JTG: A Lost Cause?

[Nate DaMac]

So despite how popular the former Tag Team Cryme Tyme was, the success surely hasn't transferred over to JTG as a singles star. The guy isn't terrible in the ring and you can tell he is quite comfortable talking in front of a live audience, but for whatever reason, he just isn't getting over on his own.

So my question to you, do you think JTG is a lost cause? Or do you think he can still have a successful career beyond just being a jobber?

Personally, I just don't think creative has enough faith in him to give him any kind of sustained push. He's lost significant cheers from the crowd and his matches are usually quite silent. I'm afraid he may be a lost cause.

What do you think?

 

[rge2010]

JTG isn't a bad worker but there are far more deserving superstars caught in the lower-end jobber role at the moment. Chris Masters, Tyson Kidd, Zack Ryder, Ted Dibiase - I would take any of these over JTG.

With NXT rookies coming throgh (Clay, Watson) and a few returning from injury - Sheffield, Tarver then it doesnt look very good for JTG. I predict he will be gone by the summer.

The only way he could survive is if Shad is brought back and they put back together Cryme Tyme.

 

[Cap'n Charisma]

I like JTG and I would hope he sticks around. His in ring work is pretty good and he has an awesome finisher. I don't think he'll make it as a singles wrestler because there are too many other guys that need to be pushed before him, but maybe bring in Percy Watson and put him in a tag team with JTG and keep them together for a while to bring some interest back to the tag division. I honestly think the best solution for the lower card wrestlers is to throw them together in tag teams so they can have maybe one match a week on their respective brands, it would also bring some tag team competition back into the WWE.

 

[stasheroo]

I'm thinking that - unfortunately - his only chance of sticking around might be a return to a tag-team. And that move would benefit a currently pathetic, abused, and ignored tag-team division.

Personally, I'd put him together with R-Truth as the New Cryme Tyme. Let them be the cool heels and set up shop in the arena, calling their base of operations 'The Hood' and hiring themselves out, much the same way that the APA did.

Just a thought anyway, and better than what WWE's current excuse for 'Creative' is doing for either man.

But back on point, I think that unless he gets back with a partner, JTG will unfortunately be future-endeavored.

A shame because he's a deserving talent.

 

[Highspeed]

I am digging the idea of putting him into a tag team again with R Truth because now they BOTH don't seem to be doing much. R Truth is annoying as hell when he talks but his in ring work is great same goes for JTG. This shit writes itself.

 

[Lucha-Libre is wrestling]

Some wrestlers are just meant to be Tag & Cruiserweights, JTG is one of many in the WWE. He is not a bad talent but he should ask creative or VKM to pair him with R-Truth or Chavo. I can see JTG & Chavo merge their old Cryme Tyme - Lie, Cheat & Steal gimmicks.

 

[WZMember####]

JTG teamed up with Trent on Superstars like twice and probably more at HouseShows. The team was one of those that on the surface seemed like an odd pairing but to me its one of those "Odd Couples" that could really work.

You have this JTG the Thug/Gangsta "Criminal" Gimmick teaming up with the goofy white guy whos claim to fame in the WWE (if you forgot) is that he plays video games with his friend Croft who we are suppose to pretend never existed.

Whats even funnier is the fact that JTG even tried to match Trent's attire by wearing Green when Trent wore Green. A tag team in the WWE that actually wears matching ring attire? How long has it been? lol

I know Superstars is all cancelled now and most people here think its a jobber show full of jobbers blah blah blah but what happens is threads like this and comments like "he needs a new partner" well...to me and fans like me...we have seen him team up with Trent he has a new partner and it could work.

Just like Tyson Kidd's teaming with Ted Jr should stay a team a cocky brash young team. That would be ag reat feud btw. I could see JTG jacking Maryse's diamonds and Trent wants to pawn it for some new games and JTG wants a bigger haul and meanwhile Ted recuits Kidd to help him.

Thats a decent tag team feud that could work on Smackdown and puts JTG back in the spotlight...saves Tyson and Ted and gives Trent a chance to shine that he never really got in the 1st place.

 

[GI Cake]

Reading through this thread I am surprised I didn't see the two words "Gimmick" and "change" in the same sentence. JTG needs a new gimmick, his current gimmick and his time in Cryme Tyme was suppose to appeal to the black inner-city demographic.

He is very solid in the ring and a bit amusing on the mic.

 

[InfamouzGtBoy21]

JTG should really form a tag team with R-Truth. Black rapper group.
& our rejoin with Shad Gaspard.

JTG is a tag team wrestler, he can't make it on their.
If he's with Cryme Tyme again, we can see a revival of tag team.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I'm not a JTG fan, nor was I a fan of Shad. In singles competition, neither guy does anything for me.

JTG is perfect for a show like Superstars, and with that being shelved, I doubt he'll be around much longer. I don't think he's very good in the ring. Reminds me a lot of the new "style" of wrestling; move quickly, jump around, get your moves in, forget psychology, and get it over with. He rushes in there, and he's never made me believe he has some sort of gameplan. That's common among wrestlers today, and they have no clue how to tell a story inside of the ring.

His character would be perfect..for 1995-99. Today, in singles action, I just don't see him getting over. He's nowhere near terrible, I just don't see much of a future there.

 

[stasheroo]

I'm not a JTG fan, nor was I a fan of Shad. In singles competition, neither guy does anything for me.

JTG is perfect for a show like Superstars, and with that being shelved, I doubt he'll be around much longer. I don't think he's very good in the ring. Reminds me a lot of the new "style" of wrestling; move quickly, jump around, get your moves in, forget psychology, and get it over with. He rushes in there, and he's never made me believe he has some sort of gameplan. That's common among wrestlers today, and they have no clue how to tell a story inside of the ring.

His character would be perfect..for 1995-99. Today, in singles action, I just don't see him getting over. He's nowhere near terrible, I just don't see much of a future there.

I'm curious about your comment about his 'style'. Can you elaborate on that and possibly give examples of those you feel do a better job of telling a story?

From my perspective, I've always felt that when he was actually given the chance and some time to tell a story, that JTG did a nice job.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I'm curious about your comment about his 'style'. Can you elaborate on that and possibly give examples of those you feel do a better job of telling a story?

As I said, it's not just about JTG. This has become quite common within the current WWE. *Hit hard, hit fast, don't stop moving*. That seems to be the formula. It leaves little room for storytelling (in the ring). I think John Cena does a decent job of getting a story across, in big matches. Same goes for CM Punk, Randy Orton and few other veterans. The young guys are either uninterested in doing so, or aren't told they need to. Years back, telling a complete story was important.

Look at Hulk Hogan. Nothing Hogan did, move-wise, was considered exciting. A leg drop? He made it interesting. Bret Hart would pick a body part, and go to work. You knew, just by watching him, that he had a gameplan, something worked out in advance. I don't see that today.

I can't really place blame, because I have no idea who is at fault. Maybe some people don't care as much about this as I do, so to each their own I suppose. Given the opportunity, maybe JTG could prove me and other detractors wrong, but it's not looking like he's going to get that chance.

 

[Blondie]

Id love to see an evil JTG... like a real bad gangstaaaa... have him turn heel, i think it could be quite frightening and interesting for WWE to portray a realistic gangster. One thatd beat you down and those you know just for lookin at you funny... or say if you owed him money, for protection, women etc... he'd beat you down. Have a gang follow him around, have him be the ring leader. It could be done really well i reckon

 

[stasheroo]

As I said, it's not just about JTG. This has become quite common within the current WWE. *Hit hard, hit fast, don't stop moving*. That seems to be the formula. It leaves little room for storytelling (in the ring). I think John Cena does a decent job of getting a story across, in big matches. Same goes for CM Punk, Randy Orton and few other veterans. The young guys are either uninterested in doing so, or aren't told they need to. Years back, telling a complete story was important.

Look at Hulk Hogan. Nothing Hogan did, move-wise, was considered exciting. A leg drop? He made it interesting. Bret Hart would pick a body part, and go to work. You knew, just by watching him, that he had a gameplan, something worked out in advance. I don't see that today.

I can't really place blame, because I have no idea who is at fault. Maybe some people don't care as much about this as I do, so to each their own I suppose. Given the opportunity, maybe JTG could prove me and other detractors wrong, but it's not looking like he's going to get that chance.

Thanks for the response.

I see what you're talking about and for the most part I agree with you - with one caveat.

I think a lot of the issues with a 'lack of stroytelling come from the limited amount of time many wrestlers get. 'Go out there and give us your best 5 minutes' happens way too often and I feel it's a big mistake.

I think the WWE focuses entirely too much time and energy into too few performers, resulting in fewer big stars and less variety, excitement, or unpredictability.

All too often, RAW becomes the Cena and Orton show, focusing on those two and little else. Or we get a 5-minute recap of what we just watched! Or we get a 10-minute commercial for RAW on Superstars instead of getting original material.

Then there's little time left for performers like JTG to do little more than a few highspots in a 3-5 minute match.

That's my take anyway.

 

[MizterColemine]

Gimmicks like crime tyme and R-truth rapping and dancing to the ring like a fool, I would suggest, does NOT appeal to a serious fan. Especially R-Truth, he's been doing the same song and dance for years now, and yeah i know they tried a different song and even gave him a dancer for a week or two, but they weren't gettin the point obviously. I know they have to overstate characters, but rapping, dancing, and being extra "thugged out" is a kind of gimmick that if overdone is just sickening... and I mean that in a different way than the Rikishi/Too Cool dance. It wouldn't be so bad if they just toned it down and added another dimension to the character. JTG could lose the braids and that stupid bounce he does in the ring ropes on his entrance. Corn rows are so immature.
And for a company who stands out by having a polished product, its my opinion that they need not create characters that represent offensive racial stereotypes. Not that I'm race-sensitive... but I felt the same way about the Lie-Cheat-Steal thing with Los Guerreros, and then that thing they did with Juventud and Super-Crazy was sooo bad.
I think I went off topic.. with gimmicks like what JTG has, no one should expect him to GO ANYWHERE. He's not too bad in the ring actually, and he deserves to be kept around for while... but he looks like a effin fool. For that matter so does R-Truth (who, despite IWC hatred, moves in the ring pretty well for his age). When wrestlers come off like they have intelligence, the people respect them more... WWE needs to stop disrespecting their rosters giving them shitty gimmicks that they're getting stuck with, because a bad gimmick is like a burial in itself, especially when they stop giving you mic time.

 

[stmarks2002]

Loved the Cryme Tyme training videos; especially the endurance and honesty videos. I also can't forget about the Christmas carols at the old folks home. WWE had a hidden gem with them but never utilized them. If you recall, they actually won a #1 contenders match for the tag straps and NEVER got a title shot; this was when Cody and Ted were Priceless. JTG was the better of the two but you know Vinny Mac doesn't push the smaller the guys. They can put guys like him, Chavo, Kidd, etc in some cruiserweight style matches to open Smackdown or the non-big ppv's and give them a shot.

 

[cynic]

I think it's a shame Cryme Tyme ended when it did but after that, JTG should really have had a gimick change. He's one of those performers who (like R-Truth) is too over the top and in your face for me.
His in ring style's not actually that bad but the 'ghetto gangsta' thing is outdated now and he needs something fresh. I'd have liked to have seen him tone it down a bit on Nxt and do more "normal" mic work much like Chavo's done to see how the crowd react to him out of character

 

[roflrofl60]

Gotta be on board for a reunion of Cryme Tyme
or just simply with R-Truth.
and if he does he definetly needs to be the one on the mic. R-Truth is solid and can really help JTG IMO.

 

[Hovertical]

He might be REALLY REALLY REALLY bad. However Da Shout Out is one of the coolest finishers of all time.

I think he could be a lower-midcarder if he just got some ring time that wasn't JUST jobbing to jobbers. Or atleast put him in a tag with someone that can cover him a little.

 

[TheTruth]

jtg is now a jobber probably will be released its a shame because the guy actual has some moves. unlike eziekel jackson who never seems to wrestle

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I don't think JTG is a lost cause. He has plenty of charisma and personality and he has a decent moveset. I actually believe he can make a decent midcard champion because there aren't enough faces. If they can have the faith in him and he works hard for a year, he can actually do well in the WWE.