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RonL21

Authority Figures...

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So all throughout wrestling history..

 

Who was the best authority figure?

 

Who was your favorite?

 

Who was the most believable?

 

Who came off as respected by heels and faces?

 

 

-Jack Tunney comes to mind for me..

 

He was the first one from when i started watching wrestling...

 

seemed right down the middle didnt favor faces or heels...

 

-SmackDown! would be odd w/o Teddy Long..I think he does/did that job well

 

 

 

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I'll go with Bill Watts from his WCW and UWF days (though I haven't seen much of the UWF). He was serious, tried to be impartial, but would kick someone's ass if he had to.

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There was a short time during his tenure as Raw G.M. that Eric Bishoff was playing a tweener type of authority figure, and I thought it was working really well until they basically dropped it without explanation.

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There was a short time during his tenure as Raw G.M. that Eric Bishoff was playing a tweener type of authority figure, and I thought it was working really well until they basically dropped it without explanation.

 

Yeah. I liked how his stated goal was just to make the show the best as possible, and didn't really favor faces or heels. Then I guess the writers fell into their crutch "The GM has to try to screw the top babyface constantly" thing and it fell apart.

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There was a short time during his tenure as Raw G.M. that Eric Bishoff was playing a tweener type of authority figure, and I thought it was working really well until they basically dropped it without explanation.

 

Yeah. I liked how his stated goal was just to make the show the best as possible, and didn't really favor faces or heels. Then I guess the writers fell into their crutch "The GM has to try to screw the top babyface constantly" thing and it fell apart.

Yea that all ended when Cena came to RAW and they felt the need to redo the Autin/Mcmahon feud with them.

 

 

Foley was by far the most hilarious and entertaning Commish. But Mr. Mcmahon in 98 will always be the top standard.

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It's not my favorite and it's not anywhere near the best but I always thought comedy-wise, The Cat's run as commissioner in WCW in 2000 was underrated. I loved the angle where he would have The Jung Dragons sneak attack him to keep him on his game and aware at all times.

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In terms of the no-nonsense attitude, I'd agree with the OP that Jack Tunney was the best. Plus, the fact that they used him sparingly added to his credibility. I liked the fact they never used him in angles.

 

In terms of comic value, Mick foley was good. The "Have a nice day" line was a nice touch and he's great on the mic.

 

 

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It's not my favorite and it's not anywhere near the best but I always thought comedy-wise, The Cat's run as commissioner in WCW in 2000 was underrated. I loved the angle where he would have The Jung Dragons sneak attack him to keep him on his game and aware at all times.

 

During one of the last WCW PPV's, the Dragons tried a sneak attack on him. Dragon said something like "Ah, c'mon guys, I'm busy! I don't have time to play right now!". The Dragons insisted on fighting him, so he kicked all of them in the balls and walked away like nothing happened. Good stuff.

 

Vince McMahon during the Attitude Era is the alpha and omega of Authority figures.

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In terms of the no-nonsense attitude, I'd agree with the OP that Jack Tunney was the best. Plus, the fact that they used him sparingly added to his credibility. I liked the fact they never used him in angles.

 

Didn't they use him in an angle to phase out his character? I distinctly remember towards the very end of his run (Summer of '95ish), there was an article in WWF Magazine where they accused him of taking bribes from Ted DiBiase and they had photographical evidance. I don't know if they even mentioned this on TV but I was outraged reading it as a mark.

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In terms of the no-nonsense attitude, I'd agree with the OP that Jack Tunney was the best. Plus, the fact that they used him sparingly added to his credibility. I liked the fact they never used him in angles.

 

Didn't they use him in an angle to phase out his character? I distinctly remember towards the very end of his run (Summer of '95ish), there was an article in WWF Magazine where they accused him of taking bribes from Ted DiBiase and they had photographical evidance. I don't know if they even mentioned this on TV but I was outraged reading it as a mark.

 

Jesus, I forgot all about that! I don't think that they went anywhere with it though, and I am pretty sure that it was earlier in the year, as my subscription ran out in spring of '95.

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My memory of the article is somewhat vague, it could have been in the magazine as far back as late '94 when The Million Dollar Corporation was at its "peak". I don't think the angle was ever on TV but I thought ut served as a decent if not slightly half assed kayfabe explanation for Tunney's departure.

 

 

Speaking of which, I always thought Tunney's successor, Gorilla Monsoon made an underrated authority figure.

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Speaking of which, I always thought Tunney's successor, Gorilla Monsoon made an underrated authority figure.

Yeah Monsoon had a great run as brief as it was. I loved the fan friendly approach to signing matches, plus the whole angle with Vader was classic.

 

For as much shit as she gets, I always dug Smackdown 6 era Steph...until she started feuding with Vince anyway.

 

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The Tunney/Dibiase magazine angle ended like a month or so later, when Tunney explained what was going on-Dibiase was paying a fine that Tunney had levied against him for his Corporation's misdeeds. And then he went on to say that the reason he was wearing shades was that he had a case of pinkeye or something.

 

I have the mags in my room somewhere, I'' try and find them for you.

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Guest TheFabulousJakey
For as much shit as she gets, I always dug Smackdown 6 era Steph...until she started feuding with Vince anyway.

 

I liked her too, save for the weird month where they had her work as a quasi-heel (they needed a reason for the injured Brock Lesnar to be "suspended", but it just seemed too inconsistent). I don't think Smackdown has ever had a good authority figure after her run, but that may also be because the Smackdown talent pool got so bad after WrestleMania XX.

 

Foley's run was the most fun. Having Debra as Lt. Commissioner was an interesting way to keep her on TV, but they didn't know what to do with her once Foley left.

 

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Who was the best authority figure? William Regal

 

Who was your favorite? Eric Bischoff

 

Who was the most believable? JJ Dillon

 

Who came off as respected by heels and faces? Eric Bischoff (Tweener WWE)

 

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I'm seconding Cyrus in ECW. "I'm the guy who cancelled ECW on TNN, and replaced it with RRRRRROLLLLLERRRJAAAAMMM!!" Perfect. PERFECT.

 

I will always love, "Super Crazy isn't here, BECAUSE I DEPORTED HIM!!!" He was a great heel playing the guy that TNN sent to ECW to "fix" it and make it what they wanted. I love his team of Corino, Tajiri, Jack Victory, and Rhino. That was awesome. He was the best, and I don't see why none of the American feds have tried to bring him in.

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He was the best, and I don't see why none of the American feds have tried to bring him in.

Wasn't he in the WWF for a while? TNA, too. I think he left TNA for his real job.

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I thought he was The Jackyl, who originally brought us the Acolytes.

 

He was... according to the Matt Hardy shoot, Don Callis apparently owns the record for most heat ever in the locker room.

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Can you offer anything more than that? I've always wondered about that; I knew he left the E on unbelievably bad terms, but I don't know much more than that.

 

The Hardy shoot covers it, but basically... if there was a person in this world that Bradshaw hated the most, I believe it would be Don Callis. Hardy told a story about how they caught Callis changing in his car because he didn't want to be in the locker room so Bradshaw and company broke toothpicks off in his door locks.

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