I Must Be Real With Myself. I Miss Don West.

[Suneeboy]

I miss Don West. I miss him screaming into the mic. I miss him cheering for the heels. I miss him being so overly excited it that it sounded like he was going to have a heart attack. He really loved his job. He loved sitting next to Mike Tenay and calling matches. He didn’t know as much as say a Taz or a Matt Striker in so far as wrestling history and technical moves goes, but boy was he so much fun to listen to. He was quirky, crazy, and real. He sounded like a fan, and he marked out, and marked out often.

Now we have Taz, who has become a big goof. He thinks everything is “pretty cool”, or no matter what happens he says, “Well, I can’t blame the guy” and “I like it”. He takes too many jabs at the WWE, and I’ve had enough of him on TNA. He doesn’t keep the energy up for me, and doesn’t set the tone like Don West did. I feel that he sounds confused and doesn’t sell the on screen angles and antics well enough.

I miss Don West, and I want him back. He was fun to listen to. He was different, and I liked it. He was more excited than me at the matches, and that is something that TNA is missing right now. He probably won’t ever come back to the booth, but I can dream can’t I?

 

[HT UK]

I agree, Heel Don West was unique & awesome. There should always be one heel commentator in my opinion.

Definatly much better than Taz.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

You're in a major minority there, man, and this is certainly one area where we don't even remotely agree.

Don West was one of the biggest turn off's for me, especially before he turned heel. There were weeks I'd have to turn the TV volume down just to drown his incessant jabbering, and there was a small period where I was about ready to stop watching because of him.

Taz has done a phenomenal job since coming in, and I wouldn't give that up for just anyone, and especially not for Don West.

 

[info62]

I miss Don West too. I agree with you that I like how he sounded like such a mark. I loved how he would pathetically diss the faces, namely Beer Money and Tara, and then when they joined him on commentary or something he'd go on about how he was such a big fan of them. He really just entertained me and made me laugh a lot after his heel turn.

I like Taz too, though. He's not as interesting and I agree that he does over use certain phrases like "pretty cool" (that one especially). But I do really like Taz, and I like his shots at WWE, despite that they may come off as petty or whatever.

What would be nice would be for Don West to come back and replace TENAY. Now Tenay I can't stand and I never could stand. For some reason I just really hate him.

 

[trashboy]

I don't miss Don West at all.. i always thought he was annoying, his voice got on my nerves quite a bit.. but one thing i have been wondering, where has he been? He started to manage Amazing Red for a couple weeks or so, then disappeared

 

[Suneeboy]

You're in a major minority there, man, and this is certainly one area where we don't even remotely agree.

Don West was one of the biggest turn off's for me, especially before he turned heel. There were weeks I'd have to turn the TV volume down just to drown his incessant jabbering, and there was a small period where I was about ready to stop watching because of him.

Taz has done a phenomenal job since coming in, and I wouldn't give that up for just anyone, and especially not for Don West.

I’m surprised. But Taz just doesn’t cut the cheese for me, and I’ve never been a fan of his in the booth. Taz has done a good job, but there could be an explosion in the building and his mood would still be the same, and he’d probably say, “I can’t blame the guy – that was kind of cool.”

He’s not awful, and I can’t watch an episode of Impact without noticing him as an annoyance. Don West was a complete maniac, and was unorthodox. It was a change of pace that I enjoyed, especially considering JR has been watered down by the time I started watching TNA Wrestling. I started watching TNA because it was a complete alternative to the WWE and in more ways than not, it was different.

Taz doesn’t make TNA different. I’ve listened to him for years in the WWE. You could’ve fooled me if you said someone was feeding Taz lines and screaming in his ear the WWE, because he sounds exactly the same over in TNA, albeit just more relaxed. Taz is serviceable, but I miss Don West.

 

[phlewfy]

It's not so much that I miss Don West as I can't stand Taz. I think Taz completely blows. He does a whole lot of talking, but doesn't say a GD thing! I can't figure out why the hell he was ever seen as a good commentator. I think I would like anyone in the booth besides Taz. Because Taz is so bad, I long for the Don West heel days and I never thought I would miss Don West.

 

[classicviolence]

I miss Don West myself as well. His over the top excitement felt genuine after a great spot was done. Something about his commentary felt less comical and more serious to the actual wrestling than opposed to Taz, trying to be funny and "cool".

 

[danny_the_legend_killer]

i have got to say that i agree with you he really sounded like he loved his job and him cheering the heels was just priceless my favourite moment was on the impact before a ppv view with the mem dominating tna and him taking the piss out of the young talent then Jeff Jarrett coming out and him sucking up to him and then jeff saying will you just shut the hell up and he was pretty much silent for the rest of the night god i miss those times in tna

 

[Derrtown]

I liked West and all but i recently picked up "TNA Ultimate Matches" dvd and i gotta tell you.. after about the 4th match i was getting pretty sick of West and his overreacting to everything.

*AJ hits a Peyley*

Don West: OH MY GOD THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!!

He'd do that allll the freaking time. It made me very very thankful Taz is the color commentary man. His voice and reactions are more tolerable to me.

 

[Dangermartin]

"UN FREAKING BELIEVEABLE!!!!"

I miss Don West too. I thought I was the only one. He was never annoying to me, I always liked him, because he was different! Like others have said, when he would diss people then suck up to them was hilarious.

I don't like Mike Tenay. He is boring and doesn't sell things well enough. But what other good commentators are there that TNA could get to replace him with? I'm just thankful Hogan didn't put Bubba The Love Sponge out! That would have been a disaster.

 

[TLC]

I agree with you Suneeboy. I love Don West. He always got me pumped for a show and thought he great. The fact that I thought he loved what he was doing helped and he seemed really passionate when commentating. Not many announcer sounds like that any more so I do miss him. I thought my dose of West could of came back when he was with Red but that didn't fan out.

Taz isn't bad either. He seems relaxed and knows what he is doing but he sounds like something I can tune into WWE to hear. I think Tenay and Taz are a better pair than West and Tenay as they seemed to have better chemistry but I'd take West and Tenay any day of the week.

 

[Kenny Powers]

Taz knows his wrestling but I miss Don West too. He didn't really have the wrestling insight like most announcers but he was passionate and excited every night. I wasn't a fan of his at first but he really impressed me when he turned heel. Tenay and Taz have some funny lines every now and then, but overall they put me to sleep. I would love to see him added to the commentary booth with Taz and Tenay since Tenay and Taz aren't going anywhere.

I don't think it would be hard for him to sale merchandise and commentate. Honestly I think Don West selling merchandise is a step down instead of a step up.

 

[Warrior]

I loved done west he was so exciting.He love his job,the fans, and the wrestlers.Taz is a little more technical but he is kinda one sided to me.He's boring and never seems to get excited about anything.

I want Done back.He is better than taz because he makes you want to watch the match cause after he talks about the match it seems more exciting.

Dose anyone remember why he left?

 

[Slyfox696]

I said for years that Don West was awesome and I literally mocked everyone who said differently. I also said Taz is a fucking dumbshit, and I wish his ass would do ANYTHING else but call matches.

I started missing Don West as soon as he was moved from the announce booth. Strangely enough, that's when I really lost interest in TNA, at least until Hogan came in.

Don West is better than you.

 

[Doubleo13]

Don West was awesome as a announcer, i loved it when he was heel he is much better then Taz. Why cant they have taz as a backstage interviewer or heck Evan as the janitor.


TNA should bring Don West back to the announce table and get rid of Taz

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I’m surprised. But Taz just doesn’t cut the cheese for me, and I’ve never been a fan of his in the booth. Taz has done a good job, but there could be an explosion in the building and his mood would still be the same, and he’d probably say, “I can’t blame the guy – that was kind of cool.”

He’s not awful, and I can’t watch an episode of Impact without noticing him as an annoyance. Don West was a complete maniac, and was unorthodox. It was a change of pace that I enjoyed, especially considering JR has been watered down by the time I started watching TNA Wrestling. I started watching TNA because it was a complete alternative to the WWE and in more ways than not, it was different.

Taz doesn’t make TNA different. I’ve listened to him for years in the WWE. You could’ve fooled me if you said someone was feeding Taz lines and screaming in his ear the WWE, because he sounds exactly the same over in TNA, albeit just more relaxed. Taz is serviceable, but I miss Don West.

But the very thing you loved about West was the very thing I hated. He was unorthodox and quite obviously not well-versed (enough) in the actual wrestling aspects of the show/business that IMO it really hurt the program when he'd ramble on and on at a tone that was louder than the friggin' crows at times.

Taz may not make TNA different, but IMO he does a better job of going with the flow of the match, and does a good job of raising the excitement level if/when a bigger spot is hit, and doesn't make it sound as though he just blew a load in his pants at every turn. That really aggravated me about West. He never knew when to just shut the fuck up already. As a heel, I really enjoyed him, but at that point it was too little too late, IMO, as he'd already pissed off too many fans for them to really care about what he did.

 

[TNA cross the line]

i thought it was a big mistake to make the switch ever since august and quite frankley i block out taz when i watch tna and when his dumbass saying penatrate my skull i sqworm any agony and pleade for Don West to save us from the idiot with glasses but i know hogan and ezE wont allow that

 

[future admin]

I loved Don Wests work, I liked it how he sounded like a fan not an analysist, Stryker is good, but all he does is Analyse injuries and how everything hurts, it really gets on my nerves, I like it how Don west was a heel, and never marked for the face.
Back on track, I do miss Don West, he was just on helluva commentator

 

[Pedro08]

I don't know if I miss Don West or I miss having a heel commentator. I just think the announcing is better when there is the face play-by-play guy and a heel commentator. I always found it more entertaining than having them both faces.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I don't know if I miss Don West or I miss having a heel commentator. I just think the announcing is better when there is the face play-by-play guy and a heel commentator. I always found it more entertaining than having them both faces.

Now this I can agree with, and it's one of the reasons I adored the WCW broadcast team so much with Tenay/Schiavone as the faces/play-by-play and Bobby Heenan as the ultra-classic uber-heel.

If they're gonna bring West back, I have no issues with it so long as he's brought back as a sure-fire heel, and not under some annoyingly nostalgic pretense of getting the guy everyone wanted fired, who they now miss, back in the booth for the sake of saving face (no pun intended).

I also would want to make sure he had a lot of training with regard to understanding that he can't babble for six or seven minutes straight while a match is going on. When he was still a face, he constantly blabbed right through key spots in the matches, consistently missing signature moves and the matches IMO suffered for it.

 

[Suneeboy]

Now this I can agree with, and it's one of the reasons I adored the WCW broadcast team so much with Tenay/Schiavone as the faces/play-by-play and Bobby Heenan as the ultra-classic uber-heel.

If they're gonna bring West back, I have no issues with it so long as he's brought back as a sure-fire heel, and not under some annoyingly nostalgic pretense of getting the guy everyone wanted fired, who they now miss, back in the booth for the sake of saving face (no pun intended).

I also would want to make sure he had a lot of training with regard to understanding that he can't babble for six or seven minutes straight while a match is going on. When he was still a face, he constantly blabbed right through key spots in the matches, consistently missing signature moves and the matches IMO suffered for it.

Looks like I missed a couple of points myself. I am a relatively new TNA fan, just started watching in June of 2009 or so. I only know the heel Don West so that's what I am missing about the broadcast. I hear the "face" Don West on TNA Epics and a couple of old matches that I've watched, but I don't know how he was from broadcast to broadcast as a face so I can't comment on that.

I started watching TNA for 3 main reasons in the Summer of 2009. 1) The WWE product was just too stale. 2) Booker T & Scott Steiner were funny as shit to me 3) Don West was a heel commentator and he made me laugh with every remark. I was fully entertained, and I was hooked. West leaving the booth really took TNA down a small notch for me, until Hogan came in.

But now its starting to die down a little bit again. I think it's because Taz's commentary is stale, and he adds nothing for me. West as a heel would be great right now, putting over Bischoff's, Flair's, and the heels antics and downplaying Hogan's and the faces.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Looks like I missed a couple of points myself. I am a relatively new TNA fan, just started watching in June of 2009 or so. I only know the heel Don West so that's what I am missing about the broadcast. I hear the "face" Don West on TNA Epics and a couple of old matches that I've watched, but I don't know how he was from broadcast to broadcast as a face so I can't comment on that.

I started watching TNA for 3 main reasons in the Summer of 2009. 1) The WWE product was just too stale. 2) Booker T & Scott Steiner were funny as shit to me 3) Don West was a heel commentator and he made me laugh with every remark. I was fully entertained, and I was hooked. West leaving the booth really took TNA down a small notch for me, until Hogan came in.

But now its starting to die down a little bit again. I think it's because Taz's commentary is stale, and he adds nothing for me. West as a heel would be great right now, putting over Bischoff's, Flair's, and the heels antics and downplaying Hogan's and the faces.

And that explains it. You never had to suffer through Don West the incessant talking head who never knew how to play it cool for more than half a second so he could take a breathe. As a heel, he was calm, cool and collected. He was hilarious and the relationship he had with Tenay worked well, but you have to realize that the move to push him in that direction came too little too late. For four plus years prior to that he was the equivalent to a horse-race announcer with a speech impediment, IMO. He had such a difficult time actually gauging the feel of the match, and would get too excited too quickly, which would make me almost want to turn the show off because for 80% of the show, he was screaming at the top of his lungs.

I don't think Taz brings nothing, I just think TNA could benefit from a little more back-and-forth with regard to their commentary table as you saw last night with Bischoff sitting in as a momentary heel. If that means West, fine. I'm OK with that, so long as he does exactly what he did as a heel just before he was removed from the desk. If I have to hear him scream "OH MY FREAKIN' GOD!" 36 times a night again in a two-hour broadcast, I'll be livid.

By the way, not to get off-topic here, but my favorite Don West heel moment was when he showed up into the show like 40-minutes late, and Tenay went off about thanking him for showing up on time, and how he smelled like a strip club. LOL!

 

[Roland Thompson Gunner]

I miss Don West too. Mike Tenay is worn out and Tazz is a joke. I was just getting into heel Don West right before they pulled the rug out from under him.

 

[Deezy333]

i like taz 10 times better, 1 ima huge ecw fan, 2 hes not an idiot, 3 he knows alot of the moves and its nice not hearing a hype man like lil john try to talk about wrestling. Don west could only say, That was incred and OMG. and pretend to be bad. BORING