn outside of warm body alongside Dolph Ziggler and Ryback. Ah, I see. Well they were traits that really didn't amount to anything either in fueds or in ring stuff. It would be like giving R-Truth backstage segments where he's got a fear of heights, with him not even climbing on ladders or certain stairs, and then it not only never being brought up again, but having matches where Truth frequently gets on the top rope without anyone mentioning how amazing it is that's he's overcoming his fear. Rowan is a genius who has no innovative ring strategy, is not showing up heels with his smarts, or is even affecting his mannerisms. Him being a genius has about as much impact as announcing he's really into reading the Family Circus strip on Sundays. And the whole thing is just another instance of WWE still using 1-dimensional gimmicks instead of fleshed out characters who have traits that could translate to more interesting matches. If you are going to base your business model on "telling stories" like the front office won't shut up about, how about you actually, you know, TELL f***ING STORIES? Look at NJPW, the reason their product is so good right now is because the matches are built off of long-term development of the wrestlers. Tanahashi has the heart of the warrior that Okada doesn't at this point, and that's why he beat him in the main event. Nakamura, even with all of his head games and swag, is a badass who Ibushi wasn't ready to handle because he hadn't spent enough time in the big leagues. Hell, look at TNA's main event scene in the latter half of last year. Lashley was a wrecking ball doing MVP's bidding, and it took Roode multiple times to find a way to defeat both the brawn and the brains. If you are trying to be more entertainment than fixed-sport, you need to actually put thought into what the audience finds entertaining. I mean, I'm not calling for something like PWR or anything. But its clear that the best feuds in the business are built on each other, and that a coherent continuity and dynamic, denser characters are dominating all forms of entertainment. When all the character development you give someone is "He's smart because he can do a Rubix Cube and makes his own wine", and those traits aren't reflected when he wrestles, that isn't development at all. What I'm trying to say is that wrestling is inherently silly, but that doesn't mean it has to be stupid. Instead of Ambrose being "unhinged" because he sprays The Authority with a hot dog cart, how about he gets DQ'd in a match against Kane because he cares more about hurting him than winning the match? Instead of Ziggler being called the "Show Off" but winning matches like he's Rey Mysterio with the WHC, how about a storyline where he loses matches because of his tendency to, well, show off, and has to learn to balance the showmanship with his desire to win? Just because pro wrestling is seen as vapid doesn't mean it needs to be. |
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Post by cabbageboy on Jan 21, 2015 18:25:27 GMT -5
It is no shock that Rowan would struggle outside of the Wyatt Family gimmick. Honestly, what exactly can you do with Rowan in a singles capacity without Bray to guide him? Harper is far more talented and he is also tanking outside of the Wyatt gimmick.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2015 18:25:44 GMT -5
He's maybe the least enaging character from a trio that was split like he's supposed to be red hot?
Rowan is okay, but he's just okay. (at least right now) They should've had him side with either Bray or Luke for a minute and worked that angle a little more IMO.
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Post by Milkman Norm on Jan 21, 2015 18:30:59 GMT -5
Nothing. He had a run as a babyface to put over heel so they could be put over by people that matter. WWE needs more people like Rowan.
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Post by Clawley Race on Jan 21, 2015 18:36:00 GMT -5
Well there aren't ten people in most main events...
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chazraps
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Post by chazraps on Jan 21, 2015 18:41:10 GMT -5
You guys know Rowan might have the most potential of any big man on the roster right now, right?
I'm serious.
First of all, Rowan was trained by Ed Sharkey, who trained Backlund, The Road Warriors, Jerry Lynn, X-Pac, the Steiner Brothers and Austin Aries. He's not just some big dude. He's got the pedigree and it shows. The fact that he got as over as he did solo, without really any fanfare putting him on the team, is a testament to how excellently nuanced of a performer he is.
His moveset is excellent. People on this board seems to think he's sloppy or w/e, but that's how he wants you to think he looks. He's never injured or hurt anyone, but his moveset looks like a bulldozer with each move. And his sheer size makes his torture rack finisher one of the best looking, most devastating appearing moves on the roster.
Whether the promos said he's a genius or said he's a man child, he connected with crowds because of how he carries himself when he walks to the ring. There's something compelling and different about him as a lost, broken but curious entity. For all the shades-of-grey talk of characters that usually is code for "cool heel," Rowan's portrayal was of someone with a hint of a conscience that just lacked any sort of guidance. Him even saying the word "bullies" kind of sullied this by making him look like a man-child, but people like an unstoppable force and crowds connected with him more than any other "lumbering hoss" in recent memory.
Say what you will about the booking (Which I haven't liked lately) but as a performer Rowan is absolutely stellar.
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Post by nwonursinghome on Jan 21, 2015 18:45:31 GMT -5
I read a report online that he disrespected some top star backstage and was as a result put in the "doghouse."
Sort of like Cesaro is being punished.
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Post by Tiger Millionaire on Jan 21, 2015 19:09:42 GMT -5
Rowan's skill level isn't even the point. He was actually getting decent pops after the Rumble and they feed him to Big Show to make Show look strong for Roman Reigns. No, he's not a superstar, but he could have gotten a decent little run; instead now he's in booking purgatory because of really short term booking.
There is what, 6 hours of TV during a week of WWE programming; they should be able to put effort into everybody.
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Post by xCompackx on Jan 21, 2015 19:41:16 GMT -5
I read a report online that he disrespected some top star backstage and was as a result put in the "doghouse." Sort of like Cesaro is being punished. I'd believe it. For all the progress NXT and stuff has made in improving wrestling, there's still that bullshit "let's punish guys on-screen to show them that they messed up" mindset that still completely baffles me. It just damages the character that you could potentially be making money off of. |
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Post by sportatorium on Jan 21, 2015 20:01:48 GMT -5
Let's see...
Promoted as the lowest in the pecking order of a three man heel faction which was broken up for no reason.
Was randomly turned face to fill out a Survivor Series team.
The announcers have tried to give him an ironically funny backstory which didn't catch, a terrible nickname "Big Red" & the only promo time he's had is to say that he doesn't like bullies.
Was put in a program with Big Show & jobbed out in an embarrassingly stupid gimmick match with ring stairs.
Was off TV
Returned for an Authority "firing" angle
Apparently is on Smackdown this week in a not great role.
Jeez- why isn't he getting over?
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Post by Adam Black on Jan 21, 2015 20:42:15 GMT -5
I wouldn't be mad if he didn't get huge pops
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