It didn't take a lot for Sandman to get over with WWE crowds upon his debut with the mid-2000s ECW brand extension. Tailor-made to make an instant impact, his beer swilling, foul-mouthed character instantly won unfamiliar fans over. An unquestionably important ingredient to his popularity was, of course, the singapore cane resurrected from its use in the original ECW. It's important to note that Sandman was by no means an expert with his weapon of choice. There was no Steve Blackman-esque twirling on show. Instead he opted for sheer brutality, pulverising opponents with stinging shot after shot. Most Notable Victim: Tommy Dreamer. Back in their ECW glory days, the pair engaged in an intense feud over Dreamer's perceived lack of toughness. A clean-cut sore thumb in the midst of the promotion's snarling, grizzled roster, Dreamer was singled out by both Sandman and the crowd for abuse. A match was agreed after which, if Tommy lost, he would be forced to take a series of painful cane shots to the back. Sandman duly won and didn't hold back, but the manful way Dreamer took his punishment finally endeared him to the brutal Philadelphia crowd.
