Why haven't they tried to put the "Albert" chant over as something that BOTHERS Tensai because that's not who he is anymore, like the "Aldo" chant for Justin Tolerable (tm Sean Shannon)?
Because WWE is apparently dead set against admitting that anyone other than themselves has a usable idea for getting someone over. Otherwise, yeah, the logical thing would be for Tensai to just be like "Yeah, I was Albert, now I'm not, so fuck off" and then go from there.
Along a similar line, you mentioned that if the Sheepherders hadn't become a comedy act in WWE, that Paul E probably could have revived their careers in ECW. Wouldn't they have been prime material for a "Borne Again"-type gimmick, regardless?
From a creative standpoint, perhaps, but they've been doing quite well on the indy circuit with the silly Bushwacker gimmick since leaving WWE, and it's not like Heyman would have been able to pay them very well anyway.
If the WWE could do it all over again, they should have debuted Tensai as the bodyguard for Sakamoto. Eventually, they dump Sakamoto and push Tensai.
ReplyDeleteThat's the big thing that bugged me about Tensai, he did not react to the "Albert" chants at all. It would have gone a long way toward getting him over if he reacted to the chants because it would have gotten the fans into the matches and even the folks who were not familiar with his stint as Albert would have started chanting if he showed that those chants annoyed him. Instead he's just this stoic warrior and while that approach works in Japan in America fans expect some type of interaction with them. So instead of encouraging the fans to play annoy the heel, they just sit on their hands whenever he comes out.
ReplyDeletehow would that help?
ReplyDeleteI say that because you put Sakamoto in the spotlight and make him the main attraction in the team. While Tensai stands behind him playing the role of bodyguard.
ReplyDeleteYou expose Sakamoto to the crowds and they see how average he is and they become more interested in seeing the big bodyguard Tensai. You then initiate the phasing out of Sakamoto and push Tensai.
I am copying the idea from back in the day with Shawn Michaels and Diesel.a
The Tensai thing reminds me of the whole Steamboat from 91 where they didn't want to acknowledge that The DRAGON was Ricky Steamboat.
ReplyDeleteWhat a dumb company.
It really is amazing how they operate in WWE. Pretty much ANYONE could have told them that this Tensai thing wasn't going to get over...
ReplyDeleteShawn Michaels was nowhere mediocre, plus Diesel was virtually an unknown who looked cool and was effective at his job guarding someone who really did not need it, both got over as a result. I doubt your idea of Sakamoto with Tensai as the bodyguard would have been as effective. They should have just acknowledged that Tensai was Albert and give him some time to introduce and explain the character rather than putting him in front of the audience expecting them to care.
ReplyDeleteI was actually really interested in the "Lord Tensai" gimmick when it debuted, as I thought there was a cool story to tell there: a guy isn't good enough at first, travels the world gaining knowledge and experience, and then returns home to finish climbing the mountain.
ReplyDeleteProblem is, they didn't bother telling the story; he's just some fat white guy that pretends to be Japanese. There's no context for who he actually is. For instance, why does he only speak Japanese? Is it because he only knows one language (for instance, maybe he had white parents that moved to Japan and then gave birth to him once they were over there), or is it because he is disgusted by anything American?
He beat up John Cena, so he's a bad person. That's his character.
ReplyDeleteVince loves gettin those bodyguards over.
ReplyDeleteI think in the history of the WWE, only Curtis Hughes and Bull Buchanan never got a push.
Chyna
Diesel
Sid
Test
Zeke
damn... shit on his reasoning why dont you.
ReplyDeleteIt was feasible.
Poor Bloom, he was going to be the big evil monster of the year...and then a less than part timer swung in and stole his thunder for probably 10x the money he gets paid.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what they could do to save that character now. No one cares, and trying to develop a back story when he's already been around for 4 months seems kind of backward.
The Bushwackers had a cameo in ECW. I remember they came out with the Dudley Boyz intro'd as Cousin Luke Dudley & Cousin Butch Dudley from Down Under Dudleyville. They helped the Dudleys beat up Dreamer.
ReplyDeleteAlso add Berlyn and The Wall from WCW 1999.
ReplyDeleteexpect him to win the whc soon then...
ReplyDeleteit worked for hogans foes...
ReplyDeleteThe lack of acknowledgement of Albert's past and his transformation into Tensai killed the character. They should have built up his return and done a couple of sit down interviews (why the fuck don't they do that anymore?) to explain his transformation overseas and set up his new character in order to give him depth. That would have given him something to push as he feuded with Cena as far as him wanting to prove he's better than Cena and having the chip on his shoulder about being the best after years in the WWE as Albert and being treated like a joke.
ReplyDeleteThey really should have had him do a variation of Damien Sandow's character in which he constantly reminds the fans that Japanese fans were more respectful and he was treated with more respect over there. That would have riled them up and got them to react. You're right Jesse, they should of had short interviews explaining his stint as Albert and how he went to Japan to recreate himself and how he gained appreciation of Japanese culture. All of those things wouild have pro
ReplyDeleteBull kinda got a push as tag champs with Godfather during the Right to Censor, he was basically Stevie's heavy.
ReplyDeleteThey should've given him more facepaint or a mask and not even let the fact that he was Albert be brought to the forefront. Some people would know but it'd lose its steam when the handful of people chanting "Albert" would have to turn and explain it to everyone around them that doesn't get it.
ReplyDeleteTensai would have been a solid heel to stick in a program with undertaker back when he worked full time. He could have stolen the urn or jumped taker etc
ReplyDelete