Original Sanity idea was a group led by Sami Callihan

[héad.casé]

"So, that whole situation, we had a lot of ideas, and everybody had something that they wanted to get out of this. And we pitched a whole bunch of ideas with Joe Belcastro (head NXT writer). We're all feeling good about it, but we never really come together. And I know one of the biggest things was Marcus Louis and I were very worried that it was just going to become a machine to Sami. And Sami's one of my best friends, but we were worried that we were just going to become nameless lackeys to Sami's Raven. That worried me, so, so much, because it seemed like that's where it was going. And we started butting heads."

www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2017/1225/635269/recently-released-wwe-nxt-star-on-why-he-wouldnt-go-back-to-nxt/

According to Sawyer Fulton.

[Ludwig Kaiser’s Walk]

Didn't even know he was released lol

But, I could've seen it happening, but them not getting behind it that much, just because the WWE never seemed to be behind Sami.

[abjordans]

I started going to NXT shows in late 2014, so I saw Sawyer Fulton try out no less than 10 gimmicks. He just wasn't very good. I wonder why they signed him?

[A Platypus Rave]

Dec 26, 2017 11:58:27 GMT -5 Ludwig Kaiser’s Walk said:

Didn't even know he was released lol

But, I could've seen it happening, but them not getting behind it that much, just because the WWE never seemed to be behind Sami.

Sami was the victim of really bad luck in the WWE.

Every time they started something with Sami, something else came up.

Either Sami's father dying, or he got massively injured... or his new Valet turns out to have posted a bunch of pro-nazi stuff...

[One-Armed Drummer of Defrebel]

TIL: Sanity was going to be OVE

[Lance Uppercut]

Looking at Solomon Crowe, couldn’t see it.

After seeing him as Leader of OVE, yeah I definitely can see it. Doesn’t even seem like the same guy

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Dec 26, 2017 12:03:59 GMT -5 abjordans said:

I started going to NXT shows in late 2014, so I saw Sawyer Fulton try out no less than 10 gimmicks. He just wasn't very good. I wonder why they signed him?

Because you just don't know if someone is going to be good until they're actually trained. Fulton was a 6'8" All-American who could presumably fulfill the physical tests and challenges they put people through at try-out, and that was enough for them to bring him in and see if there was something to be made of him. There wasn't, but they couldn't know that without trying first.

[A Platypus Rave]

Dec 26, 2017 15:35:46 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Dec 26, 2017 12:03:59 GMT -5 abjordans said:

I started going to NXT shows in late 2014, so I saw Sawyer Fulton try out no less than 10 gimmicks. He just wasn't very good. I wonder why they signed him?

Because you just don't know if someone is going to be good until they're actually trained. Fulton was a 6'8" All-American who could presumably fulfill the physical tests and challenges they put people through at try-out, and that was enough for them to bring him in and see if there was something to be made of him. There wasn't, but they couldn't know that without trying first.

Yeah... those 10 gimmicks happened in developmental... to try and see if they could develop him into something.

It's a shame as they finally found something for him with Sanity only for him to get injured early on... and then getting replaced by Dain .

[abjordans]

Dec 26, 2017 15:35:46 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Dec 26, 2017 12:03:59 GMT -5 abjordans said:

I started going to NXT shows in late 2014, so I saw Sawyer Fulton try out no less than 10 gimmicks. He just wasn't very good. I wonder why they signed him?

Because you just don't know if someone is going to be good until they're actually trained. Fulton was a 6'8" All-American who could presumably fulfill the physical tests and challenges they put people through at try-out, and that was enough for them to bring him in and see if there was something to be made of him. There wasn't, but they couldn't know that without trying first.

I just never really saw a lot of potential in him, I wonder what management saw that would make them think he would be a good pro wrestler.

[héad.casé]

Sawyer actually says in the rest of the piece i've linked to in the source that when he came back from injury he was told "back to square one" as far as gimmick ideas and starting over, and he told them he didn't want to do that again and asked for his release.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Dec 26, 2017 16:24:42 GMT -5 abjordans said:

Dec 26, 2017 15:35:46 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Because you just don't know if someone is going to be good until they're actually trained. Fulton was a 6'8" All-American who could presumably fulfill the physical tests and challenges they put people through at try-out, and that was enough for them to bring him in and see if there was something to be made of him. There wasn't, but they couldn't know that without trying first.

I just never really saw a lot of potential in him, I wonder what management saw that would make them think he would be a good pro wrestler.

That he was a 6'8" All-American.

[chazraps]

Dec 26, 2017 14:09:34 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Dec 26, 2017 11:58:27 GMT -5 Ludwig Kaiser’s Walk said:

Didn't even know he was released lol

But, I could've seen it happening, but them not getting behind it that much, just because the WWE never seemed to be behind Sami.

Sami was the victim of really bad luck in the WWE.

Every time they started something with Sami, something else came up.

Either Sami's father dying, or he got massively injured... or his new Valet turns out to have posted a bunch of pro-nazi stuff...

Additionally, there was such a disconnect between what Sami did in his promos/backstage and what he did inside the ring. Both were good-to-great on their own, but as the same character he never bridged the connection between the two.

I do think Sami is one of the best total package guys in the world right now, and the fact that he's creating promotions in territories where there hasn't been one for years and the rejuvenation he's broght to other promotions that have given him the book show what a great mind he has for the business.

[A Platypus Rave]

Dec 26, 2017 16:51:59 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Dec 26, 2017 14:09:34 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Sami was the victim of really bad luck in the WWE.

Every time they started something with Sami, something else came up.

Either Sami's father dying, or he got massively injured... or his new Valet turns out to have posted a bunch of pro-nazi stuff...

Additionally, there was such a disconnect between what Sami did in his promos/backstage and what he did inside the ring. Both were good-to-great on their own, but as the same character he never bridged the connection between the two.

I do think Sami is one of the best total package guys in the world right now, and the fact that he's creating promotions in territories where there hasn't been one for years and the rejuvenation he's broght to other promotions that have given him the book show what a great mind he has for the business.

On that front I never entirely understood how the hacker gimmick was supposed to transition into the ring.

The only real things I could think of would be hokey as hell.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Dec 26, 2017 16:51:59 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Dec 26, 2017 14:09:34 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Sami was the victim of really bad luck in the WWE.

Every time they started something with Sami, something else came up.

Either Sami's father dying, or he got massively injured... or his new Valet turns out to have posted a bunch of pro-nazi stuff...

Additionally, there was such a disconnect between what Sami did in his promos/backstage and what he did inside the ring. Both were good-to-great on their own, but as the same character he never bridged the connection between the two.

I do think Sami is one of the best total package guys in the world right now, and the fact that he's creating promotions in territories where there hasn't been one for years and the rejuvenation he's broght to other promotions that have given him the book show what a great mind he has for the business.

Sami is the kind of guy who this thriving indie scene was honestly made for; there's a lot of guys out there who can do great things but would thrive in a WWE environment and end up hitting it off great in there too, but Sami is a guy who's at his best outside of that and doing his own thing. Maybe he just didn't want to/couldn't adapt to the things about WWE he would have had to--like his former teammate Ambrose has to great effect--but on his own he's carving out something really great for himself away from WWE.

[Joe Neglia]

Dec 26, 2017 16:54:50 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Dec 26, 2017 16:51:59 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Additionally, there was such a disconnect between what Sami did in his promos/backstage and what he did inside the ring. Both were good-to-great on their own, but as the same character he never bridged the connection between the two.

I do think Sami is one of the best total package guys in the world right now, and the fact that he's creating promotions in territories where there hasn't been one for years and the rejuvenation he's broght to other promotions that have given him the book show what a great mind he has for the business.

On that front I never entirely understood how the hacker gimmick was supposed to transition into the ring.

The only real things I could think of would be hokey as hell.

Yeah, that was the biggest problem with the gimmick he tried to keep going forward with. He can hack into the Titantron? Fantastic. How's that gonna help him during a match? He's gonna run over to the commentator booth while he's getting his ass kicked and start wildly punching stuff into a computer hoping something comes up on the big screen to distract the guy wailing on him?

[Mozenrath]

Dec 26, 2017 14:09:34 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Dec 26, 2017 11:58:27 GMT -5 Ludwig Kaiser’s Walk said:

Didn't even know he was released lol

But, I could've seen it happening, but them not getting behind it that much, just because the WWE never seemed to be behind Sami.

Sami was the victim of really bad luck in the WWE.

Every time they started something with Sami, something else came up.

Either Sami's father dying, or he got massively injured... or his new Valet turns out to have posted a bunch of pro-nazi stuff...

Is he also married to or dating Havok? Add that to the list of problems he had. I want to say he quit not long after she didn't get hired.

[A Platypus Rave]

Dec 26, 2017 17:19:15 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Dec 26, 2017 14:09:34 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Sami was the victim of really bad luck in the WWE.

Every time they started something with Sami, something else came up.

Either Sami's father dying, or he got massively injured... or his new Valet turns out to have posted a bunch of pro-nazi stuff...

Is he also married to or dating Havok? Add that to the list of problems he had. I want to say he quit not long after she didn't get hired.

the stuff came out in June, he left in November.

[Mozenrath]

Dec 26, 2017 17:21:29 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Dec 26, 2017 17:19:15 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Is he also married to or dating Havok? Add that to the list of problems he had. I want to say he quit not long after she didn't get hired.

the stuff came out in June, he left in November.

Still can't imagine it helped his confidence in his WWE future.

[Deleted]

Dodged a bullet there, because Sami sucks.

[chazraps]

Dec 26, 2017 16:54:50 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Dec 26, 2017 16:51:59 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Additionally, there was such a disconnect between what Sami did in his promos/backstage and what he did inside the ring. Both were good-to-great on their own, but as the same character he never bridged the connection between the two.

I do think Sami is one of the best total package guys in the world right now, and the fact that he's creating promotions in territories where there hasn't been one for years and the rejuvenation he's broght to other promotions that have given him the book show what a great mind he has for the business.

On that front I never entirely understood how the hacker gimmick was supposed to transition into the ring.

The only real things I could think of would be hokey as hell.

I was referring not so much to the gimmick specifically, but the demeanor/tone of his persona vs what he actually did.

There was this brooding aggression to everything outside the ring, but in the ring he was a tazmanian devil from the jump. There was no clear distinction between whether he was a heel or face (same issue "the drifter" had) so we'd get this backstage promos of him threatening anarchy and unpredictability, but then one he hit the ring he'd be slapping the mat and looking for the fans' approval.

As for how the hacker gimmick itself could function (which, like I said, is a different conversation than the point I'm making but since it was brought up) there is a lot he can do with it. He can hack into phones to exploit weaknesses/stir up conflict, hack into the arena's lighting/electrical grids, hack into whatever controls the locks on cages and elimination chambers, hack into the Royal Rumble counter, hack into the referees' earpieces, hack into other wrestlers' history and personal lives, hack into their records and get them in legal trouble, hack into some offshore account to get money to bribe/payoff someone.

Then that character could later blossom into the type of hacker who could assembled a militant separatist group, or fall from grace and start a radical band of anti-tech militants, or what his access to all the knowledge and data in the world could lead him to study or where he could travel.

With how much technology is a part of every section of our day-to-day lives, let's not act like there's a limited cap as to how a hacker character can be a relevant part of WWE storylines and tied to today without being contrived or hokey. It's the most realistic way a character could have close-to omnipotent knowledge of his opponents with a threats that deep down we all to-some-degree have a fear of.