Damien Sandow: Do You Think He Has Potential?

[Speed Demon]

You make some valid points. But Sandow just doesn't do anything for me. And if I'm not mistaken the fans are like zombies when he comes out. There's like close to no reaction when he comes out. He needs to go back to FCW for a while before he comes back. I'm just saying.

[Ed Burns]

He couldn't generate a reaction if he lit a match in a gasoline refinery. Sandow sucks. by this time next year, he'll be future endeavored. Lord Tensai(Albert) is already being repackaged as we speak.

[Roy Arkon]

I've watched NXT this week, which was the first episode of the new NXT (which was really good, by the way) and Sandow was on the show. He came to a match but he didn't wrestle becasue he claimed that his opponent was unworthy, like he usually does, and he got huge a big reactiion from the crowd, there were also a lot of "WHAT?" chants there. Looks to that Sandow really starting to get over as a heel.

[Ed Burns]

The "What?" chants are common. Sandow isn't getting any type of reaction other than that. I still say the WWE "will wish Damien Sandow well in his future endeavors" within a year.

[Roy Arkon]

So what about "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"? What about "YOU SUCK!"? Those are the most common chants a heel can get, and almost every heel gets those chents שwithout an extra chents specifically adapted for them. So those heels are untalented too? I don't think so.

I think you judge Sandow way too fast. We should give him more time and then decide if he's good or not.

[Ed Burns]

I've been watching the business for 34 years now... I think I know a shit gimmick, and wrestler when I see one. Sandow is shit. The heat he gets is barely audible. He'll be future endeavored in a year. Genius gimmicks don't work. Ask Lanny Poffo...

[Roy Arkon]

Okay, so you a fan of this business for 34 years, that's double then me, and I respect that, but that doesn't mean you can judge a wrestler that fast without giving him a real chance. The history of this business is full of false judgment upon wrestlers, some were thought to be great and they eventually didn't, and some of them were thought to gone in obscurity and turned to be much more then that. On top of that, you can’t inclusive everyone who went through similar paths and claim that they will reach the same destination. And the most obscured thing is that you don’t give Sandow a real chance, he’s on the main roster for barely 3 months, give him some time dude.

[Ed Burns]

Sandow still = Idol Stevens... Same mannerisms, same awkward workrate in ring. That's all I'm gonna say. Just because he isn't a tag wrestler anymore, doesn't mean he's suddenly good now. His gimmick is more about character than in ring performance, which quite a few people would agree with me, especially friends of mine who are in the business, and that can wrestle extremely well...

Check out guys like Dave, and Jake Crist, AR Fox, Uhaa Nation, and A.C.H.. Hell, Colt Cabana deserves an opportunity too.

Sandow isn't shit compared to them, and they aren't even given a shot by the big leagues because they don't fit that certain mold. Although, Uhaa Nation could easily make the transition to WWE because he fits the look Vince loves.

Besides, how long was Sandow in FCW getting repackaged to his current gimmick? Roughly 3 years... That's hardly encouraging at all when you consider the fact that's the training league for the next "biggest" WWE Superstars.

[Roy Arkon]

Sandow still = Idol Stevens... Same mannerisms, same awkward workrate in ring. That's all I'm gonna say. Just because he isn't a tag wrestler anymore, doesn't mean he's suddenly good now. His gimmick is more about character than in ring performance, which quite a few people would agree with me, especially friends of mine who are in the business, and that can wrestle extremely well...

Check out guys like Dave, and Jake Crist, AR Fox, Uhaa Nation, and A.C.H.. Hell, Colt Cabana deserves an opportunity too.

Sandow isn't shit compared to them, and they aren't even given a shot by the big leagues because they don't fit that certain mold. Although, Uhaa Nation could easily make the transition to WWE because he fits the look Vince loves.

Besides, how long was Sandow in FCW getting repackaged to his current gimmick? Roughly 3 years... That's hardly encouraging at all when you consider the fact that's the training league for the next "biggest" WWE Superstars.

First of all, where the fuck you took the tag team wrestler thing from. I didn't talk about it not even once. Of course that he's not all of the sudden good just because he's no longer a tag team wrestler.

I talk about something completely different that you (no offense) probably tend to ignore. Sandow had to spend 3 years at FCW to get repackaged and that's who he has no potential? Then what about The Miz? What about Dolph Ziggler? I remember that at the beginning, both of them thought to be nowhere near the level that they are right now, and look how many years they spend to be rebuilt/repackaged and look how many fans admire and respect them now. Hell, Miz is now my second favorite wrestler from the younger top WWE stars only second to John Cena. So now Sandow is in the same position that they were. Of course I could be wrong and he maybe he will be gone into obscurity, but I'm not gonna disqualifying him from the start just because he needed so many years to get repackaged or because he still has to improve in some categories, because at least he does shows potential.

And as for your friends, they might be great wrestlers, but like you said, they don't fit the mold. The WWE focused on a much more storyline-based matches rather then move-based matches, which there is nothing wrong with it. Any promotion is focusing on something different and the WWE it's not the indies, and not every wrestler can tell a great story or portray a chacracter that the crowd would actually would pay tickets for. So WWE maybe dropping the ball on those guys, but Sandow is definitely deserve a shot.

[Ed Burns]

First of all, where the fuck you took the tag team wrestler thing from.

Because in a possible response to my Idol Stevens remark, I can see you bringing up he's not a Tag wrestler anymore. That's where the fuck I got that. I'm covering my bases.

You bring up Miz, and Mr. Ziggles. Both of which are good points... One's doing well, one's not. I'll elaborate on it. I'm also gonna list some other guys who were in WWE, had more potential, generated bigger reactions than Sandow, and are either being buried, or gone.

Nick Nemmeth was given a shit gimmick, and subsequently repackaged into Dolph Ziggler for a year in FCW between September 2007, and September 2008... Obviously he was a good prospect. Far better than Sandow since he was in FCW a year, and not 3 years like Sandow was. Ziggler has a good skill set, and very good technique. I also looked up his amateur days since he grew up in Cleveland. He was a regular in the State Wrestling Tourneys here in Ohio with a powerhouse St Edwards wrestling program. 2 National Titles for that program, plus setting records at Kent State proves that Mr. Ziggles is a success story.

Although with that said about Ziggler, if I remember correctly, Kenny Doane was supposed to be the best WWE projected prospect in the Spirit Squad. A huge mistake considering Ziggler's amateur background. Doane was the last member on WWE TV after the rest of the Spirit Squad were sent back to OVW, then FCW. At one point, he was engaged to Mickie James... Supposedly, James had an affair with Cena, which supposedly led to heat between him, and Cena. If this is true, then his mouth cost him his job. He's currently crying sour grapes as I write this.

Miz... Why have they been burying him? Oh yeah, because he's fucking Maryse. The dreaded relationship with a former Diva curse is burying him. Miz worked his ass off yes, and got much better, but now that his girlfriend is no longer with WWE, he's been buried. If you don't believe he's been buried, going from the Main Event at Wrestlemania 27, to a gimmick match at Mania 28 is a burial. It's happened to other guys like Bob Holly, Billy Kidman, and John Morrison in the past.

I'm gonna name some other names of guys who were in WWE, and received bigger pushes, were better than Sandow, and are gone...

John Morrison, Why is he gone? His girlfriend's Melina, as part of the doing a Diva Curse. Also dissing Trish Stratus 2 nights before working a Mixed Tag match with her, at Wrestlemania 27 will also get him in the WWE Doghouse, and later the Outhouse.

MVP... Gone. He's far better on the mic than Sandow, and nowhere near as sloppy in ring. They weren't pushing him, and he wanted out. He asked for his release, and is currently doing extremely well in Japan.

Brian Kendrick... Gone. This one's a shame really... I had the pleasure of meeting him a month ago, and he was very honest as to why WWE released him. He can fly, and wrestle any type of match. He was originally in line for an early HBK type push, then it faded, because he failed a piss test... It's funny, I remember him as Taker's bus boy in his very first appearance on Smackdown way back in 2002. He was also the first winner of Tough Enough.

Morrison, Miz, MVP, Kendrick, and Ziggler are all better than Sandow. So were Drew McIntyre, and Ted DiBiase Jr... Whatever happened with McIntyre, and DiBiase Jr.?

McIntyre was recently seen jobbing to Hacksaw Duggan, Sgt. Slaughter, and Santino in a 6 man tag match...

DiBiase's been MIA for months now, probably due to injury... Still, he was seen as the Golden boy just 3 short years ago. Funny he was also being speculated as the guy to end Taker's Streak in 2008 on this very Site...

You see, Sandow might deserve a shot, but I'll never be sold on him at all. He's far sloppier than all of the guys mentioned above, and his promos are worse than Morrison's were. Plus, the genius gimmick never works.

Matt Striker's didn't work, and he was a wonderful talker on Commentary.

Lanny Poffo can also attest to that, and he was a far better wrestler in his prime, and on the mic than one Damien Sandow. This will all be a moot point when Sandow's future endeavored, or completely buried into the opening match on Superstars on WWE.com.

The point being, he'll never be a guy you can build Smackdown, or Raw around. He'll also be a guy that will never make it out of the low to mid card level. The average WWE fan will not connect with that guy. He has to bring something to the ring that will separate him from the rest of the low to mid card talent, like the Usos, Alex Riley, Primo, Epico, Santino, etc... Currently he doesn't because he hasn't improved one bit technically in ring since his Idol Stevens days.

This is the last time I'm gonna be talking about Sandow. I'm gonna watch to see how it plays out. I believe I'll be completely right on this one. C'est La Vie.

[BAD01]

Well he in the World title MITB bank let see how deals with something like that.

[Ed Burns]

I think he's just there to fill space. Sandow isn't ready for that type of push... Not with all of the slop he elicits in ring right now. I think he's still a project. I think Cody Rhodes, and Dolph Ziggler could take the Smackdown MITB briefcase. They have 2 guys that can use that push, and the rub of winning the briefcase. Ziggler could probably use it more. I also think he's being positioned to turn face soon.

[Roy Arkon]

First of all, where the fuck you took the tag team wrestler thing from.

Because in a possible response to my Idol Stevens remark, I can see you bringing up he's not a Tag wrestler anymore. That's where the fuck I got that. I'm covering my bases.

You bring up Miz, and Mr. Ziggles. Both of which are good points... One's doing well, one's not. I'll elaborate on it. I'm also gonna list some other guys who were in WWE, had more potential, generated bigger reactions than Sandow, and are either being buried, or gone.

Nick Nemmeth was given a shit gimmick, and subsequently repackaged into Dolph Ziggler for a year in FCW between September 2007, and September 2008... Obviously he was a good prospect. Far better than Sandow since he was in FCW a year, and not 3 years like Sandow was. Ziggler has a good skill set, and very good technique. I also looked up his amateur days since he grew up in Cleveland. He was a regular in the State Wrestling Tourneys here in Ohio with a powerhouse St Edwards wrestling program. 2 National Titles for that program, plus setting records at Kent State proves that Mr. Ziggles is a success story.

Although with that said about Ziggler, if I remember correctly, Kenny Doane was supposed to be the best WWE projected prospect in the Spirit Squad. A huge mistake considering Ziggler's amateur background. Doane was the last member on WWE TV after the rest of the Spirit Squad were sent back to OVW, then FCW. At one point, he was engaged to Mickie James... Supposedly, James had an affair with Cena, which supposedly led to heat between him, and Cena. If this is true, then his mouth cost him his job. He's currently crying sour grapes as I write this.

Miz... Why have they been burying him? Oh yeah, because he's fucking Maryse. The dreaded relationship with a former Diva curse is burying him. Miz worked his ass off yes, and got much better, but now that his girlfriend is no longer with WWE, he's been buried. If you don't believe he's been buried, going from the Main Event at Wrestlemania 27, to a gimmick match at Mania 28 is a burial. It's happened to other guys like Bob Holly, Billy Kidman, and John Morrison in the past.

I'm gonna name some other names of guys who were in WWE, and received bigger pushes, were better than Sandow, and are gone...

John Morrison, Why is he gone? His girlfriend's Melina, as part of the doing a Diva Curse. Also dissing Trish Stratus 2 nights before working a Mixed Tag match with her, at Wrestlemania 27 will also get him in the WWE Doghouse, and later the Outhouse.

MVP... Gone. He's far better on the mic than Sandow, and nowhere near as sloppy in ring. They weren't pushing him, and he wanted out. He asked for his release, and is currently doing extremely well in Japan.

Brian Kendrick... Gone. This one's a shame really... I had the pleasure of meeting him a month ago, and he was very honest as to why WWE released him. He can fly, and wrestle any type of match. He was originally in line for an early HBK type push, then it faded, because he failed a piss test... It's funny, I remember him as Taker's bus boy in his very first appearance on Smackdown way back in 2002. He was also the first winner of Tough Enough.

Morrison, Miz, MVP, Kendrick, and Ziggler are all better than Sandow. So were Drew McIntyre, and Ted DiBiase Jr... Whatever happened with McIntyre, and DiBiase Jr.?

McIntyre was recently seen jobbing to Hacksaw Duggan, Sgt. Slaughter, and Santino in a 6 man tag match...

DiBiase's been MIA for months now, probably due to injury... Still, he was seen as the Golden boy just 3 short years ago. Funny he was also being speculated as the guy to end Taker's Streak in 2008 on this very Site...

You see, Sandow might deserve a shot, but I'll never be sold on him at all. He's far sloppier than all of the guys mentioned above, and his promos are worse than Morrison's were. Plus, the genius gimmick never works.

Matt Striker's didn't work, and he was a wonderful talker on Commentary.

Lanny Poffo can also attest to that, and he was a far better wrestler in his prime, and on the mic than one Damien Sandow. This will all be a moot point when Sandow's future endeavored, or completely buried into the opening match on Superstars on WWE.com.

The point being, he'll never be a guy you can build Smackdown, or Raw around. He'll also be a guy that will never make it out of the low to mid card level. The average WWE fan will not connect with that guy. He has to bring something to the ring that will separate him from the rest of the low to mid card talent, like the Usos, Alex Riley, Primo, Epico, Santino, etc... Currently he doesn't because he hasn't improved one bit technically in ring since his Idol Stevens days.

This is the last time I'm gonna be talking about Sandow. I'm gonna watch to see how it plays out. I believe I'll be completely right on this one. C'est La Vie.

Su you covered a point that obviously I didn't want fo make from the get go. No offense, but that really didn't make sense

All of the guys you mentioned were indeed burial or misused for no reason, but here is the thing, aside from the huge possibility that all of those backstage stories (Cena and Dykstra, the Diva curse and Morrison and Trish) are nothing but bullshit (I mean, why the fuck Miz and Morrison would be buried just because that are or were dating former WWE Divas? Last time I checked, neither Melina or Maryse are in TNA right now, and as for Cena and Dykstra there is no way it can be true) I can't disqualify Sandow just because that now, he's not as good as all those guys, because it's not a big deal to do that while he didn't got enough time to prove what he can do with this gimmick. I do gonna disqualify guys that were several months with the same character and didn't improve, like Hunico and Camacho, and even in their case, that's just with their current characters, maybe WWE will find new characters and then they will really shine.

Also, Just go back to Miz, he started to show his potential with the “Chick Magnet” gimmick, then he teamed up with Morrison, and then want to the “I'm Awesome” gimmick which eventually he won the WWE Title with (on the way there he also was on the “ShoMiz” Tag Team with Big Show). So he needed several characters to show his potential (not to mention the “Reality show kid” persona he had before) and go to win the win the Gold.

I said this before, Sandow does have a long way too go, but at the very least he shows some potential. The point here is that Sandow shows some sort of potential and he can either make this gimmick to be something big (just because that others failed with it that doesn't mean he will), or he can go throughout several characters, or he can really be buried and then be future endeavored. Each case has on point, that's all I'm saying.

[Ed Burns]

"Su you covered a point that obviously I didn't want fo make from the get go. No offense, but that really didn't make sense"

I understand where you're coming from... I'm just sticking to my original thoughts of him.

No offense taken... Also no offense, because it made total sense to bring that up, as it's still a possible angle you'd use. Sandow is still Idol Stevens... He used to be a below average tag wrestler, just as he's now a below average singles wrestler.

The dating a Divas thing is fact. Morrison, Bob Holly, and others are gone due to that. Whether it's believed or not is irrelevant. Morrison had even stated that once Melina was released, his push disappeared. He also said he stood up for Melina to be used at Wrestlemania 27 instead of Snookie. He also said that contributed to his burial, and subsequent release. You see Roy, this is what is also called Backstage politics. Whether you want to believe it, or it makes no sense to you is irrelevant. It's part of the backstage b.s. that routinely happens in the business. Besides, when considering Morrison, he was in the type of shape Vince likes, and he had plenty of talent. He couldn't cut a promo if he tried, but he still delivered in ring, especially against guys like Ziggler.

Sandow still needs work yes, yet he's essentially been a 4 year project now from tag wrestler to the shit gimmick they've given him now. In a multi-Million dollar Company, I think it's a total waste to continue on a guy that will never make it out of the lower to mid card level. I'm sticking with my opinion of him. Now, I'm done with him. Say what you will, say what you want, I still believe I'll be right in the end on him... He just reminds me of an intellectual version of the Kizarny character.

[Roy Arkon]

I aware to the backstage politics, thank you very much, and yuo should already know that, we talk about backstage politics in the past. It's just that unlike some people, I don't buy every story or rumor that goes around the Internet and the so-called fucking shitty "news sites", but now you brought up that Morrison stated himself the story about his burial and his release as well as Melina's so now I believe that story, although that I'm gonna put the Miz's story under the same category until he says that himself, and it's not that I'm denying the backstage politics in general, I'm just not hurry to jump to conclusions, every case has it's own story,

And as for Sandow, all I said is that he has potential, and yes, it might took longer for him to come to the main roster, but he did got there eventually, and a lo isn't the only wrestler who had to suffer from obstacles and mediocrity to get where they are now, no matter how long it took. So even if it took longer for Sandow, he still might reach to the top someday, and like I said, I could be wrong.

You think he doesn't have potential, I do, and I don't try to force you to agree with me and don't try to be right here, It's not a contest you know.

[Speed Demon]

I'll admit. I was wrong about Sandow. In some ways. His promo skills are good, he has a little aggression, I like that, and Rhodes Scholars were a good tag team for a while, though I'm glad they split. They're better as singles competitors. However, I still think he could increase his arsenal a little. But other than that, he's doing his job as a heel. Went to a wrestling show this past December and their reaction to him wasn't dead.

[Ed Burns]

I'm still skeptical of him. Yes he garners a reaction, but he gets buried at times, and at others he gets a bit of a push. I still see slop from him to in some of his movements, but hey, guys like The Miz still have slop in their arsenal, so why not push him? It could be worse, it could be Brodus Clay being pushed.