Announcing Team Discussion

[CubbyBr 0]

I watched Smackdown when I got home last night...and had just watched Impact the day before.

 

They are DEFINITELY beter than Cole and Coach.

 

Come on now, does that really compare to Tenay and West reminding us that Rellik is Killer spelled backwards every show? I think they're a lot worse than Coach/Cole not really because of their actual announcing (even though it's pretty annoying and loud) but how they act when trying to sell something blatantly fake and stupid (that and the facial expressions of Tenay). When WWE does something corny on Raw, JR's reactions are brilliant. The bowling shoe ugly comments, his "good good" comments when they do something dumb. Tenay and West insult people's intelligence by treating blatantly fake shit like it's real and serious. See the entire Abyss/Black Reign/Mesias feud for example.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Cole and Coach go through lulls of silence during matches...not brought about by letting the action speak for itself...but because I honestly think they don't know what to say.

 

Watch the beginning of MVP/Hardy this week for some of the most awkward and terrible comentery that you will ever hear. They have 0 chemistry...and most of the time I am of the opinion that they don't even know what's going on in front of them.

 

I'm not going to fault Tenay and West for selling something that they're told to sell...

 

But I have to fault Coach and Cole for sounding like they've never seen a wrestling match before.

[CubbyBr 0]

Cole and Coach go through lulls of silence during matches...not brought about by letting the action speak for itself...but because I honestly think they don't know what to say.

 

Watch the beginning of MVP/Hardy this week for some of the most awkward and terrible comentery that you will ever hear. They have 0 chemistry...and most of the time I am of the opinion that they don't even know what's going on in front of them.

 

I'm not going to fault Tenay and West for selling something that they're told to sell...

 

But I have to fault Coach and Cole for sounding like they've never seen a wrestling match before.

 

I see what you're saying but I think Cole/Coach have the common sense to shut the fuck up when needed. Yeah, maybe sometimes its because they have nothing to say but other times, like the Batista/HBK confrontation last night, I think they realize that the moment speaks for itself. Can you imagine Tenay and West during that segment? Repeating every comment Batista made about the old yeller stuff. My main complaint about Tenay/West, besides the yelling and West's wheezing, is that they feel the need to state the obvious every chance they get.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Everyone agrees they shouldn't be talking during the nonwrestling segments

 

But at least they can do a match without making me want to cry.

 

Cole/Coach calling Edge/Taker made me want to cry. In fact...they make me not watch Smackdown. I can't say that about Tenay/West...which is why I think Cole and coach are worse.

[CubbyBr 0]

I guess its a difference of opinion. I can't listent to announce team who insist on yelling everything they say instead of talking like normal people.

[Maztinho 0]

Didn't Storm in one of his blogs point out that Tenay/West kill any emotion that could be had via shoving the script down our throats? I think he talked about Messias' eyes and pointed out that they go into long winded explanations about the things that need to be used more subtly or let the audience feel/figure it out on their own.

 

"OH MY LOOK AT HIS EYES!" vs "His eyes look like they are from the depths of hell, like he's soulless..."

 

Just to repeat what others are saying they need a true heel dynamic to the team to calm them the fuck down.

[The Truthiness 0]

I'd take Cole/Coach, Leonard/Prazak, or any combination over Tenay/DW.

 

Cole is a fine commentator, he gets a story across and shows good emotion more times than not. His work with Taz was very good, and his 2 years with JBL were perfect. Coach isn't very good, but I enjoy his one liners way more than DW/Tenay yelling like 2 retards from the opening match all the way through the main event.

[Karnage 0]

West and Tenay really need to stop taking the "Nonstop" part in Total Nonstop Action too seriously. It really gets annoying when they talk at times when they really do not need to talk. A scenario like this annoys me more so than anything:

 

(AJ Styles shoves someone in an interview).

 

Tenay: He just got shoved by AJ Styles!

West: Unbelievable, can you believe he just did that?!

Tenay: Certainly, Don!

[Dandy 0]

Yeah, it's almost like they are doing a simulcast for radio and they feel like they need to explain every visual that the listeners can't see.

[CubbyBr 0]

The other thing that pisses me off about them is that when there is a backstage brawl or some kind of fighting going on backstage, Tenay/West insist on calling it like it's a wrestling match and start yelling about it right away.

[Silence 0]

They're bad to talk during entrances too. WWE announcers hardly ever do that, if at all.

[luke-o 0]

I'd take Cole/Coach, Leonard/Prazak, or any combination over Tenay/DW.

 

Cole is a fine commentator, he gets a story across and shows good emotion more times than not. His work with Taz was very good, and his 2 years with JBL were perfect. Coach isn't very good, but I enjoy his one liners way more than DW/Tenay yelling like 2 retards from the opening match all the way through the main event.

 

Both of those points are very false. Cole is not a good PBP guy, in fact he's awful. His comentary during Edge/Taker really ruined the match. He really needed to stop calling Edge "The Master Manipulator".

 

Tenay and West are bad. During matches they're ok to piss poor but everything else is just plain bad. Having said that, I was watching Agains All Odds earlier, and for no reason during the Storm/Young match, Tenay started to explain why Abyss/Mesias would be aired from Orlando instead of focusing on the in ring action and therefore missed a few spots. Only for them to then do a backstage segment where Jim Cornette explained everything that Tenay just said. It was so stupid! And then to make matters worse, Tenay said this line during the Abyss/Mesias match:

 

"Abyss defeated Sabu in the first Barbed Wire Massacre"

 

Which is a lie, Sabu won that match after Abyss sandwhiched himself between two boards and Sabu pinned him with a leg drop while he was trapped. Now if West had said that it, it's not so much of a problem because he's an idiot and everyone knows that, but for Tenay to make that kind of mistake is truly awful.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

And to think, all the things they say is actually scripted! So imagine Tenay saying Abyss beat Sabu was not a spontaneous response, but it was actually written by somebody.

[The Truthiness 0]

Both of those points are very false. Cole is not a good PBP guy, in fact he's awful. His comentary during Edge/Taker really ruined the match. He really needed to stop calling Edge "The Master Manipulator".

 

 

Michael Cole is a good broadcaster. He knows how to put characters over, he knows how to get a story across, and he gives you good back-story of the character when it’s called for. He needs a good color guy, that’s why he had successful runs with Taz and JBL; he knew how to feed them lines. Like asking what wrestle is feeling at certain points in the match, what strategy they should use against a certain opponent. He knows how to convey emotion, when the situation calls for it, and when to shut up when the circumstances calls for it. He can’t really play off Coach, like JBL and Taz, because Coach is not a wrestler, thus making it worthless. He needs a color guy, Coach isn’t that man.

 

 

Tenay on the other hand is terrible, which is surprising seeing as I use too look forward to his commentating in Lucha matches on WCW back in the day. He use to be vey knowledgeable and put the Lucha’s over huge. Name he’s a screaming moron, and there is really no excuse for it. The guy has worked beside guys like Tony, Bobby, and Zybysko. He should know how to announce a show at the very least decently, I mean Bobby Heenan is his best friend, I’m petty sure he could get some advice from the best color guy ever. DW, I can understand, he came from one of those Shopping networks. So he was trained to be exaggeratedly energized about everything and make the product seem like it is the second coming. He didn’t have a guy to teach him, how to call a show appropriately in TNA, and so he had to follows Mike’s guide, which made for a very deprived broadcast team.

 

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Cole is not good with a good color man. Taz and JBL spent half the time making fun of him. That made for better commentary...but specifically BECAUSE Cole sucked.

 

 

[The Truthiness 0]

I'd take him over Tenay any day. He's far from bad, especially when compared to Tenay who rambles like retard.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Well as per usual I disagree with you 100%.

 

I have never been bothered by Tenay calling a match...and I have never been entertained by cole calling one. It's that far apart for me. While Tenay may overact to situations...Cole watches entire sequences go by in silence and waits to say "Phenom" or "Opportunistic" or "reversal" or "That submission manuever".

 

If that's your cup of tea...go nutty.

[The Truthiness 0]

Cole can get a story across and put over a character. Tenay just screams, rambles, and try to make everything sound like it’s the end of the world. I'll take the guy, who doesn't try putting himself over, like Cole.

 

 

If you like to hear Mike yell about shit that has nothing to do with the match, try (and fail) to be funny, or give out tons of inadequate information, which doesn't get any of the characters over, well "go nutty".

[ANKLELOCK 0]

Cole is better than Tenay. Announcers don't get payed to recite moves as their performed. Elaborate. Get in the wrestlers mind. Tenay is a mark for himself. "The Professor", huh? Get a fucking clue.

[muzz 0]

Tenay was a good third man, I just don't like him in the main role.

 

His interview segment on Lockdown was pretty poor too. He was just trying too hard.

[cd213 0]

You know who I would use as a heel announcer? Christopher Daniels. Any time he did some commentary during past impacts he was great. He always comes accross as serious about the product in the way he handles his interviews and they could play up the fact that he got fired from wrestling in TNA and has to be an announcer.

 

Then they could have him mysteriously "disappear" for CurryMan matches. That would keep me entertained for months. "Sorry to do this guys...but I have a phone call I have to take" ...CurryMan wrestles... Daniels comes back out of breath "What did I miss?"

 

That would be all kinds of awesomeness!

 

I have said many times before I like Coach. When he is on MSGNY he is pretty darn good. Cole, I have never liked.

 

I actually like when DW and Tenay go crazy during a segment. When they high-five when something happens, or mark out from a great movie, I don't mind it. It makes them seem like they are actually excited about the product. Like everyone else has stated though, they need to shut up sometimes.

[CubbyBr 0]

TNA sent out a mobile alert to their subscribers that they are interested in signing Frank Trigg to an announcer contract for commentary and analysis. Trigg is said to be a big wrestling fan and will be at Lockdown to add some insight on the commentary during the Samoa Joe vs. Angle match.

 

For those unfamiliar with Trigg, he has fought for UFC and PRIDE among other MMA organizations with a 16-6 win-loss record. He is currently a color commentator for PRIDE and is hosts an MMA radio show.

 

-Gerweck

 

That's pretty interesting...I liked Trigg during the Angle/Styles sparring match and he seems like a guy that, after some work, could develop an interesting personality and bring a little bit of calmness to the announcing.

[Obi Chris Kenobi 0]

Its Don West's wheezing that really gets me, or the sharp intakes of breath he has during sentences. Really annoys me, stopped watching for months because of it.

[Dandy 0]

Trigg could give the action a bit of legitimacy. If he focuses on the psychology of what is going on, Tenay and/or West might not be as bad. That is, if they would be allowed to stop forcing stuff down our throats and let Frank talk.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

My opinion is that West and Tenay would be fine if they would just shut up once in a while, and not oversell everything every single second of the broadcast. Of course, everyone knows that by now, but TNA still seems oblivious for whatever reason.

[CubbyBr 0]

THe other thing about Tenay and West is the image they bring to TNA. You turn on UFC and see Mike Goldberg/Joe Rogan dressed in nice looking professional clothing, talking calmly and giving UFC a sort of cool image. THen you turn on TNA and see Tenay with his bow tie and West with his colorful shirts, yelling like a bunch of idiots and TNA comes off looking corny and bush-league.

[Obi Chris Kenobi 0]

Tenay's been wearing that suit since 1996, he can't help it, its been melted to his skin.

[Steviekick 0]

THe other thing about Tenay and West is the image they bring to TNA. You turn on UFC and see Mike Goldberg/Joe Rogan dressed in nice looking professional clothing, talking calmly and giving UFC a sort of cool image. THen you turn on TNA and see Tenay with his bow tie and West with his colorful shirts, yelling like a bunch of idiots and TNA comes off looking corny and bush-league.

 

Tenay and West come across as a couple of carnies.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Yeah, they definitely have a "carny" feel to them. Definitely not what TNA should be going for in 2008.

[Maztinho 0]

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