ECW Talent Search: so you think you can wrestle....for the ECW brand?

I've been harping on this for the past several weeks, quite honestly. I had hoped that ECW would have fixed this problem, but sadly, that would be asking too much. The problem in question deals with the ECW roster. No, it's not the fact that there is no talent, because there is. It's not the fact that some of the stars there belong on more qualified brands, because we all know they do. The problem is this: the talent roster is too thin. There aren't enough stars to go around, coercing us to either watch favored stars look bad, not-so-favorite stars get all types of face time, and the same matches with the same people over and over again. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes it's good to have a feud with the same person to establish that wrestler's cred. However, when there is no one to transition to afterward, be it after a long or short-term feud, you have no choice but to watch the same old story, with most likely the same result (the greater of the two wrestlers wins). If you see anything different along those lines, then people see it as an attack against the greater's cred, or worse, a chance to elevate the lesser, even though the lesser might not deserve it or can't do anything with it. Another key problem I have with this whole situation is that there are a plethora of stars that either are or aren't used on television in a way that could stand to be on ECW and flourish due to their talent alone. This would be great for them to somehow get themselves re-discovered and relied upon for bigger things the second time around. Having said all of that, let's look at the talent pools of both Raw and Smackdown and see who can benefit from making the move to ECW, in a sense (note: I will even be including stars that have been on ECW before):

-Charlie Haas
This has to be the most forgettable wrestler that I can think of that has all the talent in the world to be a big deal as a wrestler. Even while on SD, he was wrestling stiff and concise and, well, that's just not enough. This guy has talent, without question. However, Vince McMahon would rather watch paint dry than watch him wrestle. Sadly, everyone now thinks this. This didn't help matters even when he started impersonating wrestlers. Does this mean he sucks, completely? I don't think so. ECW can be a fresh start for him as a singles wrestler. No, scratch that. It seems that Charlie's best success, despite having some concise submissions, is in tag wrestling. So, how do you save his career? Put him on ECW with a running buddy or as a running buddy and make him a perennial tag team wrestler. Hands down. Who do you tag him with? Look ahead.

-Curt Hawkins
Curt has the skill to be a great wrestler on the singles' scene. He has good maneuvers and skill as well, but lacks the charisma to match Zack Ryder....sadly. So, what do you do with him? Easy! Find where his true success was (tag team wrestling), and stick him with a perennial partner that can't possibly overshadow him to be split away from him. Enter Charlie Haas. They wear similar tights, and similar colors. Also, they are similar in..well...charismatic delivery. So, here's an approach: They are the C.H. Athletics Club, whose main purpose is to show that they are the best wrestlers in the WWE. To build on this: they attack anyone who is all about stupid gimmicks, ideas, or personalities. Where would be a good place to try this, while allowing them to wrestle virtually uninhibited? ECW.

-The Hart Dynasty
Don't get me wrong. I love this team. I love virtually anyone connected to the Hart family that has made something of themselves positively, one way or another. I just hate the fact that they are on a major show, like SmackDown, and getting trashed by tag teams that don't appeal anymore (Cryme Tyme) or just against stars that don't need to be pushed over them (Great Khali). Heck, they put John Morrison and Matt Hardy together in some makeshift tag match to get them both over as they were both involved in something major at the time. How did they do it? They ended up beating the Hart Dynasty. Instead of putting them out there so soon, why not let them build up on ECW and then become a big deal? Unfortunately, that didn't work too well, either as they were being buried on that show by the likes of Finlay. Still, with the show now focusing more on wrestling, they belong back on that show.

-Mike Knox
This guy has been looking bad as a wrestler ever since ECW and his name were connected. However, when he was on ECW, he at least had something of a push before he was traded to Raw...and then to SmackDown. How did those trades go down? Horribly! He took Snitsky's place as a jobber on Raw, and once again, as a jobber on S.D. This time, he's probably replacing Chuck Palumbo or something as a jobber on S.D. He's not chiseled. He doesn't have boyish or mannish good looks. But, I'll tell you what: he's a heck of a hand as a brawler and a powerhouse. Give him one break for once and let it be somewhere good, like ECW. Heck, they've got hard hitters in Ezekiel Jackson, Vladimir Kozlov, Sheamus, and Paul Burchill. Throw Knox in the mix, why don't ya?

-Jimmy Wang Yang
Here's how this works: drop the stupid cowboy gimmick. Give him something different. Make him a standard Japanese wrestler, like Yoshi Tatsu. Or..go back to the whole Japanese Mafia idea with Sakoda. Or better yet, look to Dragon Gate or CHIKARA or something for some ideas and do something with him. I know Jimmy has the talent and is a great athlete. I just think that ECW would be a great place to see that if he a) drops the gimmick, b) gets out of the WWE doghouse fully by not violating anymore policies, and c) adopts one of his better finishers.

-Carlito
I know a lot of you will disagree with this. I'm only saying this to give him some direction. Now, yes, this is a demotion, but it gives Carlito a chance to once again, spread his wings as a wrestler and fly. This is also a chance for him to re-focus himself as Shelton Benjamin is doing. He's a great wrestler who needs a platform to show how great he is, but there's too many things keeping him from doing this, be it backstage attitude, no space on Raw for his talent, jobbing ridiculously, or being saddled with his rather generic brother. I can see great matches between Carlito and Christian. However, Carlito going to ECW isn't a definite. It's only definite if the next person doesn't go there.

-Primo
I would more prefer that Primo goes to ECW to at least polish his game a little as a singles wrestler. He really doesn't have a signature maneuver, which I think really hinders his upward mobility. He is athletic, to say the least. However, with the pecking order on Raw being limited to big players like Cena and DX, how does a face like Primo spring out of the shadows behind more capable stars like the Miz, Jack Swagger, and especially Kofi Kingston, not to mention MVP and Mark Henry, to say the least? My answer is that he goes to ECW and slowly makes a name for himself that way.

-Evan Bourne
To be honest, he never should have left. In fact, if he was going to, he should have left to SmackDown. He could have been the next Rey Mysterio. Instead, he's become the target for all types of abuse and beatdowns on Raw, by....virtually everyone. He's an extremely talented wrestler who is getting the shaft for being smaller than everyone on Raw. Instead of touting his skills, like they did in his ECW title match with Matt Hardy, he's now relegated to make others look good, if not better. How about we do Evan a favor and put him back on ECW where he can mean something again...if not on a lower scale? If this doesn't float your boat, put him on Smackdown.

-Jamie Noble
Is he a goof? Yes. Does he do silly things? Yes. Is he an accomplished wrestler? 100% yes! That's why he belongs on ECW. He can have great matches, put good stars over, help bad stars look good, and at least have a purpose. I'd rather watch Jamie Noble wrestle well, than fail miserably every night.

I changed my mind in wanting to get outside talent to be on ECW since essentially, that was or is going to happen anyway. If you're wondering why the other seemingly perennial jobbers of each show haven't been considered for this is because a) they really don't have any standout qualities to be a big deal, even on ECW and b) they are better off serving their purposes on Raw and Smackdown, specifically, with what they do (sorry, but Santino doesn't really do anything for me anymore).

All that said, I think that ECW is in need of some talent. I figure that if you have talent lying around that you aren't using that can be used, then use them on a show that can use them. ECW can use some fresh rivalries, with stars that actually look or wrestle competently. So, fish for them. We know they aren't using them on Raw and Smackdown. So, use them on ECW.

Every day, a halfway decent wrestler gets neglected on WWE television. Every day, a wrestler is considered not good enough to be hired. But, as days go by, Raw is losing its quality in certain ways, and Smackdown isn't far behind. But, ECW is still doing its job right, creating new stars, making some decent moments in wrestling, and acting as the jumping point for new stars on the rise and continuing stars who need to be re-focused. There are a slew of stars that can take that focus and make waves with it. If ECW can give direction for stars who are going to start it out, as well as some direction to present stars that can use it, don't you think it's time they raid Raw or SmackDown for the stars that can use this opportunity? I'm sure it would be a little better than, say....watching paint dry. But, that's just my opinion. Let's hear some of yours!