I miss Don West

[darkman_96]

In my opinion Don West was the best commentator TNA has ever had and was saddened when Taz took over despite being more known.

I find it hard to watch wrestling television programs when the commentators arnt exciting. When it was Don West and the Proffessor Don West would go crazy over everything and made the match 10 times more enjoyable. This led to Mike Tenay yelling just so he got heard. I miss those days of the Sting vs Joe vs Aj vs Angle classics.

Nowadays listening to Taz who tells so many stories and basically focuses on the Storyline not the match completely destroys the commentory. Don West was the best.

Your Thoughts.

Where is Don West?
Does Taz piss you off?

 

[squirt123]

Does Taz piss me off. Does Taz piss me off. Hmmmm YES! God dam if i have to listen to another day of his lame commentry im gonna mute it. I loved Don West, he made the matches.

We just have to remember that Taz is more notorious than Don West was and isnt going to leave anytime soon so for now you have to put up with it. The Don West-Proffessor duo was the best.

 

[I_Am_Electro_Boy]

Don West made some of the matches, even the boring matches were enjoyable because of his excitement. I don't mind Taz but he's boring compared to Don West. Just imagine him and the old Jerry Lawler together that would be amazing.

 

[darkman_96]

Yea Jerry used to be good now hes ordianary. I would like to see a Don West - Jim Ross Team. 2 screamers would get so wound up. MY GOD HES BROKEN IN HALF!!! HE JUST GOT CREAMED!!!!!

 

[Zeven_Zion]

Oh my God I was just watching an old AJ Styles match and thought of how great Don West is. I sure as hell want him back.

I mean, Taz is alright but he cracks a few stupid jokes and messes something up in EVERY match.

I think it'd be kind of nice to have three instead of two commentators. Have Don, Taz and Tenay on the same table. It's weird, I know, but it's less work for the rest of them, they have time to gather their thoughts too. ( sigh ) I guess I just want Don West back too much. They won't get Taz out of the announcers' team. 'The fuck is he gonna do?

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

I don't know - maybe it's just me but I've never been a big fan of the Professor. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't offend - he just doesn't get me excited (see also Josh Matthews and a pre BDB feud Michael Cole). I'd love to see a Don West and Taz partnership as I think that Taz would work well of West's enthusiasm. Tenay could then move to lead commentator on Xplosion plus the role on Impact as a sit down interviewer -which he has been used for before.

 

[Travaje]

I was also a Don West fan. When West started to play the heel and him and Tenay would go back and forth, I thought they were very entertaining. Not only Taz is terrible, but Tenay is also now terrible because he doesn't have somebody to play off of, like he did with West.

Taz has been terrible at color ever since he started. How he got the job, how he kept his job, and how he has been able to do it as long as he has, is beyond me. I understand that new fans (does TNA have new fans?) know who Taz is and not who Don West is, but THAT'S THE PROBLEM!!!!!!! It requires a lot of time for people to get behind new people, and TNA is not willing to give said people the time to develop anymore.

 

[TellMeWhy]

Don West as a heel in TNA was awesome. During his last year on commentary, his heel commentary was coming together so quickly and rapidly. Week after week, he was getting better at his role. The thing to is that he was studying tapes of Bobby Heenan so he was really taking his craft serious. In addition, West just knew how to put matches over like nobody. That is what wrestling needs now. An exciting announcer and a good heel announcer. TNA had all of that and just threw it away. WTF TNA!

Taz on commentary is awkward and always seems to make his broadcast partners uncomfortable because he doesn't seem serious enough and seems to play a little too much. Like sometimes, there is awkward silence in the commentary and that is just a sign that he doesn't have chemistry with Tenay. In addition to his corny jokes, at times he just needs to stfu and quit rambling. Goodness, the switch from Taz to West is something I'm not happy about. If anything, they should have kept all 3 men on commentary at once.

 

[nbkush]

I never cared for Taz's announcing in WWE. Don West wasn't anything spectacular, but he helped give TNA it's own identity. Absolutly bring him back...along with the six-sideded ring.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Don West the heel commentator was acceptable, but he long since had buried his potential with fans prior—which was in other words to say that he sabotaged his own ability to get the heel incarnation over—when he would scream bloody murder in excitement at the most mundane aspects of the matches he helped call, so much so to the point that it became grating and many fans watching (at least in my experience) would outright complain about him publicly, even going so far as to write the company who had a contact via their website for complaints at the time.

I'm sorry, but West as a face, which is what he was for about 85% of his time with the company on commentary was awful. Astoundingly, unequivocally and unabashedly awful, to the point of embarrassment IMO, which is exactly why he was eventually removed from his seat and replaced with Taz, who albeit may not be the best possible replacement, but is certainly light years greater than anything West was doing early on.

 

[gd]

Don West was by far the commentator in TNA history, just because of the hell turn. After his heel turn, I actually wanted to watch TNA because of his commentary. Talking about banging Velvet Sky? Fun stuff!

Taz isn't that terrible, annoying as hell at times though. Sure, he does a fine job, but he doesn't make me squeal in delight like West did. Disappointing they never where able to capitilize on a possible West/Tenay feud.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Am I the only one noticing the trend here? Yes, West as a heel commentator was fantastic, but why does no one remember the multiple years prior when he was an unequivocal ass-kissing loud-mouth who never knew when enough was enough? Why does no one remember the Don West who went by "Dee Dubya" (thank you, Mike Tenay, for that ghastly nickname) and screamed holy hell during every match, as if screaming made the product more enjoyable or easier to concentrate on...

I'm sorry, but the couple of months he spent doing heel work to try to add depth to his otherwise drab character wasn't enough to justify having to deal with him as a face for the years prior. He dug his own grave.

 

[JTMylchreest]

I enjoyed Don West more after his heel turn. I loved how he was over the top at times, but than it just got annoying to hear at times. I like Taz & Tenay as a time, but Tenay is more of Play-by-Play guy and getting information out. Taz is a good, he has some good jokes during iMPACT too.

I wish TNA would do this, put West, Tenay, & Taz as a 3 man team. Like they had in WCW, it will help just get Tenay to get out information and do mainly play-by-play since he is not the greatest with color. I think it would be better since West would tie it all togather with Taz & Tenay.

But West has a nice job pushing stuff at the stands, and thanks to him, they get at least 20 head at every show now.

 

[disturbedbob]

I think its fair to say a lot of us thought Taz was a good up and comer while on SD, since coming to TNA he has been awful. He has his moments, but he always gets peoples names wrong, or moves wrong and has no chemistry with Tenay. He does however have a good chemistry with JB on Xplosion. They work well together. So how about a storyline??

Taz is obviously former ECW. Dreamer made a comment not long ago about JB being the hardest working guy in TNA. Dreamer has Dixie's ear, then BAM! Tenay is gone and JB is on Impact commentary. Tenay freaks out, speaks to Flair - who he knows from his WCW days - about the situation. Enter Don West, who is fuming about Dreamers comments and actions. How can he sack Tenay one of the cornerstones of TNA? and How dare he say that JB works harder than me, no one in TNA works harder than me etc etc. Eventual conclusion is Fortune take over and run EV2 out of Impact. First thing Flair does on the 1st Impact after the PPV is humiliate both Taz and JB, by sacking them from Impact, and demoting them to Xplosion. Then enter the new broadcast team....West and Tenay.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

IMO, Don West used to really piss me off, He shouted from start to finish, maybe its a good thing but I hated him, however that been said, I prefer him to Taz, Taz has just gone worse since he left WWE, he always has a question mark on his forehead, and his acting! Just horrendous! <---(spelling?)

 

[Steve Rogers]

Taz is pretty bad, West is 100X worse.

West became so overrated during his heel turn it was insane, all he did was the standard heel praising, face basing technique. People acted like he was completely reinventing the business with it. How is it despite a few flubs, which West has to, Cole is not praised for his heel work? Seriously people foam at the mouth not because of the mistakes because of the shit he says, attacking fans and such yet he isn't consider a revolutionist for his heel work like West was.

No I do not miss West. He has sucked and always will suck.

 

[Phenomenal]

I hated TNA when they removed Don west from announcing. He made Impact so freakin enjoyable. now its horrible and boring with taz and tenay.

It's worse as listening to mark maddened in wcw. That guy couldn't even sell him self let alone a match.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I agree with pretty much everything IDR said about Don West. Overall, he's just somebody that ultimately annoyed the crap out of me more than anything else. There were times in which he'd get excited about the least little thing that was going on inside the ring and scream at the top of his lungs in that raspy voice of his. I dunno if it was the misplaced enthusiasm, the voice, all those years he was just such an ass kissing fop, but the guy just got on my nerves. And he didn't get on my nerves in that good way that some commentators are supposed to.

I don't miss the guy and before I saw this thread, I hadn't even remotely thought about him in the longest time.

 

[Schizophrenic]

I never really liked any of the TNA announce teams. I just never have. I never found West entertaining. The only time he was acceptable was when something huge happened like Skipper walking the cage or the endings of the old X DIvision Matches but who couldn't yell and scream at those moments. Other times someone hit a dropkick and West would yell "That was freaking insane!" No Don, it wasn't. It was a standard move in wrestling, not freaking insane.

Tenay has always got on my nerves. He's my TNA Michael Cole. I know the man knows the buisness history more than most anyone else but for the love of God his voice to me is like cat crying, dogs barking and pigs being slaughterted at the same time. I enjoyed him in WCW because he was hardly on and then dissapeared for a week but al the time is too much.

I'm probably in the minority but I enjoy Taz. Maybe not his work in TNA most of the time but I like Taz. I have always liked when the commentators ineracted. And not thedumb moronic crap Cole & Lawler do every week. That's just god awful. Taz brings some humor to the screen, and while some may not be funny and others just go over people's heads, I always get a good chuckle out of it. And I think most of us can agree that having Taz is better than Ferrara or Madden oommentary.

 

[TellMeWhy]

Am I the only one noticing the trend here? Yes, West as a heel commentator was fantastic,

Because that's all that matters.

but why does no one remember the multiple years prior when he was an unequivocal ass-kissing loud-mouth who never knew when enough was enough?

Because in the end when he turned heel, he found his niche and showed improvement when put in his heel position. The lasting impression he made is what counts not the past.

I'm sorry, but the couple of months he spent doing heel work to try to add depth to his otherwise drab character wasn't enough to justify having to deal with him as a face for the years prior. He dug his own grave.

[/QUOTE]

It's been enough for 90% of the people here. Most people don't hold grudges for the bad and try to hold on like you. The man improved and that's all that matters. Are we gonna crucify guys like The Miz forever because of how much he sucked when he started or are we gonna cherish him for how awesome he's doing right now? That is the situation here.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Because that's all that matters.

False. If all that matters is what have you done for me lately, how do you explain the hatred for Ken Anderson?

Because in the end when he turned heel, he found his niche and showed improvement when put in his heel position. The lasting impression he made is what counts not the past.

False. See above.

It's been enough for 90% of the people here. Most people don't hold grudges for the bad and try to hold on like you. The man improved and that's all that matters. Are we gonna crucify guys like The Miz forever because of how much he sucked when he started or are we gonna cherish him for how awesome he's doing right now? That is the situation here.

False. See first post, and the Miz is not awesome, but that's a discussion for another topic.

 

[DangerousDave]

Wow, I was just about to start a Taz Sucks thread myself. As a 30 year wrestling fan, but only new to TNA since Hogan's arrival, I can't make any comparison between Taz and West. I can only say that Taz is a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10. He adds no excitement the match at all and 99% of jokes are lame. The announce team is one area where TNA is really lacking. Nothing adds to the entertainment like a good heel commentator, and of course the best heel commentator of all time was Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. The fact that someone mentioned West was studying old Heenan tapes leads me to beleive that if West was able to continue in his commentator role he would have improved. Someone also mentioned having Taz, West & Tenay. This combination could possibly work and I'm sure it would make Taz up his game. The problem with 3 commentators is that it gets "to busy" with each trying to get in their comments. The best combination is a face play by play guy and a heel color guy. Having not seen West & Tenay work together I don't know if Tenay is up to the task. In my opinion Taz has to go and be replaced by a heel (West or someone else) or work with a heel commentaor to make the announce team work.

 

[CyDeez]

I am over Taz. That goes without saying. I hated him on SD.

But IMO, I think he is better than Don West. It's funny...

Before Taz replaced him, people were calling for West's head on a platter. Saying he sucked and was always screaming.

Now that is what people miss about him!! LMAO!

Wrestling fans are never happy! I myself think TNA needs someone other than Taz. But I don't find Don West to be a suitable replacement for anyone. He is garbage.

Also funny to me was a comment in the OP. You find it hard to watch wrestling when the commentators aren't exciting? Then you must HATE going to a live event, because there are no commentators at all. Or have you even been to a live event!?

 

[theMaskednwker]

I miss don west too on that old sports memorablia home shopping network show back in the day as an announcer I thought he came off as bootleg and wasn't helped by boring ass tenay. Not that taz is any better I guess he really did need jr voice in his ear after all

 

[A Mod's Best Friend (aka Bitch)]

Elix Skipper and the 'rana at one of their first monthly PPV's will forever live on in my memory.

"He's not going to try and walk the tight rope on that cage"

West: "No way Mike, he cantttt ... noooo noooo NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WAYYYYYY!!!!! YOUU HAVVVEEE GOOOTTT TOOO BEE KIDDDDDDINNNNGGGGGG!"

Gold commentary!