Don't Do The Cryme

The WWE fired the tag team, Cryme Tyme, last night following a situation that strayed away from the storyline at a house show in Indiana over the weekend.

Shad Gaspard and JTG were in the company for at least a year and were a kind of comedy act which played on the stereotype that all blacks are criminals. The duo would steal from their foes and then auction off the item to the audience.

It was a controversial gimmick. But would you expect anything less from a company that capitalises on things like the Gulf War and the the tensions associated with 9/11 and 7/7?

The two were in a match with Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. The four had been feuding on screen for months. The hatred went beyond the television screen, though.

It was common knowledge within the locker room that the teams had real heat with each other.

Before the bout on Saturday night, one of the Cryme Tyme members threatened Trevor Murdoch by saying 'what happens in the ring, stays in the ring.' The implication of that comment made Murdoch believe that they were going to get double-crossed in some way. Either that or punches and moves executed were not going to be protected.

As a way to even up the odds the tag team champions asked the referee to help pull a joke - known as a rib - on Cryme Tyme.

The match ended when the referee counted out one of the wrestlers. It wasn't the planned finish and - as a way of saving face - Cryme Tyme did their finishing move on the referee. They then proceeded to take off his belt and auction it to the crowd.

The improvisation on behalf of Cryme Tyme was a 'no-no' especially at a time where the WWE are cracking down on people not toeing the company line.

JTG and Shad Gaspard were given their marching orders. It takes two to tango and I believe Cade, Murdoch and the ref should also have been disciplined. Firing was a bit too much. A suspension or fine would have been sufficient.

I guess the WWE just had enough of the gimmick and took the easy way out and handed them their notice instead of trying to work out how to improve the stale, yet controversial, act.