4. The Sandman Goes Blind
Or to put it simply - fooling the fans. Here is the background to what happened. The Sandman was, believe it or not, originally a surfer in ECW. In 1994 he completely transformed it into what we know him as now - the smoking, the beer drinking, the Metallica entrance music and so on. He was having an 'I Quit' match with Tommy Dreamer when ash from his cigarette was accidentally flicked into his eye. Immediately the entire ECW locker room broke character and rushed out to help him. The fans were genuinely concerned for his welfare. He took the angle so far that he wouldn't even answer the phone at home or be seen out without an eye patch or sunglasses. He lived the angle and the fans bought it. It was revealed to be a ruse during a retirement for him at November to Remember 1994. The blindness had spread to both eyes at this point (I wouldn't have taken the angle that way as it gave to much away for my liking). When he peeled off the bandages and attacked Dreamer just as Dreamer was saving Sandman's then wife Lori from an attack by Woman the crowd were shocked and upset - they had been fooled. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GxzjpWftsQ Could such an elaborate angle like this work today in the age of the internet and inside spoilers? I think it could. It would be very difficult and mean that only 3 or 4 people would know what the angle was, but it would be a great way to turn someone heel and fool the fans. Because in the end, they just want to be entertained!