Cryme Tyme- Still Not Funny

[Slim Pickns]

I had Heat on WWE.com playing while I opened the gym this morning which featured Shad vs Charlie Haas as the opening match. After Cryme Tyme cut a promo the only thing going through my head was "why were these two brought back?"

They have been cutting the same promos and they still auction something to the crowd that they stole from someone. These things were not even funny in the promos that were played before they debuted, yet alone a year later after hearing them every week. They don't wrestle on RAW but they appear every week with their stupid auctions. I know the RAW tag division is a joke anyway, but I think they can do better than this. I think Shad may have potential as a singles star if he can break away from the stale and unfunny stereotype he is portraying now.

Does anyone here find Cryme Tyme even mildly entertaining? Is there anyway this gimmick can add another dimension?

Sad Fact- "Hey look, we stole this now we are going to sell it. Money, Money, YEAH YEAH! I just summed up Cryme Tyme's entire year plus WWE run.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Yea Slim is right. This wouldve been an OK thing to start with. But characters are supposed to develop in time. ESPECIALLY when they do some ridiculous shit like this. But then again, you have to think about target audiences, and younger kids, and young teens. Its probably absolutely hilarious to them, and doesnt ever get old. I also agree with you on the why the fuck did they come back thing. HEAT?? ALREADY?? Why the fuck even bring them back......

 

[Slim Pickns]

Yea Slim is right. This wouldve been an OK thing to start with. But characters are supposed to develop in time. ESPECIALLY when they do some ridiculous shit like this. But then again, you have to think about target audiences, and younger kids, and young teens. Its probably absolutely hilarious to them, and doesnt ever get old. I also agree with you on the why the fuck did they come back thing. HEAT?? ALREADY?? Why the fuck even bring them back......

Thats true, when they did the Money Money chant it showed numerous kids (and stupid looking adults) going YEAH YEAH with big smiles on there face. The funny thing is that the Gansta stereotype was old before Cryme Tyme even debuted. Jamie Kennedy and MTV glorified it forever. I never found it funny to begin with which is probably why I hate Cryme Tyme even more.

The sad fact is that Shad has potential. He's big, strong, in great shape, and can put on a decent match. Heat was the first time I noticed that you can tell Shad is really nothing like the stereotype he portrays. If WWE were smart, they'd break these two up, repackage them and send Shad to Smackdown and see what happens.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I even Like JTG as a singles guy too. pretty athletic, and has good charisma. Only problem is the WWE can only seem to figure out about 3 different gimmicks for black guys which are : cocky athlete, mean,Militant black guy, and.....oh shit, I guess its only two. You break them up, and they just get thrown into the heap of underused black guys that WWE already has, becuase of the same problem.

 

[Slim Pickns]

I even Like JTG as a singles guy too. pretty athletic, and has good charisma. Only problem is the WWE can only seem to figure out about 3 different gimmicks for black guys which are : cocky athlete, mean,Militant black guy, and.....oh shit, I guess its only two. You break them up, and they just get thrown into the heap of underused black guys that WWE already has, becuase of the same problem.

Thank god Kofi Kingston is Jamaican or he would sufer the same thing too. Right now though, its justified for the others. Kofi, Shelton Benjamin, Elijah Burke, and MVP are probably the best athletes in the WWE so the gimmicks fit them. Cryme Tyme wouldn't necessarily have to go down the same road.

Shad could take on a number of gimmicks, including something like a hired henchmen of sort for Vince or Regal. I know that has been done to death but it always seems to get a reaction. He would also be taken more seriously. JTG has little chance for a singles career as long as the CW title is out of commision.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Eh it would just make him like another Mark Henry really. Which BTW, would be a sweet tag team. Call them Black pain or something ridiculous like that . seriously, WWE creative is SO damn unimaginative with these guys its digusting.

 

[JazzyJB05]

Shad has a lot of potential. Cryme tyme has a lot of potential too,but for some reason WWE' 600 writers cant seem to figure out how to properly use its talent. I think Shad can be a great heel, because like the other guys said, his persona is not the "gangsta" type

 

[Slim Pickns]

Eh it would just make him like another Mark Henry really. Which BTW, would be a sweet tag team. Call them Black pain or something ridiculous like that . seriously, WWE creative is SO damn unimaginative with these guys its digusting.

Just because he becomes a bodyguard doesn't mean he can't retain his charisma. He could use his experience from his real life bouncer stint to portray himself. He could just have that cocky, you mess with my boy you mess with me look all the time. If he guards Regal or Vince it would be instant heat too. You play a lot of Smackdown so you know he used to be a bodyguard for celebritys. I doubt he did that job without charisma.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Slim, the only problem is, me and you dont work for the WWE creative team (yet). I know he could do plenty else. Shit, ive got him as a singles character in my game. Mulit time IC champ in fact. Im telling you what would happen to them with WWE's creative team if they got split up. Which would be them never being on TV except to get get squashed in "the whole brand Vs Triple H and John Cena" matches.

 

[Father:_Polley]

On that note...there's a vacancy guys.
But yeah, it's the same thing every week with the selling things and then auctioning them. money money yeah yeah??? really. why do they even bother with this.

at least with the likes of carlito and santino, you know that there's something different and funny coming.
the saddest part is that they are both reasonably talented except for the fact that Creative just have no idea how to use people

 

[RVDgurl]

Obviously I will be standing on my own here, but I don't mind Cryme Tyme. Are they funny? Not exactly, but they have personality and charisma and appear to have some skill in the ring. They are one of the few traditional tag teams left in a very dispondent tag team division. I would much rather watch them then see the Highlanders or Cade & Murdoch, both of which bore me to death.
I do agree that their gimmick could use a little tweeking, but these guys work well as a team and the WWE desperately needs to push their teams instead of breaking them up. Cryme Tyme should be used as a building block for repairing the tag team division.

 

[Slim Pickns]

Obviously I will be standing on my own here, but I don't mind Cryme Tyme. Are they funny? Not exactly, but they have personality and charisma and appear to have some skill in the ring. They are one of the few traditional tag teams left in a very dispondent tag team division. I would much rather watch them then see the Highlanders or Cade & Murdoch, both of which bore me to death.
I do agree that their gimmick could use a little tweeking, but these guys work well as a team and the WWE desperately needs to push their teams instead of breaking them up. Cryme Tyme should be used as a building block for repairing the tag team division.

I disagree for only one reason. I'm not as optimistic about the tag division as you are. Lets say, we tweak their gimmick and will build the tag division around them. Who do they face? You just named two of the only three proper teams on RAW, and they bore you to death. I think these two, Shad especially, have potential. However, Tag Teams in the WWE are crapped all over. Even the Tag Champions don't appear on PPV's or even RAW most of the time. If we split Cade and Murdoch they would most likely flop as singles stars, same with London and Kendrick. So keep them, introduce some new tag teams and let Shad shine as a singles star.

 

[RVDgurl]

I disagree for only one reason. I'm not as optimistic about the tag division as you are. Lets say, we tweak their gimmick and will build the tag division around them. Who do they face? You just named two of the only three proper teams on RAW, and they bore you to death. I think these two, Shad especially, have potential. However, Tag Teams in the WWE are crapped all over. Even the Tag Champions don't appear on PPV's or even RAW most of the time. If we split Cade and Murdoch they would most likely flop as singles stars, same with London and Kendrick. So keep them, introduce some new tag teams and let Shad shine as a singles star.

I am only optimistic because I enjoy tag team wrestling. I really don't hold out much hope that the WWE will resurrect the division properly. However, there are 4 proper tag teams on RAW and there are other worthy teams on SD and ECW. I think it would be wise to move the tag team division to one brand. In my eyes, this is the only way to build up a strong division.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

What they do with the tag division fucking frustrates me to the point of wanting to grab someone by the neck and shake them like a baby.

FUCKING UNIFY THE DAMN MOTHERFUCKING BELTS!!!

FUCK!!!

There isnt ONE negative to doing this. It gives them the most amount of overall teams to fight for it, gives helps with the oversaturation of titles, and instantly restores at least a measure of prestige to them, since they would be the only multi brand belts. I mean fuck, they already have the WWE tag champs fighting on both SD! and ECW why not just go all the way and finally make this division half worth shit??

Its just mind boggling to me. Makes no sense

 

[Slim Pickns]

I am only optimistic because I enjoy tag team wrestling. I really don't hold out much hope that the WWE will resurrect the division properly. However, there are 4 proper tag teams on RAW and there are other worthy teams on SD and ECW. I think it would be wise to move the tag team division to one brand. In my eyes, this is the only way to build up a strong division.

Thats a good idea, but they'd never do it. It be a step towards ending the brand extension and they obviously don't want that. The WWE can hardly justify one tag team title let along two so having Morrison and Miz defeat Holly and Rhodes to unfiy the titles makes sense. Then they could have a bunch of different tag feuds at once. Remember the Summerslams and Wrestlemanias in the early 90's? When the Hart Foundation would go against a team like Demolition and the Brain Busters could go against the Rockers on the same card. Then Survivor Series would have 5 Tag Teams against 5 Tag Teams in an Elimination match. I don't think the WWE has 10 teams right now.

If the WWE signed some indy teams, even if it was just to put over the current teams, they could restore tag team wrestling to at least half of what it was then. They need proper teams, not four singles stars competing in tag matches.

 

[RVDgurl]

What they do with the tag division fucking frustrates me to the point of wanting to grab someone by the neck and shake them like a baby.

FUCKING UNIFY THE DAMN MOTHERFUCKING BELTS!!!

FUCK!!!

There isnt ONE negative to doing this. It gives them the most amount of overall teams to fight for it, gives helps with the oversaturation of titles, and instantly restores at least a measure of prestige to them, since they would be the only multi brand belts. I mean fuck, they already have the WWE tag champs fighting on both SD! and ECW why not just go all the way and finally make this division half worth shit??

Its just mind boggling to me. Makes no sense

THANK YOU!!! That's my whole point. I would be completely annoyed by Cryme Tyme is they existed back in the days of Demolition, the Hart Foundation, or the British Bulldogs when there were great teams. However, the current state of the tag team division makes them much more tolerable.

Unification of the belts is the smartest thing the WWE could ever if the tag division is going to survive. It is disturbingly pointless to scatter 3 or 4 teams on each brand.

 

[Slim Pickns]

THANK YOU!!! That's my whole point. I would be completely annoyed by Cryme Tyme is they existed back in the days of Demolition, the Hart Foundation, or the British Bulldogs when there were great teams. However, the current state of the tag team division makes them much more tolerable.

Unification of the belts is the smartest thing the WWE could ever if the tag division is going to survive. It is disturbingly pointless to scatter 3 or 4 teams on each brand.

I am all for unifying the belts, but getting a number of new tag teams wouldn't be a bad second option. The WWE is obviously set on having two tag titles. So what they now need is proper tag teams. Either bring in new ones, or build up your current ones by having them *gasp* win matches. You can't do it over night, but if they would have started bringing teams in last year at this time, think of where the tag division could be.

Back in the day if the Hart Foundation or Demolition were tag champs and teamed up to take on the WWF Champion (Hulk Hogan) and the Intercontinental Champion (Ultimate Warrior or Mr Perfect) it would be a close match. The announcers would say how the Harts or Demoltion have the advantage because they work tag matches. They would still most likely lose or it would be a draw but they would look strong. If the Tag Champs today took on Triple H and Jericho it would be a two minute squash. Hell, Cade and Murdoch lost a handicap match to HHH and a 30 second squash to Batista and Taker when they were champs.

If we can't have the titles combined, we need more credible tag teams. I don't enjoy the Cryme Tyme gimmick, but at least they are credible. Lets give them a mean streak, have them crush the Highlanders and then feud with London and Kendrick. Give us something WWE.

 

[buddy_z34]

Cryme Tyme only came back IMO because the WWE didnt have many black wrestlers and came amist all this Michael Hayes stuff. i agree that their gimmick is so over used. change it up a bit, have Shad could turn on JTG like it always happens in the "hood". bring in a new black diva and have them fight over her. something different atleast.

or even better yet create a stable with Cryme Tyme. add in Ron Killings when he gets back and possibly throw in Burke since the WWE doesnt give him a push. sorta like the Nation of Domaination back then with the Rock and Ron Simmons with D-Lo Brown. dont know what their name would be but its a start. have them feud with another stable or white wrestlers. i dont know if the WWE would do a race angle but it would get people talking and would cause a media stir.

have them feud with Cade and Murdoch, Mike Knox and Snitsky. dont know which one of those guys would do the mic portion of the contest but Cade could be easily replaced with Matt Stricker since Cade is going to go singles action.

 

[Canadian Knight]

I think they are alittle funny, but they should do something else like make them a force to be reckoned with. Make them bad a@@. You need a tag team that others should fear. Or have the fans think oh great trouble is coming for that tag team.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Yet another example of WWE's need to use racial stereotypes to get ratings, which DOESN'T WORK!!! Cryme Time aren't funny, but i don't watch wrestling to laugh, i watch it for wrestling, and i can't say i've seen any awe inspiring tag wrestling from Cryme Time either. It's usually 75% JTG and 25% Shad, and i don't think i've eva seen a Shad singles match either. Is that jus to hide his lack of wrestling ability much like they did with Nate Jones when he first came along? 'Hey you're gonna tag with Taker in your first match at WM, oh wait you can't wrestle, better kayfaybe have u knocked out and do a couple of kicks during a run in instead.' This time it seems to be, 'Hey, you're gonna b a tag team, except the big guy isn't gonna do anything ever.'

I may very well b wrong, but that's my view based on what i've seen. I'd love to b educated further in the potential of Cryme Time.

 

[NYSandman]

Yeah, WWE has been using stereotypes for years. Now, I am one who is very liberal, and I think most people get bent out of shape over bullshit.

As a white man, I'm reluctant to accidentally offend anyone, but unfortunately, because of poverty and the government's unwillingness to help the poor more, black neighborhoods are, sadly, suffering a lot of crime. Shit, so are white neighborhoods.

This stereotype is particularly damaging. A young black child who is already inundated with violent rap culture, racism, and the fear of the trigger happy police, turns on wrestling and learns from these two cool guys that it's okay to steal what you want.

I normally believe parents should monitor what their kids watch, and Raw is not for youngsters, but they DO watch it. It just sends a bad, and, yes, racial message.

There are some great black wrestlers now, like Shelton and MVP, who, even as heels, are good role models who can show kids what hard work and training can do. They are the ones who should represent blacks in the WWE, not Cryme Tyme.

It was the same when they had Mexican guys coming out in lawn mowers. So, little Pasquale can be nothing more than a lawn jockey when he grows up? That's not fair, and it is racist.

I'm sure Vince could get rating without using such a sensitive topic and racial stereotypes.

If he must use them, let's even the playing field. How about Kade and Murdock screwing their sisters and staying in a trailer in the parking lot?

Even Santino, while he is funny, gets to me a bit, as an Italian-American. And, Jerry Lawler calling him a dumb Italian can go fuck himself. How long do you think it will be before they do a mafia angle with Santino? Fuggettabowtit!

Remember Muhammad Hassan, if that was his name. He was a decent wrestler who could have had a future, but you send out masked terrorists with him?

Vince should have at least a little social conscience, but apparently he doesn't. Wonder how long before we'll see a World Trade Center angle.

 

[THE Madcap]

nice post above there!

Personally, I was a massive fan of the gimmick when it started, it was funny, not really seen in wrestling before and was contraversial. Since they've come back they've been disappointing and IMO WWE only brought them back to stop themselves from helping TNA's tag division.

Wait...here's a genius idea...seeing as WWE are now trying to appeal to kids, how about turn them happy theives from the hood into HEELS, because stealing is obviously bad, since when did you see a gansta rolling around smiling anyways? in life gangstas are self-centred, bullying, egotistical HEELS. If WWE wants to stereotype, go the whole hog with it...have them disrespecting and hitting on divas, cheap shotting wrestlers, having no regard for authority etc instead of them shouting "Rowdy, Rowdy, yeah yeah". That was one of the most cringeworthy things ive seen on WWE tv. Problems with wrestling are usually picked up by my flatmate who is a casual fan. During this segment he said "turn it over please". If WWE wants ratings, they have to acquire some casual fans, like in the attitude era, which of course, pushed the envelope.

 

[Yuffie_Kisaragi]

Only time I found Cryme Tyme funny was at summer slam last year when Regal started dancing with them ........in fact that was more Regal been his usual awesome self than anything to do with Cryme Tyme.

I quite like the gimic Cryme Tyme have were they auction items theyve stolen from heels to the crowd. Its something different at least and is moderately entertaining. Everything else about the team is a waste of time, their promos and segments are boring and unfunny. Like the one were they robbed and old folks home......someone please explain how that is meant to be funny and even more explain why that was meant to be the actions of a face team?

Beating heels and selling items of there clothes= pretty good idea
Robbing old people in backstage segments and crap= boring, unfunny and a waste of time.

 

[Danmen001]

I don't know why on earth people would want to spilt the most over tag team o cryme tyme up. I understand they both have potential as single starts, especially shad. But think of it like this: You can either add just another bunch of randoms to the single roster. Or you can try to save a whole other dimension of the tag team division.

I do agree about the overuse of of stereotypes though, that is truly sometimes unccessarily. But stereotypes can create a background and a 'real' sense of he could be that.