WWE: the death of the manager

[Don Stugots]

back in the day managers made the show for me. From Capt. Lou to the Grand Wizard to Slick to Bobby the brain Heenan. Till this day, I would still want to get into wrestling and be a manager.

Why did the WWE do away with them when they were so effective?

[Tenbatsuzen]

back in the day managers made the show for me. From Capt. Lou to the Grand Wizard to Slick to Bobby the brain Heenan. Till this day, I would still want to get into wrestling and be a manager.

Why did the WWE do away with them when they were so effective?

Because women like Melina, Beth Phoenix, and Trish could do just as an effective job and look much better doing it.

That's what we need more of - the hybrid manager/wrestler.

[Don Stugots]

so those chicks are just as good as Heenan, Hart and Blassie? No way. other than eye candy they do not even come close.

the hybird is good. piper kind of did it with Orton and Orndorff. Sticker and Atlas are good examples of it but there are not enough of them still. some guys, like batista could use the help on the mic and in the ring.

[Tenbatsuzen]

so those chicks are just as good as Heenan, Hart and Blassie? No way. other than eye candy they do not even come close.

the hybird is good. piper kind of did it with Orton and Orndorff. Sticker and Atlas are good examples of it but there are not enough of them still. some guys, like batista could use the help on the mic and in the ring.

I'd rather take Melina with her tits, splits, and ass than Jimmy HArt's megaphone any day of the week.

[Don Stugots]

I'd rather take Melina with her tits, splits, and ass than Jimmy HArt's megaphone any day of the week.

so you would rather have the eye candy than talent? hart wasnt one of my favs but he was better at the job then some chick with a set of honeydews under her top.

[Sinestro]

It's all Miss Elizabeth's fault. She opened the door for the rest of them.

[Name]

During the heyday of the mid 80's-90's they were bringing in a lot of over sized people like Andre the Giant, Yokozuna, Kamala and the Undertaker who didn't appear to be able to talk let alone sell matches. You could cover for their lack of personality by bringing in high personality guys like Jimmy Hart, Bobby the Brain, Slick, Paul Bearer and Mr. Fuji to cover for the wrestlers lack of interview talent and sell the big match. The 'Divas' are annoying - like watching the first 2 minutes of a porno where the skank has her skimpy outfit on , but these never comeoff.

[Puggle_kicker]

Paul Bearer fan since day one.

[Don Stugots]

right and a good number of the current roster could benefit by having someone on the outside doing the talking for them and getting into the matches. Jericho had Cade in his corner and it added to the feud with HBK.

[Puggle_kicker]

The managers made some wrestlers. Imagine the Undertaker wtihout Paul Bearer . . . . Oh right it happened and he sucks. You cant just get a new Undertaker and put him on a motorcycle. Psh.

[Don Stugots]

yeah him and Kane do better when they are not talking and someone else is.

Sabu, Tazz, RVD all were more effective as the strong silent types.

[epo]

yeah him and Kane do better when they are not talking and someone else is.

Sabu, Tazz, RVD all were more effective as the strong silent types.

Bill Alfonso was tremendous as a manager in his orchestration of those matches. Just watch a Sabu/RVD tag match sometime and just focus on Fonzie. He worked his ass off.

[conman823]

I often said why isn't Arn Anderson managing? Theres a guy who can work a mic.

Does it really matter anymore? These guys are HANDED a script from some soap-writer in the back and told "Blab this". The managers were all talking about were there because there was no script and most of the guys they were talking for shouldn't be holding a mic.

Today those guys, without mic skills, are called Batistas..............at least in my heads they are.

[Puggle_kicker]

Its gotta be a cake gig to write that shit nowadays.

[Knowledged_one]

Joel so big that it hurts her gertner was able to generate more heat in one match then all the divas combined will ever do

[Name]

Paul Bearer fan since day one.

I was a huge Paul Bearer fan back in the day. I saw this a couple months ago on a site - he had gotten up over 450 lbs at one time had undergone Gastric Bypass and lost about 250 once his WWF days finished.

http://i38.tinypic.com/2mdjuow.jpg

[Don Stugots]

I often said why isn't Arn Anderson managing? Theres a guy who can work a mic.

Does it really matter anymore? These guys are HANDED a script from some soap-writer in the back and told "Blab this". The managers were all talking about were there because there was no script and most of the guys they were talking for shouldn't be holding a mic.

Today those guys, without mic skills, are called Batistas..............at least in my heads they are.


Double A would be perfect for Orton, Rhodes, DiBiase and Maui.

Joel so big that it hurts her gertner was able to generate more heat in one match then all the divas combined will ever do

exactly!

[Puggle_kicker]

I was a huge Paul Bearer fan back in the day. I saw this a couple months ago on a site - he had gotten up over 450 lbs at one time had undergone Gastric Bypass and lost about 250 once his WWF days finished.

http://i38.tinypic.com/2mdjuow.jpg

Thats after? Are you sure they operated on the right organ?

[Don Stugots]

Bill Alfonso was tremendous as a manager in his orchestration of those matches. Just watch a Sabu/RVD tag match sometime and just focus on Fonzie. He worked his ass off.


oh hell yeah. he was always running around outside, working the crowd, getting into it.

Tazz would not have gotten over without him. he made all 3 of them.

[FezsAssistant]

It's true. I miss the great managers.

ESD would be a great manager in the WWE.

[Tenbatsuzen]

Joel so big that it hurts her gertner was able to generate more heat in one match then all the divas combined will ever do

But Gertner worked better as a color man than being in the ring.

And Fonzie, yes, I will give you credit for that. But the best heels on the mic ALWAYS work better as color guys. Heenan. Gertner, etc.

Take away the whistle and Fonzie's not working.

[Don Stugots]

But Gertner worked better as a color man than being in the ring.

And Fonzie, yes, I will give you credit for that. But the best heels on the mic ALWAYS work better as color guys. Heenan. Gertner, etc.

Take away the whistle and Fonzie's not working.


ECW didnt need a color man. Styles did fine on his own.

[Flea_Man]

They got rid of managers when they started getting more over than the wrestler himself. The last one I can think of was Armando Alejandro Estrada, and his catchphrase took off, and Umaga wasn't looking all too popular.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SzwkaXRYlw

[SpicyMcHaggis]

Striker did a good part for the time he was managing. But dude, you're preaching to the choir. It's a dead art.

[Don Stugots]

Striker did a good part for the time he was managing. But dude, you're preaching to the choir. It's a dead art.

it really is. i would love to be a manager in an indy company. they still use them?

[burrben]

i miss managers. i also miss the idea of stables.

[cougarjake13]

was reading about reid flair, ric's youngest son is now in wwe development


wonder if they'll bring him up to be a part of the orton and priceless quasi stable
if they'll still around by that time

[The Nature Boy]

I often said why isn't Arn Anderson managing? Theres a guy who can work a mic.

Does it really matter anymore? These guys are HANDED a script from some soap-writer in the back and told "Blab this". The managers were all talking about were there because there was no script and most of the guys they were talking for shouldn't be holding a mic.

Today those guys, without mic skills, are called Batistas..............at least in my heads they are.

Opened the thread to post exactly this. They are married to crappy storyline advancement and ppv promotion rather than character building, which managers helped to do.

[cougarjake13]

i liked armando estrada and striker as managers but look where they are now


ones fired, the other is commentating

[Chimee]

I like Striker better as a commentator.

[AnnoyedGrunt]

Bill Alfonso was tremendous as a manager in his orchestration of those matches. Just watch a Sabu/RVD tag match sometime and just focus on Fonzie. He worked his ass off.

One of my favourite ECW promos was when RVD and Sabu were going to wrestle each other. Fonzie is in RVD's dressing room cutting a promo. When he's done he runs down the hall to Sabu's dressing room and cuts a promo on RVD. Plus, with Fonzie you also had a makeshift field medic at ringside for whenever Sabu fucked up. I can't see a diva out there taping up a broken jaw.

[Name]

Thats after? Are you sure they operated on the right organ?

Yeah.. my man was huge (450ish) .. now he's just fat in the 250's
http://i34.tinypic.com/f0xel4.jpg

He's got a site with a bunch of pics and looks a little like a young Fez Whatley in some of them - here's one with the Fabulous Freebirds

http://i36.tinypic.com/2lwr8rc.jpg
Site -> http://www.percypringle.com/

[Heather 8]

it really is. i would love to be a manager in an indy company. they still use them?

They sure do. This past weekend the booker of a fed I worked for asked me when I was getting back into managing.

[Don Stugots]

They sure do. This past weekend the booker of a fed I worked for asked me when I was getting back into managing.

oohhhhh. so, when are you? i will train with you and do it with you.

[Heather 8]

oohhhhh. so, when are you?

Wait for it...

i will do it with you.

Why do you want Reginer to kill me?

[Don Stugots]

Wait for it...



Why do you want Reginer to kill me?

i'll leave her for you.



let me know about the training, i am interested.

[EddieMoscone]

it really is. i would love to be a manager in an indy company. they still use them?

"Sweet and Sour" Larry Sweeney is the shit. There are still some good managers around. They can still be really effective too.

I used to love Prince Nana and his Embassy in ROH. The heat he generated for his stable was INSANE. Jimmy Rave didn't have to say a word and he was the most hated wrestler in the company.

[Chimee]

And now he's hated in TNA for his terrible gimmick.

[marcpsych]

I was a huge Paul Bearer fan back in the day. I saw this a couple months ago on a site - he had gotten up over 450 lbs at one time had undergone Gastric Bypass and lost about 250 once his WWF days finished.

http://i38.tinypic.com/2mdjuow.jpg

Are you sure this isn't Billy Staples with a moustache and glasses?

Also, I agree about Prince Nana and Larry Sweeney. Both are excellent.

Wrestling storylines suck ass now. No one's natural personality is allowed to shine through. Everything is so generic.

Marc

[TjM]

WWE should hire James Mitchell to work with Kane

[DiabloSammich]

Joel so big that it hurts her gertner was able to generate more heat in one match then all the divas combined will ever do



I clicked on this thread just to post about Gertner. Some of my favorite moments in ECW were before the guys even started wrestling. Gertner would have that audience ready to tear the place apart some evenings.

Of course, they were animals anyway. I went to a show once in Philly. Wow.


And as soon as Stugots gets a gig as a manager, I call road trip.

[Don Stugots]

I would use the shoe gimmick that jj dillion used so well.

[DiabloSammich]

You would seriously be able to rock a fine cane with a porkpie hat.

Classy-like.

[Don Stugots]

Nice! I like it.

[BillySolHarg]

Like someone says, Vince has this deal where as soon as the managers get any heat, they squash'em. Just like Estrada was taken away from Umaga when his phrase was getting over. Davairi was seperated from Khali because they felt he was taken away from khali...then they brought in David Kapoor (writer) to play Ranjan Singh and do the same thing. Writer David Kapoor/Ranjan Singh was later taken off of TV for a while, as punishment, when he smiled on camera during an Austin Beer Bath. Not excactly removed for the same reason, but equally as a stupid move.

Matt Stryker, Kenny Bolin from OVW, Dusty Rhodes, Arn Anderson, Mike Rotunda, Michael Hayes - hell, even Pat Patterson would be good managers. But instead we have guys like Batista, Kozlov, and Mike Knox causing me to hit my FF button everytime I see them with a mic.

[Don Stugots]

None of those guys should be talking. The 3 of them are perfect candidates for having a mouth piece manager. Hell the big show also for that matter.

[Chimee]

The good thing that they're doing with Mike Knox now is having him not say a word and just look like a problem. It would be the perfect time to bring in someone to speak for him.

[NYHCmikeX]

None of those guys should be talking. The 3 of them are perfect candidates for having a mouth piece manager. Hell the big show also for that matter.

I dont think Big Show's promos are that bad usually. Not as bad as Batista, Koslov or Knox anyway. They should have ANY of the older classic guys do the mic work for these big meatheads

[Chimee]

Then the one big guy that gets a manager is one of the better big talkers with a horrible talker as a manager.

[Don Stugots]

I dont think Big Show's promos are that bad usually. Not as bad as Batista, Koslov or Knox anyway. They should have ANY of the older classic guys do the mic work for these big meatheads


i enjoy the big show too but this way, when he did speak, it there would be more emphasis on his words.

Then the one big guy that gets a manager is one of the better big talkers with a horrible talker as a manager.

true only if they are crappy to begin with. it is an art that can be taught.

[Mike Kingston]

I've always thought of it as more of a cost cutting thing...kind of like how Vince doesn't like to have too many regular tag teams on the roster anymore.

I think the fact that WCW forced him to pay wrestlers downside guarantees combined with the fact that house show business sucks (and since the guys are paid on the gate, means less money for the wrestlers), means they need to have fewer guys per show so there is more money to go directly to the wrestlers....

Hence the double duty of using divas and a writer (Kapoor) to fill the role rather than exclusive manager types...

With that being said, its retarded that Jim Mitchell, Larry Sweeney, Prince Nana, or even Paul Heyman aren't being used as a mouthpiece for so many of the awful promo guys they have there now.

[shadyrudy]

i miss managers. i also miss the idea of stables.

Amen. Let's see how this Legacy stable goes. With the Main Event Mafia, it seems like we are just waiting for Booker T to attack sting at any moment.