It's almost been one year.
51 weeks ago Zack Ryder had an idea. Feeling underutilized by the WWE, he decided to take the bull by the horns and work outside the rigid parameters set by his employers. He wanted fans to know who he was, chant his name and care about whether he won or lost matches. Heck, he just wanted to have matches to win or lose in the first place.
So he took to the internet. More specifically, YouTube. He started his own web series called "Z! True Long Island Story." Every week, Ryder invaded your home via your computer screen for seven to 10 minutes and endeared himself with humor. Casual fans and even the most savvy insiders took notice and pretty soon, so did the WWE brass.
Before the show, he was jobbing to Sheamus in 11 seconds and spending most of his time on NXT or Superstars. Now, he's on Raw week in and week out, has a United States Championship reign under his belt and is currently involved in a major storyline with John Cena and Kane.
This week's episode takes a look back at the first 50 weeks. Check out the video after the jump.