Favourite Commentators/Commentary Team

[ImmortalLiger]

Just wondering who people consider to be the best, either now or in days gone by. I always find it hard to look beyond the Monsoon/Ventura combination of the 1980s WWF, and was never a fan of Bobby Heenan, although I know most people will disagree with me on this. Anyway, just thought I'd see what other people think.

[Wallbanger]

I have always been a Ventura mark (I even voted for him!), though I thought he was a better fit with McMahon than with Monsoon.

[panix04]

only really bben watching wrestling since the early 90's so i kinda grew up on Mean Gene and Jesse Ventura, but i watch stuff with them on now and tbh mean Gene is pretty dire! So i'd have to go with JR and the King! I know that JR makes his fair share of **** ups but he's so passionate about wrestling and what he doesn't know about it, probably isn't worth knowing! And Jerry Lawler makes me chuckle occasionally and quite often bails JR out if JR messes up.

[ImmortalLiger]

Ventura Glad to hear it, Wallbanger! He was great with McMahon too, but less so with Tony Schiavone (though I think that's the case for everyone). I loved the way he used to continually pick at Monsoon for his weight, eating habits and age, yet their banter never got in the way of a match.

[keefmoon]

I loved Bobby Heenan, they guy always managed to crack me up. He was by far my favourite colour commentator. However, if he is still a CC in 10 years time, JBL will be close to him. I don't watch much E these days but when I do JBL is invariably my favourite part. Jim Ross has to be my favourite commentator. I don't think he is neccessarily the best (how long did it take him to get the Hardyz around the right way?!) but he is definitely my favourite. I think matches like the KOTR Hell In A Cell in '98 was made even better because of his commentary. In terms of a team, I always liked McMahon and Ventura, and I thought JR and Paul Heyman were good for the short time they were together too.

[Wallbanger]

Lawler is definitely on par with, if not better than Ventura for color (I still like Jesse more, though :D) JBL is already quite good, and has the potential to be even better.

[Actarus]

Favorite of all time, for me personally, is Monsoon & Ventura. Those two are what I grew up with. Nowadays, J.R. is great, and King is occasionally funny, and JBL is great as a color commentator. As an aside, the worst color commentator of all time = Coach. Well, imho at any rate.

[Remianen]

[QUOTE=Actarus;224831]As an aside, the worst color commentator of all time = Coach. Well, imho at any rate.[/QUOTE] I agree! My favorite announcers include DP (Dave Prazak), JR, Ayako Ishida (even though I barely know Japanese), Eric Gargiulo, (old) Joey Styles, Mike Tenay (HATE Don West though). Favorite team would be JR & King though DP & Allison Danger would be a close second probably. I think JBL would be more palatable (to me at least) if he was paired with someone other than Michael Cole (who I despise almost as much as Don West).

[weirdo_man]

Have none of you seen ECW's first pay per view, Barely Legal? Joey Styles announces ALONE and actually increases the quality of the program by doing such a good job. He is almost definitely the best announcer in the business. He knows the names of more moves than most commentating teams combined. I also enjoy Joey Styles with Joel Gertner because Gertner is hilarious. Styles is also funny at times, but he is such a good play by play man that his comedy doesn't compare to his talent at calling matches.

[KevBone]

I'd like to take this opportunity to say that Don West is the worst color commentator I've ever heard.

[Remianen]

[QUOTE=weirdo_man;224866]Have none of you seen ECW's first pay per view, Barely Legal? Joey Styles announces ALONE and actually increases the quality of the program by doing such a good job. He is almost definitely the best announcer in the business. He knows the names of more moves than most commentating teams combined. I also enjoy Joey Styles with Joel Gertner because Gertner is hilarious. Styles is also funny at times, but he is such a good play by play man that his comedy doesn't compare to his talent at calling matches.[/QUOTE] errrrr [QUOTE=Remianen;224842]My favorite announcers include DP (Dave Prazak), JR, Ayako Ishida (even though I barely know Japanese), Eric Gargiulo, [B][I](old) Joey Styles[/I][/B], Mike Tenay (HATE Don West though).[/QUOTE] Styles was awesome in the real ECW. Now? No. But then, I don't think he has the same freedom as he had back then. His "shoot" when he quit RAW I think is true, given the differences between his old announcing and his current announcing.

[Nevermore]

[QUOTE=weirdo_man;224866]Have none of you seen ECW's first pay per view, Barely Legal? Joey Styles announces ALONE and actually increases the quality of the program by doing such a good job. He is almost definitely the best announcer in the business. He knows the names of more moves than most commentating teams combined. I also enjoy Joey Styles with Joel Gertner because Gertner is hilarious. Styles is also funny at times, but he is such a good play by play man that his comedy doesn't compare to his talent at calling matches.[/QUOTE] Here here! Although, I reckon he was great at everything. "CATFIGHT, CAAAAT...FIIIIGHT!" was just pure hysterical. Plus, in terms of knowledge, as weirdo said, I think he far outshines JR. The Tazmission? It was called its proper name "Katahajime" in ECW 'cos Joey actually knew his stuff. The day I here JR call a Northern Lights Bomb countered into a Hook Saito Suplex with a floatover at split second speed, I'll consider him in the same league as Styles. As for teams, it has to be Styles and Cyrus (Don Callis). They played off each other so well! Quote The Raven Nevermore

[MightyDavidson]

I liked Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan myself, they were always amusing during commentary but it never took away from the match. Monsoon and Ventura were good too but I appreciate them more now, since I know more wrestling history now and can put the jokes about Monsoon's age into thier proper context. I'm probably dating myself here but I was also fond of the commentary of Ed Whelan back in Stampede Wrestling. He like Joey Styles commentated alone for the most part and I thought he did a good job. A bit biased towards the faces and I'm pretty sure he'd have admitted it if you called him on it, but he always gave the heels thier due when neccesary. The first time I recall fans chanting along with a catchphrase was on Stampede Wrestling's TV show when Ed gave his sign off: "In the meantime and in between time, that's it! Another edition of Stampede Wrestling." Another thing I remember was him having an adversarial relationship with a heel manager named Abu Wesahl. Abu was in the habit of grabbing the house mike and cheering for his wrestlers over it, which usually meant that he was yelling in Ed's face since the house mike was kept at the commentator table in Stampede. Well on one show, Abu does this and all of a sudden the commentary stops. The camera goes to ringside where Ed has chased Abu under the ring with a chair! Ah the memories. :D

[Jasx12]

Favorite team? JR and King, they are classic. I like JBL, and I like OLD Joey Styles. Nevermore, I think JR had to call it the tazmission (because you know how the WWE likes to license and copyright stuff). Styles knows more, no doubt, but I still like good ol' JR. Mike Tenay has always been just... meh... to me, and I absolutely hate Don West (and his stupid "PELE").

[dvdWarrior]

My favorite announce teams are probably Tony Schiavone & Bob Caudle from the NWA in the 1980's, and Gorilla Monsoon & Jesse Ventura from the WWF. These were the Voices Of Wrestling to me when I was a youngun. I always liked Joey Styles' work in the real ECW as well.

[Guest cmdrsam]

The one team I wish would have had the chance to work togethor. Lance Russell and Gordon Sollie.

[thug saint oga]

[QUOTE=Nevermore;224883]As for teams, it has to be Styles and Cyrus (Don Callis). They played off each other so well![/QUOTE] indeed. i loved that combo. best line from cyrus....(after simon diamond's crew of the prodigy, the musketeer, mitch the man-servant all got taken out) "...if mitch got hurt, that'd be a real blow to the locker room." greatness. joey styles in the real ecdub was great. i like jbl, but i think heenan was my favorite. the worst ever.....wcw's mike hudson...."GOOD NIGHT!"

[tristram]

You sure you don't mean Scott Hudson? The worst: "Stagger" Lee Marshall - can anyone say... ordinary? Sean Mooney - yeah I know he was an interview but he had nothing "Lord" Alfred Hayes - yak Tony Schiavone - over the top for ordinary moments to make the great moments he emphasized seem ordinary The best: "The Professor/Iron" Mike Tenay - he seemed to breathe life into the lucha libres with a bit of their history, made people attach a story to them Bobby "The Brain" Heenan - too many funny moments Stevie Ray - Fruit Booties... Yaks... Jesse "The Body" Ventura Gordon Solie At times Bob Caudle was alright too Lance Russell was decent too The in-between Mark Madden - some funny stuff, other stuff absolutely ridiculous Dusty Rhodes - some great stuff, some other stuff you just struggled to understand Bruno Sammartino - never enjoyed his commentary, but he is still the Living Legend Or is that Larry Zbykso?

[thug saint oga]

[QUOTE=tristram;225112]You sure you don't mean Scott Hudson?[/QUOTE] i knew "mike" didn't look right...... and stevie ray was pretty funny, i forgot about that.....

[Raveneffect21]

[QUOTE=thug saint oga;225015]indeed. i loved that combo. best line from cyrus....(after simon diamond's crew of the prodigy, the musketeer, mitch the man-servant all got taken out) "...if mitch got hurt, that'd be a real blow to the locker room." greatness. joey styles in the real ecdub was great. i like jbl, but i think heenan was my favorite. the worst ever.....wcw's mike hudson...."GOOD NIGHT!"[/QUOTE] I think Cyrus' best line was I think at Heat Wave 98 or 99 when the Dudleys were picking apart the crowd (who are they? rich vos?) and Bubba called someone a fat, bald, motherfuc*** and Cyrus says "How does he know his name" Anyways my favorite announcer are Styles, Tenay, Hennan, JBL, Lawler, & Heyman I hate Jim Ross, Don West, & Taz

[Nevermore]

Taz suzked in the beginning. These days, though, I think he's quite a competent colour commentator. Quote The Raven Nevermore