The W
Views: 178594518
Main | FAQ | Search: Y! / G | Color chart | Log in for more!
19.3.17 0326
The 7 - Pro Wrestling - Former WCW announcer Chris Cruise rips Joey Styles
This thread has 9 referrals leading to it
Register and log in to post!
(5539 newer) Next thread | Previous thread
User
Post (13 total)
geemoney
Scrapple
Level: 125

Posts: 1813/3977
EXP: 22039978
For next: 414249

Since: 26.1.03
From: Naples, FL

Since last post: 3 days
Last activity: 5 hours
#1 Posted on 7.2.06 1903.29
Reposted on: 7.2.13 1903.41
http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publish/article_16022.shtml

This is a guest editorial by former WCW C-Team announcer Chris Cruise, absolutely tearing apart Joey Styles' announcing ability. It's long, so I won't re-print the whole thing here. An excerpt:

    Originally posted by Chris Cruise, via the Torch
    I find Styles to be a drag on the broadcast, more irritating than incisive. His overly nasal and whiny voice is jarring and his interjections are often off-topic or contrived. He is an insincere shill, completely lacking in credibility, which Ross seemed to have in abundance. One gets the sense that Styles is just spouting lines and needs to be constantly coached. In that respect, not much has changed since his ECW days, except that the voice in his headset is McMahon's and not Heyman's. This guy is in so far over his head its a surprise he can see daylight.


...and it goes on like this. Kind of a jarring read- I didn't think anyone disliked Joey that much on commentary.

Promote this thread!
StaggerLee
Scrapple
Level: 161

Posts: 2907/7105
EXP: 53019208
For next: 1094025

Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks

Since last post: 928 days
Last activity: 928 days
#2 Posted on 7.2.06 1935.57
Reposted on: 7.2.13 1936.13
And what is Chris Cruise up to these days?
Packman V2
Bratwurst
Level: 80

Posts: 577/1451
EXP: 4724877
For next: 58112

Since: 16.3.04
From: Albuquerque, NM

Since last post: 762 days
Last activity: 298 days
Y!:
#3 Posted on 7.2.06 1951.01
Reposted on: 7.2.13 1951.27
Sure, okay, Chris Cruise doesn't like Styles, but I'm more concerned of the opinion that Lee Marshall has of him.
CRZ
Big Brother
Administrator
Level: 239

Posts: 7308/17694
EXP: 212289156
For next: 1871643

Since: 9.12.01
From: ミネアポリス

Since last post: 17 days
Last activity: 9 days
ICQ:  
Y!:
#4 Posted on 7.2.06 2039.22
Reposted on: 7.2.13 2041.03
    Originally posted by StaggerLee
    And what is Chris Cruise up to these days?
I think he's still making big bucks in real estate while sporting some very impressive* facial hair.

*considering he's Chris Cruise
Big Bad
Scrapple
Level: 161

Posts: 3889/7062
EXP: 53444628
For next: 668605

Since: 4.1.02
From: Dorchester, Ontario

Since last post: 1918 days
Last activity: 1486 days
#5 Posted on 7.2.06 2324.35
Reposted on: 7.2.13 2324.40
He lost me when he said that Styles is behind the Coach. Coach is the real albatross around the neck of the Raw announce team, since things noticably improve when Styles/Lawler get to work alone. Why Vince keeps this guy around is beyond me.
Destrucity
Boerewors
Level: 43

Posts: 157/339
EXP: 532245
For next: 32806

Since: 21.4.04
From: New York, NY, USA

Since last post: 6331 days
Last activity: 6239 days
#6 Posted on 8.2.06 0106.15
Reposted on: 8.2.13 0107.25
Wow, I certainly never thought I'd hear the name "Chris Cruise" again. I'm tempted to say that guy wasn't any good, but really, he never got much of a chance to prove whether he was or not.

I'm not chalking this column up to sour grapes -- it seemed pretty sincere and genuine. But I do like Styles. He's not perfect -- he's particulary weak during intros and outros, but he's gold during the match itself, and I'm not just saying that because he knows the names of the moves.

Hey, one thing Cruise says that I've always unpopularly believed is that Vince McMahon was a terrific announcer. Yeah, he didn't know the names of the moves, but you know, I didn't much care. Vince could make a Duke Droese vs. Barry Hardy squash seem exciting. That voice! And those catchphrases! When Vince went heel back in '97, I remember being worried that it would end his announcing career, which sadly, it pretty much did. With a few exceptions, of course. Remember when they did Rock vs. Foley in an empty arena during halftime of the Super Bowl? JR was incapacitated or fired at the time and Michael Cole was the lead announcer for everything important, but Vince, despite being the biggest heel in the company, announced the match himself anyway. He obviously figured this was too big an event to entrust to Cole. And he was right -- Vince lent it a main-event feel that Cole couldn't have, and still couldn't.

Which reminds me: Cruise is also dead on about Cole. He's improved tons and he's serviceable, but he's not great and he never will be.

I guess Cruise doesn't care much for Monsoon, eh? I dunno, I always liked him, especially paired with Heenan -- but that's hardly an original sentiment.
flairforthegold13
Kishke
Level: 47

Posts: 126/411
EXP: 727698
For next: 38511

Since: 1.5.03
From: Gainesville, FL.

Since last post: 5950 days
Last activity: 5937 days
#7 Posted on 8.2.06 0833.55
Reposted on: 8.2.13 0834.05
Cruise is dead on about Style, especially the part where Styles was gawking after the Mitchell Super Bowl ad. That seemed so over-the-top that it made the segment even lamer.

He's also right about how Coach and Lawler don't seem to try to help Styles.

Joey was always a little overrated (just like ECW, really.)
He's good at calling matches, but he's not good at getting over stories or angles. Whether we approve or not, that's what the WWE is in the business of.

I think Joey is being a little emasculated by the restrictions, but he needs to get over that vibe he gives off that he's to good to be calling stupid shit.
britishiles
Head cheese
Level: 42

Posts: 140/332
EXP: 499378
For next: 21988

Since: 22.7.05
From: Tulsa, OK

Since last post: 3461 days
Last activity: 3431 days
#8 Posted on 8.2.06 0837.15
Reposted on: 8.2.13 0837.23
I think Cruise is just sour grapes because he never got the HUGE payday that Styles just got.

I admit Joey is no Jim Ross or Gordon Solie. But he light years ahead of Coachman and Schiavone.
flairforthegold13
Kishke
Level: 47

Posts: 127/411
EXP: 727698
For next: 38511

Since: 1.5.03
From: Gainesville, FL.

Since last post: 5950 days
Last activity: 5937 days
#9 Posted on 8.2.06 0933.33
Reposted on: 8.2.13 0933.39
    Originally posted by britishiles
    I think Cruise is just sour grapes because he never got the HUGE payday that Styles just got.

    I admit Joey is no Jim Ross or Gordon Solie. But he light years ahead of Coachman and Schiavone.


Being better than Coachman or T-bone shouldn't be the measuring stick, though.

Styles is a very average announcer. He's well behind Cole (as far as in the type of announcing the E wants.)
britishiles
Head cheese
Level: 42

Posts: 142/332
EXP: 499378
For next: 21988

Since: 22.7.05
From: Tulsa, OK

Since last post: 3461 days
Last activity: 3431 days
#10 Posted on 8.2.06 1328.17
Reposted on: 8.2.13 1328.51
Not denying that whatsoever. But would you rather have just Coach & King? Considering what they have on staff, unless Michael Cole is going to do both shows, they needed someone else.

Mike Tenay is better than Styles too.
asteroidboy
Andouille
Level: 98

Posts: 2219/2241
EXP: 9542826
For next: 111561

Since: 22.1.02
From: Texas

Since last post: 4864 days
Last activity: 430 days
#11 Posted on 9.2.06 1523.51
Reposted on: 9.2.13 1523.56
I always get the feeling that Coach is trying to bury Styles on commentary. He barely lets him get a word in, and when he does, Coach will take personal shots at him, above and beyond the usual schtick that heel announcers do.

It makes for a very annoying show. I want to listen to them call a match, not hear Coach being snide and jockeying for his announcing spot.
HMD
Andouille
Level: 96

Posts: 1469/2131
EXP: 8773595
For next: 215224

Since: 8.6.02
From: Canada

Since last post: 2532 days
Last activity: 2532 days
#12 Posted on 10.2.06 2045.16
Reposted on: 10.2.13 2046.26
    Originally posted by asteroidboy
    I always get the feeling that Coach is trying to bury Styles on commentary. He barely lets him get a word in, and when he does, Coach will take personal shots at him, above and beyond the usual schtick that heel announcers do.

    It makes for a very annoying show. I want to listen to them call a match, not hear Coach being snide and jockeying for his announcing spot.


I personally like that, though. The best announcing squads for me were the ones where there seemed to be a little bit of tension. Gorilla/Jesse and Vince/Jesse had great chemistry, and the latter gave off the vibe of not really liking each other very much. It worked.

I maintain that Jesse Ventura was the last great colour commentator in wrestling. Bobby Heenan was great, but definitely overstayed his welcome when he hung around WCW too long. Yes, WCW's product didn't help but Heenan's jokes were cheesy and lame by anyone's standards. Heenan was better as a manager, in small doses. Jesse, by contrast, was actually cool. He sided with heels in all situations, even characters supposedly from the USSR and Iran, and defended said heels in almost any situation. Macho Man flattening Liz in the Mega-Powers V.S. Twin Towers match from the Main Event for example was classic Jesse. Instead of using the "Owen Hart is dead" voice that all announcers in today's environment must now use to put over shworks, Jesse BLAMED her for getting in the way. Lawler used to do that, but his jokes were always lame and he just seemed like such a dork. Tazz is a tweener on colour, defending rule-bending by heels but more or less operating as a face, but at least he and Cole disagree sometimes and have chemistry.

This Chris Cruise guy loses all credibility when he says Vince was great. "Whatta maneuver" and "nicely done" thirty times a night do not a great announcer make. Also, saying that match is over and then retracting that, and admitting it was only two, was very annoying. And let us not forget him announcing the thirtieth entrant in the Royal Rumble as "the winner" during his entrance, thus forever giving away that this person would not win.

Styles is also very dorky, but compared to Jim Ross he's Samuel L. Jackson (or someone you think is cool). Ross deserved a much, much better sendoff than what he got, which he got for not being a McMahon ball-licker like Flair, but he was weak for years before they cut him loose. He was getting move names wrong, as well as the wrestlers names wrong, he was stuttering all over the place and struggling to find his words. He would end every show by screaming at the top of his lungs, usually with Triple H de-evolving before our very eyes doing that pose where he looks like he's growing wings, to the raspy strains of Ross' drawled "DAHM HYMN!"

Styles is overrated, but don't try and have that argument with a hardcore ECW fan. That's like a debate on geo-politics with one of those Gorillas who knows sign-language.
Dexley's Midnight Jogger
Pepperoni
Moderator
Level: 70

Posts: 664/1049
EXP: 3006468
For next: 9358

Since: 10.10.02
From: New Hampshire

Since last post: 3697 days
Last activity: 3611 days
#13 Posted on 13.2.06 0757.03
Reposted on: 13.2.13 0757.33
Kind of a tangent on my one memory of Chris Cruise...

I remember when they had a very extended session of WCW Saturday Night, or something similar, where the announcers were all in a room together staying up for most of the evening in some house, talking about that week's past events in WCW. Schiavone, Heenen and Chris Cruise were all there, as were some others.

Anyway, Bobby Heenen was ripping on Chris for how boring he was, and after a couple hours, Chris was pouting in the corner of the couch, arms folded and looking straight ahead with his bottom lip jutted out. Suddenly, Ric Flair burst in and Heenen became ecstatic, yelling to him about how horrible Cruise's personality was, comparing him to a "doorknob salesman". Very funny stuff.
ALL ORIGINAL POSTS IN THIS THREAD ARE NOW AVAILABLE
Thread ahead: TNA IMPACT WOrkrate Report Episode #19
Next thread: Larry "The Axe" Hennig article.
Previous thread: Full Shockmaster Video
(5539 newer) Next thread | Previous thread
The 7 - Pro Wrestling - Former WCW announcer Chris Cruise rips Joey StylesRegister and log in to post!

The W™ message board - 7 year recycle

ZimBoard
©2001-2024 Brothers Zim
This old hunk of junk rendered your page in 0.317 seconds.