The Michales/Jannetty Syndrome in reverse

[Evenflow DDT]

Ever since the winter of '91 when Shawn Michaels laid out Marty Jannetty on The Barber Shop we have seen many tag teams rise, fall, split up, feud, and go their seperate ways. One typically becomes a bigger star while the other slowly falls down the ladder and/or is on the unemployment line.

Usually it is easy to pick which team member is a bigger star...

HBK > Jannetty
Scott Steiner > Rick Steiner
Booker T. > Stevie Ray
Bret Hart > Jim Neidhart
Bully Ray > Devon

But sometimes it is a suprise...

In 2007 when multi-time NWA/TNA tag team champs AMW split most everyone thought that Chris Harris would be a breakout star and main eventer, while James Storm would end up somewhere like Jersey All Pro. Harris was involved in the KOTM match at that year's Slammaversary and have a feud with Christian Cage. Storm went on to feud with Eric Young over the "World Beer Drinking Championship" and Rhino. Within a few months Harris was feuding with Dustin Rhodes for some reason and then got his release to go to the Big Time, where he ballooned up and was under contract for 8 months, 1 of which was on TV. Storm went on to form Beer Money with Bobby Roode, is a member of Fourtune, over with the TNA crowd, and in my opinon will be TNA world champ within the next 12 months.

Towards the end of 2009 we saw what would be the end of Legacy. Originally this was going to be the springboard Ted Dibiase would use to reach the next level. Cody and Ted were going to be the faces going into WM but crowd reaction changed all that, making Orton the face and Cody/Ted just another heel tag team. Cody was then "injured" by Orton and eventually drafted to SD. Ted was given plenty of chances to get over and ZERO worked, while Cody is a former tag champ and current I.C champ over on SD. He had been placed in a feud with Orton, and will most likey be SD world champ in 2012. Ted on the other hand will be lucky to keep cashing check thru X-Mas. Sorry Teddy daddy cant protect you forever.

Last we have Miz/Morrison. after there split in the 2009 WWE Draft, it look as if Morrison was on his way to be the next HBK. He was placed on SD and at one point it was rumored he would face Batista at WM for the World Title, never happened. Miz, well, he was squashed in his feud with Cena, but he rebounded by winning the US title and Tag titles with the Big Show. He even captained a team to victory over team Morrison at that year's Survivor Series. 2010 saw Miz win MITB and then cash it in a few months later to win his 1st world title. WM 27 saw Miz beat Cena, and Morrison team with Snooki.... Miz is being featured on the main WWE storyline and Morrison cant but a win.

Who'd a thunk it???

What current tag team do you think will catch the M/J Syndrome in reverse?

 

[#hamler]

I can actually see Beer Money flip flopping in the next couple of years. This is taking absolutely nothing away from Bobby Roode but James Storm is better then you. Right now, it does seem like Robert Roode will become the success here but there's no doubt in my mind James Storm will too. I can see Roode winning the TNA title soon and defending it in a match against his tag team partner down the line. What a storyline/buildup would that make. I don't necessarily think Beer Money will fall into the Michaels/Jannetty category, but I think Storm will be better then Roode later on down the line.

That's really all I can think of. WWE's tag team division is a work in progress and I don't see any promising young talents who will fit the Shawn Michaels bill of a group or duo.

 

[One to Remember]

There are not enough tag teams in wrestling anymore to answer your question plus you have similar tag team situations like with edge and christian were one has a delayed success and has to wait til the other one leaves the brand, thecompany, or wrestling period.

AIRBOOM: Pair doomed. Both have iffy chances

TNA's Mexican stables: Hernandez seemed viable a lojg time ago.

USOS: Already saddled with racial stereotypes, SCREWED!

World's Greatest Tag Team: if either Benjamin or Haas find their way, Benjamin will get it eventhough he already had to play jennetty to Lesnar in the minnesota stretching crew..

 

[FlairFan2003]

Jannety screwed up his chances to be a star because of drug problems, that is why he was pushed down the ladder and fired in the early 90's. Remember, in 92-93 Vince was getting rid of anyone with drug issues (Jannety, Von Erich) as well as anyone with ties to steroids or who might be used by the government to testify against him (Piper, Hogan).

That said, Jannety would have had to completely re-make himself and his gimmick. Michaels didn't continue being Shawn Michaels of The Rockers, he turned into The Heartbreak Kid, an arrogant, skirt chasing ego maniac. It took awhile for his mic skills to improve to the level of his new look, attitude, and in ring ability but when it did he took off. Even without his other problems, not sure Jannety had what it took to make that happen.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Well, we are seeing it with the Hart Dynasty. DH Smith got released. Tyson may be very low on the card right now but he is still with WWE and may get a push. The same can be said for Cryme Tyme. Shad showed signs of getting a better push when they split but he was future endeavoured as soon as they had a PPV match against each other, and JTG got to stay even though he is jobbing to other jobbers. Then you have Air Boom who are still there. Everyone is already viewing Kofi as the likely more successful singles star once they split. He has held every single title in WWE other than the world titles, will Evan Bourne beat him to it? Probably not, but no one else thought The Miz would get to where he is today either. I like it when the Michaels/Jannetty syndrom happens in reverse because the smaller or less talented guy defies the odds to become a bigger success.

 

[One to Remember]

D.H. and Shad suffered due to there not being a tag division for them to compete in OR FALL BACK in. The thing about the michaels-jannetty dynamic is even though it features HBK going it solo he would not had ever had gotten solid footing in the biz without a strong tag team division. Steiner, The Book, Hennig (AWA) and Edge can testify to that, and to a lesser extent so can bobby roode and bubba ray.

 

[Defekt]

I don't think you can count out Morrison yet.

While he hasn't had any world title reigns, he is still a prominently featured guy, and he was in a main event of a PPV this year.

 

[One to Remember]

Thats true about Morrison. MAYbe we are to eager as fans to see upper midcarders rise to the top. We can't forget they have to groom some stars of today for a position of prominence on down the line in say 2015-2020. Morrison and Kofi are young, we may have to wait years..

 

[ABMorales787]

I have always and will always hate the Michaels/Jannety cliche. While most times that leads to good feuds, more often than not. But sometimes it leads to the same bullshit of the team fighting among themselves to prove who's superior. I don't recall Michaels and Jannety getting to that point.

I far prefer the Beer Money method of both guys supporting each other all the way to the main event. Should they split it will seem far more important because both guys are top players and if booked right it can be a true money maker with great build as opposed to two midcard guys bickering about being better when they've barely been singles stars.

 

[walsallbathroomfitter]

The killjoy is damn right. We need to see more tag or stable double pushes. Like DX or kliq. Edge & finally christian got there with patience, The wwe misses big stables to push wrestlers. The corporation and/or mcmahon-helmsley era there was gold dripping all around. Hope vickie gurrero can create a top winning heel stable, also maybe a jonny ace stable. Another reason why we struggle to see the potential get better is some story lines finish too quickly, there is more wrestling time on tv more than ever they could dilute the ring time for better mid-card promos.

O yeah evolution also worked very well. the past the present and 2 massive futures

 

[One to Remember]

I have always and will always hate the Michaels/Jannety cliche. While most times that leads to good feuds, more often than not. But sometimes it leads to the same bullshit of the team fighting among themselves to prove who's superior. I don't recall Michaels and Jannety getting to that point.

I far prefer the Beer Money method of both guys supporting each other all the way to the main event. Should they split it will seem far more important because both guys are top players and if booked right it can be a true money maker with great build as opposed to two midcard guys bickering about being better when they've barely been singles stars.

Your post indicates that you don't understand it. The syndrome doesnt feature an eternal fued pending the destruction of your former tag partner's viability as a maineventer.

It involves two guys who are very similar in back ground, skills, and status. It involves the splitting of the team for whatever reason and analysis of their singles career as they move through the ranks. Title reigns, title length, and airtime are main points of comparison. We need other tag teams to define other situations though. Like are you the Edge or the Christian, or the Ultimate Warrior or the Sting. The Michaels - Jannetty Syndrom should only refer to a specific type of inter tag team inequality.

 

[ABMorales787]

Your post indicates that you don't understand it. The syndrome doesnt feature an eternal fued pending the destruction of your former tag partner's viability as a maineventer.

It involves two guys who are very similar in back ground, skills, and status. It involves the splitting of the team for whatever reason and analysis of their singles career as they move through the ranks. Title reigns, title length, and airtime are main points of comparison. We need other tag teams to define other situations though. Like are you the Edge or the Christian, or the Ultimate Warrior or the Sting. The Michaels - Jannetty Syndrom should only refer to a specific type of inter tag team inequality.

What? You're saying some really stupid crap. So Edge is the Edge of Edge And Christian? Is that what you're saying? What I said was that when a team splits, their feud always boils down to the two men trying to label the other as inferior. It's been done so much that it's just jarring and lazy. I have yet to see a team refrain from fighting each other until they reach their peak (an ideal time to feud). Instead we get it as soon as they split which at times is accompanied with the lame "he was holding me back" excuse.

My point is, that when a team splits and they feud, the point shouldn't about who's Shawn and who's Marty.

 

[One to Remember]

What? You're saying some really stupid crap. So Edge is the Edge of Edge And Christian? Is that what you're saying? What I said was that when a team splits, their feud always boils down to the two men trying to label the other as inferior. It's been done so much that it's just jarring and lazy. I have yet to see a team refrain from fighting each other until they reach their peak (an ideal time to feud). Instead we get it as soon as they split which at times is accompanied with the lame "he was holding me back" excuse.

My point is, that when a team splits and they feud, the point shouldn't about who's Shawn and who's Marty.

what's it matter to you if they fued over that same old the team was holdin me back gimmick?! IF IT IS ROOTED IN REALITY HOW CAN IT BE A TIRED CONCEPT?! The fact is when the team does split one guys going to move up the other may stagnate, someone is getting their release papers. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN but more often then not it does and for the Marty your career is a wrap. Art immitating life is apart of wrestling. Its a reasonable bases for a fued. What are you ginna complain about next? Every beach having water at it?
And duh Edge is the Edge of Edge and Christian.. And Christian in this context represents delayed devolopment and the need of his ex partner to make a quick hand off of the torch before his departure. To receive jump stars from his former partner when his battery is low.

It isn't who's Marty and who's Shawn but who IS GOING TO BE Marty and who is going to be Shawn. You got kayfabe on the brain man. The syndrome is not a storyline direction it's a career path. Its either life or death for a wrestler depending on if your the Marty or the Shawn. And I don't mean the wrestler wrestler I mean the guy behind the persona trying to be something in this sport.