Enzo & Cass

[The Thread Killer]

I was somewhat surprised to see Enzo and Cass split up so quickly. I always figured they'd get at least a token run with the titles, since they seemed popular and from looking at the crowds, it appeared they were moving a ton of merchandise. I assumed this day was coming, just not so soon. I don't much like Enzo's chances from here on in. I wonder if maybe this was because he really isn't the most popular guy backstage. I read somewhere he rubbed some of the trainers the wrong way in NXT by refusing to listen to advice.

 

sek mentions this in the Meltzer thread but for those who don't read that thread, the news has come out today (via the Observer) that the possible reason for the earlier than expected split of Enzo and Cass is because Enzo did something unspecified that has earned him so much heat, he was kicked off the WWE bus and is no longer allowed to dress in the dressing room with the other wrestlers.

 

So it looks like that might be the reason behind the split, and subsequent squash and probable career burial. Call me morbidly curious, but I'd like to know what actions would call for such a drastic shunning backstage, but at the same time doesn't warrant his being released.

 

One theory would be that WWE knows how popular his character is, so if they released him they'd leave him open to going somewhere else and possibly getting over, or doing shoot interviews airing dirty laundry. However, you'd have to ask yourself, if he is going to be buried, why the hell did they give him such a good opportunity to shine on the microphone as part of this angle.

 

Understandably, Enzo is reportedly very upset about the team being split. (If for no other reason I imagine his bank account will take a big hit from the loss of revenue generated by Enzo and Cass merchandise.)

 

Rumor also has it (as per Mr. Meltzer) that although Big Cass is currently getting a push, he is also very unpopular backstage due to his being a vocal supporter of Donald Trump(?!) If true, I guess you can chalk that up to reason #537 you should never discuss religion or politics in the workplace. I'm guessing being a Trump supporter wouldn't get him any heat with Vince, but if this report is to believed, it has got him heat with the boys in the back.

 

This whole situation is weird. As I said, I feel strangely voyeuristic, but I'd love to know more details and I hope they come out. And that makes me feel a bit guilty, like I got caught reading a supermarket tabloid.

[jcmmnx]

It sounds like a bunch of stuff Dave pulled out of his ass.

[goc]

It sounds like a bunch of stuff Dave pulled out of his ass.

YMMV on how seriously you want to take him but that's pretty much what rovert said it was on twitter.

[El-P]

Call me morbidly curious, but I'd like to know what actions would call for such a drastic shunning backstage, but at the same time doesn't warrant his being released.

 

He said "belt".

[The Thread Killer]

 

It sounds like a bunch of stuff Dave pulled out of his ass.

 

YMMV on how seriously you want to take him but that's pretty much what rovert said it was on twitter.

 

 

Yeah, I heard/saw that. I dunno about that guy, it seems like half his deal on Twitter is either taking shots at Jim Ross or trying to contradict or debunk Meltzer.

 

It sounds like the Enzo being kicked off the bus thing has been verified by others, but the Cass being a big Trump supporter supposedly isn't. One of rovert's arguments was that if Cass was a big Trump supporter, he and Owens wouldn't be friends.

 

Because it's impossible to be friends with somebody who has political views opposed to yours.

 

There's another unconfirmed rumor going around that Enzo and Cass have legit heat, and Cass's whole "I have to back you up because of your big mouth" line was a semi-shoot.

 

I don't doubt that one of Meltzer's sources in WWE told him that stuff about Enzo and Cass. How true it is, that's anybody's guess.

[FMKK]

Another thing I saw on Twitter (obviously a pinch of salt comes with all of this) is that, although there may have been some incident on the tour, Enzo being thrown off the bus by Roman was seen as a joke rather than something serious so it could have just been a rib

[Strummer]

Rovert has been saying for weeks that Enzo has heat on him for partying too much which kinda connects to Dave's story here so who knows

[jcmmnx]

Honestly I don't give a shit about any of it. I still think it was a mistake to break up Cass and Enzo. The WWE is struggling to bring in younger viewers, and Cass and Enzo have always been popular with kids. Dumb move IMO.

[sek69]

I don't get the mind set that every tag team needs to be broken up at some point. For every Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart you have tons of guys better suited for tag teams and get lost in the shuffle as singles. There's nothing wrong with being a career tag team guy if it's the best shot at success.

[Cap]

I agree that they should have stayed together a little longer (at least). It seems like just when tag divisions get some momentum they start breaking people up.

 

Ohh well.... they are broken up now. Neither of them are particularly interesting as singles guys to me.

[El-P]

They were the worst NAO ever. Annoying sing-along catchprases and nothing else. At least Road Rog could work and cut promos that actually meant something (as opposed to blabbing some nonsensical pseudo-cool Jersey bullshit), and Billy Gunn on his worst day was still way better than Cass. Never got whatever hype these guys got.

[sek69]

Road Dog was definitely the better worker but let's not rose tint glasses ourselves into thinking his promos weren't just him intro'ing the team and making weed references.

[C.S.]

C'mon now, Enzo was a thousand times more creative and varied than Road Dogg on the mic. Even The Rock publicly called out Road Dogg in the past about his lack of creativity. Apparently, there were some jealousy issues there (on Road Dogg's end, obviously) and heat between both of them - probably a residual effect of the uneasy relationship Rock and H had in their primes.

[Shatter_Machine]

I don't get the mind set that every tag team needs to be broken up at some point. For every Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart you have tons of guys better suited for tag teams and get lost in the shuffle as singles. There's nothing wrong with being a career tag team guy if it's the best shot at success.

Totally agree with this. Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I always felt this was the case with the NAO, even somewhat with guys who were great as singles like Arn and Tully. It's why I'm glad there was never really a break-up angle with Eaton and Lane in WCW. I know that Eaton stuck around for a while after Lane and Cornette left, but he was never as good with anyone else as he was with Lane.

[MoS]

C'mon now, Enzo was a thousand times more creative and varied than Road Dogg on the mic. Even The Rock publicly called out Road Dogg in the past about his lack of creativity. Apparently, there were some jealousy issues there (on Road Dogg's end, obviously) and heat between both of them - probably a residual effect of the uneasy relationship Rock and H had in their primes.

 

I didn't know about this. When did Rock call out Dogg? This is also interesting because I thought there was also heat between NAO and Hunter for the longest time.

[El-P]

When I said Road Dog could cut promos, I mean he had the ability to do so, as showed by stuff from time to time, including in TNA when they brought Bullet Bob too. Of course the intro stuff got annoying and repetitive by the fall of 98. It's not like the NAO were a very good team to begin with either.

[The Thread Killer]

 

C'mon now, Enzo was a thousand times more creative and varied than Road Dogg on the mic. Even The Rock publicly called out Road Dogg in the past about his lack of creativity. Apparently, there were some jealousy issues there (on Road Dogg's end, obviously) and heat between both of them - probably a residual effect of the uneasy relationship Rock and H had in their primes.

 

I didn't know about this. When did Rock call out Dogg? This is also interesting because I thought there was also heat between NAO and Hunter for the longest time.

 

 

There was, after they got released...big time. They gave shoot interviews to pretty much anybody who would listen where they buried Hunter relentlessly. (Along with a lot of other people.) Since Brian James cleaned up his act and got hired back, he has become a WWE apologist of Prichardian proportions. Check out his episode of Legends with JBL if you don't believe me.

[Shatter_Machine]

 

 

C'mon now, Enzo was a thousand times more creative and varied than Road Dogg on the mic. Even The Rock publicly called out Road Dogg in the past about his lack of creativity. Apparently, there were some jealousy issues there (on Road Dogg's end, obviously) and heat between both of them - probably a residual effect of the uneasy relationship Rock and H had in their primes.

 

I didn't know about this. When did Rock call out Dogg? This is also interesting because I thought there was also heat between NAO and Hunter for the longest time.

 

 

There was, after they got released...big time. They gave shoot interviews to pretty much anybody who would listen where they buried Hunter relentlessly. (Along with a lot of other people.) Since Brian James cleaned up his act and got hired back, he has become a WWE apologist of Prichardian proportions. Check out his episode of Legends with JBL if you don't believe me.

 

Yeah, he's quite the follow on Twitter. Don't you dare criticize anything they do, because you've never been there, paying dues, in the business, man. Sigh.

[El-P]

He knows where his bread is buttered. He can be a lifer over there now. In the process, he seems to have AlSnowed himself.

[Cap]

Wasn't it Road Dog that called Hunter a "Hall of Fame Human Being" for his DVD? That almost made me throw up in my mouth.

[Coffey]

 

 

 

C'mon now, Enzo was a thousand times more creative and varied than Road Dogg on the mic. Even The Rock publicly called out Road Dogg in the past about his lack of creativity. Apparently, there were some jealousy issues there (on Road Dogg's end, obviously) and heat between both of them - probably a residual effect of the uneasy relationship Rock and H had in their primes.

 

I didn't know about this. When did Rock call out Dogg? This is also interesting because I thought there was also heat between NAO and Hunter for the longest time.

 

 

There was, after they got released...big time. They gave shoot interviews to pretty much anybody who would listen where they buried Hunter relentlessly. (Along with a lot of other people.) Since Brian James cleaned up his act and got hired back, he has become a WWE apologist of Prichardian proportions. Check out his episode of Legends with JBL if you don't believe me.

 

Yeah, he's quite the follow on Twitter. Don't you dare criticize anything they do, because you've never been there, paying dues, in the business, man. Sigh.

 

 

What about people that have paid dues, been in WWE/the business & still criticize them, like Paul London?

[Jimmy Redman]

They never drew a dime brother.

[C.S.]

I didn't know about this. When did Rock call out Dogg? This is also interesting because I thought there was also heat between NAO and Hunter for the longest time.

I want to say it was in a Torch Talk interview (Rock did one of those, right?) but I can't be certain since I'm no longer a subscriber.

[The Thread Killer]

I remember it coming across when Road Dogg and Billy Gunn were bashing the Rock in the shoot interview clip I saw, that it was just achingly obvious how incredibly jealous they were of him. Like, they could barely disguise their envy at all.

[El-P]

Well, while Rock was conquering Hollywood, James & Kip were doing those godawful VKM skits and eye gouging misogynic stuff with Chrystie Hemme in TNA… But everything is right now though. Road Dog is Old Skweel now...