On the color commentary role, you don't want anyone on the announce team to distract from the actual product. I love Regal, for instance, and he's great every for once in a while, but his character is so strong and distinct that it has the potential to really overwhelm the show if he's there all the time.
I think it's telling that a lot of the wrestlers who have successfully transitioned to color commentary weren't really known for hugely strong in-ring mic work. Taz, JBL, Booker, all could talk fine, but none of them were really known for epic mic skills like the Rock or Jericho or anyone.
Edge is someone I'm kind of surprised hasn't showed up doing commentary yet - I bet he gets into it at some point.
Originally posted by thecubsfanWe'll obviously know more Monday, but this seems pretty likely inspired by both (as graves pointed out) the Atlantic story accusing WWE of having a race problem (1) and the Twitter jokes about Rusev just defeating African Americans early on in his winning streak. Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi themselves were making NoD jokes on Twitter at the time, and now they're just bringing a sledgehammer to the fourth wall.
To your point, if they're really doing this, they could also use a black writer. I can't say they've never had one but it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case. There, of course, isn't any one way to "act black", and that's not what I'm asking for, but you don't see Big E Langston acting "culturally" (for lack of a better term) African-American the way you saw Stone Cold Steve Austin acting "culturally" Texan. Austin's Texaness (Texicanity?) influenced his persona and in some broad sense defined it. I'm trying to think of black WWE talents who have done the same and I really can't come up with anyone more recent than Booker T. It's almost like they coach them to be generic.
Originally posted by Excalibur05He went into a little more depth about this on Grantland's Cheap Heat podcast, and I'm willing to concede the point that Rock is usually only pointed out as a "Black Wrestler" when it is convenient, and that he's more often associated with his Samoan heritage (and the dozens of wrestling connections that entails)
The only time he's been invoked as overtly Samoan to my mind is when Rikishi tried to kill Austin on his behalf, for all the "island boys". Other than that it was always him being a "3rd generation superstar". If anything I always thought they mentioned Rocky Johnson more, if only due to the fact that he was (and is) still alive. It's still a breathtakingly ignorant position to take and an especially galling one for a black writer to take...Does he consider Obama white? Bob Marley? I won't bore you with my musings on the arbitrariness of when someone is considered "mixed" but...yeah. Speaking as a biracial person...disappointing.
Originally posted by MoeGatesOn the color commentary role, you don't want anyone on the announce team to distract from the actual product.
I don't think any has ever surpassed Jesse Ventura, and I'd put Heenan as a close second (certainly funnier, but I will always think of him primarily as a manager). Both had outsized personalities to say the least, and both were way better at getting people over than any colour commentator since.
Originally posted by DirtyMikeSeaver- According to F4wonline (via WrestleZone) when Mark Henry returns, he will be part of the new stable that formed on Raw last night. That stable includes Xavier Woods, Big E and Kofi Kingston.
This... Is going to end badly.
Maybe make Ron Simmons their manager / mentor.
For bonus points and a nod to history, change his "Damn!" catchphrase by one vowel.
Originally posted by DirtyMikeSeaver- According to F4wonline (via WrestleZone) when Mark Henry returns, he will be part of the new stable that formed on Raw last night. That stable includes Xavier Woods, Big E and Kofi Kingston.
This... Is going to end badly.
Maybe make Ron Simmons their manager / mentor.
Teddy Long is sitting at home saying, "What about me, playa?".
It looks as though Woods is going to be taking on the more managerial role at first, until the other guys eventually get tired of doing his dirty work/getting bossed around. It's a good chance for Xavier to get over with his mic skills while using more established physical bad-asses like Big E and Mark Henry help him contend against people he doesn't yet have the credibility to face. Mark specifically acting as his Diesel could also help. If he gets a significant push out of it, I'm all for it as an attempt to help get over a young talent and push him up the card. If it just becomes a bunch of thinly veiled innuendo to provide fodder on Main Event - basically the new 3MB - then it's a problem.
(edited by GodEatGod on 24.7.14 2357) "Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien