Wow...I guess Tony Shivoni really DIDN'T suck.
 

I've gotten myself WWE 24/7 now since it got onto Comcast (fucking GREAT service, btw), and I was watching some of the Monday Night Wars programs (in which they have to get more episodes on there more often), and some of the older NWA: WCW stuff they have on there now, and I have to admit something after listening to some of the commentary there: Tony Shivoni (yeah, Mr. "Tonight will be the single most important night in the history of our sport" himself) wasn't as bad as I had originally thought of him to be all this time. In fact, I think he was half-decent compared to some of the commentators he was paired with and who took over for him on Nitro for some time (Eric Bishoff was one of the WORST. He sounded lost out there at times). He knew in a sense what to say (even though he kissed ass ALOT), seemed to know alot about getting someone over and getting the show over (before his whole most important night stuff), knew alot of the holds and didn't shy away from calling the action, etc.

Now, here's what I would say: Since we can all agree that JR is by far the sorriest excuse for a commnetatior that he has become now, and that the WWE is now set on bringing back the old people from WCW and ECW, why not try to get JR to retire, and then Vince, in another shocking move, says that he has hired the single most important commentator in the history of sports-entertainment, and in the way he introduced Bishoff as the RAW GM, he introduced Shivoni. This could open up a ton of opportunities, including a chance for Mick Foley to blast him in a kayfabe heel role for what he said about his first title win in the WWE on the opposing show.

Personally, and seriously, I think, given that Shivoni would be able and willing to want to come back to wrestling (if he isn't already), that he would fit right in with RAW once JR (hopefully) leaves.

Discuss, anyone?

I liked the wcw announcers.

I thought I read somewhere that Shivoni was done with wrestling... I can't remember.

Not really what I was looking for but:

While Schiavone was out of a job in wrestling when WCW was sold to the WWF in 2001, his work with Time Warner did not end. He joined the Atlanta Braves almost immediately, and began working on pre and post game shows, first on WSB and later on the Braves Radio Network after it broke from WSB in 2005.

He briefly appeared as the play-by-play commentator for Jimmy Hart's XWF promotion in 2001, and appeared in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in early 2003 as a heel announcer associated with Sports Entertainment Xtreme, however Schiavone appeared on only one episode of TNA's then-weekly pay-per-views. These days, he co-hosts a sports talk show on Jacobs Media's SportsRadio 1240 The Ticket in Gainesville, Georgia, and remains on Time Warner's staff with the Braves, with some work as an official scorer for games.

Schiavone and his wife Lois have been married since 1981 and have five children -- Matt, Laurie, Chris, and twin sons Jon Michael and Tim. He currently works as the main sports anchor on 750 WSB for Atlanta's Morning News.


-----from Wikipedia


So at leats we know what he's up to. Also I found this interesting:

Schiavone also was said to have come up with the idea of putting the WCW World Championship around the waist of David Arquette (although it seems Schiavone was just making a joke and not expecting Vince Russo to take it seriously). Backstage, Schiavone had a lot of heat with the boys and fellow broadcast partners (most notably Bobby Heenan), and was said to be a closed-off person who did not interact much with anyone other than his superiors during the dying days of WCW.

Also here is what you are wanting back:


Quotes

• This is the greatest night in the history of our sport!
• Oh my goodness!
• We have to take a commercial break, but the tape machines are rolling!
• We are out of time - but this match will continue - stay tuned during the commercial breaks of TNT's Robin Hood for the conclusion of Hulk Hogan vs The Giant!
• You will only see this action here live on WCW Monday Nitro!
• Fans - we gotta go - we're outta time, catch us on Thunder on Thursday!
• Lets look at the problems in the New World Order
• We have seen the end of Hulkamania... and Hulk Hogan, you can go to hell
• Urgh, we know this music...Hollywood Hogan
• IT'S STING!
• The EMT's are putting Savage on that...that....board they use.
• We've done a lot of crazy things here at WCW, Steve Regal, including put YOUR ass over on TV.

And:


Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• 1999 Worst Television Announcer
• 2000 Worst Television Announcer

Look at who we would be REPLACING, though.

I'd take Schivoni over JR when knowing some of the shit commentating that JR has done lately.

Also I think Cole got that worst announcer award at some point (2001 if I'm not mistaken), and look how much alot of us sing his praises NOW (he's ten times better than JR now, IMO).

And do you think the WWE cares about who's an asshole backstage or not (Orton is still with the WWE, isn't he).

Cole sucks.

Tony got worse and worse with time, the stuff you were watching is from 1996, 10 years ago.

Schiavone was trash, I don't think replacing crap for shit is very proactive.

Yeah by the late 90s up until the end of WCW he was best known for saying this is the greatest match or show in the history of our sport, saying matches we have seen many times are marque orr first time ever (like Sting/Goldberg at Slamboree 99 was a first when they fought many times before) and for using the term sidewalk slam for every move.

The orignal plan back in 2003 was for Schavoine and Coach to become the RAW broadcast team but WWE producer Kevin Dunn was never a fan of Schavoines work and nixed the idea at the last minute.

JR>Cole

Id love to see how hilarous and hyperbole a Schavione/West combo on the mic would be.

Bischoff > Schiavone

Not that I'm standing up for JR, but for god's sake, even Joey fucking Styles can barely call anything going on in the ring with the way they want things these days.

Raven was fucking awesome on commentary.

At this point, I would take Art Donovan over JR (and that's saying something).

Also, keep in mind that Schivoni's commentary during that low point we keep talking about (and I'm defending the guy, so keep that eye on this screen) was during the low points of WCW's legacy, and when everything started to go downhill (and when Eric Bishoff or whoever it ended up being around that point probably bombarded Tony to say 3/4ths of the shit he did say, much like what Vince seems to do now with the current commentators).

All I'm saying is that it can't get any WORSE.

You must not have watched the weeks after JR's latest "firing" before Joey Styles was brought in.

Actually, I always thought WCW commentators were the best. They gave wrestling that legit professional event feel.

Commentators just don't make wrestling sound good anymore. JR and King in their prime were excellent too - but rather than WCW's professional feel..they gave it the "WTF CRASH TV!" type feel. Which still wasn't bad. When McMahon was commentating, he applied that whole legit atmosphere to it.

ECW - Joey, the one man commontator was good for just that...ECW.

TNA - the worst commentating team in the history of wrestling. Tenay would be amazing if he sounded serious, but he's so fucking cheesy that he kills the program. Not to mention, his screams are horrid. Don West - why the fuck is he even around?

I liked Tenay in WCW as the 3rd annoucer who provided wrestlers backgrounds and history.

Hennan: Tenay tell me something you don't know.