Should they make Lawler a real heel announcer?

[Guest Redhawk]

You could technically say Jerry Lawler is a heel announcer. But it seems to me like he only acts heelish for a couple of guys -- Triple H, Ric Flair, Vince and sometimes Jericho -- and is a babyface the rest of the time. Hell, he's even been mini-feuding with Bischoff, Morley, Storm and Regal. How can he be a heel announcer and a face wrestler? Tazz is the same way on Smackdown, acting heelish some times and playing a face the rest of the time.

 

Anyway, do you think WWE should turn these two back into true heel announcers? I think it would enhance the product and even enhance some feuds, not having both announcers rooting for the same guy. or maybe they are just capitalizing on what the fans want, since they cheer for Tazz and Lawler anyway? Any thoughts?

[Guest Brian]

I lik Tazz the way he is, because he's allowed to do his thing and run over Cole.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Lawler shouldn't be announcing *period*.

 

Tazz is really good as he is.

 

Bring in Don Callis

[Guest Goodear]

I don't watch RAW since I don't have cable, but I sure as hell wouldn't mess with Tazz right now. He's got a nice blend of respect for just about everyone (which works well for color since otherwise, you'll be burying your own talent like JR does) coupled by giving the viewing audience a sense of psychology and execution of the actual wrestling. Basically, Taz is a tweener that holds up everyone in the ring as high as he can. There's no need to change that to a heel - face dynamic when the current Cole-Tazz pairing works so well in my opinion.

[Guest snuffbox]

I second Don Callis.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

**jumps on the Callis bandwagon**

[Guest Goodear]

I'm not a big Don Callis fan. Listening to him was like an exercise in overblown heel cliches that Bobby Heenan did ten years ago with better delivery and timing (except for "RrrrrrollerJAM!"). Steve Corino, on the other hand, was brilliant in some Ring of Honor commentary that I've seen recently. Much better help to the storytelling ability than Callis in my opinion. Of course, Steve probably wants to keep wrestling and all.

[Guest The Tino Standard]

Tazz has pulled off a minor miracle in making Cole bearable. Those two really work well together. They do a great job of explaining the psychology of the match they are calling. Tazz even calls out the names of moves. I think the way they call a match adds to the realism of the product. I know the matches are scripted, but its fun to play along and watch the 'strategy' unfold in a match.

 

Leave Tazz alone. He's doing a great job and he's even made Cole better by association.

 

Lawler? Eh, I liked the way he and JR worked together in the past, but the quality there has really fallen off. The both of them seem TOO comfortable and their work has lagged as a result. It would be nice to replace Lawler with a new broadcast partner. I LOVED the JR-Heyman team while it lasted.

 

Honestly, I think the real problem for WWE is not color commentators. It is PLAY-BY-PLAY guys. You can bring in former wrestlers and groom them to be competent color guys (like they've done with Tazz), but play-by-play is a different animal. If there's one thing they've proven in the last year, its that they have NOBODY that can handle the role on a major show besides JR and Cole (and Cole took a looong time to develop at that).

 

JR probably won't be around in the broadcast booth forever, so they should really consider starting to groom someone to replace him. And I don't think trotting out some re-tread from another company is a good idea because if any of them were really THAT good, they'd be hired by now. So, before anyone jumps on the Joey Styles bandwagon for the umpteenth time, just lay off for once.

 

They need to start grooming someone new. Coach is a backstage interviewer. Leary doesn't seem much better. MAYBE Josh Matthews, I dunno.

 

Hey, I graduate with a journalism degree in a little over a year. Hmmm....

[Guest Redhawk]

That is exactly why JR should not be doing the two jobs he is -- talent manager (or whatever) and commentator. I seriously think he's been hiring these shitty play-by-play guys on purpose in order to keep his spot until HE'S ready to leave. By then he won't care who takes over, plus having these crappy commentators makes him look more talented and more important.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

Callis, Lawler, even Heenan?

 

Bah bring back Jesse the Body. He'll murder JR's lame cliches on commentary.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Tazz just goes on and on about crap that no one gets...he'll think he's on a roll and go on forever about something that's nothing. He's not very good.

 

Lawler is only 50/50 as a heel...I miss Paul E.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Callis was really dry though - something that the WWE could use. Of course, he will never get signed - but it's wishful thinking.

 

Styles: Are there a real pair in the business? (talking about breasts)

 

Callis: They say you and I are a real pair.

 

Corino would be perfect.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

Curt Hennig would've been great. Back in 1995-96 he made McMahon watchable on commentary.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

They were stupid to let Jesse Ventura slip the other month.

[Guest snuffbox]

Too bad Bobby Heenan is no longer able to announce.

 

I think Styles/Callis was the best team since Gorilla and Jesse.

[Guest Retro Rob]

If you look back to pre-Attitude, heel Lawler, he was fantastic. Once the divas and puppies started the King softened up. I think it is too late to make him into a full-fledged heel announcer again because for the last four years he has been a face/tweener in the ring and behind the broadcast table. As for some possiblities...

 

1. Paul Heyman- Best man for the job, except he is a SmackDown! talent.

 

2. Steve Corino- He's young and knows how to "heel it up". His youth and dedication may even give JR a kick in the ass.

 

3. Dusty Rhodes- He wouldn't be a heel commentator per say, but he would piss off JR to no end. Plus he is hillarious. The only problem is that he is with TNA.

 

4. Josh Matthews- He is decent on Velocity as a PBP guy, but I think he could also do color. His problem would have to be the high pitch voice.

 

5. Joel Gertner- I thought he was a funny, 100% heel in ECW.

 

6. Don Callis- Similiar to Gertner.

 

Quite frankly I don't even know why I made this list since the King will probably be around for years to come.