How did you guys like the team of Cole, Grisham, and Striker?

[Next Big Thing]

I'm a fan. I like Striker's throwing in of sometimes meaningless wrestling history and statistics. Cole seemed to have toned it down a little and the back and forth jabs between the three of them made for interesting side comedy. If this is what they went to for Pay Per Views I don't think I'd miss King on commentary at all.

[Ruien]

Any combination without Jerry is a better combination then with Jerry.

[Razzamajazz]

if striker would stop saying stupid things he would be okay

[JEPW]

Awkward when Stryker went to shake Grisham's hand and got completely blanked.

[Next Big Thing]

I appreciate the fact that he tries and can definitely see what he's trying to accomplish.

At one point in the Orton- Rhodes match he pointed out that Cody Rhodes didn't wear knee pads which maximized the damage to the opponent then he told the viewers at home to feel their knee and see how sharp it is or like when he asks King how certain moves feel or what it was like to be in the ring with certain types of wrestlers etc..... Yeah it's stupid, simple, and common sense, but at least he's trying to get over certain aspects of the matches that are overlooked and add some sense of realism to it.

[JEPW]

Whenever he asks King what it feels like to be in a certain move, King has no idea what to say.

[The Pope]

Yeah, I love Striker on commentary. He and JBL have been the best Color Commentators in the past 10 years.

[Next Big Thing]

Whenever he asks King what it feels like to be in a certain move, King has no idea what to say.

I think he knows what to say, but it's that he either doesn't want to give Striker enough slack to adequately finish his comparison or he doesn't give a damn. It's the same with King's half ass defenses of the faces that Cole attacks on Raw. Cole's heelish tendencies go over so much better when he has someone to challenge him and who he can go back and forth with.

[JEPW]

I'm starting to love Cole, but it's taken a while. Striker has potential to be there, but not yet. I think he needs a bit more development.

[Schlomey]

Cole is bringing the journalistic integrity to the broadcast booth :lol:

def. a Vintage Michael Cole line there.

[Droford]

I hope Cole isn't on SD all the time.

the shows should have seperate announcers.

[The Pope]

We need Goldust announcing along with Dusty Rhodes

[Ultra Mantis]

Cole is at his best when he's partnered with Josh Matthews and has been a lot more entertaining since he turned heel.

Grisham is pretty awful though and (while King is admittedly worse) having two play by play guys on the same commentary team doesn't really work. Striker tries too hard, sometimes he can be pretty good but he contradicts himself so much by trying to put ever single move or detail over. Example: "CM Punk's kneepads add extra weight to those strikes so it hurts more" / "Cody Rhodes doesn't wear kneepads so those strikes hurt more"

[Snowden]

I did like the three of them together. Grish, for the first time in ages, actually showed some personality. With Cole's new character he doesn't need to be a straight play by play guy in a three man booth, which really amplifies his character.

Plus, its really interesting that Striker and Cole are two very different sort of heel-ish characters that compliment each other well.

[TNTlegendkiller]

striker, todd, king:y:,=#1 cole=#0:n:

[parkmania]

Whenever he asks King what it feels like to be in a certain move, King has no idea what to say.

"How does it feel to be in an ankle lock, King?"

"It hurts like heck."

"Thanks for that tremendous insight."

[Destro 2.0]

Three is too much

[Jordan]

First of all Michael Cole has come a LONG way and now he is pretty much gonna have a job for another 10 or so years I would think. He is full fledged heel when he works with Striker and I LOVE IT. It's pretty f'n hilarious and if he keeps it up, who knows maybe he will be considered one of the greats.

Matt Striker thank you so much! He just adds the details that Jr. and King were forced to leave out at some point this decade. Remember when they basically were told to "stop calling the match". Well with Todd Grisham and Cole, Matt Striker can add those details and it really makes everything more enjoyable. Sure he goes over the top at times, but this is pro wrestling who doesn't?

Grisham, I like the guy but he isn't on the same level as Cole or Striker. However, as with Michael Cole in the early years he is passable and I am sure he will grow a lot. He reminds me of a younger Mike Goldberg, his energy, voice and performance. If he can get to that level then WWE will be set on commentators for a long time.

Also, Josh Matthews and Cole, or Matthews/Cole/Striker is the best announce team WWE has had since Paul Heyman/Jim Ross, and I actually like them a little more.

[Nicky Fives]

I'd rather see Striker/Grisham/Mathews combination tbh.....

[Mr. Nerfect]

I am yet to hear this commentary team together. Sounds like an interesting combination.

Todd Grisham doesn't get the respect he deserves. The guy may not be the best commentator of all-time, or anything, or even the best guy currently working for the company; but he's been with the WWE for six years, has essentially done everything a broadcaster can do (except call a WrestleMania main event), worked with some of the best commentators in the business, and has come such a long way.

The guy is an athlete himself (albeit soccer), but is not afraid to play into he geeky image. At the same time, he slips in little elements of personality. I'm sure The Grish would actually be a really funny guy to hang around. He and Striker have got good chemistry, and they will take some really good shots at each other sometimes -- but it never distracts from the action. Grish will also bring up stuff from months back from time-to-time. I really think he can grow into the head announcer of the WWE over time. I'd like to see a Grish/King combination again, with Grish being more of a smart-ass and being able to take and give with King.

Matt Striker's commentary was always going to be editted, but the guy still does the best he can, and is definitely the top announcer in the WWE at the moment. I hope he has an extremely long career with the WWE as a personality. There hasn't been anyone he's worked with that I think makes a bad team. Even his dynamic with Jerry Lawler is interesting.

A Grisham/Striker/Josh Mathews team would be a thing of beauty, by the way. Grisham can be your standard play-by-play guy, Striker would be the full color commentator, and Mathews can be that flexible third man, having experience as both.

[XL]

The 3 man team was good. My only objection is that they should be familiarising the "new" audience (with the network switch) with the SmackDown! announce team.

This goes for the wrestlers too. Why showcase the likes of Orton, Cena, Nexus, etc when you should be introducing the guys that are gonna be there week in, week out?

[ministrychick77]

i like stryker. he makes me feel like he actually knows the history of the sport and cares about it. he slips in lines that make me go "i love you"..

[The MAC]

I'll also slip you something that will make you say "i love you!"

[Fox]

i like stryker. he makes me feel like he actually knows the history of the sport and cares about it. he slips in lines that make me go "i love you"..

Agree with this.

At Hell in the Cell during the Cena/Barrett match, he straight up says: "the little kids and the women are chanting for John Cena, but THE MEN are chanting for Wade Barrett!"

Nobody else would say that. Everybody knows it, but nobody else has the balls to make that flat-out statement on WWE TV. Except Stryker.

[Next Big Thing]

Agree with this.

At Hell in the Cell during the Cena/Barrett match, he straight up says: "the little kids and the women are chanting for John Cena, but THE MEN are chanting for Wade Barrett!"

Nobody else would say that. Everybody knows it, but nobody else has the balls to make that flat-out statement on WWE TV. Except Stryker.

I'm pretty sure that statement got him an ass chewing from Vince over the headsets. Right after he said that Lawler snapped, "And your point is!?" then Striker was silent for what seemed like the next five minutes.

As much as I love Striker, it's statements like that that keep him down. WWE's primary audience is 18-35 year old males and a statement like that sort of neuters Cena's character. It may be a ballsy statement, but in a business where perception is reality, it was also a stupid statement for him to make.

[itsmeJD]

I'm pretty sure that statement got him an ass chewing from Vince over the headsets. Right after he said that Lawler snapped, "And your point is!?" then Striker was silent for what seemed like the next five minutes.

As much as I love Striker, it's statements like that that keep him down. WWE's primary audience is 18-35 year old males and a statement like that sort of neuters Cena's character. It may be a ballsy statement, but in a business where perception is reality, it was also a stupid statement for him to make.

hahahahahahaha I noticed that shit too. He didn't say shit for what felt like forever...maybe a couple slight mumblings from someone, but yeah I love Striker when he drops those tidbits of knowledge but I can see where it would be annoying to some too. I personally hate Jerry Lawler and have forever, but some people think he's great. To each his own...or her own I guess.

[Juan]

From JR's blog:

It would appear that Michael Cole, new persona and all, will be joining the Smackdown broadcast crew. Cole is becoming the busiest man in show biz. I can't see Michael coming off Raw but who knows? His new, evolving persona is one of the more interesting facets to WWE TV these days.

[Juan]

and then there's this...

Apparently Michael Cole's recent push is due to Vince McMahon. McMahon loves the way that Cole is playing his character and delivering Creative's messages at the announcing booth. Cole will appear on Smackdown to help get over what the company needs them to with the new move to SyFy. Some say that it has to do with Grisham's play-by-play while others are saying the main reason is to get the storylines over, including Cole's.

[TheDeadManLives]

I actually liked Cole back in his attitude era days,

these days he sucks. When they turned JR heel
and he kicked Cole in the balls :) those where the days.

[Droford]

Watching SD from last night, Cole fucked up within 5 minutes when he said "didn't you hear the Miz LAST NIGHT.."

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Watching SD from last night, Cole fucked up within 5 minutes when he said "didn't you hear the Miz LAST NIGHT.."

Pretty funny mistake since he was the announcer of Smackdown from 1999-2008.

So, if this team is permanent Michael Cole will be announcing on every WWE program.

[Aguakate]

Watching SD from last night, Cole fucked up within 5 minutes when he said "didn't you hear the Miz LAST NIGHT.."

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