Heel announcer wanted in TNA

[mstaken]

I am a fan of TNA but not a fan of their current announcing team and style. I think a heel announcer is needed in TNA. Someone who would sell the heels and their stories. Someone who would make the announcing a little edgier while adding some entertainment and comedy value to the show. Give fans a reason to tune in and hear what will be said next by the heel announcer. Make him hypocritical in the area that the heels can cheat but the faces can't. Make the heel announcer make comments that the internet and real fans might think when a move looks sloppy or a storyline is getting stale. Make the heel announcer comment on how bad that promo from the face sounded. Or how bad West's commentary is. Have the heel wrestlers high five the heel announcer while smacking West upside his head. It is an added touch that TNA needs ASAP.
My suggestion for heel announcer is James Mitchell. He cuts great promos. We can't blame him for the content of the promos however; the execution of the promos from Mitchell are usually excellent. He has previous experience with the product, talent and promos from TNA. He has plenty of experience with other wrestling promotions of the past that he could draw on. He is skilled in the wrestling industry. He could improv and sell the PPVs and wrestlers. He has that snake oil salesman aura about him. He is an established heel on the show. He has an established fan base. I am sure with the loss of Mesias and Abyss on the roster that TNA would not have a hard time changing him from manager to announcer without explanation. He has charisma and is a classy looking guy. I have never seen him on camera looking sloppy. I love his suits and heel look. I think he would be the best candidate for the job. I think he could save us from the monotony, scripted sounded, yelling way too much, sugar and fluff - only for the faces announcing that we hear now!
You don't know how many times that I just wanted to see Mesias drool blood on the scripts of the announcers so, they would not be able to make my eardrums bleed with their horrid announcing. Many times I would think -please Abyss or Bubba disable those announcers! A heel announcer is what I think TNA needs and ASAP!

[BurstKiller]

Yes, that's great idea. TNA needed a heel announcer when it first opened. Not to mention Don West has never been easy on the ears. Commentary is fun when you one biased point of view.

[TheOneBigWill]

I'm not 100% sure why this isn't already obvious. Mike f'n Tenay has already been viewed by many as a heel announcer. The guy thinks hes better than everyone. He has the attitude to be a prick. Hell, I think in real life the guy truly is a prick.

Jeremy Borash has also been viewed as kinda a tweener backstage announcer. I mean, he is siding with Kurt Angle and he mouthed off to Jim Cornette on iMPACT! this passed week.

Now, if they're looking for someone outside of the business. Then I suggest Mark Madden! He sold Nitro for the last year that was, in my personal opinion. Madden made me tune in each week to enjoy listening to him rant on everyone, and especially with his comic value of each match. I'd definately love to see Madden come to T.N.A. to join the announcing team. And I think he'd add a bit of spice to the team as well. He'd give people a reason to watch T.N.A. without the television muted in the process.

[bucwild]

Be4 any of that both announcers suck!!!Mike Tenay he sucks in wcw n this lil league wrestling.The whole wrestlingsucks they bad mouth wwf(yall say e)but copies what they do!!Copy Stone Cold to a jobber wearing a fuckin fish suit!I dont give a fuck theirs only 1 Macho Man n the black guy aint.His name is Lethal whats Lethal about a skinny guy like him wit no talikn skills n the tryin to have a Elizabeth wit that ugly big fore heaede bitch!What about the guy skinny guy (he bigger than me) wit Scotty,(slick ass move cant lie)he tryin to be Luger when he was the Narcissit.New Age looks like Old Age.Rhyno i mean Rhino(ren no) suck in ECW,WWF has no talent.Gore,gore,gore tha guy biting King when he say that i mean stole that!Tell Kurt to quit bitchin about how he was gettin fuck in wwf who cares he like it steroid boy!The announcer tryin to be a Kevin Kelly rip off the one wit Kurt group!Christian mid carder ass a main eventer n former champ please!!Kurt my boy but stop bitchin we all know u got kiss ass in wwf which he was doing til he aint wanna travel?Its funny how tna tapes every two weeks in same arena wit 500 peeps now that bullshit!!He now should done that to people who was fuckin u like vince micheal n paul not internet people!AJ a fake ass RVD!Where my boy old as Sting?Wear a wig i hate seein that bald spot(like wwwf now do wit OLD BREAK KID they cover his bald spot up good).To ya topic they got a announcer Cornette n get Schavoni!Jeff no talent Jarret a cheap bastard!Im a tna hater n wwf hater so u cant say his on wwf dick!!Tna is the old ECW n WCW what that do?Went outter business tna i mean Nwa or whatever they call it will be out by 2009 mark my words spendin money on old wwf fuck up talent its a matter of timewe all know!!Vince is the man in wrestling!

[FallenAngelV2]

Sorry fellas, but I have to disagree. I think having a face and heel announcer takes away from the matches and storylines. Announcers are there to describe the action and help tell the story; they are not there to bitch at each other about what is right and wrong. I used to put my TV on mute when JR and King would argue relentlessly; it is annoying. The heels aren't supposed to have a voice that tries to justify their actions. Heels are supposed to be universally hated and disapproved by the voices of the fans, the announcers. To me, the more emphasis there is on how much of an asshole said heel is, the more people will accept it.

[laotioncommotion]

I don't think a heel announcer would hurt, but I do like the fact that they have a non-traditional announce team dynamic. And I like how Tenay and West aren't wacky characters that take attention away from the performers.

[stevecfla]

I would LOVE to see a different dynamic at TNA. I think that the Black Machismo caractor is a great tribute to the Macho Man and the Shark Boy 24/7 is adaquate comic relief. The story lines could grow emensly with a good heel announcer getting into the minds of the heels and shedding more light on what makes them tick.

Mitchell is in place at TNA and has the lingual skills to he humble to over the top. I LOVE THE IDEA. This way he could also find his next person(s) tom manage.

[SpiralHands]

One thing TNA really does need is a new annouce team, put Tenay back where he was in WCW just the all knowing guy, not the lead commentator no offence to him but his monotone voice is bad! And please get rid of West! But yes a heel announcer would definatly be good in TNA, I like the idea of James Mitchell his promos are awesome and he could be such a great heel on the headset, another idea of mine and favourite would be to bring back Mark Madden formally in WCW, I dont know what he is up to now days but he would be good against Tenay just like he was when he was in WCW. Either way TNA needs a heel commentator or a whole new annouce team!

[mark4life]

Yes, I agree that TNA needs a heelish commentator. I wouldn't mind adding another mouthpiece to the show a la Nitro in the '90s & WWE '96/97. One person I would love to see back in the biz especially on the commentary is Cyrus, or Don Callis if you will. I think that's his real name. He was great heel presence on ECW when they were with TNN & the "Network" gimmick. I remember the days when he was the voice for the long forgotten Truth Commission back in the day. Ahhhh, I miss the gang groups in the WW(F). But yea, that's my opinion.

[thecruiser]

Be4 any of that both announcers suck!!!Mike Tenay he sucks in wcw n this lil league wrestling.The whole wrestlingsucks they bad mouth wwf(yall say e)but copies what they do!!Copy Stone Cold to a jobber wearing a fuckin fish suit!I dont give a fuck theirs only 1 Macho Man n the black guy aint.His name is Lethal whats Lethal about a skinny guy like him wit no talikn skills n the tryin to have a Elizabeth wit that ugly big fore heaede bitch!What about the guy skinny guy (he bigger than me) wit Scotty,(slick ass move cant lie)he tryin to be Luger when he was the Narcissit.New Age looks like Old Age.Rhyno i mean Rhino(ren no) suck in ECW,WWF has no talent.Gore,gore,gore tha guy biting King when he say that i mean stole that!Tell Kurt to quit bitchin about how he was gettin fuck in wwf who cares he like it steroid boy!The announcer tryin to be a Kevin Kelly rip off the one wit Kurt group!Christian mid carder ass a main eventer n former champ please!!Kurt my boy but stop bitchin we all know u got kiss ass in wwf which he was doing til he aint wanna travel?Its funny how tna tapes every two weeks in same arena wit 500 peeps now that bullshit!!He now should done that to people who was fuckin u like vince micheal n paul not internet people!AJ a fake ass RVD!Where my boy old as Sting?Wear a wig i hate seein that bald spot(like wwwf now do wit OLD BREAK KID they cover his bald spot up good).To ya topic they got a announcer Cornette n get Schavoni!Jeff no talent Jarret a cheap bastard!Im a tna hater n wwf hater so u cant say his on wwf dick!!Tna is the old ECW n WCW what that do?Went outter business tna i mean Nwa or whatever they call it will be out by 2009 mark my words spendin money on old wwf fuck up talent its a matter of timewe all know!!Vince is the man in wrestling!

Well, maybe if you knew how to string a sentence together we would know how to respond, but that's just not the case! Anyway, I fully agree that TNA needs a heel announcer, and maybe while there switching the team around, they can shove Don West into a closet somewhere and lock the door. I'm sure nobody would notice that their ears aren't bleeding anymore whenever they watch iMPACT!. Having a heel commentator on the show would add spice, comedy, and natural chemistry to the squeaky-clean character of Mike Tenay (who I also hate, but I can tolerate, as opposed to Don West). Maybe that's the first step to reviving TNA of old...

[mstaken]

I think having a heel announcer wouldn't mean arguing with the face announcer. If done correctly, the heel announcing would be entertaining, edgy, possibly controversial and raw. I couldn't see Tenay or West arguing with Mitchell. He would eat them up and spit them out in that situation. I see them just sighing, making a comment or apology for his comments and carrying on with what they do now. Like another person posted, this would be a good way for James Mitchell to scout out new wrestlers to manage.
Thinking on that lines, I could see Mitchell's storyline working along the lines of feuding with a face via his new announcing gig. He could be constantly ragging on someone for their lack of skills on the mic, let's use Kaz for example. Eventually, this could lead to Kaz calling out Mitchell to a match. Cornette makes it happen. Mitchell comes to the match in his suit from the announcing table. Kaz is in the ring ready to rip him a new one... the lights go out... the lights come on... Kaz is knocked out. Who did it? Tune in next week to find out. The show ends with Mitchell laughing. You can fill in the who did it - anyway that you want. Abyss, return of Mesias, another monster, Awesome Kong?
I could see Mitchell working as a manager and announcer. Once he picks up as a manager again, then - TNA could bring in guest announcers to take his place while he is at ringside. They could use other wrestlers as announcers like WWE or have a backstage heel interviewer to fill in the announcer spot when Mitchell goes back to managing. There is alot that TNA could do with this angle. Mitchell could "start" feuds that "cross the line" by talking trash on other wrestlers while they wrestle. Create tension between wrestlers by making comments. It could definitely wreak havoc in the womens' division! With some he said, she said, crap! It happens in the corporate world everyday!

[Kfabe]

Be4 any of that both announcers suck!!!Mike Tenay he sucks in wcw n this lil league wrestling.The whole wrestlingsucks they bad mouth wwf(yall say e)but copies what they do!!Copy Stone Cold to a jobber wearing a fuckin fish suit!I dont give a fuck theirs only 1 Macho Man n the black guy aint.His name is Lethal whats Lethal about a skinny guy like him wit no talikn skills n the tryin to have a Elizabeth wit that ugly big fore heaede bitch!What about the guy skinny guy (he bigger than me) wit Scotty,(slick ass move cant lie)he tryin to be Luger when he was the Narcissit.New Age looks like Old Age.Rhyno i mean Rhino(ren no) suck in ECW,WWF has no talent.Gore,gore,gore tha guy biting King when he say that i mean stole that!Tell Kurt to quit bitchin about how he was gettin fuck in wwf who cares he like it steroid boy!The announcer tryin to be a Kevin Kelly rip off the one wit Kurt group!Christian mid carder ass a main eventer n former champ please!!Kurt my boy but stop bitchin we all know u got kiss ass in wwf which he was doing til he aint wanna travel?Its funny how tna tapes every two weeks in same arena wit 500 peeps now that bullshit!!He now should done that to people who was fuckin u like vince micheal n paul not internet people!AJ a fake ass RVD!Where my boy old as Sting?Wear a wig i hate seein that bald spot(like wwwf now do wit OLD BREAK KID they cover his bald spot up good).To ya topic they got a announcer Cornette n get Schavoni!Jeff no talent Jarret a cheap bastard!Im a tna hater n wwf hater so u cant say his on wwf dick!!Tna is the old ECW n WCW what that do?Went outter business tna i mean Nwa or whatever they call it will be out by 2009 mark my words spendin money on old wwf fuck up talent its a matter of timewe all know!!Vince is the man in wrestling!

I've read through your post twice and still have trouble understanding what your on about??? :headscratch:
Funny but I thought this thread was about the TNA announcers? :headscratch:

BACK TO THE SUBJECT...
I agree, I think TNA do need a heel announcer. But NOT at the expence of Tenay or West. I would love for TNA to have a 3 man announce team like the glory days of WCW. As to who I would pick to do it...? No idea. But Id love it to be somebody with a history in the business, somebody that the new fans could also identify straight away.
I was watching my old videos the other day and came across the match where Jake the Snake got his cobra to bite Macho Man while he was tied up in the ropes. Roddy Piper was commentating (I forget why) but he was doing an excelent job. He came accross as very real and really sold the storyline. I think somebody like him could do a marvelous job. Plus it would be a bonus to the younger guys on the roster to have an old school wrestler to ask advice from.

Don't all rip me at once :) its only an opinion lol.
Check the match on You Tube before you fob off my idea...

[AJ Phenomenal]

Kfabe, I'm not ripping the idea but I can't stand Piper's voice. That's my only problem with that.

But as someone said earlier, I think Tenay should only come in for X-Division matches or something (like he did with Cruiserweights in WCW) and go back to being "The Professor". Don West should be sent to the back for interviews there.

As for a new announce team, I think Cornette should do it with the comedic style of Kevin Nash. I'm tired of seeing Nash wrestle but he is good on the microphone. That'll never happen, just my wish.

But back to the original topic, I would accept a heel announcer if it got rid of Don West. I really feel the constant yelling takes away from the show. I know for a fact that is really bugs me and all of my friends that watch TNA.

[SpiralHands]

Kfabe I really like the idea of the old school wrestling personaltiy on the headset I think thats a really beneficial thing for the younger guys and the older ones too, but I to cant stand Piper! Never have done and never will do I wouldnt be able to explain why theres just something about him! I understand hes a legend and all that blah but you know! But yeah great idea maybe perhaps some one like, Nash or any other wrestling 90's guy, who the audience can regonize and would work well with Tenay and West.

[Kfabe]

Lol, I know when Piper gets fired up, his voice turns a little Don West, but in the match I have noted above, he was really doing a good job! The heel announcers don't really get fired up anyways do they? They calmly put over their guy and sort of insult the other announcers. Piper can do that no question. Look at Pipers pit throughout the 80's and into the 90's. Even when WWE got him to bring it back he showed he still has that talent and sense of humour on the mic.

My ultimate choice would be the great Jesse Ventura... but that's never going to happen. :(

I also think Tenay is too good to be used sporadicaly. Three man team with a heel announcer is the way !!!

[bambam]

Be4 any of that both announcers suck!!!Mike Tenay he sucks in wcw n this lil league wrestling.The whole wrestlingsucks they bad mouth wwf(yall say e)but copies what they do!!Copy Stone Cold to a jobber wearing a fuckin fish suit!I dont give a fuck theirs only 1 Macho Man n the black guy aint.His name is Lethal whats Lethal about a skinny guy like him wit no talikn skills n the tryin to have a Elizabeth wit that ugly big fore heaede bitch!What about the guy skinny guy (he bigger than me) wit Scotty,(slick ass move cant lie)he tryin to be Luger when he was the Narcissit.New Age looks like Old Age.Rhyno i mean Rhino(ren no) suck in ECW,WWF has no talent.Gore,gore,gore tha guy biting King when he say that i mean stole that!Tell Kurt to quit bitchin about how he was gettin fuck in wwf who cares he like it steroid boy!The announcer tryin to be a Kevin Kelly rip off the one wit Kurt group!Christian mid carder ass a main eventer n former champ please!!Kurt my boy but stop bitchin we all know u got kiss ass in wwf which he was doing til he aint wanna travel?Its funny how tna tapes every two weeks in same arena wit 500 peeps now that bullshit!!He now should done that to people who was fuckin u like vince micheal n paul not internet people!AJ a fake ass RVD!Where my boy old as Sting?Wear a wig i hate seein that bald spot(like wwwf now do wit OLD BREAK KID they cover his bald spot up good).To ya topic they got a announcer Cornette n get Schavoni!Jeff no talent Jarret a cheap bastard!Im a tna hater n wwf hater so u cant say his on wwf dick!!Tna is the old ECW n WCW what that do?Went outter business tna i mean Nwa or whatever they call it will be out by 2009 mark my words spendin money on old wwf fuck up talent its a matter of timewe all know!!Vince is the man in wrestling!


What? Anyone? Help?

Though I don't know exactly what was said, or the point of this post, the topic was a heel announcer. I think a heel well add to the product at first, make it funnier, and worth listing to, but they don't need a full on heel in that spot. Look at Jerry Lawler, he is now a face, who has heel moments. He always bashes JBL, but speaks highly of Vince. So having a announcer like that would make for a greater product, maybe a announcer that is face, but loves Angle.

[PARATECH1]

I totally agree that Don West totally and thouroughly flat-out 100% grade "A" sucks. Not only is he boring and annoying, everytime he shows his face he has this expression is as if he is taking a gigantic dump. His eyes are all wrinkly and squinted as if he's doing his utmost best to squeeze out a big turd that has gotten stuck.
I have always liked Mark Madden as an announcer. For those that don't know or remember him trust me when I say that he's freaking funny. He could end up being as good as Jerry "the King" Lawler or Bobby "The Brain" Hennan. Another good one would be Shane Douglas. He was always a quick thicking funny great heel on the mic.

The bottom line is that:

1. Don West very badly needs to go. The people who hired him obviously like him for whatever reason. They don't wish to listen to their fans in this "MAJOR" aspect of their company or they would have already let him go. He's not a quick thinker, he's not fun to listen to or look at, and he's not in the least bit entertaining.
2. They do desperately need a funny quick thinking somewhat heel announcer to replace him.

[GreenEyedDevil]

If TNA and Spike would get off there asses and get Xplosion on the air on Saturday and Sunday at 5pm or 6pm for an hour, they could try out new announce teams. They could try out guys like Scott Hudson, Mark Madden, and James Mitchell. Kevin Nash was great for comedy, and he really lightened up the booth whenever he would get in for x-div matches. Don West can stay on somewhere. He picked up the business pretty fast, and he obviously loves it.

For some reason i dont even notice Tenay and West anymore, and ive been watching TNA for quite a while. I only notice them when i try, and i think theyr pretty decent still. Theyr smarky and hilarious when they wanna be.

[Los666]

Having a face colour commentator in TNA just doesn't work, (I'm looking in Smackdown's direction as well, Coachman!). If they had someone like Paul Heyman, someone who would bring balanced opinion about what goes on in the ring, rather then have two commentators say how terrible something is, then u would have a good announcing team like when JBL and Michael Cole, (well not so much Cole) were running Smackdown. Don West's voice is just far too annoying for wrestling commentary and he has no previous wrestling expericence, unlike JBL, Jerry Lawler & Tazz, who have all been in the ring. Hell even Paul Heyman knows more about wrestling then Don West does.

[mstaken]

I think the quarter hour ratings could benefit from heel announcing. It is obvious from looking at Impact's quarter hour ratings that people are not tuning in and staying tuned in. The numbers bounce from .88 to 1.1 depending on what is on the screen. I think a heel announcer could hold viewers attention. If the viewer hears something entertaining on the television, they might consider watching a match that is not interesting or lackluster in order to hear the commentary from that heel announcer (if the person is somewhat intelligent, entertaining, controversial or informative). Holding consistent quarter hour ratings in the 1.0 to 1.1 area without significant drops will be a huge advantage to getting new advertisers for the show. It is obvious those advetisers pay the bills. More consistency in the ratings will tell the advertisers that people are not tuning out and missing your commercials. Most people stayed tuned in. Why? The advertisers don't need to know that the "snake-oil salesman" of a heel announcer is keeping them tuned in. The viewers love the TNA product and don't want to miss a thing.
An example of this idea is JBL announcing when Vito did his gimmick in the dress. Initially, I did not like the gimmick. I would channel surf or visit the kitchen to maintain my womanly figure and "graze". Regardless, initially, I did not pay attention to Vito in his dress or really watch his matches. When JBL started his commentary on Vito in the dress, I thought that was funny. He was saying what I was thinking about the entire situation. He was uncomfortable about some bald guy in a dress and thong. His Mama was watching. I am someone's Mama. How come when the girls come out you get blimp shots and this guy comes out and you get macro close ups? Hey camera man, change that shot/angle, this is disgusting, etc... Suddenly, I was waiting to see Vito come out to hear JBL's commentary. If I did take the time to graze, I was turning up the volume to hear what JBL had to say. I still didn't like the gimmick but, I was staying tuned and listening. That is what TNA needs to do with their announcing. Whether the heel announcer is selling a heel or trashing a face, if it is presented correctly and intelligently, it will work. It will make the show more entertaining in the long run. The new motto in TNA is "Cross the Line". I think a heel announcer will help that philosophy. If they are presenting two heels in the ring, the heel announcer can help you decide who you want to cheer for. It could push one person while not tarnishing the other person's reputation. A heel announcer could help turn a face into a heel.
I prefer heel wrestlers and always have. They always have more personality and have to work the crowd the hardest. In my opinion, it is an easier job to be a face. That's another new conversation all in itself! A good heel announcer will sell people to either like him or hate him which get people talking. When people talk, the show gets noticed. An example is the day after water cooler conversations at work about the show. Did you hear what that guy said on TNA last night? An insult that the heel announcer makes might be repeated to someone at work is another example. Where did you hear that or come up with that remark? I heard it on TNA this announcer said it to someone. Suddenly, the other guy tunes in to listen and hear the snide remarks and insults. Voila, a new viewer. Announcing is real important to wrestling and TNA needs to pick it up a notch.
An example of the like him or hate him philosphy comes from a lady who is in line at TNA tapings on a regular basis. I was in line with my family carrying posters. We were comparing our signs with this lady. I had Mesias signs that were pro-Mesias. I am a fan of his and like heels. She had anti- Robert Roode signs. I said to her, "you really hate Roode". She informed me that she is an Eric Young fan and despises Roode and anyone who messes with Young. However, she hates Roode the most. It was obvious this woman had no clue this is all scripted and I was not telling her that Santa is not real. I found it ironic that she was unintentionally promoting Robert Roode with all the anti-Roode signs. There was nothing to say that she promoted Eric Young. She had nothing to support him. She was too busy hating Roode that she was putting him over as a heel. The announcer can get the same heat. If people dislike him for what is being said about a face, he is doing his job. If people like him for speaking the truth that something or someone sucks, he is doing his job. Some people will think he stinks while others sing his praises. Love him or hate him, the main thing is that he is selling the product to the masses watching the show.
How many new viewers who are channeling surfing and stop to hear Don West scream and yell turned it off because he was annoying? How many people are bored with Tenay who don't know he is a "professor' or announcing icon in the business? How many channel surfers don't see that interesting visual when the camera shows West and Tenay? How many new viewers learn nothing negative or positive about the wrestlers in the ring or about the TNA product while listening to the announce team? Take the channel surfers into consideration when doing announcing not just the regular viewers and smart marks. Channel surfers who land and watch make those ratings move up.
I am still leaning towards my inital candidate for the job, James Mitchell. He is already established as heel. I think he can handle working with Tenay and West. He's classy and has that heel look that is still charming to a point. That snake-oil salesman aura that I spoke about before. He is intelligent. Look at his last promo with "whino" against Mesias. I have to admit that I had to look up the word on the online dictionary that he used rather than saying a drunk to describe Whino (dyposmaniac?) ...oops, Rhino. :) Although the other choices mentioned are good, I am sticking by my choice of James Mitchell for heel announcer. He is within the organization already, knows the product and players, has the background in the business, is an established heel character and isn't doing anything in the storyline with Mesias and Abyss off the roster. Using James Mitchell means the change can be made almost instantly. No waiting to negotiate contracts and interviews. Getting that announcing spiced up asap is important to saving the viewers and our bleeding ears! I would take posters to TNA tapings for the "Campaign 2008 - Save us Mitchell or Mitchell for heel Announcer" however, I think those posters wouldn't be popular and would get removed by management. So, I will settle for posting my opinions here instead.

[Barbedwire Saint]

I think TNA needs to get rid of Don West so there can be a true commentating team in TNA. Piper would be an interesting choice but anyone but DW! He gets this weird smug look on his face when Mike Tenay is talkin like he tryin to be cool then he gets hyperactive when the action gets going.
Ditch Don West.

[nowto3000]

He says that he is done with the wrestling business, and he would probably want something more than just being an announcer but I believe that Paul Heyman would be a great choice, for an announce team member. Admit it, no one thought of this yet.

Let’s play what if: Ignoring the idea of Heyman being a member to the writing staff or an asset to TNA in general, having him announce will bring interest to the product. Didn't he have a reputation for being too outspoken when he was announcing Raw? That’s the kind of entertainment value he can bring to the table.

Also I believe Heyman can make you believe the story of what is suppose to be sold. He is a remarkable story teller. When he has the mic, whether it’s as a wrestler’s manager, General Manager, an announcer or even just cutting a promo in the ring, he always has my attention.

As for the current state of the announce team, what annoys me most is the way TNA matches are called. West and Tenay seem to alternate each other, literally calling moves step by step rather than commenting on the action. "Of the ropes, ducks the clothesline, off the ropes again, a boot to the face and down to the mat he goes". Ok I get it, I just saw that.

Changing the announce team will not affect the ratings in anyway but, whether it’s a 2-man or 3-man set, I would welcome a fresh a color commentator at the announce table.

[GreenEyedDevil]

Yeah Paul E would be off the hook on the announce team. He would draw a lot of attention from people checking out the show. It would be a new voice. James Mitchell too would draw a lot of attention cuz of his distinct voice. Mitchell would be a real heel announcer. But Paul E could fit the bill as well. Damn, that would be volatile.

[8five]

Ok I'm not a fan of this guy but he is a recognizable heel and is a member of TNA who is he but Vince Russo. I understand not everyone is a fan but the guy will not possibly be viewed as a face and can sell himself as a heel while selling the product from the booth. Plus its an in house fill which isn't bad. This could also lead to a TNA throwback and maybe something involving himself styles and possibly Jarrett upon his return. I'd like to see him as the heel announcer only to see how it would be

[Sportsperson411]

This Smackdown reference is off subject, but when JBL was the cocky heel commentator to Michael Cole, it was all about out doing the other and JBL always saying he's all better. I think it's a great idea to do this, but who can they get is the question. It would juice up the commentary since Don West, no offense, is not a good commentator. Maybe James Mitchell, Borash, or a wrestler making guest appearances at the table if his main rival is in a match. I would love to see that happen. Like Roode coming to the table, his rival Booker T is wrestling, it would provide interest.

[New MVP]

well I've IMO good idea about the next announcer even for a short period of time and that person is speacial but I'm actually not sure for the mic skills and that kind of ironic but the person is Dixie carter!, IMO this would be not bad idea, I would like to see dixie as the 3rd announcer on the table with Done and Tenay or with Tanay and another one, I mean why not? make her a heel or even top heel or even a babyface turning after that to be heel, and I believe when the time is right she will involve in the ring action just like what happened to vince mcmahon when he was calling matches and then he gets involved in big way, I think the world must see the president and the world must know who's the number one really in TNA I mean I believe if she appears on TV a lot of storylines will come to the mind of the managment, I know she maybe doesn't know that much of wrestling, and maybe she is not the perfect choice to be announcer but it will create some thing, however I think really TNA must get rid of Done West he is screaming so much.

[Draven Filth]

i got 3 words, what about raven? The man is amazing as far as pshycology goes in the ring and on the mic. He can make you believe the face is the greatest man in the world or the heel is the equivlant of the guy running around kicking puppies and beating on children.

Okay that was a bad refrence but seriously, id take ravens commentary over mitchells....assuming raven can mold his character into an announcer. But the guys so damn smart, if anyone could it would be raven

[Seal]

Agree with this entirely. If Mesias returns, I'd love to see him attack and injure Don West in a frenzy, sending him off TV for a few months and giving James Mitchell an excuse to commentate, I'd love to hear him argue with Mike Tenay. Or they could just put him on asap to argue seeing as he has nothing to do right now, make it a three way if they couldn't bear to let useless talent go.

Kill the scripts also for gods sake. Mike Tenay is decent and I've heard Don West outside of commentary, his voice isn't actually as crooked in real life. I mean I'd love to hear some cool interesting facts and funny comments rather than ''Rellik is killer spelt backwards'' every week and saying the same thing about Robert Roode punching Sharmell, this is professional wrestling, women get hit, it's hardly a subject to talk about at all three months later. I guess the main people to blame are the storyline writers.

In conclusion, thumbs up for Mitchell as a commentator

[White_Machismo]

Be4 any of that both announcers suck!!!Mike Tenay he sucks in wcw n this lil league wrestling.The whole wrestlingsucks they bad mouth wwf(yall say e)but copies what they do!!Copy Stone Cold to a jobber wearing a fuckin fish suit!I dont give a fuck theirs only 1 Macho Man n the black guy aint.His name is Lethal whats Lethal about a skinny guy like him wit no talikn skills n the tryin to have a Elizabeth wit that ugly big fore heaede bitch!What about the guy skinny guy (he bigger than me) wit Scotty,(slick ass move cant lie)he tryin to be Luger when he was the Narcissit.New Age looks like Old Age.Rhyno i mean Rhino(ren no) suck in ECW,WWF has no talent.Gore,gore,gore tha guy biting King when he say that i mean stole that!Tell Kurt to quit bitchin about how he was gettin fuck in wwf who cares he like it steroid boy!The announcer tryin to be a Kevin Kelly rip off the one wit Kurt group!Christian mid carder ass a main eventer n former champ please!!Kurt my boy but stop bitchin we all know u got kiss ass in wwf which he was doing til he aint wanna travel?Its funny how tna tapes every two weeks in same arena wit 500 peeps now that bullshit!!He now should done that to people who was fuckin u like vince micheal n paul not internet people!AJ a fake ass RVD!Where my boy old as Sting?Wear a wig i hate seein that bald spot(like wwwf now do wit OLD BREAK KID they cover his bald spot up good).To ya topic they got a announcer Cornette n get Schavoni!Jeff no talent Jarret a cheap bastard!Im a tna hater n wwf hater so u cant say his on wwf dick!!Tna is the old ECW n WCW what that do?Went outter business tna i mean Nwa or whatever they call it will be out by 2009 mark my words spendin money on old wwf fuck up talent its a matter of timewe all know!!Vince is the man in wrestling! How old are you bro about seven becuase you type like it and your veiws on shit are the most WRONG ive ever heard but thats a WWE mark for you.


Shark boy-It pains me to do this but i agree he is shit.

Black Machismo-AS far as wrestling goes this dude could wreslte macho out of his boots. about his gimmick it was his damn savoir you think he would of got over without it? NO. You think he would get time to showcase his great wrestling abilty without? NO. Even Macho man likes the gimmick but i know how you wwe fans are its not even about the wrestling at all its all about the gimmicks.(and anyway val is alot hotter then elizabeth)

Christain-He got treated like shit in WWE he comes to TNA proves himself to be a damn good wreslter and mic man and they give him a deserving push and you diss on him and the company for that.Sounds like a typical WWE mark to me

Aj Styles-This has to be the most riducolus statement on there. How many times you see AJ doing karate kicks not side kicks or pele's i mean karate shit like RVD. To hard for you? What about this one how many times have you seen Aj get hardcore, bloody, and use chairs and tables and shit like Rvd lket me guess never. There technique is different Ajs more technical then RVD but unlike you i can admit they both kick ass.

Vince-I know he revolutionized wrestling but as far as he goes hes not that great i mean i love his on screen charcter but i hate his angles for every good angle he has,he has a couple shitty ones to.Good one Austin Vs Vince. Bad ones. Vince vs lashley,Exploding Limosoine,Hornswoggles dad, i could go on but my stomach would problay get sick thinking about how bad vince as the creative team is.

[mstaken]

I like the idea of using Raven. However, Raven posted in his most recent column here on Wrestlezone that he is finished with TNA. He said that he was going to spend time working on his wrestling academy and selling some personal items on Ebay. From the way that his column sounded, I wouldn't think that he would come back to TNA for an announcer's position. However, if the price is right - anything could happen. I just don't see TNA putting out a price to attract Raven back to them. They wouldn't pay Judas Mesias what he was worth and let him walk out the door on them...so, I doubt that they would offer anything lucrative to attract Raven to the announce table. From the way Raven's column sounded, they let Raven walk out the door on them with a pissy monetary offer that was not worth his time either. I think Raven would be interesting as an announcer since he is very intelligent, knows the business and is a heel. He is a good choice to bring to the table. Someone that I spoke to in person about this topic even suggested Glenn Gilberti aka Disco Inferno. He is intelligent, well-spoken and everyone loves to hate him. I see Gilberti as a future Don West replacement with my original choice of James Mitchell as the heel announcer. As for James Mitchell's voice not being clear enough, I have listened to his promos and interviews online, in person at live tapings, ppvs, shows and on television. His voice is scratchy and rough like sandpaper - heel like - but I think it is clear enough to understand. His voice is dramatic sounding. He doesn't sound scripted and monotone when he speaks - even when he is scripted in a promo. The current announcers sound like they are reading a book to me. When he speaks, James Mitchell is intelligent and uses proper grammar and an advanced vocabulary. He works well with the fans in the Impact Zone studio and has his own established fan base. He has mannerisms that are interesting with his eyes and hands. He keeps you wanting to know more - even when the script in front of him lacks substance. He has an announcer's look to him since he is always dressed professionally on camera. He has been in the business and with TNA long enough to know how to sell the wrestlers, which wrestlers to sell and how to sell the TNA promotion and product properly. I have never heard or read about Mitchell making any statement online, in interviews or on television that was negative about TNA or how their business is run so, I can presume that he is a "company man" despite his heel character. Since he is currently on the roster and off the air, I think he would be the easiest person to transitition into the heel announcer position. TNA couldn't offend him with a pissy monetary offer - like they did with Mesias and Raven - or could they? I like all the suggestions that everyone has made on this topic. This post would be my "bullet points" to TNA human resources if I was asked to "sell" James Mitchell for the heel announcer's position.

[OffTheRopRope]

this goes back to something I have been saying about wrestling for the past few years....wrestling needs to reinvent itself, and in this case, just like the rest, it needs to be with someone new and not just take angles and idea that have worked in the past. A heel announcer in TNA, perhaps, just because they have 2 babyfaces out there that couldn't sell a glass of water to someone in the desert. Maybe not even a heel, but a paul heyman style announcer

[Ballin247]

I think both announcers need to go. Don West is brutal and Mike Tenay always brings back memories of that dreadful show WCW Thunder. I think Jeremy Borash should take over as the play-by-play guy. He gives TNA an original sound because he was made famous for being in TNA. They should have a former wrestler who is good on the mic be color commentator. I think Jeff Jarrett could do well as the color commentator who usually backs the heels. He could also get in the wrestlers faces at times if needed. Other ideas would be Kevin Nash or B.G. James because they look to be nearing the end of their wrestling careers.

[the phenomenon]

A new announcer for TNA...hmmm the possibilities. Now a great heel announcer for TNA would be Paul Haymen, I personally think Haymen and Tenay together could be great with Haymenas the heel because they would clash about everything. But a guy who should be working for TNA and i do not know why he is not is Joey Styles. The man is a great play by play announcer and would fit TNA beautifully because he calls a match how it should be called but WWE wants him to story tell instead of doing what he's good at...I wish that promo he had on raw before they started WWECW wled to something...like him going to TNA and calling the moves better then the so called "Professor" does.

[Audioslave]

I thought they really missed the ball when they had Shane Douglas under contract. The guy's always been pretty good on the mic and he could've been a good heelish color guy. I think he did some color commentary in ECW way back when and I recall it being decent at the very least. Which is more than I can say for Don West, anything is an improvement on him and his horrible voice.

[Afro-Ameri-Spawn]

To be honest, I'm not sure if wrestling really has heel announcers anymore. Alot of the people who say that the of Jerry The King Lawler and Jim Ross are a good heel/face team really haven't been watching wrestling since The King returned to the WWE. If anything, The King is a face as he usually agrees with Ross and even gets in the ring with alot of the up and coming heel wrestlers.

Now I will admit that Don West needs to improve dramatically. He has the position. He has the distinctive voice. And he has a good set up man. If utilized correctly, this team could be better than the WWE announcing team that just seems to sit there and say "wow" and "what a move" while miscalling every signature move that wrestlers work hard to pull off. But before he can truly be looked at objectionably, people need to stop comparing this team to the team that Lawler and Ross USED to be, because they aren't that good anymore.

[mstaken]

I read the spoilers for the tapings in the Impact Zone for the 6/19 show. I hope that Frank Trigg's interference in the AJ Styles match is not a sign that he is going to become the heel announcer in TNA. That would be a huge mistake. He is not interesting enough to attract new viewers. He is boring and monotone. He isn't interesting enough to the eye to make a channel surfing viewer stop and look. He does not have a pro wrestling fan base. How can he bring new viewers to the show or bring back old viewers who gave up on the product (like myself)? I would rather spray a whole can of Pam cooking spray on my hot Hulk Hogan endorsed electric grill than listen or watch Frank Trigg on TNA. Here is another example of TNA hiring someone's friend or someone that they admire rather than hiring a person that is qualified to do the job. Don West knows more about pro wrestling than Trigg does. I hope that this incident is not the first step in creating Trigg as a heel announcer. Trigg won't bring me back to the Impact Zone tapings. Trigg won't get me to watch the shows or add Impact back to a series taping on my DVR. I often wondered if Adamle in WWE was a spoof of the poor announcing in TNA?

[kingdom_come]

I don't even listen to TNA's announce team when the show is on. I just tune them out. Listening to Mike Tenay reminds me too much of watching WCW Thunder. (the B show) Don West on the other hand sounds like he is a bloody cough away from losing his voice all together.

Anyway.. on the heel announcer. Yes! They should bring in a full time heel announcer and my pick would be Ernest "The Cat" Miller.

In a perfect world the team would be Tony Schivone and Ernest Miller. Or Joey Styles by himself.

Frank Trigg is doing ok in his short trips to the announce table. Even if he is only Kurt Angles cheerleader.

[FTWChamp]

I read the spoilers for the tapings in the Impact Zone for the 6/19 show. I hope that Frank Trigg's interference in the AJ Styles match is not a sign that he is going to become the heel announcer in TNA. That would be a huge mistake. He is not interesting enough to attract new viewers. He is boring and monotone. He isn't interesting enough to the eye to make a channel surfing viewer stop and look. He does not have a pro wrestling fan base. How can he bring new viewers to the show or bring back old viewers who gave up on the product (like myself)? I would rather spray a whole can of Pam cooking spray on my hot Hulk Hogan endorsed electric grill than listen or watch Frank Trigg on TNA. Here is another example of TNA hiring someone's friend or someone that they admire rather than hiring a person that is qualified to do the job. Don West knows more about pro wrestling than Trigg does. I hope that this incident is not the first step in creating Trigg as a heel announcer. Trigg won't bring me back to the Impact Zone tapings. Trigg won't get me to watch the shows or add Impact back to a series taping on my DVR. I often wondered if Adamle in WWE was a spoof of the poor announcing in TNA?

You wonder if Adamle is a spoof of TNA's announcing? Are you friggin kidding me? Adamle was a spoof of himself, a spoof that went nowhere, much like many of Vince's ideas. Hey Vinnie Mac, how is that million dollar give-a-way going? Man it's really drawing in the fans isn't it!

Seriously Adamle is worse than Tenay or West ever dreamed of. I mean I hate Don West and Mike Tenay, they are the worst part of the broadcast but you really think Adamle was a spoof of TNA's announce crew. MY GOD that is truly the words of either a very bitter TNA fan or a complete and utter WWE mark.

Adamle was given a job he should have never had. Adamle was given a paycheck he should have never had. When Vince decided that he couldn't keep paying this guy for doing nothing, they decide to take Joey Styles.....the greatest play by play guy in the history of the business.....and put him on the WWE's website, giving Adamle his spot. Vince did this to once and for all kill what little original spirit the new ECW had. Why? Because Vince is a fucking moron that has lost touch with what the true wrestling fan wants.

Adamle was and is a spoof on himself or I guess he is a spoof of himself still. Honestly I quit watching ECW when RVD left and could care less about the show.

Now as far as Trigg on TNA's announce crew, I think it's better than nothing, which is what we have right now. Trigg is genuinely hated by the TNA fan and I think he is mediocre but at least he would bring a heel atmosphere to the announce table and give Tenay and West someone to argue with. I mean he'll do for now.

In a perfect world I would love to see Ernest "the Cat" Miller and Joey Styles doing play-by-play. Actually I would love to have Joey Styles and Bobby "the Brain" Heenan doing play by play bless his heart.....if he was in a capacity to do so. These guys were by far my two favorite announcers of all time. But realistically I could see a guy like Cyrus or Syrus, can't remember how it was spelled, from the old ECW doing commentary in TNA. I don't know what he's doing now but he would be a great heel announcer to bring in.