Mick Foley to become a commentator on Smackdown?

[KingofOldSchool]

http://wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=22688

--WWE called Mick Foley and wants him to start on Smackdown as an announcer

[Londoner]

Hmmm, not sure about this tbh.

[RGWhat316]

I'm all for it. The last time I remember hearing him on commentary was during ONS '05, and I liked it. Almost anyone is better than Coach right now.

[Mr. Pierre]

I hope this is true :y:

[Azriel]

I really hope this is true.

[Mooияakeя™]

I ain't fussed, I don't really watch SD!. But might have to now. Jsut to check out a new voice on commentary.

[NeanderCarl]

In my opinion, Foley was truly awful at One Night Stand. To paraphrase his own quote about Ric Flair's booking skills.... Foley was every bit as bad at announcing as he was good at wrestling.

Not to say that, with preparation and direction, he won't one day make a fine commentator... let's be fair, verbally he is one of the very best orators in the history of the business.

[McLegend]

lol poor Coach. He's just always put in a postion to fail.

[Londoner]

I agree carl, Joey Styles carried the commentary side of things at ONS1.

[Xero]

I bet he replaces Cole.

Because that's how WWE rolls.

[NeanderCarl]

Why keep putting inexperienced guys in these high profile positions? They are doomed to failure from the get go, yet the lower tier announcers plugging away for years like Grisham, Matthews, Korpela and whoever else is employed nowadays (I don't keep track.. Marc Lloyd still around??) never get a look in, yet they've been effectively 'in training' forever.

Plus, why ring Foley who's had one commentating gig and sucked at it, when they have noted verbal maestros or at the very least experienced commentators like Michael Hayes (eventually), Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Bruce Pritchard and Teddy Long on the books. If they wanted to go outside of their own employees, they have at their disposal Jesse Ventura (who doesn't seem to be doing much nowadays and is the original colour man), Terry Funk, Raven, Joel Gertner, Don Callis, Mark Madden, Larry Zbyszko... how bout a heel Joey Styles??

In the words of Jim Cornette, it doesn't make any fucking sense.

My pick would be Raven, in the Johnny Polo gimmick.

[NeanderCarl]

I hope and pray that Bobby Heenan's surgery leads to a healthy recovery and the ability to speak clearly again... surely that's why he had his jaw reconstructed in the first place. If Heenan can speak again, and would be willing to travel a day or two a week, the answer to their problem is the man in the sparkly tuxedo.

[KingofOldSchool]

Heenan will never be able to that kind of work again, sorry.

But I think Foley will do a good job and will probably be the best commentator in wrestling in due time.

[Londoner]

It could go either way really, though i have no problems with coach as commentator.

[NeanderCarl]

Heenan will never be able to that kind of work again, sorry.


Says who? In Heenan's own words "If the great Gorilla Monsoon couldn't shut me up, then cancer's got no chance".

Surely the whole point of the reconstructive surgery on his jaw is to rebuild it so it is back to its former strength (or close to) as the degeneration caused by chemo was what resulted in his strained speech. If it is successful, then a healthy Heenan, though maybe having lost a step over the years, would still be the most entertaining VO guy in the entire business today.

[Jura]

I find his voice and the way he talks to be annoying.

[NeanderCarl]

Who, Heenan??

[KingofOldSchool]

Says who? In Heenan's own words "If the great Gorilla Monsoon couldn't shut me up, then cancer's got no chance".

Surely the whole point of the reconstructive surgery on his jaw is to rebuild it so it is back to its former strength (or close to) as the degeneration caused by chemo was what resulted in his strained speech. If it is successful, then a healthy Heenan, though maybe having lost a step over the years, would still be the most entertaining VO guy in the entire business today.

There is a difference between cancer not being able to shut up him up and being able to take on a full time announcing schedule.

[NeanderCarl]

A "full time announcing schedule" is 5 days a month (4 x SD and 1 x PPV), give or take some extra time when you factor in travel. Really not that strenous, compared to the kind of travel he's done over the last four decades.

[NeanderCarl]

I'm not saying it will happen, I really doubt Heenan would even want the gig, but it would solve all their problems if it was possible.

[McLegend]

The traveling he did over the last decades didn't involved recovering from cancer. Also didn't involved him being way older (obviously).

So a full time Announcer gig would be a very strenous job.

[Innovator]

Foley on vicadin would be better than Coach

[Shadow]

I would actually start watching Smackdown again if he became the color commentator for Smackdown.

[DaVe]

Just get rid of Adamle some how. Coach to ECW and Foley to Smackdown. Although like Carl mentioned Josh Matthews and Grisham kept being ignored when they are pretty good.

I don't really remember Foley being so bad at ONS but I'll give him one more chance. Since the bar has been raised to the level of Adamle for new announcers I think he'll do OK.

[Theo Dious]

Any change to the announcing at Smackdown would be lateral at the WORST.

[Jura]

Who, Heenan??
Foley. I like Heenan.

[Avenger]

Foley is so annoying.

[Porcupine]

You know, when you got Mike Adamle commentating on one of your shows, the rest of the announcers just look like a bunch of elevated DICKS.

I mean, I just wish WWE would give them all a leg kick and find someone The Adamle to commentate on all of their WDF shows!

[Mr. JL]

Fuck, get rid of The Coach & Michael Cole and replace them with Joey Styles & Mick Foley.

[Mr. JL]

And move Chris Jericho over to Smack Down! in a TOP spot and maybe I'll bother to watch the 'B' show on days I'm not doing anything Friday Nights.

[RVDmark]

Fuck, get rid of The Coach & Michael Cole and replace them with Joey Styles & Mick Foley.

Yes!!!

[Fox]

Why keep putting inexperienced guys in these high profile positions? They are doomed to failure from the get go, yet the lower tier announcers plugging away for years like Grisham, Matthews, Korpela and whoever else is employed nowadays (I don't keep track.. Marc Lloyd still around??) never get a look in, yet they've been effectively 'in training' forever.

Plus, why ring Foley who's had one commentating gig and sucked at it, when they have noted verbal maestros or at the very least experienced commentators like Michael Hayes (eventually), Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Bruce Pritchard and Teddy Long on the books. If they wanted to go outside of their own employees, they have at their disposal Jesse Ventura (who doesn't seem to be doing much nowadays and is the original colour man), Terry Funk, Raven, Joel Gertner, Don Callis, Mark Madden, Larry Zbyszko... how bout a heel Joey Styles??

In the words of Jim Cornette, it doesn't make any fucking sense.

My pick would be Raven, in the Johnny Polo gimmick.

Just because someone is "in training" does not mean that they are ready to broadcast live on WWE television. I mean Jonathan Coachman is a prime example. The man has been "training" for years, but still doesn't have the "it factor" to be a good commentator. Todd Grisham and Josh Matthews may not be ready to commentate on Smackdown (or atleast not to Vince's liking, which is the final say anyways).

The fact that you think they have Ric Flair, Jesse Ventura, Don Callis, Mark Madden, Raven and Larry Zybyzsko "at their disposal" is laughable. Just because they used to announce, or used to be wrestlers/TV personalities, it does not mean they are up for the responsibility of calling Vince's show every fucking week, all over the country. You clearly don't seem to understand the dedication and sacrifice it takes to be in that kind of position.

Also, Foley is an entertaining speaker and one of the most clever promo guys in the business, but I don't know if he has the "flare" to be a color commentator. Although, if Macho Man and JBL were able to do it, I could certainly see Foley filling the spot and doing a passable job, especially next to a veteran like Michael Cole.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Raven is probably the best choice for a colour commentator, right now. The man is a great talker, and has experience. I wouldn't necessarily put him in the Johnny Polo gimmick, but I'd like to see him play a more humourous character than the brooding version of Raven. Sort of amalgamate his pasts, and fuse it into one complete character he can draw experience from.

Mick Foley is a great talker, and I'm sure he can evolve into a good talker, but this move doesn't exactly make me want to watch SmackDown!. There are a few things wrong with it:

1) Mick Foley is too nice. He is a face character. Michael Cole is already a very biased face character. If the commentary team is Michael Cole and Mick Foley, it will get very tedious, very quickly. "The Undertaker is the best pure striker in the WWE, Mick!" "I agree, Mike!"

2) As there needs to be an antagonistic voice in there, and given that Foley is rumoured to "join the team" and not "replace the colour commentator," then I would assume we'd get a three-man team of Michael Cole, Jonathan Coachman and Mick Foley. It may work, but I'd much rather see a three-man commentary team of, say, Joey Styles (doing scientific play-by-play), Tazz (on colour) and Michael Cole (as the "sports entertainment broadcaster").

I'm not going to completely shit on Cole, Coach and Foley before they work together, because I can actually see them meshing really well (Cole as play-by-play, Coach as heel colour growing into the role, and Foley as face colour with actual ring experience), but I don't think it will make SmackDown! too much more watchable.

Josh Mathews is the most misused commentator in the WWE right now (OK, well behind Joey Styles). Mathews can do play-by-play and colour, and he actually has ring experience. I enjoyed the whole "Mike the Adamle" thing for a while, but honestly, let's move both Mike Adamle and Tazz out of ECW. Move Tazz back to SmackDown!, and have Josh Mathews move to ECW either with Mick Foley, Coach or the aforementioned Raven. Jonathan Coachman can become the General Manager of SmackDown!, or something (because Vickie Guerrero can't do it forever), Theodore Long can move to RAW as GM, and Armando Estrada can go back to managing guys, and Foley can take over on ECW when they need him.

[The Show Off]

Even if Foley were to be the new official hot dog vendor of Smackdown! I'd watch Foley is the best promo man in the history of the buisness bar none. Him doing anything is gold.

[El Fangel]

I hope this is true :y:

[Tommy Gunn]

At least on commentary he can't do cheap pops. Coach needs to go though, he's Heat quality at best.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Foley is starting tonight</font>

[NeanderCarl]

You clearly don't seem to understand the dedication and sacrifice it takes to be in that kind of position.


Sorry, I forgot that you do.

[Kane Knight]

Says who? In Heenan's own words "If the great Gorilla Monsoon couldn't shut me up, then cancer's got no chance".

Which would be a great line for PR, but realistically? No.

Anyway, since Smackdown is taped, they should have a commentary team of Dude Love, Mankind, and Cactus Jack.

[D Mac]

I thought Funaki was Smackdown's no 1 announcer? :shifty:

[Kane Knight]

Sorry, I forgot that you do.

Fox calls matches all across the country as part of THW (Tinfoil Hat Wrestling).

[Y2Ant]

Yeah it's official according to WWE.com :o

[NeanderCarl]

Willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he'd better be better prepared and more vocal than at One Night Stand or he will be as colourless as the Coach.

[NeanderCarl]

He didn't do a terrible job, big improvement on ONS, but still nothing spectacular. I'm sure he can grow into the role; Mick knows psychology and knows how to get people over... or at least, he used to. I'd prefer him to have more of a goofy heel about him, though. Kinda like 1998 Dude Love, the commentator version.