Managers

[The Naitch]

What makes for an ideal manager, valets, etc?

Who was your favorite manager(s) and why? What made them so good and entertaining?

[FourFifty]

Look at Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar... Brock NEEDED someone because he's horrible behind the mic.

A good manager is a great mouth piece, and someone to help a wrestler cheat. I don't care too often for face managers, but if there's a heel manager at ringside it's another story.

[Goulet]

Heenan was the best ever... he gave heat to guys that needed it... I'll agree with FourFifty on the face manager thing too

[Skippord]

What made them so good and entertaining?

Tits

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Heenan was gold, as was Heyman.
Right now, I think the best manager WWE has actively is Melina.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I've been thinking about this some bit, and I think Paul Heyman should come up to manage "The Spirit Squad". Don't turn them into male cheerleaders in the sence of the word, but have them just be a band of OVW graduates, much like the NTI on SmackDown!, only actually have them together and not as seperate entities. I guess it would be comparable to The Radicalz when they came into the WWE.

Have Paul Heyman talk for "his kids" Ken Doane, Elijah Burke, Johnny Jeter, Chris Cage & Mark Henry. Henry wouldn't officially be a member, but more or less a hired muscle used to help Jeter and Cage pick up wins in the tag division. Ken Doane would be the leader, and I'd have him go as far as to dethrone Ric Flair as IC Champion, and Burke would be the second in command guy off to the side, that doesn't really compete for a Championship and you know is going to end up feuding with Doane. Have them mention their pasts together, and how Jeter and Cage are allies, while Doane and Burke are seperate entities that have joined together so they don't get drowned out. That way you can have them maintain feuds with guys like Matt Cappotelli (providing all goes well for him a Cappotelli/Jeter feud would be awesome) and just other OVW alumni (Danny Basham, Rob Conway, Nick Dinsmore, etc.).

Anyway, I think a good manager needs to go beyond his client in terms of heat. Everyone hated Heyman more than they hated Lesnar. Everyone hated Bobby Heenan more than any of his clients. The manager needs to look like they're manipulating their clients. I think Melina has that down, and even when Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury go their own way, I would love to see her keep managing. Hell, even have her manage Mercury and Nitro seperately after they split up. Or even have her start managing some other guys now. Like Kid Kash for example. Melina can lend her managerial services to guys, and they can pay, and that money goes straight to Nitro and Mercury's bank account. It would be a great way to further them as rich snobs, and can allow for some great feuds.

[ddpBANG]

Anyway, I think a good manager needs to go beyond his client in terms of heat.
I think you're exactly right. Which brings to mind Bobby Heenan, Paul Heyman, Jimmy Hart and of course Jim Cornette.

As for managers of faces... I don't think a face should have a manager. If you can't talk, you should be a heel. Period. I can't recall off the top of my head a time when a face manger made any sort of difference.

[The Naitch]

would you NEED to take acting lessons to be a good manager? I know it helps but is it neccessary?

[loopydate]

I think as long as you're naturally charismatic and can remember your "lines," you're fine. It certainly wouldn't hurt to have acting experience, but I wouldn't consider it necessary.

[The Naitch]

thats what i was thinkinng

[loopydate]

I would highly doubt that Lou Albano had any formal acting training (if he did, his teacher should be shot), but he was so over-the-top and so charismatic that people loved him.

[The Naitch]

now do you get paired with whomever the bookers want you to be with or do you get to choose who you want to work with?

[loopydate]

My guess is that, starting out, the bookers choose it, unless you're like a friend of one of the workers and they ask that you be put with them.

I would imagine it probably varies depending on the skill of the manager, the size of the promotion, etc.

[owenbrown]

Heenan was awesome.... so was Heyman..... Jimmy Hart and Cornette were so great and sometimes annoying they wanted me to wanna break their megaphone and tennis racket on their heads respectively :lol:

[Y3J]

I think you're exactly right. Which brings to mind Bobby Heenan, Paul Heyman, Jimmy Hart and of course Jim Cornette.

As for managers of faces... I don't think a face should have a manager. If you can't talk, you should be a heel. Period. I can't recall off the top of my head a time when a face manger made any sort of difference.


Wasn't Paul Bearer a face manager with Undertaker? I personally thought that worked really well, especially as Taker's character was meant to be dark and mysterious. It wouldn't work now though.

[ddpBANG]

I think that might be the only example of a face manager working. Just because of the "power of the urn." I think when they fazed the urn out, Paul Bearer was useless.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I wouldn't mind a face manager that sort of plucks together underdogs and has them look out for one another. Have Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Scotty 2 Hotty, Michelle McCool (just to give them eye candy) and maybe Funaki join together under him. Could be a horrible, horrible idea, but I can see it working.

I don't think you need to be an actor to be a manager, I think it just depends on how much you can relate to the crowd. If Don West was really hated by a crowd, and he started appearing in lesser known heels corners, he would be a great manager.

Right now, I think Steven Richards should be thinking about becomming a manager. His past in Right to Censor proved he can handle the role really well plus he has wrstling experience so it is not too hard for him to get in the ring and Steven Kick a guy for his client to pick up a cheap win. Plus he has that voice, which when he wants it to can be really irritating, yet really dominant.

William Regal should think about getting into managing when he decides to step down from being an active competitor. Hell, even JBL could give it a crack. Same with Nunzio.