Cole & Lawler; A Regular Ol' Pair of Mike Adamles

[Uncle Sam]

"Daniel Bryan made two members of Team WWE tap out." Unfortunately not, Michael Cole. I was watching.

Well, at least Jerry Lawler has his Daniel Bryan related facts down, right? Tell me something factually correct about Daniel Bryan, Jerry. "Well Sam, The Nexus beat up Daniel Bryan last night and kicked him out of the group." 'Fraid not, Jerry. That was black John Cena after he lost to regular John Cena. Yeah, I was surprised the universe didn't end too.

Unfortunately, it's not just Daniel Bryan that makes the two act like they've contracted a severe valum addiction - it's, well, professional wrestling. Time and time again, they're caught napping. Another example which I found funny:

• Alex Riley points to himself, "This is what a star looks like."
• Michael Cole: "Just like Alex Riley said, that is what a star looks like-- The Miz."

Yep, instead of gently embellishing the facts, spouting useless statistics and acting as subtle exposition - as wrestling commentators are supposed to - these two are now actively getting shit just plain wrong every Monday night. And, unlike Mike Adamle, they don't have the frankly superb Taz to correct them.

What?

 

[JM Punk]

I've never been one to complain about Cole, but he has been horrendous. I can't take the constant Miz mancrush or his childish insults for Danielson. We get it, you like Miz and can't stand the other guy......STFU.

He did his best to ruin the 7 on 7 tag match the other night.....when all I wanted was for him to call the match. The last I checked, he was supposed to be the play-by-play guy, not the analyst. Call the in-ring action.

 

[Steve Rogers]

I agree with you but I do love Coles whole (which I bet is intended)
"Working/Trolling the good guy to get under the IWC's skin" shtick.
Well I do not love it...Just love how well it is working.

Cole needs fact check. Lawler needs to go, and a better face commentator needs in to play off Cole's stupidity/ IWC bashing heel tactics.

 

[MWRedskins]

I've never been one to complain about Cole, but he has been horrendous. I can't take the constant Miz mancrush or his childish insults for Danielson. We get it, you like Miz and can't stand the other guy
that's my issue with Cole. Cole would be a great heel, BUT he only acts the heel part when the Miz is out, so it makes it sound like Cole has a mancrush on the Miz and in turn, it just sounds stupid, either turn Cole heel or keep him face, dont have him be a tweener, it's annoying.

Now just because Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole had some screw ups doesnt mean they are Mike Adamle. Lawler has been in this business for a long time, Cole screws up, BUT McMahon likes how he tells a story. i happen to like The King, he can announce, did he screw up yesterday, yes, BUT it happens, he's human isnt he, BUT King usually knows what he's talking about and when he's a heel, he's one of the best in the business, sadly he's not a heel, likely because the fans love him too much now, but he can still announce, put him with JR and he's great, Cole doesnt help him, but i put the blame more on Cole, Cole is ok, but he's best with JBL or Tazz on Smackdown.
And, unlike Mike Adamle, they don't have the frankly superb Taz to correct them.
Tazz isnt perfect, he's screwed up at times like King did, he messed up in both TNA and WWE, usually someone corrects him or he corrects himself, i told you, no one is perfect. I think Tazz and King are good announcers. Cole is ok, BUT i wish they would decide if he's a heel or face.

This whole hatred with Daniel Bryan and lovefest for Miz, BUT then loving Cena act is annoying.

 

[Suneeboy]

Meh…

What do you expect? The ineptitude of Cole and King is just a part of the show now. You expect bad announcing, mindless commentary, uninteresting build, and awful analysis.

Just hope and pray that the rest of the show is enjoyable so that you can filter out the mindless banter. When the show is lackluster, you notice the announcing more.

Cole works better with Matthews. He doesn’t botch as much on NXT.

 

[neildittmar]

While Cole remains pretty bad and the King is borderline irrelevant in 2010, neither of them stink up the joint quite like Adamle did. At least they both seem to get the talents names right a high majority of the time. Anyone remember Jeff Harvey?

And lest anyone think for one moment that the job of commentators is to call the matches, it's certainly not. In WWE, the guys behind the mic are supposed to be "telling stories." That's primarily why Joey Styles didn't last too long on RAW and why good ole J.R. has been the focal point of Vinces ridicule more than a few times.

As "storytellers", Cole and the King are allowed more than a few miscommunications and flubs as long as their banter generally enhances the product. Whether it in fact does or not is certainly debatable.

 

[sTyLnK]

I don't find it that bad at all. Not sure what people are talking about. King is great. In the past with JR he was more of a heel announcer, but as time has gone on he's changed to a face announcer. Nothing wrong with that. He's still the same awesome funny guy. Cole tends to talk to much at times, but he's more of a heel announcer towards certain wrestlers so he's going say his thing. Again nothing wrong with it.

They still call the match, they still make corny jokes and they still banter back and forth the odd time. Yes, they dub it down at times and make mistakes, but we're all human. It's going to happen. IMO they do a great job and the announcing really hasn't ever been a problem in the WWE. With the exception of maybe Adamle everyone else does/did a fine job.

 

[772Attitude]

You know what kills me about cole? Last noght when Randy Orton beat the hell out of sheamus we all hear micheal cole say "WE HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS SIDE OF RANDY BEFORE". i don't know if those were his exact words but REALLY COLE? GIVING RANDY'S PAST AND HIM MAKING A LIVING BEATING THE HELL OUT OF PEOPLE YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS SIDE OF RANDY BEFORE???? REALLY??? SHUT THE FUCK UP COLE YOU SUCK ASS!!!

 

[KnowYoRole]

Cole is only entertaining and good when he's a dick announcer being a dick to the rookies on NXT and a dick to Daniel Bryan, and when he's constantly on the Miz's dick.

However, The NXT announcing team is the best in the WWE today. Matthews plays off Cole perfectly and Cole is just hilarious on NXT. I think he should just be a heel all the time on RAW and NXT instead of to certain wrestlers, he's found his calling as a heel announcer.

Lawler just sucks nowadays and I've come to accept it. He's boring and not as funny/witty as he used to be, but if Cole is heel then I think he'll be a little bit more bearable because from the times he's argued with Michael Cole in full heel mode, he's been entertaining.

 

[K Meng]

If I'm not mistaken, at the end of RAW last night, one of the two said "Daniel Bryan is trying to say I'm sorry to Nexus" when in reality it was Darren Young who was being circled. There seems to be more and more of these announcer mistakes. To me, it seems like the one guy who doesn't make many mistakes is Josh Matthews. If you don't know what I'm talking about check him out on NXT, him and Cole work very well together.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I'm really glad this thread was made because I was thinking the exact same thing watching RAW last night. I find it mind boggling that these 2 mess up as much as they do on a weekly basis, sometimes it makes me wonder if they have any concept of whats going on or are they just saying what people in the back tell them to say. Either that or they have such bad memories that they can't remember what happened the week before.

Like 772Attitude said, his remark last night about Randy Orton as him "never seeing this side of Orton before" was laughable, Randy Orton has done A LOT worse than what he did to Sheamus, for Christ sakes, this is the same dude that punted Cena's father in the head and gave Steph a hanging DDT from the second rope, personally I don't recall a time where Orton DIDN'T act like this (he's been the same way since he was in evolution).

I don't have an issue with them putting over the wrestler and the storyline, but you don't have to discredit past occurrence's to do it. These days Orton can't do no wrong, 6 months ago these guys would say how despicable Orton is and the sad part about it is Orton has acted the EXACT SAME WAY as he did 6 months ago, the only thing that's changed is who he's fighting. Constantly changing the past to sell a storyline is not only stupid, it insults long term fans like myself who can call out these stupid lines every week.

I know WWE is made up history, and because they made it up they can change it all they want (like pretending Benoit never existed) but it should only be done in extreme circumstances, changing history every week to serve your purpose is stupid as most fans are smart enough to call out those boneheaded statements.

Its either the RAW announcing team (Cole, Lawler and backstage) has very bad memories, or they think fans are stupid enough to believe everything they are saying. To me it doesn't matter the reason, it just needs to stop. Its not too much to ask for Lawler and Cole to actually be on the ball with this stuff and not to make mistakes like they constantly do (like calling Darren Young Daniel Bryan when Daniel Bryan isn't even at ringside). With Lawler and Coles talking ability they really only need 4 things to be successful:
1) Know all the wrestlers and the talent.
2) Know the storyline's and what has happened in them
3) Keep your history consistent.
4) Sell the shit out of the above bulletpoints to keep the audience intrigued.

From what I've seen Cole and Lawler can't meet any of the above criteria anymore (sometimes item 4, but not always), and if thats the case maybe its time to get someone new.

SIDE NOTE: To Michael Cole. Stop burying Daniel Bryan. Whether you like the guy or not, and whether you're a miz fan or not, your job is to put over the talent so the fans come back to see said performer. JR hated HHH, but he still put over him as a heel.

 

[Kenny Powers]

Does Jerry Lawler even know the talent that is on Raw? He confused Darren Young for Daniel Bryan several times last night. It's the blind leading the blind with Cole and Lawler on commentary. They are always confused or getting a superstar or a phrase wrong. It's live television and mistakes happen, but Cole has actually given away the outcomes of main events at WrestleMania before. Cole is better as a manager or announcer, but not as a commentator.

Jim Ross should be brought in to save commentary or at least put Matt Striker or someone competent that can speak. Either way, Cole and Lawler shouldn't be commentating together ever again.

 

[mral82]

No no one is a Mike Adamle but Mike Adamle as far as Cole and Lawler are concerned put Lawler out to pasture and finally promote Matthews to Raw as Cole and Matthews are better 2gether than Cole and Lawler. Jerry has lost his touch cause the King doesnt fit well w/ the PG stuff as we can tell w/ the Diva matches but hey at least he knows how to pronounce Maryse's name and not say it like Maurice like Cole. If the future is for the young not the old, give Lawler a vacation for at least a month and see how well Matthews and Cole would do Live! on RAW. I laugh on Tuesday's w/ NXT and on Mondays I just watch and ignore the commentating. Cause Matthews-Cole is better than Lawler-Cole they were good on SD! in the beginnin but now the sux 2gether. Promote Matthews and give Lawler the interviewing spot that Josh has as the King I say is better suited for that. How about the revival of the King's Court as a feud elevation platform.

 

[BigDaddy420]

I for one am getting sick and tired of Michael Cole. He ruined the ME @ Summerslam for me. I get the fact he doesn't like the guy, but come on. The entire match it felt to me like he was rooting for Nexus to win just so Bryan Danielson looked bad; which totally killed the "reality" of the storyline for me. Everyone associated with WWE was supposed to be rooting for a Team Raw win since a Nexus win was going to mean the end of the WWE (supposedly) He needs to decide whether he is gonna be a heel commentator, a face commentator or remain impartial (which I know is not gonna happen). I just don't get it. Is he only gonna be a heel commentator when the Miz and DB are involved and remain a face the rest of the time? He's a worst flip-flopper than the politicians in office. As for The King, the pg rating has killed his shtick. He was priceless during the attitude era. Some of the stuff that came out of his mouth was me rolling on the floor. Now we get nothing but bland second rate stuff that just makes me sad. I only wish Matt Stryker would get his shit together because I'd much rather hear him (even if I don't understand what the hell he is talking about) than Cole any day of the week.

 

[Zigglerfan227]

I'm not one to complain much about commentators, but Cole AND Lawler are boring. Also, they both usually make ATLEAST one mistake every Monday Night on Raw. They both screwed up last night for example. One of them called Darren Young Byan Daniels, and Cole said that we had never seen the side of Orton that we saw last night. Cole, I haven't been dreaming! Orton was once a heel who beat the crap out of everyone! This is nothing new from Orton!

So yeah, Cole is bad, but in all reality so is Jerry Lawler. Lawler may have been good at one point in time but now he is very annoying. They both are annoying. I miss Jim Ross alot.

 

[Dyscord]

Don't think anyone could be as bad as Adamle. And I actually like Cole being a dick. He needs to move into being a dick full time.

However he has a reason to be a dick toward Bryan. He got attacked by him on NXT. And while Cole was dissing Bryan before, that attack only made things worse.

However, an announcer reversing roles for one or two superstars is nothing new. I remember back at Wrestlemania 13, where a heel Lawler and a face JR both agreed on how bad ass Steve Austin was. And King always had a hard on for The Rock, even when he was heel and Rock was face.

At any rate, Cole is much better when he's being a dick. I haven't heard an announcer run down someone like Cole does with Bryan in a LONG time.