Hurricane was getting big pops on the main shows around the time he had his mini program with The Rock. When was the last time Ryder was even on one of the main shows for more then 30 seconds? I'm not trying to say Hurricane would have belonged in a closing segment like the one tonight just that Ryder sure as fuck doesn't belong.
The thing is, guys for years have gotten over through incidents such as this. Helms was floundering at the time and Rock made him look a million bucks. He also did something similar for Christian at a time. Someone has obviously picked up on Ryder interest or he wouldn't even have been allowed an appearance in the background.
Now I'm not saying I'd go all the way to promoting Zack straight to Foley style 'This Is your Life' levels but given the amount of Rock fluff segments - the usual fawning Divas, Santino/ Kozlov, Khali, Hornswoggle, Vickie shtick plus WAY to many happy birthday bits from celebrities (enough Vince, we get that it's Sports Entertainment already).
Former writer David Lagana worked for Vince for 6 years and now writes for RoH. He has done a two bit interview with Brit wrestling magazine Power Slam and comes across as complementary and grateful for his time in Connecticut, but at the same time doesn't come across as a drone looking his old job back. When asked about hostility from talent against creative about not getting over, he has singled out Ryder for praise:-
David Lagana (WWF/e writer 2002-2008)
my number one hero right now is Zack Ryder. He gets it. Okay, they're not using him a lot on television - but look at what he does every week on his little web show. He's created a five-minute web show that John Cena loves and tweets about. That's getting yourself over. Hopefully, WWE will start watching that and put it on television because he is trying to get his character over on his own. That's a guy I would work hard for every day because he's thinking about himself and working within the parameters of the character he has created.
Now a couple of things about this:
1) Just dethroned WWe Champion the Miz began his ascension running a similar web show alongside JoMo called 'The Dirt Sheet'.
2) This isn't just an IWC thing. Many casual fans follow John Cena's tweets and have checked out Ryder's casts.
3)Talk about having an already scripted opportunity. Place either Cena or the Rock in an interview segment for Ryder's web show and have the other interrupt at any time.
Would this not be slightly more refreshing than the same old, same old 'Vickie is fat, Ziggler's a little bitch, Mae Young's really old and in a swimsuit' dung (and from a show repeatedly going on about anti-bullying) that we've watched time without end setting up the anti-climatic face off between the two that even Rocky's guests didn't look that interested in?
I'm not saying put Zack at the top of a title ladder now, all I'm saying is how about letting him on a rung? A little rub from Cena and Rock and who knows, couple years down the line and we may have been looking at a new Miz - guess we'll never know.
. The Helms, Christian and even Foley's 'This Is Your Life' / Rock segments were not closers either and a mid show use of Ryder would have made more sense and been more believable.