TNA Commentary

[save_us_222]

Firstly I watch TNA every week and at the moment would say i prefer it to WWE generally.

Saying this, I think the commentary is really hard to listen to for the majority of the show. I know people could argue that WWE commentary just now is awful too but theyve got the excuse of the PG era.

It seems to me that TNA is just trying to use the names of Taz n Tenay as a draw whereas tenay lacks any real personality and he calls matches as if the fans are absolute idiots such as his explanation of why rhino and abyss were under the stage at no surrender and only he could hear them so he knew. And Taz has got the role of heel commentator but jumps back and forth between heel and face. For example - why is he supporting fortune over ev2 after his speech at hardcore justice. Also his supposed insight into matches having been a wrestler is restricted to explaining that Kurt Angle "pops his hips" when he suplexes EVERY SINGLE TIME angle ever does a suplex in tna - which is a lot.

I reckon it would really help TNA if they got a couple of sharp witty commentators from somewhere - even if they arent well known and build them up.

This thread all stemed from hearing taz talk about angles hips every week n getting sooo sick of it as if he needs to reeducate the fans every week cos he used to be decent at suplexes

 

[jccool420]

Taz does seem a little goofy at times... I've said this in threads past... He just doesn't seem to take his job seriously enough... Maybe some true direction would benefit him since he tries to play the cool guy who understands the heels but he's a face which leads to him contradicting himself and sometimes just sounding outright dumb...

The Ross Report said Joey Styles' contract is coming to an end soon... So their may be some moving around in the booth...

Other options would be...

Foley for obvious reasons...

Also, I would really like to hear Nash on a regular basis... But, he mentioned he won't be retiring for a while... But, when he does, I think he would make a great color guy...

I like Tenay, but if would give him any heat... It would just be his age... He's an older guy and he's been around for so long that he's become sort of stale...

 

[I_Am_Electro_Boy]

I say bring back Don West, he made every match exciting. He was a really good commentator and I don't know why they replaced him with Tazz. Tenay's fine but he is a little boring and Tazz doesn't really take it seriously. So they should replace one of the current commentators with West.

 

[JayMiine]

I had this exact thought as I was re-watching No Surrender last night. Taz sees this as a joke. At times he seems clueless. For example Sabu vs Douglas Williams he was questioning where the chair came from, meanwhile it was in the ring he whole time. He makes corny jokes and him AND Tenay laugh at them. This makes them seem very unprofessional.Taz has begun to point out the obvious and it makes him seem idiotic, or that he just plain doesn't put any effort into announcing.


I think if by chance Joey Styles were to go to TNA, I would love to hear him and Foley on commentary. I think Tenay's time is up(many will argue it has been for years) and Taz is just awful.

The commentary really takes away from some moments in TNA. Sad to say.

 

[goodlay]

Firstly I watch TNA every week and at the moment would say i prefer it to WWE generally.

Saying this, I think the commentary is really hard to listen to for the majority of the show. I know people could argue that WWE commentary just now is awful too but theyve got the excuse of the PG era.

It seems to me that TNA is just trying to use the names of Taz n Tenay as a draw whereas tenay lacks any real personality and he calls matches as if the fans are absolute idiots such as his explanation of why rhino and abyss were under the stage at no surrender and only he could hear them so he knew. And Taz has got the role of heel commentator but jumps back and forth between heel and face. For example - why is he supporting fortune over ev2 after his speech at hardcore justice. Also his supposed insight into matches having been a wrestler is restricted to explaining that Kurt Angle "pops his hips" when he suplexes EVERY SINGLE TIME angle ever does a suplex in tna - which is a lot.

I reckon it would really help TNA if they got a couple of sharp witty commentators from somewhere - even if they arent well known and build them up.

This thread all stemed from hearing taz talk about angles hips every week n getting sooo sick of it as if he needs to reeducate the fans every week cos he used to be decent at suplexes

What? That's a crock of shit. Just because WWE is PG doesn't mean that's an excuse for Cole and Lawler being absolutely dreadful. And Taz is definitely NOT a heel commentator. When has Taz shown any similarity to Heenan, Ventura, or Attitude Era Lawler? If anything he's impartial, and he calls shit down the middle.

Taz and Tenay can have their bonehead moments, but usually they are pretty par for the course when it comes to calling matches. It's not the greatest commentary ever, but it doesn't get in the way of the match and ruin the action. And it's not like bringing back Don West would change anything. Taz is much better with wrestling knowledge and such, all Don West does is "OH MY GOD HE JUST HIT HIM DID YOU SEE THAT". That's cool and all, but I'd like my wrestling analyst to know a little something about, you know, wrestling.

Tenay has been, and is the voice of TNA. Taz was brought in for a reason, and I think he's doing fine. They bounce off each other pretty well and they can crack some decent jokes every once and a while. It isn't perfect, but I don't see it as a major issue and definitely not one that needs immediate fixing or anything.

 

[CyDeez]

If anything Styles would definitely take over play by play from Tenay. I could see Tenay moving over to a color role, or maybe how he was in WCW. But I think Tenay wouldn't add as much as he did in those days, because people seem to be over him.

Foley would be ok, but it seems like another ECW thing. Styles & Foley... I think throwing in someone randomly would work better to add color.

Maybe someone like JBL. A heel type character to keep Joey on his toes.


EDIT: Horrible idea to bring Don West back in. TNA felt even more minor league when he was on the mic. He makes me want to call in to order some fishing equipment or an A-Rod rookie card or something. Or just to tell him he sucks!!

 

[jccool420]

If anything Styles would definitely take over play by play from Tenay. I could see Tenay moving over to a color role, or maybe how he was in WCW. But I think Tenay wouldn't add as much as he did in those days, because people seem to be over him.

Foley would be ok, but it seems like another ECW thing. Styles & Foley... I think throwing in someone randomly would work better to add color.

Maybe someone like JBL. A heel type character to keep Joey on his toes.


EDIT: Horrible idea to bring Don West back in. TNA felt even more minor league when he was on the mic. He makes me want to call in to order some fishing equipment or an A-Rod rookie card or something. Or just to tell him he sucks!!

Do you really think Styles and JBL could work together after Styles knocked his ass out??? lol

Maybe Joey would be the one keeping JBL on his toes...

It would be funny as hell to see them work together and have Styles acting like the badass and telling JBL to shut up and stuff... lol

 

[save_us_222]

Just because WWE is PG doesn't mean that's an excuse for Cole and Lawler being absolutely dreadful.

Jerry the king Lawler doesnt work as well in a PG environment the same way stone cold or the rock wouldnt... plus he used to play off jr a lot and michael cole is so shit it neutralizes lawler - so i agree michael coles shit

When has Taz shown any similarity to Heenan, Ventura, or Attitude Era Lawler?

Hes definetly not. this is the problem i think - by heel commentator i meant he takes the sides of the heels over the faces, not himself is a massive heel - although i think he sould be. the best commentary pairings all involve a heel when you think about it. Being a face n rooting for a heels a bit mixed up i reckon taz is pretty half assed at his commentary and just doesnt act as a character anymore.

I just reckon this is an area where tna can really pull ahead of wwe.

Stop being such a TNA mark!


Also i reckon foley n styles would be good, they were pretty good at one night stand 2005.

 

[goodlay]

Jerry the king Lawler doesnt work as well in a PG environment the same way stone cold or the rock wouldnt... plus he used to play off jr a lot and michael cole is so shit it neutralizes lawler - so i agree michael coles shit



Hes definetly not. this is the problem i think - by heel commentator i meant he takes the sides of the heels over the faces, not himself is a massive heel - although i think he sould be. the best commentary pairings all involve a heel when you think about it. Being a face n rooting for a heels a bit mixed up i reckon taz is pretty half assed at his commentary and just doesnt act as a character anymore.

I just reckon this is an area where tna can really pull ahead of wwe.

Stop being such a TNA mark!


Also i reckon foley n styles would be good, they were pretty good at one night stand 2005.

Lawler has been like that since 07-08, and the program was still TV-14. And you're right, he did play off of JR most of the time. So basically just non-heel and without JR, Lawler sucks.

Not really, I would say it's pretty equal. He sides with faces like Pope, Hardy, Angle, etc. But yeah I agree, it would be nice to see a heel commentator, it does always spice things up a bit in the announcing side of things.

How am I being a TNA mark? You put your points out there and I countered all of them with logical points and counterpoints of my own. How does that make me a mark? I mean, I am a TNA mark but that had nothing to do with my post.

 

[osborne79]

id put hogan and bischoff with taz to commentate

 

[FILIPINOY79]

Tenay as a commentator sucks more than lord alfred hayes or even sean mooney LOL. I really miss Bobby Heenan as a color commentator and he always jacked up someones name or talk smack on tito santana (flying burrito/jalapeno instead of the flying forearm). JBL was pretty funny too, especially when rey came out with the louie vutton mask, JBL says he looks like a purse.

 

[Zangief the Red Cyclone]

if your gonna get Joey Styles might as well bring back joel gertner

no ones ever gonna be as good as Good Ol' JR and the King back in the attitude era.

I absolute despise Michael "Vintage" Cole and Matt "Irrelevant Facts" Striker. Bring back Coach haha.

 

[Whatsinaname696]

Tenay and Tazz are fine, if anything I would just add Tony Schiavone, as I think he was the best announcer ever

 

[sam_k7]

I gotta go with the current TNA commentary.

tenay knows his shit in terms of the history of wrestling. Sure hes abit tame sometimes but hes never going to be the shittest commentator out there.

Taz also knows his shit when it comes to in-ring action, he makes lawler look like hes never even been in the ring.

But TBH Taz could sit there and do/say nothing all night untill the time comes for us to LET THE PIGEONS LOOSE!!!!"

That alone makes Taz one of the greatest.

 

[save_us_222]

How am I being a TNA mark? You put your points out there and I countered all of them with logical points and counterpoints of my own. How does that make me a mark? I mean, I am a TNA mark but that had nothing to do with my post.

your counterpoint was that tenay is actually good yet u said that lawler n cole were shit. lawler even in this era is sooo much better than tenay. and as for taz knowing about wrestling - he might but he doesnt show it, look out for it next time the only moves taz ever talks about are suplexes...

i get ur points and stuff i just reckon u were being a bit biased towards the tna commentary - and a neutral fan would probably accept that the commentary in wwe and tna is both equally shit - considering tna commentators are allowed more scope.

i do agree with some of ur points but, im not tryin to be a dick lol

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Don West was fucking atrocious, and when I say atrocious, I mean atrocious. His "Oh My God!" moments to what would otherwise be average spots during matches got tired real quick, especially when you realized he did it about 35-times a night.

Sorry to say it, but he burned any potential to actually be taken seriously as a heel commentator (as good at it as he was) when he destroyed whatever shred of his personality you didn't associate with an ex-Home Shopping Network pitchman by annoyingly "selling" mundane events as over-the-top.

I have no issues with the commentating in TNA right now. None.

 

[merk1]

Taz is not a good commentator at all. its the weirdest thing that he will call a move by a percise name say someone performed a quesadora. like who knows what a quesadora is, its an extremely complicated double leg beed elevation that can be used as offence of reversal offence. but then he'll turn around and say "what was that, some cool kinda neckbreaker"....? be professional dude. personally i think the best commentator around is Matt Striker correct me if im wrong.

 

[DangerousDave]

The announce team is one of TNA's weakest links. They simply aren't entertaining. I don't mind Tenay as a straight man, but Taz is just awful as a color guy. If Taz is supposed to be a heel commentator he's failing miserabelly. His jokes are lame 99% of the time and he just rubs me the wrong way. I would love to see him replaced with Foley or at least someone that is a total heel and has a real sense of humor.