Did they miss the boat: The Zack Ryder edition

[Da Solo]

They didn't miss the boat. They let it go, purposely. They knew they didn't want Ryder to succeed for bucking the machine, so they fed him to Kane and subsequently jobbed him out to every heel available.

Ryder, at his heights, could have very well been a contender for a world title. Let that sink in: RYDER could have fought for a world title, like the idea or not. The fans were begging for him in matches that he had absolutely nothing to do with, his reactions were ridiculous and his US title win had one of the loudest ovations of the year. They knew that, but they purposely let that ship sink.

 

[RobstarEWN]

Ryder will probably get released soon so it doesn't matter now anyway, since The Big O got a tryout in TNA maybe Ryder will go there and start something with the other jersey characters

 

[LayCold]

I HATE the WWE for that, seriously. They are all about " we listen to the fans " but they never put Ryder on their shows ? Everybody wanted him, he could have been the midcarder of 2012 but no, instead, they wanted nothing to do with him. Pure Waste of talent

 

[Stewmaga]

I'm sorry I never saw the appeal of Zak, I think they got him exactly right. He had some pop, they took the shot, and it didn't go any further...GRANTED I will say they gave him a half hearted push at best. But it just didn't work as well as it should have.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I never really cared for Ryder before last year, but he became a favorite of mine. He busted his ass to get himself over, and I developed some admiration for him. His US title win was a nice feel-good moment, but he floundered after that.

Yeah, I understand the whole Rise Above Hate love triangle bullshit with Eve and John Cena didn't help his cause to rise up in the ranks. But at the same time, Ryder and his fans can't continue to cling to that storyline as an excuse for Ryder's lack of momentum. It just sounds like whiny complaining, and bitching about a storyline from last year won't do him any favors.

Also, over exaggerating from Ryder's fans, and Ryder's twitter rants annoy me. He received some notable pops and reactions every now and then, but let's not kid ourselves here. Ryder wasn't on a fast track to main eventing Wrestlemania as the WWE Champion, or becoming a serious threat to end Undertaker's streak. No, he was a guy, who fell into the category of being a fad, and his current character isn't going to skyrocket him into the main event. The Jersey "Hey, broski!" stuff is way too comical, and unless his character undergoes some drastic changes, he'll be stuck in no man's land for a long time.

 

[LayCold]

But I don't understand. Why should Ryder be a WWE Champion ? There is something called the midcard. Of course, now there is no rivalry in there so it's a little useless but come on, why everybody is like " Ryder isn't Main-Event material " ? He was a perfect midcard, could had been like the Scotty 2 Hotty of this generation. He always get a decent pop, a good US Title reign is enough. The WWE destroy Ryder, his credibility because they wanted Cena to be more popular. He was never supposed to be a Main-Event guy

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The only trigger that is gonna be pulled is the one ending his WWE Tenure - he keeps bitching on Twitter which is never a good sign. At the time of his "push" he was always going to be kept down slightly cos he went into business for himself with the youtube show to begin with.

Now let's say they are letting him do it to prepare him for a heel turn, even now it is oo late - if he was ever going to be done it would have been a heel turn on Cena during the Kane feud. I'd have done it that he blamed Cena for his injuries, costing him his title and Eve - basically that Kane was right about him and that he was too busy trying to pander to the same idiotic fans to realise what was going on till he was in a wheelchair. No more WOO WOO WOO... no more Long Island Iced Z - just a Rough Ride for John Cena...

If they'd done that, he could have been where Cody/Sandow and Miz are now, they could have had Flair as his manager or as part of a heel stable. But now it's all Hoeski and the whole thing is just pathetic.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

Give him a gimmick overhaul and see what happens. But the current "Zack Ryder" is over with.