A Stable Of "Shooters?"

[Jack-Hammer]

There's a report from the WON stating that WWE is considering using a stable comprised of wrestlers who have a genuine background as mat technicians for SmackDown. The idea is that these wrestlers would be something like what we saw in the late 80s in WCW with the Varsity Club. The report states that that, ideally, the stable would include Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger. Of course, Benjamin is on the shelf for 6 months due o rotator cuff surgery, but there's talk he may still head to WWE. The report goes onto further state that there was a plan, at one time, in NXT to have Chad Gable lead such a stable but the idea was dropped because Vince, allegedly, doesn't like those sorts of gimmicks and that it would hurt everyone involved.

I don't know if this report means that Vince himself personally nixed the idea for Gable or if Triple H ultimately nixed the idea because he knows Vince so well. If it's the latter, then I get the sense that Triple H dropped the idea because even if Vince wouldn't oppose the idea, it wouldn't do Gable any favors once he'd left NXT for the main roster.

To me, it sounds like it could be a fun idea if it was treated as a serious group. If such a group was to start as part of the blue brand, I could see Ziggler, Swagger and, possibly, American Alpha as part of it though AA's membership would depend on whether or not it'd be a heel faction. The problem, as in many cases, is, if this report is true, Vince himself because such a group probably wouldn't be given much of any real opportunity if Vince really isn't into that sort of stable gimmick; truth be told, it's not really the job of WWE's creative teams to please the audience, it's ultimately to please Vince. If true, then it probably wouldn't be long before the faction was made into a group of comedy jobbers.

 

[enviousdominous]

Smackdown has always seemed to represent a more technical style of ring work, I think Vince would allow the stable to exist if only to make Smackdown more of a niche brand in the pro-wrestling world.

I don't see AA staying together for too much longer. Yeah, I know; they're way over with the crowd and there's only a handful of tag-teams on Smackdown already. Chad Gable's "it" factor is bigger than the potency of the group. I think that if there was a stable of amateur wrestling enthusiasts, its success would depend on if it could get someone as endearing as Chad Gable in the mix.

 

[King Patrick Star]

I think a stable consisting of Jack Swagger as the leader, Dolph Ziggler as the mid-carder, and American Alpha as the Tag Team would be very patriotic.

The only piece missing is a manager. There is only one guy I can think of that should manage this stable…

Just kidding. It should be…

 

[George Steele's Barber]

While it is not a horrible idea, the cast is brutal. Jack Swagger has no business in a serious role. He's let his country down repeatedly when he has had a chance to perform. He has lost all cache with the WWE audience.

Ziggler just doesn't fit despite his amateur background. He is not a mat guy in the slightest. He is a whirling dervish. People that want to see him want to see him fly around and kill himself not a double leg takedown.

Same story with Benjamin as Ziggler.

Jordan and Cable maybe fit this mold but they haven't really established themselves yet so they are still malleable. Although I will say that their popularity makes me think they should stay on their own and do their own thing. Side note: I hear Gable getting all the praise but I think Jordan has way more upside.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

The success recipe for any stable to work is: the leader must be someone the fans and the creative care about and win championships in order to legitimaze the stable. I see neither Ziggler or Swagger winning any gold, so thank god the idea was dropped.

Also, in a stable of 4 people, you have the tag team, the midcarder and the leader, who's in the main event scene. (That's why LON failed so hard, they were all on the same level). In a stable of 3, you have the leader, who can be a midcarder or a main eventer and the tag team.

Now, what would be money, is this: American Alpha and Kurt Angle vs Ziggler, Benjamin and Crews. Now that's a feud I wanna see.

 

[Dave]

I don't like the idea at all. As some have pointed out, the cast is terrible. Ziggler isn't exactly known for being like Kurt Angle or Chris Benoit. Hell, as much as he wants to be, he isn't even in the same league as Shawn Michaels. Benjamin is probably the best of the lot but this group would kill his momentum after he returned to the WWE. Swagger is as done as he can be in the WWE. The WWE might want to treat him like the exultant talent of Smackdown Live now that he's over there. But it's not going to be anything more than putting people over. If it is to be Gable that joins the group, then that would really annoy me. Gable and Jordan have the potential to be a great team and I'd hate to see Gable thrown into this group with little consideration for his future.

That said, if Kurt Angle were to be a part of this, then I might be inclined to think a little differently. Angle might lend a little bit of credibility to the stable. But I'd rather see him taking on the best that there is to offer, rather than sticking around, mostly, no-hopers.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

The only problem I have with this stable is exactly the same I had with League of Nations, as in every guy that's in it, is considered by their booking and their focus a "midcarder for life", the only difference I see here is that Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler and Shelton Benjamin are more entertaining to watch.

I mean, Swagger and Benjamin have not been in my radar for years now so having them on television is a breath of fresh air. It helps that both guys are solid workers in their own rights, even if they don't have the same skills on the mic as they do in the ring. As for Ziggler, I think people are being really hard on him. Sure, I don't want to see him take any title from any of the guys currently holding it, but his recent push and feuds kinda made him at least relevant enough for me to care about what he does next.

So with that said, if the WWE treats them in a fair matter, I wouldn't mind at all it's existence. I'm pretty confident that SmackDown would make me care for them and maybe that could mean a different side of Ziggler/Swagger or Benjamin we haven't seen. If anything, I hope this gets a leader of the stable even if by booking matters, they are on the same level. Having a leader just gives it more storyline opportunities for the future in case one of the other two starts to get over.

Any stable can work if the talent is good enough. Evolution made Batista a star when he was still green as grass, so why can't this be the catapult that Ziggler or Swagger needs to be an established main eventer?