What's so great about Booker T?

[Marc the Smark]

Is it the Spin-a-roonie? His average charisma? His average mic skills? That's all he is. Average. Yeah, he was a 5 Time Champion in the WCW. Didn't David Arquette win the title there too? Didn't Scott Steiner? So what's the big deal? What's so great about Booker T?

[Stickman]

Nothing

[Wondermouse]

Originally Posted by Red Hot Scott Is it the Spin-a-roonie? His average charisma? His average mic skills? That's all he is. Average. Yeah, he was a 5 Time Champion in the WCW. Didn't David Arquette win the title there too? Didn't Scott Steiner? So what's the big deal? What's so great about Booker T?

Didn't Vince McMahon win the WWE Title? Didn't Sid? Didn't Warrior?

""

How about the fact that he was part of the greatest tag team of the late nineties? How about his awesome best of seven series against Benoit?

Booker's an above average worker that can pull great matches when working with the right people. He can't carry anyone to a great match (like Angle, Benoit, Eddy, etc), but he's capable of holding his own with one of those guys. He's a better worker than most of the roster, he's a nice size, and he's good on the mic.

[PureHatred]

Are you just so much of a WWE zombie that you like to randomly bash WCW workers?

Wondermouse had it right...Booker is an above average (not great) worker with good charisma who had his best matches in another company.

[KillerWolf]

Originally Posted by Red Hot Scott Is it the Spin-a-roonie? His average charisma? His average mic skills? That's all he is. Average. Yeah, he was a 5 Time Champion in the WCW. Didn't David Arquette win the title there too? Didn't Scott Steiner? So what's the big deal? What's so great about Booker T?

ive been saying this for a long time.

[cream]

if the wwe(and hhh) didnt decide to bury booker at wmxix, you probably wouldnt be saying things like that. If you can remember he was hugely popular and given the right push/angle could have really taken off.

[Kane Knight]

Yeah, the WCW title has no credibility. It has so little credibility that it's the Raw Heavyweight championship. David Arquette held Triple H's baby!

[Kane Knight]

Booker's above average in pretty much every field. He's not the most charismatic, the most over, the best wrestler, but he's still better than the norm in every field. In a business where so many of the main eventers are lacking in (at least) one field, that really shines.

Not everyone can be JEricho, Angle, Austin ( ), etc.

[Batsu]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight Booker's above average in pretty much every field. He's not the most charismatic, the most over, the best wrestler, but he's still better than the norm in every field. In a business where so many of the main eventers are lacking in (at least) one field, that really shines. Not everyone can be JEricho, Angle, Austin ( ), etc.

I agree.

I think his mic skills went through the roof when he finally was allowed to break into his own... (which was his last days in WCW...the Goldust tag team to feuding with HHH era in WWE). I think the only thing hindering him there was the fact they had him imitating others (mostly The Rock).

He can't carry everyone to a great match, definitely proven when he and Buff Bagwell had that ass-awful WCW match on Raw. (I blame most of that on Buff, though... he was really screwin' around...)

[LK]

How about the fact that he was part of the greatest tag team of the late nineties? How about his awesome best of seven series against Benoit?

Booker is good wrestler with decent mic skills and there are much worse than him in the WWE right now.

Booker was gold in WCW, but I haven't really been a fan of his since coming to the WWE

The problem with Booker is that the writers are not allowing him to shine.

[Goldbird]

Originally Posted by c4g2 The problem with Booker is that the writers are not allowing him to shine.

Or should we say Triple H does not want him to shine?

Yeah I forgot.

HHH is God.

[KillerWolf]

Originally Posted by cream if the wwe(and hhh) didnt decide to bury booker at wmxix, you probably wouldnt be saying things like that. If you can remember he was hugely popular and given the right push/angle could have really taken off.

ive been saying these things since long before the booker t/hhh feud. ive never understood his popularity. Red Hot Scott is correct when he says that he is average.
i think he has improved as of late, but i generally liken him to RVD. same match week in and week out.

[Marc the Smark]

Originally Posted by Wondermouse he's good on the mic.

Have you ever heard him speak?

[John la Rock]

Originally Posted by Wondermouse Didn't Vince McMahon win the WWE Title? Didn't Sid? Didn't Warrior? "" How about the fact that he was part of the greatest tag team of the late nineties? How about his awesome best of seven series against Benoit? Booker's an above average worker that can pull great matches when working with the right people. He can't carry anyone to a great match (like Angle, Benoit, Eddy, etc), but he's capable of holding his own with one of those guys. He's a better worker than most of the roster, he's a nice size, and he's good on the mic.

ya what he said

[Marc the Smark]

He has a catch-phrase, so people assume he's a master on the mic. But when it comes to mic skills, he couldn't hold his own with someone like The Rock, or Austin, or Chris Jericho, or even Triple H. He's out of his element in that field.

Also, maybe Booker T used to have wrestling skills (before coming to WWE). But since then, he's become increasingly sloppy, and stale with the same moves. His punches and chops are weak (watch them carefully), and his moveset is overused. His offense in the ring is minimal, and his selling could use some work.

Fine. Maybe the Booker T in WCW was deservent of the title. But the Booker T in the ring right now is average, in every way possible way. He's a big name because of his past, but let's focus on what's happening now.

[KillerWolf]

Originally Posted by Red Hot Scott He has a catch-phrase, so people assume he's a master on the mic.

exactly

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by c4g2 Yeah I forgot. HHH is God To blame for all problems, no matter how improbable. .

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by Red Hot Scott He has a catch-phrase, so people assume he's a master on the mic. But when it comes to mic skills, he couldn't hold his own with someone like The Rock, or Austin, or Chris Jericho, or even Triple H. He's out of his element in that field.

Let's do that list...

The Rock: One of the best in the field of mic skills.

Austin: Pretty high charisma.

Jericho: One of the best mic workers, period.

Triple H: You've gotta be fucking kidding me. Trips makes Booker look like the Rock.

The funny thing is, most of those people are the BEST. You're saying that he's nto good on the mic because he's not the Rock?

[Marc the Smark]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight You're saying that he's nto good on the mic because he's not the Rock?

No, I'm saying Booker T and The Rock (or Austin, Jericho, or Triple H) aren't even in the same league. I'm saying Booker T isn't as good as those guys, and never will be, and trying to figure out why people think he is.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by Red Hot Scott No, I'm saying Booker T and The Rock (or Austin, Jericho, or Triple H) aren't even in the same league. I'm saying Booker T isn't as good as those guys, and never will be, and trying to figure out why people think he is.

Let me repeat this concept a little slower for you.

The.

Reason.

They're.

Not.

In.

The.

Same.

League.

Is.

Because.

Rock.

Is.

One.

of the.

BEST!

That.

Does.

Not.

Mean.

That.

Booker.

Isn't.

Still.

Above.

Par.

D'accord?

[big_bluto]

My opinions on Booker T kind of tie into what people have said above.

I think the nail was hit on the head when the word 'Average' was used to describe Booker T. That in itself is the problem.
Because he is slightly above average in every area that we examine wrestlers on, then he doesn't appear to have any stand out qualities.
As a result he ends up looking pretty vanilla.
You add in the horrendous writing he's had to deal with, the push's he's had and would have been better off without, and the latest lame-ass storyline he's having to deal with, and you can see why there are those who aren't his biggest fan, and you can see why there are those who think he's had a rough deal and deserves a better chance.

Having said all that, Booker T hasn't exactly helped himself.
All wrestlers should be aware of how they are perceived, and Booker T MUST be aware that for a while now he has been perceived as stale.
The Book-man should have been looking to introduce some new moves to his set, keep things lively, and weed out some of the old stuff, or at the very least, rotate it around.
As it is, it kind of looks like he's going through the motions, earning his paycheck and not putting in any more effort than he has to.

Personally, I think there are others more deserving of the push that he's got.
Put as simply as I can, I think that the best of Booker T's career is behind him.

[Apocolyptik1]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight Let me repeat this concept a little slower for you. The. Reason. They're. Not. In. The. Same. League. Is. Because. Rock. Is. One. of the. BEST! That. Does. Not. Mean. That. Booker. Isn't. Still. Above. Par. D'accord?

Thanks KK. I logged on just to say something along those lines.

Red, you are stating that he is average by comparing him to the greats. Everyone else is saying he is above average because he is, compared to the other talent in the WWE.

If you put him on a standard that is impossible to match then of course he is going to be average.

No one said he is the Rock on the mic, or Jericho in the ring. They just said he is better then most of the other talent.

And saying that Trips is good on the mic kinda makes you look like you dont know what you are talking about.

[tucsonspeed6]

Originally Posted by Goldbird Or should we say Triple H does not want him to shine?

I remember watching the deleted scenes from "The Mania of Wrestlemania" on the WMXX DVD and there was a big segment just about HHH and Booker T. HHH said (and I quote) "The only problem with Booker T is consistancy. He's hit and miss."

When he said that I was thinking "Gee, HHH, I guess not every wrestler can be as consistant in their lackluster performances as you. Maybe everybody should be carried by the best in the business. THat'd make the quality of wrestling much better.

[big_bluto]

Originally Posted by Apocolyptik1 And saying that Trips is good on the mic kinda makes you look like you dont know what you are talking about.

I don't know....
Bedtime stories should be his forte', coz he puts me to sleep every time he picks up a mic!

[The Mackem]

I have many Goldust/Booker T segments on my computer, what a time to be alive.

[Sephiroth]

It's because he is black...and because of his cock ( think Funky )

[John la Rock]

I think Booker is in the WWE mostly for the money. I don't think he gives a shit about where he's at on the card as long as he's making the big bucks. I think Jericho is the same

[Savio]

Originally Posted by Red Hot Scott Yeah, he was a 5 Time Champion in the WCW.

He also won it in WWE also stupid.

[Marc the Smark]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight That. Does. Not. Mean. That. Booker. Isn't. Still. Above. Par.

People are saying he's above average ("above par"). I'm saying he's not. People have said he could be the man in the company. I'm saying he can't. And I've tried to explain my reasoning. No, he isn't The Rock. So he's not one of the greatest, but Booker's still not as good as people think he is. How is that hard to understand?

[Corkscrewed]

So list some "average" people that Booker is worse than. If he's not even above average, then list some of these people. Don't compare him to the best and call him trash.

[Marc the Smark]

Originally Posted by Corkscrewed So list some "average" people that Booker is worse than. If he's not even above average, then list some of these people. Don't compare him to the best and call him trash.

I could do that, but would it really help? People will just disagree, and shoot down my opinion. So why bother? Do you think Booker T's as good as, say, John Cena? Or Rey Mysterio? They're better than average. Booker T isn't. He just doesn't have it.

[loopydate]

Just watch Superbrawl '98 and you'll know why I'm a Booker mark for life.

[Marc the Smark]

Originally Posted by loopydate Just watch Superbrawl '98 and you'll know why I'm a Booker mark for life.

He may have been great at one time. That doesn't mean he's great now. He drew big crowds in the WCW. Does that mean he'd be good as the Champ on Smackdown or Raw? Not necessarily. He's a big name, I realize that. But Hogan was big for years, and look how good he was. You people who like Booker have got really bad taste.

[Wondermouse]

Scott, did you even watch WCW?

[loopydate]

I think, even with his back problems, if he was used right, he'd be an even BIGGER star.

The man is seriously flexible for a guy of his size, and he can fly, too (although his back problems might curb the "Hangovers" and missile dropkicks). He has a natural charisma that people are drawn to, but he's been so badly buried by the WWE bookers that he isn't the credible threat he should be.

[Marc the Smark]

Originally Posted by Wondermouse Scott, did you even watch WCW?

He may have been great at one time. That doesn't mean he's great now. He drew big crowds in the WCW. Does that mean he'd be good as the Champ on Smackdown or Raw? Not necessarily. He's a big name, I realize that. But Hogan was big for years, and look how good he was. You people who like Booker have got really bad taste.

[Wondermouse]

Way to answer my question.