As much as a list of "Heels Nobody Cared About" could be filled with heels from the WWF's 1990-1996 nadir that wrestling fans do (ironically) care about given how many wrestling fan-fests and autograph signings that book those wrestlers dot the collectibles marketplace, let's instead discuss Bam Neely. Justin "The Ox" LaRouche was a hard-working member of the second-wave OVW crew that blessed WWE with MNM (Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro and Melina) and a plethora of other acts. Called up to WWE in 2008, he was a member of Edge's stable as WWE Champion that intriguingly included zero A (or plausibly even B) level acts besides Edge. There were Vickie and Chavo Guerrero, Curt Hawkins, Zack Ryder and yes, their protection, ex-border patrolman Bam Neely. Did Edge need protection? Not really, as Neely's role was more superfluous and a cheap heat device than anything else. Quickly lost in the shuffle, he found his way to ECW, where after middling success, he was released after only eight inconsequential months on WWE's main roster. A guy that nobody cared about put in positions where absolutely nobody had any reason to care about him, Bam Neely could be number one. But there are four better (and more high profile examples) to go.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.
