Striker Managing Rhodes Scholars: Could It Work?

[Jack-Hammer]

This past Monday on Raw, Matt Striker's smug, slight little jab at Kane & Bryan following the "game show" segment of Raw this past Monday got me thinking a little. As Striker has been the victim of beatings at the hands of Team Hell No, could Striker be considered a good manager for Rhodes Scholars?

Striker has been built as something of an intellectual character both during his days as a wrestler years back and as a commentator. Striker was once a teacher before getting into wrestling after all. On the surface, it looks like it'd be a good fit for the most "intellectual team" in WWE history to have an "intellectual" manager. Not that Rhodes & Sandow need him as they're doing just fine, nor do they need a mouthpiece to speak for them. Still, I think Striker is someone that could draw even more heat to the team and I just think it'd ultimately be better use of him than just being a backstage interviewer.

 

[THE Great GAMMA]

I totally agree. I used to love when Striker used to give "lessons" as segments. They could incorperate that into the team. It could be quite entertaining

 

[Dagger Dias]

That would be an excellent way to use Striker. He has been a manager before (for Big Daddy V) so it would be familiar terrain for him. The only downside to this idea is that he would be managing a team where both guys can deliver promos fine on their own. Sandow in particular is great. In terms of gimmicks Striker can fit in as their manager. They do not necessarily NEED him is the problem. Striker benefits more than the team does.

If Striker were to be a manager again then it should be for a team who are not gifted on the mic. Tyson and Gabriel come to mind. That aside.... Striker is very good at promos so if they are not going to use him as an announcer anymore then making him a manager is a good direction. I support the idea of him managing Rhodes and Sandow even if they do not quite need him, it would give him something to do and he deserves better than to just be a backstage interviewer.

 

[Slash-LN]

I'm someone who always liked Matt Sriker for some reason. I was a little disappointed when he quit wrestling because I thought he could have been a decent heel intercontinental champion.

At the same time he has a certain quality to him that makes you want to punch him in the face or see someone do it. I think it would be interesting to see him as a manager. It would be kind of interesting if he were to start a stable. Rhodes Scholars as his tag team and have another superstar as his mid card wrestler working their way up the ladder to the top. Then bring in a henchman to protect his investment. He wouldn't have to do all the talking. When The Brain managed guys like Rude and Perfect they still talked.

 

[LegendKiller716]

I like the idea of Striker as a manager, but as stated above, he's not needed by Rhodes Scholars. Also, this team probably won't last long so now when they split he'll have to pick a side, and neither one of them need him as a singles manager either.

If I had to pair Striker up with someone it would be Swagger. He's being repackaged, probably as a face, but if he were to stay heel Striker can help get him heat.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

Matt Striker does have a way of getting under people's skin with his condescending attitude and loquacious vocabulary. I'd say he's perfect for the role of manager for the Rhodes Scholars. Cody may not boast intelligence, but Matt Striker and Damien Sandow? Those guys are the Oreo cookies. Speaking of Striker, there were hints of him returning to wrestling when he had to take on Kane in a one on one match. I know he didn't do anything physically, but the guy has always reminded me of Rick Martel one way or another. It would be cool to see him, Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow actually take turns picking up victories and perhaps even holding the Tag Team Championship. This would be the one defining chance to use Matt Striker again. Otherwise? I'm wondering why and how he's still employed.

 

[xavyer]

It could, but it's not like the Rhodes scholars need a manager, i mean, Sandow is carrying the team very well on his own, he should manage someone who needs a mouth piece, i know it's a little way out at left field, but i think maybe he can manage Ryback, at least for a while, Heyman is with Punk, so, if this rivalry continues, Striker can even things up and sides with Ryback, or maybe the Usos, or Epico and Primo, there are a lot of people that can really use his help, but like i said, Sandow is handling the Rhodes Scholars pretty well........

 

[trashboy]

After that game show, I thought the same. Now, I'm not a fan of either guy, Rhodes, Sandow or Striker, truthfully, I can't stand any of them, they all bore me, but I thought that Striker could make a good manager for the team. His intelligent teacher type gimmick would work pretty well with them. But also, it's not like the team needs a mouthpiece. Isn't that usually what the manager is used for? To help the team if they're not very good on the mic? Either way, I say make Striker their manager. We need more managers, I miss the days of managers.

 

[SaveUsCMPunk]

I am just BEGGING for the old heel Matt Striker that we've all come to love (or hate) make his return. Instead we've had this ****ified ("Look I'm just doing my job. I'm trying to remain professional.) version of him for around four years. He fits in perfectly with a team that dubs themselves the "most intellectually compatible" tag team. Like others have said though, Rhodes Scholars don't need a manager. So, I'm really not holding my breath for a full heel turn for Striker. Will he even attempt (or even succeed at costing) to cost Team Hell No the titles? If I were a betting man, I'd say no. I just hope they don't drop this thing with Striker.

 

[SuperTaco]

I think it's a great idea. He's good with the mic and could be utilized to further push Rhodes Scholars (not that they really need it). Sandow is well apt to be their main mouthpiece, but having a manager may bring their stock up even more as a force in the tag team division. If they win on Sunday, even more so.

Striker could be that dirty bastard manager outside of the ring that distracts/takes out the opponent while the ref has his back turned, that would help establish him as a heel again.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

If you put a gun to my head and forced me to find the best place for him as anything more than a backstage interviewer this is the perfect idea for him but overall I have to say "Nah!"

Striker isn't that talented. He wasn't much of a wrestler or commentator. He doesn't have much personality, a voice, or look. Anyone can sound sort of smart by saying facts but he absolutely lacks any charisma. This makes backstage interviewer and occasional squash victim about as interesting an on-screen role as he is going to get.

 

[KoC417]

Striker is over rated. The guy tried to be an announcer and create new catch phrases. He tried to force those catch phrases down our throats and guess what it didn't work. I can't see him fitting in with Rhodes Scholars. If anything having him would take away their momentum. Striker is an absolute dweeb IMO. The guy that tries to sound smarter than he really is. Put him with 2 guys who can already cut promos and wrestle? What for? To take away from their already clear abilities? No. Future Endeavor Striker or send him some where that he doesn't eat up anymore air time. Hell, put a Divas match on. I mean you get the same kind of results either way - Fans turning to a different channel or fast forwarding thru his stuff.
Striker is one of those guys who gets a 1 in a million hit. He gives a great comeback/response 1 out of 10 times at best. R.S. are the type of guys that give an awesome comeback/response 10/10 times.

I don't even know why Striker has a job anymore. I mean he must be Vince's bottom b--ch or something because the dude can't announce, he has no charisma if he wanted to wrestle again I wouldn't mind that because he'd get thrown in a dark match away from the spotlight but seriously..... Keep Striker away from R.S or it will virtually kill all of their momentum.

 

[Wolf Pac]

I like the idea, it does make a lot of sense, it's just that The Rhodes Scholars are a temporary tag team and I don't see them lasting long after they are done feuding with Team Hell No, so it would seem pointless to pair Striker with them. But then again, Striker could manage them for the rest of their days as a tag team and once they split up, Striker could go off with Sandow. Sandow wouldn't need Striker since he can talk on his own, just like Punk doesn't need Heyman, but like Punk & Heyman, the two could still make an interesting pairing together, they'd be like the modern-day Genius (Striker) & Mr. Perfect (Sandow). Either that or Striker could be a mouthpiece for someone who can't talk, I just like the idea of Striker as a manager and I think it's something he could be better at than as a commentator or a backstage interviewer.

 

[Giddy]

I like this idea. Striker is a former teacher so he could play the intellectual savior role as Rhodes and Sandow are doing, plus he's already got a little program I guess you could call it with Team Hell No, so I think if Team Hell No were to retain at Hell in a Cell, the next night on Raw or maybe the next Smackdown they could introduce Striker as their manager and he could help them win a contenders match. From there you could have them win the titles, or lose and move into another feud, but regardless I think Striker would be a good addition to Rhodes Scholars

 

[HBKistheHOF]

Well first off I highly object to the double plural Rhode(s) Scholars. Not only is it grammatically incorrect but it would only be true if there were multiple members of the Rhodes family in this tag team but there is only one. Anyways...

I think this is a fantastic idea! Striker's teacher gimmck makes perfect sense with the team & his personality would match great I think. Not to mention I think Striker is highly underutilized.

Too bad VKM or some other McMahon seems to have a vendetta against him. Striker was never a good wrestler but Commentator, Manager, Interviewer, any Mic roll he seems to really be great in. I don't know why he has been treated like a Josh Matthews or Todd Grisham. He totally pulled the Michael Cole in my eyes, annoying & dweeby at first but earned his stripes on camera.

If there is ONE thing that VKM is out of touch with, it is the need for managers & ring escorts. They could do wonders and guys like Striker are proof they have the talent.

 

[123NewChamp]

I beleive it can. Him and Sandow share partially a similar gimmick being Matt Striker was a former teacher, and Sandow is well groomed in his own intellectual views as well. But you know it wouldn't also hurt to have him as a manager and let him serve in a manager capacity as well make make a faction out of Rhodes Scholars as well. B/C most people have it in their mind that managers can't fight like Jim Cornette, Paul Bearer, Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart, and so on. And I'm pretty sure many of today's fans have not forgotten that Matt Striker used to be an active wrestler on the WWE Roster. But hey, it could work.

 

[enviousdominous]

As there's hardly ever any actual logic or continuity or concern for the disposition of the fans when it comes to how they use their talent, I could actually see this happening.

I would make the point that Matt Striker makes me feel like I inhaled a bottle of ambien, but so does the team of "Rhodes Scholars" and they've already dedicated themselves to making that work.

What frustrates me is that I see the WWE using ideas that make absolutely no sense in an effort to keep people they like (for the wrong reasons) gainfully employed. They think they've made the next Money Inc, when really this is more like when Lance Storm (who I'm a huge fan of by the way) and William Regal teamed up. Their gimmick was that they were two fist shaking guys in red tights, Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow have the stink stare permanently stamped into their brows.

Putting Matt Striker as their manager seems like the next logical step if, in the ass backward perception of WWE creative, Rhodes Scholars is still a good idea. The only thing that would prevent that is if someone with the bravery to say so gets a fucking clue and realizes that while they're attempting to feed the crowd the logic that Rhodes Scholars is a team to be taken seriously, Matt Striker is just a more articulate version of Eugene and would make the team look too goofy to be allowed a saturday morning cartoon show.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

No, Striker lost relevance a long time ago. Does anyone even remember that he was a teacher or even a wrestler? He hasn't had "a gimmick" other than being a commentator. He's probably in line for a promotion on that score by this time. They'd have to go all the way back and re-introduce the character.

The perfect manager would be in fact Mr. Bob Backlund! Imagine "crazy" Bob in their corner, locking people in the chicken-wing from time to time. It'd be comedy gold. And from his recent appearances with Slater, the guy is in crazy good shape for his age.

 

[The Brain]

This seems to make sense. Striker could do well as a manager and his personality and gimmick fits in with Rhodes and Sandow. The only problem is this team is not likely to last long. I'm not sure if there is a point in putting a manager with a team that will probably split up within the next couple months. Of course I could be wrong about that and they may last for a while. If that's the case then I like the idea of Striker as their manager.

He wouldn't have to do all the talking. When The Brain managed guys like Rude and Perfect they still talked.

Absolutely right. Too many people think that a manager would only help someone that struggles on the mic. Back when managers were the norm they managed plenty of guys that didn't need help on the mic. Of course those who weren't verbally gifted did benefit from a manager but it's not like a manager can only go with someone that needs help in promos. A manager can serve other purposes too.

No, Striker lost relevance a long time ago. Does anyone even remember that he was a teacher or even a wrestler? He hasn't had "a gimmick" other than being a commentator. He's probably in line for a promotion on that score by this time. They'd have to go all the way back and re-introduce the character.

The perfect manager would be in fact Mr. Bob Backlund! Imagine "crazy" Bob in their corner, locking people in the chicken-wing from time to time. It'd be comedy gold. And from his recent appearances with Slater, the guy is in crazy good shape for his age.

Wait, Striker lost relevance a long time ago but Backlund would be better? Other than a couple appearances here and there Backlund hasn't been relevant in over 15 years. I'm not criticizing your Backlund idea but there's no way he's more relevant than Striker.

 

[THE Great GAMMA]

I totally agree. I used to love when Striker used to give "lessons" as segments. They could incorperate that into the team. It could be quite entertaining

 

[HBsam31]

I think this would be a good way to use Striker, but I agree with Dagger Dias in that Rhodes Scholars are not a team that really need a mouthpiece. I think he would be a much better fit with a team like Kidd and Gabriel. He should be that smug smartass manager that distracts and interfers for his team. I didn't mind him with Big Daddy V so yeah I think a manager gig would be good for him.

 

[Rowdy Robby Piper]

He wouldn't have to do all the talking. When The Brain managed guys like Rude and Perfect they still talked.

This right here.

Heenan would usually start the interview segment (introduction), then let his talent handle the bulk of the segment (main talking/focus point), the either him or his wrestler would close out the segment (conclusion). Striker could act as a representative of Rhodes/Sandow while still letting all of focus/talent shine through their work (in-ring and/or promo-wise).

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Backlund was as relevant as a RAW Legend recently... He didn't use the "Mr. Backlund" gimmick, but he wrestled on RAW far more recently than Striker has and more to the point got a much better reaction than some of the other legends they brought out AND was in phenomenal shape for a guy his age.

He also has history of "coming back", most in 93 didn't know who he was, but he ended up WWF Champion again, so he has some Pedigree, some history and a way in through Cody saying "This is a man I was brought up to respect, who has the values I aspire to and Sandow is his "student".

I don't advocate Bob wrestling again, but all Striker has is that he was a high school teacher who got fired for wrestling... Backlund has the pedigree of being a 2 time champ (which makes him instantly relevant to both men's eventual goal) and when using the Mr. Backlund gimmick that believable physicality that would make him not only a distraction for opponents but a legit threat if he "snaps".

They reshowed the Mr. Backlund for Pres thing on WWE.com where he goes round Philly... It was bugnuts but exactly the kind of thing that would enhance the team in question.