The IWC is wrong. Why should Ted Dibiase Jr turn face?

[JayMiine]

I know Dibiase is the star in "The Marine 2", but what exactly is WWE doing with him? Two weeks ago he was left off of the Raw card at MSG(where Vince creates stars..just ask Kofi.), and this week he really has no impact whatsoever.

It seems as maybe they might be distancing Legacy from Orton, they have not appeared together in a few weeks and have not come to Orton's aid at all.

Now tonight they began to promote The Marine 2 DVD. Ted is still heel, isn't this a bit strange? I would have assumed that Ted would have turned face before they even started promoting the movie. Maybe WWE is making the wise choice here, and keeping him heel. Orton and Legacy have been great thus far. And after tonight, seeing Orton and Kofi is far from over, and Kofi having a clean pinfall over Orton at Survivor Series(One of WWE's Big 4 PPVs), I don't see Dibiase interfering and costing Orton another loss.

So, my question to you is this, Do you think WWE is going to let Dibiase stay heel throughout this promoting of the DVD? I mean, everyone knows he is supposed to be a "bad guy" in WWE, so why would that change now? I don't think they can change people's opinions of him now, especially since they are promoting the movie when he is still heel.

What do you think? Will Dibiase stay heel or turn very soon?

What would you rather see?

 

[kee4]

Why would WWE turn DiBiase babyface at this point? It'll happen eventually, but their movies have all been released with the star being babyface...or a guy named Kane who went crazy when the day was mentioned when his movie was released.

Keeping him as a heel may work in their favor because in the past the movies with the babyfaces in them didn't sell that well.

 

[pattycat22]

I kept expecting a face turn as well with the release of the dvd, but then I started to realize that it probably doesn't warrant a face turn-this is just a straight to dvd flick after all. I doubt the film will garner much publicity outside of the WWE or even do that well, if past WWE films are any indication. I think WWE has scaled down their expectations on their film franchises since they've bombed and now have no wide release plans. I don't see Dibiase's status truly being affected by the release of the dvd.

 

[Lascelle]

Perhaps the WWE wisely realized that turning DiBiase face wouldn't make a difference whatsoever in the sales prospects of their direct-to-DVD joke of a Marine sequel.

Seeing how we got the highly successful Kofi Kingston push in its place, I'd say we shouldn't complain.

 

[shafe_41]

I'm still failing to realize what the IWC is wrong about? If it's that we thought Ted would turn face around the release of his DVD, it was just logical. Everybody has been a face during the promotion of a WWE film so we figured the trend would continue. That's really about it honestly. Nobody thinks it's a better situation to turn him face, we just thought it would be the logical choice. I personally will see the Marine 2 because... well... it just CAN'T be worse that the first one. Cena's acting was... wood... at best. He was much much better in 12 Rounds, which is actually a decent action flick by today's standards. Ted just CAN'T be worse than Cena was his first time on the screen. We shall see though.

But yes... it was just pure logic we all used in thinking Ted would be a face to promote the film. Plus the couple rifts that kept happening with Ted and Orton, also pointed to it. I think Ted will turn face soon, but they got a huge Kofi push in its place right now. A Kofi push that is just simply epic win. During the match Ted and Orton had on Raw around a month or so ago, the crowd was really behind him when it looked like he was going to beat the bejesus out of Orton when Orton was huddled into the corner begging for mercy. The E did this right by not forcing it for the sake of a direct to DVD flick. Applaud the E for that. They've been on a roll lately.

 

[Coco]

We thought Ted would turn face because the dirt sheets called it and it seemed logical. Don't blame us. Blame the dirt sheets and conventional wisdom.

Okay, not that that's out of the way... Who actually wants a Ted face turn or thinks it would work? I mean he's pretty low on the pecking order at this point, is just one half of Randy Orton's bland lacky tag team, and has yet to establish any sort of credibility with the average fan DESPITE having beaten DX and headlined a PPV. He has very little going for him in the way of credibility to make me think he'd have a chance of retaining heat against the inexplicably over Orton. He has even less credibility than lacky Orton did when he turned and went against established heel Triple H. At least Orton had established his worth against HBK, RVD, Foley (BIG TIME), and Benoit. And Orton still failed! Ted has even less of a chance of making it if he turns. The only people who will cheer for him are the few females who think he's the hotness, but even then he ain't hotter than Orton.

Personally, I think throwing Ted in a movie was a misstep on the E's part. They had no idea Ted would get over or that they wouldn't get tired of him and he's bland as hell, but they made the random decision that since their the WWE, they can get anything over damnit! What happened to waiting to see if a push gets over or at least waiting to see who the crowd actually likes? There's a reason Kofi is getting his push now and Ted isn't. The WWE seems to be waking up and listening to the fans. And that doesn't bode well for the Bland Wonders, Ted and Cody!

 

[drondog]

Think about it, it's the Marine 2. It bombed with Cena in the first one. This one will be no different. Why turn him face, and stop all the momentum Legacy has made with their heel role. I don't think WWE has high expectations of this movie doing well at all. I'd say it won't make back the money they spent on it. Turning Dibiase face wouldn't only hurt his character.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Think about it, it's the Marine 2. It bombed with Cena in the first one. This one will be no different. Why turn him face, and stop all the momentum Legacy has made with their heel role. I don't think WWE has high expectations of this movie doing well at all. I'd say it won't make back the money they spent on it. Turning Dibiase face wouldn't only hurt his character.

Thing is, that Rhodes and DiBiase haven't done anything since teaming up with Orton. I don't believe they've won any tag titles for a while. All they have done is beat DX once and that's it. They were hinting a DiBiase face turn last month and maybe they should have kept on with that because Legacy hasn't done anything of note in a while.

 

[DNice]

Good points on how bland DiBiase is made to look in Legacy. Part of the blandness could be a lack of star power on his part or a lack of him trying or waiting for someone to tell him to try. Either way, great reasons for him to stay heel.

That being said, wrestling booking isn't always logical or what's best for the wrestler. In fact, most of the time it appears to be neither. However, money and marketing are two big factors when it comes to WWE booking, so the biggest money making reason to turn Ted face is the profitability of his identity.

Despite not having shown much of his personality, he got a starring role in The Marine 2. No one is saying that a straight to DVD release guarantees success or money, otherwise Mr. Anderson would still be Mr. Kennedy, but the WWE isn't interested in letting wrestlers be in movies unless they think it will bank them a good amount of green. It's why they let The Rock try out movies. In professional wrestling, perception is reality, and if no one wants to root for Ted DiBiase Jr. on television, why are they going to root for him on the silver screen? They don't have a reason unless they have a reason to cheer for him, as the non-wrestling fans looking to be entertained by The Marine 2 don't have one either.

There's also Ted's showing against Randy from earlier this Summer and his showdown a few weeks ago with Orton where he didn't even lay a finger on Orton and the crowd got behind him. The latent face star energy showed itself a little during those two tries, but apparently it wasn't strong enough to make him turn face. For now he's Thing #2 to Orton's Cat in the Hat and none of us have a reason to think otherwise. Unless he cuts the blue Afro and goes with a Mohawk.

 

[Coco]

Good points on how bland DiBiase is made to look in Legacy. Part of the blandness could be a lack of star power on his part or a lack of him trying or waiting for someone to tell him to try.

Why would he not try right now? For goodness sake, the wrestling industry seems to have entered the biggest blitz of star making that we've seen in years! If anything, everyone should be trying as hard as possible to make sure their star shines! Blandness is one thing, but if Ted isn't trying, given the current climate of the industry and how hard he's been pushed, Ted should get blacklisted as a midcarder for life. Lord knows that kind of attitude has gotten far more distinct and naturally gifted men like Carlito and Shelton Bejamin on management's shit list.

For his sake (Not my sake as a fan. I hate him. But for his sake.), I hope he's just bland. Then he won't be seen as unpushable.

That being said, wrestling booking isn't always logical or what's best for the wrestler. In fact, most of the time it appears to be neither. However, money and marketing are two big factors when it comes to WWE booking, so the biggest money making reason to turn Ted face is the profitability of his identity.

How do they expect to profit off of a bland nobody who, even after a decent push against DX of all people, the majority of the audience still doesn't care about? That makes no sense to me. If they really care about profiting from someone's identity, you'd expect it to be someone who hasn't already been given a chance and failed or someone the audience actually has an emotional investment in.

Despite not having shown much of his personality, he got a starring role in The Marine 2. No one is saying that a straight to DVD release guarantees success or money, otherwise Mr. Anderson would still be Mr. Kennedy, but the WWE isn't interested in letting wrestlers be in movies unless they think it will bank them a good amount of green.

They made the movie last year (IIRC) and have had Ted slated to become big time before the crowd could even remember his name. Investing in an entity is one thing, but you should at least make sure they guy's push won't flounder before sending him off to do a film. The movie, at this point, seems like a wasted investment to me and something they should have held off on making it until they knew Teddy's push was sure to turn into something.

There's also Ted's showing against Randy from earlier this Summer and his showdown a few weeks ago with Orton where he didn't even lay a finger on Orton and the crowd got behind him. The latent face star energy showed itself a little during those two tries, but apparently it wasn't strong enough to make him turn face.

Two things.

1) Orton's heat carried those exchanges. Yeah, I know every face gets over on a good heel, but you'd think that if Ted were so worth investing in that people would have at least stayed with him after that segment. Nobody remembers or cares about him vs. Orton at this point.

2) He came out of that second match looking like a bitch. Just like Cody did when he just stood by looking frustrated after Orton RKO'd Big Dust. So not only are both Cody and Ted bland and underperforming, they both look like bitches/chumps.

I see no good coming from Project Ted from the time being.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Ted Dibiase should turn face because the WWE needs an influx of talent to be near the main event and Dibiase has the look and talent to do that. It's just a matter of him coming out of his shell and doing that. Ted's the pretty boy and is taylor made to be a face for at least a good run. Right now, Legacy is becoming stale and is starting to wear thin on most fans. It'd be in the best interest to turn him face or to at least have him break away from Legacy and be his own man. It's not like he couldn't do that or anything.

It'd be a change of pace for him and to me, would be a wise move to find out if he can draw a face crowd reaction. Turning him on Orton wouldn't be that good of an idea because Orton's pretty over with the crowd already and it may backfire to use Orton to push him.

 

[DNice]

I like your enthusiasm, Coco The Monkey.

For the first comment, I don't know why Ted hasn't become more of a breakout star. If I did, I'd write about that. That's part of my point is that I don't know what it will take for him to separate from Legacy and earn more of a focus. He's young so he has time to make up for his lack of perpetuating momentum. If anything, it seems like you have a strong bias against him from a character standpoint than as a performer. I'm speaking outside the fourth wall, if you will.


Why would the WWE invest in him? Because they can't lose. Not from their point of view anyway. If he's a success, i.e. a dynamic wrestling character with an image that lends itself to a number of marketing opportunities, they can say they knew it all along and capitalize on him. If he's no a success, i.e. a blacklisted mid-carder for not making the most of what he's given, they can say they tried and focus more on someone like Cody Rhodes or Kofi Kingston. Some other young talent with more passion than DiBiase exhibits.

On your third comment, you're absolutely right. It was risky for the WWE to invest in a personality before he spoke a word or tried a dropkick in front of a viewing audience. There was something about him that made them believe he'd be DVD movie material, and I guess rental and DVD purchase figures will be the best metrics for their investment in his talents.

As for the showdown he and Orton had and the momentum thereafter, blame the booker. Either Ted wasn't on Raw the next week or he was back in medicore tag team land with Cody. I can't remember which, but it doesn't speak highly of who was handling Ted's affairs that week if either of those things are true and no one even mentioned the stare down a week later. As far as how he looked, you're right. He got punked out by RKO, as I think the plan for that week was, but I think what some people were hoping the point of that confrontation was for him to start undermining Randy Orton and not look like he got put back in his forgettable place.

The best thing to do as far as Ted is concerned is wait and see. He might have his big moment sooner rather than later, but until then, all we the audience can do is wait. His biggest crime may be having a physique too similar to Randy Orton's and not being hungry enough. In a year, we could be debating his world title defense against Kofi Kingston or how he's become Smackdown!'s Charlie Haas. Time will tell.

 

[Coco]

I like your enthusiasm, Coco The Monkey.

Thanks. I'm kinda fond of it myself.

If anything, it seems like you have a strong bias against him from a character standpoint than as a performer. I'm speaking outside the fourth wall, if you will.

Yeah, I'm speaking from inside the fourth wall. Mini Me's booked me in a match against Ted for next week on Raw.



What is it about finding him bland and being insulted by the arrogance it would take for the WWE to decide that we'll like him that makes me biased? He's objectively nothing special, has had plenty of chances to make something of himself over the course of the summer and the fall, and it just seems nothing is working. I'm just as "outside the fourth wall" as you on this one and I think things are clear and cut on how this first big attempt to push him (vs. DX, Orton) has ended.

Why would the WWE invest in him? Because they can't lose.

Sure they can. That's what the accounting department has the red ink for.

I don't care how little his movie cost to produce, it's more than possible that Ted's not a big enough name for it to produce any sort of profit.

Not from their point of view anyway. If he's a success, i.e. a dynamic wrestling character with an image that lends itself to a number of marketing opportunities, they can say they knew it all along and capitalize on him. If he's no a success, i.e. a blacklisted mid-carder for not making the most of what he's given, they can say they tried and focus more on someone like Cody Rhodes or Kofi Kingston. Some other young talent with more passion than DiBiase exhibits.

My red ink argument stands in terms of what they have to lose if he's not a success.

On your third comment, you're absolutely right. It was risky for the WWE to invest in a personality before he spoke a word or tried a dropkick in front of a viewing audience. There was something about him that made them believe he'd be DVD movie material, and I guess rental and DVD purchase figures will be the best metrics for their investment in his talents.

Haha. Yeah, I can't wait to see those numbers.

Them seeing something in him isn't really a good enough argument for me when he's had a year and a half to show his stuff and we've yet to see him show any of the same potential greatness that they do.

As for the showdown he and Orton had and the momentum thereafter, blame the booker. Either Ted wasn't on Raw the next week or he was back in medicore tag team land with Cody. I can't remember which, but it doesn't speak highly of who was handling Ted's affairs that week if either of those things are true and no one even mentioned the stare down a week later. As far as how he looked, you're right. He got punked out by RKO, as I think the plan for that week was, but I think what some people were hoping the point of that confrontation was for him to start undermining Randy Orton and not look like he got put back in his forgettable place.

Okay. In that case, both creative and Ted can be responsible for the red ink.

 

[ABMorales787]

Face, heel. i doubt it matters. WWE movies bomb no matter who is starring, just ask Stone Cold. Why ruin a perfectly good tag team/stable? Oh right, because WWE isn't too high on those. Screw that. Sheamus won the battle royal and is getting a title shot over the IWC's "golden boy". Thats saying something. Saving it for Wrestlemania? He's not ready. He's had little mic time, one feud and little exposure as a singles star. Cody has done more. WWE should realize that pushing talent for the sake of their movies isn't a good move for anyone. Especially for someone like Ted. People are saying he'll turn face and feud with Orton. But do these people know he won't flop like Orton himself? He needs more time and rushing him for some lousy movie is a bad move that could kill his buzz. If he has any right now.

 

[classicviolence]

Personally, Ted should stay heelwhile Cody turns face. Cody is much more passionate and convincing on the mic while Ted is more plain jane. As far as ring work goes, I'd prefer Cody over Ted in that department because Cody can do alot more than just be a Orton clone in ring ala Ted.

I dont dislike Ted DiBiase at all, I just believe that everyone that wanted Ted to get the "Cena" push should look at Cody first because Rhodes has the ability to break through much quicker that Ted if given he chance. Cody's height is his biggest downfall.