Striker Rules: Matt Striker Appreciation Thread

[cactusjames]

I need a place to make note of all the great Striker moments, feel free to add.

Two LOL moments from Striker on tonight's Survivor Series broadcast. First match of the night was a traditional survivor series match, Team Miz vs Team Morrison. He has also done this other times and it makes me laugh every time, but tonight was no exception of coming out with a great Jim Morrison line in a John Morrison match. I'd have to go back to find it, but I'm pretty sure it was from End of the Night.

And just now when King asked Cole if he thought "Barack tuned in"? And the look Striker shot the camera, since I know he's republican and he knew they brought it up to rib him, was fucking hysterical.

And not related, middle of the match a fan yells to Jericho go back to Toronto, and Jericho while throwing Taker in the ring yelled back I'm from Winnipeg you idiot. Funniest moment of the night, Jericho rules too.

[MSBNYY]

Because he's been mostly relegated to ECW, I have very few Striker memories in the WWE. But having seen the guy in the independent shows, he was hysterical. He's really the only wrestler I can say that I remember from the 'minor leagues,' and knew he was going to be a solid WWE performer.

[$heriff Tom]

I love Striker as much or more than anyone, but he never struck me back then as a definite "solid WWE performer." In fact, his job was very much in jeopardy until he was given a shot as an announcer, which he nailed.

His body type did not fit the WWE mold, and aside from his clowning around his wrestling was marginal. He had his fans, but also his detractors. But there is no doubt that announcing saved his job.

[MSBNYY]

Well, what made him work is his humor and mouth. Those are his strengths.

[cactusjames]

Isn't humor and mouth the same thing?

And since he's been on Smackdown back with Grisham, he isn't relegated to any one show as he even filled in for Lawler after Sheamus laid King Fish out with a bicycle kick.

And I agree about the look, he wasn't a bad wrestler bur I can totally see Vince not believing a guy his size could beat a Cena or Triple H. And I wouldn't even say he's Heenan funny because Brain could do it all, but the substance of his material, his lines were really good, not just how it was delivered. Striker doesn't have bad lines, but he has the comedic timing down perfectly. He was on OnA well, he was on an XM Saturday Night Radio Show with two guys who work for OnA and Ronnie and Fezzie and he was really good. I love wrestlers when they come on the show, you get some inside dirt and you really get to know the guys. And at the time I liked him only cause I love the gimmick he had when he came in, the teaching gimmick they gave Franchise years ago, Striker was really good at. But after his time on satellite radio, I really got behind him because I got his personality and sense of humor listening to him for an hour.

I'm just mad you guys can't see him or talk to him anymore to tell him I started the first and only Matt Striker Appreciation Thread on the internet.

[MSBNYY]

The teaching gimmick worked better for Striker than Dean Douglas. The mainstream press he got as a teacher added to it.

[cactusjames]

100%, as funny as Franchise was as Dean Douglas it was whatever. But Striker was perfect at it, the vocabulary words, Striker was way more believable as a teacher and the background did help. I remember when he came out for Carlito's show and they had him a face at first taking a spit apple to the face from Carlito, it's the opening show in Carlito's entrance video. It didn't take them long to realize he should be heel.

Good thing too, how can a teaching gimmick get over for a face? They saw his natural abilities and if they didn't imagine how hurt the announcing teams would be right now without him?

He could be terrible and I'd still start this thread regardless just cause of The Doors lines during a john Morrison match, it's not even corny cause Morrison is a bigger cornball for just ripping off Jim, nothing about his gimmick is original so the fact he busts out Doors lines is funny but also a nice ribbing to John Morrison. I was really upset when Striker got pulled off the same show as Morrison because I knew I wouldn't hear more lines like that till last night.

The entire show was a hit Sunday and the 3 man announcing team they did Sunday was perfect too, the only exception being Cole of course.

[MSBNYY]

Good point. The idea of a teaching gimmick as a face doesn't make much sense. At best, you'd have to be a complete buffoon, like Santino. His timing is what makes him work. He was very funny on the mic in those indy shows.