Greatest at their gimmick: Redneck cowboys

[spinningtorturerack]

We as the IWC know that there are a lot of gimmicks that are often used over and over again. One of these is the cowboy texan gimmick, but who was best at it?
These characters wear the classic cowboy hat, tend to be quite brash and power houses in the ring and is a classic gimmick that we often see.

I'm not gonna do a poll since there are so many and I am sure you guys can think of far better examples than me, a few that come to mind are: Cowboy Bob orton, the smoking guns, west texas rednecks, Bradshaw (solo run on Raw 2003), Jimmy wang yang, stan Hansen, Black bart, Dustin rhodes.


But which is your favourite? (I bet you the lariat goes for Jimmy Wang yang!)

Also, do you think there is still a place in modern wrestling for this gimmick?

 

[Pell08]

I think there is still a place, and in TNA they are still using that gimmick with James Storm.

The Smoking Gunns come to mind when I think of the gimmick, because they really stuck to it for the good majority of their run as a tag team.

Bradshaw's run with the gimmick is another one that I remember the most.

I think the gimmick can be used in WWE again, but not in a way where it becomes corny and cliche, but in a way to make a wrestler from the west/south and be tough. He doesn't all the cliches of YEE HAW, or My Horse stole my wife.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Yeah, he wasn't your typical cowboy hat-wearing blue blood but to say he wasn't a redneck gimmick would be incorrect. From his camo wearing beer guzzling self to that time he crowned himself a "sheriff" he fit the role perfectly, and sometimes on a 4 wheeler.

As for the typical cowboy hat redneck, my vote is for Terry Funk. The man was as Texan as you could get without going overboard. Hell, he used to brand people with his own signature cattle prod.

 

[jbwphoto1]

I remember the cowboys with the black hats and big, bushy moustaches like Black Jack Mulligan and Outlaw Ron Bass. How about the Irwins, Wild Bill and Scott "Hawg", who were not only cowboys but also bikers. That was a nice, wild combo. I used to get such a kick out of Stan Hansen running fans from ringside with his rope and cowbell. And Jim Ross says cowboys come from Texas, not Oklahoma, but I'm sure Cowboy Bill Watts has a difference of opinion.

 

[Schizophrenic]

I really like Skip Sheffield in the gimmick. Anyone who watches FCW knows that he is hysterical in that steretypical "dumb redneck cowboy" persona. He's funny and can wrestle. Plus his finisher name (Over The Shoulder Boulder Holder, yes that IS the name of the finisher) just screams that gimmick as well. But it works for him. Yup Yup Yup!

Other than Skip, The Gunns were good as was Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw. James Storm however is the best at the moment. The guy is perfect for the gimmick because it's not a gimmick. It's Storm, just amped up. And nothing beats the catchphrase, "Sorry 'bout your damn luck." I still smile everytime he says it.

 

[Oldschoolersrule]

None of today's allegded "Cowboys" hold a candle to people like Stan Hansen, Ron Bass, Dick Murdoch, Barry Windahm or either one of the Funk brothers.

Jimmy Wang as a compeditor is believable but passing him off as a cowboy? PLEASE!!! Maybe if you started his gimmick telling us he was a normal guy who suffered a blow to the head, woke up from a coma and THEN thought he was a cowboy... Billy and Bart Gunn were a good tag team, but they came around when it was more stylish to dress in a cowboy hat and boots and line dancing was all the rage. James Storm has great in ring skills and mic skills but beer drinking and a cowboy hat do not a cowboy make.

 

[PsychoBlack]

Id have to say the best at workin the gimmick right now is definitly james storm the guy is just great and the cowboy hat has always been his trademark. Hansen was good too his time in the AWA when i go back and watch it he kind of scares me with the tobacco on his face and all of that its just nasty lol. between these two the better character has to be storm so Hansen sorry bout yo damn luck!