Does Wrestling Need To Bring Back Managers?

[Blueshirt]

If you ask an old school wrestling fan to name one thing that is sorely missing from today's wrestling product, you will get many similar answers. Tag team wrestling, submission maneuvers, and managers are answers that are constantly received. While I agree that the tag team division and submission maneuvers are desperately needed in today's product, I often disagree about the manager argument.

Managers serve their place in wrestling and the very good ones (Jimmy Hart, Mr. Fuji, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan to name a select few) do add to the overall picture of the product, I find that the lack of managers has forced many wrestlers to nut up or shut up. Without managers, wrestlers are forced to deliver scripted promos, engage in their own banter with their opponents, and, perhaps most importantly, find their own ways to get over as heels. Long gone are the days that Mr. Fuji can throw salt in Bret Hart's eyes, instead the heel must find other ways to turn the crowd against him.

The perfect example in my mind of this is the evolution of talents such as Shemus and Wade Barrett, two big men who in the 80s and 90s would have probably been immediately placed with a manager. Instead, both men have been forced to work on their craft individually. In my opinion, it has been fun to watch both men evolve on the mic and watch them engage the audience through their own promos.

So what does the WZ community think? Are managers needed? Could they still add to the product today? If managers were utilized what wrestlers would you like to see get one?

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

There was a thread about this a couple of months ago dude.

Yes is my answer. Managers can really benefit talented wrestlers who lack the promo ability to get over on their own. Working alongside a talented mouthpiece such as Paul Heyman, James Mitchell or Bobby Heenan would only benefit the young wrestler and allow them to learn from the best.

I always enjoyed seeing the cheating heel manager screwing the face in order for his wrestler to get the victory, this always got major heat, something which is sorely lacking in modern wrestling.

However, I find your argument very interesting. While I do believe that in the majority of cases a manager can benefit a new wrestler with the lack of promo ability, your point about seeing them forced to develop these skills on their own or else fail is possibly true as well. This could result in some wrestlers sinking when with a manager they could get over, but it could also allow the superstar to learn on their feet quickly, benefitting them in a different way.

If I had to make a decision though, I do think that managers are missed in todays wrestling business, and I think the benefits they provide outweigh the negatives.

 

[The Holy One]

Wrestlers today do still have managers though. The perfect case would be in the new number 1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship, Dolph Ziggler. Vickie to me is one of the best heel managers a wrestler could have. Look what she has done for Ziggler since becoming his manager, Dolph has gone from consistent midcard loser to IC champion to future world champion in just 6 months. I do think managers are still needed for those who can't perform on the mic but excel in the ring. A perfect guy who is in need of a manager right now would be maybe John Morrison. He's not the best on the mic but when the bell rings he's one of the best in WWE today when it comes to putting on cosistent good matches. Maybe give him a diva that can talk, it could do wonders for him.

 

[Ferbian]

I wouldn't necessarily say that they are needed to be brought back. It would be alright to have one or two wandering around with a few special cases of absolute suck on the microphone. But I also would like to think that wrestling is just fine without the managers.

After all while a lot of superstars went out to have managers, especially some of the greats like Ric Flair and Vader just to name two. I still do not think that it is completely needed. Because after all the current top guys or soon to be top guys could make it by through their own abilities. Sure John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler and even A.J about a year ago had some severe lacks, but it's something to work on, and it's something that eventually will become firm enough for them to stand on their own feet just fine and make it all work.

 

[Spanky StretchPants]

My answer would be a big fat YES!

A lot of guys in WWE within the last couple of years have had trouble with keeping up on the microphone compared to The Miz, Jericho, Punk, Cena etc.. Take for instance Shelton Benjamin, he was a great athlete and a very skilled wrestler, I would have loved to see him hold the World Championship at one point, all he would really need is a Manager, regardless if it was his momma, any female or even male that could garner him mega heat would have done wonders for him.

Also John Morrison would be able to benefit from having a manager again, rather it be Melina or even his old partner Mercury. He's pretty over now in the WWE and he's only slowly getting better, if this was a couple months ago I would say throw him with Melina again, but now he's doing just fine by himself.