10 WWE Gimmicks That Overstayed Their Welcome

The Spirit Squad (January 23, 2006-November 27, 2006, October 2016)

There's an eerie poetry to the idea of Vince McMahon creating a personal cheering section, only to abuse them for months and only have one member left 15 years later.

In the midst of a feud with Shawn Michaels in late 2005/early 2006, the basis of which was centered around Vince's inability to stop recounting the events of eight years prior (which also rings familiar), Vince McMahon determined that he needed obstacles to put his finger on the scale against HBK: five young stars in waiting known as Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Nicky and Mikey--collectively, The Spirit Squad. Male cheerleaders.

The group started out entertaining in their obnoxiousness. They picked up the World Tag Team Championships shortly after being handily dispatched during the Shawn Michaels-Vince McMahon Street Fight at WrestleMania 22 and had the longest reign in nearly a decade.

As D-Generation X reformed, however, it became clear their sole purpose was cannon fodder. When they weren't having fluids of varying degrees of disgusting dropped on them, they were regularly beaten in short order by Michaels and Triple H before dropping their titles to two men 35 years older than any of them and were shipped in a crate back to developmental. In spite of this, one Squad member (Nicky) survived the onslaught, became Dolph Ziggler and went on to two World title reigns.

Given his initial and subsequent booking, it's a wonder he's still here.