Would a sports gimmick work?

Now I've had this idea for a couple of days, a gimmick that is based on a different sport. For a new guy who comes in could say he has come from another sport because he was too violent, he just wanted to fight.

My original idea was someone who played baseball, he comes to ring with a baseball bat, uses it in matches, think Finlay with the shillalegh. He could use baseball terms in his promos and get some heat with the crowd in America wherever in the country they may be.

But I actually thought an Amercian Football player could work better, all you need is a powerhouse wrestler who comes to the ring in all the gear, uses american football terms in his promos etc.

Of course, this wouldn't be as interesting for us over here or to someone not into sports, but as a starter gimmick I think it could get a heel some decent heat, and could get them pretty over pretty quickly.

I might just be imagining this but they tried this with Paul Burchill and a rugby gimick, now I think the reason that didn't get over was because it wasn't a sport the crowd could relate to, they don't really know much about it so therefore it's not likely to get a big reaction, but a baseball or American Football one could.

Now I would hope they would phase out of the gimmick eventually as they rose through the ranks, but as a character to get them started I think it could work very well.

Thoughts?

Didn't wwe already try this wiyh an ice hockey player? I can't remember his name but he was on greatest stars of the 90s in a montage of failed gimmicks.

a disappointed sports gimmick would probably work in TNA where a team he plays for are so crap he cant handle it so he comes to TNA to take his anger out on the wrestlers instead of his teammates he'll be a heel from a team in florida (home of the iMPACT zone) just to piss them off only see it working for 5-6 months though

They've tried it before, kind of, with a mid-90's chap called Ahmed Johnson, who played for the Dallas Cowboys, I think. he was launched with the premise that he found the NFL too easy, and moved to the WWF to find real competition.

The extent of Burchill and rugby was MIchael Cole mentioning it on commentary, it wasn't a huge part of his character - unlike incest.

The one problem I see with using an American football player in all the gear is that he'd be in huge pads, helmet, and all that. if no-one else is wearning pads and safety gear, doesn't that make him look like a wimp from the start?

The Goon!

There was also the original MVP (Most Violent Player ) Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz, who was a heel baseball player portrayed by none other than Steve Lombardi AKA The Brooklyn Brawler.

Can't say either gimmick really did them any good, they're very "gimmicky" gimmicks, if you know what I mean. He's got to have a uniform, a weapon, work references of the sport into promos etc. It's not something I would take seriously myself. And if I don't take a gimmick seriously, I won't take the wrestler seriously.

Mero was a boxer...and shit at wrestling too, suppose boxing is violent enough though.

I actually think if someone like Wayne Rooney took it up it could actually work somehow, he'd be like this radgey bull fella and could disown "soccer".

Like it

50 meter backstroke swimmer who kept drowning his oppo, like it

boschbourne06 wrote:

a disappointed sports gimmick would probably work in TNA where a team he plays for are so crap he cant handle it so he comes to TNA to take his anger out on the wrestlers instead of his teammates he'll be a heel from a team in florida (home of the iMPACT zone) just to piss them off only see it working for 5-6 months though

Didn't TNA do that with that Pac Man dude a couple of year's ago? He was suspended from NFL, went to TNA to kick some arse, but wasn't allowed to 'be touched'... FAIL!

jeff supports the titans, he's had a few of their players in matches and as managers.

was stupid though as titans said he couldnt wrestle incase he got injured

MaFish wrote:

boschbourne06 wrote:

a disappointed sports gimmick would probably work in TNA where a team he plays for are so crap he cant handle it so he comes to TNA to take his anger out on the wrestlers instead of his teammates he'll be a heel from a team in florida (home of the iMPACT zone) just to piss them off only see it working for 5-6 months though

Didn't TNA do that with that Pac Man dude a couple of year's ago? He was suspended from NFL, went to TNA to kick some arse, but wasn't allowed to 'be touched'... FAIL!

before my time in watching TNA but i watched some stuff on youtube and it was utter crap

MaFish wrote:

boschbourne06 wrote:

a disappointed sports gimmick would probably work in TNA where a team he plays for are so crap he cant handle it so he comes to TNA to take his anger out on the wrestlers instead of his teammates he'll be a heel from a team in florida (home of the iMPACT zone) just to piss them off only see it working for 5-6 months though

Didn't TNA do that with that Pac Man dude a couple of year's ago? He was suspended from NFL, went to TNA to kick some arse, but wasn't allowed to 'be touched'... FAIL!

then raped and beat up some strippers and hookers.classy.

As has been said, not really sure it would work, its failed almost everytime they have tried it and MVP is basically doing a similar type of character now, which is succeeding

Maybe a football hooligan could work, not got a clue how they could go about it though

but is hoolagism the same in american soccer or american football?

there just as pasionate but im pretty sure they dotn fight as much but if they brang in a football skin head british hoolagism as part of the manchester "franchise" fans could have short lasted sucess

Well they are absolutely crazy in South America, I'm sure a serious of vignets like the show Danny Dyre did on Bravo for his Hooligan show should get over how mental it is

they even shoot their own players lol

Escobar

true saw a programme about the river boca rivalry recentley quite frighteningly mainly fireworks and flares and knifes not good ole british nuckle fights

British don't get into much of that either, Green Streets has a lot to answer for, I've saw plenty of rucks away from home but its mainly just throwing bottles at each other

gills had a chair lobbing fight in the open air stand so gillingham were banned from sitting in the same stand as away fans so now away fans have thier own stand the only stand with no rood

leeds also started a fight with us a while ago

Worst of all swindon but i need not say no more about swindon and gillinghams rivalry thats common knowledge

Not saying it doesn't happen, it does, but its mostly just bottle throwing from what I've seen

junior your fans being mugs doesnt make you any cooler


the thing is nowadays the kids do the verbals but the old "big fighting" clubs still bash the shit out of them, so you get 40 year old meat heads twatting 15 yr olds, its fucking stupid.

stockport tried to fuck crewe fans up but failed this season lol