Putting together five of their top prospects from developmental league Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE wanted to introduce these young performers to the big time, but protect them enough so that they wouldn't be exposed on their own. The phrase, 'strength in numbers' comes to mind, which is exactly what the purpose of The Spirit Squad was. A group of male cheerleaders isn't exactly what people might expect to see when tuning into a pro wrestling show, but Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Nicky and Mikey performed with such enthusiasm that it was hard not to raise a smile when they were around. Even though cast as heels, there was something likeable about some of the Squad, most notably Nicky, who would of course go on to become Dolph Ziggler. Entering into a feud with D-Generation X, The Spirit Squad were eventually sent packing by Shawn Michaels and Triple H, but not before being loaded into a big crate, one labelled with 'OVW' as the destination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cpXDQA5nYA Again, this was simply throwaway comedy, played purely for laughs, but not-so-subtle digs such as Triple H telling the mock courier than the package wasn't "worth a crap" is curious, and the whole thing came across as self-serving. It's extremely difficult to get new talent over with the crowds if the company itself doesn't take them seriously.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
