With all the effort the WWF put in to hyping Ken Patera's return in 1987, it seemed clear they initially intended to push him to some degree. It obviously became clear to them that he had nothing left, since he was fully on the JTTS squad within a matter of
months (I mean, teaming with Billy Jack Haynes against Demolition, gee, I wonder who's going to win THAT feud?). What I'm wondering is why they kept him around for so long after giving up on him? Was it just a matter of needing bodies to serve as house show
undercard spackle? In a related question, maybe those who have watched the weekly shows more recently than I have can answer if Patera was still working squashes into 1988, even when his depush was in full swing?
You always need bodies to fill the C show cards in the boonies. Plus he was an Olympian and could do public speaking engagements for community service. There was no real downside to having him around.